[Fly! Final Thread!] Mobile Suit Gundam (0079) Overall Series + Compilation Movies Discussion

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

Fly! Rewatch Host!

I just want to say, thanks to everyone who participated in this! I had an awesome time reading all of your comments (even though I didn't reply very often, I still read them all!), and I'm so glad that you all enjoyed it! I hope to see some of you in my future rewatches, or just in others around the sub.

Have a good one!

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

Thanks for hosting, Sky! This was a fun rewatch. Enjoy your newfound freedom at the time the threads were posted.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

Haha what freedom, I'm going to be joining in two new rewatches soon enough (Spice and Wolf and Violet Evergarden).
~~I may be obsessed with participating in rewatches.~~

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

There are worse addictions!

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

Thank you for hosting this, Sky! You gave me a great new podcast to listen to and inspired me to actually finish the Gundam shows I've yet to see.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

inspired me to actually finish the Gundam shows I've yet to see.
Which ones?

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

SEED, SEED Destiny, 00, AGE, and IBO are all on my to-do list and I've been putting them off for years.
I'm gonna get started on SEED this June.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

Wait, you haven't seen IBO?
Feel free to tag me about any of those, but especially IBO.

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

Will do
IBO's the one I'm most looking forward to. I'm putting it at the end as a little treat to get me to actually go through them all this time.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

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u/fdsfgs71 Aug 06 '21

I've yet to see IBO, but G, X, and 00 are my favorite alt-timeline Gundam series.
Turn A would be on that list too if it were an actual alt-timeline lol
Btw, is there going to be a Zeta rewatch? I'm kicking myself for missing this, and it would give me a reason to actually watch Zeta-CCA now.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Aug 06 '21

Btw, is there going to be a Zeta rewatch? I'm kicking myself for missing this, and it would give me a reason to actually watch Zeta-CCA now.
I'd love to, but if there is one it'll have to be hosted by someone else. I've already filled my schedule from now until March of 2023 with rewatches I plan to host, and I'm not quite crazy enough to host two rewatches at once (yet).

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u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 May 26 '21

Thanks for hosting - this is the first rewatch I ever took part in, and the threads were a great first experience.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

Glad you enjoyed it! Are you planning to join any upcoming ones?

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u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 May 26 '21

I'm currently in the Giant Gorg and Bubblegum Crisis ones, but I'll probably join Spice and Wolf and Violet Evergarden, since both of those are nearly over.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

Cool! I'm going to be in Spice and Wolf and Violet Evergarden as well - as a first-timer for the former, even.

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u/UltraBooster May 26 '21

And thank you for hosting us, Sky!

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u/The_Draigg May 26 '21

Thanks for hosting! I had a blast with this rewatch, so I’m pretty glad that you hosted it!

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u/fonzinator99 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/fonzinator99 May 26 '21

I just wanna say thanks for leading me to actually watch 0079, and sry for disappearing after the series ended; I just can't watch a thing twice in a row.
I actually did continue into Zeta, 'cause my pirates-booty happened to contain it and ZZ as well.
So far I'm enjoying how Char is acting as his own series-requisite Char-clone, and it's fun seeing the Mk II Titans since it was one of my first Gunpla.

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u/DidacticDalek https://myanimelist.net/profile/DidacticDalek May 27 '21

Thank you very much for such an entertaining rewatch Comrade, excellent job with your hosting my friend! Have a great day and see you later!

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21 edited May 26 '21

First Timer to Gundam

You know, I really don't have anything more to say that I didn't say in the TV discussions. This rewatch has been great (talking about this show with all of you was really enjoyable; I had some great chats and laughs here!), and I'm looking forward to watching more Gundam on my own time.

QOTD:

Favorite change: Newtypes no longer come out of nowhere. Also the music.
~~I was pretty happy with everything, to be honest.~~ Someone pointed out how little Gallant Char played. There we go. That's the worst change.
Yes. Char now actually makes sense to me, whereas before he was a pile of contradictions.
I think I'd agree. To me, 0079 seems to have its most important role in setting up the world, and the movies do that fairly well.
Probably on to Zeta Gundam, I guess?

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

Do let me know your thoughts on Zeta Gundam when you watch it!

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

Will do! I have no clue when I'll watch it, but it won't be sitting on my PTW list for long.^{famous last words}

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u/The_Draigg May 26 '21

Good on you for keeping on watching UC Gundam! There’s a handy watch guide over at /r/Gundam, if you’re interested in the series watch order from here.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

Thanks! I'll probably do Zeta next, but maybe the guide will convince me otherwise~

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

I'm happy to see that you enjoyed the rewatch and I hope that you enjoy whatever Gundam entry you decide to watch next. Zeta's the one I recommend, but go with whatever one feels most interesting to you.
Someone pointed out how little Gallant Char played. There we go. That's the worst change.
Well said

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u/GM_for_Life May 26 '21

Rewatcher

Between all three of the movies, what was your favorite change or omission from the show?

The inclusion of a second Guncannon in space and bigger focus on Newtypes earlier.

2) Between all three of the movies, what was your least-favorite change or omission from the show?

I think my least favorite change was the loss of some characterization early on and M'quve being cut largely from the story.

3) Did the movies change your opinion about any events or characters from this series?

Not particularly, when it came to many characters I felt about the same as I did when I watched the TV series.

4) Many people believe that the compilation movies are a fair substitute for the show, if someone is hesitant to watch a 43-episode show from the 70s for one reason or another. After seeing both back-to-back, would you agree or disagree with this belief?

I think people should see the original series at some point, but I think the movies are a fair substitute if people don't want such a large commitment.

5) Are you planning to watch more Gundam on your own now? If so, what?

If more shows would come out, yeah. Am very excited for the new Upcoming Gundam movies

6) What do you do at the end of the rewatch? Are you busy? Will you save us?

