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.

Gundam AGE ep43: the plot is revealed. Surprise. Giant thing smashes Earth. Again.

[Gundam AGE ep42]

Episode 42 of Gundam AGE left me in a somewhat sour mood. It wasn’t a bad episode at all. But it spent a lot of time playing up its pawn. Sure they did a better job of using that pawn for entertainment purposes. And I have no problem with them using women to demonstrate the suffering of war, Zeta Gundam-style. But it’s still a fairly straightforward and a cliched way of using a character like Reina in a story to evoke emotions. My only hope going into this episode was that it didn’t repeat the flashback/fillerbuster fest that the previous episode became.

Gundam AGE ep42: a new system is needed, or space hugs are bad.

Way late, but somehow still on time for Gundam AGE episode 42. And there is a lot to harp on. The mounds of dialogue from inside of cockpits. The flashy, but never too impressive mecha combat. How badass, ruthless Federation pilots always make me remember love for the Titans (not those knock-off A-LAWS). And the fact that AGE is making me rethink my position as a fan of the Gundam franchise. Let’s go!

Gundam AGE ep41: I heart you – Asem-u!

It’s been a week, and I think I’ve recovered from the projectile vomiting fit I suffered as a result of Kio Asuno channelling the spirit of my mortal enemy, Jesus Yamato. Though I haven’t given up! I still believe this show is gonna pull itself out of the bin and… wait. What is that? Is that a flashback? Is that another flashback? *HRRRGH!* Uh, excuse me. I need to find a lavatory…

Gundam AGE ep39: the old man’s lost it!

So my marathon of Gundam AGE is over and I’ve managed to catch up finally to the rest of the world.  Episodes thirty to thirty nine.  And what do I end up finding?  My favorite character has abandoned his family and become a dirty pirate.  The new protagonist is a somewhat annoying and very naive little whiner.  And the main villain for this whole series is some crazy old man who pulled the “super race” card when he was coming up with his evil schemes.  That said, this is Gundam AGE, and I’ve seen worse.

Check-in Station: Gundam AGE ep29 & 30 (you call this a crew?!)

You gotta give it up to Flit Asuno, the man is PREPARED! Asemu and now Kio have had the best set ups as Gundam pilots EVER! But while the Asuno family has their act together, there’s clearly not enough people like them in the Federation. Well, not to sound like a Zeke, but Feddies will be useless incompetent Feddies afterall! Welcome to the final age, where lessons are learned, but not everyone attends class.

#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.

#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 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.

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.