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Apr 9, 2016 6:43 AM
#1

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THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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What an annoying part to end the story on. Should have made at least 1 more episode to cover till Io's escape and ABQ raid. The end of the OYW would be a more satisfying end.
Apr 9, 2016 8:02 AM
#2
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1
Is there a link to Episode 4?
Apr 9, 2016 8:52 AM
#3
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BakaVictory said:
Is there a link to Episode 4?

360p quality raw at nyaa.se

Hoping there will be 5th episode.
Apr 10, 2016 9:53 PM
#4

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fuumin said:
BakaVictory said:
Is there a link to Episode 4?

360p quality raw at nyaa.se

Hoping there will be 5th episode.

There's a 540p on /m/

And there won't be a 5th episode. This would be a 10/10 from me if it were longer. Too bad.
Apr 12, 2016 12:29 AM
#5

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Jan 2009
101115
i watch it raw

damn Karla survive but she suffered a psychological trauma there, and looks like they are talking about giving her a reuse psycho device so she become mentally stable again?

nice to see a thunderbolt or lightning bolt to be exact there to wake up Daryl in the fight

Daryl and Io both survive and i doubt Io will become a prisoner there for so long

i hope when the manga finish they will remake this, sunrise please do it

because of the none conclusive ending i will just give it a 9/10
Apr 12, 2016 5:41 PM
#6

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101115
for those that are curious and want to read the manga
the anime ended at chapter 28 (or end of volume 3)
Apr 15, 2016 3:12 PM
#7

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6092
I wish it would have been longer but loved watching Daryl float over Io while that sweet 50s doowop music kicked in.
Apr 22, 2016 5:43 PM
#8

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j0x said:
for those that are curious and want to read the manga
the anime ended at chapter 28 (or end of volume 3)

How much did the anime cover? or should I really start reading from chapter 1 anyways?

With how the anime ended, even though I loved it I need to have more.
Apr 22, 2016 5:48 PM
#9

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Oct 2008
13718
Just finished watching from [Manko] subs
Intense brutal all out chaos war!
Amazing mobile suit gundam vs psycho zaku!
5/5
8/10
I also want this show to be a series!


Apr 22, 2016 5:53 PM
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66
So, 3 episodes of building suspense just to kill it off in 2m? Bleh.
Apr 22, 2016 6:58 PM
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564074
Welp that was something. 4 ep. of musical anime. XD
Apr 22, 2016 6:59 PM

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I really hope they make a longer gundam series in this tone. It was dark and just gritty man. I would love a series from a foot soldier's perspective fighting on land n stuff
I got no time to do what I dont want to do
Apr 22, 2016 7:01 PM

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1147
Tenth said:
or should I really start reading from chapter 1 anyways?
Yes. Considerable amount of character interactions and scene transitions have been cut.
Apr 22, 2016 7:05 PM

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Nilvius said:
Tenth said:
or should I really start reading from chapter 1 anyways?
Yes. Considerable amount of character interactions and scene transitions have been cut.

Thanks for the info, will read from scratch.
Apr 22, 2016 7:25 PM

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Apr 2014
1143
I love the animation quality of every episode. You can really tell how much time and effort they put into each episode.

I hope in the future Sunrise can turn this into a full tv series







Apr 22, 2016 7:27 PM

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1073
Damn what a note to end on. It's so disappointing we don't have any more episodes to look forward to (at least, not any more episodes to look forward to as of right now), especially since Io's been captured by Zeon forces. Seeing Karla's recovery, and Io cope with Claudia dying would've been nice to see, assuming the manga's far enough ahead that those things have already been dealt with, or are in the process of being dealt with. Io's reaction to learning Daryl's an amputee really showcased just how much an asshole he can be too.
Apr 22, 2016 8:15 PM

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222
What an end.

Now to just wait for the mods or whoever to mark this show as Completed (it's still listed as Airing).
Apr 22, 2016 9:22 PM

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Nov 2011
129059
I thought it was decent but the ending.....

Yeah, that's something I think can need a bit more add on to. I just wish this series was a bit longer (at least the length more than 16 minutes). Poor Claudia....
Apr 22, 2016 9:57 PM

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Am I just blind & dumb or there is no 4th subbed episode?
Apr 22, 2016 10:18 PM

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222
Konte said:
Am I just blind & dumb or there is no 4th subbed episode?


