Check-in Station: Gundam Build Fighters ep1 (have my worst fears come true?)

Alright! I’ll admit that I had fun watching this first episode of Gundam Build Fighters. And this show succeeded at making me smile despite my best efforts to be a grump. After all, this isn’t the gritty war story I usually love like Zeta or Unicorn Gundam, or 08th MS Team. This is exactly what I feared Gundam AGE would be, a show of simple, cute kid friendly drawings and character designs, purely designed to sell more Gundam model kits. So why is it that I’m still left smiling after the credits?

Gundam Unicorn ep6: you are not who we thought you were!

Episode 5

I love Gundam Unicorn! I mean it! I absolutely adore this series, and I don’t fear it not living up to expectations at all. It is a “oldfag”, Universal Century lover’s dream of a production. Even when episodes seem to run “cool” (have lots of exposition and downtime), they still are utterly compelling to me. Take this sixth installment in the latest series of OVA’s from the Gundam franchise. There is a lot more tension than combat, and that has kinda become the norm for this production. But when there is combat it is of a level many have only dreamed of, stuff us long-adoring, long-suffering fans have only seen in spurts. Couple that with some excellent set up for the final battle, and the almost surreal image of Mineva ZABI putting on that Zeon uniform; and you have a production that I think many anime fans and outsiders can enjoy to a certain degree, but can only be fully appreciated by those fans intimately immersed in this metaverse for so many years. Now then, Gundam Unicorn episode six. Let’s go.

Core Anime: Gundam Wing (“The god of death is back from hell!”)

Welcome to my dirty little secret.  Gundam Wing was my first Gundam series, it was my second serious anime after Dragonball Z.  By serious, I mean I followed it religiously to the end.  And you know what?  I loved this show!  For a time anyways.  Welcome to my second entry in my core anime series, New Mobile Report Gundam Wing!

Gundam AGE ep48: to meet your makers and live up to your predecessors. You are a failure, Zeheart Gallette.

This show has plowed through its funk.  Though much like the character mentioned in the title of this post, it did it at great sacrifice.  This episode tossed about a half dozen named characters out the window.  Major ones.  And now it’s left with the bear essentials.  The Asuno family, the cursed treasure and two broken worlds.

#GundamAGE ep47: a little bloodlust goes a long way. #anime

This was a pretty damn entertaining episode! Firstly we got to see
Seric be awesome again and take out that vengeful idiot in the mobile
armor, though it did end up being his downfall. Lesson to the wise,
if you’re in an anime and your attack covers your opponent in a cloud
of smoke, then you are NOT safe! It’s such a shame too, everything he
did was to better the team and especially the captain. Then he has to
be killed by the woman and the ship he protected so much. I knew
there was a reason I never pushed to ship the two of them.

On the other end of the battlefield we have Kio meeting Deen in the
aftermath of the Diva’s cannon blast. Deen showed himself to be a
pretty vicious fighter, but he’s all too obviously no threat to Kio
and his Gundam. The only thing that disappointed me was how much of a
throwaway character he ended up being, just like his sister. His
useless, useless sister. It was so predictable. Zanald comes in
after Kio’s disarmament of Deen and just plows right through him. As
if that was ever necessary. Despite this show’s brisk pace, it seems
to be incredibly proficient at giving Zanald screen time and making
sure we hate this dude.

But that leads to the best part of this episode; Kio going ape-sh*t
(pun heavily intended because of his gorilla-like opponent) and
unleashes the full burst mode for the FX. I honestly thought Sid’s
return would be the thing to do that. But I will admit I called that
wrong.

In the end, Kio conveniently avoids taking a life when he snaps to his
senses just in time to not deliver the final blow. Though Zanald was
lucky to escape this mobile suit’s own explosion. I guess we can
chalk that up to the suits own incredible girth and durability. So
the show even in a dark moment can’t seem to let Kio off the leash.
*sigh* Here’s to hoping the next episode can succeed there.

Goodbye Seric Abis! You are undoubtedly one of the most useful and
competent characters in the history of Gundam. And that’s saying a
lot. You’ll be missed.

