Kidou Senshi Z Gundam I: Hoshi wo Tsugu Mono

The amended and reworked 'A New Translation' series of Zeta Gundam movies were a very exciting announcement for many Gundam fans. With Tomino behind the helm again and the promise of remastered and brand new footage there's no way this could go wrong... right?

The story itself is relatively sound, however certain excellent and iconic scenes from the original series were abbreviated significantly or cut out entirely. That's the nature of creating a film based on a dense and lengthy animated series, however, some of the choices in regards to what was removed are questionable. The changes and additions made to ... the flow of the plot between the series and the movie, however, smooth the flow of the movie significantly. While many movie adaptations of lengthy series' feel rushed, awkward, confusing and overwhelming, this movie manages to mitigate those feelings for the most part. That's not to say there aren't certain elements of character development that are lost, there are, especially when it comes to Amuro's appearance in the movie. But even that isn't a total disaster and it's apparent that great care was taken to maintain the integrity of the story line.

The art direction of this film is downright schizophrenic and absolutely the most disappointing part of the film. The new footage created for the movie is absolutely amazing and mind-blowing. It is some of the best animation ever, it's downright gorgeous. Epic space battles rendered using this new animation are truly a sight to behold. However, there's not enough of it. What feels like the majority of the film uses outdated animation from the original series. To make matters worse, rarely are entire scenes played out with the new animation, splicing together the new and old footage in awkward ways that could honestly illicit a laugh. Quick cuts between the new and old animation for something as simple as Kamille and Quattro walking through the Argama are extremely jarring and not enjoyable for the viewer. The striking new animation juxtaposed against the older animation and the amateurish nature of the cuts between them is an enormous blemish on what would be an otherwise fantastic film. It is so bad that non-Zeta Gundam fans might have a hard time seeing past it and enjoying the movie for what it is.

For those new to the Zeta Gundam series, approach with caution. The cuts between new and old animation can appear downright silly. Fortunately, if that can be endured, a story that is timelessly classic is here for your enjoyment in its most digestible form ever. But those that are sticklers for shiny animation and fantastic production values may find the cuts as too much to bear.

So the question remains, can this great movie overcome the massive handicap of its disastrous choice in the animation department? For a Zeta Gundam fan, the answer is absolutely yes. Fans of the original Zeta Gundam series need to see this movie. Some of the new animation could legitimately bring a tear to their eyes, and requisite familiarity with the original animation should make it much easier to handle. However, those familiar with the original series will be even more conscious of some of the shortcomings of this adaptation's story. That weakness, however, is nothing compared to the weakness of the animation which is far more likely to effect a casual viewer's enjoyment.

After seeing this I would have rather they just re-animated the whole damn thing because the scene that were re-animated were amazing if the whole thing was like that would have have enjoyed it so much more. But this isn't terrible BUT it wouldn't recommend this to someone who hasn't seen the OG Zeta, I would still tell them to go and watch the OG 50 episodes. I would how ever recommend this to someone who's seen Zeta back in the day and forgot the story this is a great way to refresh your memory.

DO NOT WATCH THIS, WATCH THE ANIME SERIES.

I was not going in with high hopes, as I was told this compilation trilogy is jarring and adds new animation to some parts but doesn't remaster the full thing, so it was going to be inconsistent. But it wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be, at least in this movie anyway. That being said a lot of the action sequences seemed rushed and it felt like they added even more camera shake effects (when there was already too much in the original). 80% of the action has your screen shaking and it is offputting ... to me.

I also wasn't prepared, for just how much is skipped. And this film skipped and cut A LOT. Kamilles' introduction is missing vital parts that cause Jerid's hatred for him. Fa, Captain Bright and Emma's introductions were also shortened, none for the better.

Kamille's parents have even less development and the death of his mother is extremely rushed. Which adds to his rivalry with Jerid being even less believable. The plot with his dad was completely changed to a much shorter version, which also makes his dad out to be even more evil than before. Removing this subplot also means Emma's character is basically skipped entirely. We miss out on her struggle and moral compass, on her going against orders and joining the AEUG.

The scene where Char's name is first mentioned to Kamille is also changed, less impactful and then cuts to characters going to get lunch.

The heaviest part of Zeta's first act is also removed. The one where they visit a colony that had been wiped out and see all the remains of the inhabitants. Instead, they show Emma a video of it on a laptop for 2 minutes. And then they move on.

The entire Jaburo arc is cut down to 20 minutes and so much is skipped I honestly don't know where to start. Not only does this miss out on giving Kamille and Char development, but it also gives us a weaker and shorter introduction for Amuro, Katz, Kai and Hayato.

Kamilles whole struggle as a character throughout the first quarter of the show is about whether he even wants to be a soldier or not and how he is hesitant to join the war, but in this, he proudly deems himself one to Fa and has no struggle at all, a complete change in character.

The music was okay but I have 0 other things to praise. The final sequence changes with Amuro and Char were neat, that's about it. There is no reason whatsoever to watch this recap movie, it is an inferior and far worse version of the original show.