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Summer 2014 Anime |OT| this thread has been outsourced to Toei Phils
- Thread starter madp
- Start date
- Status
Everyone secretly likes anime, some are just more public about it than others!
This is what I tell myself anyway.
You forgot shonen jump, which is also available. Yen press is the only US publisher invested in light novels, but yeah. The large majority of things being discuses in the manga topic are not available legally in English, yet.
PshycoNinja
Member
Well I was able to catch up today because orientation.
But from this point forward, I will probably have to employ that more.
I feel like people typically judge me a lot. Don't know why.
I totally do and will never change.
Sneaky Gato
Member
Don't. Despite the serious voice talent attached to it it is about as cliche and generic a story one could tell with the universe. Hopefully the new Lord Inquisitor movie does better. I don't know why it is so hard to translate the series for companies. They focus on the blandest parts of the franchise. Where is my Warhammer Anime? The detailing required would probably kill any franchise that attempted it though.
Anyway is there any other legal way to watch Knights of Sidonia than Netflix. It looks like something to tickle my SciFI fancy.
Saw Chaika and liked it. The background theme with the soldiers interested me more than the main plot though and it scratched that anime fantasy itch.
Aldnoah seems interesting. Hopefully it can keep it up unlike Captain Earth.
I heard that Black Lagoon was returning to publication does that mean there is any chance for a new series?
I'll link my posts on Twitter, then. Speaking of:
Clannad 22
Akio da best.
Is this the first time
he's acknowledged his father directly
Well, that ending seemed like it came straight from an 80's romance.
Sorry I don't have much to say, episode started out rather drab, but it ended on a high note. Just wasn't a fan of
Nagisa's breakdown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, Hulu is showing 24 episodes, saying one is an alternate ending. Should I watch that?
That's what happens when a director just tries to lift a novel and throw it in a different medium without any care.
The tournament has been like ten days long already. Also, the first arc was long too.
Sounds like it's exactly what I expected. I'll still watch it though if only to satiate curiosity. Thanks for the heads-up on the Lord Inquisitor flick though.
PshycoNinja
Member
Wow thanks. That's very nice and considerate of you. I appreciate it.
TruthFact. Also is father of the year!
I thought it was sweet.
Declaring your love for the first time to someone isn't exactly the smoothest of endeavors.
Nah I get it. Just as long as you thought it at least ended on a high note.
Definitely watch the "extra" Episode 23.
Not sure how Hulu lists it but 24 should be the OVA titled "Tomoyo After". It's just a "what if" scenario about if Tomoya chose Tomoyo. I personally watch both "Kyou After" and "Tomoyo After" after the main series and ending of After Story. But it won't hinder you in any way if you watch it before After Story so long as you know that it's not part of the main scenario.
Because the arc in the LN was long too. Even though it started out as a web novel like SAO, it wasn't condensed to be as short like most arcs in light novels when it was published.
Edit: I feel like watching Clannad again. That scene when Akio speaks to Nagisa on stage was great.
I heard after volume two there aren't as many info dumps. I guess that would be why.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Not really, but I'm just going to post it here because we had sonicmj1 on the show. He talks about Tamako Love Story, The Idolmaster Movie: Kagayaki no Mukōgawa e!, kids putting fingers up his butt, and many other things! Please to enjoy!
Episode here: http://thatothersquadcast.podomatic.com/entry/2014-07-22T15_22_19-07_00
RSS here: http://thatothersquadcast.podomatic.com/rss2.xml
Episode here: http://thatothersquadcast.podomatic.com/entry/2014-07-22T15_22_19-07_00
RSS here: http://thatothersquadcast.podomatic.com/rss2.xml
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Yeah, he was an English teacher placed at a Japanese junior high.
Happiness Charge Precure 22
Midseason arc is pretty much over now, I enjoyed seeing the Precure get smacked around for as long as they did. Hime gives all of her cards to Fortune who wishes to become a Precure again after the Precure Hunter burned her previous cards, except she comes back much stronger this time, the Saiyan effect I guess. Queen Mirage shows up at the end and doesn't seem too happy, preview focused on Hikawa and Hime going shopping so I guess whatever comes out of what Queen Mirage does next won't be too important, anyway it's good to finally have Fortune as part of the team.
