Mobile Suit Gundam

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. read more

In an episode where it could’ve been all about how everybody mourns Biscuit, the show eschews a kind of tragedy voyeurism in showcasing their emotional turmoil. This is reflected within the show through Yukinojo advising Merribit not to distract them, and let them hash it out on their own. Tis a different reality than my expectation somebody like Mika is gonna need a hugout because of last week’s death.

What is shown instead is TWICE as better as any of my predictions of Mika’s character. He isn’t the Simon or Brandon Heat I anticipated he would be, and his fealty to Orga continues its reveal of not being a thoughtless endeavour. More importantly, his confrontation with Orga at the end unveils how he KNOWS his influence on Orga as an individual, leveraging the most important promise of show to pull the guy out of his funk. In short, Mika forces Orga to be cool. Yeah, it could be said this kind of psychological play by Mika could be used negatively, but then again, this is Mika. His intervention is timely too, for I believe this is the first time since the second half began him and Orga had a meaningful moment together. With Biscuit gone, Orga might need that sturdy foundation who is Mikazuki Augus. read more

SPOILERS AHOY!

It seems wholly fitting I named the title of my article last week as the “Wrong Kind of Soggy Biscuit.” Cuz it turns out the reason it was all soggy was because of all the blood.

Now we are at the major flashpoint for Tekkadan, and like Fumitan’s death for Kudelia, Biscuit’s death for our wayward heroes will shake the foundation to their very core and (most definitely) renew their conviction. It’s a remarkably well-done death and uses the old cadences of how important characters in Gundam die to great effect. You know the one, either last episode or episodes before the character is at a physical or moral impasse regarding current events, then the episode spends its time focusing on the character, showing him eager  to set things right and help his comrades. Then the moment happens, and they’re revealed to be in a position of great distress, the shock comes and you’re wondering if that person will survive. Biscuit takes a blow from Carta Issue in order to defend Orga, and his final scenes are him pinned to the wreck of a mobile worker. I’m thinking, “Nooooo, it can’t be. But at least it’s only his legs. Maybe he’ll be in a wheelchair—“ read more

Sad, innit? All Kudelia wants to do is go to Earth and have her idea of a revolutionary time, but instead of that she’s feeling so honestly attacked right now. What could’ve been a Velvet Revolution for her turned out to be more a Tiananmen Square with armed unions. We’re also exposed to how entrenched Gjallarhorn is in controlling the flow of information. While not as all encompassing as Veda is in Gundam 00 Season 2, they do a well enough job (if this episode is any indication) of fabricating terrorist events of their own doing and pinning it on anybody that stands in their way. Obviously, this means by episode’s end we’ve got a bunch of dead union members out on the streets, and due to last week’s episode and the fact this episode is named after here, Fumitan croaks after defending Kudelia from a sniper’s bullet. read more