GundamAGE A Century Spanning Saga.

[Darth_Andrea Owned by Natu Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Andrea]

This past weekend a new Gundam series started.

GundamAGE is a century spanning tail. Following Flit Asuno and his lineage as they fight against a highly advanced Unknown Enemy. While a total episode count hasn't been released it's expected like other Gundam series to be around 50 episodes in length.

I have watched the first episode and my expectations were shattered. Early art releases as well as some of the promotional videos made the series seem directed at a preteen audience. While I believe the preteen crowd will like this series it has enough depth and emotion to be satisfying for older Gundam fans.

Here is a trailer for the series (in Japanese)

+ YouTube Video

And here is a link to a stream of the first episode with English subtitles.

http://www.animecrazy.net/mobile-sui...age-episode-1/

I know many Gundam fans have not been happy with some of the previous series, the Seed series and some of 00 as far as designs and story. However I think AGE might rectify that. I won't be coy the episode opens with scenes that felt so much like the original Mobile Suit Gundam that I had a large nostalgic grin on my face. Also the AGE-1 Gundam rings of the RX-78-2 look and feel while being different enough to stand out on its own.

I hope you all enjoy this episode as much as I did and for anyone new to Gundam I hope it begins the addiction that has frustrated me for years

GundamAGE mobile suit model kits (snap together no glue required fully poseable action figures) are already out and can be bought from various online outlets.





Darth_Andrea

[W.West Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close W.West]

I'm all for a new Gundam series, and glad to hear its good but its really hard for me to enjoy anime without the english dub. I don't know why because I love foreign films.

[Darth_Andrea Owned by Natu Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Andrea]

I'm all for a new Gundam series, and glad to hear its good but its really hard for me to enjoy anime without the english dub. I don't know why because I love foreign films.

Well it's going to be a year or so before a officially dubbed version will be available I would expect. But you could always watch Gundam Unicorn. It's a OVA of sorts, each episode is feature length around 2 hours and is released theatrically and on DVD at the same time. It has also been released in English Dubs on day 1 release. You can find it online in various places.

Unicorn it's self takes place in the same Universal Century time line as both the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Z Gundam and ZZ Gundam. Captain Bright Noah will be making a appearance in the newest episode (Episode 4) that comes out in just a month or so. It's a great Gundam series so far lots of mystery about the Unicorn Gundam and it's young pilot. As well as a mysterious Box which will somehow decide the fate of both Earth and the space colonies.





Darth_Andrea

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

I watched it Monday nite; I rather enjoyed it




Tazer

[Caleb Lancaster The Time Traveler Find all posts View Profile Close Caleb Lancaster]

I think I'm just gonna be one of 'those' Gundam fans, but I'm about as impressed by this as I was when I first saw the promotional material. Not to say it made me 'rage' then, or now, but I'm not really buying this show. I don't mind the Alien thing, even if it's rather hinted strongly that it's not Aliens, even if it was, I wouldn't mind it. The only designs that I mind out of this are the character designs, which I may add, the character designer for this show should be fired, how they let him/her(Though, really, this is Japan, so him) get any designs in for this series like that is shameful, but that's about as far as 'rage' goes for this show.

It just feels like we're unable to get past the RX-78, and that's the biggest flaw with Gundam shows post Tomino. The UC Gundam Universe had it's own history, and from what I see out of shows like Wing, SEED, 00 and now AGE, they just don't know how to move past the 'Colonies are in trouble, we need a thinly veiled copy of the RX-78 and some High School student to save the day'. And I hate to sound like that kind of fan, but it really is a point to just say it:

Gundam, Can you just get over yourself already?

[Darth_Andrea Owned by Natu Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Andrea]

I think I'm just gonna be one of 'those' Gundam fans, but I'm about as impressed by this as I was when I first saw the promotional material. Not to say it made me 'rage' then, or now, but I'm not really buying this show. I don't mind the Alien thing, even if it's rather hinted strongly that it's not Aliens, even if it was, I wouldn't mind it. The only designs that I mind out of this are the character designs, which I may add, the character designer for this show should be fired, how they let him/her(Though, really, this is Japan, so him) get any designs in for this series like that is shameful, but that's about as far as 'rage' goes for this show.

It just feels like we're unable to get past the RX-78, and that's the biggest flaw with Gundam shows post Tomino. The UC Gundam Universe had it's own history, and from what I see out of shows like Wing, SEED, 00 and now AGE, they just don't know how to move past the 'Colonies are in trouble, we need a thinly veiled copy of the RX-78 and some High School student to save the day'. And I hate to sound like that kind of fan, but it really is a point to just say it:

Gundam, Can you just get over yourself already?

