CROSSTALK I
Kazuya Tsurumaki x Ikuto Yamashita x Sejoon Kim

PURSUING A NEW TURNING POINT FOR GUNDAM DESIGN
IN A GUNDAM SERIES

Set in an alternate timeline where the Principality of Zeon wins the One Year War depicted in Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX features significantly reimagined mechanical designs that uncover fresh appeal. In this discussion, mechanical designer Ikuto Yamashita, animation mechanical designer and chief mecha animation director Sejoon Kim, and director Kazuya Tsurumaki share how they approached the mobile suits’ design and the visual storytelling that brings them to life.

“Stripping character-like qualities from mobile suits.” (Yamashita)

――How did you first get Yamashita involved in this project?

Tsurumaki: When the project was greenlit, I asked him, “If you have any ideas on what you want to do with Gundam or mobile suits, please feel free to pitch them.” The first concept he submitted was his Zaku design, which we ultimately used pretty much as-is.

Yamashita: Yes. Around that time, I drafted the full-body Zaku design, then just the Gundam. That was the order, I believe.

――Could you share the overarching concept you had for the mecha in this series?

Yamashita: First, we wanted the Zaku to remain the standard, definitive mobile suit in that world. Second, we wanted to remove the usual “character” elements from the mobile suits. Whether it’s a combat or a civilian model, a mobile suit in space is basically an extension of a vehicle, and that’s where we started—thinking of them as advanced heavy machinery, rather than stylized “heroes.”

――So you envisioned them as a direct evolution of construction or work vehicles?

Yamashita: Exactly. The moment you say Gundam, there’s often a built-in expectation that the design will look heroic, you anthropomorphize it. One of the ways we departed from that was by giving the Zaku a smaller foot shape. If you think of it as an actual work machine, you’d want it to walk around efficiently, and a huge foot might be unwieldy. It’s like wearing ski boots, everyone knows how awkward that can be.

――Kim, at which stage do you come in as a designer?

Kim: Typically, I get involved after Yamashita’s designs have advanced to a certain stage. My role is to produce animation-friendly versions. The process is: Yamashita sends in his roughs, I refine them in close consultation with the director, and then toward the end Yamashita gives it a final review.

Tsurumaki: Yamashita sets the core concept. Then Kim, as the chief mecha animation director, polishes the forms so they read well from any angle, without distortions or irregularities.

“This time, the mecha animation stands apart from previous Gundam series.” (Kim)

――How did you tackle the Gundam designs, particularly the red Gundam and GQuuuuuuX?

Yamashita: I worked on the RX-78-02 Gundam and GQuuuuuuX in parallel. Kim initially wanted the Gundam to be red. Even so, it took quite a while to finalize the color scheme as there were endless ideas and back-and-forth experimentation. And in going through that process, I was reminded how every Gundam design in history has its own special brilliance.

――So the RX-78-02 is the “Red Gundam,” because Char is going to pilot it. You also introduced new bits as part of that design.

Yamashita: From the start, we planned to equip it with bits. But I only tackled the bit portion after finishing the core red Gundam design.

Tsurumaki: I’d mentioned that the Gundam would be modified to mount a psycommu, but I never envisioned the bits being so large. When I saw the design, I was shocked.

Yamashita: Maybe it’s because I’m of an older fandom generation. Funnels are small, but bits are big, that’s always been my mental image (laughs).

――And how did you approach animating those large bits?

Kim: I’d say that was one of the director’s main obsessions.

Tsurumaki: With that size, they command a real presence, they can practically become “characters” in their own right. So the way they move was extremely important to me. I was partially inspired by an old piece of test footage, grainy, real-life footage of some missile defense system or posture-control nozzle, hovering in midair and rotating solely by adjusting its thrusters.

Yamashita: Like an ASAT weapon (anti-satellite) designed to intercept orbiting objects, right?

Tsurumaki: Originally, the bits just slid laterally on thrusters, but I realized we could add more varied motions. like twisting and reorienting in 3D.

Kim: If the bits had been simpler shapes, we could have potentially hand-animated them. (laughs) But beyond their movement, I think the mecha animation as a whole in this project has a distinct flavor. In many post-Gundam UC series, funnels and bits move very quickly, but here, they have a different pacing, especially in the colony, where they serve a more “industrial” function, which felt surprisingly emotional to watch.

――The 01 Gundam, another RX-78 variant, did that exist in the plan from the beginning?

Tsurumaki: Not at all (laughs). Originally, we intended to compress the One Year War segment, but then Yamashita said, “Why not flesh out the ‘Char steals the Gundam’ storyline a bit more?” Anno chimed in, and it escalated into “Gundam vs. Gundam” in the script. (laughs)

Yamashita: As for the 01 Gundam’s actual design, I left most of that to the production team.

Tsurumaki: So the 01 Gundam basically has a Guncannon head on a Gundam body. At Anno’s suggestion, we made its color scheme resemble the RX-78-1 (Prototype Gundam) from the old MSV line.

Kim: That head is actually a variation of the GQuuuuuuX’s design.

――In your view, what must a design have to be considered “Gundam?”

