One of Gundam’s most iconic songs has topped the Japanese charts again, 37 years after its initial release. “BEYOND THE TIME” was a Japanese single by the band TM Network and was released as the ending theme for the motion picture, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, in 1988. The song holds significant meaning for the franchise, playing over the end credits of the film, which was, at the time, intended to serve as the grand finale of the ongoing Gundam narrative that began with Mobile Suit Gundam. The song was reused at the end of the penultimate episode of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, playing over when the original RX-78-2 is summoned and the credits.
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TM Network then released a new 2025 version of “BEYOND THE TIME,” reaching #1 in digital sales by Oricon for the week of June 16th to the 22nd. This is the first time the band has achieved the number one ranking on Oricon, making it doubly impressive given the song is nearly 40 years old at this point. The 2025 version of “BEYOND THE TIME” debuted on June 19th and earned over 8,000 downloads in only four days. This impressive achievement showcases the huge popularity Gundam has in Japan and highlights the influence of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX.
What Does “BEYOND THE TIME” Symbolize in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX?
The opening music for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, “Plazma” by Kenshi Yonezu, has also become popular. The song reached No. 1 on the Oricon Weekly Digital Singles with over 43,000 downloads in its first week. Yonezu has recently released a music video for the song that re-edits footage from the anime. The musician has also performed “Bow and Arrow,” the successful opening song for the Medalist. “Far Beyond the Stars” by Indonesian singer Shania Yan was played during the ending of the final episode of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. Given the success TM Network earned from having their song played in the series, Shania Yan may anticipate an uptick in downloads for “Far Beyond the Stars.”
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX takes place in an alternate timeline of the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime, reusing many shots and musical motifs to replicate the feelings of the original series. Fans have pointed out how Gundam GQuuuuuuX re-used musical tracks from the original trilogy of Gundam shows. “BEYOND THE TIME” felt very appropriate for the penultimate episode, as it foreshadowed the final battle against the original Gundam from the first series. The song is a reflection of the relationship between Amuro Ray and Char Aznable in Char’s Counterattack, rivals facing each other to determine the fate of the Earth. Shuji summoned the RX-78-2 in the penultimate episode to essentially end the world, meaning Amate “Machu” Yuzuriha had to fight Shuji to determine the fate of reality, paralleling the final conflict between Amuro and Char.
Music has always been a major factor in Gundam’s success, with several openings and endings becoming some of the most popular songs in anime. Bandai Namco and Sunrise have collaborated with Hiroko Moriguchi and Sonic Blade to produce a series of album covers based on some of the franchise’s most iconic music, including “BEYOND THE TIME.” Moriguchi partnered with TM Network to re-record a new rendition of the song for Gundam Song Covers 3. The fourth album in the line, Gundam Song Covers: Orchestra, was just released on June 18th, 2025.
H/T: Anime News Network
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