FIF#104-Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73 Stargazer

Cosmic Era 73.  The ruins of the colony Junius Seven fall to Earth, creating catastrophic damage across the planet.  As the survivors try to recover, tensions between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT escalate and a new war seems inevitable.  While this is happening, the Deep Space Survey and Development organization refuses to halt its plans for a special project involving a new prototype Gundam, the Stargazer.  At the same time, an elite Alliance unit, Phantom Pain, is dispatched to steal this Gundam and the technology within.  On a collision course, a dedicated Alliance Ace pilot and a beautiful Coordinator researcher for the DSSD try to find hope amongst the ruins of a world descending into chaos once more.

It’s hard to think of what to make of  the first episode of Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73 Stargazer.  This is a relatively short ONA (Original Net Animation) that was released well after the end of Seed Destiny.  And by short I mean each episode is in and around 15mins long…and it’s three parts.  That means there isn’t much time to waste in telling a story.  I cant say where I think this miniseries might be heading but wow the first episode left a huge impression. 

While we don’t get the full details of the DSSD’s operation or the beautiful Selene McGriff’s goals regarding this launch into space, what we do get is something Seed Destiny kind of glossed over: the aftermath of the Junius Seven drop.  This was probably Seed Destiny’s highest point (and early on in the series too). The devastation that the colony drop caused was massive and Stargazer spends the first third of its first episode showing just how much of a nightmare this kind of catastrophe can look like.  Explosions, tsunamis, the cries of people in panic, it’s a hard watch and one that helps you remember this act of terror left an impression that would no doubt send two sides ready to kick the crap out of each other into full on armed conflict (especially when no know knew who to blame).  Honestly, those first five minutes were the strongest parts of the episode.  The rest was a very rush job getting Selene out of a flooded city and to her shuttle launch while the world panicked around her.  What makes her job so special and why would her would be love interest, Edmond, risk his life to ensure she leaves Earth alive?  And what’s the deal with this Phantom Pain unit, each looking like they have their own state of the art Gundam Mobile Suit?  I wont lie, at the point I wonder if this ONA will be able to answer those questions at all.  Part of me wonders if we should’ve just done more storytelling with the colony drop aftermath instead.

For an ONA as short as this, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73 Stargazer starts off with one helluva opening act…and then decides to skip to the plot of its own miniseries that has a lot to do to justify its existence after such a traumatizing glimpse at one of Seed Destiny’s biggest moments.  It’s short so I might be worth a nice sit down watch and maybe even a future review for next year.  Who knows, maybe Stargazer may end up being one of the few wins one of my least favorite eras of Gundam manages to pull off.