T5W#415-Top 5 Guests Coming to Otakon 2023

It’s been a long road to get there but Otakon 2023 kicks off tomorrow, well if you’re doing Pre Reg anyway (officially it begins Friday but yeah anyway).  I am beyond psyched to return to DC once again for one of my favorite Conventions, to see good friends, thousands of cosplayers and get some much sought merch.  One thing I have noticed about 2023 in particular is that while there always are a large number of Guests in attendance, a lot of them are people I wouldn’t actually mind waiting in line to get an autograph with or just say hello to in passing.  Normally it’s maybe one or two notable names but in this case, I’ve found five.  So enjoy this epic prelude to my big weekend adventure with my Top 5 Guests Coming to Otakon 2023 and be sure to check back Next Wednesday for my Top 5 Otakon 2023 Moments as well.

 

Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise Part 6 Episodes 22-26

The War for Eldora has reached a breaking point.  As Alus grows more and more deluded and deranged, he sets his sights on conquering his enemies right at the source: Gunpla Battle Nexus Online itself.  Hiroto and the others find themselves facing a final battle on two fronts with two worlds now at risk for destruction.  For all their improvements individually and as a team, even the new Build Divers are going to need help to finish this fight.  Good thing GBN has plenty of defenders as two generations of Build Divers unite to protect that what they most hold dear.

Since the first few episodes, my expectations for Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise have become increasingly low.  The story frustrates me, the characters irritate me and it just feels like such huge potential was squandered in favor of trying something radically different that didn’t pay off in the end.  So it’s no surprise that in these final five episodes of the series, anything that had to do with the current cast left about as unsatisfied as I expected.  However, there was an actual light in this dismal series, moments where I did enjoy watching the show for once…and they all came from catching up with some old friends.  Is it enough to save this series from a low score, Hell no.  But I’m never gonna pass up a chance to watch Riku and the OG Build Divers cast in action once again.
 

Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise Part 5 Episodes 18-21

Thanks to the mystic Dragon, Caudorn, Hiroto and the others are able to return to Eldora with the Gunpla Force at full strength.  But even with their reassembled force, the Build Divers find themselves constantly outmatched by the AI Alus and his improving Gunpla minions.  When a duel with Alus pushes him past his limits, Hiroto finally tells the tale of why he became a solo player: a tale of love and possibility that ended in tragedy.  Can Hiroto move on from the past to fight for a better future for Eldora with the rest of the Build Divers?

Back when I was reviewing Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ a couple of years back, I knew about the Black Sheep reputation it had within the fandom.  And they were right, the first half of ZZ is some of the worst stuff in the entire franchise.  However, the back half took the proper steps to course correct by eliminating the slapstick, increasing the drama and bettering the characters to the point where it finally became a proper and worthy sequel to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam.  My issues thus far with Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise are pretty clear thus far: I don’t like the main characters and the setup gets more and more ridiculous the more new twists and reveals get tacked on.  I was hoping that the back half of the series would improve on things but honestly, the idea of Gunpla heading to another planet to fight a desperate battle against overwhelming odds…it’s both not what I want to see from this sub franchise and not something properly tailored for Gundam.  That said, some strides are made in this penultimate set to clear the air over some of these issues.  But it wouldn’t be Re:Rise without equal, if not more, of the same to make my blood boil.
 

Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise Part 4 Episodes 14-17

The Build Divers are rocked by the revelation that Eldora and her population are real and that they’ve been fighting on a planet far across the stars.  Accepting these truths, Hiroto, May, Kazami and Parviz return to Eldora, knowing theyre stepping into a different kind of battle.  But the digital entity on Eldora’s Moon, Alus, is ready for them and has added copied and upgraded Gunpla to his army.  With fighting force cut in half, the Build Divers must reunite with their Eldoran allies and find a way to get back into the fight.  But this isn’t a game anymore.  Will any of them survive?

