T5W#27-Top 5 Katsucon 2016 Moments

I did have another topic in mind for my return this week.  However, now that I think about it, there was no way I could slip off to Katsucon without talking about it when I came back.  So here we go, for any and all interested, my Top 5 Most Memorable moments from my return to the con that set a high bar for others to come. 

 

#5-The Magic of the Gazeebo

If I ever had a moment of woe, and believe it or not I did have a couple of those, id somehow finds my way back to the Gazeebo of the Gaylord Hotel.  And somehow, just sitting here, watching the crowds, observing the cosplay, taking in the atmosphere, it restored me and reminded me of why I enjoy these cons.  There’s a magic to places like the gazeebo, common areas where photoshoots take place and parties meet up.  It can just be talking.  But you never know when a dance off or epic sing along will suddenly pop up to get the evening going.  I almost cried a couple of times here at this hallmark of cosplay photography.  It reminded me of why Anime Conventions are home for me.

 

#4-The Return

I remembered upon seeing the National Harbor Ferris Wheel and Convention Center, how that one song from the Lord of the Rings popped to my head to describe the experience. For the return, it was the trailer mix for the final trailer of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  The soft, lingering sounds of piano keys being tapped, building to something truly big.  By the time we parked and entered the Convention Center and I spied the Gazeebo once again, I could finally say what I had wanted to say for a long time, “Chewie…we’re home.”  The Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center, again, may not be as large as the Baltimore Convention Center where Otakon is held.  But it has a wondrous feel, found in its floor to ceiling ratio and the lighting.  Man when the sky goes dark and the lights turn on, this place sings a new tune.  It’s the perfect location for an Anime Convention and it was really good to be back here again.

 

#3-Video Game Room 2.0

 

The Video Game Room was a win once again this year, but not for the reasons I was expecting.  With the wait line policy set in place with Just Dance, the fun kind of got taken out of it, though I did get in a dance or two.  No, the win came from me broadening my horizons a bit.  I found myself beating Time Crisis 2 with an L cosplayer…ive only beaten that game once before in my life.  And then I found my way to a game called Flash Beat.  Think of it as Air Hockey with sound beats, keep the beats from entering your goals.  I got my ass kicked 4 separate times, so why did I enjoy it?  Cause of the people I met there, three players who never chided me for my weakness and welcomed my company.  Plus it was fun watching them rock the game, they were all exceptional players.  It was different and that’s exactly how each con experience should be.

 

#2-Golden Boy

At long last, I watched Golden Boy.  The adventures of Kintaro, a “student of life” and a serious pervert with a good heart, lived up to its much deserved hype and it’s 18+ warning label.  I only got to see one episode due to only half the series being shown and not all of it.  But that one episode plus the MST3K group that had been adding their own commentary definitely made me want to seek out more of this show.  I have since watched the rest of the series via youtube and have fallen in love with it, especially the first episode.  “MONEY CANT REPLACE THAT KIND OF KNOWLEDGE!!! THOSE NOTES WERE PRICELESS!!!!”  Yeah look forward to a review on this one very soon.

 

#1-Dejavudea

My favorite moment of Katsucon 2016 was actually one person, one very inspiring and amazing person.  Dejavudea is a popular youtube cosplayer and convention attendee who also leads the convention touring dance group, Dantsu to Pantsu.  She also hosts the Kigurumi Parties at several conventions she attends.  Here she takes a few minutes with groups of individuals to get to know them, find out how their con is going and see how she can make it better.  Well remember those moments of woe I was telling you about a couple entries ago, one of the hit right around the time of the Kigu Party.  After taking a lap, I returned because I had no other place to be.  That’s when she sat down next to me, recognizing me (it still wows me that she remembers that stuttering guy who got to take a selfie with her and MangoSirene a year prior).  I told about me missing a few friends, especially after the hardships of last year.  I was given a hand on the shoulder, a nice hug and then tugged into a group of individuals, one of whom I ended up having a fun conversation with.  Dejavudea is a real Anime heroine whose goal is to make the world a better place for convention attendees everywhere.  She’s sweet beyond belief and one of the top 10 human being I know on this planet.  I hope our paths cross again one day.  She saved my convention experience big time and that counts as my top moment of Katsucon 2016.

