Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 8 Episodes 37-41

Things have changed drastically.  Uso’s Mother is dead and a cease fire has been announced between the Zanscare Empire and the Earth Federation.  While the League Militaire plans its next move, Uso and friends return home to Kasarelia to bury their loved ones in peace.  But the Zanscare wont let a cease fire stop them from exacting revenge on the Gundam that’s hindered their plans of conquest time and time again.  Soon, when the dead are buried, the League Militaire returns to space for a fateful rendezvous with the man who has been leading them from the shadows…and has a shocking connection to Uso himself.

A lot of todays set of Victory Gundam episodes felt like a prelude to the final act of the series.  This meant it was time to do a few last minute tie ups of plot threads on the Earth surface before heading back up into space.  Uso naturally had his own issues to work out but it was nice to see some of the supporting cast, who have grown on me, get some time in the spotlight and show they’ve changed just as much as Uso.  The story might be rocky from time to time but I think Uso and his friends have mostly held this series together (except Shakti, she will never be an asset to anyone).

T5W#311-Top 5 Haro’s in Gundam

While the success and contributions Mobile Suit Gundam’s made to the world of Anime is undeniable, there is one critical element to its success other than the titular Mobile Suit.  Introduced during the original series, Haro is Gundam’s answer to R2-D2, acting sometimes as comic relief and other times as a vital team member providing technical support.  Haro’s become so synonymous with Gundam that he’s even become Studio Sunrise’s chief mascot, sort of how Totoro became the same for Studio Ghibli.  Haro’s popularity has seen different versions pop up all across the Gundam Multiverse and today, they get the spotlight on todays Top 5 Wednesday.  I present to you the Top 5 Haro’s in Gundam. 

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 7 Episodes 32-36

Despite the best attempts of the League Militaire, the Zanscare Empire’s Motorad Battleships land on Earth and commence Operation Earth Cleansing.  A desperate Uso and the crew of the Reinforce pursue them only to find even their best weapons cannot bring down a Motorad without causing serious harm to the Planets surface.  To make matters worse, Shakti and Uso’s Mother are both prisoners aboard the flagship commanded by Cronicle Asher.  With the situation growing more and more dire, what tactics will Uso have to resort to in order to save the Earth and will he be able to save Shakti and his Mother…or will he be forced to choose?

Wow…just…wow.  The claims of Victory Gundam being one of, if not the, darkest chapters of the Gundam saga definitely rang true today.  We’ve seen countless deaths on this show already but nothing could ever compare to the enormous loss Uso suffered and how it all went down.  As much as I could point out that this is all Shakti’s fault from a certain point, most of me feels so heartbroken for Uso and the loss of his Mom.  Let’s run it all down and see why this ended up being the heaviest chapter of Victory Gundam so far.

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 6 Episodes 27-31

After an intense battle in the heart of the Zanscare Empire, the League Militaire has dealt a serious blow to their space forces, granting them a brief victory.  But with supplies low, the Reinforce Junior and it’s crew find themselves on the run and desperate to regroup.  Meanwhile, Uso must contend with the revelation that Katejina has turned against him and braces for a reunion with an unexpected face.  The horrors of war return to test Uso’s resolve once again.  And once more he will face them…this time with a brand new Mobile Suit, the Victory-2 Gundam.

Victory Gundam had some good momentum taking it into its halfway mark and most of that carried over into the start of the second half.  We had a few major battles in space; a wedding; a reunion; a couple of major character deaths; a sudden but inevitable betrayal; and in the middle of all of that, Uso got a much needed upgrade in the form of a new Gundam (even if it has duplicates of itself too I think, seriously, how hard is it to make a Gundam that’s unique and not among a batch of clones but I digress).

