Kio caught COVID at the beginning of the month. He went to the hospital (which is a very normal thing in Japan), got some medicine, and his fever broke around the 5th. He also thanks all the fans who wished him well.
I occasionally enjoy watching martial arts Youtubers. They run the gamut from professional fighters to dedicated practitioners to, well, scam artists, so they can easily devolve into a whole lot of nonsense. I’m the furthest thing from a competent fighter, though, and my interest goes more towards those who exhibit a desire to actually spread knowledge and understanding while avoiding macho posturing.
One person I watch is Adam Chan, and while I don’t agree with some of his beliefs about how the world works, he comes across as someone who tries to check his ego at the door. He tries to communicate that a martial art is not “a way of fighting” in itself but rather a recipe or set of tools that should be adjusted for the situation or goal you desire. Self-defense is not sport fighting, and neither are combatives: The first is about escaping harm, the second is about a mutually agreed contest, and the last is about prioritizing maximum force and even concealing your weapons (both metaphorically and literally).
The categories can be easily conflated, and they commonly are. In the past, I wrote about out how the series Mashlehighlights these distinctions. However, there’s actually another example that demonstrates these differences even better, and it can be found in the anime The Daily Lives of High School Boys, of all things.
The Daily Lives of High School Boys is a comedy about dumb teenagers, and it occasionally has a spinoff at the end of episodes called High School Girls Are Funky. These shorts feature a trio of girls: two loud and mean-spirited girls named Yanagin and Ikushima along with Habara, the meeker one. But it’s revealed that Habara used to be an absolute terror who had to be subdued by an alliance of the strongest kids in school. In one short, Yanagin and Ikushima decide to see who’s stronger in a fight. Habara tries to get them to stop, only to have her plea ignored.
However, when they try to establish the parameters for their bout, the “normal” Habara earnestly asks them why they would need rules in the first place for a fight. In this moment, the two realize what a mistake they’ve made: While they’re trying to compare skill in a fair contest, Habara doesn’t comprehend the very notion of limiting one’s violence. The other girls back down, anxiously claim it was all a joke, and avoid disaster in the end. Right as the third girl breathes a sigh of relief, though, the other two notice her tossing aside a large rock.
In this scene, you have the two girls approaching the situation with a sporting mindset, trying to agree upon the rules of engagement. You have the third girl thinking purely in terms of combatives and looking for ways to inflict maximum violence without compromise, including hiding a crude but effective weapon. And when the two de-escalate the situation, you have self-defense of a less flashy kind.
Even the best martial arts anime and manga tend to assume that all fighting and conflict is essentially the same, so it’s funny to see a gag series represent such subtle yet profound distinctions.
Another famous Japanese singer from anime and tokusatsu passed away recently: Yamada Nobuo, aka NoB, aka lead singer of the band MAKE-UP. He was 61, and had recently been dealing with kidney cancer.
I don’t have quite the childhood connection to NoB that so many others do, but I still wanted to say a few words because I do feel that his music touched my life at different points.
I didn’t grow up with the anime or anything, and I only read the manga a few years ago. However, I was very familiar with most famous song: “Pegasus Fantasy,” the first Saint Seiya anime theme. That opening has long been one of my go-to examples of a near-perfect intro thanks to the energizing and soulful music combined with the action-packed animation. Sometimes, I will just randomly type it into YouTube to watch again. Years later, I would also enjoy his return to the franchise with Saint Seiya Omega, where MAKE-UP sang “Pegasus Fantasy” alongside Shokotan.
Because I didn’t follow his career closely, I also didn’t realize that he was also involved with another show for which I have fond memories. When I was living in Japan in 2005, I enjoyed just being able to catch what was airing on TV, and that included the Super Sentai show Mahou Sentai Magiranger. Watching it became a weekend tradition, though I hadn’t realized that he was responsible for the theme of the character Dark Magic Knight Wolzard.
This has been a sad loss for NoB’s fans, and my condolences go out to them. For me personally, it’s a reminder of the passage of time. But music is immortal in unique ways, and I don’t think I’ll stop playing his songs, whether over my headphones or just in my head.
