Feb 4, 2013
Gundam X is, in my very, very personal opinion, the best Gundam series. It has flaws, and its run is completely disappointing, but if there's something Gundam X that most other Gundam series fail at (with a couple of exceptions), is that it presents, it portrays, characters that are sympathetic, likeable and act in character throughout the entire show.
Garrod is a teenager, and acts like one; Tiffa lives up to her Newtype status by being a shy, lonely girl, who slowly opens up to other people; Jamil is the conflicted, but wise and disciplinary, mentor, who is protective of his subordinates and those he cares
...
about; and I could go on.
Gundam X has characters than have that human factor, which allow an average viewer who isn't even familiar with the franchise to highly enjoy this show.
Now if there is another thing I commend Gundam X of doing, is that the series isn't like most of its "AU" brethren (Alternate Universes, for those not very familiar with Gundam terminology): while it indeed has the obligatory UC (Universal Century) references and tradition in it, it actually does something with them: whereas shows like SEED and AGE simply use these tropes and copy paste them on their own shows, X deves into them, cooks them up, and creates its own identity using this exact tradition. I would mention them in detail, but with the aim of not spoiling the reader, I shall only say that, if they have watched UC beforehand, they are into a treat, especially if they have gotten tired of a certain annoying cliché involving potential love interests.
In addition to this, and despite its early cancellation, the show manages to tie its plot points very effectively and creatively.
The music is astounding, especially for a 90s anime series steming from a long-running metaseries like Gundam. X's predecessor, Gundam Wing, had a very, very neat soundtrack, one pf the best of the franchise in my opinion: but Gundam X manages to get to its level, if not surpass it, in some cases. The opening and ending themes are absolutely beautiful, which makes one wonder why Romantic Mode's career did not continue; the rest of the instrumental sountrack is feature film-level of goodness. You can tell they really put effort in composition and execution when it came to Gundam X's soundtrack. Whether it's a sad track, a sweet track, or an epic, battle-inspirational track, it hits the nail.
I would also like to address UC fans to tell them that this is the best way to introduce someone to Gundam and lead them to UC tradition: whereas Gundam Wing only revels in action and randomness most of the time, X actually attempts to be a fully good series, and it succeeds. Add to the fact that both UC and AW (After War) have practically some of the same concepts (Gundam X is the only Alternate Universe that has Newtypes), it's more suitable for someone who is reluctant to introduce a newcomer to Gundam due to the dated animation of 0079 or the incoherences of Wing.
The series isn't without flaws, though: the mechanical designs, while effective, ironically do not seem to be very original and seem more like Wing/UC hybrid rejects (although I will point out that the Virsargo and Ashtaron are some of the exceptions), and some people might not initially buy just how jolly and normal everyone seems to live in an post-apocalyptic world (although, serving as devil's advocate here: Gundam has never handled "apocalyptic scenarios" quite well in my opinoin), and the final arc is very, very, very rushed, despite concluding, ironically, quite effectively.
Overall, this is my favorite Gundam series. I guess my tastes may be too generic for the more "expert" viewers or something, but I have no regrets. Gundam X is my ideal Gundam series. And I highly recommend it to anyone, newcomer or veteran viewer, of the franchise, and anime as a whole.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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