This Month’s Picks (Sep. 2008) Part 2 - Anime September 9, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Anime, Digimon, Gundam, Update.Tags: Gundam, Macross, Mospeada, X-Men
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Although I promised this post for Saturday, it’s coming today, and I really doubt anyone really cares. Anyways, anime has become a big part of my life recently, as most of my free time is spent watching it, and most of my free DL time is spent getting it. Here are some of the shows I’m watching, plan to watch, and have recently finished, but not gotten around to reviewing. And, even though I shouldn’t have to say so, watch out for spoilers.
Gundam 00: Although the show isn’t “over”, I’ve finished the first season, and am anxiously awaiting the second. At the end of the first we have the death of Allelujah, the assumed deaths of Setsuna, Graham and Lockon, and the seemingly fake death of Tieria. I watched the end sequence a couple of times, and assume that’s Tieria and Lousie on the elevator, and Graham walking down the hall in an iron Char-mask. I’m not sure about this, but in a few minutes I’m going to look up the (I think they’re real) PVs for the second season. I’m really excited about this.
Macross 7: Haven’t watched it in a couple of days, not sure why. I just got to the part where the story starts to actually be cool and not suck. the whole Spiritia and singing thing is coming together, and hopefully soon the story will stop being so repetetive.
Gundam Wing: I watched most of the show (maybe half) a while back when it was on CN in a Spanish dub. I really, really loved it. I watched it back then for the action, but this time around I’m seeing a little bit of a story emerging, and even if it’s very exaggerated and unrealistic, I really enjoy the show. I can also see some of the bases for Gundam 00 here.
Digimon Adventure: Like Wing, I only watched Digimon in Spanish, but I never caught the show from the first season. I saw Adventure 02 and Tamers, and I really loved them; and I was very much in love with both World 1 and 2 for the PS1 (even if I basically sucked at both). So, to get back to the roots of the Digimon experience, I’m watching the original show in the original language. I like it a lot better than before, and I’m hoping the fansub groups will finish at least the first two seasons for me 
MOSPEADA: Son of a motherless goat! This anime looks really great. I’ll be posting some pics of one of the collectable actions figures I’m picking up for Christmas, it’s so cool. I love the bikes, and the whole idea of them. I wanted more Macross, and here it is with a twist.
X-Men: Not anime, but still similar. I’m trying to get me some of the original X-men cartoons, as I think I really like them. I’ll post more about this when I get them.
That’s it for anime for now. Tomorrow I’ll be going over site improvements and some Python crap, along with my first finished program! Stay tuned! Not literally, of course, just wait for the post or the RSS feed or something… Geez.
Victory Gundam (Anime) Review August 20, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Anime, Gundam, Reviews.Tags: UC 0153, Victory Gundam
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Story: Without a doubt, V Gundam is the saddest Gundam story to date. And before anything else is said, I think it’s worth a mention to say that a lot of people die, and most of the time for no good reason at all. That aside, I have to say I really loved the storyline. However, some of the story arcs in the middle could have been left out, and the story would still be intact; a lot of the time during said arcs I found myself wondering why the characters were doing what they were doing. There’s not a lot of narrative glue to stick the parts together, and to keep one interested during some of the low parts. But, overall it’s a nice story, with an emphasis on death, and at least during the last arc, a huge emphasis on the beauty of life.
Art: Very good. V Gundam uses a very simple art style to convey the characters and the Mobile Suits; which is both good and bad. Most of the Suits are very similar to each other, and are very rarely any unique. Characters however, look very nice, and some are just too cool for words, while others are just meh. Battles are everything you would expect from a mecha show, and although somewhat exaggerated at times (or almost all of the time), they’re mostly very good. The simple style works here to make the art very nice looking even today.
Sound: Not much to say here. There’s an excellent cast of actors working on the voices, and the mecha sounds are great, but nothing really stands out in this category.