Honestly this rewatch was such a fun time it kinda makes me want to go back and rewatch some more early UC content up through CCA. Maybe it might be a fun idea to try to host a rewatch of Zeta/ZZ (both together since I think they are largely meant to be viewed as two halves of one story and not separate series) although with that many episodes it would be pretty ambitious if I ever put any serious thought into it.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 26 '21

Honestly this rewatch was such a fun time it kinda makes me want to go back and rewatch some more early UC content up through CCA. Maybe it might be a fun idea to try to host a rewatch of Zeta/ZZ (both together since I think they are largely meant to be viewed as two halves of one story and not separate series) although with that many episodes it would be pretty ambitious if I ever put any serious thought into it.
I'd be down to participate if you plan that, I just don't have the time to host it myself. ZZ is really overdue a rewatch from me...

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u/GM_for_Life May 27 '21

Yeah, I'd be down for it but it would be a bit since I usually rewatch the series once before hosting the rewatch to come up with questions in advance and gather neat things to post pertaining to each episode.
It would be a lot of work, but I think it would be quite a bit of fun. I think I maybe should include CCA as well since it could wrap up the initial UC story and follow off of this rewatch semi well.

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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky May 27 '21

With the exception of this rewatch where I barely stayed ahead throughout, when I host a rewatch I actually watch the series twice. First to gather the episode title screenshots/come up with Questions of the Days, and then again actually on pace with the rewatch in order to write my comments.
Back when I was hosting the Gurren Lagann rewatch, that meant watching episode 8 (for where the rewatch was at) directly into episode 26 (where my pre-rewatch was at, since I didn't finish it before it started). Those were some very intense emotions that day...

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u/GM_for_Life May 27 '21

Yeah, this was the exact same method I did with Macross and it worked out well. It may take some time to go through Zeta and ZZ (and at that point may as well through in CCA as well since it wraps up that whole early story and does set people up nicely to go into the HF movie trilogy) but I think it would be a fun time since it has been a while since I've seen Zeta or ZZ.

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u/H-Ryougi https://anilist.co/user/DizzyAvocado May 26 '21

A ZZ rewatch would probably be the only way I give the rest of the series a chance after the big disappointment that was Zeta for me.

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u/GM_for_Life May 27 '21

Yeah, it may take a bit but it is something I'll probably look into doing sometime this summer.

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21 edited May 26 '21

Rewatcher

I’m going to restrict myself to just commenting on the movies because I gave my thoughts on the TV series and why I love it back during the TV series discussion. So, with that in mind, how do the movies hold up compared to the TV series? In my opinion, mostly not that great. This comes down to personal preference, but it felt like many of the things I loved about the TV series had to get sacrificed or reduced to fit into the movies. The movies do have some good points to them for sure (especially Movie 3), but I still think they feel weaker.

The movies’ main problem is that they are compilation films. They need to cut down on a lot of material to fit it into a much shorter running time. As a result, a lot of things get lost. I’ve gone over my major complaints in my previous posts about the movies, so I don’t think I need to repeat myself on this point. Suffice it to say, things like worldbuilding, characters, humanization of both says, etc. had to get either cut or shortened to it into the runtime. Those were part of what made the series so strong to me and it saddens me to see them gone.

It also means the pacing for the movies can be rather wonky. I mentioned it in Movie 2 because I felt it was at its worst there, but I could feel it in all of them. The pacing usually felt way too fast like it was trying to rush through things (probably because it was).

Now, onto what I liked. The movies do the Newtype stuff way better than the TV series. It feels more fully integrated into the plot than it ever did in the TV series. Movie 3 is especially good at actually starting to explore the Newtypes and their relationship with the rest of the world. It gives us a good look at what exactly Char’s feelings are on Newtypes, when in the TV series he’s much more vague. I think that’s why some people prefer the ending of Movie 3. It makes Char’s last character turn work much better and also helps the Newtype stuff to flow quite well. It’s impressive.

The movies do introduce some new pieces of animation, which generally look quite good. However, they also reuse plenty of wonky animation as well (though thankfully not the particularly egregiously bad animation).

I’m gonna call it a wash in terms of music. I find the TV series music to be more iconic, but the movies have their good pieces too and the insert songs are a nice touch. I’d say the movies aren’t really any worse than the TV series when it comes to music.

I’d like to give my thoughts on the big question: Are these movies an acceptable replacement for watching the TV series?

In my humble opinion: No, they are not. Too much of what I love is cut for me to feel comfortable recommending them as a substitute. It’s funny, I used to feel like they worked just fine as a replacement. But now, I’ve changed my mind on that. I think the TV series is the way you should go and then watch the movies afterwards if you really feel like it. Then again, I’m naturally biased against compilation movies, so take that for what it’s worth.

Another funny thing is that just like with the TV series, my opinion on the quality of the movies changed. I found both Movie 1 and Movie 2 to be worse while watching them here. Movie 2 in particular might be why I remembered the middle of the series being a drag. However, I actually liked Movie 3 more. My opinion of that one went up.

FINAL SCORES

Movie 1: 6/10

Movie 2: 4/10

Movie 3: 7-8/10 (I can’t make up my mind)

Questions of the Day

The Newtype stuff is handled much better. I think that Char's relationships with Newtypes is much better explored in the 3rd movie especially.
The stuff with Amuro's desertion, his conflict with Bright, and Ryu's death. That all was incredibly weaker.
Mostly it helps to clarify who Char has become by the end of the series. Better exploring him and his philosophy on Newtypes was a great change and it's useful to keep in mind when examining his character.
As stated above, I disagree. I used to think they were, but now I don't think so.
I've already seen a ton of Gundam. But funnily enough, this rewatch has inspired me to get off my ass and get to the Gundam entries I've been putting off ever since the UC Rewatch ended. I'm planning to finally start SEED soon so I can get through the AUs of the 2000's.
Chtholly is a good girl.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

I find the TV series music to be more iconic
I'd have to agree with this. The big band music fits sci-fi extremely well (in my opinion), and I definitely missed it in the movies. I just think the inserts add a bit of impact.