Blind. It's out there.
Apr 23, 2016 1:18 AM

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WHAT AN ONA MY FUCKING GOD MASTERPIECE <3
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOVIE <3


Apr 23, 2016 4:02 AM

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Nilvius said:
THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
----------------------------------------
What an annoying part to end the story on. Should have made at least 1 more episode to cover till Io's escape and ABQ raid. The end of the OYW would be a more satisfying end.


They're probably going to continue it.
I feel like this was good place to leave it hanging.
I think it'd be better if they don't rush things just so they cram in as much of the manga in as possible.
Apr 23, 2016 7:23 AM

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Dec 2015
6479
Another episode with long action scenes. The best part was when the Moor invaded the Zeon ship.
With this episode, I realize I didn't care a bit about the main characters (even the "underdog" felt pathetic in the end, holding no concern for the war nor his own body), their rivalry and the side-characters, which is probably one of the reason I never had any interest in it even when I enjoyed a scene or more. The other reason being my lack of interest for Gundam/mecha battles, no matter how pretty they are.

I suppose the ending is good for what is supposed to be a blasting advertisement for the manga (and the Gunpla who were never animated before).

Personal enjoyment: 2/5

Overall note: 6/10 Very well crafted. Did the job as a shiny commercial, not as a story. I liked how it conveyed the One Year War horror.


Also, the sector is still under Zeon's control. Isn't it a problem when the Federation is supposed to secure it for A Baoa Qu's battle?


Now, back to 0086.


edit: what exactly is "December's sky"? A compilation of the four ONAs?
Rei_IIIApr 23, 2016 7:30 AM
Apr 23, 2016 9:14 AM

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NecroNomix said:
I really hope they make a longer gundam series in this tone. It was dark and just gritty man. I would love a series from a foot soldier's perspective fighting on land n stuff


Gundam IGLOO has that but it's short as well. Damn I'm gonna miss Thunderbolt.
(|__/) Never give up, aim for the top!
(='.'=) Top wo nerae!
o(")(") Anime music: http://myanimelist.net/blog.php?eid=777199
Apr 23, 2016 12:07 PM

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4807
Holy shit that fucking scene where the Jim just disintegrated those people holding the bomb and the chick barely surviving it.
This was a very unique entry to UC , I wish it wasn't so short.
Apr 23, 2016 12:40 PM

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Nov 2015
192
This was really good! From the animation to the music. I really wish it was longer as theres so much more to tell, it's a shame a story like this only gets 4 episodes when so many bad shows get 12-25 episodes.
Apr 23, 2016 9:49 PM

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May 2015
4786
Man I never get tired of the original Universal Century timeline!

The tension during the invasion of that Zeon flag ship and the contrast in resolve one ready to die (Zeon) and the other side refusing to die (Federation) was marvelous. The part when Cornelius was shaking in addition to him trying to convince Karla to stop all that nonsense of sacrificing for a cause, then he realizing that he was trick (he was a tool for stalling them… preventing the detonation of the bomb) Karla shock to see comrades & fellow human beings destroyed in a matter of seconds because they were deceived, thus mind breaking her in the process left me with my jaw wide open. Io is a though bastard… But all the kudos goes to the staff & voice acting they did a pretty good job animating all of that battle scenes and emotions… & the Seiyū for conveying all of that suffering for both parties involved in what I considered a limited time of work 4 episodes ONA/ 16+min. I think they did a stupendous job considering all the challenges they have.

Hope for a movie or more ONA/OVA to see an animated conclusion to this great story.
Apr 24, 2016 1:29 AM

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Dec 2015
6479
Roy_Focker said:
Hope for a movie or more ONA/OVA to see an animated conclusion to this great story.

I thought the manga was still in publication?
By the way,
Rei366 said:
what is exactly "Kidô Senshi Gundam Thunderbolt - December's sky"? A compilation of the four ONAs?
Apr 24, 2016 12:05 PM

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Jan 2016
124
This was bretty good. Liked it a lot. To think that i hated it at first...