T5W#310-Top 5 Anime I Watched with my Dad

On December 11, 2020, my father, Arschel Morell Jr., passed away from complications due to a brain disease that caused multiple strokes in rapid succession.  I never really talked about it here on the blog because it was painful enough to think about and I wanted to try and stay positive somewhere.  But, a Top 5 for my Dad has been long overdue.  This upcoming Sunday, July 25, would have been his 70^th birthday and I cant think of a better time to pay tribute to the best man I’ve ever known than right here right now.  My Dad is the reason I first discovered my nerdom, him being the more Sci-Fi side of things while my Mom’s easily the Fantasy side.  He was never the biggest Anime fan in the world but he appreciated it and supported my love for what’s become my favorite medium.  So it’s no shock he’d get interested in some titles: either through me or on his own, and sometimes those interests crossed paths.  So, to honor my Dad, my Top 5 Wednesday for today is the Top 5 Anime I Watched with my Dad.  Movies, TV, if it’s Anime and we saw it at some point together…well these are the ones that mattered the most.  Love you Dad…this ones for you. 

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 5 Episodes 21-26

Armed with a pair of Earth Federation Battleships, the League Militaire begins taking the fight right to the Zanscare Empires doorstep.  As the battles intensify, so too does the strain on Uso as he loses more friends and more of his soul to the heat of battle.  Meanwhile, Shakti meets her mother, Queen Maria Pure Armonia, the leader of the Zanscare Empire.  Refusing to accept her destiny, Shakti calls out to Uso.  Together with Marbet and his friends, Uso heads right into the heart of Zanscare where he’ll reunite with Shakti and come face to face with the supposed leader of the enemy he’s been trying to defeat.

Whew, this was a lot to pack in for sure.  These six episodes wrapped up the first half of Victory Gundam and there’s plenty to process.  Uso’s Newtype abilities are starting to emerge in space; Shakti doesn’t want to be the heir to Zanscare (shocker); Queen Maria has the ability to heal the sick and crippled; and Katejina has finally made her choice and stands with Zanscare…why that is I have no idea but let’s get into this jam packed set of episodes and see how this sets things up for the road ahead for Uso and the League Militaire.

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 4 Episodes 16-20

Uso travels into space with Marbet, Odelo and Warren to search for his long lost parents.  The League Militaire soon follows, gaining minor Federation support in the form of a 50 year old battleship, The Reinforce.  The might of the Zanscare Empire’s space forces is waiting for all of them, as is their leaders-The peaceful Queen Maria and the conquest obsessed Kagatie.  The true shocker is what’s waiting for Shakti, who has followed Uso into space without his knowledge.  She’s longed to find her true family…and she’s about to discover she has a greater part to play in this war than anyone could have ever imagined.

We’re closing in on Victory Gundam’s halfway mark (we’ll be looking at 6 more episodes on Monday).  Now that we’re back in Gundams favorite playground, aka Space, I can feel the series energy starting to pick up a little bit.  We also got a bunch of new characters thrown our way, including our first look at the power behind the Zanscare Empire itself.  And my new favorite character to pick on just got a status upgrade in the story…and man if Shakti wasn’t a pain already, she’s about to become a whole lot worse (and that’s saying something considering all the crap she’s pulled before).

T5W#309-Top 5 Gundam Original Feature Films

Despite being around for over 40 years, the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise hasn’t had that many theatrical film releases.  Or rather, I should clarify, when it comes to ORIGINAL Theatrical Films, the list is pretty small compared to their TV and OVA offerings.  Most Gundam films are Compilations, gatherings and restructurings that basically play out as a Greatest Hits album of a TV Series or OVA rather than an actual story (though there are some exceptions like the original Mobile Suit Gundam Compilation Trilogy).  Actually, with the release of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, we now have an exact FIVE Theatrical Gundam Films…and today I’m gonna rank them.  From worst to best (though admittedly quality varies across all of these, there are the Top 5 Gundam Original Feature Films.  And just to be clear once again, that means no Compilation Films, even if they do end up making something better (so no Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz-Special Edition or any of the original Gundam Compilation Trilogy…could be a Top 5 for another day though) 

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 3 Episodes 11-15

The conflict between the Zanscare Empire and League Militaire has escalated into all out war. Even with a squadron of Victory Gundams and the Shrike Team on their side, the League Militaire must still contend with the Zanscare’s elite Yellow Jackets units with the fate of a neutral nation on the line.  While in Gibraltar, Uso has an unexpected encounter with Cronicle and Katejina and learns a vital clue to the whereabouts of his parents.  It seems Uso’s battlefield is about to change from a bloodstained Earth to the sea of stars above the planet.

