The Official Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Anime Thread Mk I

[Kuruni]

To avoid spoiler, lets say Elan has has escape the "unlucky nice guy" role in yuri genre. Now he's more of a "dark counterpart" to Suletta.

It's interesting that they neither try to hide that this is actually a serious episode nor shy away from madebit look like light heart one at first.

[Dark Duel]

Well, that was interesting. I have to admit, it's not an especially creative direction to take with the character, nor all that surprising, but it was pretty well done.
Pharact's début was something I've been looking forward to for a while, and it certainly did not disappoint. Looking forward to what happens next, that's for sure.

Also,

Spoiler

"Number 4, piloting a black Gundam?

That's a little on the nose, innit?

[Mafty]

Another strong episode, it's neat that we see focus shifting across the large cast.

We actually get a couple of action scenes in this episode

Spoiler

The first is a cool desert battle, with units that resemble a cross between the Tekkedan Mobile Workers from IBO and the HRL's Anf from 00.

Also

Spoiler

Elans backstory is explained, he's some sort of artificial human created to pilot MS. I wonder if he actually cared about Suletta at all, or only changed his tune when he found out that both he and Suletta are different? Regardless it is hardly Sulettas fault. Plus he goes overboard in humiliating Guel. It seems that Elan is actually capable of emotions, its just that none of them are positive.

Also during this episode we see Suletta getting her fortune read

Spoiler

This brings up another factor. The girl giving the Fortune Telling questions whether Suletta has a brother. Suletta says she doesn't.

However when Prospera meets her old Kohai , she comments on two "Witches" at the school. So could this be a Kira/Cagalli thing. Like maybe Elan was actually artificially created to perfect the technology, and Suletta was an example of a modified natural born human? Maybe she and Elan aren't so different after all...

Speaking of callbacks

Spoiler

The Duel over Ariel calls to mind the Duel between Flit and Wolf over the AGE-1 in Gundam Age.

[Seto Kaiba]

Getting caught up on this one, and The Witch from Mercury really isn't doing anything to grab me thus far. It's not bad, and it's not great... it's just kinda there. If anything, it feels underdeveloped to me.

For me, the big one that demands explanation is why the Asticassia school exists in the first place.

Spoiler

We've had Gundam protagonists who were still in school before. Banagher Links from UC was attending a vocational school run by Anaheim Electronics and Bellri Zenam was attending the Capital Guard's military academy. But the Asticassia School doesn't seem to have any real reason to exist thus far aside from being a daycare for the children of the rich and famous. Why is it more advantageous for the children of the CEOs of these corporations to learn about MS piloting and maintenance than business management and economics?

Seriously, this is some Harry Potter Hogwarts bullsh*t... the future leaders of the megacorporations that rule space all attend a school that has little or no actual academic curriculum and teaches them only Mobile Suit-related skills? But I guess a Witch would attend Space Hogwarts.

If anything, episode four kind of killed my interest in Suletta Mercury as a character.

Spoiler

Almost every Gundam protagonist is some kind of introvert, socially maladjusted, or just plain crazy so Suletta Mercury's social anxiety is only to be expected. That said, it was extremely disappointing to see that Gundam's first female lead's reaction to her first actual challenge in the series was breaking down in tears and sniveling about how she wanted to go home until someone else stepped up and solved the problem for her by beating up the people who sabotaged her MS.

Not that episode five is any more satisfying in that regard.

Spoiler

Suletta Mercury increasingly feels like a bystander in her own series.

Almost from the start, she's an extreme doormat who's bossed around at every turn by Miorine. She's told what to think, what to say, who she can be friends with, who her enemies are, you name it. When she gets in trouble, it's always someone else who gets her out of it... whether it's Miorine going off to undo Jeturk house's sabotage or Chuatury beating up the people who sabotaged her MS. Now she's reached the point where other characters are having a duel OVER HER and she's meekly spectating.

As a main character, it sure as hell doesn't feel like she has much agency in her own story.

And come to that...

Spoiler

Why is it apparently so difficult to ascertain if a Mobile Suit is a Gundam or not?

The GUND format requires cybernetic implants and facilitates a direct man-machine interface through the permet. There has to be some dedicated software and/or hardware to allow that process to function, both on the pilot and the Mobile Suit. An inspection should be able to identify if a MS is using the GUND format or not, and a physiological inspection of the pilot should turn up the presence of the implants that allow the pilot to control a GUND format suit via the permet.

Maybe I missed something, but it doesn't feel like there should be any great mystery as to whether the Aerial is a Gundam.

And did I miss something here...

Spoiler

At the end of his duel with Guel Jeturk in episode five, Elan Ceres tells his opponent over the radio that his Pharact is a Gundam.

When Suletta's Aerial was even suspected of being a Gundam her duel win was invalidated, she was swiftly arrested, and they were ready to not only exile her but scrap the Aerial. Now here's Elan flat-out telling Guel that the Pharact's a Gundam and somehow they're going to let this one slide?

[Kuruni]

And did I miss something here...

Spoiler

At the end of his duel with Guel Jeturk in episode five, Elan Ceres tells his opponent over the radio that his Pharact is a Gundam.

When Suletta's Aerial was even suspected of being a Gundam her duel win was invalidated, she was swiftly arrested, and they were ready to not only exile her but scrap the Aerial. Now here's Elan flat-out telling Guel that the Pharact's a Gundam and somehow they're going to let this one slide?

