Animedia February 2023: Mogmog Interview on G-Witch’s Character Designs

The February 2023 issue for Animedia features some illustrations and coverage for Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. One of the pages features comments and an interview with Mogumo (Twitter, Pixiv), the original character designer for the show. 

The English translation is by Windii (Twitter, Ko-fi). Thanks for her help with this, and consider commissioning her for JPN-ENG translations.

Also, I've been gathering the character "Expression Test" sheets shared by the main G-Witch Twitter account and the post-episode sketches done by Mogumo on Twitter in a folder here.

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Students of Asticassia School of Technology: Main Character Design Report

Illustrator Mogumo created the original character designs for The Witch from Mercury. Some of her character design drafts are now available to the public! We also asked her about the key points of her designs and her thoughts on the show.

Suletta Mercury: Suletta's character was changed to the one we have now in the middle of production. During the meeting, we discussed whether she was dog-like or cat-like, and she turned out to be a dog, so a friendly impression was added to her from there. Then, from the trait of a girl from the countryside, I added elements such as her hair and eyebrows, which were not sufficiently in place, and the current form was created. (Mogumo)

Miorine Rembran: Miorine's hairstyle was not something I had in mind from the beginning, but it gradually solidified over time as we came up with ideas. As the heroine standing next to Suletta, I was conscious of wanting to create a memorable look even if it was a little quirky, and I think this is reflected in her current hairstyle. The cool, slightly sharp face is due to the impression of a cat in contrast to Suletta's dog. (Mogumo)

Guel Jeturk: At the time of designing the character, the storyline was not so clear, but from the director's description, I had an impression of a foil-like character who would challenge Suletta and lose. However, there was more to him than just that uncool part, and I tried to create a design that looked "cool from certain angles" by adding a mole under the eye in contrast to his loud hair color. (Mogumo)

Elan Ceres: I came up with the concept of a "doll prince." At the time, I don't think the plot had been finalized, but I had an impression of a pilot of one of the top three families, a being created by a corporation, with no facial expression and a fragile vibe, so the design is more slender than for other characters. (Mogumo)

Shaddiq Zenelli: Looking at his interactions and facial expressions up to episode 9, I got the impression that he is hard to read, but at heart he is very pure. Director Kobayashi (Hiroshi) gave me the impression of a sharp and able yet aloof character. I designed him to be flexible, and I wanted to give him a sense of being more mature than the other boys of the top three families. (Mogumo)

Chuatury Panlunch (voice: Tomita Miyu): A first-year pilot in the Earth House, she hates Spacians, who discriminate against Earthians, and often gets into fights.

How does Chuchu's hair fit in the helmet? That... is a mystery to me too (laughs). I thought, "Oh, I see" when I saw that the official Chuchu pilot suit design went up. (Mogumo)

Nika Nanaura (voice: Miyamoto Yume): A second-year mechanic in the Earth House. She is an excellent technician. The Demi Trainer Chuchu personal unit is her custom, prized creation. She seems to be connected to Shaddiq behind the scenes...?

 [There's no comment for Nika, though there is one in a different Japanese interview on Akiba-Sousen. -Ed.]

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Staff Interview

Original Character Design: Mogumo

Profile: Illustrator. Major works include character design for "Project GAMM" among others.

"Every episode, they always betray my expectations in a good way, so I can't take my eyes off of them." (Mogumo)

Simple designs that don't feel unapproachable.

 

―Please tell us about your experience in working on the original character designs for this show.

I had the opportunity to meet with Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks), who asked me to participate in a competition for a new Gundam project, and they asked my company, Morion Airlines, if I could take part. At first I was very happy to be able to try something new, but gradually the pressure increased as I realized the magnitude of the project. It was half joy and half anxiety.

―What did you have in mind for creating the characters for the Gundam series?

In the beginning, we were working on a proposal purely based on the impression of the Gundam we wanted to see next. In particular, I am a casual fan who started with Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, and I wanted to create a vibe that would not be too unapproachable for people who, like myself, have not had much exposure to mecha/robot animation. In terms of design, I kept it as simple as possible and used subdued colors that were not too flashy.

 

―You designed the girl protagonist first. What was her appearance like?

She had long red hair tied back and wore a black-and-white jacket, so at first glance, she looked similar to the current Suletta. However, I imagined her as an adult with a more relaxed personality, like Elnora from PROLOGUE in The Witch from Mercury. At the time, I thought it would be interesting to go the opposite direction from the traditional "slightly immature boy protagonist."

 

―How did you go about establishing the characters after that?

While listening to Director Kobayashi (Hiroshi)'s information about the setting and script, I designed the characters accordingly. Suletta was also initially based on the art we had at the time of the competition, but her trait was changed midway through to a timid girl from the countryside, so we adjusted her hair and facial features accordingly. There were times when I had to design in parallel with the script, so I worked with Director Kobayashi on the impressions each time.

 

―Please tell us about the key points of the uniform design.

The trousers were Director Kobayashi's idea. I also thought that there was no need to have a skirt for female students, and we decided on it right away. In a school anime, the base design of the uniform is the same, but the way it is worn and arranged reveals a lot about the character, so I put a lot of effort into the proposal.

 

―Suletta is taller than Miorine. What was your aim in making this height difference?

I wasn't really conscious of the height difference when I designed them, but when Director Kobayashi told me that Suletta had the impression of being taller, I was surprised, but immediately convinced. When I lined up the two of them together, I thought it would be more appropriate for Suletta, the main character, to be taller.

 

―What are your impressions of the series?

There are many highlights in each episode, and the story develops without wasting any time, so no matter how many times I watch it, it always seems to be over in the blink of an eye. As a viewer, I look forward to watching the show every week, as it always surprises me in a good way. As for the characters, I have learned once again that it is not only their appearance, but also their voices, gestures, habits, and many other elements that make them beloved characters. I am always moved by the lively Suletta and the others.

 

―Who is your personal favorite character?

I would have to say Suletta. It took me the longest time to design her, and that's why I love her so much. Also, her voice when she is surprised is very cute and addictive, with a lot of variations (laughs). I never get tired of seeing her pose with her hands crossed and her various facial expressions.

 

―What was your most memorable scene in the first season?

The end of the duel in episode 9. Just before that, Suletta and Aerial were on the attack and I thought it would end as is, but in the end, the Earth House won as a team. It was so exciting.

 

―What are some of the key points to watch for in the future?

I think that the relationship between the characters will change rapidly as forces on the Earth side emerge. Personally, Guel is moving in a direction that I could not have predicted from the beginning, so I would like to keep an eye on his future developments. As a viewer, I am looking forward to seeing how the other characters will change as well.