Midseason arc is pretty much over now, I enjoyed seeing the Precure get smacked around for as long as they did. Hime gives all of her cards to Fortune who wishes to become a Precure again after the Precure Hunter burned her previous cards, except she comes back much stronger this time, the Saiyan effect I guess. Queen Mirage shows up at the end and doesn't seem too happy, preview focused on Hikawa and Hime going shopping so I guess whatever comes out of what Queen Mirage does next won't be too important, anyway it's good to finally have Fortune as part of the team.
PshycoNinja
Member
R_thanatos
Member
you heard wrong .
The info dump stops after VOL 5
Nine school arc is vol 3 & 4
Because the Vol 3 & 4 are the longest i've read in LN ( that aren't Horizon in the middle of nowhere )
It's big, very big .
NObody unleashes things that big for something that is supposed to be a "light" novel.
I bet there's a sizable number of people talking about games, movies, and music they didn't pay for, but you know what? It's not the job of mods to check each individual's collection. It's an absurd and impractical proposition.
So instead of performing the impossible, you're left with people who make it painfully obvious. Can that be said of anything in this thread? Not usually.
One can only take so much filler text... Reading this is gonna take awhile
It was the highlight of the episode. I just don't understand why he had to wait until that exact moment, except to enhance the dramatic effect (and given his background...that kind of makes sense).
I think I have seen that anime.
R_thanatos
Member
Things is , after this arc, things get much more bearable on each aspect of the story
And it's not filler.the writter explained some concepts and EXPECT the reader to remember them
-------------------
Hunter x Hunter - 139
Kilua , brother of summer 2014
Here i said it.
Killua mother however... it's a different story.
Actually I'm kinda surprised no-one's made that manga/anime yet given the amount of JETs and other private english-teaching school people who influx into Japan every year
maybe I'll make it
PshycoNinja
Member
Because Akio. That's reason enough.
Watching some of these trailers on this Toradora disk and Wagnaria and Yuruyuri look hilarious. Anyone recommend those shows?
Because Akio. That's reason enough.
Watching some of these trailers on this Toradora disk and Wagnaria and Yuruyuri look hilarious. Anyone recommend those shows?
Wagnaria has some pretty funny parts, mostly thanks to Yamada. It gets stale in the second season, though. Yuruyuri is nice if you like slice of life anime. Actually, I have a few friends who aren't into slice of life anime at all, but still find Yuruyuri pretty funny. If you like silly anime, you'll probably like both.
I'm only in the beginning of the LNs themselves (chapter 7), and I know some of this is important, but when I'm given an exposition as to how train rides and the like are different, well, I begin to lose interest quite easily.
As far as me to remember all of this stuff, I'll do my best.
PshycoNinja
Member
firehawk12
Subete no aware
There has to be some English learning anime out there. But probably not a harem with an English teacher!
KirbYuuYuu
Member
I hate teacher/student relationship stuff lol. It's so unprofessional!
harem of other teachers only
Wasn't that Ribbon-chan anime meant to teach English? I seem to recall wonzo watching it and it being terrible.
Joe Molotov
Member
dakkumauji
Member
Please it has Kobayashi in it. How would it be terrible!
Negi Springfield is an English teacher.
It's been almost two weeks since I saw the last episode of...
Crest of the Stars 13
... and it's probably the best episode yet. It's a double-length finale filled to the brim with exciting action, and it keeps the focus squarely on Lafiel and Jinto. It even spends a lot of time in a pretty unique-feeling cultural area: a giant amusement park for kids, filled with quasi-intelligent robot caretakers. It's fun seeing the robots and their limited programming react to being thrust in the middle of a pitched battle between Lafiel, Jinto, and their pursuers.
The end really makes this feel like a prologue to a much larger story, the first book of a science fiction saga that could be a dozen books long. After sharing so much, it makes sense for the main pair to be together. I'm just not sure where the tale would go.
I think I liked Crest in the end, but I have a lot of caveats about it. It's rare to see this kind of epic science fiction story done these days in any medium, much less anime, and that's the main thing that kept me with it. But it took a very long time before I felt much attachment to the world. The show seems incredibly fascinated with the Abh and their culture, but I wasn't beguiled by them in the same way. As a result, the exposition in a lot of the early episodes left me cold. It wasn't until other cultures started making a major appearance in the last set of episodes that I felt the world start to come together.
