Ah, it is nice to finally have something to talk about now. By the skin of their teeth, Tekkadan captures the leader of the Dawn Horizon Corps, and routs the attempt by the WDoJ/Arianrhod from stealing their ‘kill’ so to speak. This is a sound victory on Tekkadan’s part, since the inclusion of a third party in the previous episode’s affairs heightens the tension. This is most manifest in Julieta, who not only gives Mika a workout in terms of combat skills, but also comes off (in my mind), as a female version of him: eccentric to a fault, and fiercely loyal to her superior like Mika is to Orga. Whether this will change any dynamic between him, Kudelia, and Atra in the case he ever meets her is still up in the air, but I cannot help but see some similarities to them based on their disposition in combat.
gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Season 2 Episode 03 – Yo-Ho-Hum
After two episodes of build up, we have our first full on space battle with Tekkadan facing off against the Dawn Horizon Corps. True to Gundam form, things are not what they appear, and Tekkadan has to fight at a disadvantage.
Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
Not gonna lie, I am REALLY hard pressed to talk about anything this week. It is not that there is anything TOO bad about this episode, but there’s nothing new to discuss. After my gush over Hush last week, he is summarily sidelined for plot purposes as the old boys of Tekkadan sally forth. Understandable, but it is still disappointing. The big non-mecha highlight is the conversation between Orga and Maccy’s subordinate, Isurugi. It provides a nice set up to the battle, never mind the various machinations each side (or at least Maccy-nations for one) has in store, but other than that nothing much can be said. Heck to even say the battles are nice is to state the obvious, and Tekkadan as always is doing the best it can given the circumstances.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Season 2 Episode 02 – Groundwork Grind
Just like the second episode of the first season, the opening ends with a successful rout of enemy forces by Mika and the Barbatos…
…And just like the second episode of the first season, the rest of the episode is dedicated to prep work for the next phase in our players’ games. On one hand it is kinda boring treading familiar territory, but on the other it is kindof necessary and has enough differences to warrant this retreading of old ground. One half-hour after all isn’t enough for a massive cast like this animu has, so I should probably give it a pass for now. Besides, it allows us one instance of foreboding that may colour erryboddy in this show:
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Season 2 Episode 01 – The Kids are Doin’ Alright
Wow. It’s been a year hasn’t it? These upstart rapscallions, once on the verge of utter defeat, now are the biggest names in both the regular and black market. Unlike the last serial Gundam series that had two seasons (Gundam 00), Iron-Blooded Orphans kicks off without any big down note where our heroes are in a lesser position of power than before. After the well-deserved victory they scored last season, they need this moment to shine, and shine they did.
I anticipated a few weeks ago privately that the premiere will be somewhat of a retread of the first episode except Tekkadan is running the show. Sure enough, this is the case. It is not a bad thing, since the time and emotional investment you may have given is not wasted. Set in about I wager six months to a year after the finale, Tekkadan is not just the military adviser to an Arbrau headed by Makanai, but a full-fledged member of the Teiwaz Group. Meanwhile, Kudelia has learned to multitask and founded another enterprise in half metals with the aptly named: Admoss Company. Like the first episode, this one focuses on just establishing their world amidst the backdrop of the bigger one. The series where its first season gives us war as seen from the underclass becomes a series where its second season may give us war… as seen from the upstart lower-middle class. It is refreshing to also see how their actions also brought about unintended consequences. Upstart bunch of kids beating hoity-toity Gjallarhorn now incentivizes upstart groups of people to start utilizing them, Human Debris, and even mobile suits in their quest for either independence from Gjallarhorn or for more power.
Zeta Gundam Memorial Box – Part I
Over the past few years I’ve seen a couple folks share images of their Laserdisc Zeta Gundam Memorial Boxset and I eventually picked up a set for myself. Laserdisc? Well, apparently it has all the original openings and endings in great quality without some of the issues on the US DVD release. Don’t ask me, I have no plans of picking up a Laserdisc player to find out. I got them for the really cool artwork and, to me, collector value. They ended up being away more impressive than I originally thought so I figured I’d snap a bunch of photos and share ’em for anyone interested.