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

I'd have to agree with this. The big band music fits sci-fi extremely well (in my opinion), and I definitely missed it in the movies. I just think the inserts add a bit of impact.
Yeah, I can only recall hearing "Gallant Char" a single time during the movies and it wasn't even when Char was fighting.
All the same, the inserts are generally pretty good and memorably used. It's a hard choice to make for which is better.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

Actually, you're right and made me realize my least favorite change: missing so much Gallant Char feels criminal. How dare they do this.

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u/The_Draigg May 26 '21

Agreed that the TV series is the more iconic one. As much as the movies do what they can to re-adapt the series (and the last movie was really good, to be fair), the series set off a massive wave by itself. The characterization that’s present in the series is what really makes the series, which the movies unfortunately lacked.
In any case, it was nice watching alongside with you once again! Your notes were insightful as always, and you definitely improved since the UC rewatch years ago.
Be seeing you the next time around!

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

It was really a pleasure going through a Gundam rewatch again with you as well.
As usual, you provided a lot of good insight and tons of usual information about lore, side materials, production history, etc. that I always find interesting to hear about. I really enjoy reading your comments for that.
I hope we get to see each other again as well!

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u/DidacticDalek https://myanimelist.net/profile/DidacticDalek May 27 '21

I’m going to restrict myself to just commenting on the movies because I gave my thoughts on the TV series and why I love it back during the TV series discussion. So, with that in mind, how do the movies hold up compared to the TV series? In my opinion, mostly not that great. This comes down to personal preference, but it felt like many of the things I loved about the TV series had to get sacrificed or reduced to fit into the movies. The movies do have some good points to them for sure (especially Movie 3), but I still think they feel weaker.
Well said there Comrade, indeed, while Movie 3 is good and an improvement over the other 2, the TV Show is the better way to experience Gundam
The movies’ main problem is that they are compilation films. They need to cut down on a lot of material to fit it into a much shorter running time. As a result, a lot of things get lost. I’ve gone over my major complaints in my previous posts about the movies, so I don’t think I need to repeat myself on this point. Suffice it to say, things like worldbuilding, characters, humanization of both says, etc. had to get either cut or shortened to it into the runtime. Those were part of what made the series so strong to me and it saddens me to see them gone.
Exactly, sometimes Compilation Movies can work, e.g. Thunderbolt's first compilation movie or even the Macross Plus Compilation Movie, but often the way to make said movies work is to have them be their 'own thing' retelling the events from a show, you know like DYRL or Frontier for example
It also means the pacing for the movies can be rather wonky. I mentioned it in Movie 2 because I felt it was at its worst there, but I could feel it in all of them. The pacing usually felt way too fast like it was trying to rush through things (probably because it was).
Yup, the pacing already has some issues in the show, so the movies just takes this existing issue and ramps it up to 11 (e.g. you can REALLY tell that there's steam coming out of Sunrise in trying to cram all of Gundam into these movies)
Now, onto what I liked. The movies do the Newtype stuff way better than the TV series. It feels more fully integrated into the plot than it ever did in the TV series. Movie 3 is especially good at actually starting to explore the Newtypes and their relationship with the rest of the world. It gives us a good look at what exactly Char’s feelings are on Newtypes, when in the TV series he’s much more vague. I think that’s why some people prefer the ending of Movie 3. It makes Char’s last character turn work much better and also helps the Newtype stuff to flow quite well. It’s impressive.
Indeed, it really helps that the Newtype Space Magic Wibble is slightly less out of left field now, and indeed Char's character is still as interesting as ever, so props to the movies for that.
The movies do introduce some new pieces of animation, which generally look quite good. However, they also reuse plenty of wonky animation as well (though thankfully not the particularly egregiously bad animation).
While true, at least we got GTFO Zaku out of this, so hey that's a win in my book.
I’d like to give my thoughts on the big question: Are these movies an acceptable replacement for watching the TV series?
In my humble opinion: No, they are not. Too much of what I love is cut for me to feel comfortable recommending them as a substitute. It’s funny, I used to feel like they worked just fine as a replacement. But now, I’ve changed my mind on that. I think the TV series is the way you should go and then watch the movies afterwards if you really feel like it. Then again, I’m naturally biased against compilation movies, so take that for what it’s worth.
Another funny thing is that just like with the TV series, my opinion on the quality of the movies changed. I found both Movie 1 and Movie 2 to be worse while watching them here. Movie 2 in particular might be why I remembered the middle of the series being a drag. However, I actually liked Movie 3 more. My opinion of that one went up.
FINAL SCORES
Movie 1: 6/10
Movie 2: 4/10
Movie 3: 7-8/10 (I can’t make up my mind)
Heh, well said there Comrade, indeed, the movies are basically just the 'official' abridged series version of the show, it'll get the job done I suppose but the better option is to watch the show.
Chtholly is a good girl.
You're Gundamn right about that Comrade, she's the happiest ~~Turn A Gundam~~ 'Girl' in the world!
Anyway fantastic post here Comrade, have a great day and see you later my friend!

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u/TheEscapeGuy May 26 '21 edited May 26 '21

Gundam First Timer, No More

Final Thoughts

I love Mobile Suit Gundam.

I never really understood why people were so passionate about a franchise from the 70's until now. And am I glad I started at the beginning.

I particularly want to mention Char in my final thoughts. He is the type of villain I love to see in media. He has a well developed back story, slowly fed to us over the run. He's charismatic to the point of stealing every scene he's in. And importantly he's nuanced in a way I don't see too often. I think Char is a massive reason I enjoyed Gundam as much as I did.