I think he's just talking to himself and not boardcast it.

[Ryujin]

Getting caught up on this one, and The Witch from Mercury really isn't doing anything to grab me thus far. It's not bad, and it's not great... it's just kinda there. If anything, it feels underdeveloped to me.

For me, the big one that demands explanation is why the Asticassia school exists in the first place.

Spoiler

We've had Gundam protagonists who were still in school before. Banagher Links from UC was attending a vocational school run by Anaheim Electronics and Bellri Zenam was attending the Capital Guard's military academy. But the Asticassia School doesn't seem to have any real reason to exist thus far aside from being a daycare for the children of the rich and famous. Why is it more advantageous for the children of the CEOs of these corporations to learn about MS piloting and maintenance than business management and economics?

Seriously, this is some Harry Potter Hogwarts bullsh*t... the future leaders of the megacorporations that rule space all attend a school that has little or no actual academic curriculum and teaches them only Mobile Suit-related skills? But I guess a Witch would attend Space Hogwarts.

There are many more students in the Management department than in the Piloting or Mechanic departments. Suletta is seen attending class with people who are certainly not pilots, so her curriculum is clearly not focused solely on MS-related subjects. It doesn't seem to support that blanket statement. In all fairness though, I harbour the suspicion that, from various hints, Asticassia wasn't supposed to be an academic institution in the first place & more the Benerit Group's common R & D facility with appended military garrison; the educational role was tacked on afterwards. A lot of possibilities, but it comes to mind that Delling with his feudal lord fantasies would've had a need for loyal knights & squires in Dominicus gathered from his vassals while touting it as a place for higher learning to give it that good ole' plausible deniability. Also, as pointed out, Benerit is but one group among several with all that bodes.

Spoiler

Almost every Gundam protagonist is some kind of introvert, socially maladjusted, or just plain crazy so Suletta Mercury's social anxiety is only to be expected. That said, it was extremely disappointing to see that Gundam's first female lead's reaction to her first actual challenge in the series was breaking down in tears and sniveling about how she wanted to go home until someone else stepped up and solved the problem for her by beating up the people who sabotaged her MS.

Suletta didn't give up--she was going back to the starting position for yet another try. She was regaining her composure when ChuChu blew her top. While ChuChu's subsequent actions may have caused the test to be rescheduled, it certainly wasn't something that she was deliberately aiming for (and the testing staff probably wanted to go home anyways).

Come to think of it, how much time has passed in-universe since the first episode? Seems like less than a month at most.

Spoiler

Maybe I missed something,

Unaffiliated engineers checked Aerial from head to toe, so whatever hardware they found clearly didn't fit the definition as the MSDC knows it (Delling semantics aside). It remains to be seen what happens in Pharact's case but so many big red flags were raised that it would be insane not to address it--but cramming in its resolution in the same episode?

Also, it would appear that having Permet permeating a pilot's body is perfectly normal; cybernetic implants alone aren't a clear indication that a MS uses the GUND format. Even Elan, as glowie as he is, personally attested that whatever's going on in the Aerial isn't GUND as he knows it--and wouldn't be identified as such.

Spoiler

At the end of his duel with Guel Jeturk in episode five, Elan Ceres tells his opponent over the radio that his Pharact is a Gundam.

Nebulous, but most likely what Kuruni said.

Anyways, some explanations are likely forthcoming, what with assorted cryptic remarks & Prospera's old colleague showing up in Peil's employ.

Also FYI on that fortune telling bit-- 'sibling' of unspecified gender would be a more accurate translation than 'brother.'

Edit: Thinking about it further, Permet is supposed to possess quantum entanglement-like properties. From what's observable, I'm speculating that 'data storm' conditions are what causes the Permet within a pilot's body to start glowing red, which in turn causes the Permet mixed into the remote bits' propellant to glow red as well, resulting in the visually distinctive glowing red contrails that are apparently one hallmark of GUND use.

With regards to the pilots, in Erich Sarmaya's case, neural pathways were still being laid down at age 4; her brain was in a stage that was more adaptable to its use. Elan may have been 'enhanced' when he was already in a biologically adolescent stage so that whatever processes are involved feels much more 'invasive' to him. Even then, it's hard to draw a conclusion since GUND research clearly branched off with Shin Sei under Prospera apparently pursuing improvements to the machine side of the interface & Peil, enhancements to the pilot. Having typed this, now I'm starting to wonder if some of the wilder theories out there about Aerial might actually hold water.

[Seto Kaiba]

Spoiler

There are many more students in the Management department than in the Piloting or Mechanic departments. Suletta is seen attending class with people who are certainly not pilots, so her curriculum is clearly not focused solely on MS-related subjects.

I didn't say everyone was a pilot, I said the curriculum seems to be centered around Mobile Suits. There's no sign of math, science, history, literature... it's "Mobile Suit Piloting", "Mobile Suit Maintenance" and "Stratetic Management". Even that last one seems to be focused mainly on managing either Mobile Suit field operations or their development.

In all fairness though, I harbour the suspicion that, from various hints, Asticassia wasn't supposed to be an academic institution in the first place & more the Benerit Group's common R & D facility with appended military garrison; the educational role was tacked on afterwards. A lot of possibilities, but it comes to mind that Delling with his feudal lord fantasies would've had a need for loyal knights & squires in Dominicus gathered from his vassals while touting it as a place for higher learning to give it that good ole' plausible deniability. Also, as pointed out, Benerit is but one group among several with all that bodes.

