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Gundam AGE

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ExpiredSushi’s Review of Gundam AGE

Editors Note: This is the first review by friend of the site, ExpiredSushi, the man behind the DarkHistoryDatabase. He graciously accepted a request to review Gundam AGE after posting weekly summaries and thoughts over on r/Gundam. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoy the review! – Falldog

First off, I am only going to review the Plot and Characters. I am not picky about animation or music so I feel that it would be pointless for me to try and review those aspects. Second, I’m going to review each "Generation" separately and than the show as a whole. Each generation was different and had its own pros and cons and can be almost considered their own shows. Note: It may have been a while since I’ve seen some of these episodes so don’t expect complete accuracy. read more

ExpiredSushiby ExpiredSushi•
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MG AGE-1 Titus “Ground Grunt” – Finished

[flickr-photo:id=7469875532,size=z]

And it’s finished, my first airbrushed kit in a long time. It looks okay, not terribly fond of it, but overall not a bad testbed. Especially since, aside from construction, there’s maybe only a weekend worth of work into this guy.

The frame was weathered with a bit of overzealous dry brushing. Armor was painted with Tamiya acrylics ranging from X-31 to X-52 through XF-60. At this point I forget which is which but the darker areas are mainly custom mixes. The digital camo areas were my first attempt at the pattern and I think they turned out pretty well. It was done using sheets of masking tape cut to shape and overlapped between coats. It works great over flat surfaces but doesn’t work well on curved sections or around odd angles. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
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MG AGE-1 Titus “Ground Grunt”


Click to Enlarge | On Flickr

 

I’d like to present another one of my many works in progress, the AGE-1 Titus "Ground Grunt."

She’s been painted from the ground up using an airbrush, notable as it’s been the first time I’ve used one since my first Zombie Nemos. Things went well from that prospective and I want to thank GoodGuyDan for making the brush suggestion late last year (yes, it took that long to try out). Dry brush weathering on the frame came out a bit thicker than I wanted (which always seems to be the case for me) but my first attempt with digital camouflage turned out quite well. The paints are Tamiya, some straight and some random mixes. Details are in gold, along with IC sockets, also painted gold. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
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Gundam AGE Episode 27 Review

Episode 27, "I Saw a Red Sunset"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: Flit sorties in the AGE-1 as the battle continues, closing in on the Veigan fortress ship. Asemu tears through the enemy until he encounters Zeheart’s MS. Flit strikes a blow against the fortress, but it’s still able to use is forcefield. The AGE-1 is damaged by a suicide attack, and Flit decides to return to the Diva. The Photon Ring Ray destroys the fortress’s shield. The fortress is on a collision course with the colony so the beam weapon is used again, which sets it off course. However, it takes the Diva with it as it heads towards Earth. The main cannon is damaged, so Remi goes out to repair it, but is attacked. The beam weapon fires again, freeing the Diva. Remi dies. Asemu decides to destroy the core of the fortress to prevent it from falling on Earth. Zeheart follows Asemu, intending to do the same (as damaging Earth is not his goal), leading him to the core. The self-destruct is activated and the two escape as the fortress explodes. The Diva descends to the Earth to retrieve Asemu.      Comments:   Oh noes! They killed off Glasses Girl! How shocking.    Well, it was obvious from the beginning of their relationship that something bad was going to happen to either Redhead Guy and Glasses Girl. It had all the death flags. Sudden relationship between two characters with little or no personality? Check. Romance on the battlefield without being main characters? Check. Promising to marry each other before one goes off to fight? Check. Close to the end of this story arc? Check. My only mistake was predicting Redhead Guy’s death instead of Glasses Girl. Though there was some stretch of believability when she left the ship to repair the cannon in the middle of battle. That’s a little convenient, isn’t it? She couldn’t have taken a beam to the chest while working in the hanger? Well, now I won’t have to deal with this shitty subplot anymore, unless Redhead Guy plans some massive revenge. In fact, I doubt we’ll even see him again after this arc. Being Redhead Guy is suffering.   Just so you know, that subplot was complete ass, so the death of Glasses Girl was entirely worthless. Now if they had only killed the both of them…    (But to be honest, I thought Kayra’s death in CCA was sad, even though she was barely there… hypocritical, I realize. Maybe I just felt bad for Astonaige.)   Asemu was pretty awesome in this episode. Going toe to toe with Zeheart on an even level, despite not being a X-Rounder, was great. Then there was his risking his life (even seeming to think about sacrificing his life) to destroy the enemy fortress before it hit Earth, even interrupting his fight with Zeheart to do so. Then he was able to put away his anger to work in tandem with Zeheart to destroy the core. Asemu has grown a little bit over time, and it shows in his conversation with Zeheart in the core. He now understands that the Earth is just as important to Zeheart as it is to him. This is the sort of understanding Flit lacks.    The whole bit in the fortress reminded me of Heero and Zechs in the remains of Libra, with Zechs deciding to use the Epyon to destroy Libra’s power plant. I half-expected Asemu to have to race to the atmosphere and use his Double Bullet to destroy the remains. What we did get was the last of the Magicians Eight sacrificing himself so Zeheart wouldn’t die in re-entry. At least one of them was useful.    Looks like the arc is winding down.    Overall Score:

