Short Answer: From vivid, clear, sharp and smooth animations to a well written and executed plot, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury has all the makings of a great anime. What’s more is that this anime is the first mecha anime that features a female lead and all throughout the anime, there’s a good balance of action, comedy and drama.
A Fresh and Surprising Plot
This is meaty part so I won’t spoil you too much about what goes on in the show so that you’ll have a blast watching it if you do decide to watch it.
Just like any Gundam anime, this one mainly takes place in space. However, there’s a unique twist. The anime is also part school-life. You heard me right. This is a Gundam anime that is also a school-life anime. I know, you don’t see that everyday. I have to say though, this anime makes the combination of the two genres work.
You get scenes like this. Students just having lunch at the cafeteria.
But you also get scenes like this
The uniqueness of it all makes it feel so new in the mecha world. Sometimes you get cute and relaxing school scenes and sometimes you get epic battles. It’s a unique and great blend!
One interesting thing about how this anime takes on the school-life genre though is that all everything in the school is decided by duels. You can ask someone for a duel and the loser must honor the requests of the victor. It can literally be anything. Although I suppose it still has to be legal but still, there’s a lot you could ask someone. And that’s not even the craziest part about it. Your requests or demands don’t even have to be about yourself. They can be about someone else. A third party and they might not even know about it. Even so, the demands have to be honored.
There’s also the case of a masked character. If it’s a Gundam anime, there’s always going to be a masked character. However, this one is a takes a different turn again. It’s a female this time. Being the masked character, I can tell you she is definitely an interesting character.
Are you still here? Cause there’s more!
This is the first Gundam anime to feature a female lead. And I’m not talking about a boyish girl, I’m talking about a timid girl. A timid girl who can man up when she needs to. Compared to other Gundam protagonist, this one is shy, timid sometimes and doesn’t know her way around how things work with people in the colonies. Be that as it may, she still manages to entertain us a lot and she is a really amazing pilot.
But wait! that’s not all! There’s even more!
In this Gundam anime, exists Gundams… that can kill their pilots. I know that was kind of a big spoiler but I feel like that’s something very interesting. I won’t tell you how it happens though but it does. This is the first time a Gundam anime has Gundams that do such things. Now that is something new!
If you like the sound of that, then I’m sure you are going to love this anime.
The Characters you wouldn’t expect in a mecha
Suletta Mercury
Strutting in with her bright red hair, pale blue eyes, and innocent smile comes our female protagonist of this Gundam series, Suletta Mercury. A girl from planet Mercury decided to transfer to Asticassia School of Technology as a second-year piloting department student. Despite showing timidness and lacking communication skills, she shows resilience and willingness to fight against unjust situations. Like most protagonists, she exhibits courage during battles and never backs out of a fight as she respects those who do so.
Miorine Rembran
Now here comes our second main character of the series, Miorine Rembran. She is the daughter of Delling Rembran. She appears in the first episode as a prideful, stern, and serious person. She is what you call a genius, learning and understanding everything by just reading.
But do not worry because once you have known her enough, you will see she has a soft side and would protect someone she cares for. Miorine is somewhat conscious of herself, being able to swallow her pride and lower herself to attain her goals. Regardless, she tends to hurt people unintentionally because of her actions even though she meant well. Yep, she is someone you call a ‘tsundere’.
The Mechas that literally kill you
The Gundams in this anime are quite similar to what you might already know. That is to say, although their designs are new, they have abilities that may already be known to you. The main one for example Gundam Aerial, although looks new, has bits which are very similar to the interceptors of the Freedom Gundam of Gundam SEED. Another similarity is that this Gundam can move as if it’s not a machine. It can move as if it’s a human, as if it’s an extension of the pilot’s body similar to the Unicorn Gundam. Pretty cool right?
There isn’t a lot I can say about the mechas cause I don’t want to spoil you guys too much. There is something though, like I previously mentioned, these Gundams have the ability to kill their pilots. That for sure got a lot of fans interested in the show.
Here’s a clip from YouTube of one fight scene in the anime. Check it out.
The Animation just captures your eyes
With the coordination of talented people: Hiroshi Kobayashi(director), Ryo Ando(director), and Chika Tojo(Illustrator), they successfully created this high-quality Gundam anime. The battles are beautifully executed, and the picturesque scenes leave viewers awestruck. From 2D scenes to subtle 3D while blending them so well that the animation becomes smooth and pleasing to the eyes. This vivid animation allowed viewers to fully grasp the emotion of the characters and be enamored more of the story.
Just check out this art and see for yourself what I mean.
The Music
Good anime is never complete without good music. It is important because even without dialogues, it allows viewers to connect and understand the overall mood of the scene. You can still feel the exact sentiments of the characters just by listening to the background music whether they are mournful, manic, happy, or sad. The music in this Gundam anime do just that. They make everything better!
Here are some of the music used in the anime. Have a listen.
As for the OSTs… sit back and enjoy this beautiful recording.
Listening to these songs and music make you feel awe like it’s the start of something glorious and chivalrous. They just project power that pulls you in and attracts attention. These soundtracks are majestic and are masterpieces that you can not help but feel goosebumps when they hit your ears.
You might also like: Code Geass
If what you read above makes you interested then I suggest you also watch ‘Code Geass’. Most mecha lovers have already seen this, but if you still have not, then this is a great anime for you. It might not be as high quality as Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury since it is an older anime, but it is still well-drawn and the plot is just amazing. Both anime have the school life genre in them and the protagonists of both anime face big obstacles that result in the development of their characters. You will love how the Code Geass’ protagonist acts and uses his brain to fight something no ordinary school boy should be able to do. Both have a side you will not expect but will love. And The battles? I can only depict them with a ‘chef’s kiss’. I have no doubt that if you pick up this anime, you are going to have a blast.
If you want to know more about Code Geass, click here to read our articles about it.
Our Final Thoughts
If you are a mecha lover like me, then I recommend this anime. Even If you are not a mecha lover, if you love a well-written plot with a vivid and gorgeous art style, then I suggest you take the time to watch this anime. I swear that you will fall in love with the characters as the anime goes by because the more you see them, the more you’ll have a new perspective on them, reminding you not to judge a book by its cover. With the spectacular flow of the battles, the dynamism, the aftermaths, and the clash of different Gundam mechas, this anime will give you a sense of thrill, joy, bit of sadness and a handful of contentment.
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