– Posted using MobyPicture.com

#GundamAGE ep46: there is such a thing as being too idealistic, and too ambitious. #anime

Catching up with Gundam after some stressful time at work. And I’m
feeling pretty good about it. I guess the final battle started in
earnest this episode. And it wastes no time mixing things up.
Zeheart is now fully at the helm, but despite Ezelcant’s personal
orders and recommendations, Zanald’s still a hater. As Kio tangles
with Fram and Zeheart, he decides to stage his own little coup right
there. What a moron. I guess his only goal is to get to the top.
And he doesn’t even have enough respect for Ezelcant to follow a dying
wish. I think the same will be true for Zera, Ezelcant’s apparent
clone. Ezelcant states that Zeheart has inherited his soul and
dreams, while Zera has not. And he may mean this in quite a literal
way. We’ll see.

As for Kio, looks like they’re pushing him back to the front of the
series. Though I find it less than compelling to care about him and
his relationships when he’s been so obnoxiously idealistic, naive and
inept so far. All that good breeding and guidance seems to have gone
to waste. And want to blame some of that on the show’s brisk pacing.
Then again, that brisk pacing may have saved me from more episodes of
Kio and “his ways”. I can somewhat understand him wanting to defend
his friends. God knows those grunts need it. And the FX is a very
aptly equipped defensive unit, but some sense has to be applied here.
I just worry that the show is going to bail him out of the
consequences of this die hard strategy. The kiddy aspects of this
show are wearing on me to this point.

– Posted using MobyPicture.com

Gundam AGE ep45: the one-eyed dragon.

[Gundam AGE ep44]

This was pretty straightforward episode.  I’m pretty sure there were at least ten minutes of lasers firing, recycled animation and close ups of Zeheart’s pretty, but unfortunately helmeted face.  I’m sure they saved a fortune on this episode.  But that doesn’t mean that I still wasn’t entertained.  It was a welcome change of pace from the Asuno family conflicts, Ezelcant’s babble of perfect humans and an Earthly Eden, and the usual crap about bits, funnels and the sort. Just a lot of action and joy of seeing Zeheart struggle for once.

Gundam AGE ep44: dripping with hyperbole, like chocolate syrup on a delusional sundae.

[Gundam AGE ep43]

I’ve never hid my dislike for Zeheart Gallette, nor will I start now.  But I will state that I’m trying to be fair.  Something that doesn’t really come up very often in the show in regards to him.  I think he’s fairly assessed as an outstanding pilot and a charismatic and likable personality.  But I think he’s unfairly assessed as a great commander (by the people in the show) and competent judge of character.  And at his core, I don’t find Zeheart to have much of a personality.  But this episode was the episode that I sat back and honestly hoped that he would make the right decision.  The moral one.  Or at least put up a fight.  Can you guess how he handled it?

Don KangolJones’ Images of the Week: August 8th (Much love for Muv-Luv)

I enjoy a good mecha production as much as the next Gundam loving, Eva worshipping, Gurren-Lagann inspired guy. So when someone like me gets to enjoy 4 currently airing mecha or mecha inspired series, as well as some good old school Macross, I will say that I’m greatly aware and a time like this awed at the diversity and quantity that is at my disposal. And yet I still have the nerve to pick up a mahou shoujo and read pervy manga. I guess I’ll never be truly satisfied.

#SDGundamForce ep1: I hope you forgive me for watching this show, for which I have a special permit. #anime

Yes, I’m watching the infamous Superior Defender Gundam Force.  Thought if my son was gonna start with a Gundam, it may as well be this one.  Well I’d honestly rather have it be Zeta Gundam, but I’m sure that would be considered some form of child abuse for someone his age.  I can only find the dub of this, but that’s alright.  My four year old won’t be reading subtitles anytime soon. My seven year old just started doing that.

Let’s be upfront, this is a kids’ show, through and through.  Classic Power Rangers stuff. Evil forces (Zeon based, I suppose) going through dimension trying to conquer synthetics and destroy organics.  Nothing too complicated.  They get to the dimension of peaceful Neotopia and are quickly on their way towards a new accomplishment when Captain Gundam and a little boy get involved.

It’s cute fun, but generally boring at this point.  I’m honestly watching this show just to get to Bakunetsumaru at this point.  That’s my nigga!

– Posted using MobyPicture.com