Casio

G-Shock (short for Gravitational Shock) is an international line of digital and digital-analog hybrid sports and military watches manufactured by Japanese electronics company Casio, founded in 1983 by Kikuo Ibe. In 2018, G-Shock partnered with Gorillaz for a special line of Gorillaz-themed G-Shock watches, with each Gorillaz G-Shock watch being themed around a different band member. On September 20th, 2018, Gorillaz uploaded the first in a trio of animated minute-long short films called "Mission M101" based around the partnership. The video portrayed Gorillaz as they venture off into outer space to fulfill Ibe’s request of making his life-long dream of selling G-Shock watches in outer space come true. Also included with some Gorillaz G-Shocks was a remix of "Tranz", the final single of The Now Now.

Mission M101
"Mission M101" is a multi-part animated short film which depicts Gorillaz traveling to outer space after receiving a video message from G-Shock's founder Mr. Kikuo Ibe, who asks them to fulfill his lifelong dream of selling watches in space.

Mission M101 (Part 1)
In Part 1, Noodle arrives at a Gorillaz HQ, located in Tokyo, with a package containing a video transmission from Ibe. After calling the others, they gather around the package to watch it. The video contains a message from Ibe, requesting they travel to Galaxy M101 to give aliens G-Shock watches. Immediately, Gorillaz rush to a spacecraft and begin their mission.

Mission M101 (Part 2)
In Part 2, Gorillaz arrive at Galaxy M101 at the M101 Klub. At the club, Murdoc & Noodle pass out watches to the crowd, one of which accidentally slips in to Don Alien’s drink. Unaware of this, Don Alien takes a sip of his drink and chokes on it. Murdoc then laughs and records the incident with his phone. This enrages Don Alien, who orders his minions to go after Gorillaz, chasing them out of the M101 Klub. Trapped in an ambush, Russel gives their spacecraft a boost, and they crash-land back to earth, right at the nearest G-Shock store. Ibe then fills in a “Create Gorillaz Watches” checkbox on a list in his notepad, with one more task open being “Human/Alien Connection”. Later, Don Alien sees the footage of him choking went viral, looking at the video with a vengeful grimace.

"Gorillaz x G-Shock - In Conversation"
"Gorillaz x G-Shock - In Conversation" is an interview between 2-D and Noodle and G-Shock founder Kikuo Ibe regarding their collaboration. In the interview, Gorillaz and Ibe discuss their mission, potential future missions, G-Shock’s origins, and how Gorillaz first met Noodle. At the end of the interview Ibe gives 2-D and Noodle the Gorillaz G-Shock watches and 2-D invites Ibe to their studio. This interview is notable for being the first time since Phase Two that Noodle had a significant amount of recorded dialogue, aside from the 2016 Jaguar advertisement. This interview also features Haruka Abe as Noodle’s new voice actress, replacing Noodle’s original voice actress Haruka Kuroda, who had voiced Noodle since 2000.

Mission M101 (Part 3)
"Mission M101" starts off with Mr. Ibe showing off the GA-2000-GZ and the GWB5600GZ-1 watches, with Noodlefiddling with the time settings on the GWB5600GZ-1. The camera pans out, revealing aliens inside of a intergalactic spaceship, locating where Mr. Ibe and the Gorillaz are. The camera cuts to Mr. Ibe trying to smash the indestructable watches, to no avail. The aliens burn a hole through the labs wall, revealing the Alien Leader, with his array of other aliens. The situation escalate, which in turn, causes Murdoc to give them a signed autograph. This fails heavily, which causes the Aliens to get furious, accepting the autograph, but opening fire onto the crew with laser guns. The attack fails, as Murdoc and Co blocks the previously mentioned lasers with the new watchjes they have gotten. The Aliens are amazed, causing them to grasp onto Murdocs arm, grasping for a watch. Mr. Ibe, thrilled, hands over a set of the watches to the Alien Mobster. The video then cuts to Noodle driving the Geep while the sun sets behind them.