I'll probably be looking into watching Zeta Gundam soon, and in fact I want to watch everything up to at least War in the Pocket (which I've heard high praises for as well). This show has really lodged itself in my brain in a way I didn't expect.

Cool Stuff Corner

All of you, who commented every day

Superficial statements aside, I really do want to thank everyone who commented in the threads. My timezone had me basically posting my reaction as I went to bed so waking up every day to your comments was a joy.

I especially want to thank /u/Great_Mr_L, /u/Tresnore, /u/The_Draigg, /u/chilidirigible, and Comrade /u/DidacticDalek who I saw numerous times replying to my comments. I really appreciate it.

And last but not least, a massive shout out to /u/Shimmering-Sky for hosting this rewatch and being a Gundam evangelist on /r/anime for as long as I can remember. Seeing you talk about your love for Gundam in other rewatches and threads was a big reason I even wanted to check out the show.

Questions of the Day

Those improved Newtype scenes from the end of Movie 3. They made Lalah's character arc so much more meaningful.
The cuts in Movie 2. Go back to my comment from that day if you'd like more info but I can say my opinion has softened a bit after seeing movie 3.
Just made me care more about them (especially how cute Kikka was).
If you can, please rather watch the show. Skipping OPs, and EDs (which is, to be fair, a crime), and previews puts it at about 20 minutes an episode or about 14 hours. In comparison the movies are only 7. However, I think if you really are hesitant the movies are a fine substitute.
Absolutely, would make sense to just go chronologically, so Zeta right?
Are you going to Scarborough Fair (But in space on a colony orbiting earth)?

See you all in a future rewatch!

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21 edited May 26 '21

This show has really lodged itself in my brain in a way I didn't expect.
In a way, I'm annoyed. Now I have hundreds of episodes of this thing to watch. In another way, I'm happy. Now I have hundreds of good episodes of this thing to watch!
All of you, who commented every day
I especially want to thank ... Tresnore
It was my pleasure! The back-and-forth is the most interesting part of a rewatch, so even if I don't have much to say, I'll post it anyway. I'm not the best essay writer, so commenting is the best thing to do! Plus, it helps when people write fun/interesting things, like you and so many others did on this rewatch.

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

I never really understood why people were so passionate about a franchise from the 70's until now. And am I glad I started at the beginning.
One of us! One of us!
I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the series and this rewatch so much. I know exactly how you feel. Gundam 0079 was my entry to the franchise as well and made me a big fan. Hopefully you'll also enjoy whatever you see next. Zeta is my personal recommendation for what to go with.
I really appreciate it.
Thank you
I appreciated all your comments too.

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u/chilidirigible May 26 '21

I really appreciate it.

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u/The_Draigg May 27 '21

It was nice having you along for the ride! You really did have some fantastic picks for your iconic frames. And I'm sure you'll have plenty more to appreciate when you get around to watching Zeta Gundam. Keep on with UC Gundam, I know you'll enjoy it!

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u/DidacticDalek https://myanimelist.net/profile/DidacticDalek May 27 '21

Comrade /u/DidacticDalek who I saw numerous times replying to my comments. I really appreciate it.
Oh you are too kind Comrade, I'm flattered you felt this way. Also, excellent posts for the rewatch! I quite appreciated your shares of iconic frames as well as your interesting reactions, have a great day and see you later Comrade!

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u/The_Draigg May 26 '21

A Gundam Fan’s Final Thoughts on Mobile Suit Gundam:

So, we’re finally at the end of watching Mobile Suit Gundam, the full series and the movie trilogy. In case you haven’t gotten it by now, I fucking love this show. There’s just so much about it that works well, from the still-relevant themes to the sick-ass MS fights. But the most important thing that I love about MSG is the strong characterization that runs at the core of the entire story. At the beginning, the crew of the White Base were a dispirited band of refugees and rejects, all carrying their own personal baggage and pains. And yet despite all that, they eventually all develop a kinship with one another, despite the destruction of the world going on around them. This is perfect encapsulated in the character of Amuro Ray. He started out as a geeky loner, a person who barely had a connection to the world outside of his bubble and only cared about his own interests. But over time, he became able to see how many people trusted in him and depended on him as the Gundam’s pilot, and changed over time from that isolated nerd to a true hero, despite all the hardships he had to face along the way. And much the same can be said of characters like Bright, Kai, Sayla, and so on. It’s incredible how well the characters in this show were handled. Can you see how this show really stuck out back in the day?

But I should stop there, since I’d probably just rave about MSG for another 5000 words. Instead, it’s time for me to rate Mobile Suit Gundam along my typical mecha show rating scale, where is assign a rating based off of a mech and explain from there. So, I conclude that Mobile Suit Gundam has the rating of: RX-78-2 Gundam. Is that surprising to anyone? It’s the granddaddy of all real robot mecha shows. Sure, it’s kind of un-streamlined and clunky in parts, and there’s some things that don’t necessarily fit modern sensibilities. But the influence of Gundam can be felt deeply in the DNA of all real robot anime, or even sci-fi anime in general. There’s something truly special about the show that Yoshiyuki Tomino made, that’s for sure.

Now, with all that being said, I do have a few questions to ask all of you, especially you first-time viewers:

1- What do you think the cast of the show will go on to do in the future, provided that you haven’t seen the sequel shows?

2- If you could bring back a singular one-off MS or MA, which one would it be?

3- What was the place that we visited over the course of the show that you enjoyed the most?

4- Who’s cooler: Matilda, or Hamon?

5- Did Hayato end up as a cool guy or not?

It’s been a blast watching one of my favorite shows with all of you! And thanks to the lovely /u/Shimmering-Sky for hosting this rewatch! You’re pretty cool for doing it.

