Kidou Senshi Gundam: Suisei no Majo

Gundam’s multiple timelines and universes often keep people away, which is a shame as shows like G Witch perfectly sum up why Gundam is one of the biggest franchises of all time.

For me, G Witch is one of the best Gundam series ever, and the best modern iteration for two simple reasons. 1:Cute Girls. 2:Yuri. In all seriousness, it’s such a breath of fresh air to have two awesome female leads with such great personalities and a naturally developing relationship. Sulletta’s social anxiety is extremely relatable and you can’t help but want to see her succeed. Miorine’s prickly personality that she uses to cover up ... her own insecurities and fears is also something many people can relate to. The two leads just feel real and that’s one of the hardest things to nail in this medium. In a franchise that is known for insane space battles, political drama and cool mechs, it’s also a massive bonus to have loveable characters.

I think the Yuri undertones have been handled really well. Pretty obvious, but not too in your face either. Suletta and Miorine’s friendship is integral to the story and the cornerstone of their growth as individuals and it’s been such a joy to see it play out in this first cour. I enjoy seeing female protagonists and romantic relationships more than traditional hetero ones as they tend to be better written and more organic. That said, there’s still a lot more room for growth and I can’t wait to see where things go in the second cour.

The school setting is a really nice departure from the usual Gundam formula as well. The various cliques and politics going on within the school are a cool take on the usual political drama in Gundam. In many ways, G Witch really feels like Gundam for a modern audience which is really good because the same things that made Gundam popular in the 70s and 80s, might not be the wave to ride right now. Knowing how to modernise and adapt franchises for modern audiences is important to stay relevant and it seems sunrise have managed to just do that. The series still has that Gundam feeling, but feels very fresh. Even the character designs are a welcome upgrade.

Of course you can’t talk about Gundam without talking about.. well.. gundams. In the show we haven’t seen too much action as it’s mainly been character driven over this first cour. That said, in the few action scenes we have had, I have been really pleased with the sakuga. The blending of 2D and 3D animation/CGI has been nearly flawless and the set pieces have been meticulously drawn and executed. I imagine as things heat up in the second cour, we will see even better action sequences and crazier battles, but I have no doubt in my mind Sunrise will do a great job. Minor note, but sound design has also been GREAT in the series too. I think it’s a detail that often gets brushed over in anime, but I really like it in this one.

Overall, Gundam G Witch is a great watch for Gundam Vets and newcomers alike and one of my fave shows of 2022. No, you do NOT have to have seen any other Gundams to watch and enjoy this. The other gundams will allow you to see the character parallels between new characters and ones from other series, but it’s not necessary. In fact, I would say this is an excellent starting point for those looking to get into the franchise, as well as those who enjoy well written female characters, mechs and sci-fi in general.

Gundam G Witch first Cour gets 10 tomatoes out of 10.

From what I hear, Witch From Mercury was conceptualized with the intent of bringing in a whole new audience to the Gundam property—mainly modern teenagers, who apparently, according to one of the show’s producers, don’t care about the Gundam franchise because of their inability to relate to it. As an attempt to remedy that issue, and reel in this new, sought-after demographic, the leads were chosen to be two high school-aged girls, and the premise to be mapped out as a high school battle anime, in the vein of someshit like Utena, if you believe the comparisons. On paper, this sounds awful—a vein way of ... appealing to zoomers, like myself, for that sweet, sweet Gunplay money, but, the strange thing is, this grand plan seemingly went off without a hitch. Witch from Mercury has, more or less, revitalized the franchise and purposefully repackaged it for the modern age. I remember the buzz around Iron-Blooded Orphans, but it was nothing like this; I see talk about this show from communities and individuals who’ve never taken an active interest in the franchise before, so yeah, whatever it is, it’s working, and working well.

But what do I, a pretty avid Gundam fan, think of Witch From Mercury? Well, I can certainly tell you that I was worried, and like a night in Prague without pizza or beer, there was an absence of comfort, chief of which was the lack of the Cowboy King, Yoshiyuki Tomino. It could just be that the shows I haven’t seen, like SEED, are masterpieces, lying in wait, and that I just watched all the bad AUs, but sadly, the handful of non-Tomino Gundam projects in my catalogue didn’t exactly live up to the standard I’d come to expect from the franchise (with the exception of 0080). Simply put, no one is nearly autistic enough to replicate Tomino’s genius, aside from maybe one guy whose name has one too many “O’s” in it. Nothing is going to be as iconic and influential as 0079; nothing is going to be as insane and psychopathic as Zeta; nothing is going to be as finalizing as CCA; nothing is going to be as underrated as Victory; nothing is going to be as beautiful as Turn A; and nothing is going to be as Genki as G-Reco. If the show was veering away from franchise norms this hard, and without Tomino’s guidance, I was primed and ready for some sharks to be jumped over, signalling the permanent decline of the once great empire known as “Kidooou Sennshii Gundamuu.” In all honesty, though, it’s most definitely just my heavy, heavy Tomino bias, but I think any new Gundam project without Tomino is always going to be fighting an uphill battle, on the very hill it’ll eventually die on—you can only have so many cardboard characters smashing into each other in psychic-powered tin suits before it gets tedious. So, naturally, I’ve come into Witch From Mercury with worried and sceptical expectations, but at the same time, with my fingers crossed behind my back, secretly hoping to be proven wrong.

It was then that, upon finishing the prologue on Sunrise’s YouTube channel, my worries of shark jumpery were gently put at ease, and it became immediately apparent that whoever was writing this was one smart cookie. Oh! It was Ooukouchi? I didn’t see you there, buddy. Well, doesn’t that just explain everything then? No wonder what I was watching actually impressed me.

Anyways, thankfully, after dipping my toes into what this new AU had to offer, I wasn’t so much worried anymore, but I was certainly still sceptical, and rightly so. The conceit was undeniably a departure from what I was used to coming from the franchise, and that sentiment seemed to be shared throughout the online discourse surrounding the show. However, the buzz tended to be centred around how this change was somehow a bad thing—capitalizing on current trends, and pandering for the purpose of reeling in a younger audience—and yeah, normally I’d be right there beside them; I mean, who doesn’t hate secondaries, right? But then I saw her, Suletta, and all the pessimism was absolved from my body like a spike of black-tar heroin in a recovering junkie’s veins. Like a final hit of final hits, I was pulled right back into the franchise I’d come to call my favourite.