Be sure to check out Dejavudea’s Youtube page for Convention reports, cosplay tutorials and other fun vids.

https://www.youtube.com/user/dejavudea

And YES I know there was a fire, I know I was shoved out into the cold along with thousands of others and no it was not fun…but I still had fun overall and I hope others did as well.  Any fav moments?  Feel free to leave a comment.

T5W#26-Top 5 Katsucon 2015 Moments

Well, tomorrow is the big day.  Well it’s the start of the big event anyway.  I don’t know if a lot of people do this, but I easily count Thursday, the Pre Reg Day, as the unofficial start to a convention.  So yeah, Katsucon 2016 kicks off tomorrow.  So it’s only right that I finish off this little three part T5W arc with one more look back at last years game changing convention.  These are the 5 moments that made it so and made me so excited to return one year later.

 

#5-The WTF Moment

They are rare, but moments can hit you at a con that threaten to derail the whole experience.  For me at Katsucon, it was the news that a new friend I had just made had returned home a day into the con to avoid bad weather. I spent most of the rest of Friday night in a saddened state.  I was almost ready to admit defeat around 230am when I decided that, “Hey it’s a 24hour convention.  I should see if I can find something.”  I found my way to another 18+ panel and just happened to enter at the right time…as an image I probably shouldn’t even begin to describe appeared on the screen prompting wide eyes and a very loud, “WHAT THE F***” from myself and more than half of the audience.  I’ll just tell you that the panel was pretty suggestive, so I’ll leave what I saw to your incredibly disturbed imagination.  There’s something about these more raunchy and not so kid friendly late night panels that can make you laugh, gasp and question your own morality watching some of this stuff.  But the memory is one for the books for sure.  So yeah, seeing what I saw cheered me up.  It saved my weekend and the con could now continue.

 

#4-Video Game Room

It wasn’t as big as Otakons but dammit it had everything Otakon had been lacking the last couple of years: Halo and Call of Duty, Smash Bros of all generations, multiple DDR’s and even an X-Men Arcade machine.  The X Men game was six players and we were able to actually have a full on team of six playing as Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Dazzler for the bulk of it.  We didn’t finish with six but we did manage to beat the game, a fun bit of retro gameplay.  However it was the very back of the room that held my attention for the rest of the night.  They had Just Dance 2015 playing on an Xbox 360 kinnect hooked up to a massive TV and it was drawing quite the crowd.  I was content to watch until after the first few photos I decided to join in.  The playlist was short but memorable and we definitely did some song multiple times.  .  From mastering a song I thought would kick the crap out of me (Get Low) to songs the DID kick the crap out of me (The Tetris and Christmas Songs) to classics I enjoyed thoroughly (Bad Romance, What Does the Fox Say, You Spin me Right Round), I danced with a group of fun individuals for TWO AND A HALF HOURS!!!  .  At 330am, I was sore, hot and tired but feeling the greatest, not a bad Valentines Day event in a way. 

 

#3-Sailor Moon Photoshoot

The Sailor Moon photoshoot next to the Gazebo doors was the perfect setting.  It just looked like Moon Kingdom material.  And we got a nice collection of all scouts and even a few villains who I don’t see cosplayed that often (here’s to you Doom Tree Siblings).  And the shoot ended up falling into the hands of two energetic and sister like Sailor Moons named Jerri and Gillian to organize and announce the shoots.  Man were those two amazing and so full of life and love for Sailor Moon, keeping everyone smiling and energized.  I had never experienced a Sailor Moon shoot quite like this.  I let a little tear emerge cause it was pure moon magic…and the perfect spot to grab a well earned nap.

 

#2-The Gaylord

Could I ever imagine such a palace existed?  It was ok at first but it’s here I bring up a scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.  That scene where the Fellowship descend into Moria and discover the remnants of the Dwarf City of Dwalindale and the song that plays as they arrive?  Yeah it kind of felt like that.  Beyond the hotel lobby was the main section of the hotel: A giant glass box, including a high glass ceiling. with balcony views of the interior all within.  There were three levels: the bottom most was the Atrium, which held a tiny town of sorts with shops and restaurants just before the main entryway fountains; level 2 was the main hotel lobby and the bar and level 3…was the Gazebo, the most coveted spot of all cosplayers and photographers.  If you came to Katsucon in costume, that was the spot you had to get your picture taken in or the trip just didn’t matter…ok that’s a bit much but that spot was a big deal.  The Convention Center attachment more than matched the hotel portion.  The floor to ceiling ratio alone, this place was built for giants.  If you ever want to make a place specifically catered to Anime Conventions, this is what you should model it after. 

