The All Purpose Mobile Suit Gundam Thread

Haha. I don't really understand how Kamille went so wrong. I'm normally highly forgiving of unwilling hero types e.g. I love Shinji Ikari, while most fans dislike them. But Kamille is a new level of obnoxious. I've still to decide if he's more obnoxious than Heero Yui, though...
 
ayase said:
Haman Khan is probably my favourive Zeta Character though.
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Blatant! I've been waiting for Arby to get up to seeing her in his watch of Zeta so that I could make sure he agreed with me on her awesomness.

I actually thought the "issues" people seem to have with Kamille gave him pretty good depth, and you can see a lot of him (to less of an extreme) in Banagher Links.
 
It's probably worth factoring in the mecha design to this mecha show. Designs at the time were becoming particularly intricate and believable, and Zeta rode this wave and filled out fifty episodes with consistently memorable and intelligent ideas. It feels marginally less like a toy commercial than the modern stuff. Less slick, more gritty.

It's also the sweet-spot for reimagined ideas from not only MSG, but the model kit variations that had bridged those years off the air. Sure, everyone probably has a favourite mecha from another series, and Zeta's design work wasn't flawless (blech Psycho Gundam), but I think as far as the machines go, they really nailed it with Zeta to an extent completely unparalleled by any other 50 episode Gundam series, and honestly, few other mecha series of comparable length. Design in general was very strong. They may have the 80s smeared over them, but the characters are usually visually unique and interesting: it's not hard to see how people find them superficially more interesting than the yaoiful boybands of Wing and 00 or the appealing but somewhat bland Seed.

There's something wrong with every Gundam series. None of them are brilliant. Not a single one isn't derivative of the rest of the franchise and genre. Each series emphasises mechanical realism, then (often) literally pulls a Deus Ex Machina at the end to wrap it all up. I'd personally rate Zeta as the least worst of the bunch, but there are certainly 50 episode series that make a little bit more sense.

Wing is just awful though.
 
kupocake said:
They may have the 80s smeared over them, but the characters are usually visually unique and interesting: it's not hard to see how people find them superficially more interesting than the yaoiful boybands of Wing and 00 or the appealing but somewhat bland Seed.
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(You say that like it's a bad thing) but also bring up a very good point. I do love Zeta's character designs and overall visual quality, it's the reason I'd love to own it in HD. I noticed the mech design less (with the passing of the years one Gundam looks pretty much like another now) though have to admit that the Mk. II (in Titans Colours) and Qubeley are probably my favourites. So yeah; Zeta does have a few points over some Gundam series'.
 
WOOHOO!!! Some proper Gundam discussion!

I love how the franchise is so diverse - there's so many shows to pick and choose from, there's bound to be something for most mecha fans.

Good to see what looks like a couple of newbie Gundamoids on the boards!
 
ayase said:
kupocake said:
They may have the 80s smeared over them, but the characters are usually visually unique and interesting: it's not hard to see how people find them superficially more interesting than the yaoiful boybands of Wing and 00 or the appealing but somewhat bland Seed.
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(You say that like it's a bad thing) but also bring up a very good point. I do love Zeta's character designs and overall visual quality, it's the reason I'd love to own it in HD. I noticed the mech design less (with the passing of the years one Gundam looks pretty much like another now) though have to admit that the Mk. II (in Titans Colours) and Qubeley are probably my favourites. So yeah; Zeta does have a few points over some Gundam series'.
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I find Amuro's almost perfectly round head really strange after being so accustomed to 90's and 00's era anime heh.
 
I watched Char's Counterattack last night.

I am awed.

Now, I know I'm 9 episodes off the end of Zeta, but I couldn't wait. I had it on my netbook and I tried to walk away but when I came to from my reverie, somehow it was playing, and sorry Mummy I'm a bad bad girl.

This movie MOVED me. It was powerful, epic, intelligent, it was a perfect conclusion to the Amuro-Char rivalry, and because Michael Kopsa was in the driving seat for Char, the character seemed never more enigmatic. God bless Tomino for this outstanding personality, who now ranks with Reinhard von Lohengramm and Griffith in my 'ZOMG BAD GUYS!' list.

