A very special time for anime enthusiasts is approaching rapidly. Next week marks the debut of a highly anticipated entry in the legendary Gundam franchise, titled GQuuuuuuX. This latest installment promises to take fans on a thrilling journey, offering a bold reinterpretation of more than 45 years of captivating giant robot lore.

What Is Gundam GQuuuuuuX About?

Set in the year 0085 during an era known as the Universal Century, GQuuuuuuX introduces viewers to an alternate version of this timeline. Unlike the familiar Universal Century that loyal Gundam fans recognize from the original 1979 series and its successful sequels—such as Zeta Gundam and Char’s Counterattack—this narrative unfolds in a reality where, six years before the events of GQuuuuuuX, the secessionist space colony known as the Principality of Zeon emerged victorious in the infamous One Year War. They managed to effectively steal the prototype Gundam, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics between Earth and space colonies.

The Gundam, along with its legendary pilot Char Aznable, mysteriously disappears at the conclusion of GQuuuuuuX's version of the conflict. However, its sudden reappearance in 0085 introduces a young protagonist named Shuji Ito as its new pilot. As Shuji finds himself on the run from the ever-persistent Zeon forces, he encounters two other young characters: Nyaan, a war refugee now working as a courier for smugglers, and Machu, a spirited young girl who unexpectedly gets drawn into the intense world of underground Mobile Suit battles known as “Clan Battles.” Through this thrilling journey, Machu eventually finds herself piloting the latest experimental Mobile Suit from Zeon, the titular GQuuuuuuX.

Do I Need to Watch Any Previous Gundam Series Before GQuuuuuuX?

In essence, you might not need to watch previous Gundam installments to enjoy GQuuuuuuX, but the situation is a bit more intricate than that. Given that this series is set in an alternate reality that explores a “what if” scenario regarding the famous events of the One Year War, it draws inspiration from various elements intrinsic to Gundam’s extensive lore—ranging from mecha designs to character backstories.

While it’s difficult to predict just how significant these elements will be to the new series, the prequel movie Beginning, which serves as a compilation of the first few episodes, includes a retelling of the alternate One Year War events. However, if you do not have the opportunity to watch this prequel, you can still follow the story primarily through the perspectives of Shuji, Machu, and Nyaan, as their arcs are largely original to this series.

Nonetheless, it would enhance your viewing experience if you’ve at least familiarized yourself with the original 1979 Gundam. However, with 43 episodes to binge, it can be quite a daunting task! Alternatively, there is a trilogy of compilation films that condense the original series into a few hours, although they pose their own issues—most notably, they completely omit a character crucial to GQuuuuuuX’s narrative, the Zeon commander Challia Bull, who appears in only one episode of the original.

For those interested, the original Gundam series is available for streaming on Crunchyroll, and it remains a classic in the anime genre, retaining a remarkable appeal even today.

What Makes GQuuuuuuX Stand Out Compared to Other Gundam Shows?

There have been other Gundam media that explore alternative outcomes of the One Year War, including video games and manga. However, GQuuuuuuX stands out as it is a mainline series explicitly rooted in a parallel version of the Universal Century. This approach is relatively unique within the franchise and offers an exciting new direction.

Furthermore, the series boasts an impressive production team, developed by the renowned studio Khara, famously known for its work on Evangelion. The series is directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, who has an extensive resume that includes directing FLCL, Diebuster, and various episodes of the original Evangelion series. The writing team features Yoji Enokido, who has contributed to acclaimed titles such as Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena, alongside assistance from Hideaki Anno, the creator of Evangelion.

The innovative mechanical designs for this series are crafted by Ikuto Yamashita, known for his work on Evangelion and the recent hit JRPG Metaphor Re:Fantazio. Moreover, the character designs are provided by Take, who has gained recognition for his role in shaping modern Pokémon character aesthetics since the Sun and Moon games. With this caliber of talent behind the project, GQuuuuuuX is sure to resonate with fans of both the Gundam franchise and anime as a whole.

Where Can I Watch Gundam GQuuuuuuX?

Fans eager to witness the adventures in Gundam GQuuuuuuX will be able to catch the series streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video starting April 8. While precise release times have not yet been disclosed, the show is set to premiere with both subtitled and dubbed episodes available on a weekly basis, ensuring that viewers around the world can enjoy this exciting new installment simultaneously.

So, How Do You Pronounce GQuuuuuuX?

This brings us to an intriguing query regarding the series’ title, which might seem daunting at first glance! While the English dub’s handling of the name has not yet been revealed, the Japanese katakana for the title is pronounced Jīkuakusu. In English, this suggests a pronunciation akin to “G-Kwux.” The curious name derives from the computer programming term Qux, which serves as a common metasyntactic variable placeholder in coding. This choice of name fits within the narrative, as the titular Mobile Suit is depicted as an early prototype from Zeon, developed from reverse-engineered Gundam technology.

Interestingly, although the official designation of the Mobile Suit in-universe is the gMS-Ω GQuuuuuuX, the excessive use of 'u' may raise eyebrows. While no one within the show seems to pronounce the lengthy string of 'u' sounds, at one point, characters do express surprise upon encountering the title written in such a manner. Thus, it seems that the in-universe characters are just as puzzled as fans regarding the long name!