REVIEW ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX’ Episode 8 — “Falling on the Moon”

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8, “Falling on the Moon”, is significantly paying off for dedicated viewers of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series who enjoy this alternate reality of the Universal Century timeline. For newcomers to the series, there is much information and names to take in again. More details are shown from the One Year War in UC 0079, explaining how some of the plot points in the present time connect with the past.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 heads straight into the past, UC 0079, back to the battle over Granada—a fortress built on the dark side of the moon. This conflict takes place five years before the main story of Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX, and it was first introduced in Episode 2, where Char Aznable (Yuuki Shin) and the Zeon forces’ backstory began for this series.

The first half of Episode 8 covers everything Char and his Sodon Fleet did leading up to when Char caused a Zeknova explosion, where the blast destroyed a part of Solomon, and Char and the gMS-α Red Gundam disappeared for five years. The second half of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 quickly continues with Lady Kycilia Zabi (Kaori Nazuka) having dinner with Nyaan (Yui Ishikawa). Nyaan interacts with ensign Xavier Olivette (Seiichiro Yamashita) and another Zeon Granada military academy student named Miguel Serveto (Taku Yashiro).

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8’s biggest reveal is why Kycilia recruited Nyaan. By the end of the episode, she reveals, in private, that she hopes Nyaan triggers another Zeknova since she was near Shuji Itō’s (Shimba Tsuchiya) Zeknova on Side 6. The second major reveal is that Granada has a second gMS-Ω GQuuuuuuX White Gundam called GFreD. The latter is less shocking, but Kycilia’s plans to use Nyaan as a weapon open up a bunch more questions—one question being, who is her first target? The Earth Federation? Or her brother, the Supreme Commander Gihren Zabi, who is in the way of her ruling Zeon?

There are some clever inferences to dissect from Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8.

The writing of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 indicates that writers Yoji Enokido and Hideaki Anno are skilled storytellers. The first nugget of important information is how Episode 8 ties all the Zeknova incidents together, each person seeing the kira-kira before vanishing from a Zeknova explosion. These connections are awesome callbacks for viewers who love seeing consistent references, and references that pay off somewhere or become important information for future episodes. The only mystery behind the kira-kira left is why they happen.

Seeing Char’s Zeknova animated so vividly by blending the classic art style seen in Mobile Suit Gundam with the new animation style used in the current Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX series is a stunning color wheel experience. While Episode 8 shows Char going through the kira-kira, we still don’t see where he ended up. Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX writers could leave this a mystery similar to the original series. But with a few more episodes, they can make new, fresh stories with this alternate timeline.

The second piece of information that could stealthily go over the viewer’s head is how the Red Gundam has been looking for a rose and how the rose concept surrounds Nyaan. Shuji tells Amate “Machu” Yuzuriha (Tomoyo Kurosawa) and Nyaan that the Red Gundam told him that it’s looking for a rose in Episode 3.

In Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8’s flashback, Kycilia mentions Zeon is missing the Rose of Sharon—one of Zeon’s mysterious artifacts or entities that’s being kept secret. Episode 8 hints that Nyaan is the Rose of Sharon, potentially able to trigger Zeknovas. What’s crazier to note outside of Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX, The Rose of Sharon is a biblical reference in the Song of Solomon, metaphorically representing a love relationship. The song concept could also connect with the singing voice that those who have experienced a Zeknova or seen the kira-kira have heard before.

The pacing in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 is incredible.

If Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 is admitting Nyaan is the Rose of Sharon, then perhaps Shuji’s Zeknova happened because she loves Shuji so much. However, this theory doesn’t explain why Char’s Zeknova occurs since there aren’t any hints that Char was in love with anyone.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 is action-packed, going from high-octane fights and a heist on Solomon to quick conversations about political conflicts and espionage. Allowing Nyaan to be an independent character, from being Machu’s friend, is a major step up for the overarching story. Nyaan’s personality is more fully drawn out in Episode 8, too. Her cunning and acute attention to detail highlight that Nyaan is smarter than she looks, and makes sense since she’s essentially a drifter around the colonies her whole life. Overall, Episode 8 spotlights Nyaan more and works from a character-building standpoint.

The dialogue in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 is both good and bad. It’s bad because the dialogue is concise before someone quickly dies, not allowing side characters a lot of screentime. However, ramping up the plot points for the side characters quickly gets them out of the way, and doesn’t fluff up the episode’s contents either. This only works for this series because it is part of a greater franchise.

The only critique for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 is how fast story beats zoom across the screen. There’s no time to breathe, which is perfect for someone with a low attention span like me. There are short stints of slow beats, but for the most part, Episode 8 flies through its plot and sub-plots. In a way, the writers tell the viewer that the side characters aren’t important and can instantly die, only serving as small hurdles for the protagonists.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 covers many story threads into Kycilia’s plans on Granada, and her plans for Nyaan. This is a pivotal episode that connects the past events at the end of the One Year War to the present, scattering small hints of how information from previous episodes is quickly being addressed, leading up to something bigger. Seeing the old and new Mobile Suit Gundam animations blend is amazing, and it doesn’t look jarring. The next episode will be exciting, catching up with Machu since Episode 8 quickly mentions that Machu broke out of prison. Storylines are converging, heading towards an epic finale.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Episode 8 is streaming on Prime Video.

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