I agree that the setup of Earth Vs. Colonies has been over used in all Gundam series. Well except SD and that abomination was enough to make me stop watching or caring about Gundam until recently. And as far as AGE is concerned we don't know that the UE (Unknown Enemy) are aliens. Though if they are that would be a quite a nice change from the usual formula in the franchise.

As for the RX-78 design, it is Iconic in not only Gundam but almost ever major Giant Robot series after MS Gundam tried to copy it to some degree.

Hell Optimus Prime is basically a RX-78 with some modifications to the design.




I like the RX-78 its general look and design appeal to me on a deep aesthetic level. It is the benchmark that all Gundam's are eventually judged by. While there are people who don't like it. I assume you are one of them. The majority of Gunpla builders as well as fans of the show expect at least one Mobile Suit in a series named Gundam to have a similarity to that original design.

I would also like to point out that AGE seems to be taking place in a distant future era of the Universal Century universe. The painting shown in the pilot series (seen above in the promo) looks like the RX-78 and that was designed and built by Amaro Ray's father, which suggests to me that Flit may be a great grandson of Amaro's.

I could be totally wrong on that point which is fine but at this point I think it's a possibility.






Darth_Andrea

[Caleb Lancaster The Time Traveler Find all posts View Profile Close Caleb Lancaster]

Well chances are, it's likely that's what they're going with, and I honestly like that idea.
But like 00 is 'in pre-UC' timeline, it's ultimately not. (Though, for those who have studied the supplementary material for the UC Timeline, know that the era 00 takes place in has a lot of similar events happening within it, notably the satellite generators)
And it's not that way because it can't fit due to the presence of the Gundams and the GN drives and such, but because Sunrise (And Tomino himself) Vetoed the idea, which I'd say they'd do if you're idea is what they're going with.
But I like the idea of connection, particularly because of my Love of Turn-A Gundam, which isn't only my favourite Gundam series, but Anime series as a whole.



Whereas on the RX-78's legacy, I think that's mostly to blame on Kunio Okawara(The Mechanical Designer of most of the Main Gundams).
While he is able to create designs that differ greatly from the Typical RX-78, he stays within those bounds, all of his Main Gundam Designs(RX-78, RX-178, RX-79[G], Shining, Burning, Wing, X, Strike, and Exia) all share a very similar design and colour pallet, and while I get the legacy that represents, I think, and not to sound too fanboyish, but the Turn-A itself should lead example. It's a perfect blend of legacy, and new, the colour pallet and the crest connecting it to the RX-78, but the neo tech look bringing it to something so wildly different.
In a way, it reminds me of the Green Lantern costume. Hal's costume is nice, and I never wanna see him in something else, but I want Kyle to have his own thing, his own style and atmosphere, I don't wanna see him try and be Hal.
This is one of the reasons why I fell in love with Unicorn's designs, the Unicorn Mode alone being something so new and unique to the Gundam universe, and I wanna see more like that! And, from the other mechanical designs from AGE, I know they're doing new things, but it still feels a little over tread.

This is way too early to call though, so I'm gonna let the show run it's course a bit.
I'm not quite excited to see where it goes, but I'm hopeful. The show has a lot of promise, despite looking like Megaman Star Force(Also, took me 40 minutes to realize, that's EXACTLY what I thought the character designs looked like)

[Darth_Andrea Owned by Natu Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Andrea]

I just hope this series being as it is, following Flit then his son and then grandson over the years, will be as good a Zeta which I have to say was my favorite of all the UC series until Unicorn which is quickly supplanting it.




Darth_Andrea

[IonFan Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close IonFan]

i'm a 100 and 10% for a new Gundam series............. but something tells me the time for Gundam cartoons in the US has come and gone (ie not enough fans in the US to keep it alive for very long )

[Darth_Andrea Owned by Natu Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Andrea]

i'm a 100 and 10% for a new Gundam series............. but something tells me the time for Gundam cartoons in the US has come and gone (ie not enough fans in the US to keep it alive for very long )

I'm not entirely sure but I think this series might air on The Anime Network once English dubs are released. I have been personally bugging Direct Tv to pick Anime Network up. Other people calling and making the request would help as well.

On a side note there is a Hobby/model show happening this weekend in Japan and Bandai is showing off a lot of upcoming models for both this series and others.

Pics are here http://gundamguy.blogspot.com/2011/1...how-photo.html





Darth_Andrea

[Caleb Lancaster The Time Traveler Find all posts View Profile Close Caleb Lancaster]

I'd rather not see the series on TV.
Not after the butchering of 00. Not dub wise, but that Syfy actually butchered the series, cutting it for the least time they could, cutting typically 23 minute episodes to 19.

[Darth_Andrea Owned by Natu Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Andrea]

I'd rather not see the series on TV.
Not after the butchering of 00. Not dub wise, but that Syfy actually butchered the series, cutting it for the least time they could, cutting typically 23 minute episodes to 19.