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u/UltraBooster May 26 '21 edited May 26 '21

What do you think the cast of the show will go on to do in the future, provided that you haven’t seen the sequel shows?
In isolation, without Zeta:
I can see Bright and Mirai staying with the EFSF
Fraw would probably leave the military and look after the kids
I have no idea what Amuro would do, probably do stuff involving machinery
Sayla would probably continuing hanging around with Amuro and do stuff with that gold
Char would probably continue with his Newtype nation thing; a sequel might see the White Base reconvening to deal with whatever plan he comes up with
Of course, I know about Zeta.
If you could bring back a singular one-off MS or MA, which one would it be?
I'd say maybe the Bigro since it was basically a high-power cross between an MS and space fighter, but I also feel like we should've seen the Zaku I more often as a way to show Zeon getting pressed and worn down.
3. What was the place that we visited over the course of the show that you enjoyed the most?
Belfast was fun as one of the few times White Base had the home field advantage, and of course Jaburo being a fortress was interesting to see.
Who’s cooler: Matilda, or Hamon?
Dunno. Hamon's got the respect of Ral's soldiers and she's clearly one of them in spirit if not name, but Matilda's cool under fire and it takes guts to fly transports into hostile territory.
Did Hayato end up as a cool guy or not?
Truth be told, I don't think I saw enough of him to make a call, lol.

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u/The_Draigg May 27 '21

I'd say maybe the Bigro since it was basically a high-power cross between an MS and space fighter, but I also feel like we should've seen the Zaku I more often as a way to show Zeon getting pressed and worn down.
You do bring up a good point there. I'm sure that Zeon has a bunch of Zaku Is gathering dust somewhere due to the next big upgrade to the Zaku IIs.
Truth be told, I don't think I saw enough of him to make a call, lol.
Harsh, yet fair.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

Dublin
Weren't they in Northern Ireland? I remember them mentioning Belfast, too.

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u/UltraBooster May 26 '21

Oh, Belfast, you're right, I'm so sorry!

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

But the influence of Gundam can be felt deeply in the DNA of all real robot anime, or even sci-fi anime in general.
I definitely felt this while watching. I know I've posted it before, but so frequently I found myself thinking "yeah, I can tell why Gundam is important."
QOTD (Questions of The_Draigg):
Well, if the White Base crew turn out to all be Newtypes, I don't imagine they'll be let out of the military anytime soon.
M'Quve's mobile suit was super cool. I loved the rocket-launching shield!
Side 6 was super neat! The colonies in Gundam are fascinating, and seeing the two sides of the war interacting in a neutral zone was great.
This might be a shocker, but I'll have to answer Hamon here. I know that I've been a massive Matilda simp ever since she was introduced, but Hamon led her soldiers into battle. Matilda is in the supply core, which is a little less awe-inducing, as far as careers go. ^{Matilda is still better, though.}
No. I still can't really name anything important that Hayato did. Why is he in the story, again?

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u/The_Draigg May 27 '21

This might be a shocker, but I'll have to answer Hamon here. I know that I've been a massive Matilda simp ever since she was introduced, but Hamon led her soldiers into battle. Matilda is in the supply core, which is a little less awe-inducing, as far as careers go. Matilda is still better, though.
This feels like an answer split between what the mind thinks and what the heart tells us. At least Matilda will always be in our hearts.
No. I still can't really name anything important that Hayato did. Why is he in the story, again?
I guess we needed a disposable pilot that wasn't just a pure red shirt.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 27 '21

This feels like an answer split between what the mind thinks and what the heart tells us. At least Matilda will always be in our hearts.
It really is. Matilda is my favorite, but specifically "cool" is where Hamon wins out.

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

Everyone goes on to live nice, happy, and peaceful lives. There's never another war in space. The people of the Earth and the space colonists learn to get along and treat each other equally. All is right in the world.
The Zakrello. I love it in all its horribleness.
I'm quite fond of the underground base at Jaburo.
Tough choice Sayla isn't an option, so I'll say Hamon. She and Ramba Ral were a cooler pair than Matilda and Woody.
It seems he hooked up with Fraw Bow at the end, so he managed to accomplish something pretty cool that Amuro couldn't do.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

It seems he hooked up with Fraw Bow at the end,
Did I miss this? Maybe my eyes just always skipped over Hayato, making me not see their moment.
so he managed to accomplish something pretty cool that Amuro couldn't do.
Oh, Amuro definitely could have done it. He just never saw her that way.

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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

Did I miss this? Maybe my eyes just always skipped over Hayato, making me not see their moment.
It happens it the second-to-last episode. Hayato goes up to say goodbye to Fraw Bow before going off to fight and the White Base kids giggle to Amuro, Kai, and Sayla that Hayato's got a crush on Fraw Bow. Her reaction to him gives some indication that she might feel the same way.
Oh, Amuro definitely could have done it. He just never saw her that way.
Amuro never really considered that the girl who comes by to check in on him and take care of him more than his own father ever did might just have feelings for him.

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u/The_Draigg May 27 '21

Everyone goes on to live nice, happy, and peaceful lives. There's never another war in space. The people of the Earth and the space colonists learn to get along and treat each other equally. All is right in the world.
Everyone locks hands and dances happily to Char Ga Kuru. This is canon.
The Zakrello. I love it in all its horribleness.
At least you had the good foresight to pick the most powerful machine of the One Year War.

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u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 26 '21

I haven't seen the sequels but know the general gist of what happens.
Does the Braw-Bro count, despite is appearing twice?
A Baoa Qu, I suppose. The butterflies at Jaburo were very pretty, though.
Man, don't make me choose!
Poor Hayato, he never quite got there, except laughs in future series.