Even that doesn't seem to make any sense in context. According to its description on the official website, Asticassia is an elite vocational school that only accepts students by recommendation of one or more of the subsidiary companies that make up the Benerit Group. The student body is made up mostly of the children of Benerit Group executives and a handful of special admissions. In this deep space oligarchy, these are the future heads of all the Benerit Group subsidiaries. Why are THEY the ones being trained to be soldiers? These are the people who are supposed to be running the space economy.

Suletta didn't give up--she was going back to the starting position for yet another try. She was regaining her composure when ChuChu blew her top. [...]

She was literally still sobbing about how she'll never graduate and whining that she wanted to go home when ChuChu disembarked her own MS and assaulted the girls who sabotaged her MS. The only reason she turned around to go back to the starting position was that Miorine bullied her into it while she was still sobbing.

The thing that makes her stop crying is being told that ChuChu was attacking the spectators.

Unaffiliated engineers checked Aerial from head to toe, so whatever hardware they found clearly didn't fit the definition as the MSDC knows it (Delling semantics aside).

That really doesn't make sense either. Elan gets into the Aerial's cockpit and he's able to conclusively identify it as a GUND Format machine within a minute. Never mind looking for GUND Format-exclusive technology - something we're told upfront is fairly easy to distinguish because the Permet in GUND Format suits displays measurably different performance characteristics from the Permet in normal Mobile Suits. Elan is able to invoke GUND Format-specific functionality without any kind of system lockouts or restrictions whatsoever mere seconds after being left alone in the cockpit. The idea that there is any ambiguity about the Aerial's status as a Gundam is, at this point, profoundly idiotic.

It remains to be seen what happens in Pharact's case but so many big red flags were raised that it would be insane not to address it--but cramming in its resolution in the same episode?

Not having it in the same episode is fine, but we started out at a point where the Aerial had for all intents and purposes already been outed as being a Gundam and only blackmail and a hilariously paper-thin pretense that it's just really good drone technology Shin Sei can't explain right now rather than the banned GUND Format. The only thing keeping the protagonist and her MS in the story at all is implausible deniability. It's obvious as hell the Aerial is a Gundam, and we're just waiting for someone to have the stones to say "This isn't on, that's clearly a Gundam."

Now we've got the Pharact, which from the sound of Elan's remarks is a standard (non-perfected) GUND Format machine that showboats with all the same tricks that got the Aerial immediately flagged as "that's a Gundam". Jeturk House has no reason not to immediately turn around and say to the board "This is not on, that is clearly a Gundam." on exactly the same grounds the entire board correctly identified the Aerial as a Gundam. There isn't any way to plausibly shift THAT accusation given that the Pharact is using a non-perfected GUND Format system, and once the Pharact is outed as a Gundam the conclusion will naturally follow that the Aerial is too. The only way for the story to continue is for everyone in the setting to grab hold of an idiot ball the size of Mercury and say "There is no reason to look into the Pharact's obviously suspicious abilities.", for the Jeturks to inexplicably refuse to ask for an investigation into ANOTHER incredibly suspicious Mobile Suit, and for nobody to ask any questions about the forthcoming duel between the Pharact and the Aerial that will involve spamming those obviously-GUND Format abilities in a public setting AGAIN.

[Underrated GM Custom]

Episode 5 was a large improvement for me. The action was excellent although the trap at the end was a bit anticlimactic. I'm loving every version of the Dilanza so far as well. The interpersonal drama they've setup so far is engaging and I'm glad the other lead pilots won't be as one-dimensional as they initially appeared. Also looks like Guel's groupies survived the previous episode hah with his minions and hair color he may wind up being a good-hearted Chibodee instead of a Jerid.

It is possible that Elnora might not be aware of specifics of all the tests and just trust that Suletta is good enough to pass all of them cos she's such an ace with many years of practical real world experience.

This is where the series loses me I guess, cause on one hand she's an ace and is capable of performing incredible feats in the Aerial, on the other hand she's stumbling around in a not-GM trainer having a real hard time in what looks like a very, very basic exercise. I know Aerial could be augmenting her skills / she's more familiar with it, but I got some serious fridge-logic whiplash watching that episode. I think it could have been handled a bit better either by making the exercise look less remedial, or a throwaway line by onlookers how Suletta is struggling outside the Aerial.

The "not knowing about needing spotters" sounds more like the consequences of entering the year late and missing orientation more than anything but that was solved. Suletta real problem though is the sabotage which was kinda hard to foresee but nothing she wouldn't eventually overcome.

This is the part that bugs me. The school is for the heirs of rich tycoons and all of the large branches seem to have significant resources and support staff. Mercury is the underdog and it appears as though Suletta is completely on her own, I'm bothered that her mother didn't give her any forewarning of "Hey you might have to find your own support staff for your assignments when you get there and that's not something I (or our company) can help you with" instead the poor girl got blindsided by it and essentially had to rely on luckily bumping into some good samaritans who were willing to offer extreme amounts of help to someone they don't know. The writing staff could have really done a better job with this, but hey, it's one bad episode out of a bunch.