 

#1-Meeting Popular Cosplayers

I follow numerous cosplayers on Facebook and Instagram and I knew many would be attending this con: Katsucon kind of has an unsung rep of being a cosplay hotspot, more so than Otakon.  But did I ever think id meet MangoSirene, Mostflogged, Dustbunny AND Dejavudea all in the same weekend?  The answer is no and from the moment I took that selfie with MangoSirene and Dejavudea that Thursday night, I knew this weekend was going to be something special.  I got autographs from all of them and I think that surprised them all, cant say why but it was still cool.  No clue if im going to see them all again this year, one of them at least has announced they wont be able to make it.  It was definitely an experience getting to meet these girls in person.  They are so incredibly nice, their feel good spirits more than matching their skill at cosplay.  If you ever have the chance to meet your cosplay idols, do so.  I guarantee it will boost your will to craft and cosplay 100 fold (ok I don’t guarantee that since I don’t cosplay but you get the point.)

Katsucon 2016 has arrived.  See you there if you go.

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Part 4-Episode 7

While Bright Noa makes a move to stop the Vist Foundation’s activities on Earth, Banagher is pursued by a jealous Riddie and Full Frontal.  The battle returns to Industrial 7, the place where this conflict began AND the location of Laplace’s Box.  Here with Mineva, Banagher learns what the box is and how it’s secret could rock the foundations of the Universal Century itself.  What will these two do with this knowledge?  Will it usher in a new era for mankind much like the arrival of the Newtype Phenomenon?  Or will it throw the world and space into chaos.  Whatever happens, the search is over and the fight must be finished. 

At Otakon 2012, it was announced by Sunrise that (amongst other Gundam announcements) Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn’s episode length was being extended by one, from it’s originally intended six.  So with this delay in mind, the double length episode arrived a year after Episode 6.  Seeing as how we’ve had a ton of build up til now, could Gundam Unicorn deliver?  And would the extra run time and production time on the episode make it the stuff of Gundam legend?  Let’s review this sucker.

We pick up exactly where we left off last week…with Banagher wasting all of his heavy artillery on fighting Riddhe.  Riddhe, Riddhe, Riddhe…what a pain in the ass he has been this whole series.  Even when he seems to find his redemption at the end, there is no reason to root for him, warm up to him, or feel even remotely sorry for him.  Riddhe went from hotshot pilot to racist against Newtypes at a very rapid pace.  It seems like they were just prepping him all along to be another rival for Banagher to fight besides Full Frontal.  I don’t know.  Everytime Riddhe opened his mouth to speak I just shook my head.  I was done with him the second he proposed to Mineva and expected to still be likeable.  He sucks as a pilot and even more as a character.  Congratulations Graham Acker from Gundam 00, you have a new roommate. 

Ok, my Riddhe rant aside, what about the big secret of Laplace’s Box?  Well…it’s actually kind of shocking that one tiny line of writing can be the cause of so much chaos.  I wont say what the actual secret it but it was worth the build up.  This secret really was a game changer for the Universal Century era.  It makes me wonder if this could have been somehow included in Amuro’s story, for reasons which would kind of give away the secret…but even then that’s kind of a hint I think.  It makes me wish there was a follow up story between Unicorn and Gundam F91 (the next conical entry of the Universal Century) to deal with this fall out.  Maybe a Gundam series or movie will come along detailing what happens when we hit the 100^th year of the Universal Century (UC 0100, wow) and if there were any lasting ramifications to this unveiling.

So yeah, the secret of the box is a great twist.  Everything around it though, is good and bad.  The opening battle, for all it’s Riddhe nonsense, is pretty freaking awesome.  Finally, Banagher is able to make the Unicorn really fly as it went toe to toe with the Neo Zeon’s.  I wish he would’ve taken out Angelo and put that Full Frontal fanboy to rest, but I know that would go against Banagher’s beliefs.  Speaking of the man who will never be Char, Full Frontal’s giant God Mode Cheat mobile suit was so ridiculous.  It acted like an overpowered hydra, everytime an arm was cut off or destroyed, five more appeared.  Everytime it poked out a new weapon, I groaned.  I think the episodes runtime was partly extended cause Frontal refused to die cause he thinks he’s so important.  The suit more than matched Frontal’s personality, overcompensating for the fact that he will never, EVER be Char Aznable.  Char never needed all that tech to go toe to toe with Amuro and was the gold standard for key adversaries in the Gundam franchise.  You wanted to like him as well as punch him.  Frontal, you just always wanted to punch (and thankfully Banagher does a lot of that with his Gundam).