The "Mission" videos are co-directed by Jamie Hewlett and The Brutus Collective, and produced as a collaborative effort between London-based studios Blinkink and Feed Me Light, who blended 2D and 3D animation techniques to give the videos their stylized appearance.

DW5600GRLZ2-1ER
2D's timepiece comes in a black and gold color combination, 2D profile on the wrist band and engraved on the case back.

Features

 * Solar Powered
 * 200m Water Resistant
 * EL Backlight with Afterglow

Specs

 * Shock resistant
 * 200m water resistance
 * Electro-luminescent backlight
 * Afterglow
 * Flash alert
 * Flashes with buzzer that sounds for alarms, hourly time signals 1/100-second stopwatch

DW5600GRLZN-7ER
Noodle's timepiece comes in a white/clear and red color combination, Noodle profile on the band and engraved on the case back.

Features

 * 200m Water Resistant
 * Shock Resistant
 * EL Backlight with Afterglow

Specs

 * Shock resistant
 * 200m water resistance
 * Electro-luminescent backlight
 * Afterglow
 * Flash alert
 * Flashes with buzzer that sounds for alarms, hourly time signals 1/100-second stopwatch

DW5600GRLZM-3ER
Murdoc's timepiece comes in a black and military color combination, Murdoc profile on the wrist band and engraved on the case back.

Features

 * 200m Water Resistant
 * Shock Resistant
 * EL Backlight with Afterglow

Specs

 * Shock resistant
 * 200m water resistance
 * Electro-luminescent backlight
 * Afterglow
 * Flash alert
 * Flashes with buzzer that sounds for alarms, hourly time signals 1/100-second stopwatch

DW5600BB-1GD
Russel Hobbs’ watch design is offered in a robust GX56 “The King’ style. It is an oversized timepiece with a strong impact-resistant housing, Russel profile and Gorillaz logo on the band and engraved Russel profile on the case back.

Features

 * Solar Powered
 * 200m Water Resistant
 * Shock Resistant

Specs

 * Shock resistant
 * 200m water resistance
 * Mud Resistant
 * Full Auto EL Backlight with Afterglow
 * World Time
 * 31 times zones (48 cities + UTC), city code display, daylight saving on/off

GA2000GZ-3A
The GA2000GZ model features the same camouflage pattern as Gorillaz's eponymous first album. This model comes with two bands, one with a vivid hue pattern and one with darker military style coloring. Both models come in specially designed packaging that is befitting of G-SHOCK collaboration timepieces.

Features

 * Interchangeable Band Structure
 * 200m Water Resistant
 * Double LED Light - Super Illuminator with Auto Light

Specs

 * Shock resistant (G-SHOCK)
 * Double LED light
 * LED light for the face (Super illuminator, selectable illumination duration (1.5 seconds or 3 seconds), afterglow)
 * LED backlight for the digital display (Super illuminator, selectable illumination duration (1.5 seconds or 3 seconds), afterglow)

GWB5600GZ-1
The colors of the GWB5600GZ model are inspired by the hues of Gorillaz's latest* album "NOW NOW." A combination of pop blue and pink are incorporated into the design, and the bi-color message "NOW" floats onto the display whenever it is illuminated with the backlight.

Features

 * Solar Powered
 * 200m Water Resistant
 * Bluetooth Connectivity

Specs

 * Shock resistant (G-SHOCK)
 * LED backlight (Super illuminator)
 * Full auto LED light, selectable illumination duration (2 seconds or 4 seconds), afterglow
 * Tough Solar (Solar powered)
 * Time calibration signal reception

Trivia

 * The "In Conversation" interview was produced with Adobe Character Animator, the same software that was used for The Simpsons live Q&A television broadcast "Homer Live".
 * Haruka Kuroda’s replacement Haruka Abe was confirmed in an interview with Gorillaz fan podcast Hallelujah Monkeyz.
 * Early concept artwork for "Mission M101" showed Gorillaz at a factory with Ace sitting in a chair viewing Ibe on a TV Screen.
 * Casio is referenced in the lyrics of "Plastic Beach".