The Witch From Mercury, the most recent entry within the long-running Gundam franchise, not solely options the collection’ first lead feminine protagonist, but in addition proudly facilities a queer romance. In Gundam’s 40+ 12 months historical past, there was loads of homosexual subtext, queer secondary and tertiary characters, and fan delivery, however by no means something as explicitly acknowledged as The Witch From Mercury and its lesbian protagonists, Suletta Mercury and Miorine Rembran.
So when Bandai Namco Filmworks not too long ago tried to distance the collection from its queer connections, followers have been understandably livid, and pointed to a historical past of queer-coded anime being stifled by firms making an attempt to uphold a cultural establishment.
The Witch From Mercury’s collection finale aired on July 2, 2023. It delivered a transparent and really queer ending for Suletta and Miorine, to the delight of followers. However not even a month later, a stealthy, eyebrow-raising edit to an interview in Gundam Ace journal was adopted up by a completely backwards PR statement from Bandai Namco on the Witch From Mercury official Twitter account claiming that the connection between Suletta and Miorine is now “as much as viewer interpretation.”
The Witch From Mercury walks again queer illustration
Within the print model of the interview for the September 2023 subject of Gundam Ace, Suletta’s voice actor, Kana Ichinose describes being moved by the closeness Suletta and Miorine share “as two married folks.” Two days later, an edit was made to the digital model of the journal, eradicating the phrase “married” from the interview and altering Ichinose’s assertion to learn extra like “the closeness of the 2 of them.” The edit was instantly observed by Gundam fanatics on social media, and unfold so rapidly that Bandai Namco thought it finest to make clear the scenario, claiming {that a} rogue editor at Gundam Ace added the phrase “married” to the interview as their “personal interpretation.”
The concept that the phrase “married” was added by the editor and never spoken by Ichinose herself appears unlikely. Ichinose’s enthusiasm and obvious emotional investment in enjoying Suletta and the discussions together with her co-star Lynn (who voices Miorine) on the radio program for the present MajoRaji point out she understands what their relationship is. Within the last episode, Suletta and Miorine are seen with matching rings that animators selected to have sparkle brightly within the solar—drawing extra consideration to their standing as a married couple. Although it’s tough to show whether or not or not Ichinose truly mentioned the phrase “married,” it’s clear that she is supportive of Suletta and Miorine’s romance, and the elimination of the phrase definitely raises eyebrows.
Kotaku reached out to Bandai Namco for remark.
The Witch From Mercury has courted a passionate fan base since its debut final fall, a lot of whom are queer. The official Twitter (or X) account for Witch From Mercury has the biggest following of any Gundam collection, gross sales of the Gunpla cell swimsuit fashions are at an all-time excessive, with Witch From Mercury kits promoting like hotcakes, and the collection introduced new followers to a franchise that had been struggling to develop its viewers. By all metrics, Witch From Mercury is a success, and may have Bandai Namco ‘s full assist. And but, a collection of bone-headed PR strikes that fall in keeping with Japan’s baffling conservatism and lack of acknowledgement of same-sex marriage have followers fed up and pissed off.
Polling numbers from 2019 point out that 10% of Japanese folks determine as LGBTQ+ which is definitely greater than america (7.2%). But illustration is stifled, and constructive portrayals in media are undercut by higher-ups and politicians, regardless of the artists behind a mission knowingly injecting queer themes into their tales. Queer themes like Suletta’s nails, as seen in The Witch From Mercury’s finale. The artist that drew a close-up of her hand leaves the nails on her index and center fingers shorter than her ring and pinky. Shorter nail size, particularly on sure fingers, is notoriously thought of a marker of queerness in femme-identifying folks. So, it’s implied that Suletta is retaining these nails trimmed for Miorine’s profit.
Japan has a troubling historical past relating to LGBTQ+ rights and protections. Courts within the nation have been break up on the still-upheld ban on same-sex marriage, the not too long ago handed Equality Act is at finest a half-measure in the direction of acknowledging queer folks deserve primary human rights, and transgender folks face a collection of archaic roadblocks on their technique to authorized recognition of their gender. People usually stay closeted to keep away from harassment or office discrimination the place an absence of protections can create poisonous work environments. Sadly, it’s unsurprising that media like The Witch From Mercury can be subjected to a conservative try and reframe its narrative. This has occurred earlier than.