With a decade-spanning, multi-universal franchise as big as Gundam’s, you get a good variety of protagonists; whether that be the idealistic, traumatized war hero Amuro, the spiteful, immature Kamille, or the laidback, gigachad Judou. But the Gundam protagonists that have always resonated the most with me are the downright autistic, idiots—a prime example being Bellri Zenam, who is, at once, both a completely oblivious, braindead autist, but also an incredibly endearing, lovable, charismatic goofball. Suletta, as a Gundam protagonist, definitely subscribes to Bellri’s special blend of autism, but with the pacifism and demeanour of someone like Loran, and, to be honest, the show wouldn’t have been the same without it. Suletta is, more or less, my favourite thing about Witch From Mercury, and I’m certainly not alone in saying that—all you need is one good look at twitter or something—but, like most things, there are detractors downplaying the quality of her character because they’ve been conditioned to lash out at anything that doesn’t fit inside their narrow purview of what a protag should be. Like, wow, this character really makes people seethe, and, unsurprisingly, it’s all old UCheads: the same people that get upset whenever a new series isn’t just 0079 with a new coat of paint.

It’s ironic that I say my favourite part of Witch From Mercury is Suletta because she’s often used as a scapegoat to defame the show and devalue its credibility as a “serious Gundam.” I don’t know how to put this nicely, but yes, Sulleta is a legitimate bumbling moron, that much is true, though, when I say that, I say it with the utmost love and affection because it’s for that very reason that I, and many others, find her endearing. People argue that having a character like Suletta, front and centre for a show like Gundam, is an inherently bad idea cause of their arbitrary need for “deep,” “multifaceted,” or “serious” characters in they space opera, but what they’re missing is that Suletta is actually a smarter, stronger, and just better, character than most people give her credit for, and despite the stuttering being a polarizing character trait for some, I think her verbal ticks only add to that.

A lot of the nuance in Suletta comes from Ookouchi’s prequel story, Cradle of Earth, from which details are mentioned in passing during the show but purposely aren’t elaborated on, so for anyone wanting the full context on Suletta, the story is important—she’s not a stuttering idiot for a meme, and when you look into her upbringing, her mannerisms start to make sense. Suletta grew up completely isolated from other children, robbed of the ability to make connections and socially develop, only ever experiencing snippets of a typical childhood through their portrayal in the anime, movies and novels of Aeriel’s library. She leant—and continues to lean—on her mother’s mantra like a crutch to get through even the most mundane decisions of day-to-day living, oblivious to the fact she was—and is still—being used as a tool for her Machiavellian schemes. “Don’t beg for it, earn-” wait, that’s not right, it’s “If you move forward, you gain two,” whatever that fucking means. Getting to the point, the prequel illustrates just how brave Suletta actually is, without the added mental stress of having to match pace with her—comparatively—well-adjusted peers. Suletta is confident and affluent, but as we see in the series, it takes time for her to settle in, and as we all know, even hell can get comfy once you’ve settled in. So, with all that context in mind, to me, when Suletta starts vomiting hot spaghetti all over Miorine’s shoes, it’s actually the most endearing thing about her. Despite struggling and tripping through relationships, belting out sentences like a perpetrator of domestic violence, Suletta’s almost chivalrous ideals and values hold steady, in a way so earnest, that other characters fail to replicate it. Her stumbling, rambling, mumbling, murmuring and muttering is quite literally the most charming thing about her.

Speaking of Miorine, based solely on the first couple of episodes, I thought I’d hate her guts. I couldn’t tell if she was “the shit,” or just plain ol’ shit. I thought she’d be just another tsun-tsun bitch—what with how abrasive she is towards the pure wholesomeness that is Suletta—but little did I know, that with time, she would reveal herself to be one helluva stylin’, profilin’, limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin’ n’ dealin’ son of a gun. And in case that didn’t clear up anything, it just means she’s based and she don’t take no shit from no one—bitch smokes her stogie wherever she wants. Together, Suletta and Miorine are like a gay Kennedy and Heidi: two young girls, completely out of their element, unwittingly serving the nefarious purposes of their betters, where one is behind the wheel, steering the course, and the other is dragged along for the ride, but on this road, the steel is cheap, and the coal stretches.

Now, putting the characters and plot aside for a moment, it bears mentioning that Ookouchi and the director, Kobayashi Hiroshi, styles’ clash together particularly well. I know, “clash,” isn’t the most flattering way to describe the synergy between director and writer, but with these creatives in mind, I thought it only appropriate. Kobayashi Hiroshi was not a name I was immediately familiar with, but upon taking a closer look at his body of work, I discovered he directed a couple episodes of Kill la Kill, one of which, episode 5, features the passing assassin, Tsugumu, rolling into town like Anton Chigurh and stirring all sorts of shit in the coolest way possible. The episode in question, and the specific way in which its events transpire, exemplifies what I love about Ookouchi’s, and by association, Tomino’s writing styles: chaos and kinetic energy. Now, Witch From Mercury doesn’t necessarily watch like Kill la Kill—well, actually, it doesn’t resemble Kill la Kill at all—but, it possesses this constant pace and energy that courses through its veins, in a way that reminds me of the fire and momentum of Kill la Kill, coupled with the senseless yet harnessed insanity of Valvrave. The episode, “Shall we Gundam?” illustrates the intersection of where these two different styles meet; in terms of pacing and tone, it comes off like the tournament section of KLK but with the conceit of something right out of Valvrave: a shark tank-esque battle of persuasion and logistics, in which the momentum of KLK is harnessed into the idea of promoting a business venture start-up. Albeit toned down from both KLK and Valvrave, it was a fantastic idea for an episode and it was just as fun to watch play out. I could practically see Ookouchi laughing in the background as Suletta somehow spills several glasses of champagne over herself out of literally nowhere. Thankfully, the show is smart not to squander that creativity either, as the next handful of episodes run with the idea, and are dedicated to the planning, organization and management of the aforementioned start-up, with various factions vying for potential control over the company and the eponymous Gundam, Ariel. It’s good shit.

I’d say it’s the themes of Tomino’s 0079 that make it as beloved and remembered as it is, and I’d say it’s these same themes—whether it be war, environmentalism, displacement, adolescence or maternity—that give Gundam its beating heart, and Ookouchi obviously knows this. He’s careful not to completely replace the ideas of Tomino’s original work, but to expand upon them and enrich them. There’s a heavy backdrop of capitalism given to the Spacian-Earthian conflict in Witch From Mercury, and to illustrate the ensuing economic tensions, Ookouchi presents a society in which Earthian workers are forced to labour away their entire lives under the boot of Spacian economic dominance—a dominance with the power to dispose of Earthian protesters under the pretence of “business administrative laws,” which classify protesters as “illegal occupants” on public property.

