Recently, Animate Times shared an interview with Okamoto where he talked about the newest anime entry in the Gundam series, The Witch From Mercury. He also shared his insight into why teens aren’t interested in the franchise, as well as how they addressed this in the new anime.
What Teens Think of Gundam
As an iconic franchise, Gundam has many older fans, both of the anime and of those who collect and build model kits. However, when asked about what younger people think of it, Okamoto said that they aren’t interested. Specifically, Okamoto had the opportunity to talk to teenagers recently. He asked them what they thought of Gundam, and they said that they “wouldn’t watch [an anime] if it had Gundam” and that they believe the series isn’t aimed at them. While Okamoto did find out that some younger anime viewers have seen Iron-Blooded Orphans and enjoyed the series, they weren’t convinced to watch more Gundam. In case you need a refresher, the Gundam franchise began back in 1979 with the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime. Since then, the series has gotten lots of anime shows and movies, as well as a wide range of Gunpla model kits. Given that teens aren’t interested in Gundam anymore, Okamoto and the team at Sunrise decided to address these with the latest TV anime.
How Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Appeals to Younger Viewers
One of the ways that the new Gundam anime is appealing to teens and younger viewers is through the characters. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is unique among other anime in the franchise as it is the first to feature a female protagonist in Suletta Mercury. Alongside Suletta, the other principal character is Miorine Rembran. The personality and dynamics of Suletta and Miorine are interesting as most other Gundam anime follow male characters. Another way that the show is appealing to teens is through its opening theme which is performed by YOASOBI, a popular music duo in Japan who also made the opening for Beastars Season 2. There’s also the fact that the show has a standalone story, which means even those who are not familiar with the franchise should be able to understand and enjoy the series. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is airing now, with each episode being released every week.