I've remarked on this before, but the Abh almost feel too perfect, with their peaceful internal empire, their long lives, their beauty (as remarked upon by the other races), and their military might. At every turn, humanity's forces outside the Abh Empire are portrayed as weak-willed and jealous, even outside of the protagonist's perspective (such as the officer from United Mankind). With rare exceptions, such as the captain of the Futune, these dual perspectives seem unchallenged. I hear that gets subverted later, but they could have brought a little more balance to bear earlier on.
The emotional core of the series is the relationship between young Jinto and Lafiel, the proud Abh princess. Jinto's modesty and inexperience make him a good partner to Lafiel, who speaks her mind openly and bluntly. They make a pretty good pair, but their relationship grew most interesting when their positions were somewhat reversed. Seeing them grow to trust each other in that environment cemented them as a couple worth watching. Still, any real romance feels kept at a respectful distance.
I'm not sure I'd recommend this show to anyone who wasn't really into science fiction, but if you like stories with big ships, big galaxies, and soaring orchestral scores, this is a good example of that kind of tale. Maybe I'll see more someday.
Crest of the Stars 13
... and it's probably the best episode yet. It's a double-length finale filled to the brim with exciting action, and it keeps the focus squarely on Lafiel and Jinto. It even spends a lot of time in a pretty unique-feeling cultural area: a giant amusement park for kids, filled with quasi-intelligent robot caretakers. It's fun seeing the robots and their limited programming react to being thrust in the middle of a pitched battle between Lafiel, Jinto, and their pursuers.
The end really makes this feel like a prologue to a much larger story, the first book of a science fiction saga that could be a dozen books long. After sharing so much, it makes sense for the main pair to be together. I'm just not sure where the tale would go.
I think I liked Crest in the end, but I have a lot of caveats about it. It's rare to see this kind of epic science fiction story done these days in any medium, much less anime, and that's the main thing that kept me with it. But it took a very long time before I felt much attachment to the world. The show seems incredibly fascinated with the Abh and their culture, but I wasn't beguiled by them in the same way. As a result, the exposition in a lot of the early episodes left me cold. It wasn't until other cultures started making a major appearance in the last set of episodes that I felt the world start to come together.
I've remarked on this before, but the Abh almost feel too perfect, with their peaceful internal empire, their long lives, their beauty (as remarked upon by the other races), and their military might. At every turn, humanity's forces outside the Abh Empire are portrayed as weak-willed and jealous, even outside of the protagonist's perspective (such as the officer from United Mankind). With rare exceptions, such as the captain of the Futune, these dual perspectives seem unchallenged. I hear that gets subverted later, but they could have brought a little more balance to bear earlier on.
The emotional core of the series is the relationship between young Jinto and Lafiel, the proud Abh princess. Jinto's modesty and inexperience make him a good partner to Lafiel, who speaks her mind openly and bluntly. They make a pretty good pair, but their relationship grew most interesting when their positions were somewhat reversed. Seeing them grow to trust each other in that environment cemented them as a couple worth watching. Still, any real romance feels kept at a respectful distance.
I'm not sure I'd recommend this show to anyone who wasn't really into science fiction, but if you like stories with big ships, big galaxies, and soaring orchestral scores, this is a good example of that kind of tale. Maybe I'll see more someday.
Well, yeah, that's what I meant. I phrased it terribly.
"I Can't Believe My Teacher Is Secretly An Otaku And AnimeGaf User!?" ?
firehawk12
Subete no aware
sonicmj1's autobiography!
He's also a 10-year-old wizard.
Why You Should Not Skip ZZ Gundam
The story is one youve seen undoubtedly numerous times on the net. Some wide eyed dreamer finally gets around to wanting to invest in the illustrious Gundam franchise, and he asks a fairly innocent question: Where do I start? Perhaps all of this was brought on by seeing some screenshots of Unicorn, or more recently by Gundam Build Fighters. Both are well animated incentives to get familiar with one of animes longest running and well known mecha franchises.
Inevitably, the discussion will lead to the Universal Century timeline, and equally inevitably someone will say Watch the original, then Zeta, then skip to Chars Counterattack. You dont need to watch ZZ. Countless similar versions of this same falsehood have been perpetuated over the course of a lifetime, and it is my intent to address why, exactly, that isnt the case. Or rather, why you cant skip ZZ, and why you shouldnt. If you have no interest in either the Universal Century Timeline or Gundam in general, this isnt really for you. Im not aiming to lift up Double Zeta as a paragon of virtue, but more explain why skipping it is bad and hopefully advertising the show in such a way that persons who have an interest in the series will be dissuaded, and longtime proponents of the you can skip it! argument might, perhaps, reconsider their stances.
