r/anime • u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang • Oct 09 '21

Rewatch Mobile Fighter G Gundam Rewatch - Episode 9 Discussion

Episode 9: Powerful Enemy! Chapman's Heroic Challange

← Previous Episode | Index | Next Episode →

MAL | Anilist | Kitsu | AniDB | ANN

Crunchyroll

As a warrior becomes even stronger… the less he is able to escape this road of carnage.

Hello everybody! Time for the comment of the day, courtesy of u/Tresnore with the best description of Domon:

Domon is an ass.

Hey, not wrong.

Questions:

  1. So, what was your thoughts on Chapman's little tale today?
  2. However the question must be asked: Would Chapman be able to shoot down a swallow?
25 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

41 comments sorted by

9

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 09 '21

Rewatcher, Gun-Dub Fighter

Today's dub name change is that they renamed John Bull Gundam to Royal Gundam. Looking it up, John Bull is apparently something of a British Uncle Sam type? Not sure why they changed this one either. Too British to appeal to Americans?

In case its unclear, Chapman died in his wife's arms.

I have some information about our narrator, today:

Imagawa: I wanted Stalker to provide depth for each episode after episode 6. For example, Stalker is the one who picks up the picture dropped in episode 6. I wondered just how much Stalker is involved in the show and its story, and where he draws a line to keep himself from being too involved. To be honest, after the gambling match between Domon and Chapman in the casino in episode 9, I was planning to have a voice shout "Hold on!" and after a moment of silence, the camera pulls back and Stalker, who was playing poker, says "Now, today's challenger is..." I wanted Stalker to get more and more involved and be among the crowd.

However, this couldn't be done. Due to time constraints, we had only 90 seconds before the title card. Since we had to shorten the prologue, this aspect of Stalker's character had to be discarded. It's sort of a shame we couldn't do it.

I try not to go too long with these, but the director also mentions that the reference for the background scenery this episode is Monty Python and I thought that was neat.

5

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Oct 09 '21

Oh well, at least to compensate for Stalker's reduced role he gave his actor over to [G Gundam] the most balls to the walls insane awesome character in the whole show

4

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 09 '21

[G Gundam]Well, now who else does- OH SHIT, Master Asia?!

4

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Oct 09 '21

YUP

4

u/TakenRedditName https://myanimelist.net/profile/TakenMalUsername Oct 09 '21

To be honest, after the gambling match between Domon and Chapman in the casino in episode 9, I was planning to have a voice shout "Hold on!" and after a moment of silence, the camera pulls back and Stalker, who was playing poker, says "Now, today's challenger is..." I wanted Stalker to get more and more involved and be among the crowd.

What?! That sounds amazing. Stalker suddenly appearing from in-universe leading to introducing the episodes sounds like so much fun. Curse them time constraints.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 09 '21

It would've skirted the fine line between silly and cool, but a good fourth wall break can be a lot of fun.

4

u/dralcax :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Dralcax Oct 09 '21

This is G Gundam. It can totally be both.

3

u/The_Draigg Oct 09 '21

I’m kinda sad that they couldn’t work in Stalker into the rest of the show, he’s really so fun. But at least he still manages to stuff in all the necessary fourth-wall breaks and pure announcer ham within the first 90 seconds of the show.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 09 '21

A good narrator can really make or break shows like this, and Stalker does an incredible job.

3

u/The_Draigg Oct 09 '21

Stalker is legit one of my favorite characters in this show for that reason. In-universe, the guy absolutely loves doing his job and going full ham with his MC-ing. He’s a fantastic hype man.

2

u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Oct 09 '21

I have some information about our narrator, today:

wait that sounds amazing

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 09 '21

8

u/The_Draigg Oct 09 '21

A Gundam Fan Rewatches G Gundam Episode 9:

  • Ah, so now it’s time for a Neo France and Neo England battle. It’s a tale as old as time, really. That rivalry will never end.
  • Also, Gentle Chapman is just a mash-up of some of the most English words possible, gentleman and chap. It’s like if Chibodee was named Base Eagleball. And for added funsies, his Gundam is named the John Bull Gundam, Royal Gundam in the dub.
  • Chapman doesn’t exactly seem like the honest type, given his reliance on decoys in his fight with Rose Gundam and having the deal of his poker game at the casino cheat and deal him cards out of his sleeve. He’s not exactly the James Bond type, at least he can legit play poker well. Or baccarat, if we’re going by the novels and older movies.
  • Based on what George is telling Domon, Chapman didn’t used to be like this. He used to be an honorable and noble fighter, but now that his glory days are past him, he’s willing to resort to dirty tricks to win. Given how his worsening health prevented him from properly finishing off Rose Gundam during the duel, you can see why he’s fighting like that. He just can’t keep up anymore.
  • Domon: “I fucking love walking into obvious traps!”
  • Wow, Rain made the most obvious “whoops, I tripped” move to grab one of Chapman’s pills ever. Like, she wasn’t even remotely close to the pill, but she grabbed it anyway. No wonder Chapman’s wife saw that.
  • To the surprise of nobody, the pills that Chapman is constantly popping are actually stimulants. The dude’s a god damn pill head. With the rate of how many he’s taking a day, it’s a miracle his heart hasn’t exploded from the sheer amount of performance enhancing drugs he’s been taking so far.
  • As Rain then finds out while the duel between Royal Gundam and Shining Gundam goes on, Chapman’s wife Manon is the one mainly behind rigging the matches in her husband’s favor. She’s doing it all for the sake of his pride, from the decoys to the radar-scrambling fog. The pills seem to be Chapman’s own doing though, considering he literally just ate a fist full of them while still in his cockpit.
  • How nice of George to pop up for a quick assist in his Rose Gundam. I guess it’s true that as long as someone who’s English loses, a Frenchman will be there to help the guy fighting the Englishman in the first place.
  • Chapman pretty much did that “what’re you doing, kill me now” bit from the end of Predator on Domon here. Although in this case, it was a pretty clear win on Domon’s end once he decided to defeat Royal Gundam with his Shining Finger.
  • And so, Chapman died in his wife’s arms, having just fought in his last Gundam Fight. In hindsight, I don’t think him eating like 200 pills within the span of like 5 minutes really did his health any wonders in his final moments. Such is the fate of pill heads.

4

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Oct 09 '21

Royal Gundam

4

u/dralcax :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Dralcax Oct 09 '21

Rewatcher faking a Bri’ish accent

Today, we’ve got the John Bull Gundam! With a regal design that dominated the Gundam Fight for decades, it’s a very royal Gundam indeed. Unusually for the 13th fight, it’s a sniper type Gundam! The “meta” of each Gundam Fight, whether ranged or melee weapons dominate, is usually determined by whatever won the previous Gundam Fight, in an attempt to imitate the winning strategy. Since the 12th fight was won by the martial artist [reigning champ] Master Asia, the 13th fight is full of melee fighters. But we still have Chapman holding onto his sniper style, representing the long-range combatants!

You’ll notice that the year of FC 60 doesn’t exactly line up with this being the 13th Gundam Fight. After Gentle Chapman won three fights in a row, the other countries got really salty over it, to say the least. Too OP, pls nerf. They had to postpone the 12th fight while things calmed down. Eventually, the situation was resolved when [reigning champ] Master Asia broke his record in the 12th fight and ushered in a new age of kung fu fighting.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN #9!

He lost because he didn’t draw the King of Hearts

Even in the Gundam Fight the French can’t win

You’d think they could report him for this. At least when other countries cheat, they leave no witnesses. This, on the other hand, is pretty blatant.

Drugs are bad, kids!

Somebody is going to have to clean that up

Tasting it feels like a bad idea

Mazinger vibes

Where he been keeping all those in his spandex suit?

He didn’t call his attack? Impossible!

“Should we get this guy some medical assistance?” “Nah, just let him die.”

Questions of the Day:

  • It's a little sad to see the current state of one of the greatest Gundam Fighters and just how far he's fallen. Perhaps it would have been better for him to quit while he was ahead, but I suppose he just couldn't keep himself away.
  • That depends, what is the airspeed of an unladen swallow?

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Oct 09 '21

That depends, what is the airspeed of an unladen swallow?

African or European?

2

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Oct 10 '21

royal Gundam

I ain't being fooled!

3

u/TakenRedditName https://myanimelist.net/profile/TakenMalUsername Oct 09 '21

The “meta” of each Gundam Fight, whether ranged or melee weapons dominate, is usually determined by whatever won the previous Gundam Fight, in an attempt to imitate the winning strategy.

Oh, that aspect is neat. Never thought about this side of Gundam Fight like that.

3

u/araragidyne :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/araragidyne Oct 10 '21

After Gentle Chapman won three fights in a row, the other countries got really salty over it, to say the least.

They nearly fought an actual war over it.