What was a miss about this episode?  Well the pacing was a bit of a problem.  After the opening third which featured the battle between the Nael Argama and the Neo Zeons, we got a slow plodding second third with the revelations of Laplace’s Box and not one, or two, BUT THREE ideologies spoken of back to back.  Sion Vist, Riddhe and Frontal all had to get their issues and wishes for the boxes use out of the way.  This meant a lot of talking when we should have been kept in the action.  At the very least, we could have cut out Riddhe’s stuff (cause who cares).  The excessive run time of this episode could have been reduced here if we kept it to Banagher and Mineva discovering the box’s secret then heading into the final battle.  Then there’s the final battle and that real trippy venture to the realm beyond realms  and it looked a lot like Gundam’s take on 2001: A Space Odyssey’s final act.  I’m not totally sure where it was that Banagher and Frontal ended up traveling to.  It was admittedly cool to see updated animation of battles and events from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series as the two traveled through time.  They made it sound like this is the plane where humanity will all end up one day down the evolutionary line  That probably is the case since we got a big surprise mini cameo by Char, Amuro (?!) and Lala Sune, all there to witness the final fight.  Guess the biggest rivalry of all Anime did get settled since Amuro and Char are getting along with Lala at their side.  We also had to deal with taking care of the annoyingly forgettable Martha Vist and her conspirators on Earth.  Sure Bright was there to take them down.  But the Vists were just one villainous group too many.  I miss the days when villains didn’t have to rely on being snotty and arrogant and actually felt threatening…you know like Char.

It had it’s issues and left things a bit open ended as to where things go in this beloved Gundam era.  I also think it was longer than it needed to be.  As far as finales go, this wasn’t the worst in Gundam history but I don’t think it was the best.  If you stuck with it this far, you owe it to yourself to see this series through to the end. 

So, at long last, my final thoughts.  Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn was an ambitious tale to tell in the franchise.  Sure there’s a thirty year history gap between Char’s Counterattack and F91 to take advantage of, but what other stories were there to tell?  If nothing else, Unicorn presented a great mystery to enlarge the mythos of the Universal Century.  We went back to the beginning and toured it’s history to see where humanity might be heading.  As far as casts go, Banagher ended up being a pretty good addition to the pilot roster, once he stopped whining and stepped up (and yes I do think he and Mineva did make a cute couple).  We also had a strong supporting cast with powerful female leads in Mineva and Marida, solidifying that Gundam needs more strong female leads like them and great Captains in Zinnerman (god I was spelling his name wrong in every review, I apologize), Otto and Bright Noa.  The villains weren’t really memorable if only for their annoyance and I think ive said all that needs to be said about Riddhe.  The series is gorgeous from beginning to end.  Unicorn is definitely the example each series needs to live up to now in terms of animation quality.  Overall?  This was a solid entry in the Gundam franchise, good moments and bad.  Hell it was enough to warrant a simultaneous release both in Japan and in America (a trend being continued with Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin).  Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn wasn’t the fully strongest of the Gundam entries, but definitely not one of the weakest.

Fly on Gundam, until we meet again on this blog…sooner than you think

7/10

Well now that that is finally concluded, it’s time for me to head out to Katsucon.  No new review next week…at least that’s the plan, but there will definitely be a new Top 5 Wednesday.  Who knows I may write a surprise review in advance.  Whatever happens, check back definitely in a couple of weeks for the return of Ghost in the Shell: Arise.

T5W#25-Top 5 Items to Get at Anime Convention

Part 2 of our three part convention themed T5W’s, this week we’re looking at five items I prioritize whenever I head to a convention: Katsucon, Otakon or otherwise.  I am aware that this list might differ greatly, they may even be a different 5 altogether.  I do think the #1 is one that we can mostly agree on.  But let’s look at the rest shall we?