Gundam GQuuuuuuX is a work that has a lot to potentially talk about, especially because it both utilizes and deviates from a lot of established Gundam lore. This is a followup to my overall review of the series, where I now want to take the time to put forth what I consider my biggest GQuuuuuuX theory as a result of the show’s final episode: The Gundam QuuuuuuX mobile suit is possessed by the spirit of the original Amuro Ray. And by original, I mean original.
Before I elaborate, I want to make two notes. First, there will be MASSIVE SPOILERS.
Second, I’ll be discussing the actor Furuya Toru, the original voice of Gundam protagonist Amuro Ray, someone who’s become persona non grata due to revelations of adultery and domestic abuse. While I myself have soured on him because of this and am deeply disappointed by his actions, he still played a role in the finale that I think is meant to have greater implications than just being a fun callback. Thus, the analysis below takes into account what I believe is the effect of his inclusion.
With that, let’s begin.
In the final episode, as Machu in the GQuuuuuuX is fighting Shuji in the original-design RX-78-2 Gundam, the GQuuuuuX unlocks the true form of its Omega Psycommu. Within the rush of the kaleidoscopic “kira kira” Newtype space, the voice of Furuya Toru speaks to Machu and Shuji and says, “I can’t bear to see the Gundam taking Lalah’s life again.”
One would assume that this is the Amuro from “Rose of Sharon” Lalah’s universe, but here’s the catch: Lalah never died there. While extremely similar, the Lalah we see in the Elmeth is established to be different from the Lalah in the original 1979 anime and the film trilogy. In her world, Char dies instead of her, and the shock causes her to slip into alternate timelines where he survives. In fact, according to Shuji, more often than not it’s Char who dies instead.
This is why I believe that this is “our” Amuro Ray, the one we saw go through Mobile Suit Gundam and on. And on top of that, I think this was his fate after the end of Char’s Counterattack.
Additionally, while not a direct reinforcement of the above point, I want to point out the significance of the true name of the Omega Psycommu that’s inside the GQuuuuuuX. Challia Bull reveals that it’s actually called the Endymion Unit, and those familiar with Furuya’s voice roles might find that it sounds familiar. This is because Prince Endymion is the original name of Tuxedo Mask in Sailor Moon before he reincarnated as Chiba Mamoru, and Furuya plays this character in the 1990s anime. In other words, the Endymion Unit is a reference to a character played by Amuro Ray’s actor—one who failed to save his lover and was reborn into a watchful protector who helps guide Sailor Moon. Even if only meant to be a fun reference, the thematic parallels are hard to ignore.
Also, the way the GQuuuuuX looks when the Endymion Unit is unleashed is very reminiscent of Neon Genesis Evangelion, where the EVAs themselves contain the souls of other characters who (for the most part) watch over their pilots.
One thing that GQuuuuuX also does is imply that the vaunted esper-like abilities of Newtypes are quantum in nature, in that they can see multiple possibilities and choose the right one, somewhat like the Doctor in Doctor Who. Perhaps Char’s Counterattack Amuro ascended to a higher level of this, and in spirit form traversed alternate universes to find the Rose of Sharon.
If all this were to be true, that leaves me to wonder about something else: If the GQuuuuuuX houses the spirit of the original Amuro Ray, where is the original Char Aznable? Could it be that the Red Gundam, i.e. the RX-78-2 of the GQuuuuuuX world, is actually possessed by Char? When the GQuuuuuuX Char pilots it, does that mean we’re getting Double Char? Were that to be the case, this would mean Amuro and Char have decided to work together to save this Lalah from living through endless tragedy.
Anime NYC is this month! Takahashi Youko of “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” fame will be holding a concert there, and this year’s hololive World Tour will feature IRyS, among others. And both concerts are on the same day! Talk about timing. It’s also funny that Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame sang the ending theme from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt for her 3D debut. Just angels and devils all over the place.
This past month has been a bit of a whirlwind, as I’ve been doing more traveling and general going out than normal. I have a bunch of things I want to write and report on, and I hope I can do so in a timely fashion.
