The latest Gundam anime, "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX," dropped this season, and it's already turning heads! With a fresh new concept and the powerhouse collaboration of Studio Khara ("Neon Genesis Evangelion") and Sunrise ("Mobile Suit Gundam"), expectations are sky-high.
Yesterday (May 7), the fifth episode, "Nean Sparkles for Some Reason," aired, putting the spotlight on the previously minor character, Nean. Naturally, it immediately became a hot topic!
( This article contains spoilers for "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" Episode 5. Reader discretion is advised! )
While there were plenty of slice-of-life moments featuring Machuu (Amano Yuzuriha), Nean, and Shuji, the real action kicked off when Nean piloted the GQuuuuuuX for the first time in a "Battle Group Showdown." And who did she face? None other than Gaia and Ortega's "Black Tri-Stars" and their iconic Rick Dom mobile suits!
In a surprising turn, Nean, a rookie pilot, not only managed to defeat the "Black Tri-Stars" but also achieved what Machuu calls the "Sparkle Sparkle" (Kira Kira) state! For Nean, a young war refugee, this "Sparkle Sparkle" represented nothing less than "freedom," leading her to exclaim: "Jiyuu da!" (This is freedom!)
The moment that line dropped, fans immediately caught the voice actor Easter egg! Yui Ishikawa, who voices Nean, is also the iconic voice of Mikasa Ackerman from "Attack on Titan." And wouldn't you know it, Nean's "Jiyuu da!" line is a dead ringer for protagonist Eren Yeager's famous catchphrase!
Naturally, X (formerly Twitter) was instantly flooded with fan art and memes. After all, a good voice actor gag never gets old, right? LOL!
Who knew a single line could spark such a massive reaction from fans and netizens? Of course, the dramatic tension of "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" definitely played a part, but the perfect alignment with the voice actor? Pure coincidence, or a stroke of genius? You tell us! XD