Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket was the first OVA to be released in the monolithic ever-expanding Gundam franchise, but is unfortunately oftentimes overshadowed by the franchise's flashier, more action-packed installments.
Released back in the franchise's glory days, this 1989 six-episode OVA series tells the story of 10 year-old Alfred, a young boy who, like many kids his age, is fascinated by war, weapons and the military, and is obsessed with the ongoing conflict between the Earth Federation and the space colonists of the Principality of Zeon, who seek independence from Earth's authority. Living on a neutral space colony and therefore being
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isolated from the horrors of the war, Alfred and his like-minded friends are amazed to witness a failed Zeon military operation take place in their colony and Alfred is quick to befriend Bernie, a young Zeon soldier stranded in the colony as a result. Little did Al know that this blossoming relationship would change his outlook on life forever.
Before I move on, it's worth noting that this OVA requires little to no prior knowledge of Gundam to get the most out of, so feel free to jump straight into the franchise with this installment, as the story is almost entirely standalone. Although watching at least the original Gundam TV series or it's 3 compilation movies would help to further flesh out the setting.
PLOT:
Being only 6 episodes long, and as the brief summary I gave above indicates, the plot is relatively simple, the story being driven mostly by the characters and their interactions. But it is in it's rigid simplicity and concise nature where 0080 truly shines. Free from the shackles of genre clichés and the chains of tens of redundant filler episodes and overly complex, convoluted plots that confine many of it's mecha brethren, War in the Pocket's brevity gives it's themes and ideas room to breathe, and are presented to the viewer with refreshing clarity and directness. It handles it's themes masterfully, conveying it's ideas in a clear and powerful manner.
The story breaks the conventional Gundam mold, shifting the series' setting from the large scale space battles of it's peers to the peaceful neighborhoods of the space colony Side 6, viewing the conflict from the perspective of civilians observing the war as opposed to military personnel fighting on it's front-lines.
Gone are the overpowered mechs and magical 'newtype' pilots of previous Gundams, adding to the realism of the series.
As such, the series is much calmer and less action oriented than your average mecha , having very little action or mecha battles. The pacing is also significantly slower, having a 'slice of life' feel to it at times, focusing on the characters and how the ongoing war affects their daily lives. This gives the series a more grounded, down to earth and realistic feel as opposed to others in its genre.
While more action-seeking viewers won't be too fond of the slower pacing and seemingly uneventful opening episodes of the series, the slow pace of the first half of the show aids greatly in fleshing out the characters and developing the relationships between them, in turn giving the more dramatic events of the latter half of the series more weight and relevance building up to one of the most powerful and sobering endings I've witnessed in any show.
CHARACTERS:
Due to the short nature of the OVA, the cast is relatively small in size, but once again this simple approach works in 0080's favor. Instead of introducing tens of characters that serve little to no purpose, the characters we're introduced to all have important roles to play throughout the story.
As for character development, don't let the small episode count fool you. The amount of character development these characters go through in the series' brief 180 minute run-time puts entire 50 episode series to shame. All characters go through a tremendous amount of development as the plot progresses, especially Al and Bernie, whose personalities and views change significantly by the time the end credits roll.
Another of the show's highlights from a character perspective is just how genuine and real the character interactions feel. The way the show handles the relationship between Al and Bernie, it's gradual development and how they affect each other is marvelously done making them one of the most likable duos in anime.
ART & ANIMATION:
Being a show from the late 80s the art style does look a bit dated to the modern viewer, but beautiful and elegant nonetheless. The character designs are handled well and the animation itself is surprisingly fluid and crisp for a show this old.
SOUND:
0080's soundtrack is usually the aspect of this show that's most subject to criticism, as many perceive the mostly cheerful sounding background music played throughout the series to be an odd match for the shows dark and depressing themes, but I personally disagree. In my opinion, the soundtrack provides excellent contrast with the shows themes as it embodies the naive , innocent nature of the protagonist, which when juxtaposed with the cruel, meaningless nature of war the story portrays, highlights just how deluded Al is in his romanticization of warfare.
This contrast can also bee seen in the Opening and ending themes, as the pleasant and upbeat almost childish opening theme contrasts with the gloomy depressing yet equally beautiful ending theme, as if to foreshadow the series' depressing finale.
As for the voice acting I have no complaints, and what I've heard from the English dub for the show has been pretty good.
ENJOYMENT:
0080 was one of the few shows I've watched where I was genuinely engaged from start to finish, not once did the show feel dull or boring, despite the slower paced first half of the show.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
War in the Pocket was a humbling experience, one i'll never forget.
As someone who enjoys fiction with war as a main theme, (Gundam being no exception) War in the Pocket hit me hard. You could say I was struck with the cruel, pointless reality of war just as hard as Al was. 0080 was one of the very few pieces of media that resonated with me on a personal level, forcing me to change my outlook on something.
For me, War in the Pocket is a work that has transcended the confines of being mere entertainment. It's powerful drama, gut-wrenching conclusion and sobering message will stay with me for a long time, making it a timeless classic.
While many similar series have 'their souls weighed down by Earth's gravity', War in the Pocket succeeded in escaping Earth's orbit, taking it's place as a shining star in the sky of anime greatness.
PROS:
+Excellent war drama with well handled themes
+Captivating character development
+Defies traditional Gundam/Mecha setup to create something truly unique
+One of the most powerful endings you'll ever see
+No prior Gundam knowledge required
CONS:
- None that I can think of.
SCORE 10/10
Apr 1, 2017
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket was the first OVA to be released in the monolithic ever-expanding Gundam franchise, but is unfortunately oftentimes overshadowed by the franchise's flashier, more action-packed installments.
Released back in the franchise's glory days, this 1989 six-episode OVA series tells the story of 10 year-old Alfred, a young boy who, like many kids his age, is fascinated by war, weapons and the military, and is obsessed with the ongoing conflict between the Earth Federation and the space colonists of the Principality of Zeon, who seek independence from Earth's authority. Living on a neutral space colony and therefore being ... |