Before I begin addressing the major complaints against ZZ Gundam and listing several additional reasons why I believe the show is both necessary and entertaining to the Gundam fan, let me first begin by explaining what ZZ Gundam is to the interested, uninformed readers among you. Airing in 1986-1987 (just shortly before this writers life began!), ZZ Gundam is the sequel to Yoshiyuki Tominos hit series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, itself a sequel to the now famous Mobile Suit Gundam. Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam (Pronounced Double Zeta, not Zeezee) begins immediately after the conclusion of Zeta. A general overview of the series is that it follows the exploits of one Judau Ashta and his friends, who are a ragtag group of teenagers living aboard a space colony in orbit around Earth. Their lives are changed the moment they encounter the space battleship Argama, which is seeking haven in the wake of a three-way war its side did not exactly win. After numerous attempts to steal the Argamas famous Zeta Gundam, Judau and his friends consent to join on as crew members. What follows are forty-seven episodes centered on how a group of dysfunctional teenagers sort out their personal problems and begin to mature set to the backdrop of a world-spanning war. This stands in contrast to Zeta Gundam, wherein the cast is largely incapable of handling its personal dysfunctions to its utter ruin, but Ill get to that later.
It is not much of a secret that ZZ Gundam is less popular than Zeta, and Im not here to debate the justice of that standing. What I do dispute is the strange notion that its lack of popularity is equivalent to its relevance within the Gundam series. Or rather, that Double Zeta is something you can skip over without consequence. Although Star Wars: Episode VII has yet to come out, the comparison is rather apt, I think. Because telling people to skip over ZZ Gundam is equivalent to telling them that its okay to skip from The Empire Strikes Back to Episode VII simply because you dont like Ewoks. Return of the Jedi, regardless of its flaws, is still the conclusion of a storyline, and from the end of Empire to the beginning of VII are numerous plot points left open. The fate of Han Solo, still frozen in Carbonite is a big one. The ultimate defeat of the Emperor and Darth Vader, and the triumph of the New Republic are others. The conclusion of Luke, Leia, and Hans character arcs as well. In this regard, the comparison works perfectly: The fate of Kamille Bidan, the protagonist of Zeta Gundam, is left open, as well as the defeat of Haman Khan and the Neo Zeon. The conclusion of Fa and Kamilles relationship as well.
The point Im driving at here, the first I would like to make regarding ZZ Gundam, is that Zeta Gundam ends on a cliffhanger and by skipping ZZ Gundam youre skipping the entire second half of the story. When Zeta Gundam concludes, Haman Khan is still at large, and in power, and with both the Titans and AEUG so weakened from Zetas conclusion, she is poised to conquer the world. In Chars Counterattack Haman Khan is completely absent. Although I think that seeing Kamilles recovery in ZZ Gundam is one of its major draws, I dont think its okay to overlook the entirety of ZZs main plot for that: Namely, the First Neo Zeon War.
This brings me to my second point. That later Gundam works are rife with references to the events of ZZ Gundam. In Chars Counter Attack, the events are referred to as the Second Neo Zeon War. At the end of Zeta Gundam, though, there hasnt been a first one. The Asteroid, Axis, that figures centrally in Chars Counter Attack is physically different from its appearance in Zeta Gundam due to the events of ZZ. When Zeta Gundam ends
The problems only grow as we extend to Unicorn Gundam. The Gundam Team (featured exclusively in ZZ Gundam) is discussed, as well as the Nahel Argama (the Argamas successor in ZZ.) Most important of all, though, is that much of a major characters past in Unicorn Gundam will make no sense at all to the viewer without ZZ Gundam. And not just her past, but her entire character arc. When
Likewise the technology for
I must dismiss the counterpoint that one might simply look all of this up and be saved the trouble! because I do not think that reading about an event is the same as experiencing it over the course of a series. One might simply read about the plot to anything and be saved the trouble, if that were the case, but for the sake of argument, I assume that experiencing things trumps simply reading about them.
My intention is not to bore with a laundry list of future references, however. I simply want it made clear that as a full chapter of the overarching storyline of the Universal Century, skipping ZZ Gundam cant just be skipped. Not any more than any other major chapter of a series without causing confusion in its wake.