 

#5-DVD’s/Blu-Ray’s

Chances are, you’re coming to a convention with a particular favorite series or movie you’ve just seen.  Well chances are equally high that you’ll find that title or a slew of classics within the Dealer’s Room.  There are dozens of vendors, all selling sets for different prices. I prioritize this low on the list because (as much as I personally enjoy building up my video library), there are other more important items to immortalize your trip.  That being said, never hesitate to get your favorite series on Blu Ray (for me that’s finally getting FLCL this year).

 

#4-Swords

One of the best things about conventions is the fact that with the right item, you can look like a wandering Samurai.  Wooden replica swords are my preferable purchase for a couple of reasons.  One, I should be anywhere near a real sword for fear of slicing my hand open accidentally.  And two, real steel is actually not permitted when walking around.  Normal policies are, once you buy a real sword you have to remove it from the con pronto-stash it in your room or take it to your car or get it mailed to your house.  Wooden swords (so long as theyre not sheathed or you’ll be stopped every five steps by staff) are acceptable for taking with you anywhere around the convention.  I’ve already amassed a collection of Tensa Zangetsu’s.  I wonder what my next blade of choice will be?

 

#3-Plushies

You have to be an absolute monster to not have one favorite cute little sidekick in an Anime.  Be it Happy, Totoro, Guts or Ryo-Ohki, you just want to somehow make them real and hug em to death.  Well Plushies are the closest you’ll get to that.  Various sizes, various styles.  Heck if you even want to hug your favorite major character, they have small huggable figures for them as well.  Unleash you chibi side and maybe show one off to other con goers.  You’d be surprised of a Happy hanging around your wrist (his tail is a loop) can be a good conversation starter.

 

#2-Anything from the Artist Alley

Keychains, pins, paintings.  These little items are all items from the hearts of fans.  The people selling their craft in the Artist Alley have put so much time and effort into sharing their gifts and love of anime with you.  It’s only right you should show some support for them.  And who knows, you might find one items that means a lot to you that no official merch can offer.  The next generation of Anime minds exists in this room.  Even if you don’t buy anything, be sure to shake a hand or two and tell them what a great job theyre doing.

 

#1-Lots of Photos

Unless you’re getting an autographed picture from a special guest, this is the one item that is virtually free.  All you need is a camera, a decent memory card and battery and a character you love, or friend youre traveling with.  My photo count has steadily gone up each convention.  Everyday I’m snapping hundreds of photos at a time of the cosplay, the guests, even the con setting itself if its gorgeous enough.  Memories.  Those are the best items you can come away with from an Anime Convention.  And the photos just immortalize those good times.  I never want to forget my experiences and I never want to stop sharing those phots with friends.  If there’s a convention I’m headed to, be damn sure I’ll be snapping shots like a happy go lucky tourist.  Best…gift…ever…

See ya next Wednesday, the day before Katsucon, for the final part of this three part special.

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Part 3-Episode 5 & 6

Following a brief duel with the “Black Unicorn”, Banagher is captured by the Federation.  On the Ra Cailum, he meets legendary captain Bright Noa, who lends his own wisdom to Banagher’s troubled mind.  Meanwhile, Mineva receives an alliance offer from the Vist Foundation that could save what’s left of her people.  The search for Laplace’s Box soon returns to space, where Full Frontal appears once again to unveil his ultimate endgame. The Federation, Neo Zeon and the Vist Foundation are locked in a three way battle for the box…and Banagher might’ve just found the location of this treasure many have died for.

Before I get started, I should apologize for this delay.  Last Christmas I was set to review Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn right to the end of the year.  But then it became possible that I would acquire the second half of Ghost in the Shell Arise.  And since I had just seen the sequel movie to that, I was tempted to review Arise instead.  Well the second half never came but im hoping to rectify that in a couple of weeks during my trip to Katsucon.  So for those hoping to have seen my complete series review of Unicorn last year, I’m sorry I didn’t plan better.  Still, chopping both shows in half was a pretty good Plan B I think.  Anyway, let’s continue shall we?

Gundam Unicorn returned to start it’s second half with new revelations, more whinning and some really pretty fight scenes.  When we last left Banagher, he was still crying over the Neo Zeon pilot he couldn’t save, held at gunpoint by Riddhe and there was a black Unicorn Gundam dropping in.  That was quite the cliffhanger to leave things on last year.  So how do we continue from there?  With a lot of reflection and pondering, that’s how.  This was very much like a mid semester look back at everything learned so far.  It showed how far Banagher, Mineva, Zimmerman, Riddhe and others had come and how far they’ll need to go to settle their own conflicts. 

