Design Commentary & Interview
Kenji Teraoka & Takayuki Yanase

Continuing from the last issue, we’ve had the chance to discuss the design process with Kenji Teraoka and Takayuki Yanase, who are contributing as mechanical designers to Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. They have shed some light on their design process and how it shapes the unwritten parts of this world.

Composition & Text by Keisuke Hoshi

LEANING TOWARDS GUNDAMS FOR ACTUAL COMBAT RATHER THAN DUELING

Yanase: When Producer Takuya Okamoto was creating Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE, I was also part of the project, so I was invited to compete. The lead suit was decided to be handled by JNTHED, and I was assigned another suit, though my actual involvement came somewhat later. By that time, Aerial, the three branches mobile suits, and the Lfrith were already created, and my first task was to design a unit based on the Lfrith.

―――Are you referring to the Lfrith Ur and Lfrith Thorn?

Yanase: No, the first one I drew was the Gundvolva. At that time, the names Ur and Thorn were not decided yet, but the order was to draw unmanned units operated by these two. The design direction is based on the Lfrith, but since it is used by an Earth organization, they wanted the same frame but with a different look.

―――And then you designed Ur and Thorn in that flow?

Yanase: After the Gundvolva, I worked on the school hangar and art settings, and then came the Ur and Thorn. I also drew the art settings for the exterior and interior of Plant Quetta.

―――I imagine it must have been challenging to differentiate the Ur and Thorn while incorporating elements of Lfrith.

Yanase: I was careful about that aspect since they wanted to use the frame for model kits. I received data on the Gunpla frame from BANDAI SPIRITS, and based on that, I assembled it in 3D myself while creating it.

―――Was it a conscious decision to maintain the image of previous Gundams?

Yanase: Yes, absolutely. The Aerial and Pharact, I believe, are pursuing a Gundam-style unique to The Witch from Mercury, but my order was to create a powerful, traditionally Gundam-esque machine that is somewhat opposite to that. Participating in a project with a unique direction like never before was stimulating for me. I felt greatly that “there is such a way of making it” or “Gundam can still do a lot of things.”

DESIGNING THE SETTING OF THE SCHOOL FRONT

Teraoka: I participated in the competition for the lead suit, and though I didn’t win, after the competition ended, I joined mainly as a prop designer.

―――What kind of things did you draw?

Teraoka: Initially, it was mobile craft and general truck-like machinery. Also, the School Front. Whether to stick with the conventional cylindrical type or something different, in the end, it became a donut-shaped (torus-shaped) unique to The Witch from Mercury. I also had to consider the centrifugal force artificial gravity in the academy area and the separate area for mobile suit testing and practice. Furthermore, to add variation to the combat scenes, it was decided that multiple rings should be present, with the school’s ring in the center and four rings for tactical testing areas surrounding it. The rocks were not originally part of it, but we wanted them to look like both artificial and natural objects when viewed from different angles, so it took on that appearance. Designing the School Front was the most challenging part.

Subsequent designs included the monorail and Haro, as well as the targets used in Episode 4 for practice and other things that are more directly interacted with or seen by the characters. As the story progresses into more intense developments in the latter half, firearms become necessary, so I also designed those. One interesting aspect unique to the show is that the Earth inhabitants (Earthians) and the space inhabitants (Spacians) use different types of firearms.

―――What about the design of the mobile suits?

Teraoka: Starting with Kapell-Kuu that appeared in the first episode, I designed several “disposable” mecha*. Multiple “disposable” mecha appeared in the main story, but we all enjoyed creating them (laughs).

―――Would you say your main focus this time was on the art setting?

Teraoka: Yes, and it was quite tricky. The Witch from Mercury is not a work that explains the worldview in words, right? So the visuals play a significant role, and we had to create them with more density, which was hard.

TL Note: The phrase Teraoka uses here, やられメカ (yarare mecha), means minor mecha that show up just to be curb stomped.

Across the pages in the mook are various screenshots and lineart of elements from the series. I’m highlighted some of the interesting ones for the moment, but I’ll return and add the remainder with appropriate art.

THE HARO’S SECRET

Comments: The role of Haro differs depending on the series. In Mobile Suit Gundam, it’s a one-off item made by Amuro, but as the series progresses, it becomes something that is commonly produced in that world. In The Witch from Mercury, Haro takes on the role of a mobile computer. The idea is that modern computers in that world, whether they’re in mobile crafts or navigation devices, all run on a unified OS. Haro is what manages and controls these functionalities, which is why you see Haro on various devices. But the Haro belonging to Rouji has been modified by him, so it might be considered similar to Amuro’s Haro in that sense. (Teraoka)

PROSPERA’S HEADGEAR

Comments: In fact, I designed Prospera’s headgear. To be precise, it was just the front part, but it was the most nerve-wracking task, as it was the ‘mask’ for the Gundam work (laughs). It was supposed to have the role of physical assistance, so the design is more like something that completely covers the head rather than just a mask. (Yanase)

EFFECTS OF DIVISION OF LABOR

Comments: While the Aerial, including its cockpit, is a design by JNTHED, the cockpits of the Lfrith, Ur, and Thorn are designs based on that by me. The connection between the pilot suit and the seat was made by Kanetake Ebikawa, so there’s a lot of division of labor in this work (Yanase).

WHAT ARE THE “DISPOSABLE MECHA”?

Comments: The world of “Witch of Mercury” has as many mobile manufacturers as we have automobile makers today, creating an image of having as many mobile suits as there are manufacturers. Among them, there are companies that aren’t as large as the three branches, so those could be their models, outdated models, or models that aren’t selling well. Perhaps they are mass-produced but in smaller numbers (Teraoka).

DISTINGUISHING FACTIONS AND IDEOLOGIES THROUGH FIREARMS

Comments: Director Kobayashi ordered that the firearms used by Spacians living in space, including handheld personal weapons and those for mobile suits and ships, should not eject casings. Whether they use electrical mechanisms or even if they use gunpowder, they would use caseless ammunition that doesn’t leave behind any casings. This is because Spacians are incredibly averse to debris. On the other hand, the Earthians always have casings ejected from their firearms. This creates an ironic relationship where those who are accusing others of the destruction of the Earth and causing havoc are using weapons that eject casings and continuously pollute the environment. (Teraoka)