Since I’ve started watching Re:Rise, I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned from the plot with friends of mine.  The same answer came from those well versed in Gundam and those who know very little about it: that’s just weird.  Heck, I’m a lifelong Gundam fan and even I don’t know what to make of Re:Rise anymore.  We’ve gone from playing Gunpla with friends online to players being zapped to another planet to protect its population from an evil AI who’s on a genocidal rampage for no reason other than he might just be a tad racist?  Oh and there’s a Dragon that looks like a Pokemon who used to fight in space alongside this AI and wow…I feel like I’m jotting down notes on someones randomized fan fiction.  If it isn’t clear by now, I’m still not onboard with this plot or most of the characters.  This has become a slough but at the very least it’s half done. 
 

Gundam Anime Corner-Second Half of 2023 Update

Hey there Dear Readers.  With Otakon just around the corner, I’ll admit, some things have been bothering me and some of it has been stemming from this blog that I love quite dearly.  A lot has changed for me in the last few years.  When COVID struck, I was out of two job for over two years, living off what I’d saved to get me by for the time being.  Ironically, all that extra time allowed me to churn out a ton of content for the Anime Corner at a faster pace and it was awesome.  However, I needed a job and late last year I found one again.  Not only was I back in the workforce after a two year hiatus, this also happens to be my first full time 8 hour shift, 5 days a week gig (I know, shocks me to think that too).  This does mean that my free time has been hampered considerably and as much as I don’t want to admit it, it's starting to affect my work on Anime Corner stuff.  When I planned things out for 2023, the 10^th Anniversary Year for the Gundam Anime Corner, I had so many big titles in mind like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and a new Manga/Anime comparison project featuring Rurouni Kenshin.  Recently, I’ve been kicking myself for not having the energy to stick with those plans and also commit to learning about my job and dealing with all the chaos and frustrations that come with it.  It sucks not being able to give my heart fully to the ideas I’ve hard in mind and in that regard…I have to back off on a few things. 

Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise Part 3 Episodes 9-13

The mystery of GBN’s first ever Story Mode deepens as Hiroto and the New Build Divers face off against an elite Mobile Suit capable of defeating them all with ease.  In search of answers, the team head into Space for what appears to be the final mission.  Waiting for them is an enemy more powerful than they could ever imagine with weapons capable of wiping out entire worlds.  It’s no longer about cutscenes or rewards.  Now is the time for the new Build Divers to put all they’ve learned to the test and protect a planet helplessly unaware of the threat bearing down upon it.

There’s a moment in Episode 12 of Build Divers Re: Rise that cemented something for the series: This is no longer a game.  The hints have all been there.  Something was very different and wrong about this “Story Mode”.  The dumbest of the Build Divers was asking all the right questions without realizing the answers were clear as day.  Before, in the original Build Divers, it was about the fate of a popular video game on the line.  Now, in Re:Rise, it’s the fate of an entire planet…on the other end of the Solar System.  There’s real stakes now…but I don’t know how I feel about this sudden change in direction for the Build Divers sub franchise.  I’m not even certain it brings the show up any higher in my standings cause overall it’s still a terrible show to me.  Anyway, let’s dig into the game changing events that went down and see if it ends up being a good enough set up for the next half of the series.
 

T5W#414-Top 5 Hottest Power Rangers

You’ve gotta give Power Rangers credit for not going the route of just having kicking rubber suited alien ass be just a guys game.  Ever since the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in 1993, each new Ranger team incarnation has given us at least one incredibly gorgeous young woman who is more than capable of holding their own against the forces of evil and looking absolutely stunning in the process.  They’ve been the first crushes of many a first time watcher and most of these lovely bad asses have stood the test of time well after the conclusion of their respective series.  And since it is the middle of summer and I need an excuse to use this terrible pun, let’s turn up the heat on today’s Top 5 Wednesday with another Power Rangers celebratory list for the 30^th Anniversary, this time looking at the Top 5 Hottest Power Rangers.

Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise Part 2 Episodes 5-8

Brought together seemingly at random, Hiroto, May, Kazami and Parviz continue to make their way through GBN’s new Story Mode Missions.  Their objective: Defend the people of Eldora from an evil group of Mobile Suits dubbed “The One Eyes.”  Against these powerful adversaries, however, the real enemy for this next generation of untested Build Divers might be themselves.  As the Story Mode becomes more mysterious and cryptic, each team member must challenge their own weaknesses if theyre to become a team worthy of the name “Build Divers” and defeat a seemingly invincible enemy that will not stop until Eldora is wiped out.

