Jun 30, 2024
The Iconic classic that started a phenomenon & A surprisingly well executed war drama
Gundam was always one of those franchises i knew existed but never got the time to really get into it. That was until a few days ago where i finally decided to start my journey into this expansive Sci - Fi setting and i don't regret it one bit.
Don't let the somewhat silly concept of giant mechas fighting in space fool you. "Mobile Suit Gundam" is a serious war drama, dealing with concepts such as: PTSD, children in the military, how civilians are treated in times of war & how, ultimately,
...
no one wins in war.
In the show, there are two factions fighting each other, "The UEF" & "The Principality of Zeon" and while Zeon is shown as a bit more evil in their methods, the UEF isn't that innocent either. We get to see the best and the worst of both of them. War simply isn't black or white, it's a giant ball of gray and Gundam shows this perfectly.
The characters are also amazing. At first you might think of them as stereotypes but they are grounded, get developed and feel like real people. You really feel like you grow with the cast. Amuro Ray, the protagonist, while maybe not 100% like able all of the time is an incredible MC and i have a suspicion that he served as a huge inspiration for Shinji from "Neon Genesis Evangelion". His development can not be understated. Another great character is the iconic "Char Aznable" he absolutely steals the show every time he is on screen but i won't go more into his character here.
Where this show also succeeds is in the little details. "How much ammunition do i have left? What needs to be repaired? How do we ration food? How can i contact HQ from this ship?" it's little things like that that help make this world feel alive and separates Gundam from other, more generic, Sci - Fi shows of the time.
The fights, even with the outdated animation, are great and a lot of fun. One can argue that the poor animation is a good thing, since it forced the shows writers to really think about the battles. They feel methodical, strategies have to be made and don't feel like overly animated light shows.
Of course, as with everything, there are still a few flaws here and there.
As mentioned, the poor animation (that re uses a lot of the same shots and scenes that you will have to get used to). A pretty bad romantic sub plot near the end with one of the side characters, a new...(how do i say this without spoilers?) ability (?) that gets introduced in the last arc that just ends up feeling underdeveloped and the biggest criticism, the pacing. Even with only 40+ episodes, Gundam can feel like it moves at a snails pace, while it wasn't that big of an issue for me, i can totally see how that will turn people off. My advice? Stick with it! You would be missing out on an incredible show.
Even with a few hurdles in the road, "Mobile Suit Gundam" is an incredible anti- war drama that i can only recommend. If you like the dumb fun of giant robots fighting but with a serious story and theme, this is the show for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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