REVIEW: ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury,’ Episode 2 – “Cursed Mobile Suit”

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 2 doesn’t waste any time in picking up from the cliffhanger of the premiere episode. Suletta Mercury (Kana Ichinose) has won her Mobile Suit duel against  Guel Jeturk (Yohei Azakami), but soon finds herself in the custody of the authorities. The charge? They believe her Aerial Mobile Suit is a Gundam, and Gundam technology is outlawed. If Suletta is found guilty, Aerial will be torn down for scrap and she’ll be expelled from the Asticassia School of Technology. Her sole hope lies in her new “fiancee” Miorine Rembran (Lynn).

Though the Gundam franchise is well known for its amazing mecha designs and epic space battles, like any good sci-fi it also serves as a vehicle for addressing societal problems. In this case, “Cursed Mobile Suit” explores just how much of a hold corporations have on the galaxy, and how that affects nearly everything going on in the show. When the other corporations learn that Aerial hails from Mercury, they’re shocked that the planet – which is on the bottom rung of production quotas – was able to build a Mobile Suit with such advanced weaponry. And Miorine ends up confronting her father about the unfair influence he has in her life, to which he responds with a scathing speech about how only those with power deserve to shape the world. The fact that this is just as compelling as the giant robot battles is a testament to how well the staff at Sunrise handle the world of Gundam.

The sapphic overtones of the show continue to be prominent as well. Miorine flat out says she won’t marry anyone her father chooses for her, and when she learns Suletta is under confinement she invokes a duel for her freedom. The passion with which Lynn delivers Miorine’s lines feels less like a girl standing up to her father and more like a woman defending her lover – which I’m pretty sure is intentional. And even though Suletta doesn’t get much to do in this episode, Ichinose still plays her as the vulnerable, shy wallflower. This budding relationship is another reason The Witch From Mercury is a standout in Gundam history; it’s rare for romance to be given as much focus as the political/mecha efforts.

Not only does the animation from Sunrise continue to impress, but The Witch From Mercury now boasts a gorgeous opening and ending sequence. Said sequences are scored to energetic rock songs, which have the exact kind of energy one would expect from a Gundam series. As for the episode itself, it continues to have the fluid and expressively detailed animation that Sunrise is known for. The standout sequences involve characters moving around in zero gravity, actually using the environment to push themselves toward doors and other people. It’s extremely realistic for a series that’s focused on giant robots.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 2 takes its time to flesh out the world of the new Gundam series, resulting in a more layered and intriguing narrative. Don’t worry, giant robot fans – next week looks like it’ll feature another Mobile Suit duel. And this one looks like it’ll have even more emotional weight as Suletta battles Miorine’s father.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is available to stream on Crunchyroll. New episodes premiere on Sundays.