4 out of 5

 
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Gundam AGE Episode 26 Review

Episode 26, "The Earth… is our Eden"

*****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: The Veigans target Nortrum, a Federation production base. Flit makes the Diva the flagship of the fleet defending it. Desil is outraged that he’s in the reserved forces. The Diva’s mobile suit team launches. Zeheart launches as well. Combat begins. Asemu uses his Double Bullet to great effectiveness. Desil appears and fights both Asemu and Woolf. The Federation fires a giant laser weapon that the main Veigan ship survives intact due to Zeheart’s warning. Desil activates his ability to control other mobile suits, but Woolf saves Asemu, only to be run through by Desil. After telling Asemu to become a super pilot, Woolf’s mobile suit explodes. In a rage, Asemu attacks Desil, destroying his mobile suit. Flit launches in AGE-1.      Comments:   This was an awesome episode.    Killing off Woolf could prove to be a big mistake in the future, since he was such a good character and added something to the mix, but he went out like a champ, saving Asemu so he can live on to be a SUPAA PAIRUTO. What I liked was that the death was a little surprising, but not completely out of nowhere. There were a few death flags before this, but when he kept surviving, they were easy to ignore. But I guess I should’ve known by the speech he gave Asemu in the last episode that something would happen to him. The result is that this death actually has a bit of impact, both on the characters and the viewer. My only problem is that somehow nobody gave a shit about Grodek’s death (except Flit for about a moment), but Woolf’s death is  mourned by all. Grodek probably can’t rest in piece because of that.    The Federation has a big ol’ beam weapon that increases the effect of the Diva’s main cannon. I think it was pretty neat, even if it didn’t really do much. I want to see a similar to Zeta Gundam or 0083 fight to defend the laser parts so it can fire. I think the remaining members of the Losers Eight should attempt that.    The loser Desil finally meets his end, not at Flit’s hands, but by his son’s. That was a great beatdown. Only unlike Flit, Asemu showed no mercy at all. For a moment I thought he might, but nope, Desil’s gone. It’s about time. That guy’s single-minded pursuit of Flit put himself and his comrades in danger. This is one less headache for Zeheart, who by the way, seems glad to be rid of him, despite them being family. I love how Desil’s mobile suit could control the others, though. He should have taken better advantage of that, but he was too obsessed and wasn’t thinking clearly.    Speaking of losers and death flags, when is that obnoxious redheaded guy going to die? If I had any problem with this episode, it was my trouble caring for this guy or the glasses girl. I mean if there aren’t death flags waving everywhere on this guy, I don’t know what a death flag is. Forced romance with a non-character? Admitting his desire to marry her? Her agreeing to marry him just before he leaves for combat? I think maybe Sunrise is mocking the people who think his death is coming. It would be hilarious if this guy survives the entire generation only to be killed right away in the third one.    The action in this episode was excellent. Especially when Asemu let loose.      Overall Score:

4.5 out of 5

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Gundam AGE Episode 25 Review