Uso Evin might go down in history as the most tortured Gundam Pilot of all time if Victory Gundam keeps going the way it is.  The story has become a neverending battle for the poor kid with few breaks and a ton of heartbreak.  This does give Victory Gundam some pretty intense action sequences and it looks like we’re going to be sticking around in Gundam’s true home setting for a little bit: Outer Space.  Still, I don’t think the beautiful picture of stars or the Earth from orbit is gonna help improve Uso’s current state.  He’s hurting and the hurting’s only just getting started (I say that 15 episodes in).

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 2 Episodes 6-10

In the blink of an eye, Uso Evin has become caught up in the beginnings of a war for the fate of the Planet Earth.  With the League Militaire’s base under fire and its few members forced on the run, Uso must decide if he will return home to Kasarelia with Shakti or stay and fight as the pilot of the Victory Gundam.  Meanwhile, Katejina is captured by Cronicle and taken behind enemy lines.  Things only heat up more when the Zanscare Empire broadcast a live execution of an essential League Militaire leader, a sight that will change Uso’s life forever.

Jeez, the rumors about Victory Gundam being the darkest of the Gundam series so far are proving to be all too true.  Theyre so true in fact that even the brief bits of levity don’t really gel with everything else going on in the series.  One thing is for sure, Victory Gundam is pulling no punches.  To me, Gundam has never seemed so grim since I reviewed the first half of Gundam Thunderbolt a few years ago.  Does that mean it’s a good show?  Well I still think Victory has a few more wrinkles that need to be ironed out and that includes characters making up their minds as to where they want to be in this war.

T5W#308-Top 5 Thoughts on Star Wars Visions

Honestly, when they announced this during that huge announcement splurge of future Star Wars projects, I wasn’t really registering this.  A Star Wars Anime?  Was Disney really willing to go all in on such a venture, for a medium Star Wars hasn’t really touched (though there was a pretty awesome Manga of the original trilogy that’s kind of hard to find now).  Well, last weekend we got proof that not only is this truly and Anime and it is happening…it’s happening a lot faster than I would ever anticipate.  This September, Star Wars Visions launches on Disney + and will consist of 9 short films, similar to what was done for The Animatrix and Halo Legends.  As a life long Star Wars fan seeing what’s been planned for these mini movies, I couldn’t be more excited.  So on today’s Top 5 Wednesday, let’s dig into what we can look forward to with Anime’s take on A Galaxy Far, Far Away with my Top 5 Thoughts on Star Wars Visions. 

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Part 1 Episodes 1-5

Universal Century 0153.  Even over a century and a half into its existence, conflict continues to ravage the era.  With the Earth Federation in major decline, a new power rises to challenge its supremacy.  The fanatical Zanscare Empire being a holy war to take the decimated Earth for themselves.  With the Federation unable to muster a response, it falls to a small resistance group, the League Militaire, to be Humanity’s new vanguard.  Leading the charge is a young refugee named Uso Evin, whos latent abilities make him the prime choice to pilot the League Militaire’s flagship Mobile Suit, the Victory Gundam.

It’s kind of funny how I started Year 8 of the Gundam Anime Corner with the first alternate universe Gundam series, Mobile Fighter G Gundam, and now we’re going back to the end of the era before it (well in a sorts).  Welcome to our Extended Summer Series (which given how ive reviewed G Gundam and Macross is this even a thing anymore? Oh well): Mobile Suit Victory Gundam.  As I said, this was the end of an era for the Gundam franchise: the last full length TV Series to be set in the Universal Century.  After the theatrical failure of Mobile Suit Gundam F91, director Yoshiyuki Tomino decided to start fresh with a brand new series set even further in the future of the UC than F91.  Does a clear board with little ties to the lore before it grant Victory Gundam a good running start?