I have nitpicks, of course - Quess 'The Pariah' Paraya. Kill 'Em All Tomino was not swift enough when it came to her. She is Kamille only if he merged with Fa and took high-pitchedness to ultrasonic levels. And the political to-and-froing between Char and Amuro could become unsubtle at times e.g. chasing horse-riding Char whilst driving a car and shouting to each other about morals? But, since MS Gundam, melodrama has moved from being a flaw to an endearing recurring trait. It's Tomino's style; I'll respect it.

All I can say is, I'm STILL baffled by why Zeta is considered the best Gundam show, when Char's Counterattack exists. I can understand the argument that it is the best 50-ep series (a matter of taste, because I disagree), but not of ALL the Gundam shows.

I still have to watch the much-loved 08th, but cannot wait to get to that eventually.
 
Char's Counterattack... It's utterly terrible, and for the reasons you already excuse. It just cements my opinion that Tomino wouldn't graduate from film school. Narrative flow is just completely beyond him.

It's Advent Children in space. All style, no substance, no sense.
 
I didn't mind Char's Counterattack for what it was, i would of preffered the novel versions from what i've heard, the lack of Chan being a good thing in that.

I'm still in the process of re-watching Zeta in an english dub, i've kinda halted on it at the moment
 
Finished MS IGLOO part 2, was ok, preferred the first part, now onto the actual MS IGLOO 2 which is also failing to thrill me =P but I'll be onto the 08th MS and sequels which I'm looking forward to, as I've heard good things
 
Alright, it's clearly time for some lists! Name your three fave Gundam shows, and the single one you wish you could shave from your memory!

Fave: 1) Mobile Suit Gundam, 2) SEED, 3) Char's Counterattack

Shave: Gundam Wing - God, the dialogue never made any goddamn sense! I was constantly asking myself 'What did she just say? What did that guy mean? Why is Heero such a psychopath?' Noin was the only redeeming factor - she was a great character who didn't get the screentime she deserved.
 
Fave:

1) First.
2) Zeta.
3) ~very tough to call. Actually think Unicorn might end up here or higher eventually.

Shave:

The English dub of First that I just watched. ^^;
 
Shamefully, for such a die-hard Gundam Zealot as myslef, I haven't seen as much of the shows as I should have. But I'll bite! Going by what I've seen so far:

Gundam 00 - great to see such a posterior-pastingly good update of the franchise, with such superb mecha and great characters.

Gundam SEED - yeah, shoot me. I dug this from beginning to end and I'd happily watch the whole thing again. Too much stock footage but what the hell...

Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory - hands down my favourite Gundam show so far. Stunning visuals, great characetrs and I love the escalating sense of tension towards the end of the series. The Physalis and Dendrobium Orchis are two of my favourite Gundam designs so far.

And a show I'd prefer wasn't around t blight the franchise? Umm... tricky. I honestly wouldn't go that far with anything I've seen. But War In The Pocket left me seriously underwhelmed. I felt it was a bloated narrative, a story which could have easily been told in 90 minutes. Al annoyed the living daylights out if me, and I honestly feel whatever message was in that series got hopelessly confused by the end.

That said, I chortled like a pixie at the infamous 'hamburger' line!
 
I'd have to say:

1) Zeta (by a long way)
2) Char's Counterattack
3) Original Movie Trilogy
4) Victory
5) The 08th MS Team

with 00, X, 0080 & Turn A close behind, but I have to agree with ilmeastro that Unicorn might leapfrog into my top 5!

I generally like all the Gundam anime except for Seed Destiny which I thought was rubbish.

I think Char's Counterattack is a fantastic film and a very fitting ending to the original UC storyline. The thing is unless you've seen the movie trilogy, Z and ZZ it doesn't make a lot of sense because it relies on you having seen those shows/films beforehand to fill the gaps in.
 
So far, mine goes:

ZZ
Z
MSG

@HdE - I never thought I'd find anyone else willing to badmouth 0080 either (improve your relationship with Mr. Oshii and you can be my friend :p) which I found severely underwhelming as well. One thing I have learned about Gundam, if the consensus among the community is that a certain show is "really xxx" the truth is that it is "a little xxx". It works with Zeta and depressing, 0080 and moving and ZZ and bad. Gundam is not a franchise of extremes.

I would like to see 08th MS Team though, which looks a little more like my cup of tea.
 
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