Characters: We’ve got a cast of mostly children and women, with the main villain and one of the main characters being male. The rest of the male cast are either lesser characters or very old men. I can’t quite remember why the cast is like it is, but it brings a fresh look on what might be a stale storyline. It also has the effect of removing almost all romantic involvement between the main characters. There’s a peace-loving-battle-scarred boy, a princess girl, and a group of what seem to be orphaned children. Interaction between them is what really pushes the story along. Without a doubt, Oliver and Captain Gomez were my favorite characters, both of which received little screen time, but both of whom were very central to the story.
Overall: No where near as good as First Gundam, V Gundam is nonetheless a very nice looking, anime featuring a somewhat lacking storyline that’ll get your emotions running if you’re not prepared for it. Definitely recommended if you’ve seen the other UC animes, however, the story is completely separate from the main meta-plot.
My review from MAL.
Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (Anime) June 27, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Anime, Gundam, Reviews.add a comment
War in the Pocket takes place during the latter end of the One Year War (at the very end of it, in fact). It features the story of a child, Alfred, who lives next-door to, and knows the pilot of the New-Type Gundam, Alex. He doesn’t know, of course, that’s she’s the pilot of a Federation mobile Suit. He then runs into Bernard, a Zeon pilot on a mission to destroy said Gundam. Alfred teams up with Bernard, and together they try to carry out the mission originally given to Bernard.
Beginning Enthusiasm (2/5): WitP might be a great anime movie, but it’s slow. It starts out with an awesome action scene, but it decelerates from there on. There’s very little action, and most of the dialog and drama revolves around Alfred and his life. Alfred is a 10-or-so year old. So it starts out very slow. But, when you finish the movie, you realize that the focus isn’t on the action, but the plot and the…
Characters (4/5): I really like the characters in the movie, especially Bernard (even despite his resemblance to Glemy from ZZ). The rest of the Zeon teams are also great, and even the character with the least amount of screen time, Chris, is cool in her own way. But Alfred and his friends make me sick. Granted, he really matures as the movie goes along, but I just dislike his original “stupidness” for the first few episodes. Otherwise, the characters are very likable, and the relationships between them is necessary, and very sad at times (I’m looking at you Chris).
Ending Enthusiasm (5/5): The preparation for the big battle, the battle itself, and the very, very sad goodbye: it’s all great. By the time you get here, the Zeon team is dead, and the sickos from Zeon are planning a nuclear strike on the Colony just to destroy the Gundam. Alfred’s desperate race to reach Bernard to tell him that he needn’t fight, that the Federation has halted the nukes is one of the most emotional parts of the whole movie. But when Bernard is destroyed, it hits hard. The ending is great, and it really calls for a second watch of the movie.
Random, Rants, and Reviews #3 June 26, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Anime, Awesome, Gundam, Mega Man, Random Info, Video Games.add a comment
The Mega Man Dilemma: To start out, I love Mega Man, and this is the Random info part, so I’m not ranting. But I noticed something odd about the franchise; a pattern if you will. Here it is: A unique game (or series), followed by a basic carbon-copy series with just a few new improvements. First there was Mega Man, then Mega Man X (basically the same, maybe excluding x7 and x8); Mega Man Battle Network (GBA), and the new(ish) Starforce series (basically the same as BN, with a new battle view); Mega Man Zero (also GBA), and the also new(ish) Mega Man ZX. Wow. I have to note the exception of the Legends game (unless you count Tron’s game as the copy), and certain games like Mega Man Soccer and Mega Man Battle and Chase. But does this formula make the Blue Bomber any less cool in my book? No way.
Hackers: Apparently, someone has hacked into my Rapidshare account and is using it. I’m hoping that it’s just a simple error, and that tomorrow morning I’ll see that it’s running like fine. If not, I’m going to contact customer service and see if there’s anything they can do about it. When I noticed the problem, I immediately changed the password to a random string of characters and numbers stored only (as far as I know), in my head. Then, I quickly ran a virus, spyware, and a registry scan, and all three came up clean. I checked my TCPView, nothing weird there; I checked my Netstat and found a few odd entries, but nothing too alarming. But the problem persists, which makes me really believe that it’s just a fluke. How else could someone use my account even after I changed the password? Anyway, hackers suck, and I heard the main reason they hack servers is to host pr0n? That’s sewer-low.