I often feel that I have both too many blog posts and not enough ready. I’m trying to strike the right balance between being informative and expressing my thoughts.
A relatively light month. Kio saw the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie!
Closing
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been considering dropping down to about one post per week, maybe two if things are good and I have more time. I do feel like I might be losing something if I make my posting that sparse, though, as I don’t know if it would necessarily make for better writing in general. Hopefully, I can find a good answer.
I also just read the latest Spotted Flower and wow. I’m just trying to figure out if I should write about it ASAP or wait for the next chapter in three months.
When he saw the movie Kokuhou, Kio managed to eat ramen and not have to pee for the entirety of the 175-minute movie, so he decided he’ll do the same for the Demon Slayer movie, which is 155 minutes long.
Kio thought a picture of two tortoise toys from the Ichiban Kuji line looked shockingly realistic, only to realize one of them was an actual tortoise. It reminds him a lot of his own pet.
I am not a hardcore fan of The iDOLM@STER, but I understood what a big deal it was to have Nakamura Eriko and Imai Asami as guests, aka the respective voices of first-gen “765 Pro” members Amami Haruka and Kisaragi Chihaya. I was able to attend one of the panels for Eriko, but sadly couldn’t make it for any of Imai Asami’s.
Because I’m not an iM@S Producer or anything, there are things I probably got wrong. Nevertheless, I still want to post my notes from this panel. In this day and age, simply having information out there on the internet to find can be difficult. Also, The iDOLM@STER just celebrated its 20th anniversary, so I figured it would be a good time to post this.
Eriko was in Chicago for the first time, and the panel was a Q&A. She turned out to be quite the jokey type, or at least that’s how she presented herself. She mentioned getting lost trying to get to the Opening Ceremony, and that her dream was to be “more biggest,” i.e. taller, so she can see further back.
When asked how she decided to become a voice actor, Eriko said she thought it was the field where she thought she could stand out most as a performer. She described her path there as being haran banjou, a Japanese term that means a life of many ups and downs, but can also mean life is something where surprising things can happen. Someone followed up by asking what it was like to audition for Haruka, to which she first pretended she couldn’t remember, then elaborated that it actually didn’t involve any singing. She received a script and a storyboard, and played Haruka looking out from the train. She said that this was the first and only time she had such a free-feeling audition.
Later, Eriko elaborated on being a part of that first generation. They recorded their parts individually: just her, the script, and the sound engineer. Back when it was just that original game, she had to imagine what it was like for everyone to be together, and the first time she heard it all together, it was like 765 Pro had come to life.
When she got the chance to perform songs from a different branch many years later, and for others to perform songs from hers, she responded that seeing others build on the foundation they laid was a valuable experience.
The audience of fans got her to say the line, “Producer-san, Dome desuyo! Dome!” in reference to Haruka being an idol and the importance of the Tokyo Dome as a major landmark for idol performers. Eriko said the last time she was able to say that was in fact two years ago at the Tokyo Dome.
When asked what advice she would give a voice actor, Eriko revealed that there’s a concert in August, and her answer is in that pamphlet.
As for what has changed, Eriko mentioned that she chats a lot more with people after recordings because she’s been doing it for 20 years with all the staff and everyone else supporting them. Eriko is also always sending messages on LINE, especially stickers, to the point that the others tell her to stop. The members of Million Stars tell her that they need to sleep.
One person asked Eriko what she thinks about when she’s out there as a major representative of The iDOLM@STER. Her response: “I don’t think about that at all. Haruka is just a 15-year-old girl, she can’t have the wait of the franchise on her shoulders.”
I prefer to review shows after they’ve finished, so my plan has always been to wait until the end of the TV series to give my more complete thoughts. However, the way Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX fueled speculation every week with every reveal means that it’s hard to separate it from the hype train surrounding its broadcast. One question I have to ask myself is simply, to what extent do I judge the show removed from the moment when that energy was so important to its release?
