Following the success of Gundam GQuuuuuuX, the next Gundam anime, called Gundam RG XARX-ZERO, will be released next year.
Seemingly yet another alternate timeline series, RG XARX-Zero, pronounced “Alex Zero”, is set in the future after humanity discovers an alien artifact that apparently allows for huge technological advances.
However, this “gift” is actually an alien Trojan Horse, and it unleashes a new threat called Apocalypse that almost wipes out humanity.
The story of the series starts 45 years after the above events, with the protagonist Ray Azumi only knowing a world fighting the Apocalypse.
Written and directed by the exceedingly talented Kenji Kamiyama, with additional setting work by Enjoe Toh, who is also working on the new Ghost in the Shell anime, this should make for an interesting anime.
I’m also loving Eiichi Shimizu’s mecha design, as I am a big fan of his work on the Linebarrels of Iron and Ultraman manga (shown above).
If you’re curious about the “RG” part of the title, that’s referencing a new shared setting between this anime and the upcoming game, Gundam: Rogue Orbit, and isn’t connected to the “Real Grade” line of model kits.
It’s also worth noting that Gundam: Rogue Orbit is set 90 years after the events in this new anime.
Kamiyama also mentioned at SDCC that there are other unannounced elements tied to this setting in addition to the game and anime, so that will be interesting to see.
The reaction online, at least outside of Japan, has also been pretty mixed, with the whole “Gundam crossed with alien Monster Hunter” not being all that popular.
However, it’s still early days as yet, so let’s see how this new anime will pan out.
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