Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX’s director on the legacy of the franchise Avid gamers Enviornment

When Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX (pronounced “G-kwuuks”), the newest entry within the long-running army sci-fi anime franchise, was first introduced in December 2024, nearly all of focus was on the truth that none apart from Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno could be engaged on the collection.

Whereas Anno is certainly integral to GQuuuuuuX, he’s not the director; that might be Kazuya Tsurumaki, the maverick thoughts behind the epochal anime hit FLCL and 2004’s Diebuster. A protege of Anno’s, Tsurumaki has come into his personal through the years as a creator who garners notoriety and respect amongst his friends and followers, with Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX marking his first main directorial undertaking after co-directing the brand new theatrical variations of Evangelion alongside Masayuki, Mahiro Maeda, and Katsuichi Nakayama.

Polygon spoke to Tsurumaki by way of an interpreter in regards to the origins behind Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX, his motivations in making an attempt to inform a “Chilly Conflict alternate-history” model of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s iconic mecha anime, and what it’s prefer to replicate again on the legacy FLCL has left behind.

[Ed. note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.]

Polygon: In latest interviews, you’ve confused that Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX isn’t a parallel universe story, however an “alternate-history warfare chronicle.” Why is it necessary that audiences perceive that distinction?

Kazuya Tsurumaki: On the subject of the Gundam collection, it’s usually stated there are two most important pillars. One could be the Common Century, after which the opposite could be the choice [continuity]. So, each time there’s a new launch, the followers will ask, “Which [one] is it going to be?” And actually, for the newest film, it could match into that query, but it surely truly is usually a completely totally different framework. That’s what is extraordinarily attention-grabbing by way of the positioning of this undertaking. So it’s, in a way, a part of the Common Century collection, but it surely’s not as we’ve recognized it; it’s truly one thing fairly totally different from what we’ve beforehand recognized, and that’s one thing that we actually like to speak and put throughout via the film.

Yōji Enokido, the co-writer of Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX, stated that you simply and he used to speak about Gundam loads whereas working collectively on FLCL, and that you simply joked about making a Gundam anime about Challia Bull. What’s it about Bull as a personality that fascinates you, and why was it necessary for him to play a task in Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX?

That’s perhaps a troublesome query to reply, however let me attempt. So when I’m attempting to painting one collection inside the common century, I felt that it’s essential for me that I create a Gundam that [deals with the concept of] Newtypes. I do know that this can be a essential idea that I actually needed to interpret and incorporate into the film. So once I look into the world, there are literally numerous characters, however I felt that the Challia Bull has a really distinctive positioning. And I’d say that his character is a extra mature character as a result of in relation to the Newtype characters [like Amuro Ray or Kamille Bidan], they are usually extra immature, extra infantile, perhaps naive and unstable. However once I’m attempting to painting a [Newtype] character, I need to painting somebody that could be a extra mature grownup. And by way of Bull, I felt that that a part of him has not been absolutely communicated or portrayed earlier than. So I felt this expression will broaden the understanding of this character. That’s the explanation why I selected him as an necessary half on this film.

I perceive that Clan Battles, the two-person preventing sequences seen in Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX, had been your concept. They jogged my memory of the episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion the place Shinji and Asuka labored collectively to struggle an Angel utilizing a dance routine. Did your work on the Evangelion franchise in any respect encourage your work on Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX?

The thought of Clan Battles was indirectly influenced by Evangelion. Nevertheless, in Neon Genesis Evangelion, there was an episode the place Shinji and Asuka needed to synchronize to assault Angels, and in Evangelion: New Theatrical Version, there was an episode that includes a double entry plug system the place two pilots needed to synchronize to function one Evangelion unit collectively. When depicting characters in battle tales, I discovered the concept of two characters having to cooperate attention-grabbing, so I’m now utilizing that idea in Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX.

It’s been over 25 years since your directorial debut on FLCL — how do you are feeling you will have grown as a director since engaged on that anime? How have your tastes and sensibilities modified?

You might be proper; it’s truly been over 20 years since I created FLCL. However from my finish, I actually don’t assume that I’ve grown that a lot. [laughs] I will probably be truly 59 years outdated, however inside myself, I think about myself to be in my mid-thirties. And subsequently, by way of mentality, I actually don’t assume that I’ve modified a lot or grown a lot from the instances that I used to be making FLCL. However one factor that I can undoubtedly say is, close to bodily power, I do really feel that I’m getting old. So not like earlier than it’s very exhausting for me to actually push myself to work extravagant hours.

Are you in any respect stunned by the fandom that FLCL has amassed over the previous 25 years? Do you know {that a} reanimation of the “Brittle Bullet” episode, drawn by over 300 animators, is premiering on the collection’ twenty fifth anniversary this weekend?

I truly was not conscious of that occasion! So when initially we created FLCL, we didn’t make it in order that it will be appreciated. Over time, I simply produced one thing that I needed to make at the moment, and in consequence, it seems that it’s nonetheless very a lot appreciated. However we actually didn’t anticipate this coming. And one factor that I can say, nonetheless, is that there are a number of followers who respect it. So for instance, the primary theme track this time [for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX] is dealt with by Kenshi Yonezu, and he truly instructed me that he thought that FLCL was extraordinarily enjoyable and thrilling. So now and again, I do hear these feedback and so they inform me that they love FLCL, so it actually makes me really feel good that I labored exhausting to create that piece.

This isn’t your first time reimagining a beloved mecha franchise. You co-directed the brand new theatrical model of Evangelion movies with Hideaki Anno and others, and earlier than that you simply directed Diebuster, the sequel to Anno’s Gunbuster. What has been probably the most difficult and thrilling half for you in reimagining Cell Go well with Gundam?

For [Neon Genesis Evangelion], I used to be part of the unique workers. Subsequently, for me to be concerned within the remake, I felt that I simply wanted to pursue my duty inside what I’m used to and I labored exhausting for that. For Gunbuster, truly, I can say that I’m an enormous fan, to be trustworthy with you. I believe perhaps I’m the primary fan of Gunbuster in Japan. So for me to be making the brand new collection, I felt that it was truly a pure purpose and I used to be very assured in dealing with the brand new collection. However in relation to Gundam, it was somewhat totally different. I’m a fan, however I’m not such an enormous fan that I felt assured sufficient to make a brand new Gundam collection. So when the producer proposed to me about this concept at the start, I used to be somewhat puzzled and I instructed them that perhaps I lack the boldness.

You’ve described Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX as a “Chilly Conflict” story, with characters who’re residing within the midst of secret warfare being waged between Zeon and the remnants of the Earth Federation resistance. What does it imply to you to inform a “Chilly Conflict” story?

The primary director of Gundam, Mr. Yoshiyuki Tomino, he truly knew [the experience of] bodily warfare. Clearly, he was not truly taking part within the battle, however I do imagine that he was there. He lived via World Conflict II, he knew the ambiance of what it was like. Nevertheless, I personally have no idea about bodily warfare. I solely know in regards to the Chilly Conflict. So throughout my boyhood, I might even have that sense of the Chilly Conflict. There is no such thing as a direct battle happening near me, however I used to be afraid we don’t know when a warfare may escape and when. And so these are the experiences that I’ve had in my boyhood. And I felt that due to that have, I might truly painting that on this collection.

As each the director of Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX and fan of the Cell Go well with Gundam franchise, what’s your private favourite Cell Go well with?

Hmm… Gelgoog is my favourite Cell Go well with.

Cell Go well with Gundam GQuuuuuuX airs new episodes on Prime Video each Wednesday.