I was really hoping those first four episodes were just a bad dream, or at the very least things would improve and what didn’t work would just be reworked and made better.  No such luck here and now I know that I’m settling in for a very long and arduous time with Gundam Build Divers Re: Rise.  Actually is it even right to call this Build Divers, much less a Gundam series?  With the first series, yes it was a 25 episode, kid centric toy commercial but at least it felt like the love for Gunpla was always at the heart of it.  Here, this isn’t even really about Gundam or its legacy amongst an enormous fan base.  Instead we have four characters of varying degrees of annoying defending a village of anthropomorphic inhabitants from Giant Enemy Mecha…this isn’t Gundam, it’s a Vision of Escaflowne spin off reworked into a Gundam series almost at the last minute.  Point is, the first four episodes were a struggle…and it’s only getting worse.
 

Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise Part 1 Episodes 1-4

Two years passed since what’s become known as the “El Diver Incident” and Gundam Battle Nexus Online continues to thrive and the adventures of Force Build Divers have become legend.  As the game prepares for its most important content update, four players are pulled into a rumored but seemingly untested Story Mode.  They couldn’t be any different from each other: a brooding loner, a boisterous would be hero, a nervous rookie and an enigmatic beauty.  Together, they enter an unknown realm of GBN and soon find themselves chosen to become the next generation of Build Divers.

Welcome to Part 2 of my Extended Summer Series Review for 2023.  Despite the story becoming needlessly dramatic and the mood becoming a bit pessimistic in it’s final act, I did enjoy Gundam Build Divers a lot.  It recaptured much of the magic of being a Gundam and Gunpla fan that made Gundam Build Fighters so memorable but took it a step further into the digital realm.  The sequel we’re starting today, Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise, came out almost a year later during the Gundam franchises 40^th Anniversary and ended up being the only original work to debut for that celebration.  Sadly…I’m not sure what the powers that be were thinking with this new chapter of the Build Divers spin off series.  Not it’s not as downbeat or depressing as say Build Fighters Try was to Build Fighters.  No, based on these first four episodes I think it might actually be worse.  Seriously, I haven’t had this bad of a feeling about getting deeper into a Gundam series since I looked at Reconguista in G last summer.  So what’s got me so worried about this Build Divers continuation?
 

Gundam Build Divers Part 6 Episodes 21-25

The word is out: for GBN to survive, Sarah must be eliminated.  Unwiling to let that happen, Riku and the Build Divers go rogue to protect their cherished teammate.  In the process, this makes them Public Enemy #1 and all of GBN is gunning for them.  Rivals become allies.  Mentors become adversaries.  No matter the obstacle, Riku will risk it all to find a way to save both Sarah and GBN.  It’s the ultimate challenge that will signal the end of GBN as it’s know, or herald the dawn of a new age for the digital world of Gunpla and cement the Build Divers in the pages of history.

I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty peeved at the end of the penultimate set of Build Divers episodes.  Sarah’s revealed origins weren’t the problem though, nevermind that they were all answers to questions that no one had ever bothered to ask about her.  No it was the reaction of the Game Master and the Administration as to how to deal with Sarah and her unintentional causing of new game breaking bugs that could bring down all of GBN.  Things went from fun and enjoyable to heartless and depressing pretty quickly and it made me worry about the finale of this series that I had been enjoying despite its flaws.  And while some of those issues persisted, so did Riku and the Build Divers, who showed that no matter the odds, hope never dies and it’s the perfect encapsulation of everything this show has been emphasizing since the first episode.  I’d call it a bit of a miracle win but let’s see how everything turned out during this Series Finale.
 

