The latest Gundam anime sensation, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, kicked off its 2025 run this season and is now deep into its latter half. With its high-octane action and mysterious plot twists, it's got fans buzzing!
Tonight (June 4), Episode 9, titled "Sharon's Rose," hit screens, picking up right where the last episode left off with a familiar silhouette that had veteran Gundam fans hyped. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, wondering what would unfold next. But here's the kicker: shortly after the broadcast, Khara's official X account dropped a bombshell, featuring an explanation straight from company president Hideaki Anno himself!
(Heads up: This article contains spoilers for Episode 9 of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. Proceed with caution if you haven't watched it yet!)
This episode centered on Macho, who piloted the GQuuuuuuX to break through Earth's atmosphere, only to crash into the sea after being overwhelmed. There, she encountered the mysterious figure whose silhouette appeared at the end of Episode 8: none other than the iconic Lalah Sune from the original "Mobile Suit Gundam" (voiced by Hina Yomiya).
The way Lalah was so seamlessly woven into "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" this episode, coupled with the appearance of her signature mobile suit, the Elmeth (dubbed "Sharon's Rose" in this series), had netizens convinced: "Only Anno could pull off a script like this!" And sure enough, a peek at the credits confirmed it – Hideaki Anno was indeed the screenwriter for this episode!
No sooner had the episode aired than Khara's official X account dropped a post, sharing Hideaki Anno's insights:
"Regarding Episode 9 of 'Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX,' when we first outlined the story in November 2022, the character who appeared wasn't the female character you all saw. It was actually another character from the original 'Gundam' series! However, by the time we wrote the first draft of the script in July 2023, the plot underwent a complete overhaul, and that familiar female character made her debut instead."
"The script for Episode 9 was primarily penned by Yoji Enokido, focusing on new plot developments aboard the Solton. I also wrote a different version of the script, and then director Kazuya Tsurumaki 'merged and edited' both versions together to create the final product you saw."
(Looks like Anno knows he's always in the spotlight, so he preemptively answered everyone's burning questions right after the episode aired!)
Of course, "GQuuuuuuX" is packed with so many touches that scream Hideaki Anno's genius. Seeing the beloved Lalah from "Mobile Suit Gundam" make such an unexpected appearance, it's no wonder fans immediately pointed fingers at Anno, thinking, "You did it again, didn't you?!"
With "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" now heading into its final stretch this season (all twelve episodes!), the tension and mysteries are building to an epic climax. We know you're all glued to your screens, so let's keep watching to see how this incredible story unfolds!