Motor King – 1/100 Zaku Tank Quick Review
I recently picked up a built Motor King’s 1/100 scale Zaku Tank. Unfortunately August has me running around super busy so it was nearly all I could do to simply build this thing in the first place. So, instead of a super long wordy review, here’s a relatively short one with some simple photos. If you want more specialized photos, like the runners or how the kit looks with the LEDs installed, check out Samuel Decal’s Facebook album.
For starters, I don’t really know much about Motor King, so I’m not sure what they’ve done before. As such, I can’t really compare it to any of their past kits, but I can compare it to Elyn Hobby/Mechanicore as I have built some of their third party kits. More on that in a bit. When you get MK’s Zaku Tank you get 16 runners, one of which clear, one of which is a handful of polycaps. You also get 10 LEDs and enough cables and resistors to write them up into a single circuit. Soldering not included. I’m fairly certain everyone is supposed to get the LEDs, but at least one person I spoke to was left hanging. The wiring diagram is printed in the manual, and a few screws come in the same bag, so I don’t think it’s a pre-order only bonus (I didn’t pre-order). There are some water slide decals in there as well.
Otaku Evolution Episode 65 – Mobile Suit Gundam II (Movie) (IN 2 PARTS)
So, about a month ago, I got a full-on copyright strike on my YouTube account for disputing a copyright flagging for a test video for a review I was planning to do on Riding Bean. The company that complained is called Molebeat, a Japanese company that deals with intellectual property. Despite my video being well under Fair Use law (#WTFU), I now have a strike that limits the length of videos I can upload onto YouTube, and thus my splitting this video into two parts. Attempts to contact this “Molebeat” company via e-mail have so far been in vain. I think that a company should have to have their own YT account before they can make copyright complaints, so the person being complained against can easily contact them.
G Gundam gets BluRay box sets!
Finally, the news I’ve been waiting for… G Gundam is finally get a remaster and BluRay release!
G Gundam will be released in two box sets, ¥34,000 a piece… which is roughly $310 US. If you didn’t already know, Japanese BluRay box sets are ridiculously expensive for various, somewhat nonsensical, reasons. Good news is that there are some subbing groups who will likely release rips, potentially with the original US dub for your nostalgic pleasure. Still no word on whether RightStuf/Sunrise/Whomever will be releasing it stateside. I think it’s a sure thing we’ll be getting one, but probably not until mid to late 2017 at the earliest.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 25 [SEASON FINALE] – Tekkadaaaaaaaaang, son!
Immediately as the preview for this episode took place in Episode 24, the only thing I can think of was: “Is this gonna end up like Gundam 00 Season 1?” After fighting for so long, is Tekkadan going to end their first season (or possibly series) at a tactical disadvantage? Are they gonna end with costly losses not just in their ranks and fail their mission to get Kudelia and Makanai to the Edmonton Parliament? How grimmy grimdark will the series conclude after killing off Biscuit and making it look like Tekkadan’s Edmonton attack would become a suicide run and/or a pyrrhic victory?
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 24 – Zone of the Ein-ders
Like Carta in the last episode, we are not allowed any time to prepare for this final battle on the streets of Edmonton. As the episode opens it has already been three days since Tekkadan’s arrival, and their forces are being stretched to the brink. All they have left to them is an iron resolve to see it through, their mobile suits, and whatever last minute cunning’s available to rout a very strong defense game from Gjallarhorn.
It’s all English literature up in here. Take a dash of Tennyson with this final push like the Charge of the Light Brigade, and then pour in a bit of Kipling as well to spice it up. What part of this episode is full of Kipling? Well… All of Tekkadan are risking everything they’ve got in this game of pitch and toss, and if they fail and go back to their beginnings (or die); they won’t breathe a word about their loss. Imprudent as they seem to be given their youthful status, they’re being men about it in as best a way possible. You are both saddened and ennobled by their gumption at this final stretch. Our family has come a long way, even if the destination and objective may not end up in the most optimal of outcomes.