T5W#413-Top 5 Theories about Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom

Originally announced following the conclusion of SEED Destiny, a Gundam SEED movie has been in various stages of development hell for over two decades.  There have been plenty of stalls, including the sad and unfortunate passing of original writer Chiaki Morosawa in 2016 that seemed to kill the project for good.  However, on January 26, 2024, the long wait is over as it was announced a few weeks back that Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom is happening.  The announcement trailer didn’t show much though it at least confirmed the return of central SEED characters Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne.  But what story comes next after two massive wars, a ton of trauma, and having to deal with Shinn Asuka pretending to be a hero for one of those…you know what, not here to rant about him…maybe we’ll see but not yet.  As we’re in the midst of a Gundam Double Feature for my Extended Summer Series Review, let’s talk about what could maybe happen in the SEED Movie as I lay out my Top 5 Theories about Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom.

 

Gundam Build Divers Part 5 Episodes 17-20

It is a time of new challenges and personal growth for the Build Divers.  Feeling he’s getting left behind, Yuki accepts a special challenge mission to improve his skills, alongside an unexpected ally.  Riku’s meteoric rise through the ranks finds him in the crosshairs of his Mentor, Tigerwolf, who seeks to show his student how much farther he has to go.  And the Build Divers welcome a new teammate in Nanamie.  But the celebrations come to a crashing halt when a new slew of game breaking bugs appear…and theyre all tied to the mysterious origins of Sarah. 

Up until now, Gundam Build Divers has been a very fun series to watch.  It’s got its flaws for sure but its still got a lot of heart and it still paints a great picture of what it means to be a fan of both Gundam and Gunpla and Gunpla Battle Nexus looks like an amazing experience for longtime and casual fans alike.  And while there’s still a lot to love about both the game and the cast of characters, if the end of this episode set is any indication, the good times are about to come to a halt on account of the less than picture perfect Administration threatening to take the mood from Gundam Build Fighters into Gundam Build Fighters Try.  What do I mean by this and do I think the series is in danger of ending on a sour note?  Well let’s run through the events of this second to last set of Build Divers episodes and find out.
 

Gundam Build Divers Part 4 Episodes 13-16

The Mass Diver Crisis has ended.  As the Coalition celebrates its hard earned victory and GBN begins to recover, Riku accepts an invite to confront the Mastermind behind the Break Decals.  With his Gunpla in shambles, Riku reflects on where he started with GBN and how far he has come since.  It’s the dawn of a new era for Force Build Divers as they relish in their newfound celebrity status and take on brand new challenges even Veteran Players cannot complete.  All the while, Riku is ready to unveil his newly completed 00 Diver Sky and show the world he’s ready to take his skills to the next level.

Today kicks off the second half of Gundam Build Divers (and puts us 1/4^th of the way through our overall GBD Extended Summer Series Review).  While Friday’s set of episodes could have served as a fine Series Finale, there’s still a lot you can mine from this shows premise and several mysteries still needing to be solved.  The Mid Season Premiere has two jobs on its plate: Fully wrap up the Mass Divers Arc and successfully kick things off in a way that serves as both a continuation of the story but also function as a potential jump on point for newcomers.  Does it succeed or has some of the magic of GBN worn off?  Let’s find out.
 

Gundam Build Divers Part 3 Episodes 9-12

The Mass Diver epidemic has reached critical status and now threatens to begin tearing down all of Gunpla Battle Nexus Online.  In response, Kyoya and Rommel announce the formation of a special Coalition specifically tasked with ending this threat to GBN once and for all, and they want Team Build Divers to join them.  It’s all out war with the very fate of GBN as dozens of players both old and new face off against a nearly invincible enemy.  Riku heads right into the heart of the battle, unaware that one of this closest teammates is hiding a dangerous secret that could destroy their efforts to save GBN.  Will Ayame’s secret destroy the Build Divers just as they’re coming together? 

For all the fun being had, it was only a matter of time before Gundam Build Divers decided to get serious about the Mass Diver plague sweeping GBN.  And while it never got full on dour like a more traditional Gundam series, Build Divers still had its fair share of emotionally gut punching moments but also an equal amount of tremendous heart to push through this epic battle.  This set also showed some of the most glaring and infuriating flaws in the series to date but they haven’t taken away my complete enjoyment of Riku and Team Build Divers’ adventures.  This is basically the mid point of the show so lets get into it shall we?
 