Complicating all this is the fact that I can’t pretend that all the nudges and winks at the fandom weren’t up my alley. To that end, this ends up being less of a review and more the ramblings of a long-time Gundam fan who tries not to care too much about the nitty gritty of lore but still gets excited about it nevertheless, especially when GQuuuuuuX is built heavily around that world building.
The Beginning (Literally)
My introduction to GQuuuuuuX was through the movie from earlier in the year. I went in knowing nothing beyond a few promotional images and one curious spoiler that had me more confused than anything, and I figured Gundam GQuuuuuuX: The Beginning was some new franchise entry. Then an all-too-familiar narration began accompanied by an iconic colony drop deliberately made to evoke a simplistic cel animation, and by the time Char Aznable stole the Gundam, it was clear that we were not working with an alternate universe so much as an alternate timeline.
Coming out of the theater, my #1 thought was “The world’s biggest Challia Bull fan must have waited decades to pull this off.” The Beginning actually takes a one-off character from the original TV series and turns him into one of the biggest badasses around, a decision that could only come from some incredibly hardcore fans at the helm. To then also make it a show that establishes an alternate history where a Zeon victory during the One-Year-War creates a whole host of different consequences in the lives of characters both new and old, both famous and obscure? That’s some kind of fever dream only a complete nerd could create, and I mean that in a good way.
With GQuuuuuuX, you have a work that clearly anticipated the whole spectrum of Gundam fandom as an audience. Its what-if nature is catnip for old-school Gundam fans, the female protagonist and other setting elements resemble the wildly popular Witch from Mercury in some ways, and it would only be natural to assume at least some new viewers curious about this Gundam thing or who are perhaps drawn in by the characters and aesthetics. My own love for the franchise runs nearly the full gamut, and this bringing together of generations only made things better in my eyes, especially because that clash of eras is also reflected in the characters themselves.
A Gathering of Generations
When I say the characters are of different generations, it’s not just about some being older than others, or a reference to the fact that the character designs suddenly take on the classic Yoshikazu Yashuko aesthetic when the story jumps from the year UC 0085 back to 0079 and the One Year War. The younger characters feel reflective of our current times in the year 2025, and they behave differently from not just the older vets surrounding them but also the teenage characters of past Gundam series. The main heroine Amate “Machu” Yuzuriha looks for meaning and self worth through illegal mobile suit matches (“Clan Battles”), starts a close yet adversarial friendship with the other major heroine Nyaan (a refugee on the run from the law for illegal entry), navigates a complex love triangle she wants desperately to believe her supernatural psychic connection to the boy Shuji is unique to her, and desperately hopes other characters she meets won’t be trapped by her circumstances. I can’t fully describe why, but the way she takes to the unfamiliar world of mobile suits and Newtypes, excelling in some areas and being frustrated by others, just reminds me of modern-day teenagers and the challenges they face.
The alternate history helped propel a lot of the speculation that accompanied GQuuuuuuX. Every week, more and more characters from Gundam history would make appearances and get people abuzz. Some are fairly well known side characters, like the Black Tri-Stars (fighting in Clan Battles), Basque Ohm (still formidable but with less power and influence), and Sayla Mass (who seems to have become the ace of the Federation in the absence of Amuro). But then you have extremely minor faces show up, like Cameron Bloom (Mirai Yashima’s fiancee) and Gates Capa (a Zeta Newtype), and even figures who are original to GQuuuuuuX but have threads connecting to other figures, like ace pilot (and popular mom character) Shiiko Sugai and Cyber Newtype Deux Murasame. Additionally, undergirding all this is the persistent presence of the distinct refrain of “La…la…” heard whenever Newtype characters experience a psychedelic vision. This sound is all too familiar to old Gundam fans, and the very possibility that this is a series connected to Lalah Sune, the tragic Newtype girl who loses her life trying to protect both Amuro and Char from each other, is uniquely appealing. GQuuuuuuX is brimming with fanservice, and it’s the kind where the fans they’re servicing are often those Gundam otaku running the entire ship.
