THE PRIDE OF MOBILE SUIT DESIGNERS

This story is not just a typical school story but one that also delves into the corporate world. Let’s dive deep into the design philosophy of the designers behind each corporation’s mobile suits and mechs.

Key Points as Told by the Mecha Designers

The fervor around The Witch from Mercury has yet to subside even after its broadcast ended. This show not only portrays the competition between corporations developing mobile suits but also sheds light on the business strategies centered on the mobile suit industry. The “duels” served as a platform for these corporations to test their mobile suits capabilities. The essence of this weapons development race heavily influenced the students studying and living at the school. The drama and internal conflicts of characters swayed by the various corporate intentions became undeniably one of the show’s primary attractions.

This time, our spotlight is on the mobile suits symbolizing each corporation and the designers responsible for their creation. Different designers were assigned to give a unique technical and aesthetic touch to the mobile suits of each of these corporations. For instance, Kanetake Ebikawa is associated with Grassley and Brion Corp, Wataru Inata with Peil Technologies, and Ippei Gyoubu with Jeturk Corp. Takayuki Yanase takes charge of Earth’s mobile suits, while Kenji Teraoka predominantly handles the rest of the mecha.

What intentions lie behind the design of each manufacturer’s mobile suit? We sat down with the mecha designers to delve deeper into their thoughts, along with their feelings towards the series now that the finale has aired.

KENJI TERAOKA

Q1: Can you share some memorable interactions with the director or those in charge of settings, as well as tell us about any challenges or enjoyable moments you experienced while working on the designs?

A1: One of the most challenging aspects was the exterior design of the School Front. Figuring out the transitional details between the spaceport, school zone, and tactical testing zone was quite a complex task. However, the art team’s work on the “rotating gravity zone’s internal structures” was exceptional, which made the process go much smoother afterward.

Q2: Setting aside your professional involvement, what are your overall impressions of the project?

A2: I thoroughly enjoyed the new setting of an “academic Gundam.” Following along with the story with anticipation, experiencing the moments of sorrow and subsequent rises made the narrative feel incredibly fresh and exhilarating.

KAPELL-KUU: A Hammerfield company mobile suit that battles in a duel against Guel on the day of Suletta’s arrival.
CLIBARRI: A Daigo company mobile suit piloted by three students who have challenged Elan (Enhanced Person No. 4) to a duel.
CAPELL-GEO & CLIBARRI DAWON: The Capell-Geo is an upgraded version of the Kapell-Kuu equipped for close combat. The Clibarri Dawon is also an upgraded version, and the idea was to bring back the unused tank form. Both of them are meant for Rumble Ring use as fodder mecha, so they come equipped with flashy loadouts.

HARO: The infrastructure mecha used to connect and operate various machines within the school. “Since multiple designers are responsible for prop design, we ensured a straightforward and easily recognizable design.”
SCHOOL FRONT: Serving as the foundation for the worldview, the School Front was conceived with a vision in mind. “The mecha art was blended with a touch of futurism in the concept art, evoking the image of a ‘modern university campus.'”

WATARU INATA

Q1: Can you share some memorable interactions with the director or those in charge of settings, as well as tell us about any challenges or enjoyable moments you experienced while working on the designs?

A1: One of the most memorable moments was the initial design meeting. I was participating in a Gundam project as a mecha designer for the first time and was entrusted with designing a Gundam type. Naturally, my excitement was through the roof. I wanted this to be the culmination of all the knowledge and skills I had developed over the years! As a result of my excessive enthusiasm… I went a bit overboard. The silhouette I created was about four times the size of the Aerial. I’ll never forget the look on everyone’s faces, including Director Kobayashi, when I proudly unveiled my design, thinking I’d be praised. It was a look that said, “This guy really went all out! He drew the most powerful Gundam I had ever imagined!” After that, I was educated on the costs of animation and the sizing required for model-making. Working on the design while receiving ideas from Director Kobayashi, Ebikawa, and many others was enjoyable, and I learned a lot from the experience.

Q2: Setting aside your professional involvement, what are your overall impressions of the project?

A2: Without any bias, this show is my favorite out of the Gundam franchise. Personally, I felt that its two-cour length was just right. It neither felt rushed nor dragged on. The content was so rich that the 30-minute episodes seemed to fly by every week, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The idea of a female protagonist in a school setting was refreshing, coupled with the “duel” system, was something I really loved. The concept of private companies developing the mobile suits, with different mecha designers in charge of each company’s designs, added depth to the design lineup, which I found groundbreaking. Above all, it’s easily accessible, so I’d recommend it even to those who weren’t previously interested in the Gundam series. That, I believe, is one of its strong points.

GUNDAM PHARACT: GUND-ARM developed by Peil Technologies. For Season 2, it was equipped with a new beam caliber weapon. “In Season 2, due to pilot constraints preventing an increase in the Permet score, the strategy of using “GUND-BIT + long-range tactics” was not employed. So, a shift to weaponry intended for close to mid-range combat was necessary, especially considering the chaotic nature of Rumble Ring battles. In terms of design, the initial proposal included a single gun that could transform, allowing a switch between rapid-fire and charge modes. However, based on Director Kobayashi’s idea, the design was finalized to link two handguns together to deliver a powerful single shot. Plus, wielding these two handguns provided a distinct silhouette difference from the long rifle in Season 1.”

HIPELIS & RACOWY: Director Kobayashi’s directive was that these should be mobile suits developed by companies other than the Big Three and adhere to the school’s “duel” regulations by having “horns” and avoiding using live ammunition. Once those criteria were met, I was free to design as I pleased. However, the director hinted in a whispered comment that a sort of “let-my-body-go” (a voluminous silhouette) might have a higher acceptance rate (laughs). This led to pursuing a heavily-armored mobile suit design that differed from the Pharact. Plus, there was a desire not just for a unique silhouette but also for secondary weapons and transformation gimmicks, leading to the incorporation of ideas like Hipelis’ four arms and Racowy’s back-mounted bazooka.

PEIL TECHNOLOGIES MADE MOBILE SUITS: “When the Pharact’s design was commissioned, I was instructed to incorporate ‘high mobility’ and ‘long-range attacks.’ From the beginning, it was decided that it would appear as a Gundam and would utilize GUND-BIT. Given that Peil Technology’s philosophy differed from the other two companies and focused on “acquiring a Gundam,” the concept was centered around designing a Gundam intended to capture other Gundams. Ideas like a GUND-BIT with the ability to stun or adjust the output of the long rifle were the result in the initial proposal. To emphasize the Pharact’s uniqueness as a manifestation of Peil’s obsession with obtaining a Gundam, I designed the Zowort to be more pragmatic.”