THE DAY THE WITCH FROM MERCURY WAS BORN

Interview with Takuya Okamoto
Mobile Suit Gundam Witch from Mercury Producer

ALL TO CREATE A NEW GUNDAM

This time you’re involved with the Witch from Mercury. When did the project start?

It was somewhere around early spring of 2020 when I was approached about this new Gundam. I started this project specifically during the production of Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE, which I was also in charge of at the time. For the most part, it had already been decided that the show would have a female protagonist, so we set about choosing the main staff, who should be asked to be the director, and who would work best for the series composition.

Coloring for the work would change drastically depending on the director. What was the goal of bringing on Hiroshi Kobayashi?

We go back a bit, seeing that I had asked Kobayashi to storyboard for Iron-Blooded Orphans. I knew from his work on Kiznaiver and (Dragon Pilot:) Hisone and Masotan that not only was he a skilled director, but he could also create a solid core for the production. Since the Witch from Mercury isn’t a Universal Century series, going about its creative process isn’t much different from crafting an original show. We had to conceive a world from scratch while keeping Gundam’s undertones. When I had to consider things like creativity and imagination, plus a perspective that captures society, I felt that Kobayashi had a lot to offer for this project and that he’d serve well to bring it to life in animation.

Ichiro Ohkouchi, who is writing the script and handling series composition for the series, has also worked on Turn A Gundam in the past. What kinds of concepts were you looking for this time?

When I envisioned a Gundam series with a female protagonist, Ohkouchi came to mind as a writer (screenwriter) who could create and assemble it all at the same time. As I’m sure everyone knows, he’s worked on a wide array of series, which is why he excels on projects that require that perfect balance, something like the Code Geass series. Most recently, he was in charge of the series composition and screenplay for an original series called Princess Principal (2017). Each of the characters and their interactions with one another was quite captivating, and the worldview was such a fascinating creation. When it comes to original works, it’s crucial to be able to create a strong worldview. So, with all that in mind, I talked with Kobayashi and reached out to Ohkouchi.

THE SOUND BEHIND A TITLE PHRASE LIKE “WITCH FROM MERCURY”

Were you, Kobayashi, and Ohkouchi involved with the planning of the project?

For the most part, yes. Seiichi Shirado, the setting researcher, was involved with the project from its early stages, including when we were kicking around ideas. The phrase “Witch from Mercury” was an idea that came from a creative team by the name Morion Airline. It’s a unit that active with two individuals, HISADAKE and mogumo. HISADAKE is involved with the setting cooperation, while mogumo is involved with the original character designs. Initially, when we decided to move forward with a new project for Gundam, we had asked Morion Airline for a proposal, and the “Witch from Mercury” was one that was brought up around that time. The title, a brief overview, and an illustration were all that remained of the proposal, and almost nothing from that prototype remains with what you see today. Nonetheless, the title phrase “Witch from Mercury” had quite an interesting sound and concept behind it. Kobayashi suggested keywords such as “curses” and “spells,” so we decided to incorporate these elements.

mogumo was tasked with the original character design. How did you go about bringing them on?

The illustrations that were sent along with the proposal were quite eye-catching. The expression in the worldview, the use of color, and the screen designs were rather captivating, and that’s when I thought that it was a depiction unlike anything Gundam had to offer up til now. We also brought on JNTHED, though “are they really a creator who is a match for a new Gundam?” Kobayashi also asked mogumo to join the project, so that’s how we came to ask them on board.

This is also JNTHED’s first time participating in a Gundam series.

JNTHED had worked on Netflix’s SPRIGGAN, which Kobayashi helmed. While we approached various individuals for the mecha design competition, Kobayashi introduced me and asked him to participate as well. I got the same impression when I saw mogumo’s drawings, but the Gundam he submitted for the competition really caught my eye because it had lines that I’d never seen before. I mean that in a good way; it was a design that didn’t fit into the “Gundam mold,” and I felt it matched the image of Gundam that we were looking for with this work, so we decided to bring him on board.

COMPANIES WITH THE POWER TO MAKE THE WORLD GO AROUND AS SEEN IN THE PROLOGUE

The PROLOGUE, which serves as the prequel to the story, was released in July (currently streaming on various platforms). Its story is quite different from what has been depicted in prior Gundam series. It’s not a war between nations but a competition between corporations.

When you take a look at the world around you today, the power of nations isn’t necessarily what makes the world go around, right? The world of Ad Stella, the stage of the show, is a similar world. It’s one where a huge economic network has been formed by many companies that have expanded into space, where a social system that transcends the framework of nations is being woven by a corporate entity that has brought together only the most powerful among those companies.

Why is it that you decided to depict this in the PROLOGUE?

The PROLOGUE was originally produced to give fans looking forward to the broadcast something to look forward to. But, since we were still in the stages of releasing very little information about the main series, we had concerns over what to depict with this. So, for example, we could have set it between the first and second season, depicting a story showcasing a little bit about the main characters before the main story, but we couldn’t take that avenue since there was only a limited amount of information we could provide about the main story. So, in discussing things with Kobayashi and Ohkouchi about where we should go, we elected to depict the structure of the world and the story that would serve as the starting point for the main series.