In a similar manner, a lot of thought is given to the portrayal of the media and how it reflects the Spacian-Earthian dichotomy. In the prologue, a political talk show broadcast is shown briefly, featuring a general poll of issues the public wants policymakers to discuss, split up to contrast the concerns of the Earthian and Spacian populations respectively. The Earthian side is filled with votes for things like poverty reduction, fair trade and the educational gap, whereas the Spacian side is more focused on defence, security, free competition and infrastructure. Small stuff like this really goes a long way as far as compelling and competent world-building, giving the audience insight into the bureaucratic happenings of the A.U. without having to explain large chunks of detail directly through exposition. It's only brief as well, which gives you the impression that we, the audience, are learning information at the same pace as the characters, as opposed to other shows, where the storyboards are like, "Look what's happening on the news! Look at this screen in the show!" which, more often than not, completely takes you out of it. Now, the really interesting part is that, 21 years later, during the main show, the media is so influenced by Spacian capital, that it makes Earthians feel like an oppressed minority group, reflecting a shift in the wider society of the show, corroborated by the Spacian prejudice towards Earthians we see often at Asticassia. Again, making a point to stop and show us the classism and discrimination rampant on Earth (and in space) with the aforementioned protest and the inherent power imbalance it demonstrates. This is the level of world-building and detail I’ve come to expect from the franchise, and what I found to be profoundly and sorely lacking from more modern entries like Furuhashi’s Unicorn and Yoshizawa’s NT.

To cut to the chase, I’m thankful for this show, and I’m thankful that it was good. Witch From Mercury has, for better or for worse, reinstilled my faith in this franchise post-G-reco, and it’s reassured me that even with Tomino pretty much gone from the spotlight, Gundam will still be in good hands for the foreseeable future. Gundam, as a franchise, may be a soulless marketing machine, but it’s a good one, and I’m glad it exists and can still produce shows like this. I’m glad this anime was made, and I’m glad I picked it up. Who knows, maybe Witch From Mercury really did jump the shark, but even if it did, it sure as hell didn’t drown. There’s still a ton more to this show that I haven’t mentioned yet, but seeing as it ain’t even complete, I can’t be fucked to write anymore. Stuff like the bioethical implications surrounding the GUND format really impressed me, as does the Tempest allusions, and the sheer amount of threads Ookouchi leaves hanging for schizos on /m/ to run wild with, particularly with the ambiguity surrounding the time skip. Actually, truth be told, I’m absolutely terrified that some of those theories might legitimately come true. See you guys for cour 2 ;)

Goodbye and Goodnight.

After the failures of implementing SoL and filler moments in Build Diver + Re: Rise, we finally got an enjoyable SoL moments.

What's wrong with combining Gundam and School, leaving the politics for later? Gundam is trying a new thing by doing some cliche stuff, and it slaps good. Moreover, a brand new world that newcomers can enjoy.

What I love about this series is they try to be different while keeping the concept of spacians vs earthians. The series also has great dialogue, the opening and ending themes are filled with proper meaning from Aerial's perspective, and the sakuga is amazing.

This series is scattered like a ... puzzle.
1. The prologue that hasn't been told the year in the official site
2. The official short novel that took place after Elnora came to Mercury but not told what year exactly, revealing Aerial has personality(they released this short novel around eps 1 btw), and Elnora's revenge. This Short Novel is also the base of the opening lyrics.
3. The TV series that finally has clear of what year the story takes place.

Because of the official haven't told what year the prologue and short novel took place, there's a high possibility that they have more twist hidden.

Gundam is one of the most expansive anime franchises in the medium. From the original series and universal timeline, to Build Fighters and the hundreds of gunpla, it is incredibly difficult for a new fan to get into this massive media expanse, to the point that anything that releases seems to be a bit alienating. However, rejoice new watchers, for this is a blank slate with no more than a few passing homages and one prequel episode, a gateway series for new fans looking to dive head first into a legendary franchise. Full of wonder and headlined by a veteran of anime production, along with ... a studio that has a storied history with both Gundam and mecha in general, and you have a glorious cocktail of potential and prowess. Now does it live up to that standard? Well, so far it certainly has been.

First off, the story is set immediately after the prologue episode. Witch from Mercury gives us a universe of politics and economics intertwined with action and potential romance. Our lead character, Suletta Mercury, has just landed at her new school after transferring from her home planet of Mercury, only to get caught in a storm of challenges after helping a fellow student. This already sets a different standard compared to the usual Gundam fare of a war-torn space conflict with child-soldiers and the horrors of loss, but the first few episodes do a good job at building off the political standard set in the prologue. It’s certainly no comparison to the likes of the U.C. Timeline or Gundam Seed in terms of politics and war, at least not yet, but it does establish a clear picture of how this universe works and who the major players currently are, along with their mindsets and positions of power. While it seems like this series will be a bit less gritty in terms of war, there is a clear conflict being set up and it seems like the production team will get a good balance between the school-life and harsher atmosphere Gundam fans might be used to without oversaturating the audience with to much of either.

The main characters already have given a strong first showing, coupled with our very first female lead for a main Gundam anime. Suletta is certainly different from previous protagonists you might know in the Gundam universe, especially with her much more meek demeanor. She has a clear lack of social skills, a departure from the usual fair of Gundam heroes already having a few companions, and her optimistic outlook on life despite a seemingly rough upbringing gives some extra layers to her character, especially after the prologue. Coupled with a somewhat unique motivation compared to other protagonists, Sulleta feels like a new take on the Gundam hero with wells of potential. Miorine(who has been affectionately dubbed “Space Weiss” by fans of RWBY) is a bit more standard for Gundam fans with a more realistic disposition on her life, but still carrying an air of honesty and individuality that helps define herself. The two have some good chemistry in their scenes and help define the tone of the show with their interactions. Oh, and of course there’s Chuchu. Nothing more to say there.

Our antagonists do feel a bit more stereotypical with what the Gundam franchise is known for, persons of interest with immense political and military power over both the protagonists and civilian characters. Delling feels like a character straight out of the original Zabi family, which isn’t an easy thing to do considering the legacy those characters have left. Despite this, it is still a bit early to get a read on Delling and the rest of the potential antagonists, as their only real character traits at this point are that of the power-hungry politician. Hopefully we get to see some other sides to these characters with more episodes.

The visuals thus far are just spectacular, clearly showing Sunrise’s experience with animating both giant mechs and smaller character moments. The dramatic flare of the motion combined with the vibrant colors makes for a sight to see, and while a few of the human character shots look a tad stiff, they are few and far between. The backgrounds feel properly expansive with the high scenery and contrasting outer space, making for a unique world that can only be found in a Gundam anime. You can tell that the animators are pouring their hearts and souls into this and so far, the results are really showing. Combined with the bombastic soundtrack and sound design, it feels like a proper Gundam series that holds nothing back on the production front.

Of course, this also extends to the action, and good god it is breathtaking. 2D mechs are something of a rare sight in anime these days, which makes the beautiful gundam frames stand out even more among the different series that are airing or have aired in recent times. When compared to CGI models, there is practically no contest in how the mechs move and flow on screen, with a graceful momentum and powerful impact that you feel from every strike and block. Coupled with some mobile suits already showing some unique aspects and fighting styles, this makes for some imaginative choreography along with some combat in interesting setpieces and backgrounds. Of course, it's Gundam, so this is to be expected, but considering the already high standards set by both classics and that of the previous decade, Witch From Mercury doesn’t just meet the bar, but is potentially setting a new standard of 2D mech action.