Episode 25, "The Terrifying Mu-szell"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: Asemu overhears his father speak with Dique about the Veigan MS head/cockpit and the pilot’s helmet, which bring out X-Rounder potential. He immediately wants the helmet. However, Flit turns down his request to use it. The Veigan Magicians Eight unit is having difficulty following orders from Zeheart. Desil overhears their conversation and tells them he’s going out with them. They close in on the Diva. Asemu attempts to take the helmet, but Dique stops him, only for him to take it after Dique leaves. In battle, Asemu takes down another of the Magicians Eight. Woolf takes another of them down. The Veigan soldiers retreat. Later, Veigan ships appear near Earth.    Comments:   So… wait. There’s absolutely no fallout from the characters to the death of Grodek? Not only does Flit seem to be over it, but no reaction from Milias, Woolf, or Dique? Does anybody but Flit even know about Grodek’s death? Is Flit having it investigated? I would have thought that for sure there’d be a funeral scene with some of the old Diva crew in attendance, like Largan, or that one guy that piloted the ship, the dude who wanted to get home to his mother. Nothing. Nobody says boo about it for the entire episode. It’s almost like it didn’t happen at all. It’s really unsettling. Grodek deserves better than this.    The writers seem to be pushing the relationship between the red head and the glasses girl, and I still couldn’t be bothered to care (even about their names). Well, it was pretty retarded that he actually proposed to her. I’m surprised he didn’t die in this episode, because proposals are death flags. Maybe it’s only a death flag if she accepts, though. When this guy dies, I’m just going to laugh at the predictability of the show. If he lives and they marry, I’m not going to care, because these characters only have shadows of personalities.    I don’t know who the biggest bunch of jobbers are in Gundam: the druggies in Gundam SEED, the Skittle Squad in Gundam 00, or the Magicians Eight (Four now) in this show. They’re supposed to be the top elite X-Rounder soldiers. But nope, they just lose and lose and lose. What a bunch of failures. Even Woolf, who isn’t even an X-Rounder, took one down. It seems like they are entirely wastes of character designs. Sunrise easily could have just made a bunch of faceless X-Rounder soldiers, not these also-rans.    And Desil, jeez, Flit doesn’t even need to be in a mobile suit to beat him. He is a loser’s loser, like Jerid Messa in Zeta Gundam, but worse. Even Jerid came close to killing Kamille at times. He’s no competition to Flit at all.    I like the point Woolf makes about just being a really badass normal, that you don’t need to be a X-Rounder to be a good pilot. He’s proof of that.      Overall Score:

3.5 out of 5

P.S. What the hell is a Mu-szell? Is that one of the Veigan mobile suits? 

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Gundam AGE Episode 24 Review

Episode 24, "X-Rounder"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: Flit meets with Grodek in a bar. Grodek tells Flit that there’s a traitor in the Federation. On the Diva, Flit gets out of the brig. While out in the colony, he encounters Zeheart. Asemu admits that without fighting he won’t be acknowledged by anyone.  Zeheart pulls a gun but Romary arrives and distracts him. Asemu takes Zeheart’s gun and turns it on him, but Romary puts herself in between them. Zeheart escapes in his mobile suit. Asemu sorties in the Gundam, engaging Zeheart in battle. Flit arrives on the scene in the AGE-1 and Asemu is told to back up the other units in the fight with the Magician Eight units. Flit engages Zeheart and the two match each other’s abilities. Dique sends the AGE-2 a new part, the Double Bullet. Asemu devestates the Magicians Eight, killing two of them. Zeheart the others retreat. At the same bar, Flit waits for Grodek, but Grodek is followed by a man who stabs him. Before Grodek dies he erases the data he had with me. The man is also killed.     Comments:   NOOOOOOOOO, GRODEK! Why’d they have to kill of one of the best characters (probably the best character from Gen 1)? Though, I have to admit, I kind of had a feeling this would happen, especially when meeting with Flit and telling him he had important information that he would get to him the next time. Why not give him the information right away, if it was that important? And now that information is gone because Grodek deleted it, so now all Flit has to go on is a hunch that something fishy’s going on.    Blue Desil, Yark Dole’s son, being the person to kill Grodek, fit well. I mean, Grodek totally rubbed it in his face after he killed his father. But then Blue Desil himself gets shot by a bunch of guys in trenchcoats, so it seems kind of a waste to bring him back just for that. Why didn’t Blue Desil become a Veigan pilot like Desil? And who are those guys in the trenchcoat working for? I’m guessing it’s that somebody who Grodek was suspicious of. But if the trenchcoat guys wanted Grodek dead, why not just shoot him themselves? The middle man seems kind of pointless.    Man, is Milias going to be depressed.    But let’s get to Romary. Romary Romary Romary. They actually went in the direction I wanted them to, with Romary defending Zeheart. Nevermind that Zeheart and his lackies have been trying to kill the crew of the Diva, it looks as though Romary has stronger feelings for him than she does Flit. Could it be that she’s in love with him instead of Asemu? Asemu now views her as a traitor. Interesting. Though predictably, I still fully expect a full reconciliation, because the third gen kid looks like he’s Romary’s son. It would be interesting if it were somebody else’s, though. Like Dique’s daughter, Arisa. She’s pretty awesome.    Well, the Magicians Eight- or should I call them the Magicians Six?- is a unit of X-Rounder jobbers. I guess they’re following in the footsteps of the druggies from SEED and the Skittle Squad from 00. We know almost nothing about them except that they seem to be intended to be a special squadron and they’re really cocky. But as soon as Asemu got that Double Bullet part, they were out of luck and jolly well fucked. Kind of a waste.    Overall, though, it was a good episode. A lot of good drama. I expect quite a bit of fallout in the next episode.     