8/10 - My only complaints were how short it was, the terrible character designs and the "Deus Ex Maquina"-esque ending. Overall, a pretty great series. Definitely one of the best modern Gundam series.
"Now you have your answer. That's Fire Bomber. We don't know their past or future... they're just here. That's all there is." - Akiko Lips
Apr 24, 2016 12:09 PM

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Jun 2013
1144
This was a great Gundam series. Even better animation than Unicorn, and it's literally everything you want with Gundam. I just wish it was longer. I can't give a 10/10 due to the short length, but any less than 9/10 would be an injustice.
Apr 24, 2016 2:54 PM

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Boltz said:
NecroNomix said:
I really hope they make a longer gundam series in this tone. It was dark and just gritty man. I would love a series from a foot soldier's perspective fighting on land n stuff


Gundam IGLOO has that but it's short as well. Damn I'm gonna miss Thunderbolt.


Thanks it was on my watch list
I got no time to do what I dont want to do
Apr 24, 2016 4:38 PM

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May 2015
4786
@Rei366

Yeah, I know but thanks anyway... My Hope is to see an animated conclusion of this story (meaning the studio finish what they started {sometimes anime tends to left anime viewers hanging}) if not I’m going to pick up the manga...
Apr 24, 2016 6:31 PM

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35
Great direction, awesome jazzy OST, impressive visuals(DAT shading), character development and backstory without endless dialogues, fast paced combats, not to mention Daryl is Ein done right.

Maybe I'll read the manga to wait for the movie or a possible sequel.I appreciate this Gundam's grittiness, feels more "war-like".
Psycho_Shin_KenApr 24, 2016 6:38 PM
Apr 24, 2016 6:40 PM

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Feb 2013
6196
I was expecting both main pilots to end up dead by the end of this. Nope. Io's side LOST and they were captured. Was not expecting that.

Excellent action and art. Nice to see two psychos fighting as well.
7/10 (good)
Sunrise needs to do more at this production quality.
Apr 24, 2016 7:37 PM
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87
this is so good, i fukng crying
Apr 25, 2016 2:39 PM

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2099
A fitting finale for an awesome series. At least it was utterly apparent, where the budget of the third episode was allocated... And rightfully so. After all, in Soviet Side 4, Gundam watches you.



The enthralling action scenes aside, I really liked the final touches used to flesh out the characters. Flemng remained a thrill-seeking egomaniac till the bitter end, while Lorenz needed the help of his dreaded opponent to understand the obvious contradictions of his personality. It would seem Fleming was not all that devastated by being captured by Zeon (the regret of not having taken down the modified Zaku and its ace pilot was more of a concern, apparently).



In that respect, Karla's fate was rather unfortunate indeed. While I may have inadvertently started laughing out loud as that GM turned on its beam sabre and vaporised the Zeon remnants (and their explosive intentions), Karla's subsequent nervous breakdown definitely took me aback.



I do hope that a befitting sequel is created in the future. I certainly would not mind going for another crazy ride accompanied by jazz tunes.
Apr 28, 2016 12:46 PM

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2282
Too much greatness at the same time and Origin is still ongoing.
Apr 29, 2016 9:28 AM
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I believed Io will make a great escape. Both would remind you of Naruto vs Sasuke (Naruto Manga) as an example. They shared great rivalry and I believe that the manga hasn't conclude yet.
Apr 29, 2016 7:43 PM
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5252
That GM scene was just fucking brutal LOL
May 2, 2016 1:45 AM

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230
I just finished watching this. This, and the manga its based on, are such blatant Zeon fanwank, its hilarious. Its pretty fanwank, though.
Blergh.
May 2, 2016 5:38 PM

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1409
I was shocked at the death of those guys who got vaporized by the beam saber. I totally wasn't expecting that!

Overall I love this OVA series. The animation looks great and the action was enjoyable.
Now time to help myself to the model kits...
"Fortress Maximus has come himself. Okay! Then I shall get Fortress Maximus to fight me, huh huh huh!"

May 3, 2016 6:14 AM

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3293
Dear lord let there be a second series after the manga gets ahead! This is too good!!

Dam..the way those Zeon guys got vaporised by the beam saber..

10/10
May 4, 2016 10:24 AM

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Jan 2016
416
RX-782 said:
Holy shit that fucking scene where the Jim just disintegrated those people holding the bomb and the chick barely surviving it.
Kotori_Sonoda said:
I was shocked at the death of those guys who got vaporized by the beam saber. I totally wasn't expecting that!
Aozure said:
Dam..the way those Zeon guys got vaporised by the beam saber..