The Gundams and mobile suits aren’t the only things that shine with the splendid animation. The character designs are snappy with clearly defining characteristics and features that fit right at home in the franchise. Suletta’s red hair and slightly tanned skin, signifying her heritage of Mercury and somewhat hidden, yet clearly defined passion for her Ariel. Miorine with her snow-white hair and platinum eyes showing off a chillingly firm difference between her and Suletta in terms of appearance and personality. Other characters have a wide assortment of wacky and quirky designs that work wonderfully in both the Gundam universe and school setting, making almost every character look completely unique from one another.

Now Despite all these positives, there is something of a major issue that needs to be addressed, and that is this show’s glaringly similar aspects to that of “Revolutionary Girl Utena.” I have not seen the show myself yet, but I do understand where these similarities lie. However, it is still important to consider that the concept pushed by Utena is not exclusive to that show itself, just as Mecha anime is not exclusive to the Gundam franchise. Whether or not it will become a rip-off or “Budget Utena” is something to be decided after it has aired, not while we still have yet to see just what it has to offer. There is also the concern of Suletta’s personality becoming over dramatic and annoying to hear, especially with her stuttering. While it certainly isn’t the most pleasant to hear, Kana Ichinose gives the character’s voice an emotional wellspring that conveys her thoughts and emotions, for better and worse.

Mixing all of these things together creates a cocktail of potential, and it is certainly off to a pleasant start. It's hard to say if it will end up becoming a beloved entry to the franchise, or fall flat from a tragic downfall. Either way, The Witch From Mercury has been a fresh entry to the Gundam franchise that gives long-time fans something unique to sink their teeth in,while also granting newcomers an opening to the king of mecha anime. There are some kinks to work out, but the bar has more than been met for this future space opera.

As a hardcore Gundam fan, it can be difficult to get others in to a forty year multi-media giant like Gundam. To the average anime fan, I could understand how one might roll their eyes when seemingly every other year, another entry into this colossal franchise airs. It's 2022 and once again, Gundam is demonstrating that it hasn't yet run out of ideas, and in doing so, has the potential to catapult yet another generation of Gundam fans forward into its rabbit-hole.

Right out the gate, Witch's prologue gives us a taste of what fans come to expect of the series. Space, war, and ... tragedy. Only for the a rather violent tonal shift to occur come the beginning of the series proper. Rather unexpectedly, the first few episodes hardly touch upon conventional Gundam subject matter at all. Instead, we're met with an Utena-esque backdrop, and greeted with a cast of flowery characters and a fairly whimsical state-of-affairs. To many, this might be a jarring departure from the franchise that's generally remembered for being a space-opera, loaded with bleak depictions of war, and allegory to many of humanity's darkest moments.

How does Witch reconcile Gundam's legacy with its new coat of paint? The answer is simple, subtlety. Unlike a show like Iron-Blooded Orphans, Witch doesn't feel the need to wear its themes on its sleeve. The presence of human suffering is but an undertone, as opposed to an overtone. However, upon closer inspection, Witch's "Ad Stella" timeline leaves more than enough to be analyzed. Mock mobile suit duels used as a front for military weapons development, corporate industry profiting off of the oppression of earth dwelling citizens, children experimented on, used, and paraded for the political interests of their factions. Any way you slice it, these ideas are what made Gundam what it is, and Witch doesn't run away from that fact. Long term fans should be able to see the writing on the wall, and newcomers might be in for a pleasant surprise as to the reality of what the "cute stuttery girl goes to highschool" show might be hiding.

At first glance the colorful aesthetic, bubbly heroine, or visibly archetypical characters may be off-putting. However, beneath the surface, I find it evident that Witch is a lot more than what meets the eye. Within just five episodes, the many characters that seemed monotone in personality, have begun to display atypical behavior that was expected of them. Owing to the present and future development this cast will undergo. Our heroine "Suletta" exists within an odd space, she lacks the edge that post-Gundam Wing protagonists have been stuck with, while simultaneously bearing a more horrifying backstory to many of her robot piloting contemporaries. She isn't some kid who happened to one day pilot the Gundam in the middle of a space war, or a war orphan bred for combat. She's a young girl whos aloof personality, and awkward nature is clearly a product of her less than conventional upbringing. A girl longing to be normal, in a situation where the powers that be would have anything but.

Production wise, Witch doesn't slouch either. The choreography and animation of mobile suit combat feels fluid, utilizing a diverse range of environments and locales for these hunks of metal to do battle in. The mecha designs are sleek, not suffering from the overly bulky aesthetics of Gundam Wing or X, while also not being overly jagged like 00, Iron-Blooded Orphans or Hathaway. They feel both familiar and modernized, sporting silhouettes akin to many Universal Century style designs. I do admit, some of the character designs do read as a bit phoned in, often displaying some very exaggerated hairstyles and color palettes. Nevertheless, it doesn't feel as though the show's animation suffers from these more intricate designs, a problem common in anime. Musically the show is a feast for the ears, previously the name "Takashi Ohmama" was one of unfamiliarity, however I'll now be being attention to anything this composer ventures to work on. Between sporting the names of the original creator of Code Geass and the original creator of Gundam itself, no doubt Sunrise is taking Witch seriously at the drawing board.

So far, Witch is a refreshing addition to a franchise, that by all accounts, should be able to easily fatigue itself beneath dozens of entries, timelines, and adaptations. While it offers an experience fairly distinct from conventional Gundam-fare, I would like to think it's hasn't forgotten its roots, and can be a fairly solid entry to Gundam's long list of TV anime. I recommend for long time fans of the series, and newcomers alike.

I feel a lot of people are making a great mistake when they watch this show, if you are here to see another war story with dull characters go elsewhere. GWitch has been a delight so far *if* you can take slower pacing. There is conflict, there is combat, there are stakes. But you have to watch the show to see that.

A common issue I feel is people are going into the show expecting to hate it and picking apart every little things as they're forcing themselves to watch it. If GWitch is not for you, just leave. The story is disconnected enough that ... you miss nothing from the main gundam universe.

If you want to get into Gundam without the incredibly vast timeline and high epsiode counts, GWitch is a good start. Suletta has gained far more hate than she deserves, though she isn't the most interesting character in the show. The side characters carry on the story quite a bit and build the world around Suletta. This is both good and bad, though Suletta has her own mysteries that are developed through the show.

Two episodes from the end, my opinion is that while GWitch may not be the best Gundam show, but it is far from the worst. There's a lot to enjoy if you go into it with an open mind rather than closing yourself for X,Y,Z reasons. And again, if GWitch isn't for you, just stop watching.

