08th MS Team: A recommendation by a Mecha Fanboy

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Ork_dreadnought

Brigade Leader
Hi, I'd like to take a moment to recomend the highly excellent OVA series 08th MS Team, just re-released on region 1.

Around the turn of the new millennium, there was a big push made by Bandai to get the Gundam Franchise going in the USA, which featured a great many animes being translated into English. After Gundam Wing appeared on Cartoon Network UK (to my extreme joy), I waited patiently for the animes from the original storyline, which were doing the rounds in America. I was especially looking forward the OVA series 08th MS Team, a side story famed for its depictions of land warfare. I’m still waiting for that UK release (but Beez, Bandai’s UK anime arm, may import them). I lost patience, first acquiring bootlegs, and then the more recent “Complete Collectionâ€
 
It is one of the best Gundam shows and can be watched without any prior knowledge of Gunadm. Its also got a very differant feel from alot of Gundam shows, where the others where basically space opera's 08th MS is basically a Vietnam movie with mecha.

The Complete Collections of the three UC OVA's, 08th MS, 0080 and 0083 are all worth checking out, they're all really good shows and they're quite cheap too.
 
I'll just echo the general consensous, and say that I agree that 08th MS Team is one of the best Gundam series, and as per usual with a good Gundam OVA manages to add a new spin to the franchise. It's also easily available to buy, which is good news for anyone who wants to check them out; I could think of worse introductions into Gundam.

Ork_dreadnought, viewing your blog and this review, you really are an eloquent and focused writer who manages to crack the barrier of making writing interesting while retaining high standard of language. I really enjoyed visiting your blog.
 
Chomolungma said:
Ork_dreadnought, viewing your blog and this review, you really are an eloquent and focused writer who manages to crack the barrier of making writing interesting while retaining high standard of language. I really enjoyed visiting your blog.
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:D You are too kind, consider your blog bookmarked and the compliment returned.

Oh yeah, for those who have the boxset, what did you think to the "extra" clips that talk about the UC? I quite liked them.
 
I can't really add to any of the comments above, so I'll just say Norris Packard's fights with Shiro rock and I want a Gouf Custom for Christmas.

About the UC clip things: I thought they were pretty informative. I really liked the one about the Black Tri-Stars, and the explanation of Char's Zaku speed was interesting.
 
That's a very good example of the show in general, it gets quite brutal in a straight fight. I'd like a gouf too :) I've already got the EZ8.

Speaking of which, I was impressed at the way various mobile suits were patched up in order to make them operational. Like the Zaku tank, that Zaku with a blasted federation tower sheild, and the much loved "GM Head".
 
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Rurouni H said:
I can't really add to any of the comments above, so I'll just say Norris Packard's fights with Shiro rock and I want a Gouf Custom for Christmas.
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Yeah, that fight's absolutely fantastic, I don't think I've seen a mecha one on one -- before or since -- quite as intense, and as you guys already mentioned the fact Shiro rips off his MS' arm to stay in the fight is just the icing on the cake. ;)

I love all the designs in 08th MS, but the EZ8 definitely stands out, I love the way they customise/cobble togther their suits -- Karen's GM/Gundam combo springs immediately to mind. I bought myself a Gouf Custom, (model kit I might add :p), unfortunately my wallet only stretched to a Heine Westenfluss Gouf Ignited from SEED Destiny, but it's a great little kit nonetheless.
 
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Well, I can't see too much resemblance beyond the name, but it does make me interested in finding links between Gundam designs and real life military constructions.
 
The Easy Eight was the name given the eight and final varient of the Sherman tank that was originally based on a field modication of one of the earlier versions.

And yes that is where the name of the EZ8 comes from its not just a coincidence, there are other referances to tanks, weapons etc. in the model numbers of some of the MS and equipment in 08th MS, and all the other Gundam shows for that matter.
 
08MS is one of the best wieving upon the One Year War, but main characters are still young comparate to professional soldier... That was 'cause a point firm of UC was that the majority of Military Forces frob both sides was lost during the first months of War... (A good wiev of this was in MS IGLOO first episode, when they show the end of the artillery in favor of MS... With a LOT of damage, both side...)

Resembled to other Gundam shows, 08MS is less centered around the supermobilesuitthatcandestroyall... And combat is more tactical that impulsive... With specific tatics and strategy, instead of savage frontal assault... (I.E.: When they have to attack the Mobile Armor)

Really one of best Gundam Series...
 
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Yeah, it was typical of the often improvised nature of the show. It remains the only bath sequence I've seen that hand some small rational reason for it, beyond fanservice.
 
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Ork_dreadnought said:
Yeah, it was typical of the often improvised nature of the show. It remains the only bath sequence I've seen that hand some small rational reason for it, beyond fanservice.
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The first one... There is a second one... In the ending "movie", when the Zeonic orphan children use a Zaku's Axe to do the same thing and show theyr "Shiro Training"...
 
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Been a while since I watched this one, but it's very good. The Gundam OVA series in general are all pretty good, but 08th MS Team is probably the best. For all it's emotion 0080 is a bit short and low-budget and 0083 is too much of a continuity twister.

Slightly off topic, but has anyone here read the Ecole du Ciel manga? It's a Gundam story set in 0085, following an ex-Zeon girl enrolled in an academy for pilots (Ecole du Ciel = School of the Sky). I've only read the first volume, but it seems quite good, the unique (shakey) peacetime academy a good bit of originality that's a little reminiscent of the better "small guy's war" series like 08th MS Team. Plus it has really cute covers. Quite confusing who they're aiming at if you ask me. The colours scream "girly" but the characters look kind of fanservicey... All part of modern Gundam's tendancy to market cross-gender I suppose... and all the better for it :p
 
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