There is one other major complaint with ZZ Gundam Id like to address before actively attempting to persuade you to watch it. This is, of course, that ZZ Gundam Isnt as serious as Zeta Gundam and all permutations of the same such as Its too goofy!
Understand, of course, that Im not going to deny that ZZ Gundam is goofy. It has to be. Tominos works often are. Judau and company, especially early on, have a remarkable number of antics. Whether its humiliating Yazan Gable, tossing oranges at Bright Noa, getting smothered by Chara Soones breasts or deflecting spears on a space Aztec colony, the first 15-20 episodes of ZZ Gundam are admittedly a stark contrast with their immediate predecessors. Zeta Gundam was an increasingly bleak show, with a notably bitter ending. The final episodes of Zeta Gundam saw an enormous bloodbath and high body count. The first episodes of ZZ Gundam saw a bunch of unaware teenagers dicking around with chickens aboard the Argama.
I think, though, that this overlooks two key things. The first of these is that ZZ Gundam does make a return to the more serious fare of the franchise later on. Especially by the time the second opening begins. Indeed, we see families devastated in the wake of the Gundam Teams visits, and previously upbeat characters like Judau, Leina, and Puru all take marked turns for the decidedly more grim. The show begins with oranges being pelted in an attempt of Grand Theft Mecha, but it ends with a three way war, a withering look at government apathy and corruption, treason, child soldiers, and a message of how sometimes things in the world are awful beyond the control of upbeat young people. The second, and arguably larger point, is that it is a large point of ZZ Gundam to be more cheerful than Zeta Gundam.
In contrast to its predecessor, ZZ Gundam shows that its cast can overcome their differences and personality flaws to become equal to the tasks presented to them. People can and do change for the better in ZZ Gundam. Whether its Puru Two or Haman Khan herself, there is an infectious air of we can be better than this in ZZ that sweeps the principle characters along. Its a strong metaphor for the entire Universal Century when
In essence, ZZs tone is meant to contrast with Zetas. If Zeta presents a tragic tale of humanity, then ZZ is built upon challenging that bleak view by presenting how its characters, sometimes the same as Zetas, are more than the negative figures we saw back then.
At this juncture, I have essentially concluded my main argument for why you ought not to believe those who would tell you you can skip the show. Summarized briefly it goes:
-ZZ Gundam is referenced repeatedly in Chars Counterattack and Unicorn
-ZZ Gundam is a major part of the storyline, and without it some aspects of CCA and UC wont make sense.
-ZZ Gundam, though goofy, sobers up later on while aiming to (and succeeding in) maintain a more positive outlook on humanity in wartimes.
So now, let me attempt to provide you with a few reasons to watch the show in addition to the argument against skipping it.
1. Its as 80s as it gets. I mean, where else is the main villain going to sport slotted shades like that? With its focus on dysfunctional teens overcoming their problems and working together to succeed in a world dominated by adults who are often corrupt and apathetic, the show might best be compared to popular 80s movies like the Goonies or Ferris Buellers Day Off. With the group dynamic falling out in roughly the same way early on. Judau is the iconic hero, whose wits get him out of as many binds as his brash, youthful perspective gets him into. Iino is his friend in need of socialization. Beecha is the resident douchebag (until his character development) and Mondo is Beechas loser sidekick. Elle is the underappreciated tomgirl, with Roux being the more emotional girly girl. Leina and Puru take turns filling the role of annoying and motivating younger sibling.
2. In spite of the above, the cast is well rounded and undergoes considerable growth from beginning to end. As such, The Cast is the second point. ZZ Gundam is notable for lacking numerous characters from Mobile Suit Gundam, but its own characters are almost all worth it. Whether its the smart mouthed Judau, the dangerous and seductive Haman, the temperamental Puru or the idealistic Mashmyre, ZZ Gundams cast is at once colorful and endearing. Even the especially odd, like Chara Soone and Rasara/Sarasa are entertaining. In particular, I found the most controversial relationship in the show to be the most interesting. That of Haman Khan and young Judau Ashta. There is an admitted gap between their ages which colors her repeated attempts at seduction and their mutual attraction with a hue of the wildly inappropriate (something both Hamans soldiers and Judaus comrades note) but beyond that theres a legitimate, mutual force being exerted by the two of them to convert one another to their respective sides. Its one of the few instances, I believe, in which significant time is spent illustrating the way in which Newtypesthe series resident psychicsare naturally attracted to one another because of their magnetic personalities. Beyond this interaction, though, I really found Judau to be an excellent protagonist for the series. This is in no small part because, while Judau is as averse to warfare as Amuro and Kamille, hes much more hotblooded, and his carefree, light-hearted nature made him refreshing in the face of his far heavier predecessors.