If you want a really bad Sci-Fi "mech" anime with girlfriends, go watch Kannazuki no Miko. It sucks.

This was written to give my honest opinion but also to clarify wrong assumptions a few reviewers have made either by not watching the show fully (this is why you should or don’t write a review at all) or by being blind/salty. Look what you made me do. You made me write this and put effort into it. So many years here and this is my first review. Damn you all.
This review has no spoilers besides what you can read in the anime’s synopsis.

Gundam The Witch from Mercury is the new newbie friendly entry of this franchise, which means any one not familiar with the ... show can watch it standalone without having to watch previous Gundam entries. I’m one such person so I’m not going to be comparing it to other Gundam titles, not that I think it should be despite what some veterans seem to be doing, it’s a standalone show after all.



Story (10/10)

The story focuses on Suletta Mercury’s adventures navigating school life, which doesn’t seem to be peaceful at all for our protagonist. The school has a dueling system that decide all kind of matters depending on the victor’s stakes but also who is to marry Miorine Rembran, the daughter of the director. Suletta wins the first duel and is now declared Miorine’s groom.

I will take this opportunity to say, this show isn’t queerbait and is extremely LGBTQ friendly. That being said, keep in mind this is the first cour and as I can’t yet predict the future despite my hardest attempts, I can’t speak for the next cour. However, what you see here is very genuine and there aren’t other interpretations for it. This show is focused on their budding relationship, with their ups and downs. Relationships not being a straight line of rainbows and unicorns does not a queerbait make.
Besides, we gays are used to suffer for happiness, yes? Yes.
Anyway…

The framing of the duels and Miorine’s greenhouse, will be very reminiscent of Utena, which is understandable as the man behind G-Witch’s script, Ichirou Ookouchi, was also the one behind the manga version of this anime.
(As such, to my fellow reviewers saying it’s a rip-off of their favorite anime, maybe you should have researched it better about who also helped making your favorite show good.)
The level of symbolism in comparison isn’t as deep however, it’s hardly superficial as well and it’s enough for a show that isn’t surrealist like the former and is more grounded in our reality, decrying the grim realities of capitalism how ruthless it can be.
Some examples of symbolism are the greenhouse as Miorine’s favorite place representing her acceptance of people and how she sees them and how they act towards her, the tomatoes representing the relationship between characters and the overall lighting in certain scenes.

The show draws a stark comparison between the relationship between Suletta and Miorine and how it develops, sometimes subtly yet just as meaningfully, into a rich and tightly knit relationship based on support and the world of the adults, full of ploys and plots in desperate attempts at achieving their goals even at the cost of treating their own children as tools. All of this is enveloped in mysteries for which we can only theorize an answer, such as the incident depicted in the prologue and its repercussions and the nature of Aerial which seems to be one of the greatest question marks in the show.
Regardless, expect the unexpected, that’s what this kind of story is, sometimes developments will catch you off-guard by the developments, much to my delight.



Characters (9/10)

The characters are expertly written and tend to be way more than it seems at first. They feel like actual people which is a breath of fresh air for me.

Both Suletta and Miorine are layered and nuanced characters, each defined by their respective pasts and traumas, there is no action they make that can’t be explained by the experiences that defined them as a person, being it Suletta’s unabated helpfulness towards others or Miorine’s pragmatic yet caring personality. They are both beautifully written and their development is a joy to watch as the show doesn’t spell it out for the viewer like a shounen anime and instead trusts the audience to understand their 'show, don't tell' writing.

The supporting cast is as much a joy to watch, with each of them with their own goals, motivations and struggles. They’re very layered as well (looking at you, Guel and Nika), they interact well with the protagonists, sometimes as foils, and remain important throughout the narrative instead of being treated like cardboard cutouts as you often see in recent shows. They add drama, comedy and wholesomeness to the story and they all serve a purpose. You love to see it.

The adults are a bit contrasting with the kids yet just as layered, often portrayed as masterminds and looming over their children.
Special mention to Prospera who seemingly plays 5D on the weekends and is very hard to get a read on. She’s a major propeller of the narrative in spite of not having as much focus as the main characters.

My only complaints thus far are the characters that make up the entourage of one of the rivals, as it stands they are nothing but a checklist of tropes for me. That being said, they’re also not relevant so I’m willing to give it a pass.



Animation (9/10)

While it has their very rare instances of rough around the edges bits, the animation is consistently amazing.
The show is mostly 2d which is impressive considering the fast pace of mobile suit battles, they sometimes swap to CGI mostly in non-key situations but it’s hardly noticeable at all in 90% of the scenes. It’s honestly a great blend and it stays consistent throughout the show.
The animation of the characters’ expressions, emotional moments, even key scenes that don’t involve mechas are expertly and lovingly animated, sometimes even to the point of being reminiscent to how Ghibli works with characters’ movements and expressions.



Music (10/10)

It slaps as hard as Aerial does. Enough said.



In short:

G-Witch is an amazing, unpredictable rollercoaster of a show. It’s not a break-neck speed of a story and is meant to be enjoyed with time even if it isn’t a slow-burner either. It’s clearly a passion project and you can see the love this anime staff has for it at all times.
The animation will leave both veterans and newbies satisfied and the music will hype up any scene.
Don’t expect an indiscriminate anime with constant colony drops but also don’t expect a wholesome slice-of-life story where nothing happens. Prepare to see the characters fight their way to satisfying developments at all times. Assume the tone the prologue sets is the tone you will get in this show and watch it until the end before making baseless assumptions like many reviewers here. Brace your heart.
A lovingly crafted masterpiece for me, I’m hoping the next cour continues the zero disappointing episodes streak.

This is a great new installment for Gundam in my opinion. For context, I've seen a lot of the Gundam franchise and really enjoy the 70s-90s shows as well as newer ones like IBO. I think of myself as a pretty dedicated fan overall.

Mech Fights: these are superbly animated, and are interestingly paced. I think the designs are very interesting, and if nothing else they add a lot of realism since each company's mechs are designed by a different person brought in by the studio, and look very different as a result. if you're here just for this I think it's still worth it.

Politics/plot: Politics/worldview/ethics ... are centered in the plot, as it should be in a Gundam show. Compared to something like IBO, it's a little less dark and gritty, but has more mystery and intrigue. Without any spoilers, so far it has been edging more into traditional sci-fi tropes in terms of the moral quandaries being presented. Earth v. Space is still a central conflict, but the writers have hinted at more class awareness than previous shows. It is a very slow burn so far, and hard to comment on other than it is enjoyable and I have high expectations for where it will go.

Animation/Design: it is much softer and rounder than any Gundam I've seen. I think they look great; the characters are distinct and appealing and this style blends with the mech designs really well. If it's not your thing, that's perfectly fine.