Overflow
So here we have an anime packed so tightly with storylines and character threads that it can be difficult to see how all this can all fit into 12 episodes. The answer is that it kind of doesn’t, and that there are potentially many untold or unfinished stories that could spring out of GQuuuuuuX. Also, the shifting emphasis between new and old characters could make it difficult to figure out who the audience should concentrate on the most. Amate, Shuji, and Nyaan are clearly the main trio, but their story gets partly subsumed in the end by the focus on the “Rose of Sharon” and the older characters. The result is that Amate and the others feel as much observers of a greater world as they do individuals with their own agency.
I do feel that the increasing emphasis on old Gundam lore is less surprising to me because I first watched the movie, since it front loads all the flashbacks to the One Year War. I suspect that starting with the TV series might have made this more jarring. Nevertheless, the speculation was fun and allowed imaginations to run wild. And I don’t mind that the anime ended differently from everyone’s expectations, including my own.
Conclusion
I struggled a lot writing this review (if you can even call it that), but I have come to think of this as a good thing. GQuuuuuuX is a messy work: a 5000-piece jigsaw puzzle where the manufacturer made a few pieces too big, a few too small, and threw in a handful from another box entirely. It doesn’t quite fit together to create a picture-perfect image, but that incongruity is beautiful in its own way. If they ever decide to make more, that’s fine, but I’d be quite happy if they just left it alone and allowed us fans to keep speculating.
Stay tuned for a future follow-up to this review, where I get into all the spoilers and nerd out over all my GQuuuuuuX theories.
Nakayama Yoshiko is the producer of the anime Anne Shirley, based on the Anne of Green Gables novels, and Inoue Honoka is the voice of the titular heroine. This interview was also conducted after I had already attended the Anne Shirley panel at Anime Central 2025.
Hello, thank you for coming to this interview. I really enjoy Anne Shirley; I’m a fan of Anne of Green Gables as well, so I was happy to see this new anime being created, as well as Ms. Inoue’s portrayal of Anne.
Inoue: Thank you!
Between the beloved 1979 anime and the general popularity of Anne of Green Gables in Japan, as well as the numerous adaptations around the world, was it intimidating to create a new Anne anime? How did you overcome this pressure?
Nakayama: I was a fan of the original novel, and I think this applies to everyone who loves Anne of Green Gables, but I think Anne exists in all of us. As for me, I saw the story a little differently, and that’s exactly why I wanted to make this anime.
So that’s why I wanted to start this project. I’m aware of Director Takahata’s anime from 1979 but I haven’t seen it myself. When the project was greenlit, I was excited. However, the rest of the production staff was probably a little nervous.
For Nakayama: I believe female anime directors are relatively rare, and female producers even moreso. Do you have any advice for other women who might aspire to do the same thing?
This is my first time as the main producer for the project. As for advice, you need a lot of stamina, a lot of love for the project, and have a strong heart, and to not give up.
My next question is directed towards Inoue-san. I actually interviewed your mother, Inoue Kikuko, back in 2019. Getting to interview you now is amazing, just because I’ve gotten to talk to both mother and daughter over the years. Back then, she told me that she practiced with you at home. Is there any advice that you really took to heart from your mother?
Inoue: I’m honored to meet you as well—thank you very much! My mother always tells me to give it your all. It’s been a while since I debuted, so we haven’t practiced for a while, but with Anne Shirley, it’s different. My mother is a very big fan of Muraoka Hanako-sensei’s translation of Anne of Green Gables, so every episode, she asks if she can watch it with me. I think the Anne Shirley–esque qualities in my mother might be an influence on my performance.
Inoue-san, Anne is such an expressive, talkative character, that playing her must be a real feat. Is there anything you try to keep in mind as you voice Anne Shirley?
Inoue: I don’t particularly keep anything in mind, and I don’t really have a specific way I go about a role, but I do think a lot about how I want to express Anne’s lines when I perform her role.
This next question is to both: What messages do you think Anne Shirley the show carries for a new generation discovering Anne of Green Gables for the first time?
