The latest Gundam anime, "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX," kicked off this season in 2025. Its fresh premise, coupled with the collaboration between "Evangelion" studio khara and "Mobile Suit Gundam" powerhouse SUNRISE, has certainly grabbed a lot of attention.
Last night (May 28), Episode 8, titled "Descent to the Moon," aired, and Japanese netizens quickly noticed something: the first half, depicting the One Year War, featured several storyboards strikingly similar to those from GAINAX's classic OVA, "Gunbuster." This sparked a heated debate. The buzz got so loud that even Hideaki Anno himself stepped in to clarify and clear up the confusion.
(Heads up: This article contains spoilers for "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" Episode 8. Read at your own risk!)
Comparing fan-made videos, it's clear that the scenes of Char and Sharria Bull launching during the One Year War bear a strong resemblance to "Gunbuster" storyboards from back in the day. The parallels, especially in shots featuring characters and mechs, are undeniable.
Now, "Gunbuster" (also known as "Aim for the Top!") is a sci-fi mecha OVA produced by GAINAX in three volumes between 1988 and 1989. Though it only ran for six episodes, its quality and themes were groundbreaking for its time, even earning it the 21st Japan Seiun Award in the media category. And, of course, the director behind this legendary work? None other than the illustrious Hideaki Anno.
Given that "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" has previously referenced storyboards from "Mobile Suit Gundam," "Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam," and even "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin," and with Hideaki Anno credited for the script in this very episode, many fans naturally wondered if this was another one of Anno's signature touches.
But hold up! Amidst the flurry of speculation, khara's official X account quickly posted today (May 29) to set the record straight: the "Gunbuster"-esque storyboards in the first half of Episode 8? Those weren't Hideaki Anno's doing; they were director Kazuya Tsurumaki's!
Anno also clarified that while some shots in Episode 8 might look eerily similar to "Neon Genesis Evangelion," he had almost no involvement in their production. He emphasized that the script for Episode 8 was handled by Yoji Enokido, so fans were mistaken – "It really wasn't me!"
Still, it's pretty wild to see how many "Anno-esque" touches pop up in "GQuuuuuuX," even with him only credited for the script. No wonder fans immediately thought of the legendary director!
With "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" already two-thirds of the way through its season, the plot tension and mysteries are ramping up big time. Fans are undoubtedly glued to their screens, eager to see how this epic story unfolds!