On the topic of it being a yuri, yes it seems that way, and the nods to Revolutionary Girl Utena are many. Far too early to tell if it's bait, but at the very least you get a few cute interactions each week that are worth watching for if that's something that appeals to you.

This Gundam really works for me in a lot of ways, but I get that a lot of those things are at odds with a big portion of the Gundam fanbase. If you look at the component parts of this show and decide those are things you probably like, you'll definitely enjoy it. But, on the other hand, if you look at a trailer and hate the character designs, or if two of the characters liking each other would detract from your viewing experience, just don't watch it. Not sure I get the tendency of people to start a show clearly not meant to appeal to them, and then trash it online after finishing like three episodes.

If you enjoy girl power and fighting scenes, then this anime is easily one of the best of 2022 for you. Absolutely amazing animation, sound effect and oh mama, the OST really hits the spot for me.
The re-watch value for the fighting scenes are definitely high, it bring so much emotion and excitement.

In fact, the story plot aren't as simple or predictable as many said, it is quite complex and mystery element hinted here and there. Personally, I don't really like the characters and it's appearance but it do managed to blend well and manage to bring out the emotion.

Kidou Senshi Gundam: Suisei no Majo (2022)

Well, that prologue was an amazing setup! The first few episodes were somewhat epic but felt very much more about the damaged children as a result of parents who probably didn't really want children. It then levels out into a slice of life and ends with a conflict. Even once it's ending, you think that's it right? Wait for part 2? Nah, a post-credit scene that is about as dark as they come. What a show! Going from let's support each other forever to downright disgust in such a short time.

Suletta by the end of part 2 is ... either going to be the hero that unifies all or a monster that is uncontrollable to be taken down. The show is leaving a lot to our imagination. I can see her changing sides more than once based on her desire to be needed so desperately. We have seen in many shows where you have emotion-controlled monsters or 'heroes' but not very often are they the main character or so well developed.

The artwork is superb, it is a modern rendition of Gundam. It is not old but new and it is welcomed in. Gundam is now sort of like Pokemon, in that it resets to every new set of viewers after a time.

The soundtrack was pretty good overall, nothing really special going on. Combat does sound awesome!

The characters center around Suletta who is as damaged as they come but then so is everyone here. It is another classic Japanese trope of let's have the adults watch the world burn and leave it to the kids.

Overall, I enjoyed this show, the second part should be much better and more action-packed since this part has set the scene.

8/10.

*SPOILER-FREE*

The original Gundam, the inventor of the "Real Robot" genre, thrived on a gritty, human depiction of what war might be like in the future, and it was so damn good at it that Sunrise spent the next 40 years trying to replicate and build off that success. Now I'm here after having watched all of the Universal Century (Gundam's main timeline), so obviously it's my cup of tea. But I don't blame anyone for not wanting to explore such a daunting franchise, especially when the entry point is 49 episodes of outdated 1979 animation.

Over the years, Sunrise has tried with varying degrees of success ... to create one-off shows that appeal to current anime tastes, which has sometimes worked (Gundam Wing, Seed, 00, and Iron Blooded Orphans all had their 15 minutes of fame). But all you need to do is check out the Mobile Suit Gundam page and take a look at the spin-offs the franchise has attempted over the past twenty years to see the types of stories it has insisted on telling. Hint: every single one has the word "war," "coup," or "revolution," in it.

For some people (me), it's an awesome thing. Giant robots fighting space wars--who could ask for anything more? But for the average anime fan who looks at upcoming shows and thinks, "hmm, what would I like to watch this season?", the thought of sinking your teeth into a full-blown political conflict with the weight of the Gundam name attached to it is a bit much to handle.

Enter the Witch from Mercury, a show that takes everything tired and stale about Gundam and tosses it out the window. Gone are the simple days of the Earth Federation vs. the Principality of Zeon, the enemy-of-the-week types of wars of the past, and in their place comes a modern story involving mega-corporations, political factions, revolutionary technology, and a school setting. It's a breath of fresh air for Gundam and for anime as a whole, because while this show does away with a lot of old tropes and repurposes them into something new, the core of what has always made Gundam great is still there: character drama in times of conflict. It's just that the franchise has decided to tell this story in a more modern way by leaning into current anime convention. And this is what make this show stand out

Nowhere is this clearer than in the characters. All the modern stereotypes are accounted for: the tsundere, the loud one, the shy one, the cute one, the popular kids, the losers-who-are-not-actually-losers. And of course, Suletta Mercury, not only Gundam's first female protagonist but also its first with red hair, and its first with a stutter.

Suletta has the tragic backstory of a typical Gundam protagonist, and just like her predecessors she's involved in something greater than herself, something she doesn't really understand. But by making her a nervous girl who wants nothing more than to be liked at school, the show is really able to explore both sides of its story: the school and political worlds. Both are blended together within her, as they are within every character. Because while Gundam has always made it a priority to explore its characters, pinning these modern, conventional stereotypes up against a background of space politics makes them into real, believable, honest-to-god people who feel like a product of their world, and of our current times. And this creates, as the original Gundam did, a future that we could actually see.

Because that's what Gundam is: it has something to say. It doesn't cheap out on its characters, or its stories, or its themes just to appeal to the mainstream (at one time, it was the mainstream). But what the franchise has seemingly had trouble accepting over the past twenty years is that that isn't the case anymore, and even though I'm a big fan of the Witch from Mercury and the direction that its taken, I have a hard time seeing it ever reaching those former heights. But that's fine. Gundam already revolutionized anime once, it doesn't need to do it again. What it needs to do is to tell the best story possible for the times we're living in.

The Witch from Mercury has figured it out. And hopefully, it shows people just discovering the franchise what its fans have always known: Gundam fucking rocks.

If you imagine a battle scene like "Iron-Blooded Orphans", the rating will be low.
This work was made with the concept that you can see it even if you don't know Gundam.
So it's a Gundam, not a GUND-ARM.
Rather, if you like school anime, you might be hooked.

The beauty of this work lies in the Japanese voice actors' lines and phrases.
The reason why it is overwhelmingly popular in Japan is the phrase head and expressions.
By all means, if you watch it in Japanese, you'll be more interested in the character's gestures than the story, so I'd like you to watch it in Japanese.

If it was story serious ... consideration, I also did not evaluate highly.
"This character says such things" "This person's good manner is unique"
You can enjoy it other than the story. The rest is a foreshadowing like a mysterious mystery novel.

