I read your review when it was posted, and I agreed: it felt like just another Gundam with freestyle jazzin (there were more experimental & 'uplifting' tracks than in the first, iirc, which was interesting) and a very high budget. Without the titular Thunderbolt Sector and sociopath Gundam pilot vs. Space Nazi cripple showdown - I don't think they even meet in S2! - all you have is something that feels like a part of a mainstream Gundam; albeit without the naive idealism. The first was practically standalone as a movie, ignoring the tacked-on end, and without wanting to spoil S2 pretty much even ret-conned a 'death'... which bothered me when the first was so gritty in a 'war is hell' kinda way.
It's not bad: Daryl is still the same, and his thing with his woman is interesting. Tattoo waifu Bianca is <3. And the underwater sequence was great. It did kill my enthusiasm for a third entry, though.
Now, if AL would send my 'early birdy' of the movie tomorrow... I read that people ordering from MVM got their copies already.