3. The actions still got it. Sometimes Gundam shows can hit slumps and the action can suffer considerably. For instance, A Wakening of the Trailblazers incredibly dull final battle of gray arrows and orange lines and orbs for twenty minutes. ZZ Gundam, especially the titular mech, carries on Zetas well paced space battles, and introduces a variety of interesting new mecha to the series. Im not quite certain how to put action into words, though, so I leave it up to you to really experience that for yourself.
At present this represents the best defense and promotion of the show I can offer you. To those who have been subjected to this post against their wishes, I apologize. To those who found it informative, I am grateful to have been of service. To those who find fault, I am ever open for discussion.
The story is one youve seen undoubtedly numerous times on the net. Some wide eyed dreamer finally gets around to wanting to invest in the illustrious Gundam franchise, and he asks a fairly innocent question: Where do I start? Perhaps all of this was brought on by seeing some screenshots of Unicorn, or more recently by Gundam Build Fighters. Both are well animated incentives to get familiar with one of animes longest running and well known mecha franchises.
Both are really, really well animated!
Inevitably, the discussion will lead to the Universal Century timeline, and equally inevitably someone will say Watch the original, then Zeta, then skip to Chars Counterattack. You dont need to watch ZZ. Countless similar versions of this same falsehood have been perpetuated over the course of a lifetime, and it is my intent to address why, exactly, that isnt the case. Or rather, why you cant skip ZZ, and why you shouldnt. If you have no interest in either the Universal Century Timeline or Gundam in general, this isnt really for you. Im not aiming to lift up Double Zeta as a paragon of virtue, but more explain why skipping it is bad and hopefully advertising the show in such a way that persons who have an interest in the series will be dissuaded, and longtime proponents of the you can skip it! argument might, perhaps, reconsider their stances.
Before I begin addressing the major complaints against ZZ Gundam and listing several additional reasons why I believe the show is both necessary and entertaining to the Gundam fan, let me first begin by explaining what ZZ Gundam is to the interested, uninformed readers among you. Airing in 1986-1987 (just shortly before this writers life began!), ZZ Gundam is the sequel to Yoshiyuki Tominos hit series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, itself a sequel to the now famous Mobile Suit Gundam. Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam (Pronounced Double Zeta, not Zeezee) begins immediately after the conclusion of Zeta. A general overview of the series is that it follows the exploits of one Judau Ashta and his friends, who are a ragtag group of teenagers living aboard a space colony in orbit around Earth. Their lives are changed the moment they encounter the space battleship Argama, which is seeking haven in the wake of a three-way war its side did not exactly win. After numerous attempts to steal the Argamas famous Zeta Gundam, Judau and his friends consent to join on as crew members. What follows are forty-seven episodes centered on how a group of dysfunctional teenagers sort out their personal problems and begin to mature set to the backdrop of a world-spanning war. This stands in contrast to Zeta Gundam, wherein the cast is largely incapable of handling its personal dysfunctions to its utter ruin, but Ill get to that later.
It is not much of a secret that ZZ Gundam is less popular than Zeta, and Im not here to debate the justice of that standing. What I do dispute is the strange notion that its lack of popularity is equivalent to its relevance within the Gundam series. Or rather, that Double Zeta is something you can skip over without consequence. Although Star Wars: Episode VII has yet to come out, the comparison is rather apt, I think. Because telling people to skip over ZZ Gundam is equivalent to telling them that its okay to skip from The Empire Strikes Back to Episode VII simply because you dont like Ewoks. Return of the Jedi, regardless of its flaws, is still the conclusion of a storyline, and from the end of Empire to the beginning of VII are numerous plot points left open. The fate of Han Solo, still frozen in Carbonite is a big one. The ultimate defeat of the Emperor and Darth Vader, and the triumph of the New Republic are others. The conclusion of Luke, Leia, and Hans character arcs as well. In this regard, the comparison works perfectly: The fate of Kamille Bidan, the protagonist of Zeta Gundam, is left open, as well as the defeat of Haman Khan and the Neo Zeon. The conclusion of Fa and Kamilles relationship as well.