The Yuri! On Ice impact
What occurred to The Witch From Mercury is unfortunately all-too-familiar. Look no additional than the destiny of 2016’s smash hit Yuri! On Ice, which tells the story of a struggling determine skater, Yuri Katsuki, who’s coached again to success by the charismatic and undeniably good-looking Victor Nikiforov. Just like The Witch From Mercury, the pair’s relationship is explicitly specified by the story, and the characters additionally change rings. It was, and nonetheless is, celebrated as a landmark anime for LGBTQ+ illustration. It acquired acclaim in Japan, successful Animation of the Yr on the Tokyo Anime Awards in addition to quite a lot of fan-voted awards. It has constantly been named as one of many high anime of the 2010s by IGN, Anime Information Community, and right here at Kotaku.
In what appeared like an apparent transfer to capitalize on the success of the present, a feature-length Yuri! On Ice film was greenlit virtually instantly. However six years later, a assertion from Studio MAPPA CEO Manabu Otsuka basically says that regardless of the present being a success, the corporate didn’t make some huge cash off of Yuri! On Ice, and as such, the film possible gained’t occur.
Again when Blu-ray gross sales mattered to the anime trade, Yuri! On Ice torched the competitors, promoting practically double the quantity of discs of its nearest competitor, the juggernaut franchise Love Stay. The runaway success of Yuri! On Ice led to MAPPA’s heightened profile within the trade, which helped it safe the rights to provide Assault on Titan’s unending last season, the massively standard Jujutsu Kaisen, and the second season of Makoto Yukimura’s viking masterpiece, Vinland Saga. For MAPPA to say that the Yuri! On Ice film isn’t financially viable is disingenuous and contradicts customary trade metrics for achievement. MAPPA may launch the Yuri! On Ice film tomorrow and it could be a assured hit. Which begs the query, what’s the maintain up?
Talking out in opposition to the anime manufacturing committees that dole out the work to animation studios is a harmful sport. In most of her press for Yuri! On Ice, creator and director Sayo Yamamoto performed good, answering softball questions that by no means immediately addressed the very apparent love enjoying out on display screen between Yuki and Victor. However, within the Yuri! On Ice fanbook “Go Yuri Go!” from 2017, Yamamoto claimed that Yuri! On Ice had been censored exterior of her management and that she needed to combat to maintain a kiss between Yuri and Victor within the last lower of the present.
Since then, Yamamoto has not gotten some other tasks. To have arguably the most important hit of 2016, obtain vital acclaim from your individual trade, after which not be given any work doesn’t add up. MAPPA has tied Yamamoto to the Yuri! On Ice film mission and basically strung her out for six years, leaving her in a form of anime purgatory. In an trade the place the slightest scandal can result in blacklisting, the concept that Yamamoto is being punished for desirous to go all-in on a queer narrative shouldn’t be so far-fetched.
The Witch From Mercury remains to be queer
One of many main themes that the Gundam franchise returns to repeatedly is acceptance and understanding. The daddy of Gundam himself, Yoshiyuki Tomino, has been writing tales for many years pleading with the viewers to search out that understanding and embrace each other. The Witch From Mercury looks like an enormous step in the direction of realizing that dream, particularly because it pertains to the LGBTQ+ neighborhood.
The Witch From Mercury delivered on what it promised from episode one. In that first episode: Suletta is known as as Miorine’s groom after successful a cell swimsuit duel. When Suletta asks Miorine if the 2 of them may even be bride and groom, Miorine states “it’s widespread right here, I suppose the place you’re from is a bit more conservative.” Now, with the whole collection full and the PR mess left in its wake, that line holds much more weight, and it appears ever extra possible that the crew behind The Witch From Mercury fought tooth and well-manicured nail to even give us as a lot queerness as we acquired.
Simply say Suletta and Miorine are married. There’s no purpose it needs to be this difficult. But the anime trade appears to be beholden to a couple crusty conservatives who don’t need The Gays of their media. The response to Bandai Namco fumbling the bag has been an intensive drubbing on social media. However whereas placing the corporate on blast is satisfying (and definitely justifiable) for followers who really feel betrayed, there’s a dire want for tangible change, one that may solely come from inside these firms creating the content material we love to look at.
The Witch From Mercury represents simply the most recent instance of the methods wherein queer narratives in media are nonetheless marginalized. For those who’re going to greenlight a homosexual large robotic and politics present, let or not it’s a homosexual large robotic and politics present.