Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女) is a Japanese mecha anime series and the fifteenth mainline entry in Sunrise's long-running Gundam franchise. The series is directed by both Hiroshi Kobayashi and Ryō Andō and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, and aired from October 2022 to July 2023.

Set in a world where numerous companies have advanced into space and constitute a huge economic zone, the story concerns the Mobile Suits known as "GUND-ARMS" ("Gundams" for short), weapons that were developed out of diverted health technology "GUND" which compensates for physical disabilities caused by living in space.

The Witch from Mercury marks the first mainline Gundam series to air during Japan's Reiwa era, the first mainline production in seven years since Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, and the first TV series in the franchise to feature a female and LGBTQ protagonist. The anime revolves around capitalism and political corruption, stylistically inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest with elements from witch trials, which inspires the titular Gundam technology.

Setting
The series is set in the new calendar system dubbed the Ad Stella (AS). In this timeline, humanity has advanced into space yet a conflict occurred that caused a split between the inhabitants of space colonies, also called "Spacians" and the Earth-born "Earthians", with a vast economic inequality between the two. These conflicts revolved around the material named Permet, which was mined because of its information-linking properties. Various technologies have been developed by mixing Permet with other materials or propellants for control purposes, including Mobile Suit development. Several megacorporations are established in this timeline which all focus on the development of technology for Spacians but also caused the social and political divide between them and the Earthians.

Plot
In the year Ad Stella 101, researchers at the Vanadis Institute created "GUND", an advanced brain–computer interface that enabled the human nervous system to control artificial appendages and organs. The purpose of GUND was to enable humans to survive in the harsh environment of space. After receiving funding from mobile suit manufacturer Ochs Earth, the technology was developed into the "GUND Format" and employed for military uses, leading to the creation of "GUND-ARMS": mobile suits that use the GUND Format to increase the performance of their pilots. However, extensive use of GUND-ARMS resulted in pilots being crippled or even killed.

In response, the Mobile Suit Development Council, led by the top mobile suit development companies, ordered an entire permanent ban on the GUND Format and all its applications. Council member Delling Rembran, president of the Benerit Group, deployed the special forces team Dominicus to destroy the Vanadis research facility Fólkvangr, killing everyone aboard to erase all traces of the technology. Only two people survived: mobile suit test pilot Elnora Samaya and her four-year-old daughter Ericht Samaya. In the aftermath, those responsible for the development of the GUND Format were ostracized, and because the team was primarily composed of women, they became known as "witches".

In Ad Stella 122, 21 years after the Vanadis incident, Suletta Mercury transfers from Mercury to the Asticassia School of Technology, an academic institute run by the megacorporation Benerit Group. Upon arrival, she encounters a girl escaping the institute, Miorine Rembran, who wants to escape from the control of Rembran her father. Miorine is engaged to be married to the highest scoring duellist in a mobile suit - currently Guel Jeturk.

As their paths cross in the academy with different ambitions and goals, Suletta will have to prove her worth as a pilot as she steps into the academy alongside the Gundam Aerial, a mobile suit built with forbidden GUND Format technology.

Production and release
The series was first revealed by Sunrise at the 2nd Gundam Conference held on September 15, 2021, under Bandai Namco Group's "Gundam Project". It is the first mainline Gundam TV series in seven years, following 2015–2017's Iron Blooded Orphans. Bandai Namco Group cooperated with external partners called "G-PARTNER" to bring young people in their teens worldwide. A teaser was released on March 29, 2022, revealing the main mecha and a female character alongside a prologue episode that premiered on July 14, 2022. On June 17, Sunrise revealed the series's main plot, characters, staff, and a confirmed air date alongside an overview for the Prologue Episode. The staff working in the series were composed by director Hiroshi Kobayashi, with Ryō Andō serving as co-director; Ichirō Ōkouchi overseeing and writing scripts; mogmo designing the characters; Marie Tagashira, Shuri Toida, and Hirotoshi Takaya adapting mogmo's designs for animation; JNTHED, Kanetake Ebikawa, Wataru Inada, Ippei Gyōbu, Kenji Teraoka, and Takayuki Yanase designing the mechs; Shinya Kusumegi, Kanta Suzuki, and Seizei Maeda animating the mechs. Producer Naohiro Ogata mentioned in an online press conference that the story will be set in an academy that it will feature the first female main protagonist in the mainline series, and that he will create a work that is conscious of the increase in new fans. On July 14, information regarding the Prologue episode was revealed at "Gundam Next Future - Link the Universe-", which was the first public event for "Prologue. The series' story and theme were developed by Ōkouchi, Kobayashi, and Andō. They based it on the tech companies competing for profits and control in the industry alongside elements from William Shakespeare's play The Tempest and the witch trials in the early modern period, reflecting the theme surrounding the GUND-Format technology and the people involved in its research, comparing it to a "curse" by the normal people. Ōkouchi decided to use a school sector to broaden the appeal but also made sure to feature "dark turning points and disturbing stories" that are emblematic of the Gundam series. Notably, The Witch from Mercury is the first Gundam TV series to feature a female protagonist and fourth in the franchise overall (after École du Ciel, SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer, and Twilight AXIS).