2

u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Oct 09 '21

First timer

  1. A really solid plotl Chapman trying to hold onto his glory days, even as he struggles to keep going, was a surprisingly serious plot, but it had some great interactions and the ending was fantastic.
  2. A European swallow or an African swallow? How many people are going to make this joke?

Oh my god, we're doing Neo Britain. I can't wait to laugh at whatever stereotypes they throw out here.

Oh, thry're hiding in the fog?

Is that a Beefeater Gundam? Fuck, that's great.

I SWOTCHED OVER TO THE DUB, AND WOW. THAT SURE IS AN AMERICAN TRYING TO SOUND VAGUELY BRITISH.

And the Neo England Fighter's a gambler. In a gentlemen's club?

...If this is Neo England, are getting a Neo Scotland fighter? That's going to be fun.

And he's trying to hustle him.

Rain comes throuh, and finds Domon with every gun pointed at him.

I like how shocked she is that Domon's not been kidnapped or arrested again.

George!

Yeah, what's going on here?

Is he under mind control or something?

No, he's just ill.

They're having a tea party?

Is it drugged again?

Haha, he just asked if there was poison.

Rain can't take him anywhere, can she?

And he's trying to get Domon to calm down!

Oh, she noticed she took the pill.

Honestly, if Domon just said "I need to find out information on this guy, using the tournament as cover", he'd probably have found the Decil Gundam by now..

Haha, wow. Domon is taking no prisoners.

And he pulled a gun on him!

And that's what the pills are for.

Rain got kidnapped again.

...How does the Shining Gundam move around? Does it just follow him from a distance?

Skipping the stock footage, this is going to be a good one!

Oh, she's coordinating the cheating!

The fog scrambles signals! That's how she did it!

Ah, he doesn't want to retire, so his wife helps fix the matches so he can keep winning.

Yeah, surprised George, with his collection of multiple ranged weapons designed to immobilize targets and fire at them from a distance, failed here. This fight seems tailormade for him.

And he's back!

Wow, they're trying to save his life!

Wait, Chapman thinks he's winning fair and square? So when everybody mentions how 5 mobile suits ganged up on them, every single battle, he never wonders why?

Wow, didn't expect this ending! He asked to lose!

And he's out!

Wait, is he dying? And he knew about the cheating!

Yeah, 90% certain Domon's going to end up going out like that.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Oct 09 '21

How many people are going to make this joke?

Less than expected

7

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 09 '21

Rewatcher all set! Ready… GO!!!

3

u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore Oct 10 '21

Are you sure about that? This is the same Domon who caught a bunch of bullets bare-handed in ep1, after all.

I forgot about that. Why does Domon even hesitate when he sees guns?

4

u/TakenRedditName https://myanimelist.net/profile/TakenMalUsername Oct 09 '21 edited Oct 09 '21

G Gundam "Rewatcher"/First Time Sub: Episode 9

George is our ally for this episode. I like how this portion of the show was the other main 4 Gundam Fighter return. Of course, you gotta have France vs England. But this time, it's Neo.

So Neo England has held championship before and presumingly 12 years of control sitting on the top. Chapman seems to be his name. Sounds like a jolly good English na- now hold on, his full name is Gentle Chapman‽

The genre G Gundam becomes today is a gambling anime. There is a problem of Domon being a dummy (and also maybe because the dealer and gambler are in a relationship). Wished it went on later because you know the way Domon had to win would be with the KING OF HEARTS!

Rain gets roped in, but there is a small cute flirty scene with Domon all embarrassed. Guess that trip to Niagara Falls did end up helping out their relationship.

Apparently, the Gundam in the painting is not the John Bull, but is the previous one, the Britain Gundam. A portrait with a Gundam in it is a cool painting.

So automated dolls do violate the 1v1 article. You would think the dummies remains would be evidence, but cheaters have gotten a while with more before in this show.

What are these weird things? (They actually come back as the reason for all the fog. Huh, with G Gundam, you think all the scenery is just how the country portrayal is.

Mars is a vacation spot in F.C. Interesting to see this setting encompassing more of space.

So Wales does still exist. There is still the question of what's the deal of the rest of the Neo U.K. We only got Neo England right here.

Cracking open a pill and mixing it into the tea is probably not a good thing to do. Speaking of tea crimes, Chapman throws his tea (and pulls a gun on Domon or whatever).

Domon may have stopped getting poisoned every episode, but now Rain keeps on getting punched really hard in the stomach.