Inoue: I think the message is to not lose things like your imagination and your hope, and to continue living as yourself. Also, within our daily lives, there’s just beauty everywhere and it all has meaning, and I think that’s what Anne is trying to tell us.
Nakayama: I have a similar answer, but I think if you approach things with imagination and courage, you can make it through even when times get tough or you feel trapped, and you might even change life for the better. That’s what I want to convey through this work.
One pleasant surprise from Anime Central 2025 was the presence of the new Anne of Green Gablesadaptation, Anne Shirley. The convention had two staff members as guests of honor: Producer Nakayama Yoshiko, as well as the voice of Anne, Inoue Honoka. Inoue is actually the daughter of veteran voice actor Inoue Kikuko (Belldandy, Aina Sahalin, various mom characters throughout the years).
Both guests did commentary over a screening of the first episode, providing a lot of insight into the production process. These are my notes from their Anne Shirley panel, but I will also be posting my interview with Nakayama and Inoue in the next few days as well!
They actually had the full animation done for the recording, a rarity. Inoue couldn’t stop being absorbed by the beauty of the animation.
She did the fish-eye lens scenes over and over.
Marilla’s voice actor has pretty much no anime experience before this, and is actually primarily a stage actor. Inoue once worked on dubbing a film with her and felt at ease.
Nakayama wanted to convey just how talkative Anne is to both people who are familiar and unfamiliar with her character.
They went to a great big lake the day before just like in the show. Specifically, Lake Michigan.
When Anne first spots the Cuthberts’ house, the yellow color of it is meant to show how Anne sees the house in her head.
For Nakayama, Anne walking into the house while crying is a really funny contrast. For Inoue, Anne going from crying to not crying all of a sudden left an impression.
Nakayama feels bad that Honoka has to keep up with a character like Anne who flips moods all the time.
Nakayama: Marilla is kind of tsundere. Matthew is strong and silent but has to go along with what Marilla says.
Honoka was told she could do Anne’s gestures while she was recording (like covering her face), which is unusual.
Nakayama: Anne’s personality and maturity for her age means she doesn’t try to make fun of anyone even if they are being hard on her.
Honoka: “I couldn’t do that.”
Nakayama: “Same.”
The screening was followed by a Q&A, which continued the look into their process.
The biggest challenge was finding a studio to actually do the show; the trends right now are isekai, action, and otaku-oriented works. The 1979 version also looms large and studios thought it would be difficult.
Inoue watched the old anime as a kid, and in middle school she learned about Lucy Maud Montgomery. That made her really want to land the role. She thought it was as unlikely as winning the lottery.
While Nakayama and the staff had to cut a few scenes due to time and money, the basic story remains unchanged. There is one thing she technically changed: adding a stoat.
Inoue prepared for the role by rewatching the 1979 anime. She also read the Japanese translation of the original books by Muraoka Hanako (apparently a very famous and beloved translation), and even reread it again after landing the role.
For Anne, Matthew, and Marilla (but not Gilbert), Nakayama had a clear idea of how she wanted them to sound, and Inoue was in top 3 for Anne.
At the audition, Nakayama pushed for Inoue. There was someone else who was in the top running but she can’t remember who it was, and another who would have been too busy.
A lot of the cast members are similar in age, and they go out for food after recordings, to get Korean food and such.
In June 2023, they all went to Prince Edward Island (where Anne takes place). The art director’s suitcase got a large crack, but nothing was stolen.
As a kid, Honoka didn’t name everything like Anne does, but she could feel the life force from nature, and thinks Anne is similar.
Some Japanese fans took issue with the color of Anne’s clothing and such, but they have experts who look at this stuff, and they hope the fans understand that not everything can be as they want.
One of the hardest things for Inoue was having to match the lip flaps, but it was fun actually getting to see Anne’s expressions. It’s like she really is in Green Gables.
Afterwards, everyone attending the panel got a piece of promotional art autographed by both Nakayama and Inoue. I noticed how above and beyond Inoue seemed to go to appeal to her fans, and I think she’s going to be a very beloved performer in the years to come.
OGIUE MANIAX 