The point Im driving at here, the first I would like to make regarding ZZ Gundam, is that Zeta Gundam ends on a cliffhanger and by skipping ZZ Gundam youre skipping the entire second half of the story. When Zeta Gundam concludes, Haman Khan is still at large, and in power, and with both the Titans and AEUG so weakened from Zetas conclusion, she is poised to conquer the world. In Chars Counterattack Haman Khan is completely absent. Although I think that seeing Kamilles recovery in ZZ Gundam is one of its major draws, I dont think its okay to overlook the entirety of ZZs main plot for that: Namely, the First Neo Zeon War.
This brings me to my second point. That later Gundam works are rife with references to the events of ZZ Gundam. In Chars Counter Attack, the events are referred to as the Second Neo Zeon War. At the end of Zeta Gundam, though, there hasnt been a first one. The Asteroid, Axis, that figures centrally in Chars Counter Attack is physically different from its appearance in Zeta Gundam due to the events of ZZ. When Zeta Gundam ends
Char is presumed dead, and Mineva Zabi is seen in Hamans hands. Without ZZ Gundam, there is no explanation that Char is alive, or that Mineva Zabi escaped Haman.
Marida Cruz is exposed to the MP Qubeley, the import of the scene is diminished by not knowing that all Purus rode in Mass Produced Qubeleys. Furthermore, Maridas entire relationship with Zinnerman, her referring to him as Master and his distaste for the title lose their weight without understanding her relationship to Glemmy.
cloning and creating clones, so prevalent in Unicorn, comes out of nowhere without ZZ.
I must dismiss the counterpoint that one might simply look all of this up and be saved the trouble! because I do not think that reading about an event is the same as experiencing it over the course of a series. One might simply read about the plot to anything and be saved the trouble, if that were the case, but for the sake of argument, I assume that experiencing things trumps simply reading about them.
My intention is not to bore with a laundry list of future references, however. I simply want it made clear that as a full chapter of the overarching storyline of the Universal Century, skipping ZZ Gundam cant just be skipped. Not any more than any other major chapter of a series without causing confusion in its wake.
There is one other major complaint with ZZ Gundam Id like to address before actively attempting to persuade you to watch it. This is, of course, that ZZ Gundam Isnt as serious as Zeta Gundam and all permutations of the same such as Its too goofy!
Understand, of course, that Im not going to deny that ZZ Gundam is goofy. It has to be. Tominos works often are. Judau and company, especially early on, have a remarkable number of antics. Whether its humiliating Yazan Gable, tossing oranges at Bright Noa, getting smothered by Chara Soones breasts or deflecting spears on a space Aztec colony, the first 15-20 episodes of ZZ Gundam are admittedly a stark contrast with their immediate predecessors. Zeta Gundam was an increasingly bleak show, with a notably bitter ending. The final episodes of Zeta Gundam saw an enormous bloodbath and high body count. The first episodes of ZZ Gundam saw a bunch of unaware teenagers dicking around with chickens aboard the Argama.
I think, though, that this overlooks two key things. The first of these is that ZZ Gundam does make a return to the more serious fare of the franchise later on. Especially by the time the second opening begins. Indeed, we see families devastated in the wake of the Gundam Teams visits, and previously upbeat characters like Judau, Leina, and Puru all take marked turns for the decidedly more grim. The show begins with oranges being pelted in an attempt of Grand Theft Mecha, but it ends with a three way war, a withering look at government apathy and corruption, treason, child soldiers, and a message of how sometimes things in the world are awful beyond the control of upbeat young people. The second, and arguably larger point, is that it is a large point of ZZ Gundam to be more cheerful than Zeta Gundam.
In contrast to its predecessor, ZZ Gundam shows that its cast can overcome their differences and personality flaws to become equal to the tasks presented to them. People can and do change for the better in ZZ Gundam. Whether its Puru Two or Haman Khan herself, there is an infectious air of we can be better than this in ZZ that sweeps the principle characters along. Its a strong metaphor for the entire Universal Century when
Kamille Bidan recovers completely from the madness he suffered in the Gryps conflict, and is seen hale and happy.
At this juncture, I have essentially concluded my main argument for why you ought not to believe those who would tell you you can skip the show. Summarized briefly it goes:
-ZZ Gundam is referenced repeatedly in Chars Counterattack and Unicorn
-ZZ Gundam is a major part of the storyline, and without it some aspects of CCA and UC wont make sense.