Banagher and Mineva’s scenes really stood out.  Though parted for so long, they’ve changed since the last time they saw each other.  They’ve both been on both sides of the Laplace Box hunt, getting to know both Federation and Neo Zeon forces pretty well.  Banagher found a strong mentor in Zimmerman, even if Zimmerman won’t openly admit it.  Mineva has seen the evil of both the Vist’s and Full Frontal and how giving either of them the box is a bad move for everyone, not just Neo Zeon.  I pegged Banagher and Mineva’s romance as forced at the beginning of the series.  Seeing them together now, however, their dialogue seems more natural, more hopeful.  And damn is Mineva going to be a fine leader for Zeon should things turn out ok for everyone. 

Banagher still has a ways to go before he finally stops whinning, but he’s getting there.  This is definitely thanks to some awesome chats with Bright Noa.  Bright has been at the center of growth for every Gundam pilot that has come before Banagher.  So he knows what to say to get a pilot motivated and it shows why he’s earned the rep he has in this franchise.  Also, my favorite moment of the series so far has to be Bright talking to his photo of Amuro in his office.  That’s just freaking awesome.  If you’ve watched the Gundam saga from the beginning and remember how Bright and Amuro first met, then this tiny moment was a big win.  I wonder how Amuro would have worked with Banagher.  Heck it stands to ask where Kamille Bidan and Judau Ashita might’ve been during all of this and if they could have leant some Gundam wisdom to the kid.  Still Banagher’s getting better and his wishes are more clear than just helping Mineva.

Zimmerman probably came out the best from these couple of episodes.  He finally reconciled his hatred for Earth and allowed his love for Marida to drive his actions.  Likewise, Marida’s struggle to regain her identity from the Vist Foundation led to a strong moment for her and Zimmerman AND her and Banagher (I wish she could give me a hug like that.)  And finally, we got some clarification on just how twisted Frontal really is.  He’s going after the box for absolute power, with the full intent of a third Neo Zeon War.  As Mineva notes, this is the exact opposite of Char who, despite his destructive methods, wanted humanity to move into space and seek change.  I never liked Full Frontal from the beginning and now I’m glad I was right to think that way.  As for Riddhe…ugh.  He was never a well defined character to begin with.  He started out as a gifted ace pilot who then hated Mineva, then liked Mineva, then PROPOSED to Mineva (all in the span of two episodes btw), then found out what the box might contain and suddenly hated Newtypes.  He’s all over the place.  And now it’s hard to tell if he’s just out to destroy Newtypes out of fear or because Mineva chose Banagher over him.  Either way, as we head into the finale, Riddhe is officially my Graham Acker of this series (not sure what that means?  Check out my full series review of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 from last summer and expect a lot of hilariously angry rants).

While this series has been heavy on character, that doesn’t mean the action took a back seat in events.  The clever joint operation to rescue Mineva was a lot of fun.  Not only did we get to see Bright pull Zimmerman and his crew into things using Kai Shiden (his crewmate from Mobile Suit Gundam) and Beltorchika (Amuro’s love interest from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam), but it was hilarious seeing Otto’s reaction to getting his orders from Bright.  Seriously, Otto is one of the best captains ever.  He freaks out quite a bit but is a tough as nails captain who stands his ground, a great successor to Bright.  Anyway, was got a lot of Macross style fly around on Earth and it looked amazing.  This really is the best looking Gundam series to date.  Episode 6 did take down the action quite a bit following the opening.  The tense stand off in the docking bay of the Nael Argama was nice though.  Now I’m wondering if that Unicorn will actually use all of that heavy artillery it’s been strapped with for the final battle.

Well we’re now one episode away from the end.  With the location of Laplace’s Box revealed, it looks like we’re going back to the beginning.  Will Banagher and Mineva beat Full Frontal to it?  Will Riddhe finally get the ass kicking he so desperately needs?  Will we see Bright again before the end?  Will we see Amuro or Char in some way?  And, for frak’s sake…WHAT’S IN THE F***ING BOX???!!!” Sorry, had to go for full Brad Pitt Seven effect there.  Whatever is inside, it had better be one helluva reveal after all this build up.

See ya next week for the double length conclusion of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.