Before Suletta Mercury, a Gundam manga artist once pitched a female protagonist that was met with a negative reception and ultimately rejected.

The wildly popular Gundam franchise could have had a female lead much earlier than 2022 if a predominantly sexist industry hadn't shot the idea down.

According to Anime News Network, Koichi Tokita, the manga artist known for his alternate universe series in the franchise, including Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Mobile Fighter G Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Astray showered the first episode of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury with praise. In particular, he was pleased that the series had a female protagonist starring in it. In a Tweet, he said, "A long time ago, I supported a female Gundam protagonist, but I was told that a Gunpla belonging to a female character wouldn't sell. Now we live in an age where we can have a female protagonist and she has a plastic model too. I think it's great. I'm so happy."

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In addition, Tokita also complimented how the premiere episode "established" a couple, calling it a "blessing." Tokita isn't the only one who has praised the first episode of The Witch From Mercury. Many have applauded the high production quality, immersive world-building and astounding giant mecha fights.

The protagonist, Suletta Mercury, is the first female lead of the Gundam franchise. While there have been female Gundam pilots in the past, there wasn't one who took center stage. The closest is Christina MacKenzie from the 1989 Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, but she still shared the spotlight with Al Izuruha, who became the story's main focus. Although the series received critical acclaim, War in the Pocket is an OVA constructed as a side story and apart from the main franchise, unlike The Witch From Mercury.

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Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury takes place in A.S. 122 and follows the protagonist, Suletta transferring to Asticassia School of Technology, run by the Beneritt Group, from Mercury. Suletta is shy and nervous, but the anxiety melts away once she's sitting inside her Gundam Aerial. Little does she know that the girl she befriended, Miorine Rembran, is the daughter of the man who had a hand in the event that tore her life apart.

Before she was Suletta Mercury, she was Ericht Samaya. A prologue episode premiered in July and focuses on a pivotal moment of Ericht's life when her parents were working on a Gundam called Lfrith -- a mobile suit that her mother has had very little luck in activating. On Ericht's fourth birthday, her world is irrevocably changed when Cathedra, a regulatory body established by the Mobile Suit Development Council, is ordered to attack the research station holding Lfrith, consequently killing all of the researchers. Ericht and her mother manage to escape via Lfrith who had activated in response to Ericht, while her father stayed behind to buy them some time.

The Witch From Mercury is the first Gundam TV anime to air in seven years and is notable for being the first to feature a female as a lead. The premiere episode is available to watch on Crunchyroll.

Anime Features Writer for CBR. Loves anything with a good anime OST. Always eager to chat about anything anime/manga/donghua-related.

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