Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX

 Okay, to kick things off, I have no idea how to pronounce this Gundam series title...

 

And this is a bit of a special entry, as the story completely concludes in it's 12 episode run, making the shortest of the "main" storyline series.

 

The series is set in an alternate reality Universal Century, in which Zeon actually won the One Year War, with Char seizing the RX-78-02 White Gundam as well as the White Base ship during the assault on Side 7.  This means Char became it's pilot, painting it red and changing the outcome of the war as such.  But he disappears in a phenomenon called Zeknova, and some characters that died in the original series, are still alive in this universe.

 

From there, the red gundam is found by some kids, who set out after it in an experimental Gundam and team up to form an underground battle arena group, the Pomeranians.  Amate, piloting the experimental titular Gundam and Shuji piloting the Red Gundam form a very strong tandem, but soon bigger things start to take place.  More and more they get involved in the machinations that go on in the Zeon goverment, including the assassination of it's ruler, the return of Char and the appearance of a mysterious girl, Lalah Sune, captured inside the "Rose Gundam".  Which, as they note, actually looks more like a tulip.

 

What follows is basically a restoration of the timelines, as the Rose Gundam doesn't belong in this reality, with Shuji being actually from somewhere else and must destroy their reality to protect Lalah as he tried so many times over.  But Amate convinces him and they can settle this timeline to co-exist with others.

 

It was at first not really my cup of tea I must admit, feeling a bit like a modern day, but not so good, G-Gundam, but without burning fingers.  However, once the second half started to come around, the story became grander and actually a lot better, and it drew me along.  But there remained some issues for me, like the design of the Gundam's themselves.  They just didn't "do" it for me, taking the style of the IBO Barbatos but then modernising it even further, feeling even like "to far", while the Witch of Mercury could show them on the other hand well done for modern times.

 

The animation style was as expected more of a modern take, but it was vibrant and okay for me, though I know people that prefer the more classic approach.  Nothing to do about that though I'd guess, it's a thing of the times.

 

But is it worth watching?  Surely, albiet short you can go through the whole series in an afternoon if you like, just keep hanging on in those first 4 - 5 episodes and you will be enjoying it in the end!