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F-ZeroOne

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  1. F-ZeroOne
    Cecily Fairchild - Gundams other[/] redhead. So far, our title is Turn-Sentinel-Crossbone-War-In-The-Stardust, right?
  2. F-ZeroOne
    Oh, I'm sure they weren't - but its like imprinting, the first thing you see colours your thinking.
  3. F-ZeroOne
    Of course, continuity messing is not exactly new to Gundam. Gundam Sentinel, for example, was originally a standalone series designed to promote some really cool model kits but was later incorporated into the time-line officially. And Bandai recently made a big effort to "harmonise" the names of the various organisations and characters across the timeline, presumably to ease international marketing. When I were a lad, it were a "ZAK" (Zion Air Kommand), not "Zaku"... [1] And you could take your pick between Zion, Zeon (the "official" one now, but which always reminds me of a cheap digital watch), Jion, Gion... I wonder if what sometimes bugs us old-time Gundam fans is a perception that the new shows lack an "integrity" of sorts. I'm not sure if thats the right word for it, but I think its the closest I can get to explaining that, whilst having enjoyed a number of the spin-offs, they sometimes make me itchy. [1] As explained in a comprehensive article in Anime UK magazine by Dafydd Neal Dyar, who stated he got this from a Japanese source. That article used a number of translations that, AFAIK, were unique to the article and sometimes causes me to think, "Jaburo? Wait, thats not right... " Link to Dafydds on-line Gundam articles, mainly about life in a Space Island Development Envelope: http://www.dyarstraights.com/msgundam/frontier.html
  4. F-ZeroOne
    I remember reading once that the original line of model kits, "Mobile SUIT Variation" (which featured things like tank Zakus and recon Zakus) was originally Tominos idea, after a request from Bandai to expand their range of model kits. I suspect the trend for multiple variations of recent mecha can be traced back to that.
  5. F-ZeroOne
    Wheres my cow? Oh, there is is - inside the Turn-A! Its not just the TV series, either - theres also the spin-offs, like Gundam Sentinel, Crossbone Gundam (IIRC?), Flash of Hathaway etc etc...
  6. F-ZeroOne
    I'd see Victory first. Turn-A will seem like a dancing ray of sunshine in a world of fluffy bunny wabbits after that. There is actually nothing wrong with V-Gundam (well, certain mecha designs aside... ), but the very high rate of character attrition does get to you after a while. The music is actually pretty good and the lead character is one of the most likeable in the saga. Hmm, wonder where he might get his charisma from...? It also has a... ahem... nice surprise for those who stick with it. Way back, I read an article on Gundam that asked why they don't just remake the original series with modern techniques. SEED pretty much seemed to be that to start with. Of course, there'd be trouble with the original castings... maybe no-one just wants to risk the WRATH OF TOMINO...
  7. F-ZeroOne
    Got 'tache? Got Turn-A Gundam. More seriously, possibly one of the most misunderstood anime series of the past decade or so, and mostly based on static images. Believe me, it all works much, much better when you see it moving, even seemingly bizarre creations like the Mobile FLAT. It also conveys the seriousness of the conflict without being depressing, has very likeable characters, Tomino shows that he actually can do comic touches without lapsing into slapstick, the music and background design is simply excellent, and the ending is possibly the best Tomino has ever done since Ideon: Be Invoked. Possibly the most amazing thing about it is that everything that was perceived as a potential weakness when the series first appeared actually turn out to be the series greatest strengths. I would actually recommend it to anyone who wants to see a well-done science-fiction anime, not just a Gundam anime. It does have a few flaws - Tominos characteristic narrative jumpiness, and the story relies on a really huge coincidence - but if you treat it like an Indiana Jones story (all daring escapes and unlikely events and derring-do) you'll forgive it.
  8. F-ZeroOne
    I've always felt that the first Gundams success is not so much to do with whether it counts as a "Super" robot show or now (though its worth pointing out that it was the first show to focus on the difficulties of military resupply in the field and the like) but because of the setting, which was rather more thought out than shows previous to it.
  9. F-ZeroOne
    Regards NGE - several of the characters are named after Japanese aircraft carriers from World War II (most of them sunk aircraft carriers), Asuka divides her name with at least three American aircraft carriers and a spacecraft, Rei is Japanese for "Zero" (and also possibly a WWII reference) and a number of the school girls are named after Japanese shinkansen (bullet train) services. Make of that what you will.
  10. F-ZeroOne
    I bet Bright keeps "ZZ" off his resume every time he has to apply for a job as a shuttle pilot.
  11. F-ZeroOne
    You really need to play Xenogears. I can't say its ever really bothered me. Like everyone else, I've gone "What the...?!" on occasion, but its all part of the rich tapestry of the medium. I'm pretty sure the Japanese probably look on things like Teen Titans (which I liked a lot) in the same way.
