Gundam SEED opinions
- Thread starter Cyburn
- Start date
If you liked them, then by all means give it a shot. It's well worth watching if you like mecha anime, and is also a good introduction to the Gundam franchise. Give the reviews on this site a look too, they might prove helpful.
You could also give the original Gundam movie trilogy a go as well. They're older and not as cool as SEED, but some prefer them over the newer offerings.
You could also give the original Gundam movie trilogy a go as well. They're older and not as cool as SEED, but some prefer them over the newer offerings.
Evangelion/RahXephon aren't really that similar to Gundam Seed if you ask me... the only thing they have in common is robots, but yeah, give it a go. Seed isn't the best Gundam but it's probably the best Gundam you can actually buy in the UK. Which isn't saying much really :/
Laughing Manji
School Idol
The original UC gundam is ace. The original TV series meandered for a bit but it was quite good. THe movies should be considered as having tighter editing and might be a better starting point, they are available here. Look very dated now, but they kick off what amounts to the core story and all the best Gundam story is set in the UC.
Wing, SEED and the other re-inventions are probably Okay and all, but the mecha are the stars there. I am just loving UC gundam to bits. I am not entirely excited at how Gundam ZZ is meant to go.
In any case, Eva & RahXephon are not good comparisons for any Gundam series really.
At its core, every Gundam series is a war story told from the viewpoints of the principle characters on either side. They specialise in the complexity and to an extent the believability of this war and the best Gundam series humanise both sides. One of the principle villains/enemies of the original series, Char, is one of the most iconic characters in anime and deservedly so.
Wing, SEED and the other re-inventions are probably Okay and all, but the mecha are the stars there. I am just loving UC gundam to bits. I am not entirely excited at how Gundam ZZ is meant to go.
In any case, Eva & RahXephon are not good comparisons for any Gundam series really.
At its core, every Gundam series is a war story told from the viewpoints of the principle characters on either side. They specialise in the complexity and to an extent the believability of this war and the best Gundam series humanise both sides. One of the principle villains/enemies of the original series, Char, is one of the most iconic characters in anime and deservedly so.
To be honest, I felt that the middle movie was less "tight" than it was simply "bad" editing, but nevertheless, the first and last movies are certainly worth watching and Movie two is still better than trudging through the middle episodes of the original series... ugh. For me, Gundam Seed just about edges the movies out because of 2's choppy editing and rather "meh" plot line. Note also the relative lack of Char in this movie. Recipe for disasterLaughing Manji said:
Of course, there's also the matter of the movies being 3 DVDs and Seed being 10 that may swing an opinion the opposite way... I just wish there was some excellent Gundam properties available in Europe, instead of the "mediocre" and "pretty good in some places" stuff that Beez have released so far. Zeta, Victory, 0080, 0083*, 08th MS Team and Turn A please... ok, I know: "dream on"
.* Last Blitz of Zeon doesn't count. Would it really have hurt them to release a 3 or 4 DVD series rather than another undoubtably confusingly edited summary movie?
Laughing Manji
School Idol
kupoartist said:
Yeah, my point exactly. Most of the middle arc of the series is legwork anyway. Movie 2 is effectively removing the weakest 13-14 episodes and condensing them down to 1 (admittedly long) movie. Movie 2 is weaker because the source it is condensing is weak.
kupoartist said:For me, Gundam Seed just about edges the movies out because of 2's choppy editing and rather "meh" plot line. Note also the relative lack of Char in this movie. Recipe for disaster
Nailed it there. I recommend the original TV series/movies a lot, not because they are particularly good - they are decent, very good in places, but showing their age - but they are an important slice of anime history, and they lay the foundation for all of the pure gold that comes after. Basically a 150 episode TV series with 'filler' like Gundam 0080, 0083 & MS 08th Team.
Frankly, while I heard decent things about SEED, it is just rehashing the original series, and the character design is weaker. Later Gundam series transfer the focus of attention to the mecha themselves, or they require the Gundam to carry the series.
kupoartist said:I just wish there was some excellent Gundam properties available in Europe, instead of the "mediocre" and "pretty good in some places" stuff that Beez have released so far. Zeta, Victory, 0080, 0083*, 08th MS Team and Turn A please... ok, I know: "dream on"
Thats what DVD Pacific is for. Personally I think that Bandai are fully aware that the most rabid gundam fans have already imported R1 gundam boxsets at excellent US prices.
kupoartist said:
Don't worry - they will bring out Millers Report as a substitute for 08th MS Team :O
Laughing Manji
School Idol
Millers report is a 50 minute OVA consisting of roughly 50% of recycled animation. It is not a summary movie in the same sense that (AFAIK) Last Blitz is.
The movie expands further on part of 08th MS Team. Basically one of the characters is investigated by Military Police/Internal Affairs types in the series. Millers Report expands on this part of the series, taking the form of several interrogations between the lead investigator (Miller) and the team member. Its actually more than a bit superflous, 08th MS Team was so solid that it didn't have any plot holes that needed expanding on.
The series ended in an intelligent extended way, ruling out the possibility of an OVA ending extender in the first place.
The movie expands further on part of 08th MS Team. Basically one of the characters is investigated by Military Police/Internal Affairs types in the series. Millers Report expands on this part of the series, taking the form of several interrogations between the lead investigator (Miller) and the team member. Its actually more than a bit superflous, 08th MS Team was so solid that it didn't have any plot holes that needed expanding on.
The series ended in an intelligent extended way, ruling out the possibility of an OVA ending extender in the first place.
Laughing Manji
School Idol
I might score 0083 myself seperately after I finish Zeta, but I am not really interested in Last Blitz.
Ork_dreadnought
Brigade Leader
Sorry for coming late to this.....
SEED isn't bad by any means, its a solid mecha series. It just looses points for melodrama and recycling ideas from the original series. However, the original series (plus 08th MS team and Zeta), while the best in the franchise, are a bit inaccesible in this country at the moment.
Rule of thumb: UC continuity good, but tricky get hold of and often quite old. SEED good, but the UC continuity is usually better.
SEED isn't bad by any means, its a solid mecha series. It just looses points for melodrama and recycling ideas from the original series. However, the original series (plus 08th MS team and Zeta), while the best in the franchise, are a bit inaccesible in this country at the moment.
Rule of thumb: UC continuity good, but tricky get hold of and often quite old. SEED good, but the UC continuity is usually better.
I think watching Seed first is a good introduction to the whole concept of Gundam, it's flash and pretty with some really good fights and tear jerking moments.
Then if you like you can move on and try the more vintage stuff and see which you prefer.
That's how I did it, although I actually watched Wing first and that nearly put me off Gundam completely. Seed actually won me back.
Then if you like you can move on and try the more vintage stuff and see which you prefer.
That's how I did it, although I actually watched Wing first and that nearly put me off Gundam completely. Seed actually won me back.