Edit: Turns out it was just a fluke. No hacker…
Gundam F91: Just watched the F91 Gundam anime movie and really liked it. I’ll get around to a real review in a couple weeks, but the mecha designs: wow. Now, the F91 is a Gundam, which means by default it’s pretty cool, and the Rafflesia isn’t my favorite. But the Den’an Zon and the Den’an Gei are awesome! I love the Zaku II, and so far no suit can beat it, but the Den’an s come close. Here are the pics from the official site.
How to Get into Gundam June 20, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Anime, Gundam, Random Info.add a comment
I consider myself somewhat of a Gundam fanatic. It’s true that I haven’t seen all of the animes, nor read all the mangas, nor played all of the games; but I aim to change all that. So, in my quest to be a Gundam genius, I’ve seen the question asked “Where do I start?” Gundam can seem very daunting to the beginner, so I¡m going to provide a nice little outline of what to watch depending on your level of interest.
Young Anime Fan: If you’re young(er), and want a quick action-filled Gundam, then try out Gundam Wing. It’s the show that got me into Gundam. It’s quick, lots of action, and will keep you waiting for more. If you enjoy Wing, then make sure you watch the OVA Endless Waltz. It finishes up the story with an interesting twist. If you love Wing and want more of the same, check out Gundam 00. It’s brand-spanking new, and it’s also very action-oriented. If you find 00 too close to Wing, then try Seed and Destiny. I haven’t watched but a few episodes, so I can’t really comment a lot on them.
Older Anime Fan: If you’re a little older, then you’ll most likely want something with a little more story, and a little less focus on action. Without a doubt, watch First Gundam. It’s great, and it really sets up the story and mood for every Gundam series after it. Then, skim to Char’s Counterattack which is a little more mature and ties up the story of the first Gundam.
Wannabe-Gundam Meister: If you’re looking to watch all the Gundam shows, there’s an easy answer here. Watch it in chronological order! At the bottom of that page, you’ll see a list of all the animes, books, mangas, etc in the Gundam universe. I would heartily recommend watching first Gundam, as it’s the base for all Gundam, then go in chronological order from there.
Hit IGLOO, 08th MS Team, War in the Pocket, Stardust Memories, Zeta Gundam, ZZ Gundam, Char’s Counterattack first. It’s the basic conflict between Zeon and the Federation, so it’s the longest story arc. If you want, feel free to skip IGLOO, 08th MS Team, War in the Pocket and ZZ Gundam, they’re somewhat not as central (ZZ Gundam being the most important of those). The other series can be watched in the order of the site, or in any order, they’re not connected at all. Note that Destiny seems to be the continuation of Seed.
Well, there you have it. In any case, First Gundam is one of the best, and is a great starting point.
Mobile Suit Gundam IGLOO Review (Anime) June 20, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Anime, Gundam, Reviews.Tags: MS Gundam IGLOO
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IGLOO is a pair of Gundam movies set in the Universal Century. Each movie consists of three episodes at the normal half hour each. The story revolves around the Jotunheim, the mobile “base” of Oliver May and the 603rd Technical Evaluation unit: a unit that test out various weapons and mobile suits still in the experimental stage. What sets this apart from the other Gundam animes is that it is completely CG.
Beginning Enthusiasm (4/5): I was really hyped to watch a Gundam Anime in CG. I could just imagine the huge battles, all my favorite suits, and just plain Gundam action. However, I very quickly realized that most of the 30 minutes would focus not on the action, but on the characters and the preparation for the short but very sweet battles. The farther I got in, the more I was disappointed with the story lines. Each episode focuses on a new experimental weapon, it’s use in the field (along with Oliver May’s disapproval), and the death of the pilot. Literally, it’s the same for all six episodes. But, the awesome CG fights make up for this.
Characters (3/5): Like I said above, most of the characters are rehashed. The main characters are all pretty cool. Oliver being the best (especially with him piloting the suit at the end). But the pilots of the experimental units are all hashed! Each one has a strong feeling for the weapon, and some background with it. It’s not a big deal, but it did bug me. There are no cameos, except for one scene with Char’s Zaku II (no Char, just the MS).
