The 50th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam is here, and the series is celebrating in a big way. A hot new addition to the Gundam anime is live with Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX, and it presents an interesting take on the franchise's story. To be specific, the anime introduces a major plot twist regarding its timeline that will change how Gundam fans see the ambitious project.
Set in the Universal Century (UC) timeline of the Gundam franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX follows the story of Amate Yuzuriha, a high school student whose ordinary life is turned upside down when she meets Nyaan, a war refugee. Amate is introduced to an illicit world of underground mobile suit fights, and her life takes another turn when she and Nyaan encounter Shuji Ito, the enigmatic pilot of the coveted Red Gundam, a top-tier mobile suit sought after by the authorities. The plot sounds simple enough to Gundam fans, but as the anime moves forward, they will notice the storyline takes place in a timeline unlike the one they're used to.
There's More To Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Than Meets The Eye
Unlike the classic UC continuity where Zeon is ultimately forced to surrender in no small part thanks to Gundam RX-78-2, GQuuuuuuX reimagines the universe's timeline. In this alternate UC continuity, it’s Zeon leader Char Aznable rather than Ray who gains control of the Earth's Gundam prototype. Char alters the suit to become the Red Gundam, and he uses it to help Zeon decisively crush all Earth resistance. Talk about a timeline shift, huh?
Beyond its timeline changes, GQuuuuuuX offers another intriguing twist on the traditional Gundam narrative by focusing on some unique characters. Notably, Amate - the anime's protagonist - is female, marking the second time Gundam has featured a female main character with Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury being the other. Amate also stands outside the usual hierarchies central to most Gundam stories: she is an ordinary civilian who is swept up in events beyond her control. Unlike other protagonists who have Gundams thrust upon them, Amate chooses to become a pilot of her own accord.
GQuuuuuuX's Tweaks The Mobile Suit Gundam Alternate Timeline Formula
Of course, Gundam is no stranger to alternate timelines. However, rather than branching off from an existing timeline as seen in Gundam's new anime, the IP usually favors making entirely new, separate timelines. Currently, there are over ten such timelines with the only common thread connecting them being humanity's exploration of space. For decades, the mainline UC timeline has been considered untouchable by fans, and let's be clear: that timeline still exists. The latest Gundam anime simply reapproaches the timeline by changing its more critical hinge, giving Char access to the mech that the Zeon soldier always coveted.
Mobile Suit Gundam Smashes Box Office Record With New Film, Teasing a New Era
The latest entry in the classic Gundam series is a hit in Japan, smashing box office records with a movie introducing the new anime series.
The various timelines have allowed the Gundam franchise to explore a wide range of experimental, "moonshot" scenarios. For example, in the Future Century timeline, conflicts between nations are resolved through one-on-one mobile suit competitions - with the winning Gundam's nation having the right to rule. Then there's the Correct Century timeline where technology has regressed to early 20th century capabilities. Conversely, the existence of separate timelines has —at least until GQuuuuuuX— allowed the franchise to preserve the purity of the Universal Century (UC) timeline.
This is significant because the UC timeline is not only the franchise’s original timeline, featured in its 1979 debut anime Mobile Suit Gundam (First Gundam), but also its most developed, complex, and well-known timeline, rich with stories. In fact, when most people think of Gundam, it’s arguably the UC timeline they have in mind. In other words, the UC timeline embodies the core ideas, principles, and essence of the franchise, serving as a stable foundation that enables the wild and imaginative explorations seen in the other timelines.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX's Alternate Reality Opens A World Of Possibilities
Unlike Other Gundam Timelines - GQuuuuuuX Has A Long History Of Events To Draw From
GQuuuuuuX turns this tradition on its head by creating its alternate UC timeline. Notably, this branching narrative retains core elements of the original continuity, including characters, conflicts, and the Earth-space colony setting. However, pivotal event changes trigger massive "downstream" disruptions, marking a groundbreaking first for the anime franchise.
The closest equivalent is Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt, which takes place in the UC timeline but tells the story of a separate battle between Zeon and Earth Federation forces, not part of the official continuity. Another example is Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, which reimagines the early history of the UC timeline. In both cases, however, the overall “history” of the UC remains unchanged – Amuro Ray pilots the RX-78-2, the Earth Federation defeats Zeon, and Char Aznable goes AWOL after the final battle.
GQuuuuuuX’s alternate UC reality is an intriguing choice by the creators, especially given the creative flexibility that other timelines have brought to the franchise. On one hand, it suggests the creators are doubling down on the UC as the core of the Gundam property — leveraging its rich history, culture, and established familiarity with the audience. On the other hand, it still preserves the creative freedom and independence that creators enjoy in the non-UC Gundam timelines. Either way, this bodes well for the future of Gundam.