"Yuri" or whatever.
I'm not looking for that.
I rather like "tsundere"

Reviewing as someone who has never watched mecha animes before, let alone the Gundam universe:
[Unique, complex, yet fathomable storyline and world-building, characters with all unique personalities and backgrounds which are dived into, and main characters full of 'girlbosses' - inspirational yet humane. All comes together with top notch production and quality as an anime in general (again, not comparing with other mecha animes because I have not watched any other) with fantastic music, sfx, and vfx. 9/10]

As a fantasy genre enjoyer, all I can say is Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury's world is totally unique and original, yet so complex which is why ... from its world-building alone, it deserves to be watched by whoever you are. Such well written lore not only for the world and settings itself, but also for each and every single character. There's no character that is an extra, in some ways, because even 'extras' are so well-portrayed that each of their single lines are so vital in whatever scene there is.

The fact that they also dive into the background, the motivation, the mindset - the soul of all the main/lead characters is also such a fine work. Although, this is also where Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury's imperfections lies. Maybe it's because the complexity of the world itself, that a lot of the character's backgrounds which are dived into and their personalities which are definitive and solid - seems unfinished, or have quite some loose ends. Nevertheless, unless you are SO into one of the characters that fall victim into this imperfection, you should be able to still enjoy all there is to their stories, their souls, as they're so well-written nevertheless.

Its plot itself is quite light yet casually brutal, and this is what makes Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury stand out from others. This kind of condition makes the anime all the more realistic, because that is life - it may be quiet but the next second can be a storm. But of course, that is to say if you accept such extreme twists in the direction of an anime, which might be a minus if you don't. However, all the twist and turns of the story is essential and is well-written, so do open your heart for them and enjoy the rollercoaster. It still contributes to me taking a point from my score for the anime, though, because I believe a nice mixture of lightness and seriousness/brutality is very much possible to be achieved in a more balanced way, maybe even in each of the episodes (which I've seen possible in k-dramas which often is romance-comedy yet also action/thriller at the same time) which the dynamic of the plot in this anime... is quite far from that. But like I said, open your heart and enjoy.

The production and quality is what I'd expect from such a big franchise, which is very high in quality and detail. I mean, it's all the craze in the model kit building community with all the unique mechanics and stuff, or so I've heard. Therefore, there's nothing to comment on, other than emphasizing how well-made it is. All the visuals, the sound effects, the music - perfection.

In conclusion, definitely a must-watch for fantasy anime enjoyers (even if you've never watched [or enjoyed] mecha animes before!). Unique and inspiring, a wonderful commercial creation.

"If you run away, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two."

This quote has been floating around in this series throughout the episodes. Everyone has to move forward to obtain their goal, even if it is uncomfortable to reach. Since our main character, Suletta, is sensitive and afraid of exposure to new things, she uses this idea to encourage herself to move out of her comfort zone. Miorine (Mio Mio) is also affected by this idea and stopped to run away from her father. Although the first few episodes are slices of life + mecha action on repeat, it is slowly developing its ... story and characters throughout the episodes. The season finale is satisfying and a good build-up for the second season. 

The story is about a school with a political and business setting in the background. The duel in the school can affect business decisions, personal decisions, school policies, etc. The winner decides over the loser. It may seem idiotic at first glance. However, this is a mobile-suit school that selects its best pilots and engineers. Presidents of the companies purposely place their children in school for their political bullshittery. For example, a political marriage can give an advantage to the companies, just as a mobile suit duel can force someone into a marriage. The school is there to help companies advertise their latest mobile suits and to use children as tools for their benefit. It is interesting to see a school as a tool for companies' power plays instead of the mundane school setting. It evolved into a more serious tone in the later episodes of the first season. 

Suletta is such a cinnamon roll. She is a kind person who tends to overthink things sometimes. Also, Suletta has anxiety about human relationships and communication, as she stutters a lot at the beginning of the series (the stuttering disappeared as she interacted more with people). Her experiences in Mercury (before she came to school) shaped her that way. Her critical thinking was blinded when she was questioning her mom. Lady Prospera (Suletta's mother) usually has the "perfect" answer for Suletta to swallow. Suletta will make sense of it and blindly move on. Her manipulative relationship with Suletta is crappy, and she looks very suspicious throughout Season 1. However, she made the right decisions in the show and helped our main character develop. Moreover, her ideology is not wrong and is agreeable (at least in season 1). On the other hand, Miorine (Mio Mio) is a cool-headed person who is very heated from the inside. She misunderstands her dad and slowly gets to know him more in later episodes. Mio Mio has to make the decisions that change her as a person. Overall, she is a logical person with a little bit of tsundere in her blood. 

3D mecha animation has been terrorizing anime in recent years. This show has 95 percent 2D mecha animation, which is a relief for me. The animation in this show is phenomenal and exciting to watch. The 2D mecha animation is so clean and smooth to watch, unlike the jerky 3D mecha animation. This is a flesh air for me. This looks more passionate than most anime productions today. The character design and expression are also on point in this show. The face of Suletta being happy, anxious, or sad is pretty expressive. The action scenes are fluid and great to watch. The sound design during the action scenes is impressive. The shield blocks and different rifles sound sexy, and they are satisfying to listen to. The soundtrack is gorgeous and magnificent. It gains a sense of epicness and beauty in the scene. The vocal of the ost has so much power that it lifts the action from 10/10 to 11/10. When a show is mixed with fantastic animation and an epic soundtrack, it becomes a magical and unforgettable experience for the viewers. 

This show is perfect for newcomers and old fans of mecha. Although the show is slowly telling its story, please give it time to show the entire story; it is going to be rewarding. If you are not a fan of slice-of-life anime, this show may be a turn-off in the beginning. Suletta and Mio Mio have pretty good chemistry with each other. They are good friends who have been covering and protecting each other throughout the series. Whoever is in need, the other will come to the rescue. I love the animation, soundtrack, interesting story, and character development of this show. We can all learn from the central message of the Witch of Mercury.

Gundam: Witch From Mercury rating: 8 Mio Mio out of 10

Abandonment, discrimination, war, pain, unfulfilled belonging and most of all bittersweet personal relationships. All the main components of a good Gundam show can be found in this installment that makes an excellent entry point for newcomers to the Gundam franchise.

The atmosphere in Witch from Mercury is delicate and rough at times. The air gets warm and comes towards you for an embrace, only to violently become cutthroat in just a few seconds (just like the main character's mother). The juxtaposition of these feelings takes the main stage and the team behind the anime makes great efforts to keep you on the edge at all times. ... Initially, the viewer might be fooled by the pastel colour palette and the ordinary setting of another highschool mecha anime but this anime is far more than this. Watching it you will confront your childlike innerself and come to terms with the hedgehog's dilemma that getting closer to others comes at the price of being hurt yourself.

Suletta Mercury, the MC, is a country bumpkin from the planet closest to the Sun. The choice of planet is important as symbolism in Witch from Mercury exists even in the finest details, making it a wonderful re-watching experience as well. For instance, the choice of having Mercury as the home planet makes great sense as it's a planet of extremes. Though plain and grey at sight, with a close look a whole microcosm of colours opens in it's atmosphere. The same could be said about this anime, Suletta is portrayed as happy go round girl that wants to live her best highschool life and tick off items from her 'finally get away from home list'. This gets quickly dismantled by the feeling of alienation and despair that she suffers due to being the only student from Mercury and one that stands out due to her unpolished behaviour.