Ending Emotion (5/5): Despite it’s shortcomings, the series is actually pretty good. It’s main focus is the 603rd unit, but it also outlines the whole history of the One Year War. We see the biggest battles, including Operation British, the battle at Loam, Jaburo, Odessa, and A Baoa Qu. The ending, although very similar to First Gundam’s ending is simple awesome. You’re expecting Oliver to die, but when you see him come back in the hand of the other MS, it’s simply overwhelming. Great ending for a pretty good series.
*Note: MS Gundam IGLOO 2: Gravity of the Battlefront will be out in October! It looks great!
Gundam Battle Universe and Whatnot… June 14, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Gundam, PSP, Random Info.add a comment
Well, so much for my being in a writing mood Anyways, here I am again, this time with a little update for what looks to be an awesome game. It’s the sequel to the PSP game Gundam Battle Chronicles. Like its predecessors, the game aims toward covering the UC, and having as many playable characters as possible.
This time, we get over 200 suits, 90 pilots, and scenarios/characters from First Gundam, 08th MS Team, War in the Pocket, Stardust Memories, Zeta and ZZ Gundam, Char’s Counterattack, Hathaway’s Flash, Gundam F91, and V Gundam. That’s a huge leap over the past 79, 83, and 87 separations, with no thought towards the latter end of the UC.
The gameplay seems to be basically the same as Chronicles, but I’m really, really hyped. I haven’t been this hyped for a game in a long time. Chronicles was good, but I really missed out on a lot. This time, however, I’m gonna be ready. To get myself prepared for the game, I’m going to speed watch the rest of the UC anime. That means finishing up ZZ Gundam (which is a lot sillier than I like, but according to one user, “se pone wena”, or gets a lot better around ep. 28, I’m currently at 20). Then watching F91, Char’s CC, and V Gundam. At this point I’m watching 4 episodes a day to finish the anime before the game comes out.
Also, I’m going to be playing through SD Gundam G Generation Portable, also for the PSP, and Killzone Liberation (totally unrelated, I’m at chapter 4/5) to prepare myself mentally. Watch out for a new widget, a buttload of reviews, some preliminary posts on Universe, and the general return of me to my site.
First (0079) Gundam Review (Anime) May 17, 2008
Posted by mitchfrizzell in Anime, Gundam, Reviews.add a comment
It seems I’m in a writing mood lately, so expect to see my review backlog to be reduced a little in the following days, and maybe even an update on my secret FAQ. Without further ado, my first anime review (spoilers galore).
Beginning Enthusiasm (5/5): I normally stray from older anime and cartoons, but when I started this one, I really enjoyed it. The first few episodes start out great with mecha action from the start and some great Char-stealth. Almost every main character is introduced within the first two episodes, and the emotional story line doesn’t take it easy just because we’re only starting. The animation, although old, is really great, and for the most part (aside from some music) the 1979 anime beats the test of time.
Characters (4/5): The characters are all (for the most part) necessary to the story, and they mostly fulfill their parts very well. The interaction between them is somewhat weird at times (Amuro and Lala, anyone?), and at times you wish Amuro would just fall for Fraw, and not every other random woman, but character reltionships (especially on White base) are strong and very necessary to the plot.
The only reason characters get a 4 and not a five is that some characters get better than others really quick. Now, I know Amuro is a New-Type and all, but why couldn’t Hyato get some skills (maybe around the Jaburo arc?)? Instead, he sucks throughout the show, even to the point of killing one of his own teammates! But somehow he gets really great in the last episode. But besides that, I really enjoyed the characters, the somewhat odd relationships, and the strong interaction between them.
Ending Emotion (5/5): The ending is great, it really ties up the ends (sounds painful), but leaves some open enough to have another series (which we all know happens). I really enjoyed the last scene, and although I don’t find it easy to admit I cried throughout the whole thing. The destruction of the base with the broken Gundam, the treason of Char, and the return of Amuro to the crew, it’s all great, and it’s a really exciting ending to the series.
Summary: Now, I know I’m not that good at writing reviews, but know this: First Gundam (or Gundam 0079) is a very great start to an awesome franchise, and an almost perfect series. If you’ve not seen it yet, see it now, it’s one of the elite.