Another thing about the PROLOGUE is that corporations seem to be one of the key factors in the show, as the Benerit Group runs Asticassia School of Technology in the main story.

That would be correct. Though, exactly how that relates to the story, well, you’ll just have to wait for the broadcast to find out. But, during the proposal stages, the reason we chose corporations as one of the factors is because of the happenings in the world, as I mentioned earlier, and reaching a younger generation. We felt that a major war between major powers, something like nations pitted against nations, wouldn’t seem that realistic and would be difficult to connect with. Smartphones and online shopping are pretty easy to navigate, but most of what we own and use today is dominated by specific corporations. So I figured that a world everyone might connect with more today, one divorced from war, would be a society dominated by such corporations.

So then, what would the position of the government and the military in the Ad Stella world be?

Governments exist in Ad Stellar, of course, but in some areas, the sway of certain companies seems to be above all else.

Then on that note, what kind of organization is the Mobile Suit Development Council that is mentioned by name in the PROLOGUE?

The Mobile Suit Development Council is an organization comprised of several corporations involved in the mobile suit industry, and in the PROLOGUE, they announce the formation of Cathedra, an auditing organization. Kenanji Avery, the pilot of the Beguir-Beu, is a member of the Dominicus Corps, an execution squad* that is affiliated with them.

AS A WEAPON THAT TAKES THE LIFE OF ITS PILOT
THE GUNDAM IS CURSED

The PROLOGUE depicts the Council rejecting Gundams. Is this due to the dangers surrounding the GUND Format? In the animation, it appeared that pilots were under enormous strain.

One of the inherent dangers of the Gundam type is the existence of GUND-BIT, a remote-controlled weapon that uses GUND format technology. Officially, it’s known as a next-generation remote-controlled swarm weapon system, so it stands to reason that trying to operate such a complex weapon would burden the human body tremendously. If the load were to become excessive, it could even take the pilot’s life.

“The Gundam is cursed.” For this reason, the existence of the Gundam type, which employs the GUND format, is considered a humanitarian issue, which is why the Mobile Suit Development Council has disavowed and denied the Gundam. So, to depict the dangers of the Gundam in this series, we had to consider the GUNBIT’s role as a weapon. The Gundam might be portrayed as a hero, messianic even, but I think it can be said that it’s the exact opposite in this series.

GUND was once medical technology developed to supplement the body’s functions, is that correct?

That is was. As we’ve seen in several scenes in the PROLOGUE, you could call it an advanced body augmentation technology, where prosthetic arms and legs compensate for missing limbs and even spinal cord injuries using GUND technology.

Elnora’s right arm is a prosthesis as a result of GUND, isn’t it?

Body parts aren’t the only things that can be supplemented. Sensory functions like vision and hearing can be done with GUND, and Dr. Cardo Nabo has also made supplements to her body functions via GUND. If you look closely, you can see that her left eye is prosthetic. The headgear-like device that she wears is sort of like a GUND-supported device.

It was explained that the GUND format was initially born from a technology called GUND, which is for medical purposes. So why was it converted to military applications and adopted for the Gundam?

Even if we say it’s for medical purposes, research and development cannot move forward without funding in any world. The Vanadis Institute, where Elnora was working, is a research organization that developed GUND, but without sponsorship, it would have been impossible to continue with their research. There was a company on Earth called Ochs Earth Corporation that developed mobile suits that reached out to them. Word on the inside is that the Vanadis Institute was providing GUND technology in exchange for financial backing from Ochs Corporation.

With a serious storyline like the PROLOGUE, it’ll be interesting to see how it leads into the main series, which is set at a school. Each House has a mobile suit from the company that backs them, and it looks like a place for corporations to compete for development.

The Asticassia School of Technology is run by the Benerit Group, the largest corporation in the mobile suit industry, so many children enrolled have parents in key positions in the group companies. As a result, there’s a strong corporate connection between the House and the company, and the mobile suits used by the students are developed by the very companies behind the boarding students.

The connections between characters from the past and present are also something to look out for. In the latest PV, a figure wearing a mask that’s quite familiar to Gundam series is also seen.

I wonder who that masked character could be (laughs). I guess we’ll find out as the broadcast progresses. Like many Gundam series before this, the story will focus on characters from the younger generation, but we’re hoping to show the unique breadth of this series by also depicting the adult side of the drama through Delling, Vim, and Sarius. This is Gundam, after all, so it’ll be anything but a straightforward story. But, as far as entertainment goes, it’s something that we’re putting out that can be enjoyed by all generations, from existing Gundam fans to the younger generation watching Gundam for the very first time. We do hope you will enjoy watching it.

* TL Note: 実行部隊 is used here, but the meaning isn’t execution in the killing sense, but carrying out xxx mission or whatnot. An alternative rendering could be “task force” if one prefers that.