The Anime Network usually is pretty good about not editing anything that it airs as far as cutting things down to fit a time slot.




Darth_Andrea

[Caleb Lancaster The Time Traveler Find all posts View Profile Close Caleb Lancaster]

The Anime Network usually is pretty good about not editing anything that it airs as far as cutting things down to fit a time slot.




Darth_Andrea

I hope they do well.
And while I usually advocate dubs over subs, the Japanese VOing on AGE didn't wow me, so If I'm gonna continue this series, It'd be in a English Dub.

[Frank Castle Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Castle]

Well I watched it, and my opinoins are much like Caleb, I greet it with a meh, first episodes are always atleast somewhat interesting, but where the show will go after that, who knows.

Certainly it is aimed at a younger audience, reminds me of pokemon or digimon.

The designs follow that suit and seem very basic to me, the most interesting being the UE mecha designs that remind me of EVA's alittle bit.

Comparing this first AGE episode to the first episode of Unicorn is not even a contest for me, Unicorn really blew me away at every level from mecha designs, characters to story and I have been loving it ever since, if they dont fuck it up on SEED levels, it will go down as one of the best Gundam shows ever done since Zeta.

Im not really getting that impression from AGE, but lets see how its going after 6-10 episodes.

i'm a 100 and 10% for a new Gundam series............. but something tells me the time for Gundam cartoons in the US has come and gone (ie not enough fans in the US to keep it alive for very long )

Yeah that happened about 10 years ago now, right after Wing finished, that was the height of Gundam in the western market, their first try as well and they got it right and then totally fucked it up with the follow ups, quite amazing really.

I feel like Anime in general peaked around that whole DBZ period, but for Gundam it was that one hit with Wing and that was it.

Im currently watching Turn A for the first time right now, about half way into it, and Im really enjoying it, its one of the few Gundams I havent watched, (the other being 00)

Have to agree with Caleb again on that show, it feels very refreshing.

[Caleb Lancaster The Time Traveler Find all posts View Profile Close Caleb Lancaster]

Well I watched it, and my opinoins are much like Caleb, I greet it with a meh, first episodes are always atleast somewhat interesting, but where the show will go after that, who knows.

Certainly it is aimed at a younger audience, reminds me of pokemon or digimon.

The designs follow that suit and seem very basic to me, the most interesting being the UE mecha designs that remind me of EVA's alittle bit.

Comparing this first AGE episode to the first episode of Unicorn is not even a contest for me, Unicorn really blew me away at every level from mecha designs, characters to story and I have been loving it ever since, if they dont fuck it up on SEED levels, it will go down as one of the best Gundam shows ever done since Zeta.

Im not really getting that impression from AGE, but lets see how its going after 6-10 episodes.



Yeah that happened about 10 years ago now, right after Wing finished, that was the height of Gundam in the western market, their first try as well and they got it right and then totally fucked it up with the follow ups, quite amazing really.

I feel like Anime in general peaked around that whole DBZ period, but for Gundam it was that one hit with Wing and that was it.

Im currently watching Turn A for the first time right now, about half way into it, and Im really enjoying it, its one of the few Gundams I havent watched, (the other being 00)

Have to agree with Caleb again on that show, it feels very refreshing.

If I can get more people to watch Turn A, I'd be a very very happy person.

Though, fun fact on Gundam's popularity, It actually had the biggest during G-Gundam's run, due to Toy Sales being the highest. It's ratings were also on par if not sometimes better with Wing.
Gundam's fall however is mostly due to three things, the first being the airing of the Original Mobile Suit Gundam. While I love that series, it's like Casablanca, or Fritz Lang's Metropolis, it's not something you show to anyone, you gotta love film to watch those, and you gotta love Gundam to watch that.
The second reason, was that there wasn't another hit Gundam series they could show. G and Wing were two Gundams shows with now chronology to wade through, but after that the only other series to show would be X, which had dreadful ratings in Japan, and the recently aired Turn A, which has a lot of reasons why you don't translate that and show it then. With the Original Mobile Suit Gundam being the only place to turn, they really just hit a hard spot for Gundam.
The third, is that because they didn't have a series to show, and that DBZ was over, and Toonami didn't have that hit show, it blew out it's budget. See, Toonami actually translated a lot of the anime that went through, but with the success of Wing and G, they figured it'd only get bigger when showing other Gundam shows, and of course with the success of DBZ they'd figure they'd ride that forever. But then the ratings dipped, and Toonami didn't have the hit show to air 4 times a week to keep up with their rising costs.
Eventually, they were moved to Saturdays only when they had a huge budget cut. Even if they would eventually get shows like One Piece and Naruto, they'd never get the same hits with it because it wasn't shown at every weekday.
This doesn't just tie into Gundam's eventual fall, but Anime's in general within the pop media.