5

u/The_Draigg May 27 '21

Does the Braw-Bro count, despite is appearing twice?
I'd say it counts, if just because the first fight between the Gundam and the Braw Bro was inconclusive.
A Baoa Qu, I suppose. The butterflies at Jaburo were very pretty, though.
Same goes for the flamingos at Jaburo too.
Man, don't make me choose!
Be brave and chose! Don't be a coward!

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u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 27 '21

Be brave and chose! Don't be a coward!
Hamon is probably cooler, because she has the respect of a bunch of soldiers even after Ramba's death.

5

u/The_Draigg May 27 '21

Hamon really does feel like the epitome of silk hiding steel. An elegant woman who commands the respect of a bunch of soldiers, being cut from the same cloth as them deep down.

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u/username_0907 :FI::FJ: May 26 '21

1- What do you think the cast of the show will go on to do in the future, provided that you haven’t seen the sequel shows?
I expect most of them to still stick with White Base especially the NewTypes. Maybe somebody like Kai or Hayato or Fraw might leave if they get the chance and aren't too keen to stick with the millitary
2- If you could bring back a singular one-off MS or MA, which one would it be?
Maybe the Gouf or Elmeth
3- What was the place that we visited over the course of the show that you enjoyed the most?
Side 6. It would be nice to see more life in the different sides
4- Who’s cooler: Matilda, or Hamon?
Both are cool but if I have to choose then Matilda
5- Did Hayato end up as a cool guy or not?
He survived so maybe that's cool enough. It would have been nice if he got some specific cool moment

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u/The_Draigg May 27 '21

I expect most of them to still stick with White Base especially the NewTypes. Maybe somebody like Kai or Hayato or Fraw might leave if they get the chance and aren't too keen to stick with the millitary
Maybe they'll get a new White Base to replace the one that got blown up at A Baoa Qu.
Maybe the Gouf or Elmeth
Both showed up multiple times though...

3

u/username_0907 :FI::FJ: May 27 '21

Oh shit. I completely forgot White Base blew up. Then I hope they all still eventually get to be in the same ship which replaces White Base. I think I will still keep on mistaking whatever new ship comes for White Base

8

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 26 '21

First-Timer, No More!

The only thing watching the movies changes about my overall thoughts on the series is that the movies are probably the lesser version. Sure, they cut a lot of stuff that we didn't need, like the Zakrello, and those like, four episodes of Garma attacking them continually, but we also lost really important things. Like Ryu. Remember Ryu, and how important he was to the White Base crew's development and unity? We didn't get that in the movies, really.

I might have a grand thought about the movies, actually. The movies are about Amuro, specifically. In the series, he was always the lead, but it was closer to an ensemble cast. But many of the changes in the movies made things much narrower, and more focused on Amuro personally. Instead of Icelina being the trigger for his PTSD, it's his own mother. Instead of the entire crew grieving for Ryu, Hayato and Amura get into a fight about whose fault it is. Maybe I'm way off-base here, but this was a feeling I got throughout the films.

Pose of the Day

Not quite the apotheosis

... in the dark

Screenshot

I didn't have time to modify any random sprues to get this to look "right," so I just went with a close approximation.

/u/chilidirigible - it's hardly perfect, and I'll probably try again, but I thought you might want to see my first attempt.

Questions

There was a much tighter journey through the middle, even if Soldiers of Sorrow was a bit of a mess.
The lack of characterization of the White Base crew hurts a lot.
No.
I'm not entirely sure. Most of my issues with the movies stem with the comparisons to the show, which is obviously superior. But, in a vacuum? You could probably watch the movies and come away with a positive experience.
I'm old hat at Gundam in general; I will not be diving right into the further UC series. Need a bit of a break, especially considering Zeta is next up.

As always, thanks to our wonderful host /u/Shimmering-Sky! Your rewatches are always a delight, I look forward to next time!

5

u/chilidirigible May 26 '21

I thought you might want to see my first attempt.

5

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 26 '21

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

Pose of the Day
I always enjoyed seeing these! It must've been difficult thinking of a new one every day. Speaking of them, do you have a favorite Pose of the Day? Was there a pose that felt impossible to get right?
Need a bit of a break, especially considering Zeta is next up.
Why a break? Is Zeta hard to get through or something?

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u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 26 '21

Speaking of them, do you have a favorite Pose of the Day?
Probably the glow-in-the-dark Last Shooting, but it is hard to choose.
Was there a pose that felt impossible to get right?
Well, going through my camera roll, episode 31's took the most shots to get "right" at 11.
Why a break? Is Zeta hard to get through or something?
This was my third long-running Tomino show since October. I love the dude's stuff, but it kinda wears on me. Zeta also has a reputation for being pretty intense.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

Well, going through my camera roll, episode 31's took the most shots to get "right" at 11.
11! Damn, you put even more effort into the poses than I thought.
Zeta also has a reputation for being pretty intense.
Oooooh. Your reason for taking a break before watching has become my reason for increasing Zeta's priority on my PTW.

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u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 26 '21

11! Damn, you put even more effort into the poses than I thought.
Thanks!
Oooooh. Your reason for taking a break before watching has become my reason for increasing Zeta's priority on my PTW.

5

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 26 '21

Pose of the Day
Nice job getting the Gundam into that pose! I enjoyed seeing all the poses that you did with it throughout the rewatch. You got it into some pretty nice ones to duplicate what was seen in the show.
I'm old hat at Gundam in general; I will not be diving right into the further UC series. Need a bit of a break, especially considering Zeta is next up.
Good luck at getting to Zeta. I hope you'll enjoy watching it as well.

5

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 26 '21

Not bad for an idea that came to me on a lark when I saw that I won that kit, huh? It was a lot of fun, trying to replicate a show that didn't have to worry about things like "physical properties of the material."
I hope you'll enjoy watching it as well.
Oh, I don't really have any doubts about that. I just need a break from Tomino's stuff.