But.....[Novel Spoilers]

Yeah I remember those! Thanks for reminding me. But if we consider the novel spoilers and the mom's end game, it should be in her best interest that Suletta overcome all the basic requirements of attending the school and not flunking out. If she's going to mastermind a plan, she should at least do the basic research of "what will my child have to deal with upon arrival" and then warn her about it so there's no risk of her failing step 1 and unraveling her master plans.

Not that episode five is any more satisfying in that regard.

Spoiler

Suletta Mercury increasingly feels like a bystander in her own series.

Almost from the start, she's an extreme doormat who's bossed around at every turn by Miorine. She's told what to think, what to say, who she can be friends with, who her enemies are, you name it. When she gets in trouble, it's always someone else who gets her out of it... whether it's Miorine going off to undo Jeturk house's sabotage or Chuatury beating up the people who sabotaged her MS. Now she's reached the point where other characters are having a duel OVER HER and she's meekly spectating.

As a main character, it sure as hell doesn't feel like she has much agency in her own story.

This has been bothering me for a while as well.

Spoiler

I loved the prologue and the tragedy at the end was rough. I was really looking forward to how they would portray Suletta but so far I'm rather disappointed. So far most of the plot points are things happening to her instead of her doing things, it's very passive vs active protagonist and I certainly hope it changes towards the latter later. Granted we're still in the opening episodes of a longer series but it's odd to give the main character so little agency in 5 episodes while giving plenty to the rest of the cast.

Agreed with most of your points regarding the "That's a Gundam" double standard. One thing I'll add to that is I'm surprised that Suletta's mother didn't have a plan in place (and support staff) to repair Aerial and avoid anyone else seeing the trade secrets involved under the hood.

[Ryujin]

Spoiler

There are many more students in the Management department than in the Piloting or Mechanic departments. Suletta is seen attending class with people who are certainly not pilots, so her curriculum is clearly not focused solely on MS-related subjects.

I didn't say everyone was a pilot, I said the curriculum seems to be centered around Mobile Suits. There's no sign of math, science, history, literature... it's "Mobile Suit Piloting", "Mobile Suit Maintenance" and "Stratetic Management". Even that last one seems to be focused mainly on managing either Mobile Suit field operations or their development.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 'Management Strategy' may as well be about handling supply chains, personnel hiring policies or diversifying stock portfolios as it is about getting the troops where they should be, when they should be; logistics has both civil & military applications. There is indeed a focus on MS given Asticassia's other functions, but that doesn't mean it excludes everything else. A rough analogy, but something like MIT or even West Point has variety in their curriculums even with the focus on STEM or military careers.

Leaving aside whatever Mom's up to, Suletta joined the academy with the explicit blessing of the Mercurian folk to gain knowledge in her dream to found a school. She'd have been aware of the curriculum that's accessible to her even if she was being placed in the Piloting Department with its focus on...piloting.

In all fairness though, I harbour the suspicion that, from various hints, Asticassia wasn't supposed to be an academic institution in the first place & more the Benerit Group's common R & D facility with appended military garrison; the educational role was tacked on afterwards. A lot of possibilities, but it comes to mind that Delling with his feudal lord fantasies would've had a need for loyal knights & squires in Dominicus gathered from his vassals while touting it as a place for higher learning to give it that good ole' plausible deniability. Also, as pointed out, Benerit is but one group among several with all that bodes.

Even that doesn't seem to make any sense in context. According to its description on the official website, Asticassia is an elite vocational school that only accepts students by recommendation of one or more of the subsidiary companies that make up the Benerit Group. The student body is made up mostly of the children of Benerit Group executives and a handful of special admissions. In this deep space oligarchy, these are the future heads of all the Benerit Group subsidiaries. Why are THEY the ones being trained to be soldiers? These are the people who are supposed to be running the space economy.

It can't be denied that there is something odd going on, such as the risk of one's heir getting vaporized. Delling seems to have been instrumental in shaping it. One possibility is an assured supply of officers for Dominicus, trained in the manner he wants, all loyal to the Benerit Group while being convenient hostages at the same time. Another possibility is that hostile corporate takeovers have a big emphasis on hostile, out there where the Permet lies. It's all speculation until the novelization comes out with its promise of a deeper look at the settei (and maybe convince DB to TL). Given the Shakespearean influences, I've been looking at it through a Late Medieval lens for insight into whether Delling & his actions fit the role of an ambitious Italian duke.

Suletta didn't give up--she was going back to the starting position for yet another try. She was regaining her composure when ChuChu blew her top. [...]

She was literally still sobbing about how she'll never graduate and whining that she wanted to go home when ChuChu disembarked her own MS and assaulted the girls who sabotaged her MS. The only reason she turned around to go back to the starting position was that Miorine bullied her into it while she was still sobbing.

The thing that makes her stop crying is being told that ChuChu was attacking the spectators.

People don't just abruptly stop crying in an instant. Suletta shut up after Miorine's scolding & was (meekly) headed back to give it another go. She wasn't whining & was already wiping her tears away--regaining composure-- when Miorine pointed out the fistfight. But the point you were trying to make in the original post is that she gave up until someone else solved her problem via punching. But it was completely incidental--Miorine had already convinced her to keep moving forward with or without ChuChu time.

Afterwards I'm not even sure Suletta knew what the situation was when it started, only that she felt the need to rush over & stop the fight between people that didn't like her. Possibly her S & R experience kicking in since it looked like an urgent situation? Her tantrum was gone by the time she exited the trainer, so I guess it did make her sobbing stop in a manner of speaking.

