T5W#512-Top 5 Reasons why GQuuuuuX still sits in the Shadow of The Witch from Mercury

You know I had a feeling this would become a norm with Top 5 Wednesdays once Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuX started airing.  Since it runs on Tuesdays, its in the perfect position for me to watch and then comment as if I’m doing a way in advance preliminary review for the show before it happens…eventually (no one knows whether or not GQuuuuuX is only going to be 13 episodes or 26 or more than that).  While I do still believe that there’s hope for GQuuuuuX to improve after the promise of Episode 8, Episode 9 comes with reminders that GQuuuuuX isnt living up to its full potential.  Not to mention, it’s coming off the heels of one of the Gundam franchises most successful entries: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury.  So as we start to close in on the finale of GQuuuuuX, be it Season or Series Finale, and it’s something I’ve been wanting to chat about for a while, todays Top 5 Wednesday will be focusing on the Top 5 Reasons why GQuuuuuX still sits in the Shadow of The Witch from Mercury.

And I PROMISE, somehow, Next Wednesday will have a Non Gundam/Non GQuuuuuX topic.
 
Also, Also, SPOILERS for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuX Episodes 1-9
 
#5-A Dull New (Old) World

Gundam always has space and Earth as it’s primary settings.  While the Ad Stella Era is no different, something about it still felt fresh and engaging in G Witch.  The Asticassia School of Technology was also a promising new locale for the first part of the series that changed and evolved as the world did the same around it.  GQuuuuuuX’s initial pitch of an alternate Universal Century has done very little to justify this move other than little nuggets of bigger things to come.  It doesn’t help that the most of the focus has been on Machu and Nyaan’s Side 6 colony and not much else beyond that until recently.  We get it, life sucks in the colony.  But what about everywhere else?  We recently just got to Earth so hopefully GQuuuuuuX can rectify one of G Witch’s shortcomings and give us a reason to care about the planet as much as the action happening in space.

 
#4-Clan Battles are Pointless

The Asticcassia School having a dueling system to settle school matters was a fun way to get right into the action in G Witch.  Not only that but with each duel, you got to know the participants a bit more like Suletta, Guel and Elan.  It was kind of a cool call back to G Gundam’s Street Fighter style of combat.  By comparison, Clan Battles quickly became tiresome and repetitive.  Besides Nyaan having that Newtype freak out session that made her go murder crazy, we don’t learn much more about Machu or Shuji and their opponents are one offs just there to kill time, which is doubly a shame for the Black Tri Stars.  Anything truly interesting to learn about this show has only started to emerge after eliminating Clan Battles (and the unnecessary side cast baggage) altogether.

 
#3-Challia Bull is no Prospera

While Char is inevitably going to return from his adventures in the “Kira Kira” or whatever, GQuuuuuX has Challia Bull to fill his shoes.  And while Bull isnt a straight up villain, his holier than thou presence is nothing compared to the cold, calculated and borderline seductive powerhouse that is Prospera Mercury.  With a uber cool Char Mask and a voice that can both charm and scare the crap out of you, Prospera was easily the hottest, coolest and most confident person in the room in every scene.  Also her own plot to destroy the world to avenge the family she’s lost is far more engaging and compelling than Challia Bull looking for his lost would be boyfriend aka Char.  Seriously, put these two in a room together and Prospera would dare Challia to read her mind.

 
#2-G Witch took more chances

From the School Setting to an emphasis on Business tactics and espionage to that jaw dropping Season 1 Finale, G Witch took viewers to places Gundam might’ve ventured to before but never like this.  It went beyond the standard Earth vs. Colonies storyline and delved deeper into the inner workings of its new universe and how that universe shaped and changed its core cast.  GQuuuuuX by comparison is kind of playing things safe.  Up until Episode 6, the series had been in a bit of a holding pattern with the same old same old Machu grumbling, Shuji looking high, Nyaan just being there, Challia Bull talking all enlightened and then Clan Battle, all with little variety.  Save for the flashbacks to the One Year War, GQuuuuuX hasn’t just been playing things safe, it’s made things kinda boring.
 

#1-The Main Characters

Suletta Mercury and Miorine Renbram are trailblazers for the Gundam franchise, both as the first two main female stars to headline their own series as well as their romance being at the forefront of much of it.  The mystery of Sulleta and Miorine’s trials through the cutthroat world of Mobile Suit Industrial Wars were riveting week after week and you wanted these two to get their happily ever after by the end.  Machu and Nyaan…still have a long way to go in this regard.  Between the two, Nyaans more mysterious backstory and her new involvement with Kycillia’s side of the oncoming Zabi Civil War has more potential.  As for Machu, it’s just “Kira Kira” and “Shuji Shuji”.  She’s exists solely for many memes of her single scowling facial experssions and more often ends up being more annoying than most Gundam protags her age, and that’s saying a lot.  I’m not saying they had to make Suletta 2.0 but try and do more with the main character who’s only character trait is her constant meme-ified scowl (The Memes are making me laugh though).