T5W#412-Top 5 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Episodes

While it’s thankfully in my rear view mirror, I still cant get over how much Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 freaking sucked.  And while my anger towards it is borderline that of the 2017 Movie, it still doesn’t diminish my overall love for the Ghost in the Shell franchise.  It’s still my second favorite Anime franchise of all time behind Mobile Suit Gundam and the announcement of new entries always gets me excited.  The Stand Alone Complex Saga has done a great job of introducing Anime fans to the world of GitS outside of the Mamoru Oshii movies, giving us more action but never losing sight of the existential debates that crop up as Man and Machine become nearly identical in the world of Section 9.  One question though: between 76 episodes across three TV Seasons (Stand Alone Complex, SAC 2^nd Gig and SAC_2045), can one actually pick five all time faves?  I figured I’d give that question a long overdue answer and yes, while SAC_2045 is overall trash there are some gems buried within it.  So as sort of epilogue to my latest Ghost in the Shell examination, todays Top 5 Wednesday will be covering my Top 5 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Episodes.

 

Gundam Build Divers Part 2 Episodes 5-8

After all he’s seen an experienced in a short time, Riku boldly declares his intention to form his own Force in GBN.  With Yuki, Momoka and Sarah already on board and with the blessing of several verteran players, Riku sets out to recruit members to his new team.  There are already two prospective players in a disillusion former GBN player and a mysterious Ninja Girl who’s shadowing Riku and his friends.  But there are also still a large number of Mass Divers still wrecking havoc in GBN.  Who is behind the distribution of this game breaking technology and what will it take to stop them if the Mass Divers become truly uncontrollable?

Monday’s Premiere of Gundam Build Divers felt like an extended invitation to join in the greatest Gundam Experience for all ages.  Today’s set goes beyond the welcome and dives (no pun intended) into the real reasons why GBN is such an amazing experience for fans of both Gundam and Gunpla.  In many ways, the show is reminding me of Gundam Build Fighters and how it captured the sense of fun and wonder that made me a Gundam fan during its Toonami heyday.  More than that though, this set also addresses one of my biggest complaints of the Build Fighters follow up and keeps a promising new character from falling into the same trappings as one of my least favorite people in the entire Gundam franchise.  I feel like I’m gonna gush a lot in this one because there isn’t anything really negative to go over really.  Let’s just jump right into the next chapter, shall we?
 

Gundam Build Divers Part 1 Episodes 0-4

Welcome to Gundam Battle Nexus Online.  Here in this VRMMO, Gunpla Builders from around the world can connect on a whole different level.  From friendly competitions to intense matches on battlefields across the entire Gundam pantheon, for childhood friends and life long Gundam fans Riku and Yukio, this game is a dream come true.  But things get a lot more interesting when Riku meets a mysterious girl named Sarah, who isn’t just your average girl hanging out in the most popular video game of all time.  The mystery of Sarah’s identity and the chance to meet some of the top Gunpla Builders on the planet propel Riku and Yuko into an unexpected adventure that will change their lives and the whole of GBM forever.

I got into Gundam at the age of 12 when Mobile Suit Gundam Wing first debuted on Toonami in Spring 2000.  It wasn’t the first Anime I’d seen outside of Dragon Ball Z or Pokemon but it was an Anime that felt different from anything I’d ever seen before.  It was more intense, more adult and the designs of the Gundams changed the way I looked at Giant Robots forever.  I became a Gundam fan almost overnight, watching Gundam Wing whenever I could and buying as much merch as I could.  Then I discovered the larger Gundam multiverse and 23 years later, I have an Anime blog named after my favorite Anime franchise.  I’m starting out this new series premiere review this way because the first five episodes (or 4.5) of Gundam Build Divers perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being a 12-13 year old discovering this franchise for the first time and being in totally awe over it and that’s before even getting to the Gunpla centric stuff.  If the rest of this series is gonna be like this intro set of episodes, I’m in for a very, very fun ride that, like Gundam Build Fighters, perfectly appeals to the inner kid in me that fell in love with Gundam back in 2000.  Welcome Dear Readers to the first half of our Extended Summer Series Review, Gundam Build Divers.