Unaffiliated engineers checked Aerial from head to toe, so whatever hardware they found clearly didn't fit the definition as the MSDC knows it (Delling semantics aside).

That really doesn't make sense either. Elan gets into the Aerial's cockpit and he's able to conclusively identify it as a GUND Format machine within a minute. Never mind looking for GUND Format-exclusive technology - something we're told upfront is fairly easy to distinguish because the Permet in GUND Format suits displays measurably different performance characteristics from the Permet in normal Mobile Suits. Elan is able to invoke GUND Format-specific functionality without any kind of system lockouts or restrictions whatsoever mere seconds after being left alone in the cockpit. The idea that there is any ambiguity about the Aerial's status as a Gundam is, at this point, profoundly idiotic.

After speculating about its nature earlier with Belmeria, Elan noted that it was similar at first glance but actually different, which led up to his scheme to acquire Aerial & its secrets. Also gives a bit of context to Prospera's insistent nitpicking at the details of its definition in the inquiry (frankly reminiscent of a few board meetings I've been to). It can be argued that Elan, being so intimately involved with the technology--literally--would count as one of the most qualified specialists at hand, unlike engineers who would only be familiar with GUND technology from more than a decade ago, like laymen shown a piston prop plane converted to a turboprop. Peil has clearly made its own advancements into the technology, such that they've kept it under wraps under everyone else's noses & developing the Pharact's systems without setting off any red flags with Delling or others.

It remains to be seen what happens in Pharact's case but so many big red flags were raised that it would be insane not to address it--but cramming in its resolution in the same episode?

Not having it in the same episode is fine, but we started out at a point where the Aerial had for all intents and purposes already been outed as being a Gundam and only blackmail and a hilariously paper-thin pretense that it's just really good drone technology Shin Sei can't explain right now rather than the banned GUND Format. The only thing keeping the protagonist and her MS in the story at all is implausible deniability. It's obvious as hell the Aerial is a Gundam, and we're just waiting for someone to have the stones to say "This isn't on, that's clearly a Gundam."

Now we've got the Pharact, which from the sound of Elan's remarks is a standard (non-perfected) GUND Format machine that showboats with all the same tricks that got the Aerial immediately flagged as "that's a Gundam". Jeturk House has no reason not to immediately turn around and say to the board "This is not on, that is clearly a Gundam." on exactly the same grounds the entire board correctly identified the Aerial as a Gundam. There isn't any way to plausibly shift THAT accusation given that the Pharact is using a non-perfected GUND Format system, and once the Pharact is outed as a Gundam the conclusion will naturally follow that the Aerial is too. The only way for the story to continue is for everyone in the setting to grab hold of an idiot ball the size of Mercury and say "There is no reason to look into the Pharact's obviously suspicious abilities.", for the Jeturks to inexplicably refuse to ask for an investigation into ANOTHER incredibly suspicious Mobile Suit, and for nobody to ask any questions about the forthcoming duel between the Pharact and the Aerial that will involve spamming those obviously-GUND Format abilities in a public setting AGAIN.

It's a bit silly to fret & rant over an imagined scenario at this point. I'll join you in calling it out after the actual episode drops, if Vim doesn't blow his top or Delling doesn't ring up his goon squad. Maybe Peil Technologies does make its move earlier than expected. Then we'll likely be left with some kind of cliffhanger since there'll be a 'special' airing in between ep.6 & 7.

addendum:

This is the part that bugs me. The school is for the heirs of rich tycoons and all of the large branches seem to have significant resources and support staff. Mercury is the underdog and it appears as though Suletta is completely on her own, I'm bothered that her mother didn't give her any forewarning of "Hey you might have to find your own support staff for your assignments when you get there and that's not something I (or our company) can help you with" instead the poor girl got blindsided by it and essentially had to rely on luckily bumping into some good samaritans who were willing to offer extreme amounts of help to someone they don't know.

This was bothering me since ep.4 with the repair & maintenance arrangements for Aerial, since a scene was devoted to the Darilblade getting hauled off. I've mentioned this elsewhere but it felt like Aerial's right arm was just left in the mud the whole time, and there was no indication that any technicians or such had accompanied Suletta upon her arrival. It was lampshaded at first by Prospera mentioning not to worry & that she'll handle any problems that may come up, but there's no actual follow-up to support it. Very much shades of Shishinoko Otoshi with how Prospera basically left Suletta to fend for herself, comforting words notwithstanding. Perhaps she got too used to being an absentee parent for months & years at a time & just assumed her special girl will manage as usual?

On the other hand, the resident Earth House geeks didn't find anything unusual about Aerial besides its meticulous construction, so Prospera must be pretty confident with letting most other people snoop into her handiwork. But, repeating myself, the absence of evidence is not evidence of its absence.

[doghunter1]

Discovered this after seeing this week's episode:

Spoiler

On Elan being called Enhanced Human Number 4 by the Peil CEOs, the term that got translated as "Enhanced Human" from Japanese is "Kyouka Jinshi" (強化人生). In Universal Century, the term in Japanese which is supposed to be "Enhanced Human" in English (as opposed to replacing it with "Cyber Newtype") is "Kyouka Ningen" (強化人間).

