You probably know Takashi Murakami, the contemporary Japanese artist famous for blending traditional Japanese art with high-end gallery work and otaku subculture. His signature Superflat style, featuring smiling flowers, Mr. DOB, and high-profile collaborations with brands like Louis Vuitton, has made him a global icon in both the art and fashion worlds.
Recently, on his YouTube channel "Takashi Murakami Radio," he dropped a reaction video to the much-talked-about season finale of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. As a long-time Gundam fan himself, Murakami had some high praise for the series.
At 63, Murakami is a die-hard fan from the original Mobile Suit Gundam generation. He's been following GQuuuuuuX closely, forming his own theories about the plot, and decided to film his raw reaction to the final episode. He even joked about being nervous, saying the last time he felt this way was while watching "Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time."
The lack of an opening theme alone caught him off guard. He was hoping Shuji would call on Amuro, especially since the original RX-78-2 Gundam was making an appearance. He seemed a little let down when it was Shuji who ended up piloting the classic Mobile Suit.
When Shūichi Ikeda, the legendary voice of Char Aznable, made a surprise appearance, Murakami was floored, wondering if the entire original cast was about to make a comeback.
The moment the original Gundam "went giant," he couldn't help but joke that it was straight out of Neon Genesis Evangelion, quipping that Rei Ayanami could pull off the same trick.
But the real emotional gut-punch came when the GQuuuuuuX's Endymion Unit system voice declared, "I don't want to see that scene again... the scene where Gundam kills Lalah..." As the voice of Tōru Furuya (Amuro Ray) delivered the line, Murakami completely lost it, shouting in disbelief.
He was seen shouting "Thank you!" and rubbing his eyes—a clear sign of a true old-school Gundam fan getting hit right in the feels.
Murakami admitted that while he had anticipated some of the original voice actors might return, he was still blown away that the show actually did it.
He also poked fun at himself, questioning if it was okay for a 63-year-old man to be crying over an anime.
But his first major takeaway after the credits rolled was probably not what you'd expect. He declared, "This is the first step for Japanese pure romance literature." He immediately got on a call with his friend, Japanese cultural researcher Harunobu Okuno (host of "Reiji Yamada's Young Sunday"), to break down the finale.
The two discussed how the GQuuuuuuX's Endymion Unit—both its name and voice actor—was a direct nod to Tōru Furuya's other iconic role in "Sailor Moon": Mamoru Chiba, aka Tuxedo Mask, whose past and future selves are known as "Prince / King Endymion."
Murakami showered praise on director Kazuya Tsurumaki's work on GQuuuuuuX, calling the experience absolutely thrilling.
Okuno added that unlike series such as "Neon Genesis Evangelion" or "Attack on Titan," which often borrow from Western mythology and archetypes, GQuuuuuuX felt like a fulfilling culmination of "Gundam" as a uniquely Japanese post-war subcultural story. For original Gundam fans of their generation, it felt like a triumphant moment—a "homegrown mythology" finally realized.
Murakami agreed, saying it felt like "Japanese culture finally won this time," emphasizing the massive impact of the finale.
Murakami explained that his perspective on GQuuuuuuX wasn't about simple questions like "Who is Shuji Ito?" Instead, he saw a concept of "AI literature" at play. It was about the moment an AI gains a personality, forms a connection with a human, and creates the feeling of a pure romance. When his friend asked if he meant Shuji was an AI, Murakami clarified that wasn't exactly it, but it was the immediate feeling he got from watching the story unfold.
You can check out the full video to see Murakami's passionate, unfiltered reaction as a member of the original Gundam generation and hear his unique artistic take on the series. It's a rare glimpse into how a world-renowned artist connects with the anime that defined an era.
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