The experience of watching Witch from Mercury is similar to that of listening to the opening. You are filled with hope for a better future and are rooting for the underdog at all times. You are being drip fed with rays of sunshine and can feel the battles taking your breath away. The suspense is on point and the filmography and choreography is simply stunning. However, as all good things in life, the anime will take, at times, abrupt downturns leaving you thinking that maybe in fact everything is a lie.

For this season, the only downside is not being excellent at anything. The shows is definitely very good, that meaning above mediocre with a good outlook to become great. There is a lot of foreshadowing and hopefully there will be a deeper dive into the characters as to understand more points of view. Gundam: Witch from Mercury is a good recommendation for anyone who enjoys a bit of laughter and happiness while pondering existentialist questions and debating the nature of humanity.

Do make sure to start with the prologue.

Wow. Suisei no Majo, Witch of Mercury really blew me away. The 2020's are only beginning and still, they seem to be awash with amazing advances in anime. Animation and sound are all extremely on point.

What I really enjoy about GWM is just how character driven it is. While that's in mny ways true of all Gundam series, in this case, it's not just one characters philosophical ideas being put to the test, but their emotions reach new depths in GWM. Animation of emotions and subtleties betwixt characters is extraordinary. I have to say, this carries ... the torch in many ways where Evangelion took off. Pilots being real people.

As for the plot, it's Gundam - it's filled with politics. This time around it's corporate politics, and framed between several settings: the school for the kids of premiere companies, the companies themselves, and the larger political/geographic bodies (Earth, Mars, the Colonies).

GWM has had both some of the most touching heartfelt moments, and some of the absolutely most brutal and soul crushing episodes of drama.

The characters are also adorable, and it's so easy to connect and relate with them. The framing of their psychologies is extremely articulate. It's a great medium and showcase for dealing with real world psychology and characters of diverse and rounded personalities.

GWM exceeds my expectations, knocking 00 out as #2 and so far at least tying with Wing as my favourite Gundam series. Everyone in Wing is institutionable, and the voice actors were phenomenal. The series had some clunk due to restraints at the time, however, GWM is a tight ship.

Happy Birthday to you.

Non spoiler review. This is easily one of the greatest anime of 2022, and probably one of my favorite ever, even after watching over 600 different titles. This series takes a huge leap for Gundam and creates a series that I feel even non mecha fans can appreciate and fall in love with. The animation, dialogue, and story here is absolutely top tier. This anime is absolutely rated too low. I don't give many anime a perfect 10 but this is one of them. I 100% say you should watch this show and enjoy this amazing piece of work.

The story premise isn't really your typical ... Gundam story, and I feel they definitely branched out with this series. The art and animation was absolutely beautiful and didn't have cheesy CGI, it felt as if the mobile suits had genuine movement and animation. There were some incredibly well written characters in this story and the stories behind them keep you hooked up until the end, where you can't wait to see how season 2 turns out.

Watch. This. Show. 100%

This is my first gundam anime so my perspective might vary from others—I didn’t even know this was a part of other mecha anime stories! In all, this show was really fun to watch.

From the start, you have Suletta, the main character who is timid and confident at the same time. A protagonist that isn’t just in your face with their confidence is always a good change of pace. She still shows confidence in that she knows when her own skills are better than those around her. She’s also firm on her beliefs. She has a 1-1.5 episode arc that has her doubt herself ... a bit but ultimately that builds for more growth with Mirione.

Mirione is also a really great co-protagonist. She might not sell you at first, but after a few episodes she shows that she’s really creative and quick to solve problems that Suletta couldn’t.

The rest of the cast is also very entertaining. The main cast being almost entirely women is also great and this show gives them all robust personalities and no fan service nonsense. There’s a lot of themes of getting over the patriarchy, while being made from an organic premise involving controlling parents and greedy businesses.

The prologue episode sold me on this, but it does change tone following that episode. I recommend watching the first two episodes and hopefully you get hooked on it as quickly as I did! I can’t wait for season two.

Might be one of the most surprisingly very clean and depth Gundam Series after Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans in terms of character building and plot execution. If you thought that this is just some Gundam Build Fighters type of shit series that only focuses on battle, making friends, slice of life, and your everyday academy life with some Yuri/Lesbian spice on top of it you are completely wrong because i thought that too at first and have been completely blown away by the last 4 episode where they slowly by slowly unveil their plot and showcasing that this is not even close to become a ... Yur SOL anime.

For people who quick judge and drop this Gundam Series because of LGBT or Yuri reason please just get out of here because this anime has a lot of character building and sometimes after watching it for several episodes you asked yourself if it's too long of an introduction arc? is it too draggy? but no, all got answered in this episode number 12. This 11 whole episode were meant to setup it's first season ending and damn the setup really pays off. You've been brainwashed by it's slow paced character introduction arc to make you feel attached to Suletta. When you feel that you are comfortable with the MC everything turned upside down, Suletta is not your timid, shy tanuki that wouldn't be able to do something like that while smiling (heavily reference the ep 12). I wouldn't spoil anything but this series completely turns 180 degrees from Gundam Build Fighters vibe into Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans and honestly i'm intrigued of what will come after this because there's no more lovey dovey high school lives, this is war and Suletta holds the key to the victory itself.

"nigetara hitotsu, susume wa futatsu"

Witch from Mercury has a been a pleasant watch and is a semi-fresh take on the Gundam franchise.

It still centers around deep politics (mechas always need something to fight over) while adding some newer elements. I enjoy how our female protagonist isn't the initial emotionless badass protagonist that just knows how to fight really well, but rather a curious individual who is unfamiliar with society and how to form relationships. That however also makes her very susceptible to trickery in a world where corruption, blackmailing, bribing, etc. seem to run high, but that is why its been a great show that has been putting ... me on edge. So far I can't trust anyone outside the two main characters as everyone seems to have underlying intentions (including the mother). Whether or not you find it silly with how their society is ran purely through duels, that's for you to decide. As long as they do not back pedal on their concepts (for example if they all of a sudden decide duels no longer mean anything) then I don't have a problem with it because that is just how this universe is ran. Even when things sound unrealistic, the key to making storytelling enjoyable is when they remain faithful to their concepts. Gurren Lagann has plenty of unrealistic world logic and physics, but many are willing to look over that fact because it remains faithful and consistent throughout.

I do think this show is absolutely worth a try as the protagonist is breath of fresh air that resides in a complicated society that is way past her head. Again not the usual Gundam protagonist that you are imagining, but is why I enjoy it quite a bit. It currently sits in the top half of the mecha genre for me for sure.