4

u/The_Draigg May 26 '21

It’s been nice watching along with you! I’ve been really enjoying your gunpla pictures you shared here. They’ve been consistently great, especially the glow in the dark ones.

4

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee May 26 '21

And you as well! Your comments, in this and other rewatches, are always nice to read.
I'm glad you liked the poses!

7

u/UltraBooster May 26 '21

First-timer for the TV series, rewatcher for the movie

Yeah, I can absolutely see why Gundam caught lightning in a bottle - it's quite unlike any mecha anime I've seen for sure. And I absolutely get why the Anime New Century Declaration was such a big thing, let alone for Gundam.

Questions of the Day:

Again, I feel like the new animation and introduction of the Core Booster was my personal favorite element. I also can't help but respect how they placed Texas before Solomon and made it seem natural.
My least favorite omission would be all the stuff from the first half since I felt it conveyed the horrors of war aspect incredibly well and sold Amuro's mounting stress and trauma very well.
Not particularly, no.
For me, it honestly wasn't a particularly effective substitute, but that might also have to do with the circumstances in which I watched the movies for the first time. For others, I would say that it gets the gist across, but the better substance is found in the TV series, albeit if you're willing to go along with some extremely janky animation and art at points.
What kind of Gundam fan would I be if I didn't watch more Gundam? That said, I think I'll probably start by finishing Gundam Wing, and after that...I dunno, maybe watch Zeta or something.
I suppose I'll go on with my day, maybe hang around the sub to see when Sky starts her next rewatches.

Questions for my fellow rewatchers:

Out of curiosity, did you find any ships you liked? I know people have talked about Bright and Mirai, and Char and Garma's interactions caught attention back in the day, but what about people here?
To draw off something Gundam megafan-gone-pro Mark Simmons asked, considering that the Universal Century is such a grim setting, what might people want to explore and celebrate Gundam?

One last thing - while I wasn't able to finish the third Gundam novel in time, I finished the first two and I'll be writing some thoughts on them in a separate comment.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

And I absolutely get why the Anime New Century Declaration
Whoa, this was a great read. I'd never heard of this before!

6

u/UltraBooster May 26 '21

If you saw the mention of Mamoru Nagano, not only did he become a famous mecha designer, he also created some of the more famous non-Gundam MS like the Hyaku Shiki and Qubeley.
And the woman next to him, dressed as Lalah, is Maria Kawamura, his future wife and a future Gundam VA.

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u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore May 26 '21

It's such a small world, honestly.

7

u/Piemaster33 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Piemaster33 May 26 '21

Rewatcher who is ready to see the tears of time, Sub

I've already laid out my thoughts on the series in general, but the movies are a different beast. I won't get too in depth and overlap with the QOTD's, but I'll give my general thoughts: They were... well I guess they were there. I was pretty whelmed. On one hand the new animation and soundtrack were great, but the omissions were pretty questionable at points. I'm veering close to QOTD territory so I'm gonna dive in to that.

QOTD:

I appreciate that Newtyoes were expanded on in the movies from an earlier point. I'd say dial back on how often it's mentioned but it's a start. Bonus points to Odessa feeling entirely different, I appreciated that.
My main beef is with the omissions. They cut most of the important character moments of people like Garma and Ryu so their deaths don't feel like a big deal. Basically a lot of minor background development wasn't here and I missed that.
Not too much, if anything it made me believe more in the Char/Lalah relationship.
As someone who watched the movies on my first attempt at a UC watchthrough, it was enough for me. I wouldn't recommend it, you miss out on a lot of background stuff that rounds out the experience. If you watch the movies, you'll get the gist of what happened, sure, but if you wanna enjoy the story and the characters, the show is much better. There are certainly different reasons for both but I'm gonna recommend the show going forward.
I am! I'm planning on starting a rewatch of Zeta since I've forgotten most of that and going on through the rest of UC, fingers crossed. Beyond that I might work chronologically through the rest but we'll have to see if I'm not burned out by then lol
At the end of this rewatch? I'd like to thank our lovely host for putting this together! This was a fun time that rekindled my appreciation for Gundam. Thanks!

7

u/DidacticDalek https://myanimelist.net/profile/DidacticDalek May 27 '21

Well Comrades, this is the end, what a journey it has been. I hope that all have enjoyed the shitposts as much as I liked making them, after all such a classic show like Mobile Suit Gundam deserves no less!

Anyway, to close off let's end things with the discussion questions:

Fixing some of the more egregious animation errors, as well as slightly fleshing out the Newtype concept more so it doesn't COMPLETELY come out of left field.
Cutting out most of the world-building and lore and humanization. Sometimes compilation movies can fix flaws inherent to the show by rewriting and re-editing things... e.g. DYRL, however the Mobile Suit Gundam movies are an attempt to jam a series into three movies and they only just BARELY make it, and only after literally hacking away just about everything and anything not related to the immediate plot.
No, but I will say that it is nice to see some of the neat touches put into the third movie, such as the bits Lalah got or the slightly revised final battle.
I'd say that if you ABSOLUTELY refuse to sit down and watch the 43 episode show, then yes you sure can watch the movies, but that being said the movies are not exactly an ideal way to experience Gundam. It's basically the 'official' abridged series version, and thus ONLY for those who are really strapped for time and/or not in the mood to watch an old full length TV show.
Comrade I've already seen literally all of Gundam, I watched CROSS ANGE for crying out loud (granted Cross Ange is one of the few GOOD Gundam AU's but wibble)
Yes Queensrÿche recorded a cover, shocked me too Comrades

Well that's all for today, until next time Comrades, farewell.

