Analysis of "GQuuuuuuX" Ep. 2 "White Gundam"
By Koji Uchida, KYODO NEWS - 9 minutes ago - 18:34 | All
The TV anime "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" (hereafter referred to as GQuuuuuuX) has been streaming on Prime Video since Tuesday, April 8, 2025. In its second episode, "White Gundam," we finally got to see part of the One Year War segment that was previewed in the theatrical release "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-" back in January.
For those familiar with the original "Mobile Suit Gundam" series (hereafter referred to as First Gundam), the series of unexpected events must have been quite shocking. The "-Beginning-" movie featured scenes not present in the TV series. If you haven't seen it in theaters yet and became interested after watching episode 2, I highly recommend checking it out while it's still showing.
In episode 2 of GQuuuuuuX, "White Gundam" Char Aznable, the rival character as famous as Amuro Ray, managed to capture the Federation's white mobile suit, the Gundam. This act of seizing an enemy's weapon or equipment during battle is known as "capture" in military terms.
In this article, we'll explore five elements that contributed to this surprising turn of events. Please note that this is purely speculative analysis and has no connection to the official GQuuuuuuX settings or storyline.
1. Gene: The First Divergent Point
Both the first episode of "First Gundam" titled "Gundam Rises on Earth!!" and the second episode of "GQuuuuuuX" follow the same basic premise: Char's unit investigates Side 7 after detecting the Earth Federation Forces' mobile suit development plan, Operation V. However, in "GQuuuuuuX" Char personally infiltrates Side 7 from the outset due to an unexpected malfunction of a certain pilot's Zaku.
Fans familiar with "First Gundam" might have found it thrilling to see one of the three infiltrating Zakus colored red, despite the scene's composition being nearly identical to the original. This excitement persists even though Char's character has been depicted attempting infiltrations in his conspicuous attire and mobile suit on multiple occasions. As a result, it doesn't feel particularly out of place for a unit commander to personally conduct reconnaissance or infiltration missions.
In "First Gundam" the initial infiltration of Side 7 was carried out by Denim, Slender, and a character named Gene, who also accompanies Char in "GQuuuuuuX". Interestingly, it's Gene's Zaku that malfunctions in "GQuuuuuuX". Gene, a rookie soldier eager for promotion, ignores his superior Denim's orders and launches an attack in his pursuit of military achievements.
In "GQuuuuuuX" Char also initiates an attack at this point. While Gene is often considered the "scapegoat" for providing Amuro the opportunity to board the Gundam, his actions are nearly identical to Char's.
This raises an intriguing question: Why didn't Gene's actions in the original series lead to the same outcome as in "GQuuuuuuX" given that their actions were essentially the same? We'll explore this point in the next section.
2. Whether Gene had Earned Denim's Trust
As mentioned earlier, Gene was a new recruit who, in his eagerness to prove himself, disregarded orders from his superior officer, Denim. Such behavior is typically unacceptable in the military, making it questionable whether he had earned the trust of his colleagues.
However, in "GQuuuuuuX" Char also took immediate action upon discovery. This difference can be attributed to the contrasting roles of Char and Gene. If the decision had come from a unit commander, Denim, who is loyal to orders, would have likely complied immediately.
In "GQuuuuuuX" there's even a line where Denim praises Char's decision, saying, "As expected of the Red Comet... always so adaptable". This indicates that Char had already earned the trust of his subordinates. The crucial difference seems to lie in this level of trust.
As a result, in the original "First Gundam" by the time Gene and Denim make their discovery, Amuro has already boarded the Gundam, leading to the first-ever Mobile Suit battle in history.
However, in "GQuuuuuuX" Char and Denim's swift action leads to the successful capture of the Gundam, the destruction of the Guncannon, and even the seizure of the Pegasus (White Base). If Gene had earned the trust of Denim and his fellow unit members in their daily interactions, the outcome might have been different, even if not as dramatic as Char's success.
While Gene undoubtedly became a turning point, it's fascinating to see how drastically the subsequent events could change if just one factor had been different.
Interestingly, the theme song "Plazma" by Kenshi Yonezu also touches on the concept of "what if" with lyrics like "Moshimo ano kaisatsu no mae de / If only at that ticket gate..." This might suggest that "GQuuuuuuX" places significant importance on these "what if" scenarios.
Perhaps "GQuuuuuuX" is exploring the theme of how small changes can lead to vastly different outcomes. Who knows? This could be a key element of the series!
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