The beam saber attack was the most fffff moment for me, i was like CARLA YOU SHOULDA DONE IT! Also the massacre of the Zeon was pretty brutal too.

Alexeon said:
such blatant Zeon fanwank


I like that though, I generally think the Zeon are cooler, so I like it when they're humanized.

I really wanted Daryl to win against Io. Though I wish Io had more chances to be the vicious prick he is. While the ending was kind of abrupt, I like that it suggested more fighting would continue.
FragOutFireMay 4, 2016 10:31 AM
May 4, 2016 11:47 AM

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Its not that I don't like Zeon being humanized, but the tone of the show/manga is very "look at these heroic, poor Zeon fighting against these Feddie assholes." Remind me again who started this war by committing mass murder of innocent civilians using WMDs again?

I'm just saying, there are good guys on both sides, but not in this manga. In this manga, Almost the entire Feddie side is painted like a bunch of bully frat kids, partying it up between battles (especially after the war is over) and bullying member states while Zeon is still valiantly fighting the good fight.
Blergh.
May 4, 2016 11:07 PM

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1147
Funny, because from the way I see it, Zeon is so desperate and stubborn that they have no qualms about utilizing technology that works under the basis of exploiting crippled veterans. Rather than seeing the foot soldiers as valiant, I see them as being pushed into a suicidal rush for a doomed battle all in the name of supposed Spacenoid freedom.
May 18, 2016 6:42 PM

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4878
This felt so incomplete. There should have been just one more episode. I loved the character design, artwork, animation and BGM/OST.
May 27, 2016 2:20 PM

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5747
Man, what a great OVA. This is Gundam at its best. This warrants - no, actually it begs - for a 9/10 and I am sure more OVAs will follow.
Steel Ball Run anime when?
Jun 30, 2016 6:44 AM

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7621
What a shame! It is all in suspense, but reading the comments I can see why. pretty exciting battle, beautiful choreography, my desire to see Daryl and Karla, safe and sound, is heard, but I did not believe that the affair had that final twist. Great product, I'm satisfied with this little gem of animation, have made it clear that a number of ONA, can be like a TV series. I did not see a series of Gundam so bloody long time, also did something that normally I have not seen in other Gundam series, or give a weight so dominant in music, in the form of the soundtrack.

My vote is 8.30/10.
Jul 2, 2016 9:42 PM

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Jul 2016
2
Alexeon said:
Its not that I don't like Zeon being humanized, but the tone of the show/manga is very "look at these heroic, poor Zeon fighting against these Feddie assholes." Remind me again who started this war by committing mass murder of innocent civilians using WMDs again?

I'm just saying, there are good guys on both sides, but not in this manga. In this manga, Almost the entire Feddie side is painted like a bunch of bully frat kids, partying it up between battles (especially after the war is over) and bullying member states while Zeon is still valiantly fighting the good fight.


well if we really want to go back who started it, I'd put that firmly in the corner of the feds by treating the spacenoids like second class citizens. There's only so long people will be oppressed before they rise up in arms. Yeah Giren is a bloody insane tyrant, but Zeon didn't start with the Zabis, they started with Zeon Daikun. I think most would agree history would've turned out much different had he lived. The real conflict is not Zeon vs Feds, but Spacenoids vs Feds.

As for the manga being pro-Zeon, it's not surprising as Zeon fans greatly outnumber Fed fans in Japan, as can be easily witnessed visiting any anime show there. I actually had a Japanese friend who characterized that Feds = US, and Zeon = Japan. Personally, I think humanizing Zeons in the actual anime production is far more uncommon than the reverse (as opposed to managa which is more even), as there are only really a few anime productions which tells the story from the Zeon perspective, 0080 and MS Igloo being really the only ones. So I agree with the other poster that I would welcome more attempts to present a more balanced view.
Jul 2, 2016 10:54 PM

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Mar 2008
24335
Jagtmirage said:
Alexeon said:
Its not that I don't like Zeon being humanized, but the tone of the show/manga is very "look at these heroic, poor Zeon fighting against these Feddie assholes." Remind me again who started this war by committing mass murder of innocent civilians using WMDs again?

