The anime adaptation has introduced the eccentric and weeb character Kinta Sakata. Manga readers are already fully aware of what kind of character Kinta is, with his entire personality centered on his love of mecha series. Many of Kinta’s mechas and pop culture references are based on the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. This aspect of his characterization is evident in the anime, with animators from Science Saru even incorporating some sneaky Easter eggs. There are some obvious callbacks, including the coloring and designs for Kinta’s mecha collection. However, some eagle-eyed discovered a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Easter egg to one of Gundam’s most notorious memes.
The original Mobile Suit Gundam anime was released in 1979, and its outdated animation has been a source of many hilarious memes. This includes the infamous Gundam head meme, where the titular Gundam’s face looks awkward and ugly. One of the most well-known Gundam animation memes is a screenshot of the character Bright Noa in a weird pose. The screenshot comes moments after Bright slapped Amuro Ray, twisting his body with his hands dramatically to his sides, while his torso faces the door and his legs stand opposite. Slug fans discovered that one of the still frames of animation with Kinta has him in the exact pose.
Slug Copies the Bright Noa Slap Pose
The Gundam reference in Slug is literally a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, and can even be spotted in the trailer for the final arc of Slug Season 2. Kinta is showing off his Gundam-inspired backpack, which features the franchise’s trademark thrusters. In a single shot, Kinta has his torso twisted and his arms extended in the same pose as the Bright meme. Even Kinta’s fingers are the same as Bright’s fingers from the original anime. It’s a clear and direct homage to the meme, and what makes it funnier is that it’s incredibly easy to miss. It’s literally a single second of animation, and it is such a deep cut.
It should be noted that the misconception about the Bright Noa meme is that people assume Bright is twisting around to slap Amuro. In reality, the meme comes moments after Bright had already slapped the Gundam pilot on his bed. He then stood up and dramatically swung his arms to his sides to reference the entire White Base. Bright is calling out Amuro’s childish behavior and selfishness, and with the infamous Bright pose, makes it clear that Amuro’s selfishness is affecting everyone. The scene and animation are not nearly as awkward as the meme suggests, yet it is an unintentionally hilarious pose when viewed in isolation.
Kinta is an out-and-proud weeb, so his making the iconic Bright pose makes sense for his character. Kinta ends up serving as the cast’s resident science-fiction expert, helping the Family with alien and other science-based threats with his mecha knowledge. Kinta posing like Bright Noa is simply the tipping point of the character’s dedication to the Gundam franchise, something that becomes quickly evident in the final episodes of Season 2 and the manga.
How do you feel about Slug referencing the infamous Bright Noa pose from Mobile Suit Gundam? Comment below to share your thoughts!
H/T: Reddit
