Gundam is one of Anime's most enduring and influential franchises, but that length also makes it intimidating for newcomers. A given entry could require context from anywhere in the 40 year history of the franchise, making getting into the series a lot harder than simply watching the latest big release. Luckily, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is one of the most accessible entries yet.
Taking place in the "Ad Stella" timeline, The Witch from Mercury (or G-Witch) requires no context from previous entries and, at a very digestible size of 12 episodes and a prologue, it can make for a great introduction to the kinds of themes and motifs of the Gundam franchise. So whether you've been intrigued by some of the Gunpla kits, been charmed by some of the voiced date scenes, or have been wanting to get into the series for a while, here's how to catch up on Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury ahead of its second season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGW2JRxWUU&ab_channel=GundamInfo
How to watch the Gundam: The Witch from Mercury prologue
Easily available on the official Gundam Youtube channel, the prologue episode not only lays out all the context you'll need going in to G-Witch, but also serves as a great taster for the rest of the series. If you enjoy the mix of action, intrigue and tragedy on display here, you should be in for a good time with season 1. You can watch the prologue for free on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehG5wd8YfY&ab_channel=GundamInfo
How to watch Gundam: The Witch from Mercury season 1
The international distribution of G-Witch is being handled by Crunchyroll, but you will need to subscribe to the premium service to have access. It is available in both sub and dub formats, and episodes from season 2 will appear on there as well.
Those wanting just a little more before they decide to commit can watch up to episode 10 on the Gundam YouTube channel. These appear to be subtitle-only, but they do have a wide range of languages available.
Distribution in Asia is handled by a variety of different providers, including Bilibili, Netflix and LINE TV. You can find a full list of providers on the official G-Witch website.
How to read the Gundam: The Witch from Mercury side stories
There are 2 light novels for G-Witch. The first is titled Cradle Planet by Ichiro Ohkouchi, and that is told from the perspective of the Gundam Aeriel itself. You can read it for free on the official site.
The second is a novelization written by Yuuya Takashima for Gundam Ace magazine. Unfortunately, it is not available in English as of yet.
The third is a spin-off manga, also for Gundam Ace magazine. It is set several years after the event of the prologue and is mostly unrelated to Suletta's story. It is slated for a late March 2023 release, with no word on an English translation yet.
The second season of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is set to air on April 2, 2023 and will be available on Crunchyroll.
The post How to Catch Up on Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Before Season 2 appeared first on Siliconera.