[Seto Kaiba]

Spoiler

It can't be denied that there is something odd going on, such as the risk of one's heir getting vaporized. Delling seems to have been instrumental in shaping it. One possibility is an assured supply of officers for Dominicus, trained in the manner he wants, all loyal to the Benerit Group while being convenient hostages at the same time. Another possibility is that hostile corporate takeovers have a big emphasis on hostile, out there where the Permet lies. It's all speculation until the novelization comes out with its promise of a deeper look at the settei (and maybe convince DB to TL). Given the Shakespearean influences, I've been looking at it through a Late Medieval lens for insight into whether Delling & his actions fit the role of an ambitious Italian duke.

The physical risks are one part of it... but this is a space oligarchy and these kids are mostly the heirs-apparent to the various powerful corporations that comprise the Benerit Group that gives Delling all of his actual power. It doesn't seem to make any sense to risk those heirs-apparent in combat and risk not just losing prospective heads of those subsidiary corporations but the support of their parents. Jeturk was already ready to straight-up assassinate Delling over his son's right to marry Delling's daughter and thus gain much more control over the Benerit Group or possibly total control over it once Delling passes. Imagine what they might do if their children died while pursuing some military excursion ordered by Delling.

People don't just abruptly stop crying in an instant. Suletta shut up after Miorine's scolding & was (meekly) headed back to give it another go. She wasn't whining & was already wiping her tears away--regaining composure-- when Miorine pointed out the fistfight. But the point you were trying to make in the original post is that she gave up until someone else solved her problem via punching. But it was completely incidental--Miorine had already convinced her to keep moving forward with or without ChuChu time.

Personally, I think you're incorrectly conflating acquiescence to Miorine's bossy demands with having regained her composure. Suletta seems to just meekly do whatever she's told throughout the story.

After speculating about its nature earlier with Belmeria, Elan noted that it was similar at first glance but actually different, which led up to his scheme to acquire Aerial & its secrets.

He states unambiguously that it is GUND Format, though he does note that it's an improved GUND Format that lacks the factors (data storms?) which makes using the GUND Format unpleasant and dangerous for the pilot.

It's a bit silly to fret & rant over an imagined scenario at this point. I'll join you in calling it out after the actual episode drops, if Vim doesn't blow his top or Delling doesn't ring up his goon squad. Maybe Peil Technologies does make its move earlier than expected. Then we'll likely be left with some kind of cliffhanger since there'll be a 'special' airing in between ep.6 & 7.

Nobody is ranting or fretting here.

I am making an observation that the writers have effectively written themselves into a corner not even six episodes in.

Suletta Mercury's enrollment at the Asticassia School and the continued existence of both Shin Sei Co. and the Aerial hangs upon the Aerial not being (correctly) identified as a Gundam. Right now, that is entirely dependent on the blackmail-backed blatant lie that the the Aerial's obvious Gundam-like attributes are actually a product of new drone technology. But now we have another Gundam floating around that isn't using the perfected version of the GUND Format getting up to the same shenanigans as the Aerial and with a pilot that knows beyond doubt the Aerial is a Gundam and can prove it on command. For the story to continue forward, the people running these massive boards of inquiry scrutinizing every aspect of the Aerial and of its pilot Suletta are going to have to collectively grab the idiot ball and decide the obviously-suspicious Pharact isn't worth investigating, including folks like the elder Jeturk who has VERY GOOD REASON to demand an inquest since he basically already knows the Aerial's a Gundam and the Pharact is doing similar damage to Jeturk's reputation with the same obviously-a-Gundam shenanigans.

[Mafty]

Spoiler

True, given how much Asticassia is structured like an old style kingdom, you'd think there would be some kind of ranking structure. Like how in Code Geass it was rare (but not unheard of) for nobility to have their own Knightmare Frame, and many stay on the side lines or at a remote location (yes I know that some of the Royalty fought in the actual battles, however Emperor Charles had 108 Wives, and who knows how many children, and they weren't all on the front lines. The same is true of many Gundam series; often it is only a few members of the nobility who fight on the front lines.

It would actually make more sense if like Code Geass, each house had Knights/Pilots officially assigned to Duel against Knights from other houses. We do see that someone can represent another person in battle, however this is an option, not a rule.

It also brings up the question of the higher ranking members of the groups (i.e. all the adults). Do they have training? Can they pilot MS? I guess we will see as the season develops who amongst the adult business leaders have actual piloting skills.

From a character perspective ; Suletta is admittedly weak willed, I don't think this is really a writing issue as much as a part of her character. This is actually a bit like Cecily/Berah in F91, who largely went along with what she was told, before developing into a more independent person who stood up for what they believed in. Hopefully Suletta goes through this development, because it doesn't work for the main character to just follow others around.

One theory I have about Elan's "Gundam" unit is this. Asticassia is based around catering to the elites, and are willing to overlook cheating and sabotage in the sanctioned duels. Could Peil Technologies have enough clout to allow Elan to get away with this? Peil is one of the top 3 Branches...

[Seto Kaiba]

Spoiler

True, given how much Asticassia is structured like an old style kingdom, you'd think there would be some kind of ranking structure. [...]

Is it? My read of it has been quite different from that.

The Asticassia School's social hierarchy seems to be driven by two main factors:

• Where the corporation sponsoring the student falls on the list of Benerit Group corporations ranked by profitability. The more profitable the Benerit Group subsidiary sponsoring them, the higher their status.
• Whether the student is a "Spacian" or "Earthian", with Spacians having automatically higher social status than Earthians.

