Mobile Suit Gundam took a big risk with The Witch From Mercury. On top of introducing the first female protagonist in the franchise’s history, they introduced a new story that was meant to bring in a younger generation into the anime franchise. Luckily, Bandai Namco saw major success with Suletta Mercury’s story, and while they haven’t confirmed that the Witch From Mercury will continue via an anime adaptation, that isn’t stopping the company from diving back into this unique universe. While you might have opened this article expecting the “priciest merchandise” to be Gundam plastic models, you might be surprised at what the Gundam series has in store.
Videos by ComicBook.com
If you haven’t had the chance to catch Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, the two seasons of the series are available to stream on Crunchyroll. Instead of focusing on the conflict between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, Suletta Mercury’s story focuses on the teenager attempting to survive a unique university where mech battles are part of every day life. Unlike many of her classmates, Suletta has a secret in that her mech is none other than the Gundam Aerial, a unique robot that gives her a serious leg-up in robot battles. Unfortunately, Gundams are illegal in this universe, setting Mercury on a path of dodging the government while hiding her mech’s true status from the world.
Dress Like a Gundam Pilot
Premium Bandai has shared two new jackets that are modeled after both Suletta Mercury and Miorine Rembran, showing that the Gundam franchise is more than willing to explore new avenues of merchandising. Here’s how the outlet describes the attire, currently available on its website for around USD 370 each.
“ALPHA INDUSTRIES is a military brand established in 1959. It’s a major supplier to the U.S. military even today, and has also earned a reputation as a pioneer designing cutting-edge items. MA-1 jacket, the base of this product, captures the signature elements of the ALPHA, such as the storm flap inside the zipper for added insulation and the cigarette pocket on the sleeve. The sizing has been tailored for a better fit for Japanese customers, offering a sleek, fashionable look. The fabric has a refined texture with a subtle sheen, making it versatile for various situations. Inspired by Suletta Mercury from Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, this special collaboration jacket features a black base with colors that represent the Holder theme.” You can check out the jackets for yourselves by clicking here.
Gundam’s Future
Most recently, Gundam made a major splash on Netflix with its CG-animated series, Gundam: Requiem For Vengeance. Rather than focusing on the universe of Suletta Mercury, the new anime series focused on the original conflict of the initial anime which saw Amuro and Char fighting as representatives of Earth and Zeon. In Requiem For Vengeance, the tables were turned in that the protagonists were part of the Principality of Zeon and saw Amuro and his Gundam akin to horror movie villains. The series almost works well as a scary anime series for Halloween than the usual Gundam fare.
As of the writing of this article, some might find it surprising that The Witch From Mercury hasn’t been confirmed for a third season. The original anime receives a fairly definitive conclusion, so should Suletta make a comeback, it would be interesting to see where the franchise would take her. We here at ComicBook.com reported earlier this month that Gundam is planning multiple projects for both its 45th and upcoming 50th anniversary so the franchise still has serious gas in its tanks decades after its debut.