Anime
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury premiered on all JNN stations in Japan, including MBS and TBS from October 2, 2022, to July 2, 2023, on the network's recently revived Nichigo programming block, with the Prologue episode premiering on July 14, 2022, four months before the series airing. A second season began airing on April 9, 2023. Yoasobi performed the series' first opening theme "Shukufuku" (祝福) while Yama performed the second opening theme "Slash". Shiyui and Ryo performed the first ending theme "Kimi yo Kedakaku Are" (君よ 気高くあれ), while Aina the End performed the second ending theme "Red:Birthmark". Takashi Ohmama composed the music for the series.

At the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that the series will be simulcast outside of Japan. Crunchyroll licensed the series through Sunrise. Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia and is streaming it on their Ani-One Asia YouTube channel, Netflix, and Bilibili. It is also being streamed on the GundamInfo YouTube channel in Asia and Oceania. An English dub was released via Crunchyroll on January 30, 2023. It marks the first time the Gundam franchise featured the Texas-based talent produced in what was Funimation, who acquired Crunchyroll via its parent Sony in 2021 and rebranded itself the following year.

Print
An official web novel titled "Cradle Planet" (ゆりかごの星), written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, was released by Sunrise on their official website on October 2, 2022. The English version was subsequently released on November 10, 2022, translated by Eriko Sugita. The web novel serves as a link between the Prologue and the main series and is told from the point of view of the Gundam Aerial. A live reading of the novel was released on YouTube on November 13, 2022, with Kana Ichinose as the narrator. The anime was later adapted into an ongoing light novel in Kadokawa Shoten's Gundam Ace magazine in January 2023, written by Yūya Takashima with illustrations by Shūei Takagi. The novel adapts both the Prologue and main storylines.

A side-story manga titled Mobile Suit Gundam The Witch from Mercury: Vanadis Heart (機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女 ヴァナディースハート), written by both Kō Yoneyama and illustrated by Chika Tōjō, with original character designs by mogmo and planning cooperation by Hisadake, began serialization in Kadokawa Shoten's Gundam Ace magazine in May 2023. The manga is set in A.S. 106, five years after the Vanadis incident, and focuses on a witch named Vilda Miren and a pilot named Kiyu Lavot, who pilots the XGF-01[II3] Gundam Lfrith Jiu.

Merchandise
Alongside other merchandise releases, the series is also part of the long-running Gunpla line of plastic model kits by Bandai Spirits. Kits based on the Mobile Suits in the series were released in 1/144 scale. High Grade and SDEX models of the Gundam Aerial were released in 2022, and a 1/100 scale Full Mechanics kit was released in 2023. Robot Spirits and Chogokin figures of the Gundam Aerial were also released with a Gundam Universe release set for September 2023.

Shortly after the release of the series, Sunrise partnered with Yamazaki Baking for a cross-promotion following a string of Internet memes stemming from the Bic Camera branch in Akihabara stocking empty shelves of the Gundam Aerial model kit with YBC Aerial corn chips.

Video games
The Gundam Aerial itself, along with its pilot, made its appearance in the mobile game Mobile Suit Gundam UC Engage as a limited event unit. It also made an appearance in the action RPG video game SD Gundam Battle Alliance as a DLC unit. It reappears as a playable unit again in the arcade game Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. 2 OverBoost and later supplant by the Gundam Pharact from the First Season and the Darilbalde from the Second Season. The Gundam Aerial is set to appear as a bundle in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

Critical response
The Witch from Mercury has been praised by critics for its writing, characters, animation, voice acting, dark drama, yuri elements, and its unique take on the classic Gundam formula. IGN gave the first season of the series a rave review, giving it a 9/10, praising the show's drama and striking imagery. Polygon also gave the show's first season a glowing reviewing, claiming the series is becoming the "ultimate Gundam show" and is finally an anime in the prestige franchise that anyone could enjoy. Kim Morrissy from Anime News Network has also praised the series, citing the show has good emotional moments. Harry Nugraha from Game Rant was less impressed with the first season, finding the school life drama to be "disappointing". However, Nugraha thought the show featured some "thrilling combat scenes" and felt the series was picking up steam in the last few episodes of the season. Vulture listed the first season as the third best anime of 2022. Following the finale of the second season, Tsunehiro Uno of PLANETS criticized the series for failing to adequately engage with the first season's issues of mediocre direction and breaking out of comfort zones, noting that the theme of conflict was ultimately relegated to being an Easter egg of the school life setting.

