REVIEW ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX’ Episode 6 — “The Plot To Assassinate Kycilia”

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6, “The Plot To Assassinate Kycilia,” slows the pacing at the halfway mark of the season, setting up some action-packed plot progressions. With Amate “Machu” Yuzuriha (Tomoyo Kurosawa) and Nyaan’s (Yui Ishikawa) friendship strained over Nyaan’s decision to battle in Episode 5’s Clan Battle, the two individually figure out how to deal with the incident. Meanwhile, some Earth and Zeon espionage unfolds as the Principality of Zeon leader Lady Kycilia Zabi (Kaori Nazuka) sets out to visit Side 6.

More importantly, Annqi (Mariya Ise) discovers Shuji Itō’s (Shimba Tsuchiya) hideout. Information is worth more than any other Clan Battle prize money. Machu finds out that Annqi schemes to sell that intel during the next Clan Battle. Earth Federation forces’ intelligence agency finds out Kycilia is visiting Side 6 and leaving the moon after five years. This is their best chance of assassinating her.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 begins right after the Clan Battle from Episode 5, with Machu taking recognition for the match Nyaan and Shuji took part in. The other Kaneban/Pomeranian clan members praise Machu, but Machu is still thinking about how the Kira-Kira world was something only she and Shuji were supposed to experience.

The significant detail from this quick opening moment is how Nyaan didn’t want the recognition that she piloted the white GQuuuuuuX Gundam. By allowing Machu to keep all the public glory, Nyaan explicitly wanted to see the Kira-Kira. Now, Machu thinks the Kira-Kira world isn’t something that distinguishes Machu from Nyaan through Shuji’s eyes. This presents Machu’s emotional vulnerability and insecurities for the first time, which adds some depth to her character. Machu isn’t always a happy-go-lucky girl.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 dives deeper into Annqi’s psyche.

As Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 continues to focus on some steamy teenage romance drama among friends, the political issues ramp up too. Commander Challia Bull (Shinji Kawada) and Annqi’s meetup to hand over the two Gundams is a fascinating talk between two socially intelligent characters. Each one tries to manipulate the other into giving the other something without costing them much.

For example, Challia wants the Red Gundam back as soon as he can, but he allows the Pomeranians to use it until the end of Clan Battle. On top of that, Annqi will comply with handing over the two Gundams as long as the Pomeranians can keep the money too. Challia and Annqi’s negotiation dialogue is golden because Challia tries to extract information while working out the deal with Annqi, asking about who the Red Gundam and GQuuuuuuX pilot is. From this conversational exchange, Challia and Annqi are evidently used to socially reading other people, with how much they try to get information out of the other opponent.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 provides a deeper look at Annqi’s psyche because she prioritizes making as much money as she can from the deal with Challia. Machu overhears Annqi and one of the Kaneban Ltd. members, Nabu (Shōya Chiba), talking about how Annqi already plans to double-cross Shuji, Machu, and Challia. Annqi details how many people will pay a lot of money for the whereabouts of the Red Gundam. This implies Annqi will sell the information to Kycilia’s Zeon forces after Machu and Shuji win the prize money from Clan Battle. Annqi only cares about the money and getting out unscathed.

More political intrigue surrounds Xavier Olivette (Seiichiro Yamashita), as he continues to meet with a mysterious spy from Kycilia’s camp. Kycilia’s spy informs Xavier that there’s a plot to assassinate Kycilia coming up, since she’s heavily rumored to leave her isolated moon base to visit Side 6 soon. The spy believes Challia may try to kill Kycilia because Challia supports Char Aznable’s (Yuuki Shin) claims as ruler of the Zeon Empire, not Kycilia’s.

Why does Challia keep saving Xavier?

After the spy and Xavier’s secret meeting, Xavier is almost gunned down in an alley when two Side 6 officers try to send a message to Challia—asserting that Challia and the Zeon forces don’t have as much power as they think in Side 6.

The tension works for this moment with Xavier trying to figure out how to escape the two Side 6 officers, but they have him pinned from both sides with guns pointed at him. Luckily, Challia comes to rescue Xavier at the last second, shooting and killing the two Side 6 officers. Challia’s Inspector Gadget-looking jetpack device looks a little goofy for someone of his stature, but it helps save Xavier in the end. The character designer, take, shows how Challia’s tech is old school because its design has some older-looking cyberpunk designs..

Still, Xavier is torn about trusting Challia because Kycilia’s spy keeps telling him not to. Xavier questions why Challia keeps saving him and if there’s an ulterior motive. This is a tough dilemma, and the story beats showcase it well.

So far, Challia hasn’t double-crossed anyone, but he comes off as a calculated man. The way Challia describes the Clan Battles displays that he has great Mav battle knowledge, but he explains combat strategies to his crew members like he’s always trying to teach them something new—sort of like their professor. While he may be a good teacher, he’s also watching his subordinates’ locations to conveniently save them. To Xavier, Challia is still an enigma to be solved.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 introduces a third party involved in a plot to assassinate Kycilia: The Earth Federation Forces. The episode spends a few final minutes quickly introducing the Earth Federation Forces team Amala Kamala, consisting of Commander Bask Om (Hiroki Yasumoto) and two mobile suit pilots, Lieutenant Gates Capa (Ayumu Murase) and Deux Murasame (Hisako Kanemoto). Commander Bask calls Gates and Deux Cyber-Newtypes, who are said to be better pilots than Zeon’s Newtypes.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 introduces a third party to the assassination plot.

The main detail from Amala Kamala’s introduction is how Deux talks about the Kira-Kira, and how she wants to see it again. This teases an impending fight between Deux and Gates against Machu and Shuji, which could lead to them fighting in the Kira-Kira world. With the Earth Federation Forces getting involved, it is likely setting up for a big final fight soon. Amala Kamala’s involvement on Side 6 is a little hasty from a narrative perspective, but it works into the newfound information that’s floating around about Kycilia making an appearance.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 starts to show the cracks in the series’ writing. By the end of this episode, Machu and Nyaan meet at the shrine where they solidified their friendship in Episode 1. Machu quickly tells Nyaan they need to save Shuji and the Red Gundam from Annqi and the Zeon forces.

Throughout Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6, there isn’t much focus on how Machu and Nyaan plan to repair their friendship. Instead, they’re only tied through their crushes on Shuji. Hopefully, Machu and Nyaan will soon have some time to fix their friendship without Shuji. Otherwise, this means Machu and Nyaan’s relationship has only been tied closer together by Shuji. This is fine, but it eliminates the sisterly love that the show built up to this point. To have a boy disrupt their bond would be a major step back from what they’ve established.

One standout artistic choice in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 is its focus on every character’s eyes. They’re extra pronounced in this episode; Nyaan’s green and yellow eyes, Xavier’s yellow and purple eyes, and Shuji’s red and black eyes all pop. While there are no Kira-Kira shots this episode, keeping the characters’ eyes at the forefront adds an extra layer of color.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 slows down to set up an upcoming major plot point, but sacrifices its main characters’ developments. The double-crosses and assassination plans drive this episode’s pacing up, despite no mobile suit battles. While this episode‘s art style maintains the visual integrity and interest, Machu and Nyaan’s relationship deserves more depth to keep viewers invested in this show’s characters. With Kycilia’s ship docking at Side 6 by the end of the episode, there’s bound to be some action coming up soon.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 6 is streaming on Prime Video.

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