It's basically all about economic standing. Since the Spacians dominate the economy, they naturally have higher status than Earthians sponsored by businesses dependent on Spacian capital to function. Similarly, the students sponsored by wealthier corporations wield more influence because the resources they can draw on are greater. Suletta's a borderline nobody but for her status as the Holder because she's from the backwater little planet Mercury and her sponsor company is ranked near the bottom of the Benerit Group's corporations.

Like how in Code Geass it was rare (but not unheard of) for nobility to have their own Knightmare Frame, and many stay on the side lines or at a remote location (yes I know that some of the Royalty fought in the actual battles, however Emperor Charles had 108 Wives, and who knows how many children, and they weren't all on the front lines.

That's a bit different. The Holy Britannian Empire was a Social Darwinist state with a bit of a meritocratic twist run by an absolute monarchy. Military service, and high achievement in military service, was a way for people to improve their social standing even at the bottom rungs of the social ladder. Numbers could become Honorary Britannians through military service like Suzaku did. Regular soldiers could become non-hereditary nobility if their achievements merited a Knighthood or they were selected to become a royal bodyguard like Suzaku was. It's implied at a few points that there are a lot of minor nobles serving as officers in the Britannian forces looking to improve their status (Euphemia is provided a book full of vetted ones when she's ordered to choose a knight). The high-ranking nobles who took to the battlefield similarly did so to gain status, power, or political influence. A fair number of the Knights of Rounds were already nobility before joining the Rounds and Jeremiah held the second-highest noble rank of Margrave. The members of the royal family who took to the battlefield were the ones who were jockeying for more power and authority as they fought over the Imperial succession, while the best-established and highest ranking ones had nice safe government jobs like Odysseus and Schneizel and the ones who weren't so ambitious were just wealthy and obnoxious hangers-on like Guinevere and Karine.

It would actually make more sense if like Code Geass, each house had Knights/Pilots officially assigned to Duel against Knights from other houses. We do see that someone can represent another person in battle, however this is an option, not a rule.

That seems to be something you have to get the other party's consent for, since the stakes of the duels in Asticassia are personal.

It also brings up the question of the higher ranking members of the groups (i.e. all the adults). Do they have training? Can they pilot MS? I guess we will see as the season develops who amongst the adult business leaders have actual piloting skills.

Now that's an interesting prospect... are the executives of the Benerit Group trained pilots, or is this just something they do with the hotheaded ones before forcing them to settle down?

From a character perspective ; Suletta is admittedly weak willed, I don't think this is really a writing issue as much as a part of her character. This is actually a bit like Cecily/Berah in F91, who largely went along with what she was told, before developing into a more independent person who stood up for what they believed in. Hopefully Suletta goes through this development, because it doesn't work for the main character to just follow others around.

IMO, it makes Suletta really difficult to like right now because she's basically Miorine's perpetual bullying victim. Miorine yells, and Suletta just meekly does whatever she's shouting to make the shouting stop.

One theory I have about Elan's "Gundam" unit is this. Asticassia is based around catering to the elites, and are willing to overlook cheating and sabotage in the sanctioned duels. Could Peil Technologies have enough clout to allow Elan to get away with this? Peil is one of the top 3 Branches...

While it is worth noting that they explicitly acknowledge that duels are fundamentally unfair because of the difference in resources and talents between the various elites, the stigma against the GUND Format seems to transcend questions of rank with the Mobile Suit Develpment Council being willing to commit mass murder just to put a stop to a potentially quite profitable weapons technology on allegedly moral grounds. The suspicion that Suletta's MS is a Gundam was enough for them to almost immediately revoke the win in the supposedly sacrosanct duel, jail Suletta, and subject the Aerial to a structural analysis.

Despite the incredible promise it showed, they were ready to scrap the Aerial on principle for being a Gundam. I can't imagine they'd make exceptions for anyone, considering how draconian they are about it.

[Ryujin]

Anyways, putting all that aside and going back to Asticassia's raison d'etre some more, perhaps we should be taking a closer look at the fact that Delling appears to have held an outsized influence in its development. As chairman, he was responsible for introducing all of its seemingly anachronistic rules & whatnot.

From the prologue, whe know he is an ex-military man, basically an outsider but apparently now part of Grassley, who takes a drastic action that's initially met with disapproval. However, he ultimately ends up a decade later as one of the top dogs of a mega-corporation, with everyone putting their faith in his leadership (at least out in the open).

Then we have his whole Treize-esque speech on how conflict should be between humans, not remote units, etc. A lot of viewers tend to dismiss this as a self-serving excuse to get rid of Ochs Earth, but what if Delling was absolutely sincere about it? It might be a personal crusade for him. For example, there may have been an incident, or series of incidents, in the recent 'Drone War' (of which we know very little of) that may have inculcated in him some very radical beliefs. Ideas & beliefs that he is now acting upon within the structure of the Benerit Group. And fresh adolescent minds are fertile soil for ideas. But then why should the adults in the room play along? Well, other than the adage that power comes from the barrel of a gun, and he has control of a lot of mobile suit-sized guns with Dominicus & Cathedra.