  12. F-ZeroOne
    We can't handle the truth...! I can believe in toy sponsor pressure, of which there have been enough accounts to make it at least a factor. And it could be argued that evidence for Tomino "flips" can be seen in his work; for example, I have trouble sometimes believing that Turn-A was the work of the same man who did V-Gundam or Ideon. of course, all directors experiment or change styles occasionally, but Tominos earlier work certainly seems grimmer, for the most part, than his more recent stuff.
  13. F-ZeroOne
    Sigh. I wish at this point to assert that I in no way have some kind of man-crush about Harry Ord. Sigh...
  14. F-ZeroOne
    Presumably Bright likes blondes too.
  15. F-ZeroOne
    Well, like I say, I've seen so many different reasons... the first I saw, long before I saw any Gundam, was that he was tired of the series and deliberately tried to sabotage it (he may also have been under pressure from Bandai about the design direction of Gundam mecha; similar pressures apparently resulted in the "land battleships" of V-Gundam). However, I've also seen interviews responses where hes both claimed that maybe he wanted to "lighten up" after Zeta Gundam and that "he doesn't remember the reasons". Tomino can certainly do a light comic touch, as evidenced in Xabungle and Turn-A. There is some indirect evidence that Tomino can be fairly headstrong; Syd Mead got a lot of (unfair, possibly) flak for the Turn-A design but he says that it was Tomino that actually encouraged him to make it more and more esoteric. Alternatively, possibly Tomino suffers from mood swings. I have a horrible feeling that this makes me sound like some sort of expert, which I quite definitely am not (or I'm not trying to sound like an expert, I hope!); this is just bits and pieces I've read here and there...! I haven't seen that Gundam Ace magazine, no, but your description is making me chuckle!
  16. F-ZeroOne
    I suspect - rather like the mysterious case of ZZ Gundams first twenty-odd episodes - that the truth will never truly be known... (Tomino was also allegedly responsible for the dub-only US version of Gundam; I might be getting my legends mixed up... ) It could be argued that Tomino does have a habit of destroying (or at least severely vexing) successful companies. The creative decision to alter the Gundam design quite late in the planning process hurt original Gundam toy licensee Clover very badly (this is why the early Gundam toys are somewhat different to their on-screen incarnations [1]) and he followed that nail in the companys coffin with Dunbine, whose mecha designs wouldn't be accurately recreated in toy form until about 15 years after the show was broadcast...! Sorry if this is turning into a "Cult of Tomino" [2] discussion, please carry on with the Gundam watching! [1] Ironically, these are now some of the most sought-after Gundam toys of all. [2] Like the Cult of Skaro. Only scarier.
  17. F-ZeroOne
    You, sir, are a bounder of the highest order! I will see you on the cricket field at dawn with your chosen weapon! Me, I'm going for the Hyper Hammer...
  18. F-ZeroOne
    Ta! I guess the Turn-A figures are Gashapon? Do you know if there was a Harry Ord in the line?
  19. F-ZeroOne
    One of the reasons I heard is that Tomino said that episode "Is too good for Westerners!" or something similar. And who is going to argue with the man who created Gundam? Not the puny licencing arm of some Genom-like Japanese toy company, thats for sure! I bet Tomino gets away with a lot like that. Just bursts into places and yells "I CREATED GUNDAM!". Probably gets great discounts at Uniqlo.
  20. F-ZeroOne
    Didn't know the character at all, and never got past the first issue. My recollections are mainly based on the art, which I remember as being really bad. So, try it if you want, but low expectations.
  21. F-ZeroOne
    Avoid "The Cyber Pirates" like the plague if the first issue is anything to go by. Back then, I bought anything I thought had mecha in. I've learnt better since.
  22. F-ZeroOne
    While I think of it, ITV are due to show a remake of The Prisoner, I believe a mini-series, later this year. It will star Sir Ian McKellen as Number Two, and apparently they found an ex-German colony in Africa a slightly more hospitable climate than Wales... I've just remembered that The Prisoner helped me get a handle on Utena. I was really struggling with that series (sure, it was pretty, but WTF was going on?!) until I realised that, in its set-up of someone possibly trapped in a cage of their own making, it was essentially the same premise. Few more roses, though.
  23. F-ZeroOne
    Its difficult to answer some of your questions without more spoilers... I think the best way I can put it is that the Federation and the founders of Zeon grew to have different viewpoints about the future development of humankind... and this is the real root of the conflict.
  24. F-ZeroOne
    VFTF1, thats a relief, thanks! As to the "rightness" of the various sides, Tominos view has always been that there are no "good" governments, they're all as bad as each other. See Chars Counterattack for a very good example of this. However, over the years, "Zeon" - who, in the original, are really an analogue of the Axis powers - have become very popular, to the degree that the Federation (representing the Allied powers) have become almost demonised. You can see this in Gundam 0083 and the first MS Igloo, and also in SEED to an extent with ZAFT (who have similar uniforms and style to Zeon, but are portrayed, IIRC, much more as the "offended" party... )
  25. F-ZeroOne
    I look forward to them, the world needs more Turn-A stuff. Gotta fill that third page!
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