Overall Score:

4 out of 5

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Gundam AGE Episode 23 Review

 Episode 23, "The Suspicious Colony"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: Grodek Aiona is finally released from Federation military prison. After the defeat at the Big Ring, Zeheart hears the complaints of the ace Magicians Eight unit. The Diva arrives at the Solon City colony, with Flit accompanying them, to investigate the Techno Solon company.  While Milias speaks with a representative, Woolf goes undercover and discovers a hanger with Veigan mobile suits. Flit intends to launch mobile suits, but Asemu objects on the grounds that there could be civilian casualties. Flit orders a launch and they arrive just in time to save Milias and Woolf. However, the city is damaged in the battle. After a while, Asemu decides to go into action with the AGE-2 and takes down the enemy MS. The secret Veigan base self-destructs. Asemu is put in the brig for his actions. Flit meets with Grodek.      Comments:   It must really get on Milias’ nerves, having to take orders from Flit. I mean, he was just a little brat and now he’s utterly bypassed her in rank, for no good reason. Just because somebody’s a great pilot doesn’t necessarily mean they have what it takes to command. Did Flit just suddenly become command material after that battle with the Veigans years ago? If I were Milias I’d have quit the Federation in disgust. It’s bad enough they railroaded Grodek, but it seems like Flit only became a commander because he was a talented pilot. I haven’t seen anything that points in another direction.    Am I missing something here, or is the show trying to make us care about the redheaded guy and the girl with the glasses that works with Dique? Is this some sort of subplot that will lead to something relevant to the work as a whole? Because so far I’m not really getting into it. I really don’t care if redhead gets with glasses girl. You can tell, because I have no idea what the names of those characters are and I’m watching the show. They both just seem like flat, bland characters who the viewer is supposed to find cute because of their awkwardness. But I’ll give this a little time to see what blossoms.    Flit’s kind of a jerk. I don’t like his attitude. I know they’re at war with the Veigans but he seems pretty stringent. Grodek seemed to be a bit more flexible and had a warmer feel to him, even if he was out for revenge just like Flit. Though I have to admit, Flit was probably right to do what he did in this episode, and his reasoning was pretty sound. If they don’t act an even greater tragedy could occur. If Flit hadn’t ordered the MS deployment, it was very likely that Milias and Woolf would have been captured or killed. Asemu volunteered for the military, so his little tantrum was a bit hypocritical. Especially since he went out in the AGE-1 on his home colony a bunch of times and could have put civilians at risk.    I really like that the grunt suits are using Titus parts. I wonder if they’ll be using Spallow soon.    Oh, and Grodek is back! So Flit outranks him too, probably! Shit.    

Overall Score:

3.5 out of 5

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Gundam AGE Episode 22 Review

 Episode 22, "Big Ring Absolute Defense Line"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: The battle for the Big Ring begins. The Diva launches and soon after, it’s mobile suit forces. The Veigan MS move forward too, and the battle begins. Flit commands maneuvers from the Big Ring. Asemu and Woolf engage X-Rouders in combat. Zeheart decides to go out to fight and Desil joins him. Asemu fights Zeheart while Woolf takes on Desil. They struggle until Flit appears in the AGE-1. Flit battles Desil, who wants revenge for his humiliation years earlier. Asemu continues to fight Zeheart. Back up arrives to support the father and son. Zeheart is frustrated that the Veigan troops are being pushed back and retreats with an uncooperative Desil. The Federation wins the day, but Asemu is upset at his father’s attitude.     Comments:   I see that Federation normal suits have not evolved in the passing years. They still look like weird pajamas. I guess if they work as-is, there’s no reason to change the design, but it just bothers me to look at them.    It’s interesting the dual roles that Flit plays in this episode. As a commander, he uses strategies to get the most out of troop deployment. You don’t see a lot of this in Gundam. Most of the time it’s some random combat with little order to it. I’m glad that, at least for a few moments, they’re going a little Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Of course, after those few moments, Flit takes off in the AGE-1 to be part of the fight. It’s neat to see Flit still pilots well, not having rusted at all over time, but it’s kind of stupid in some ways. Why did Flit become a commander if he’s just going to pilot a MS? Trying to do both is just ridiculous. Who does he think he is, Beecha Oleg?    All the jokes about Yurin being Flit’s true love and his marriage to Emily being a loveless marriage of convenience seem to have some stripe of validity. Here years later, he’s still thinking about her. I mean, okay, it’s natural to remember a tragedy in the past, but it feels like he gets a special jolt of rage, as if the wound was still fresh. It seems like Flit himself believes he was meant to be with Yurin and he’s never gotten over it. It’s an interesting element and look forward to seeing where (if anywhere) it goes.      Overall Score:

4 out of 5

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