AGE

 Episode 11, " Reunion at Minsry"

*****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: The Diva ports at the colony of Minsry to prepare for the last battle with the UE. Flit, Grodek, Woolf, and the Euba leader head for the Birmings mansion. On the way there, Flit hears something and runs after. He discovers that it’s Yurin, the girl he met at Nora. Alzack Birmings, a wealthy friend of Don Boyage, tells him he will support Grodek’s plan. Alzack turns out to be Yurin’s adoptive father. As the team prepares for the mission, Flit spends time with Yurin. Flit promises to return after the fighting is over. On the way back to the Diva, a boat carrying Federation soldiers and several Federation mobile suits block their path and arrest Grodek. Flit uses the Gundam to disable the Federation MS. Grodek is rescued.      Comments:    A whole lot of nothing happens in this episode. It felt more like half an episode. You could easily cut half of what happened in this episode and not have lost anything important. Far from being relaxing, it was merely boring. If it weren’t for all the beautiful scenery, I’d say it was a total waste of my (oh so precious) time.    First, what’s with all these guys with ridiculous hairstyles? Birmings looks like he stepped out of Rose of Versailles. The Euba guy looks like he could be Chara Soon’s brother. I know anime hairstyles are weird on principal, but there are plenty of characters with more ordinary hair and then there are the anomolies. I hate to sound like my mother, but dem Chinese cartoon characters have stupid, stupid hair.    Second, wow, could Yurin be sending up any more death flags? Sudden relationship with a shy girl with a tragic past. Spending time enjoying each other’s company to a musical montage. Flit making a promise to her to return after the fighting.  Just have a piece of the colony fall on her already. I know me some Gundam, and my Gundam instinct is telling me this girl’s as good as dead. It’s almost stupid if she doesn’t die.    It is interesting, though, that the AGE system is being used to upgrade the Diva. I’d like to see what sort of mechanical monster that creates out of it.    Another interesting tidbit is Grodek saying that the Federation is covering up who the UE really are. The Federation knows but isn’t saying? What kind of retarded Federation is this? This is Gundam 0083-level Feddie retardation.    Do you realize I actually wrote a freaking paragraph on hair? On hair. That’s how little this episode had going for it. I had to write a paragraph on the hair.    Overall Score:

3.5 out of 5

 

 Episode 09, "The Secret Mobile Suit"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: Woolf takes Flit, Emily, and Dique to a space station to meet the designer/engineer of the G-Exes, Madorna. They’re amazed at the mobile suit factory. Mardona shows the group a mobile suit that appears to be a UE one. Before he can tell them about the person who brought it to him, the mobile suit springs to life and starts firing. Flit and Woolf get in mobile suits to stop the UE suit. Flit ends up engaging it out in space. Woolf arrives to distract the UE MS while Flit retrieves the Gundam. Vargas launches the Titus and Flit transfers to it. The UE MS is extremely fast and neither Flit nor Woolf can get it. Suddenly the MS retreats, stunning everyone. Madorna tells the group that it was a man named Yark Dole (a masked man seen previously in ep 5), an arms dealer who brought him the UE MS. Later, back at the Diva, Grodek announces their next destination is Colony Minsry. He explains that his belief is that the UE are hiding out in a base there and that he’s not their captain. Emily speaks up in defense of Grodek. Flit pledges to fight alongside Grodek. Woolf agrees to stay, too, as well as others. Suddenly more UE suits are detected.    Comments:    Well, now, this was a decent episode.    I think the biggest thing that happened in this episode was Emily’s development. This is due in part to Madorna’s girlfriend, Laraparly giving her a little talking to. Emily was still fretting over Flit risking his life, but Laraparly tells her to risk her life with Flit. It’s clear that Flit is going to stay as a pilot, so her options are pretty much support him or leave him. With Emily choosing the former, I’m guessing she’s going to stay on the crew just to be around Flit. I’d like to see her get some kind of job on the ship, liking bringing food around or becoming a bridge bunny. Something other than piloting.   Also of note is Emily’s defense of Grodek’s actions. Grodek may be acting in part out of revenge (or even mostly), but what he’s doing is right. Emily, who had hated Grodek for keeping things to himself sticks up for him when he finally tells the truth to his crew. I think Laraparly’s words probably inspired her to do this as well, plus she was waiting for Grodek become more honest. Now the entire crew is as guilty as Grodek is of disobeying the Federation.   Another thing I noticed is that Madorna was astonished that Flit is a member of the Asuno family. Apparently the Asunos are a famous family, but other than his mother being dead, there’s nothing else we know about Flit’s family. I have a feeling we’ll find out more about it in the near future.    Why did Flit, Emily, and Dique freak out when Laraparly kissed Madorna? It wasn’t even on the lips and they were blushing.    We see a brief cameo of the little boy Desil from a few episodes back. Apparently he has control over the UE mobile suit that Madorna was souping up. The masked man Yark Dole is the same weapons dealer that gave the Zalam and Euba their mobile suits and if he’s connected to the UE, it seems like he’s manipulating everything for profit. But as a guy in a mask I think there is probably some ideological slant to his actions. I just wonder what Desil is in it for. Just to have fun, like Bud in Patlabor?    Next episode looks to be full of action.    Overall Score:

