Gundam GQuuuuuuX Ep. 5: Nyaan Doesn’t Know About Kira-Kira

Outside the Izuma Colony, tightly packed debris is automatically tossed in a large centrifugal furnace to be melted down. Near the furnace, Gaia shows his friend Ortega a news story on his phone alleging that their former comrade Mash, now a mayor, is embroiled in a sex scandal. Gaia laments that Mash was smart enough to get out before M’Quve kicked them out of the Zeon military. The two are stuck in a traffic jam and Gaia comments that things have gone frantic ever since the junk trade-in price hit seven percent. There are rumors that Zeon is buying up everything and Ortega wonders if they’re trying to start another war. Gaia thinks it’ll be time to move on from Clan Battle soon, in part because it’s so expensive to maintain their Rick Doms and buy ammo. Ortega suggests that they take down the Pomeranians and then go join up with a mercenary company. Gaia grumbles that if the Red Gundam hadn’t taken all the credit back then, they’d still be in the military now. He vows that they’ll show the Red Gundam how terrifying the battlefield can be. Inside the colony, Machu sunbathes on the roof of the Pomeranians office. Inside, Nabu, Kaine and Jezzi talk about the last battle and how as a Side 6 native who avoided the war it must’ve been shocking for her to see someone die. Annqi says that they have no idea how a woman would feel and she goes outside to offer Machu some coffee and donuts. Annqi comments that she knew there was something about Machu, but Machu notes that the Red Gundam won the last battle. However, Annqi notes that since Machu is the Red Gundam’s Mav, it means she’s great too. Annqi says that if there’s someone Machu feels is better than anyone else, she should clear her mind and go after them. On the Sodon, Comoli is surprised to hear from Challia that Xavier is searching for the GQuuuuuuX by himself. Unfortunately, his search isn’t going well since he gets beat up in a rough part of the colony. Comoli doesn’t think what Xavier is doing is wise because the Side 6 authorities have no accurate count of how many unregistered mobile suits are in the area. Comoli thinks to herself that Challia is acting like he’s getting rid of a nuisance, but she thought he and Xavier were getting along. Challia comments that Xavier is also a Newtype and will figure something out. Elsewhere, Xavier meets with an intelligence agent on the subway, who tells him that Kycilia believes the theft of the GQuuuuuuX was orchestrated by Challia. The agent also warns Xavier not to trust Challia. Machu thinks about the last battle and how it seems Shuji didn’t feel anything about Sugai dying. Later, she goes to school and successfully performs a high jump in phys ed class. After school she meets up with Nyaan and they hang out at a laundromat while she cleans her pilot suit. They then bring food for Shuji but find that his chamber is empty. An alarm goes off when an outer hatch opens and he enters with the Red Gundam. Nyaan asks Shuji why he paints and if there’s someone he wants to show something to, and he answers that Machu knows. Machu comments that the “kira-kira” looks cool and then has to explain to Nyaan the feeling of being inside the Gundam. Shuji says that the cold feeling from laying down on top of the Red Gundam is nice. Nyaan then strips down to her underwear to experience the same feeling, followed by Machu. She then pulls out her phone to show Shuji a space glider she put a down payment on, noting that if they win two more battles she can fully pay for it. Nyaan says that they’ve worked so hard and Machu wants to crush it in tonight’s battle. Later, Xavier sits in the subway station and complains about how fruitless his search has been. He recognizes Machu when she and Nyaan walk right by him. Two cops stop them to ask Nyaan for her ID, and Machu impulsively kicks one of the cops in his testicles. She and Nyaan split up, but Xavier grabs her and shoves her into a locker with him. He tells her to shut up or else they’ll be noticed. Machu recognizes Xavier and wonders if he knows who she is. She then wonders if he doesn’t recognize her and thinks that she needs to leave. Xavier thinks that if the GQuuuuuuX doesn’t come out when the Clan Battle starts, then he’ll know. Nyaan holds Haro and wonders what she should do.

Machu realizes that Xavier is keeping her captive on purpose. Jezzi and Kaine freak out about Machu being late when they see her get into the cockpit – except that it’s actually Nyaan. She grips the controls and the lift activates to lower the GQuuuuuuX down to the service tunnel. Xavier pulls out his phone and asks Machu if she knows about Clan Battle, but she lies. He’s then shocked to see the GQuuuuuuX on the live stream and wonders if he’s got the wrong person. Nyaan thinks about how it’s nice to be back in space and she can leave most of the battling to Shuji, but Conch scans him and determines he’s got a fever. The battle then begins against the Binarys, who are actually Rick Dom pilots Gaia and Ortega. Watching the battle, Challia comments that the Rick Dom is an excellent mobile suit and Rassit notes that he previously piloted one. Gaia tells Ortega that they’ll take out the amateur first, so they target Nyaan immediately. Meanwhile, Shuji is out cold while Conch tries to wake him. Nyaan is able to dodge a bazooka blast, but both men fire shock wires into the GQuuuuuuX and electrocute Nyaan. They then use the wires to swing Nyaan around and kick them while administering further shocks. Nyaan is angry and manages to break free from the wires while also activating the Omega Psycommu. Gaia tells Ortega to do the Jet Stream Attack on the Red Gundam since it isn’t moving. Nyaan experiences the “kira-kira” and sees Gaia and Ortega. She then grabs the Red Gundam by the head and uses its shield to block a bazooka blast. Shuji is able to swing his beam saber and slice open Ortega’s cockpit. Gaia tells him to perform the Jet Stream Attack again and he fires his diffuse beam cannon, but Machu fires a dummy balloon as a distraction. Nyaan maneuvers around and nimbly dodges another bazooka round before grabbing one of Shuji’s beam sabers and slicing Ortega’s suit in half. Nyaan is overwhelmed by the feeling of freedom that she gets from the “kira-kira” sensation. She then beheads Gaia’s Rick Dom and it explodes, ending the battle. Shuji says that the Red Gundam said this was fun. Xavier is amazed by the Mav maneuvering and Machu kicks him in the foot to finally break free out of the locker. She runs through a rainy street and is distraught because the “kira-kira” was supposed to be only for her and Shuji. Comoli thinks the GQuuuuuuX is dangerous and they should seize it by force if necessary, but Challia isn’t worried. He orders the crew to contact Lt. Simus at Granada because he’s going to need a Kikeroga. Machu reaches the underground tunnel and is shocked to see Nyaan emerge from the GQuuuuuuX’s cockpit.