Shadows Looming at the Nostalgic Conclusion of 'Gundam GQuuuuuuX'
In a surprising move, Toru Furuya, the original and long-standing voice actor of Amuro Ray in the iconic Gundam series, has reprised his role in the final episode of the latest instalment, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. This decision, however, has not been without controversy, as Furuya was embroiled in a personal scandal in 2024.
Furuya, who has voiced Amuro in multiple Gundam works since his youth, was chosen to make a cameo in the finale, a decision that was met with mixed reactions. The production team, aiming to bridge generations and honour the long history of the franchise, likely saw Furuya's involvement as a way to anchor the finale emotionally and canonically, reinforcing continuity and appealing to fans familiar with the classic series.
However, the scandal in 2024—where Furuya admitted to having an affair and physical abuse towards a fan—led some to view his return as distasteful. Despite this, the production prioritized the legacy and impact of the original voice in delivering the character's cameo, a decision that also helped GQuuuuuuX establish itself as required viewing within the Gundam canon.
The episode, titled "A Cosmic Glow," features a recreation of scenes from the 41st episode of the original 1979 anime. Interestingly, the recreated battle in the episode features the original voice actors for Char and Lalah, Shuichi Ikeda and Keiko Han, but Amuro's voice is oddly silent. This omission seems to conflict with the series' thematic messages about moving on and imagining new possibilities for the series' past and future.
The development of GQuuuuuuX began as early as 2018, potentially before Furuya's affair had even begun. The episode reveals that the setting of GQuuuuuuX is a re-imagined version of Gundam's Universal Century, created by a version of the Newtype Lalah Sune from a reality where she was saved from death in battle against the Gundam. GQuuuuuuX, therefore, focuses instead on Char and Lalah as its primary legacy characters.
Bandai Namco, the owner of Gundam studio Sunrise, has been careful in considering Furuya's role in future Gundam projects. In a statement to Yahoo Japan's Meikou Kawamura in June 2024, they stated that they were considering the situation around Furuya. As of now, it remains unclear whether Furuya will continue to voice Amuro in future Gundam projects.
In May 2024, Furuya revealed in an interview with the Japanese tabloid Shūkan Bunshun that he had engaged in an extramarital affair for four and a half years with a woman almost 40 years his junior. This scandal led to Furuya being dropped from a role in the then-upcoming Atlus RPG MetaphorRe:Fantazio and stepping down from his roles in One Piece and Detective Conan. Later in 2024, Ryōta Suzuki replaced Furuya as Yamcha in Dragon Ball: Daima.
As the final episode of GQuuuuuuX airs, fans are left to grapple with the complexities of Furuya's return. While his involvement brings significant legacy value and emotional resonance for longtime fans, the personal scandal surrounding the actor remains a source of contention. Only time will tell how this decision will impact the future of the Gundam franchise.
[1] https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-10-28/mobile-suit-gundam-gquuuuuu-x-announces-furuya-as-amuro/.175691 [2] https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-12-25/furuya-to-voice-amuro-in-gundam-gquuuuuu-x-finale-despite-scandal/.176441
- Fans of io9 and Gizmodo, in the realm of technology, entertainment, movies-and-tv, and future television, eagerly await the impact of Toru Furuya's return in the latest Gundam series, GQuuuuuuX, and its influence on the franchise's future.
- The controversy surrounding Furuya's reprisal of Amuro Ray in GQuuuuuuX has been a topic of discussion on various entertainment platforms like io9 and Gizmodo, prompting questions about the balance between artistic contributions and personal conduct.
- As the Gundam franchise moves into the future, debates about the involvement of veterans like Furuya, in light of past scandals, are likely to continue, spurring discussions among fans on platforms such as io9 and Gizmodo, shaping the narrative of this iconic series.
