Iconic Original Gundam Character Appears in GQuuuuuuX Movie Promo

Sunrise Studio has shared a new promo for the upcoming Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX anime, featuring footage directly from the -Beginning- movie. The -Beginning- is a compilation film covering the first three episodes of the anime, serving as a promotional event before the main anime series airs. There is no scheduled release date for the Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, with fans hoping the show will launch in the first half of 2025. The new promo unveils plenty of new details about the series, including redesigns of classic Gundam mechas, and the surprise reappearance of an iconic original character from the classic Gundam animes.

Spoiler Warning for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Character Details!

The -Beginning- has already been released in Japan, with a North American release date scheduled for February 28. Spoilers for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX have been shared online, revealing how a major character from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series has returned. The new promo video ends with the grand appearance of Char Aznable, the pilot known as the Red Comet in classic Gundam and the main rival to Amuro Ray. While fans have speculated about Char’s return, the compilation film and promo video fully confirm the character will have a role in the new anime. Whereas every other classic mecha and character returning is given a design overhaul by Studio Khara, Char remains unchanged from his appearance in Gundam Origins, which was directly taken from his look in the OG series.

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Who is Char and What is his Role in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX

Char was the son of an important public figure from the space colonies, who spoke out for peace between the colonies and Earth. After his father’s death at the hands of the Zabi family, Char took on an alternate identity and infiltrated the Zeon Republic to get close to the Zabi. His goal was to murder each member of the Zabi family as revenge, becoming the ace mecha pilot of the Zeon Army.

Where the original series events and Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX diverge is the absence of Amuro Ray, the main protagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam. As a soldier for the Earth Federation, Amuro was the only person to keep up with Char in the high-tech Gundam mecha. Amuro does not get into the Gundam in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, allowing Char to successfully steal the Gundam machine from the federation and use it to lead the Zeon to victory. He repaints the Gundam with his trademark red coloration, giving the mecha the name of Red Gundam. However, Char’s still retains his alternative motive to kill the Zabi family. He mysteriously disappears five years before the series events, with his Red Gundam falling into the hands of a mysterious boy named Shuji.

What Does Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX for the Future of the Franchise?

While the original four series and first two movies took place in the same timeline, most proceeding Gundam animes have taken place in their own separate universes. Each Gundam universe is given a designated timeline name to differentiate the classic series from the different AUs. For example, the classic series timeline, including other follow-ups in the same universe, is designated the Universal Century. With that said, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX would be the first time a series takes place in an alternate timeline with the same setting and backstory as a previously established timeline. Gundam GQuuuuuuX is more of a Universal Century AU than its own separate universe.

It should be noted, that it has long been speculated by fans and hinted by the series that all the mainline Gundam shows take place in the same universe but at different points in the timeline. If Gundam GQuuuuuuX is an alternate version of a previously established timeline, it can’t fit in the same universe as the other anime. However, given how the creators of Evangelion are behind Gundam GQuuuuuuX, the new anime may feature a high-concept idea that somehow places the series in the greater Gundam mythology.