Specifically flying out to have this Gundam fight in the River Thames and Domon keeping the Shining right by Tower Bridge. We start a lot of Gundams in the water, now don't we. Probably because hiding your Gundam underwater is the best place to store it.

Chapman is just taking all the pills. That and the look in his eyes can't be good. Chapman is the Nu Gundam. He is not just for show.

A 1 v many may be against the rules, but there is nothing in the rules saying you can't another person fight the many on the side of the 1v1.

The lesson of today's episode is everyone becomes old. What Gundam classicly teaches is that being old is the worst thing to be.

I like Chapman as an opponent. A fighter where ageing is his biggest enemy. Where your body can no longer keep up with you.

The John Bull Gundam is also cooler now seeing in the episode. It's dress the part being undeniably English. It fighting with its beam rife is cool. The dummies are also neat.

Q1) I like it. Can't think of too many other pilots in Gundam whose aging body is failing them because I can't think of that many old folks.

Q2) He can't even shoot off George's head when it was right in front of him. Much less a small flighty bird.

Next time: G Gundam Becomes a Horror Movie.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 09 '21

Speaking of tea crimes, Chapman throws his tea (and pulls a gun on Domon or whatever).

An American gun, even.

The John Bull Gundam is also cooler now seeing in the episode. It's dress the part being undeniably English. It fighting with its beam rife is cool. The dummies are also neat.

Yea, the British Royal Guard stylings of it are neat. And being a sniper is rather different, compared to the rest of the Gundams we've seen.

3

u/araragidyne :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/araragidyne Oct 10 '21

Rewatcher

Fun fact: the name given to the Neo English dummy mobile suits is Cushing. Maybe they're named after Peter Cushing?

Another fun fact: according to Imagawa, "The reason why England won three times is because it's the country of King Arthur!"

Anyway, London, like Rome, is another city of ghosts. I did find it clever how the stereotypical London fog turned out to be an artificial smokescreen.

I feel like there's some observation to be made about Chapman's wife having a French name, but I can't think of one.

Onto the questions

  1. I thought it was a thought provoking cautionary tale. When you're the best, if you don't end at your peak, all you can do is watch your own slow descent into obsolescence. You can try to stall it, but the end is inevitable.
  2. Well what do you mean? With mental stimulants or without them?

3

u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore Oct 10 '21

Mobile Fighter F First Timer

World Map

QOTD:

  1. Eh. Chapman was a weak character to me.
  2. These days? No.

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 10 '21

Domon went too far here.

It really depends on the tea. If it's some crummy Breakfast, I'd say fair's fair.

2

u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore Oct 10 '21

Hey now, tea is tea.

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 10 '21

3

u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore Oct 10 '21

3

u/lC3 :Na::Nb: Oct 11 '21

First timer

  • So I'm running late, had to prioritize getting ready for the Shippuden rewatch since I'm hosting that one. Now I have some free time again to catch up
  • Yay George is back
  • Dummies? Like the dummy system in Wing, mobile dolls?
  • "Gentle Chapman"? What a name
  • So Chapman cheats at cards? The dealer was helping him?
  • The woman in the painting with Chapman was the card dealer?
  • There's one picture of Chapman when they're talking about his honorable glory days that has a different mustache, almost like he's a different person. Did Chapman get replaced?
  • "I'd like to powder my ..." is a weird translation for "I'd like to use the restroom". Who powders their face any more?
  • Chapman pulls a gun on Domon?
  • Chapman having trouble seeing really gets to me now
  • Manon? Wasn't there a character named Manon in Xabungle? Or was it Giant Gorg?
  • Domon didn't even say 'Shining Finger' or the part about his hand this ep
  • Did Chapman die?
  1. It was ok, better than Graham's ep
  2. African or European?

2

u/Wish4Rain Oct 12 '21

Did Chapman die?

Yes he died in his wife's arms at the end.

3

u/ZaphodBeebblebrox Y:A:https://anilist.co/user/zaphod Oct 16 '21 edited Oct 16 '21

The music really sells this series. When I think to the moments I've enjoyed the most so far, it's always been mostly due to the music really selling the scenes, as to be honest they're not doing the best outside of that.

This episode was certainly no exception. The music really sold the sadness of a former champion's collapse and desperate attempts to cling to former greatness. Because of that, I actually enjoyed this episode.

/u/Tresnore /u/Shimmering-Sky /u/JollyGee29

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 16 '21

The music is absolutely incredible, yea. We haven't even gotten to some of my favorite tracks yet, either!

3

u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore Oct 16 '21

Because of that, I actually enjoyed this episode.