-ZZ Gundam, though goofy, sobers up later on while aiming to (and succeeding in) maintain a more positive outlook on humanity in wartimes.
So now, let me attempt to provide you with a few reasons to watch the show in addition to the argument against skipping it.
1. Its as 80s as it gets. I mean, where else is the main villain going to sport slotted shades like that? With its focus on dysfunctional teens overcoming their problems and working together to succeed in a world dominated by adults who are often corrupt and apathetic, the show might best be compared to popular 80s movies like the Goonies or Ferris Buellers Day Off. With the group dynamic falling out in roughly the same way early on. Judau is the iconic hero, whose wits get him out of as many binds as his brash, youthful perspective gets him into. Iino is his friend in need of socialization. Beecha is the resident douchebag (until his character development) and Mondo is Beechas loser sidekick. Elle is the underappreciated tomgirl, with Roux being the more emotional girly girl. Leina and Puru take turns filling the role of annoying and motivating younger sibling.
2. In spite of the above, the cast is well rounded and undergoes considerable growth from beginning to end. As such, The Cast is the second point. ZZ Gundam is notable for lacking numerous characters from Mobile Suit Gundam, but its own characters are almost all worth it. Whether its the smart mouthed Judau, the dangerous and seductive Haman, the temperamental Puru or the idealistic Mashmyre, ZZ Gundams cast is at once colorful and endearing. Even the especially odd, like Chara Soone and Rasara/Sarasa are entertaining. In particular, I found the most controversial relationship in the show to be the most interesting. That of Haman Khan and young Judau Ashta. There is an admitted gap between their ages which colors her repeated attempts at seduction and their mutual attraction with a hue of the wildly inappropriate (something both Hamans soldiers and Judaus comrades note) but beyond that theres a legitimate, mutual force being exerted by the two of them to convert one another to their respective sides. Its one of the few instances, I believe, in which significant time is spent illustrating the way in which Newtypesthe series resident psychicsare naturally attracted to one another because of their magnetic personalities. Beyond this interaction, though, I really found Judau to be an excellent protagonist for the series. This is in no small part because, while Judau is as averse to warfare as Amuro and Kamille, hes much more hotblooded, and his carefree, light-hearted nature made him refreshing in the face of his far heavier predecessors.
3. The actions still got it. Sometimes Gundam shows can hit slumps and the action can suffer considerably. For instance, A Wakening of the Trailblazers incredibly dull final battle of gray arrows and orange lines and orbs for twenty minutes. ZZ Gundam, especially the titular mech, carries on Zetas well paced space battles, and introduces a variety of interesting new mecha to the series. Im not quite certain how to put action into words, though, so I leave it up to you to really experience that for yourself.
At present this represents the best defense and promotion of the show I can offer you. To those who have been subjected to this post against their wishes, I apologize. To those who found it informative, I am grateful to have been of service. To those who find fault, I am ever open for discussion.
Sailor Stars 182
Another good one for different reasons. I've no clue what to think about Chibi Chibi at this point although I do have some suspicions, Pluto was hilariously awkward in her presentaiton, and I was actually bothered at Siren's cleaning out Iron Mouse's desk. It's possibly due to how clinical it all was in that it was presented as a company employee lamenting the fate of an ex-coworker that had been fired.
Mend my broken heart, Sailor Lead Crow.
Another good one for different reasons. I've no clue what to think about Chibi Chibi at this point although I do have some suspicions, Pluto was hilariously awkward in her presentaiton, and I was actually bothered at Siren's cleaning out Iron Mouse's desk. It's possibly due to how clinical it all was in that it was presented as a company employee lamenting the fate of an ex-coworker that had been fired.
Mend my broken heart, Sailor Lead Crow.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Backlog time. lol
But you're presumably already fluent in English.
You definitely should! ZZ Gundam is a great show that doesn't deserve the weird hate it gets!
Corvo here's the thing, most people don't care enough about the Gundam continuinity in order to suffer through a bad 50 episode show.
Any sort of general narrative stuff could easily be Wiki'd. One day I'll try to suffer through the show but in no way does a person missing ZZ affect their enjoyment of later Gundam shows.
Any sort of general narrative stuff could easily be Wiki'd. One day I'll try to suffer through the show but in no way does a person missing ZZ affect their enjoyment of later Gundam shows.
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