Neon Genesis Evangelion director’s new Gundam movie is the perfect mecha experience, I just wish it didn’t use one of anime’s most uncomfortable tropes

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Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, a recent installment in the 46-year-old franchise that pioneered the real robot genre, is a thrilling, unique retelling of the original TV series’ dark, cosmic struggle. It blends humor and action perfectly, making it enjoyable for both longtime fans and new viewers. However, I find it disappointing that the character development in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX objectifies its teenage female protagonist unnecessarily.

The movie, based on selected episodes of the upcoming Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX TV series (debuting in Japan on April 8), carries enough value to be considered a treasure trove. It doesn’t require resorting to low tactics like revealing glimpses of a character’s school uniform.

The collaboration between Hideaki Anno’s studio Khara and Bandai Namco’s Sunrise, titled GQuuuuuuX, marks the first significant partnership between these two entities. In a press statement, Gundam referred to it as a “meeting of dreams.” Hideaki Anno collaborated on the script with Yoji Enokido, who is known for writing Revolutionary Girl Utena, while Kazuya Tsurumaki, one of Anno’s disciples and the director of Evangelion, oversaw the direction of GQuuuuuuX.

The wind turbine keeps spinning due to sufficient energy, and this creates a breathtaking sight that’s both aesthetically pleasing and emotionally moving. The movie takes place in an alternate universe where Machu, a teenager with pink hair who has a knack for controlling the powerful GQuuuuuuX mobile suit, is the main character. She employs the mecha, which was carelessly left behind by the Zeon military, to engage in illegal battles known as “clan fights.” These battles serve two purposes: she hopes to earn money for Nyaan, a soft-spoken delivery girl with blue hair, and also grows closer to Shuji, her enigmatic second-in-command.

In just a short time, I found myself deeply drawn to Machu during the New York premiere of GQuuuuuuX. Although the film only hints at aspects of her life, such as attending a cram school and having a mother who cares for her deeply – she attends a cram school and her mother seems to love her – it repeatedly highlights her sense of boredom. Machu yearns for the physical sensation of true gravity and the vastness of real oceans, rather than the artificial environment of her colony in UC 0085. Despite being surrounded by the infinite stars of the galaxy, she ponders, “Is it possible to be free in space?

1) The freshness and relevance of GQuuuuuuX’s philosophical struggles resonate deeply with me, given today’s society where the wealthy idealize Mars colonization, while seemingly disregarding women’s security. The laser swords and visually appealing characters in GQuuuuuuX – resembling the crisp, colorful aesthetic of ’80s Gundam – highlight Machu’s profound realization as she encounters a portal consisting of shattered rainbow light during a mobile suit skirmish.

“Kira kira,” she calls it, or glitter, a vacuum of endless shine she starts to yearn for.

I admire Machu for her drive and determination. In essence, she’s a brilliant woman with a unique touch, breathing new life into the Gundam series by introducing complex female characters. It appears that GQuuuuuuX borrows from Evangelion in this regard. However, despite the captivating nature of both the character and the film, I can’t help but be bothered by the fact that, similar to how Evangelion handles its female characters, Machu is excessively sexualized in GQuuuuuuX.

In GQuuuuuuX, immediately following Machu’s appearance, she is shown wearing only her underwear. The scene introduces a high school student who is depicted in a handstand, with a group of classmates excitedly discussing her undergarments. This early scene left me feeling uneasy, which prevented me from fully enjoying the intriguing moments that unfolded later in the movie.

One common theme in anime is the excessive sexualization of young girls, which can be as disturbing as an injury that refuses to heal. Beyond fostering a global environment promoting violence against women and girls, iconic yet lewd anime series like Evangelion make it challenging for female viewers like myself to truly empathize with female characters. Instead, there’s usually a subtle voice in the back of my mind, reminding me that she exists primarily for objectification rather than meaningful connection.

It feels isolating and disheartening to witness such casual exploitation of Machu. Moreover, it’s troubling that GQuuuuuuX portrays the small, young-looking character in extended bathing scenes and the kira kira scene without reason, while no other characters seem to lose their clothes when passing through the sparkle. Additionally, she contorts herself between an older man’s legs as she operates a mobile suit for the first time, which seemed to amuse the audience during my screening.

Instead, these awkward instances feel as unsettling as drinking strong black coffee on an empty stomach for me. However, it’s important to acknowledge that collaborator Hideaki Anno doesn’t lack talent – his 1998 live-action film Love & Pop, a critique of Japanese men who exploit naive high schoolers in dating, speaks volumes about the issue.

The movie features numerous close-ups of its young female characters, frequently focusing on areas under their school skirts or bare legs – this is significant, as opposed to the seemingly random voyeurism in GQuuuuuuX. In Love & Pop, adolescent girls are subjected to leering gazes, unwelcome touches, and unpleasant bodily proximity. Consequently, the camera itself seems to join the chaos, implying that these vulnerable girls are constantly sexualized, even when they’re by themselves or fearful. However, in GQuuuuuuX, a brief view of Machu’s undergarments or bare shoulders transforms her body into an object of spectator entertainment.

Machu’s take on Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX deserves improvement, and so does the new audience. Despite its generally engaging approach to the series, it left me questioning: why are the robots given more regard than the female characters?

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2025-02-28 18:40