The Witch From Mercury, the newest entry within the long-running Gundam franchise, not solely options the sequence’ 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 transport, 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 just lately tried to distance the sequence from its queer connections, followers had been understandably livid, and pointed to a historical past of queer-coded anime being stifled by companies making an attempt to uphold a cultural established order.

The Witch From Mercury’s sequence 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 utterly backwards PR assertion 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 challenge of Gundam Ace, Suletta’s voice actor, Kana Ichinose describes being moved by the closeness Suletta and Miorine share “as two married individuals.” 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 seen by Gundam lovers on social media, and unfold so shortly that Bandai Namco thought it finest to make clear the state of affairs, claiming {that a} rogue editor at Gundam Ace added the phrase “married” to the interview as their “personal interpretation.”

The concept the phrase “married” was added by the editor and never spoken by Ichinose herself appears unlikely. Ichinose’s enthusiasm and apparent emotional funding in taking part in 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 remaining 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 really stated the phrase “married,” it’s clear that she is supportive of Suletta and Miorine’s romance, and the removing 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 sequence, gross sales of the Gunpla cell go well with fashions are at an all-time excessive, with Witch From Mercury kits promoting like hotcakes, and the sequence 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 help. And but, a sequence 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 annoyed.

Polling numbers from 2019 point out that 10% of Japanese individuals establish as LGBTQ+ which is definitely increased than america (7.2%). But illustration is stifled, and optimistic 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-about a marker of queerness in femme-identifying individuals. So, it’s implied that Suletta is conserving these nails trimmed for Miorine’s profit.

Japan has a troubling historical past in relation to LGBTQ+ rights and protections. Courts within the nation have been cut up on the still-upheld ban on same-sex marriage, the just lately handed Equality Act is at finest a half-measure in direction of acknowledging queer individuals deserve fundamental human rights, and transgender individuals face a sequence of archaic roadblocks on their strategy to authorized recognition of their gender. People typically stay closeted to keep away from harassment or office discrimination the place a scarcity of protections can create poisonous work environments. Sadly, it’s unsurprising that media like The Witch From Mercury could be subjected to a conservative try to 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 trade rings. It was, and nonetheless is, celebrated as a landmark anime for LGBTQ+ illustration. It obtained acclaim in Japan, successful Animation of the Yr on the Tokyo Anime Awards in addition to 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 nearly instantly. However six years later, a assertion from Studio MAPPA CEO Manabu Otsuka primarily 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 doubtless gained’t occur.

Again when Blu-ray gross sales mattered to the anime business, Yuri! On Ice torched the competitors, promoting practically double the quantity of discs of its nearest competitor, the juggernaut franchise Love Reside. The runaway success of Yuri! On Ice led to MAPPA’s heightened profile within the business, which helped it safe the rights to supply Assault on Titan’s unending remaining season, the massively well-liked 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 normal business metrics for fulfillment. 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 straight addressed the very apparent love taking part in 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 outdoors of her management and that she needed to combat to maintain a kiss between Yuri and Victor within the remaining reduce of the present.

Since then, Yamamoto has not gotten another tasks. To have arguably the most important hit of 2016, obtain vital acclaim from your individual business, after which not be given any work doesn’t add up. MAPPA has tied Yamamoto to the Yuri! On Ice film mission and primarily strung her out for six years, leaving her in a type of anime purgatory. In an business the place the slightest scandal can result in blacklisting, the concept Yamamoto is being punished for eager 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 again and again is acceptance and understanding. The daddy of Gundam himself, Yoshiyuki Tomino, has been writing tales for many years pleading with the viewers to seek out that understanding and embrace each other. The Witch From Mercury appears like an enormous step in direction of realizing that dream, particularly because it pertains to the LGBTQ+ group.

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 go well with duel. When Suletta asks Miorine if the 2 of them may even be bride and groom, Miorine states “it’s frequent right here, I assume the place you’re from is a bit more conservative.” Now, with your entire sequence full and the PR mess left in its wake, that line holds much more weight, and it appears ever extra doubtless that the workforce behind The Witch From Mercury fought tooth and well-manicured nail to even give us as a lot queerness as we obtained.

Simply say Suletta and Miorine are married. There’s no motive it must be this tough. But the anime business appears to be beholden to some 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 positively justifiable) for followers who really feel betrayed, there’s a dire want for tangible change, one that may solely come from inside these corporations creating the content material we love to look at.

The Witch From Mercury represents simply the newest instance of the methods through which queer narratives in media are nonetheless marginalized. When you’re going to greenlight a homosexual big robotic and politics present, let it’s a homosexual big robotic and politics present.