#GundamAGE ep24: to live like a man and die like a dog. #anime

What the hell is this?! Asemu doesn’t get much of a break does he?  And I can’t for the life of me understand Zeheart’s thinking.  Either you view him properly as an enemy or you don’t.  Don’t try to romance his weakness and then hesitate to end his life.  Though I will say I like one thing, Gundam AGE is bitter as hell. And it doesn’t have much of a use for old men.

DonKangolJones’ Images of the Week: March 23rd (Because after Dark Souls I need something to make me feel better.)

Off my ass again to do another images of the week post.  My excuse for the delay this time?  Mass Effect 3 and getting my curb stomped by Dark Souls over and over… and over …and over again.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m making progress, but you can’t play that game without suffering, despair… and a healthy dose of spontaneously cursing because you screwed up, or the game screw you.  So when all is lost, I completely shut down the PS3 & boot up the anime.  Games nowadays have a way of telling you you’ve been playing for too long.  They tell you you need to stop and get out of the house.  You don’t need that with Dark Souls.  Granted you haven’t spiked your controller, you’ll walk away on your own, eventually.  But enough about that.  Anime and  manga, that’s all I’m concerned about right now.  Here are my usual, but hardly consistently weekly anymore, images of the week!

#GundamAGE ep23: no one can afford to wait for you to grow up, Asemu. #anime

First and foremost, for all those who followed Gundam AGE from the beginning, Grodek has finally been released from prison! Woo-hoo! It makes sense since the Vagan’s have been causing so much trouble lately. I don’t know what did it, maybe enough of the old brass died off to allow for his release. Or maybe Flit was able to finally pull enough strings. It doesn’t matter because at least the old badass didn’t have to die in that prison and is finally getting some of the respect that was due to him.

Something else long overdue is Zeheart catching flack for being such poor commander.

#GundamAGE ep22: Flit has put so many previous Gundam protagonists to shame, that Tomino should feel ashamed of himself. #anime

I don’t know whether to be more impressed by Flit, or by the Federation forces’ overall competence. This also once again allows me to say that despite Zeheart’s sexy quotient and first-rate X-Rou– Newtype skills, he’s still a terrible commander. He’s no Char or Athrun in that department. But most of all it allows me to say that Gundam AGE is a very entertaining show. There’s a special kind of payoff you get from this type of narrative.

And that’s the enjoyment (artificial or not) of seeing characters progress over a long period of time. And the additional joy of seeing various relationships evolve, devolve and permeate.

#GundamAGE ep21: Woolf is on the fast track to being the best sempai ever. #anime

There are plenty of ways to deal with your feelings towards a problem.  There’s only one true way to deal with the problem itself. That appears to be what Asemu’s learning to master as of this episode of Gundam AGE. You could easily pin the guy (can’t say he’s a kid, despite his character design he is an adult) with the spoiled, entitled brat label. But you’d only be showing how much of an ignorant hate you are. The only thing Asemu has lacked so far was
focus. True focus on a goal. He doesn’t lack it now.

#GundamAGE ep20: Zeheart is still an awesome pilot, and a terrible commander. #anime

Well that was a fun episode. I would hardly say much moved forward.  It was more a case of more possibilities and options being put on the table. It’s an episode seasoned with some good Gundam-style space acrtion and sprinkled with a bit of the show’s penchant for terrible tactics and strategies.  I suppose that’s something I’ve learned to accept.

#GundamAGE ep19: the AGE military is a close knit family… literally! #anime

I’m seriously starting to wonder about the population of the AGE universe. Or maybe it’s just a matter of talented people coming together. Or maybe it’s a matter of the Federation Forces higher ups orchestrating this tight knit group of relatives and close friends.  The Asuno family has its finger prints all over this ship. The Gunhale family has two generations stalking the decks. High school friends are on the same ship. The Diva’s captain and mobile suit commander are intimately acquainted, as well. You’d think there’d be a lot of hanky panky and barbecues. But no, this is anime, and more specifically Gundam, there’s gonna be more than a few coincidences.

Check-in Station: Gundam AGE ep18 (Veigan hamburgers flavored with Regret.)

Looks like playtime is over.  I mean that literally.  I suppose that could be said once anyone takes up a blade, gun or whatever weapon they may have.  But this little arc has effectively shaken all of the main characters lives up in a irreversible way.  It seems like the creative team doesn’t want to play around at all.  There will be no mystery as to who is facing who or why.  The pilots already know each other quite well, and the maiden is already quite heartbroken.  This is Gundam AGE, and it’s a show that keeps on schedule.

Gundam AGE ep17: this love triangle is progressing rather quickly, AGE has never been a slow paced show though.

 

Zeheart seems to be falling for Romary rather quickly.  The show is taking the old school approach to making someone a romantic interest: save the lady’s life in a fancy manner.  The manner?  Mid-air intercept of errant wrench, protecting the lady’s health and beauty.  *thumbs up* I found it a little cliche, but it got the job done.

Gundam AGE ep16: not a bad start. Asemu’s more well-adjusted than I expected.

Flit has a simmering and focused hatred. Emily is as forgettable as ever. Vargas is still old and fat, matter of fact he’s older and fatter (uh duh!). And I could have sworn that was Largan in that antique mobile suit. Or whoever that guy is inside, he has Largan’s luck. But the second “age” isn’t gonna be about these guys, so let’s move on.