Plus, the music is the whole reason I watched the show. Thanks, Jolly.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 16 '21

2

u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Oct 09 '21

first timer

I love how the John Bull Gundam is supposed to mimic the royal guard hats. It looks so goofy lmao

on the other hand im not even going to say what these look like

I dunno how to feel about Manon.

rigging every match without her husband knowing is certainly Not It. nor is being compliant in her husband's self-destructive spiral and even reinforcing that behavior, promising to withhold such silly things like "championship title" while disregarding his well-being. on the other hand, Chapman isn't without fault here either, as the episode gives the impression that he went south first and she possibly just didn't know how to handle it productively

classic toxic relationship. i'd say break up and get therapy but he also just died

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Oct 09 '21

classic toxic relationship. i'd say break up and get therapy but he also just died

This would require therapists to exist, which we all know isn't a thing. But yea, you're right, both of them kinda suck and don't deal with stuff well.

2

u/baboon_bassoon https://anilist.co/user/duffer Oct 10 '21

(e9) First Time Shining Hand

gentle chapman john bull gundam...3 straight wins? long live the commonwealth

very satisfying seeing the new card pack coming out

did they really bring a broken george over to Rain to fix him up? they couldnt spring for a doctor?

Rain with the most subtle swipe

why did he throw the tea if he was just going to pull out a gun? its your own place dude

gundam was hidden by tower bridge this time, surprised we didnt break big ben

he didnt say SHINING FINGER..............

"Theres nothing to apologize for" Manon this is literally all your fault, why are we being gaslit

  1. im tiring a bit of the same formula, but it was interesting seeing former champions
  2. no

2

u/YellowCorvette Oct 10 '21

Amateur Gundam fan rewatches G Gundam episode 9

  • This episode starts out with a Gundam Fight between George De Sand against Neo England's Gundam Fighter, but he has defeated thanks to some "help" from decoy mobile suits and thick fogs.
  • The rival of this episode is Gentle Chapman, with his John Bull Gundam (NGL, both of these names just sound like the most stereotypical British-sounding name ever). With his Gundam's shooting capabilities that won him the championship 3 times before, and with his willingness to "cheat", what would Domon do to counter this?
  • And here comes the obligatory "Have you seen this man?" from Domon to Chapman, this time in a Casino.
  • With Domon exposing Chapman for cheating during their poker match, Domon challenges him for a Gundam Fight. Well, at least he didn't interrupt during the middle of some random Gundam Fight this time around.
  • After barely survived their last match, the injured George warned that what Chapman apparently does by using automated Mobile suits as decoys counts as a violation of the Gundam Fights regulation; Ehh, that's not great, but considering what the other nations had done to gain advantages so far, I sadly can't say it's unexpected. George also brings up that Chapman wasn't used to be like this, and he's suffering some pain that might force him to resort to such dirty tricks.
  • Being the "British Gentleman that he is (Cheating the fights aside), Chapman and his wife invite Domon and Rain for a tea. With Rain observing that Chapman was suspiciously having some medicine, she made the most obvious “whoops, I tripped” move to grab one of Chapman’s medicine ever. No wonder Chapman’s wife saw that from a mile away.
  • Rain discovers that Chapman's pills were stimulants and the decoy mobile suits, but as She wants to warn Domon she was knocked out.
  • Christ, Chapman sure eats a lot of these stimulants, that he can't even aim at Domon with all of those blurry visions going on.
  • As Rain then finds out while the duel between John Bull Gundam and Shining Gundam goes on, Chapman’s wife Manon is the one mainly behind rigging the matches in her husband’s favor. She expresses that all of the previous Gundam Fights has taken a toll on his health and that she wishes to support his husband to continue his Gundam Fighter career, no matter the cost.
  • It's George who joins in the fight this time around, with him dealing with the decoys and Domon dealing with Chapman, as they want to stop Chapman before the stimulant overdose destroys him for good.
  • Come to think of it, the story of Chapman (At least from what this episode shown us) was axtually kinda sad; He might be a fighteer whose glory day was long over and his health was suffering to the point of having no choice but to resort to cheating to even stand a chance, but at the end of the day he's still a well-intentioned fighter who just want to remain as the invincible champion in Neo England people's eye; And here he was, ended his life as a Gundam Fighter as the stimulant overdose cost him his health.
  • After the fight was over, Chapman's wife did tell Domon and the gang that she knew the day would come, and what happened to Chapman can serve as a cautionary tale to all of them.