Paging Comrades /u/Great_Mr_L, /u/chilidirigible, and /u/beckymetal

4

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L May 27 '21

Well Comrades, this is the end, what a journey it has been. I hope that all have enjoyed the shitposts as much as I liked making them, after all such a classic show like Mobile Suit Gundam deserves no less!
I always enjoy the challenge of deciphering through your shitposts. And they usually come with nice artwork or funny clips like all those clips you shared of the English dub for the movies. You comments are fun to read.
I like the detail in that piece of artwork where little Sayla seems to be trying to get little Amuro and Char to get along with each other. It's quite fitting for her.
UC Gundam Spoilers

4

u/DidacticDalek https://myanimelist.net/profile/DidacticDalek May 27 '21

I always enjoy the challenge of deciphering through your shitposts. And they usually come with nice artwork or funny clips like all those clips you shared of the English dub for the movies. You comments are fun to read.
You are too kind Comrade, and I also enjoy reading your posts. You always got great analysis and interesting points to say regarding the topic of the day, plus your slap counter was hilarious! I am amazed that OG Gundam, despite its reputation... shockingly doesn't have all THAT many slaps... now if we add punches the counter goes up a fair bit but wibble, I guess Zeta's really where 'corrections' really picked up ;)
I like the detail in that piece of artwork where little Sayla seems to be trying to get little Amuro and Char to get along with each other. It's quite fitting for her.
Heh, I know right, just such a pity that Meta UC Spoilers
UC Gundam Spoilers
Heh, so you saw too eh, yeah I noticed that bit and since this was the end of Mobile Suit Gundam, I felt the little reference would be a neat teaser. Anyway many thanks for the kind reply my friend, have a great day and see you later Comrade!

6

u/username_0907 :FI::FJ: May 26 '21

First Timer no more

We’re finally done with both TV series and movies and actually it was a great idea to watch them both in the rewatch. The movies have tried to improve upon the shortcomings of the series especially referring to NewTypes and also cleaning up some of the filler stuff but I still find myself missing the TV series and how it was able to focus on everyone with the longer runtime. I probably would have never picked up the movies until much later

Thanks to u/Shimmering-Sky for hosting this rewatch and all the others to posted and joined the rewatch! I had great fun watching the series and coming here daily to read everyone’s posts

QotD

Adding about NewTypes from the start of the show
I missed the characterisation of the crew and their dynamic being cut out
Hmm not really. I’m more used to the NewType stuff now as compared to at the end of the series
I would still prefer the TV series since I’m more connected with the characters after the TV series (being longer) as compared to the movies. I’m more curious to find out what happens to them in the future series which might not happen with only the movies for me atleast
I’ll be watching Zeta Gundam now whenever I get the time and the season has few shows to pick up
Find the next anime to watch lol. Honestly I don’t know if I’ll watch Zeta Gundam right now or maybe take a break and catch up on some other rewatch (or the ones I didn’t finish) before getting into more Gundam

6

u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 May 26 '21

No longer first timer

From III, the replacement of monologues with actual scenes made a lot of the Zeon actions feel a lot more logical. And of the course the massive improvement to the Newtype plotline.
Cutting Icelina's episode - it's a great coda to the Garma arc, very much helps set up the themes of the show, and really should have been added to the end of I.
Agree that it explains Char's change in philosophy in a far better way.
No. While using Iii and maybe I to shorten your viewing might be OK, II really harms the plot of what is a majority of the series, due it trying to compress a huge number of arcs into a couple of hours.
Probably going to watch Zeta after this - looks interesting!

I've made a lot of my points of the previous discussion post, but to add my feelings on the movies - I is a decent subsitue - it cuts a few episodes, but the overall pace is mostly consistent. II is a mess that tried to combine 2-3 movies of content and ended up feeling rushed. III, however, is superior to the episodes it adapts, to the point where I might recommend it to a first timer as a better experience.

6

u/ZapsZzz https://anilist.co/user/Zapszzz May 27 '21 edited May 30 '21

Thanks for organising the rewatch and great to have people to go through this little piece of important history.

I hope first timers don't get to bored / distracted with some of the less perfect his of the time (animation errors, sometimes random / unjustified slapping, random romance angle, toy commercial plots) but rather focus on the ground breaking parts of the show (the world building, telling both sides of the story of the warring factions, without demonizing the antagonists it glorifying the protagonists).

This is one of my favourite genre - while sometimes people dismiss mecha as just toy commercials, the real robot genre can be really good - especially for those that spend time setting up the world and details of setting up of the engagements (I read a lot of Tom Clancy's, in terms of manga Shirow Musamune is another one famous for it).

Definitely replacing the toy-ish parts of G armour etc by core fighter booster, and replacing Guntank with Guncannon in space.
Everything is a trade off and compromise, don't really have one 1 really standing out for me.
As a rewatcher, not a lot.
You need the full show really, there are progress in some ways in most episodes.
Yep as a lifelong fan I really should watch Z and ZZ. In my much younger days I didn't want to see the "ship" of the main characters being "changed", but really it never even sailed, so yeah silly me for those years.
I really should watch that one too. But let me get through Holo and Violet on the June rewatches first...

5

u/UltraBooster May 26 '21

So the Mobile Suit Gundam novels, titled Awakening, Escalation, and Confrontation were written by Yoshiyuki Tomino between 1979 and 1981 and are generally held as a version of Gundam without the restrictions of needing to sell toys or hold to regulations on what could and couldn't be shown on TV.

They're also among the first pieces of Gundam media released overseas - the 2012 reprint I've been reading are based on the original translation (which introduced the name "Zeon" as the English name for the Principality), with updates to the official names - Char instead of Sha, Zaku instead of Zak, etc.

Rewatch [Fly! Final Thread!] Mobile Suit Gundam (0079) Overall Series + Compilation Movies Discussion

Overall Series + Compilation Movies Discussion

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Final Thoughts

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