Mamiko Noto's portrayal of Prospera has received acclaim, with many lauding her theatrical performance and the complexity of her character. Gizmodo positively compared Prospera to the Gundam franchise's iconic villain Char Aznable, referencing how both characters wear masks and the duality of their personalities. Christopher Farris from Anime News Network also raved about the character, applauding her effectiveness as a villain and found her storyline to be "gripping".

The English dub received controversy due to the decision to have Suletta Mercury be voiced by a white voice actor Jill Harris. Suletta Mercury is implied to have Middle Eastern or North African heritage and her father's name Nadim Samaya has Arabic, Hebrew, and Indian origins.

Reaction to the Season one finale
The end of the first season of the Witch from Mercury featured Suletta piloting the Gundam Aerial to smash a terrorist violently. Many viewers and commentators were caught off guard by the sudden act of violence, especially the imagery of Suletta's blood-stained hands and Miorine's horrified reaction. The finale was compared to a major twist from Code Geass, another anime project worked by Ichirō Ōkouchi. Both the Witch from Mercury and Code Geass trended on social media as fans reacted to the gruesome scene in Gundam. Japan's Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization shared complaints from parents about the violent nature of the episode, with many finding it to be too graphic to show at the 5:00 PM timeslot when children are still up to watch it.

Criticism on working conditions for Season two finale
The Witch from Mercury garnered some criticism after the airing of Season Two, Episode 24, when it was revealed that over 90 key animators worked on the series' final episode. The end credits of said episode listed 94 key animators who worked on the series finale, an unusually high amount for one episode of a half-hour animated TV series. One of the credited character designers, Marie Tagashira, praised her colleagues for completing a difficult and impressive work but excluded an unnamed few from her celebratory tweet. Fans and journalists took this as a hint animators involved in the creation of the show suffered from mismanagement that was forced to be addressed via human-wave tactics and over time.

Removed mention of same-sex marriage
In July 26, 2023, an interview with Witch from Mercury's voice cast in the September 2023 issue of Gundam Ace magazine included a quote from Kana Ichinose in which she referenced Suletta and Miorine's marriage. Miorine was also directly referenced as Suletta's wife by the official English-language Gundam Twitter account on the day of the finale. Following the release of the magazine interview, the hashtag スレミオ結婚 (SuleMio Marriage) trended in Japan.

Days later, however, the digital version of the Gundam Ace interview was edited to remove the direct reference to marriage, causing an immediate backlash from Japanese and Western fans of the show, who claimed the characters' "undisputed" status as a married couple was being deliberately censored.

On July 30, a statement was released by Kadokawa in which they claimed the discrepancy was a "proofreading mistake" and that the marriage reference was based on "editorial speculation". An accompanying statement was released on the official Witch from Mercury website in which these claims were repeated, in addition to implying the events of the series are open to interpretation by viewers, leading to angry or confused responses from fans and general viewers who pointed out Suletta and Miorine's marriage was objectively confirmed both in the anime's final scene and by the characters' voice actors in an audio commentary for the final episode or official final stream after that, and as such no room for "interpretation" exists.

The wedding itself was not depicted on-screen, but the characters are shown wearing rings in the final scene of the series, and Suletta's sister Ericht refers to herself as Miorine's sister-in-law. The September 2023 issues of the Animage and Animedia magazines published on August 9 provided Mamiko Noto and Lynn's interpretations of the scene as Ericht behaving like an in-law.

Five months after the initial magazine controversy, Witch from Mercury's final Blu-ray volume was released, including an interview with Hiroshi Kobayashi, series director and storyboard artist for the series finale, confirming Suletta and Miorine are indeed married in the story's final scene. Following this confirmation, the hashtag スレミオ結婚 (SuleMio Marriage) once again trended in Japan.

Gunpla sales
According to an official Bandai press release, the High Grade Gundam Aerial recorded the highest initial sales "among the HG TV series lead role Gundam versions", going on to become the best selling Gunpla kit of 2022, while the High Grade Gundam Calibarn became the best selling kit of 2023. There have been reports that model kits from Witch from Mercury have been selling out throughout stores.