I'm just saying, there are good guys on both sides, but not in this manga. In this manga, Almost the entire Feddie side is painted like a bunch of bully frat kids, partying it up between battles (especially after the war is over) and bullying member states while Zeon is still valiantly fighting the good fight.


well if we really want to go back who started it, I'd put that firmly in the corner of the feds by treating the spacenoids like second class citizens. There's only so long people will be oppressed before they rise up in arms. Yeah Giren is a bloody insane tyrant, but Zeon didn't start with the Zabis, they started with Zeon Daikun. I think most would agree history would've turned out much different had he lived. The real conflict is not Zeon vs Feds, but Spacenoids vs Feds.

Playing the historical blame game is goin to be just as biased and partisan here as it is in real life. When our conclusions are based on an assortment of contradicting and vague materials, it's pretty hard to argue for a one true canon when it comes to the Universal Century. Do we really know to what extent Earth elites conspired to oppress the Spacenoids? Do we really know what level of poverty and dispossession the colonists experienced? Even Zeon himself is an unclear figure - just look at Yasuhiko's take in the Origin, where an overworked and fanatical Deikun compares himself to Jesus and seeks complete war against the Federation. Is this his true self, a result of his poisoning, or a fringe and dismissible alternate depiction by a mangaka who was had a direct hand in the original anime?
UC fans are welcome to their own headcannon, but it's important to realise that there is no absolute universe that all these works adhere to.

It can be a heap of fun to delve into the fictional world and treating it with the serious measurements of reality - (it's surely a part of Gundam's expansive appeal) - but the point is that we can draw meaning from the series in ways that are ever changing. The real conflict isn't Feds and Zeon, Spacenoid and Fed, nor Newtype and Oldtpye; it's man against itself - in war, against history, amongst ourselves, between generations.


Jagtmirage said:
As for the manga being pro-Zeon, it's not surprising as Zeon fans greatly outnumber Fed fans in Japan, as can be easily witnessed visiting any anime show there. I actually had a Japanese friend who characterized that Feds = US, and Zeon = Japan. Personally, I think humanizing Zeons in the actual anime production is far more uncommon than the reverse (as opposed to managa which is more even), as there are only really a few anime productions which tells the story from the Zeon perspective, 0080 and MS Igloo being really the only ones. So I agree with the other poster that I would welcome more attempts to present a more balanced view.

Well I don't think you have to make a side the protagonist in order to humanise them. From the very beginning, Gundam has given Zeon a fair share. Was not Char a cunning and Machiavellian foe? He was no outright villain. For all his pride and naivety, was not Garma a pleasant fellow? Rambal Ral and Hamon are surely the most goodie Zeons ever seen. And let's not forget the countless small part roles where the Zeon soldier was shown - not a fanatic, but doing as soldiers do. I suppose you could argue those small roles as cartoonishly unreal - deprived of the fanaticism, trauma, and callousness we are so familiar with in war stories.
And even aside from 0080 and Igloo, we have 0083's loyal (politicised) soldiers, the competent of 08th and even a faction-transcending lover.

Factional-wise, you could argue for an even hand ever since Zeta's release. Zeon has had a fair go right up to Unicorn.


But to begin with I should have addressed Thunderbolt. And I think the completed answer to Alexeon's post is not just that both sides are responsible and dirtied, but that the serries itself was clearly about the brutality and vicious violence of soldiers against soldiers fighting battles so lost in meaning from a wider war and its haughty causes. Each side destroys each other however they can - using whatever means they can (children, amputees) - for powers perhaps uncaring (the Moore Brotherhood, callous researchers, and Zeon's leadership.) The footsoldiers suffer incredibly - they aren't righteous. They aren't heroes. Zeon's cripple soldiers wantonly throw themselves on the fire; the Federation uncaringly passes materiel around in a political game.

Daryl and friends are hardly held up in a truly positive light - perhaps as symbols of the toughness of people, but they are half-life pawns of a larger war. They are not shown admirably staving of a foreign invasion. At the last, Daryl has fallen, intoxicate by power, and dismembered by his trials. He tried to bring an end the hell of battle and escape his ruined body, but that's to no avail - except ironically in his butcher's machine. Confronting his fated foe at the end, Daryl perhaps realises that he too has become a mad dog poisoned by war.
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