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REVIEW: Gundam 00 DVD Season 1 Part 3

With all due respect, I don't know what you were looking for in R2, but I was looking for two things. The first being a show that was good on its own merits, the other was a season that was just more of the same from the first.

What I got was an almost legendary fall in the quality of the writing, and a reliance for introducing flashy new robots to keep people from realising just how bad it all was.

In the end, me rating R2 as Good and not Weak or Bad or Awful is a sign that I am a massive Code Geass fanboy. Looked at objectively it was a show with utterly crappy and plagiarised writing, and absolutely does not deserve any positive rating whatsoever.

Anyway, back to Gundam 00, I was looking for exactly the same things as I was with R2, only I also wanted them to make use of the first season's setup and actually do something with those ideas and (especially) those characters. Did we get that? Hell no. Boy did they ever screw up.

Gundam 00 is definitely good stuff. And it definitely heats up in the latter portion of the first season. However, having seen both seasons in their entirety, I have to say that in many ways, the first season is really only there to set up the second season. All the crazy stuff and tragedies happening in the first season put the show in a position to have a powerful second season - which it does. The first season is good, but it's nothing compared to the second.

And as for "missions of the week," they're about as gone as it gets. There's plenty of action here, and definitely plenty of action in the second season, but never again will it follow a "mission of the week" formula. In fact, the second season is laid out quite differently from the first. So, that's definitely something to look forward to. Personally, I look forward to getting it on DVD, so that I can watch the dub, though it would be even better if Bandai were to actually release it on BD (that and Code Geass). Well, I can all dream...

In any case, there are some great twists and revelations in the latter portion of season 1, and that kind of coolness is just getting started. I particularly like how the villain for the second season is someone who pretty much no one could have seen coming until the last few episodes of the first. While not perfect, the plot for Gundam 00 is definitely not weak.

In this one we get cool looking mech, Yun Kouga (Loveless) character designs, Miki, Matsumoto, Konishi. What more do you want from a 25 minute commercial for robot toys?

I think I liked this anime more than I intended. The English dub sat well with me (unlike some people) in both seasons and overall, it still managed to impress me. I especially liked the characters' names. They're a lot of fun to say.

− Still as cold and distant as ever; periodically awful dialogue; irritating and unimaginative villains.

belvadeer wrote:

I think I liked this anime more than I intended. The English dub sat well with me (unlike some people) in both seasons and overall, it still managed to impress me. I especially liked the characters' names. They're a lot of fun to say.

Well i also liked it as well. though the dub is far better. It's the one thing when it comes to the gundam series. No one can complain about the dub cause they've been great ever since Bandai handed over the dubbing to the Ocean Group since Wing and especially in Seed & Seed Destiny. Also having the same VA that has does this since 0079 Mobile Suit Gundan don't hurt as well. If you a dubber like me. it's a definate must buy.

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− Still as cold and distant as ever; periodically awful dialogue; irritating and unimaginative villains.

But that's how gundam villans has been excluding Char and Gato. but gundam fans would not have it and other way.

And i see a lot of badtalking about season 2. I watch it on Sct Fi and it's actually decent exept with spoiler[ the Killing off of both Wang Lu Mei as well as Aneu] Other than that the ending is preety decen.

BUT CG R2 on the other hand is one thing I agree cause there's a lot of things i did not like about it at all. a real disapointment and it's although it's ending is epic,i did not like it at all. Too much like dejavu.

Like the first season the second season is unable to look at any viewpoint that isn't Japanese, and so is forced to make everyone act Japanese. This is why you have a kurd with a japanese name whose abandoned God because the Japanese have abandoned theist religion.

Watch G Gundam and tell me Master Asia is unimaginative.

The man proclaims that once he kicks everyone's ass his going to start calling himself Super Asia instead of Master Asia. He also can defeat Giant robots with his bare hands.

Charred Knight wrote:

Like the first season the second season is unable to look at any viewpoint that isn't Japanese, and so is forced to make everyone act Japanese. This is why you have a kurd with a japanese name whose abandoned God because the Japanese have abandoned theist religion.

Honestly, where do you get this stuff? Talk about reading way too much into a cartoon.

Gundam 00 isn't a great Gundam series, but it's not a bad one. It's ultimately run-of-the mill. Nothing happens in the first season until it's nearly over and the second season suffers for it, and because of obvious pressure from Bandai.

It's certainly an exponential improvement on Gundam from the CE era programs, which were just utter garbage.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the movie, and hope Kuroda and Mizushima get a little more freedom.

The fact that americans act nothing like America does in this series. Do you honestly think with America's fiery passion that they would ever act this calmly with Celestial Being? Just look at the current events in politics.

Also Gundam Seed was pretty damn good. It met it's goal of showing the Cycle of revenge with the war getting worse until it's a fight for survival

Charred Knight wrote:

The fact that americans act nothing like America does in this series. Do you honestly think with America's fiery passion that they would ever act this calmly with Celestial Being? Just look at the current events in politics.

What does that even mean, "act nothing like America does"? The show takes place in a distant future, where countries are part of large power blocks.

I thought the Americans were treated far more nuanced than usual in anime. Sorry the Americans aren't scarfing down hamburgers and hotdogs and launching nukes everywhere as they wave the star-spangled banner.

Would you prefer they break out Gundam Maxter?

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Also Gundam Seed was pretty damn good. It met it's goal of showing the Cycle of revenge with the war getting worse until it's a fight for survival

Gundam Seed was a show of bland characters with no charisma, who all look the same, doing bland things during bland battles with ugly mobile suits to somewhat appealing music for fans of shiny things. There was no spirit to it. It is the definition of mediocrity in anime.

Sorry it should read "act nothing like Americans do". My problems is that Americans do have flaws, and those flaws should show up. The problem is that Gundam 00 acts like humans are perfectly rational beings who act in a rational matter at all times.

Chibodee Crockett certainly acts more lika an American than Graham does.

Americans do eat a ton of hamburgers and hot dogs, they do love the American flag, and they do show their passion. That's not a stereotype that's reality.

Americans do eat a ton of hamburgers and hot dogs, they do love the American flag, and they do show their passion. That's not a stereotype that's reality.

CCSYueh wrote:

In this one we get cool looking mech, Yun Kouga (Loveless) character designs, Miki, Matsumoto, Konishi. What more do you want from a 25 minute commercial for robot toys?

I don't want to put words in dtm42's mouth but I'd like to address this from my own position.

Even if that might well be true, there's really nothing wrong with expecting more, such as a good story and interesting characters. Ultimately, anime is nothing more than a commercial product meant to make money by way of entertaining consumers. This is particularly clear as far as the Gundam franchise is concerned, but just as there are people who will be satisfied by anything that isn't inherently boring, it is absolutely fair to make additional demands when we have something with at least a bit of complexity and potential. If those elements are underused or wasted, some degree of disappointment or dissatisfaction is entirely warranted.

Is there some kind of mythical force preventing bandai from making a successful 2nd season?