Anime Corner-Summer 2021 Update

It dawned on me recently that it’s been a while since ive done any check ins and status updates for the Anime Corner.  It’s been a long year for me and 2021 is only half done.  It’s been a year of change and adjustments and there are times I feel like some of that has affected what I can give to this blog that I love so much.  Granted, a lot of the reviews for this year were written last year but I also did more mini events and bonus reviews too.  I need to think about how to really pack in some fun new material for the back half of the year and some of that starts in the next couple of months.  Here’s what’s in store up through September here at the Gundam Anime Corner. 

Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway

Universal Century 0105.  Twelve years have passed since the Second Neo Zeon War led by Char Aznable.  Hathaway Noa once fought in that war and the tragedies he endured still haunt him to this day.  As the world begins to change for the worse once more, Hathaway crosses paths with the beautiful Gigi Andalucia, who evokes memories of his lost love, Quess Paraiah.  Their fateful meeting comes at a critical point for Hathaway.  Unknown to the world, he has taken up arms against the Earth Federation as Mafty Navue Erin, seeking to avenge the wrong doings of the past and guide Humanity towards a better future…even if Hathaway himself has to get his hands dirty to see it through.

After being delayed a year due to the Pandemic, the latest offering from the Gundam franchise arrives at last.  Acting as the second project for the UC NexT 0100 event (which will cover the next century of Gundam’s parent timeline, the Universal Century), Gundam Hathaway is also being adapted from a three part novel series written by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino himself.  The movie is the closest to UC0100 as we’ve ever been (seriously did nothing substantial happen at the big century marker itself?) and an opening banner reveals that UC NexT wont ignore Gundam F91 or Victory Gundam as established cannon.  So this is a chance to start filling in those missing years before F91’s UC0123 setting while also setting up a new launch point for newcomers to the Gundam franchise.  It only partly succeeds at one while not quite landing the other.  There’s a lot of hype and pressure behind Gundam Hathaway but can it step up and match it?

Promare

Thirty years have passed since the emergence of “The Burnish”, humans with pyrotechnic capabilities who almost drove the planet to ruin.  In the sprawling city of Promepolis, Firefighters combat Burnish activities on a regular basis, spearheaded by up and coming rookie Galo Thymos.  However, a chance encounter with Lio Fotia, the head of the terrorist group, Mad Burnish, changes everything for Galo.  When a world ending conspiracy threatens all life, Human and Burnish alike, Galo and Lio will have to put aside their differences to find out the secret of the Promare and use it to ensure the safety of two worlds before everything burns to nothing.

It’s hard to believe it’s taken this long for Studio Trigger to make its first full length theatrical film.  You’d think after making an initial splash with Kill La Kill, the Anime film world would be theirs for the taking.  But surpisingly, the studio all about over the top spectacles took their time, experimenting with other Anime genres while continuing to craft their signature style of Anime.  Through successes like Little Witch Academia and failures like Darling in the Franxx, all roads seem to have led to Promare.  While it could have used some fine tuning with run time and story, there’s no denying this is a freaking fun Anime that takes Trigger back to its roots with Kill La Kill and even further back to some of the staffs work on Gurren Lagann.

Darling in the Franxx Part 6 Episodes 21-24

It has all come down to this.  Two ancient enemies clash once again with the Earth and all of Humanity caught in the crossfire.  When Zero Two finds herself thrown into the chaos, Hiro and his friends must follow her to the sea of stars.  In the orbit of Mars, two massive armies clash with the fate of two worlds hanging in the balance.  And should they survive, what kind of future is waiting for Hiro and his fellow Parasites?  No matter the cost or sacrifice, the future of the Human Race begins now.

Ive spent the last five reviews tearing Darling in the Franxx a new one at every opportunity.  Everything this show has strived to be has been a disaster, not anywhere close to the level of impactful legend like Gundam or Evangelion.  Watching this show can be draining and yet I always wondered how much more could I judge or rant about.  Turns out the Series Finale was willing to give me a little bit of a break, or at least I didn’t know what else to rant about because I was all ranted out.  Or, it’s just that the final confrontation was so stupid, joyless and lacking in inspiration that it was about par for the course…and I just gave up.  The show is done, let’s cover what happened and move on like the rest of the world has.