Yamashita: When you get down to it, I think it’s that dual fin and those eyes.

Tsurumaki: One of the first design proposals Yamashita gave us had no visible eyes at all, it looked extremely cool, but it didn’t feel like “Gundam.” It was perfect for a real-world military or construction machine aesthetic, but maybe not for a Gundam.

Kim: Gundam has always had a powerful iconography. On the other hand, to keep the series evolving, we do need to embrace change. With Tsurumaki directing and Yamashita designing, I think we’ve found a great opportunity to nudge Gundam in a new direction.

“We were particularly obsessed with how to depict the Vulcan guns.” (Tsurumaki)

――Since this project revisits the One Year War, did you introduce any new twists to mobile suit battle scenes?

Yamashita: Anno kept saying, “It has to start with the Gundam flat on its back!” (laughs) Because our RX-78-02’s cockpit seats the pilot in a way that slides out from the core section, you can’t really replicate that iconic moment from Episode 1 of the original series, where Amuro peers into the cockpit and says, “It’s active!” He pointed that out to me.

Tsurumaki: From Anno’s perspective, that was a crucial moment. In the first storyboards I received, that docking scene was cut simply because you couldn’t replicate that exact layout. But from a directing standpoint, it was still an important beat, so I invoked my “director’s privilege” to restore it, even if it couldn’t match the old shot-for-shot sequence.

――Did you have any personal points of focus when reimagining Episode 1 of the original Mobile Suit Gundam?

Tsurumaki: I really wanted to highlight the Vulcan cannons, which Yamashita designed so memorably. In the U.C.0085 portion, there’s a scene where the GQuuuuuX confronts the red Gundam, takes a head Vulcan blast, and exclaims, “This is a real Gundam!” As it happens, we actually completed that “Episode 1” part later than the One Year War portion, so the order you see on screen is not the order we animated them in.

――Where did your obsession with Vulcans come from?

Tsurumaki: In the teaser for Char’s Counterattack, there’s a shot where the Gundam fires its Vulcan (or head-mounted gatling) at full-auto for an extended burst. It really stuck with me, but then that scene never appeared in the actual movie (laughs). Still, I feel like every Gundam fan loves that teaser shot.

Yamashita: My immediate reaction to that teaser was, “Where on earth is there room in the head for such a large gatling?” (laughs) So in our new RX-78-02 design, we gave the Gundam a smaller, sleeker head but kept the cannon mechanism protruding behind it, as if it physically extends out of the head.

“We didn’t want it to look like a plastic model kit had simply come to life.” (Tsurumaki)

――Kim, as chief mecha animation director, how did you approach your work on this series?

Kim: Tsurumaki kept saying, “We want it just like Mobile Suit Gundam,” but in reality, the designs are different, and the animation style has to reflect modern techniques. Simply copying the old style line for line wouldn’t pass muster (laughs). I had to collaborate with Tsurumaki to figure out where to stay faithful and where to push forward.

Tsurumaki: One thing I told our animators was, “Please don’t make it look like a plastic model kit is firing its gun.” Modern animators are so good at portraying 3D volume that the poses become a bit too rigid, like a posable kit where the arms alone move to aim. Nowadays, we have 3D references and pre-vis models to help draw mechanical objects, but that can overconstrain the sense of motion.

――So it fixes the poses in a certain way?

Tsurumaki: Yes, and it also prevents us from scaling limbs or adjusting proportions if needed. Hand-drawn animation should let us amplify the design for more dynamic or clearer poses. Going back to the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko would do these expressive takes on the Gundam’s shoulders and waist, if you check them meticulously, you might see they’re “loose” from a strictly 3D perspective. But there’s a creative balance between precisely preserving volume and intentionally warping it for clarity.

Kim: We have both hand-drawn mechanical design sheets and 3D models. For animators, it’s easier to look at a 3D model. But there’s also a risk of getting too locked into that shape, which the director doesn’t always appreciate (laughs).

Tsurumaki: Conversely, I rely on Kim to keep an eye on the bigger picture for poses and effects. The linework and geometry in these designs are quite complex, so having him manage the sheer volume of details has been essential. I once asked him how he stays motivated.

Kim: And I told him, “I just rely on love” (laughs).

“A mobile suit’s motion can change infinitely based on the pilot’s personality and emotions.” (Kim)

――The GQuuuuuuX stands out, especially with that Omega Psycommu system.

Tsurumaki: One challenge was deciding on the GQuuuuuuX’s torso shape. That was tricky right up to the end. Yamashita wrestled with it quite a bit.

Yamashita: Yes, in hindsight, I should have pinned down the concept earlier. We ended up turning that section into the locking mechanism for the Omega Psycommu.

Tsurumaki: Which gave genuine significance to the Gundam’s “horn” motif.

Yamashita: A Gundam can certainly have a cool horn for its own sake, but here, it plays a functional role. Even so, I figured if we painted it in the classic tricolor scheme, it would feel like a Gundam no matter what (laughs).

――I was struck by the Vulcan placement on the neck of GQuuuuuuX as well.

Tsurumaki: Yes, the Vulcan’s positioning and that muffler-like part around the collar are very characteristic of the GQuuuuuuX.

