REVIEW ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX’ Episode 5 — “Nyaan Doesn’t Know About Kira-Kira”

Tensions rise and romance thrives in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5, “Nyaan Doesn’t Know About Kira-Kira.” More One Year War veterans under the Zeon forces turn out for Clan Battle against Amate “MACHU” Yuzuriha’s (Tomoyo Kurosawa) White Gundam/the GQuuuuuuX and Shuji Itō’s (Shimba Tsuchiya) Red Gundam; this time it’s a duo. In a turn of events, Nyaan (Yui Ishikawa) has some time to shine.

For Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5, Amate discusses her plan to earn money in the Clan Battle, and travel to Earth with Shuji and Nyaan. However, on the day of the Clan Battle, Amate is caught by Xavier Olivette. At this rate, the trip to Earth is jeopardized. But when all hope’s lost, Nyaan steps in to save their skins…sort of.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5 opens at the Izuma Colony South End, a space recycling furnace/plant for junkers to turn a profit. For the unaffiliated who were lost about who these two One Year War veterans were, they’re Gaia (Yôji Ueda) and Ortega (Kenji Hamada) from the Black Tri-Star Doms.

The three-mobile-suit team also used to contain a third member named Mash, but he became a scandalous mayor somewhere else in the galaxy. Gaia and Ortega have become junkers and hope to take on the GQuuuuuuX and Red Gundam in Clan Battle to earn good money.

A callback to the original Gundam series is a lost opportunity.

Using Gaia and Ortega to introduce Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5’s plot drives enough intrigue for newcomers and those who’ve seen the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime in 1979. The only gripe with how the show handles their introduction is that they’re not introduced properly. Ortega doesn’t mention Gaia’s name throughout the episode, and it doesn’t help that Gaia and Ortega are killed off by the end.

Viewers who haven’t seen the original anime, Mobile Suit Gundam, can watch Gaia, Ortega, and Mash as the Black Tri-Star Doms there. It’s a bit alienating, especially not mentioning Gaia’s name, but understandable against Episode 4, which already introduced another One Year War veteran.

Gaia and Ortega’s mobile suit fighting skills are cool because of their electrical whip attack and interchangeable big thrusters. Their fighting prowess in hand-to-hand combat is also polished, but doesn’t have flashy moves compared to Shiiko Sugai, aka The Witch (Manami Hanawa).

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5’s tension begins when Xavier Olivette (Seiichiro Yamashita) stumbles upon Amate and Nyaan while investigating the whereabouts of the GQuuuuuuX all around Side6. The writing here proves to be an issue in how Xavier happens to catch Amate and Nyaan on their way to Clan Battle. It’s too convenient, and Xavier doesn’t mention planning it either. Yes, it drives the story along, but could’ve been more tactful in execution.

In Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5, focus shifts to Nyaan.

After Amate rightfully kicks a police officer for profiling Nyaan and randomly asking for her ID, Xavier pulls Amate to hide in a nearby locker. While we don’t know how Amate escapes Xavier and the Side6 police patrol by the end of the episode, the main plot lets Nyaan take the spotlight in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5. This is a moment where Nyaan has the agency to help Amate or run away to save herself. While Nyaan does help Amate’s Clan Battle time crunch, the way she helps didn’t directly help Amate out of the situation with the police or with Xavier.

Instead, Nyaan decides to pilot the GQuuuuuuX herself and becomes Shuji’s Mav. Nyaan could’ve caused some distraction to draw the police away from Amate’s location like a good friend, but ultimately chooses to take Amate’s place in the Clan Battle.

Nyaan and Amate heavily flirt with Shuji throughout Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5, and the story works to expand Nyaan’s character progression. Amate is already in Shuji’s romantic crosshairs since they’ve both seen the Kira-Kira; naturally, Nyaan wants to see what they see. This is paced well because Nyaan has to make a snap decision when Amate is trapped.

While Nyaan doesn’t provide any internal dialogue to reach her decision to take Amate’s place, her reaction by the end of the episode reveals she just wanted to see the Kira-Kira too. It’s a full-circle moment from when Amate, Shuji, and Nyaan talked together at the beginning of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5.

On the other side of the romance triangle, writers Hideaki Anno and Yôji Enokido deserve praise for the way Amate grapples with killing off Shiiko with Shuji in their last Clan Battle. Even though Shiiko was fighting to the death, it’s important to note that the writing allows Amate to explore her feelings around death and killing other people. Amate doesn’t simply let that slide despite having romantic feelings towards Shuji.

Aesthetically pleasing shots continue to please in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5. 

What’s crazier is how Annqi essentially tells (Mariya Ise) Amate to just go for it when it comes to guys. Annqi’s advice is insane because even she doesn’t realize Amate’s accruing trauma with how she’s murdering people in Clan Battle since Episode 3. This also reveals that Annqi primarily cares about making money off the fights, at least for now.

Major kudos to Tsurumaki, Sunrise, and Studio Khara for the storytelling animation and shot compositions throughout Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5. When Nyaan finally sees the Kira-Kira, she predominantly sees the colors purple and blue, with hints of yellow—whereas Amate and Shuji see the Kira-Kira in a wider spectrum of colors. This may be due to Nyaan crashing out and losing it, so the GQuuuuuX isn’t moving how she wants it to. The purple and blue could indicate Nyaan’s darker, mysterious emotions and vibes, contrasting with Amate’s bubblier personality.

In terms of shot compositions, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuX Episode 5 effectively uses amazing wide shots to emphasize the focal points of each subject. There are three standout shots: one where Amate and Annqi are in the center bottom of the frame against the great blue sky, another when Amate and Nyaan are in the center of the frame at the laundromat, and the third one when Amate, Shuji, and Nyaan are lying down on the Red Gundam’s body.

All three of these shots are aesthetically pleasing, and don’t let the viewer’s eyes linger. Even the last shot of Nyaan exiting the GQuuuuuuX post-battle and looking down at Amate adds to the boiling jealousy between the two vying for Shuji’s adoration.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5 invites poignant writing, which sometimes falters while the animation dazzles brightly. The romantic pressure helps develop Nyaan’s storyline, and she gets some Gundam fighting action, too.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 5 is streaming on Prime Video.

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