To better understand what's going on with his brain, there's also a whole array of other questions that need to be answered, as we're seeing all of it through a very narrow window that's mostly fixed on the Asticassia Front: It's implied that giant corporations have political power, but is it through government proxy, or do they have a direct hand in governance? The news coverage regarding protests & 'business occupancy' offer hints. What about the Drone War? What political entities were involved, and who won? What role did Delling play there? Also, what is known of Miorine's mom?

It may seem rather far-fetched that Delling would grow to wield so much influence in such a small span of time, but there have been real-life precedents, such as

Spoiler

how, on top of everything else, a certain reality show host/mediocre real estate developer, an outsider to the Beltway, had managed to turn an entire political party into his own personality cult in just half a decade.

So, is dubstep Delling planning some long-term power move? Is he just nuts but hides it well? Manchild with delusions? He often acts like one whenever he has screentime. With Okouchi's track record, I don't really know what to expect.

[Mafty]

Power can accumulate quickly, I will avoid using real life examples, but it has happened many times.

This has also been seen before in Gundam and other mecha anime. Victory Gundam for example has a full fledged Militaristic Cult of Personality, with a figurehead lead, an entire colony side, and a large amount of elderly aristocrats ruling, all in less time than both Uso (13) and Shakti (11) have been alive, granted like Crossbone before it, the aristocrats from Jupiter were playing a long game.

A rather less likely example is Aldnoah Zero where the Vers Empire seemingly develops their own Mars based culture and Etymology in under 30 years. At least the technology was explained by being discovered on Mars.

I do hope we will find out more backstory to Delling. He may have started off as a visionary and then slid down the slope into fanaticism. Or maybe he was only using this as a smokescreen to begin with.

Also if he was Ex-Military, which military was he a part of? Maybe it doesn't even exist anymore. It doesn't seem very clear just how long this state of affairs with the Earth Sphere has actually been going on.

Also like Ryujin said, how old is Asticassia anyway? If we're not clear on how long this type of corporate government has been around, then it's not exactly clear how old the school system actually is. Though if Delling was responsible for the schools formation then the whole Dueling culture may in fact not be something the previous generations did.

[Seto Kaiba]

Given how rigidly inflexible Delling has proven to be in the series thus far, I strongly suspect that he is not a man given to misdirection or deceit. He's so incredibly blunt when it comes to everything we see him say and do both before assuming control of the Benerit Group and afterwards that I think he probably sincerely believes the things he says about Ochs Earth and the GUND Format-based Mobile Suits they were developing. His seems to be quite fixated on the ethical problems of applying GUND to mobile weapons. Especially the dangers the GUND Format poses to pilots who can suffer debiliating injury or death as a result of the data flow from the permet exceeding the tolerances of the pilot's GUND implants.

Of course, the Mobile Suit Development Council and its auditing arm Cathedral are dominated by Spacian corporations that all had an obvious ulterior motive to want to ban and destroy the Vanadis Institute's development of the GUND Format. The Vanadis Institute's work was being sponsored by an Earthian corporation, Ochs Earth, and while the concept had the issues that Delling raises when proposing a total ban on the GUND Format the Aerial demonstrates that a perfected GUND Format system can rival or outperform bleeding edge conventional Mobile Suits boosted with the latest in high tech automation systems. Either Delling knowingly played on their fears of an Earthian corporation becoming a major player in Mobile Suit research and development or his rhetoric unintentionally found an audience looking for an excuse to go after Ochs Earth and the Vanadis Institute to preserve the status quo of Spacian economic supremacy.

As to the government, Gundam Ace November 2022 issue mentions that the corporations that set up shop in space have become so powerful thanks to the economic zone they've developed for themselves and the leverage it gives them over Earth that the corporations wield more power than the government.

[Underrated GM Custom]

Then we have his whole Treize-esque speech on how conflict should be between humans, not remote units, etc. A lot of viewers tend to dismiss this as a self-serving excuse to get rid of Ochs Earth, but what if Delling was absolutely sincere about it? It might be a personal crusade for him.

Great perspective! I admit my first impression was that Delling speech was a self-serving excuse to get rid of Ochs Earth, although for me I was thinking it was more to get rid of a rival and control the technology for himself. Having read your analysis I wouldn't be surprised if we get more of a Treize-esque motivation out of him. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with his character, although so far he's been one note as others have mentioned.

[Mafty]

Totally a one dimensional character is so dull. Even if you don’t always agree with the persons viewpoint, it at least makes them more interesting for them to have layers.

Maybe Delling will be like (A hopefully better written version of) Ezelcant or Flit from AGE. In that they have reasons for their actions, however they goes to far and ultimately become no better than those they oppose.

In any event the setting is interesting enough that I hope it is explored more.

[Ryujin]

With just the mention of a number, looks like a bunch of assumptions got turned on its collective head, and some of the wilder guesses may actually be credible. Rather disappointed that

Spoiler

the Delling fallout didn't happen now, but 'Shall We Gundam' sounds rather on the nose.

Anyways, episode skip for a week.

[Kuruni]

Spoiler

Since the Prologue occurred 21 years ago, Suletta can't be Eri. The implication of Lady Propera's statement that "Aerial surely win" and how she "trust her darling daughter" is pretty dark, as dark as Graze Ein. In fact, Thai sub actually has Prospera outright call Aerial her daughter.

I guess we'll see Elan the 5th the next time.

Guel is now lives in a tent. Damn, he's on his path to greatness.