Yamashita: Those collar pieces were inspired by MRI machines. Early on, I imagined them rotating 360 degrees to scan the pilot.

Kim: When we did a 3D-printed prototype of GQuuuuuuX, I was surprised that not only did it look great, it could stand upright on its own.

Tsurumaki: Typically, you’d need oversized feet for stability, but these are pretty small—so it’s amazing. It shows how balanced the design is.

Yamashita: Even our producer, Yuki Sugitani, called me up just to say, “The GQuuuuuuX can stand on its own!” (laughs)

――The beam saber for the GQuuuuuuX is also quite different. It looks like the mega particles are “flowing,” rather than being a static blade.

Yamashita: Yes, I thought it would be interesting if the beam wasn’t just streaming outward. Instead, it’s more like a blade form produced by a constantly cycling beam.

Kim: So it’s not a chainsaw, right?

Tsurumaki: The difference is, it’s not just the edge doing the cutting.

Kim: Next to Yamashita’s original sketch, I remember seeing a note that likened the beam’s motion to “the flow of water.” It’s our job to figure out how to animate that movement and the effects.

Yamashita: As long as everyone understands why it’s meant to move that way and the thinking behind the design, I’m more than happy.

――Machu’s “Tomenosuke Heat Hawk” is also designed specifically for the GQuuuuuuX, right? It briefly glows red-hot only at the moment of impact.

Kim: Yes. In this story, it heats up when you grip it, but we decide scene by scene whether to show the glow or not. We want that flexibility to adapt to the director’s vision.

Tsurumaki: I love the industrial design with that bolt-like detail, a nod to the Zaku aesthetic. In our setting, Machu’s heat hawk is civilian-produced, different from the standard Zaku’s military heat hawk.

Kim: You can sense that industrial vibe by looking at the Zaku’s legs, too.

――We see the military police Zaku in U.C.0085, complete with bold kanji on its exterior, which is quite striking.

Yamashita: Tsurumaki was keen on using that from the start.

Tsurumaki: I just think it looks so cool! That stylized, somewhat abbreviated font feels slightly eccentric.

――Reminiscent of the Hyaku-Shiki or the Bawoo, which also have large text or emblems.

Tsurumaki: Right. In the setting, Side 6 uses Japanese as one of its semi-official languages, hence the kanji. At one point we even considered introducing a brand-new mobile suit specifically for the military police.

Kim: I’m sure that concept might emerge in future MSV expansions, it’s definitely something we’d like to build upon.

――The red Gundam appears in both time periods. Does its movement differ depending on the pilot?

Tsurumaki: Char fights with this elegant, confident style, whereas Shuji is more raw and aggressive. Meanwhile, Xavier (Olivette), the GQuuuuuuX pilot, must have heard legends of Char, so during the chase, he’s thinking, “This doesn’t feel like the real ‘Red Comet…'” We sprinkled in that reaction.

Kim: And that really reflects my broader view: Mobile suits themselves don’t have inherent “personalities.” They have distinct gimmicks or ways of moving, but how they behave changes drastically depending on who’s piloting them—and should change. For instance, Machu is unfamiliar with the GQuuuuuuX at first, so her early movements feel tentative. As she becomes more confident, you’ll see her strike cooler poses.

“Everyone’s personal view of what Gundam should be is on display.” (Yamashita)

――Many viewers will likely watch “Beginning” multiple times. Are there specific points in the design or animation you’d like them to notice?

Tsurumaki: At the start of the U.C.0085 segment, we mention the centrifugal force inside colonies. Later, there’s a scene showing a character “falling” out of a colony into space because of that force. Realistically, you wouldn’t be able to stand on the colony’s outer wall. So how was the Zaku able to stand on Side 7’s outer surface during the raid? Possibly because it’s near the rotational axis, so the effect is minimal…

――So there is some behind-the-scenes thinking on these technical details?

Tsurumaki: We do think about realism here and there, but we don’t become slaves to it. We pick our battles carefully.

Yamashita: Right. For example, there’s that moment where Char boots up the RX-78-02 and steam vents from its torso. If you analyze it, you might say, “Just what is that steam?” But Anno insisted, “I absolutely want to see that.” It’s a perfect example of each individual’s “Gundam must-haves” making their way into the final film.

Kim: We also leveraged 3D and the production expertise of Studio Khara, so a lot of new approaches naturally found their way in. I’d love for people to pay attention to how the mobile suits occupy the frame visually, everything from Tsurumaki’s sense of color and mechanical presence, to the story integration. Because the characters, mecha, and narrative are so seamlessly fused, the suits look truly awesome. I hope viewers really feel that effect.

Yamashita: Kim has summed it up nicely (laughs). As a designer, I’m just grateful to the whole production team for bringing me onboard such a phenomenal project.

Tsurumaki: Since this is Gundam, the real “leads” are ultimately the mobile suits. Kim, in his role as chief mecha animation director, has safeguarded that principle. I hope viewers rewatch the scenes he animated of the red Gundam again and again, it’s worth savoring.

Source: GQuuuuuuX -Beginning- “Materials” Pamphlet (pages 014-017)