Following inappropriate comments including slander, discriminatory language, and defamation regarding the anime’s content, the official Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury X account announced on April 3 that it would be locking the comments section of its posts for the time being. The restriction did not come out of nowhere either, as a formal warning against hateful replies was issued back on March 26, albeit to no avail. For the sake of fans who used the comments section appropriately, the account has disabled replies for a safer browsing experience. The announcement was addressed to both Japanese- and English-speaking fans.
Originally airing from October 2022 to July 2023, The Witch from Mercury is one of the more divisive entries in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, with the canonicity of the female protagonists’ same-sex relationship being one of the major points of discourse among fans. It seems users’ complaints about the show and its creators have escalated on X as the Witch From Mercury celebrates its third anniversary, though the official account did not disclose any details about the nature of the abusive comments. Japanese users report that the account’s lockdown was preceded with flamers posting gory images of dead bodies and atomic bomb explosions/mushroom clouds, which were promptly deleted. Likewise, violent threats posted in a message board for an upcoming live event caused organizers to increase security.
For now, the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury official account has not indicated when it will be reopening its comment sections, but the measure seems to be temporary. With any luck, this will hopefully be sooner rather than later.
Related: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury led to record-breaking sales for Bandai Namco in 2023
