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I’ve been a long time fan of the mecha genre, but it took me a long time to get into the Gundam series. But I’m very glad that I have, I’ve been having a lot of fun with it. WFM is the 4th Gundam series I’ve completed behind the original series, G Gundam, and Gundam Seed, but it’s my favorite of the four and I think a lot of that comes down to the central relationships at play. Not just the relationship between Suletta and Miorine but also between Suletta and her mother as well. It roots all the corporate intrigue in something tangible and ... provides a solid backing for the world and the characters who inhabit it.

The animation and music are both gorgeous. I especially like Red Birthmark, the second cours ED. The production values are fantastic throughout. But where the series really shines is it’s characters and the forward momentum of the plot. Deciding to tackle a world of corporate bureaucracy and the in-fighting between various groups is a unique choice for a Gundam series and WFM pulls it off. Having so much of it take place in a school where the characters interact across group boundaries allows it to serve as a microcosm of the world as a whole and leads to a lot of interesting developments.

There’s a lot to admire about WFM. It took the franchise in a new direction, and one that paid dividends for Sunrise. I wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually released a movie or an OVA or two. My one complaint is aimed at the ending. I’d have liked a little more exposition on a couple of key moments in the finale, but this is a small criticism. It has a suitable ending that provides closure for its key cast and for the audience as well, and I came away really enjoying the entire series. This is one I’ll be sure to revisit again in the future.

So this is what happens when the Gundam franchise goes full Shonen Jump! It makes for a really interesting viewing experience in comparison to other Gundam entries. It’s a show that wears its heart on its sleeves and isn’t afraid to be as over the top and outlandish as possible. And that’s exactly ecstatic makes it so appealing.

I’m a bit of a Gundam Neophyte. I’ve watched Gundam Seed and thought it was just okay, stopped Reconguista in G because I thought it was awful. But then I really liked the original 1979 Gundam, and I’m loving The Witch from Mercury. So I’m a bit all ... over the place in my relationship to the franchise. But I found myself really liking this one. I don’t think it’s plot is as good as the original Gundam but I think where G Gundam excels is it’s characters.

The characters might not all be the most complex, but they are almost all instantly endearing. That comes down to both their character designs and their writing. They all have defined goals and experience degrees of character development. Domon is the stand out character as the protagonist. He is hot-blooded and full of passion and not afraid to proclaim how he communicates with his fists. But he has quite a bit of character development and that becomes really apparent near the end. The core relationship at the center of the show is also well defined and they have good chemistry, their connection was never in doubt.

I also really liked the characters of Sai Saici, Chibodee Crockett, and Argo Gulskii. They were pretty well defined and enjoyable to watch, with Sai Saici potentially being my favorite. They also all have very unique character designs. You can easily pick them out of a character lineup and that’s always a credit to character designs.

The Gundam designs range from being pretty cool for the main characters to absolutely insane for a lot of the side characters. I’d have loved to see even more of the completely wacky designs! I’m beginning to get into Gunpla and there are a ton of model kits I’d love to get from this series. I think my favorite designs are probably God Gundam, Dragon Gundam, and Bolt Gundam.

The animation quality is strong but also has a really nice nostalgic feel to it. I was only 1 when this series first aired but a lot of the animation techniques and design sensibilities of the Pokémon anime series from my youth are reflected in G Gundam. And I really like that. It might be dated but it made it really nostalgic and endearing.

I’m also just a sucker for tournament stories, so that aspect perfectly aligned with my interests. It did drag in a couple of places. The training arc went on for a little too long. But around the half way point it kicks in and doesn’t really let up until the end. And it’s a great ending. It has a lot of shades of Eureka Seven, my favorite anime series, in its conclusion and I’m obviously a sucker for those storytelling choices.

It isn’t the most in-depth series. The bad guys are bad with little nuance. And it does have some pacing issues. But it’s still a very fun, and energetic watch, of which I’m glad to have partaken.