3.5 out of 5

   

Episode 04, "The White Wolf"       *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis:  Mobile suit ace Woolf Enneacle awakens on the Diva and is assigned as the head of mobile suit forces on the crew. He desires to pilot Flit’s Gundam, but Flit objects. The two decide to have a duel contest to see who’s a more fit pilot. The two are attacked by the UE and team up to escape. The UE’s cloaking technology leads Grodek Aiona to the knowledge of who they really are. 

  Comments:    The episode introduces mobile suit racer (?) star, Woolf Enneacle, who ends up being a rival of Flit’s. He’s arrogant and likes to hit on women. He challenges Flit to a contest whose winner will decide who pilots the Gundam. Who does this remind you of? If Woolf were also a heavy drinker, he’d be Bernard Monsha from Gundam 0083. In fact, this episode reminds me of episode 3 of that less than stellar OVA. Only Monsha isn’t a kitten eared pretty boy, so I guess he’s a totally different character? Well, actually, Woolf doesn’t come across quite as bad as Monsha, but at the same time, isn’t as fun a character.    I wonder what the "grand prix" spoken of is indeed a speed race between mobile suits, maybe something like IGPX. I’m already more interested in Woolf’s past than his present. As head of the mobile suit forces, you’d think the most powerful suit would go right to him, contest or not. You’d want to get the most out of your best weapon, so giving him to the best soldier is a smart move. But I guess Flit knows Gundam better than anyone. Really, though, it’s because he’s the main character that he’ll get to keep using the Gundam. It might have been different to see Woolf get it for a little while and end up not using it as well, or something along those lines. The "rivals working together dissolving their differences" route is a little played out.    The Unknown Enemy’s big ship (more ugly CG) uses cloaking technology. You don’t see a lot of this in Gundam. For some reason the captain gets an idea about who they really are, so maybe we’ll know by the end of the next episode. I haven’t really thought about it. I just figured they were a secretive group, but are human. I’m still hoping the spoilers I read about this show are wrong.    I’m still not impressed.   

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5

 Episode  03, "The Twisted Colony"

    *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis:  The crew of the Diva begin to tow the colony core filled with evacuated citizens while Flit takes on more UE mobile suits. While taking on the enemy, Flit notices Yurin’s strange abilities. When the core is pinned down, with no options left, Command Bruzar sacrifices himself to save the colonists. The final UE MS retreats. While the ship tows the colony core, a mysterious figure wakes up on board from cold sleep.    Comments:    As expected, the Nora colony is a goner, much in the same way Side 7 and Heliopolis. Well, they were creative in the saving of colonists, using the colony core. I had thought they would be doomed before the end of the episode, but it looks like they’re out of danger for the time being. The colony still exploded, though.    I’m sure this has come up before, but Yurin seems very similar to Tiffa in Gundam X. Sort of shy and a little detached seeming, and has special intuition. Tiffa is a Newtype, so maybe Yurin is one, too. The way he seems unafraid to take on the UE mobile suit, Flit seems to be taking after Garrod or Judau Ashta. The captain already dresses like Jamil Neate. Im guessing Yurin will be Flit’s love interest, but it’s a little early to call it. I still think Emily will be in the Friend Zone, or else end up with the chubby kid.    Flit has a history of looking to the Gundam as being a savior, and he was determined to protect the colonists. I think a bit more of his personality is emerging, but he still hasn’t quite stepped out of the shadows of the truly iconic Gundam characters. It feels like we’re only getting development as flashbacks, so instead of forward development, we’re given his past to add dimension to him. It’s working right now, but they’ll have to follow it up in the present situation, or he’ll remain just "okay" as a lead.    I liked the core towing idea used here. It was certainly the first of its kind in a Gundam show. Just when I was thinking there wouldn’t be much new. However, based on some rumored spoilers, I may end up disliking developments that are a little too creative for their own good.        Overall Score:   3.5 out of 5

Episode 02 , "The Power of AGE "

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: The Unknown Enemy continues to attack the colony of Nora. Federation soldiers disagree over what action to take involving evacuation and the ship Diva. Flit tries to help a girl, Yurin, who is at first afraid of the Gundam. Deputy Commander Grodek Aiona takes command of the Diva, which launches into space. Flit launches the Gundam into space but has difficulty fighting. The "AGE System"" is activated to provide Flit support. Flit uses the DOTS Rifle to engage an enemy MS, destroying the enemy easily. But then more mobile suits arrive. read more