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NJ_ wrote:

Here's your answer(s)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NivqX5ET9Dw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbwBqoCvMOk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkHOnynkoCo

Didn't know about those details, thanks for sharing that =)

I'm probably going to pick this set up if it goes down to a more reasonable price for me before selling out. Not a huge G Gundam fan, but I still wouldn't mind adding it to my collection.

So, Gundam is evolving into a version of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann? Isn't one enough?

The only Gundam that ever interested me is UC, because it has such classic drama, and is more of a pure science fiction epic that happens to have giant robot fighting vehicles, rather than being a sort of Pocket Monsters but only with giant robots.

gridsleep wrote:

So, Gundam is evolving into a version of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann? Isn't one enough?

The only Gundam that ever interested me is UC, because it has such classic drama, and is more of a pure science fiction epic that happens to have giant robot fighting vehicles, rather than being a sort of Pocket Monsters but only with giant robots.

This came way before Gurren Lagann.
I actually find this show better than Lagann, despite it being in the 90’s. I just love the hot blooded attitude it has. One of my favorite Gundam!

gridsleep wrote:

So, Gundam is evolving into a version of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann? Isn't one enough?

I think people might be surprised by how much "Gundam" was still in "G Gundam". If you're looking to compare Gurren Lagann to a Sunrise-produced mecha show that is 10+ years its senior, though, King of Braves GaoGaiGar feels far more appropriate than G Gundam. People who like one seem to enjoy the other, and vice versa.

gridsleep wrote:

So, Gundam is evolving into a version of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann? Isn't one enough?

The only Gundam that ever interested me is UC, because it has such classic drama, and is more of a pure science fiction epic that happens to have giant robot fighting vehicles, rather than being a sort of Pocket Monsters but only with giant robots.

“Pocket monsters but only with giant robots”

........ Uhhhhh have you actually watched G Gundam?

Couldn't resist using the ol' "The East is burning red!" line, eh? Not that I would blame anyone. This show is rich with so many memes, it's easy to see why mecha fans still quote it to this day.

Last edited by Snomaster1 on Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:42 am; edited 1 time in total

So,what do I think of "G Gundam?" Well,for me,I think the reason why it's so popular and still so popular is because it's a "Gundam" series that is easily accessible. A lot of times,the storylines are so labyrinthine in other "Gundam" shows that's it's hard to really get into it. "G Gundam" was different. You could follow it easily,it was fun to watch,and it didn't take itself too seriously. Sure,it had it's dramatic moments,but there was also a silly charm that was hidden underneath the whole thing that the other shows in the franchise didn't really have.
There are quite a few people wondering what I thought of the American Gundam. To be honest,I didn't really have a problem with it. It was so goofy and silly and yet,I found it had a certain charm. Both it and it's pilot,Chibodee Crocket,who was this goofy guy but there was this underlying decency he had that made me like him. If I'm being honest,a lot of foreigners sometimes see Americans as this at times,a pretty goofy people who want to follow the beat of their own drum.

I guess Chibodee can come across as that but,when the chips are down,you can count on him to try and do the right thing. That's why I think he's one of the good Americans in anime. Even when he comes across as this stereotypical meathead that a lot of anime seem to give us,he turns out to be a good guy that you end up just liking a lot. But,there's something I wonder. I wonder what would have happened if they had an Irish Gundam? How would that have been represented?

Series definitely brings up memories. I got quite a few of these dvds back in the day at Gamestop with large red 50% off stickers on them. Watched the series as I got the dvds, so mostly out of order completely. So over the top, always amused by the announcer dude with the eyepatch and the common dub next episode preview exclamation "it's the moment you've been waiting for!"

Lord Geo wrote:

LightningCount wrote:

Does this set have the multiple, lengthy, behind-the-scenes "G-File" interviews with Imagawa that the Bandai DVDs had? (I haven't seen that confirmed by anyone.) Those interviews would go into what specific episodes were referencing what movies, and they were really insightful.

Yes, the complete G-Files takes up the entire last third of the hardcover artbook, and it's awesome to finally have that interview in a physical format that I can just open up & browse through whenever I want, instead of having to pop in DVDs & figure out which one has what I'm looking for. It's astounding...

Thanks for the info. It's good to hear that the G-Files are included in some form, and as you say, it's more convenient in print. However, as big of a fan as I am of Gundam Wing and G-Gundam, I've always kind of shied away from these kind of overstuffed, bulky premium sets. Like with the Wing set, which followed a similar kind of stratified release format, I'd rather the interviews be also on the discs or that the art book be sold separately for purchase at a later time. I'll have to think about it.

I'm really hoping there's a miracle and the Gundam X Blu-rays, which can't be more than a year or two away, finally include an English dub. That is a bonus I'd likely pay a little more for, within reason.

I go away for a few days from ANN and find a most unexpected surprise when I get back.

I love G Gundam. It's my favorite of all the Gundam series and tied for best entry in the franchise along with 0080: War in the Pocket. It introduce me to the world of giant robots back in 2002 on Toonami and shaped my view of what Gundam should be.

What makes it the best in my view?

Others have already talked about the glorious insanity of the world of the Future Century. It's lovable larger than life cast of characters, It's over all "this is so ridiculously it's awesome" JoJo-like charm,The underrated genius of Imagawa as director and the the sheer breadth of media sources he draws on to enrich his series.

But it's much more simple than that.

By deciding to go full campy Super Robot and not being afraid of bring written off as just a stupid kids cartoon by the shallow, allows G Gundam to then be far more earnest and genuine than the vast major of it's UC predecessors who play at being "serious drama".

I’ve used the phrase “serious drama” more than a few times, but in general as a sort of mocking phrase that implicates a particular type of drama that is deeply invested in its own self-seriousness. In its most extreme form “serious drama” becomes borderline unwatchable - the sort of thing one watches purely because it’s “serious drama” and thus one has some sort of moral obligation to do so. That is one of the many, many reasons that I despise the likes of Zeta and Victory. Because they are exactly that.

But implicit in this critique of “serious drama” is the idea that “serious” and “drama” are in some way inherent allies, or that “unserious drama” or “serious comedy” are nonsensical things that are obviously inferior. And this is at the real heart of the UC/AU Gundam debate: ultimately both sides are shooting for drama. Even thhough he is among the most Super Robot of anime directors, Yasuhiro Imagawa consistently grounds his stories in human drama and experience and tries to tell genuinely moving stories. And this also gets at the ways in which the “Gundam is at best when it's a gritty, grim war drama” side is almost completely outflanked in this debate in my view. The camp perspective allows itself an ambivalence that recognizes that the dramatic and the over-the-top romantic are not only not antagonistic but actively complimentary. Whereas the serious drama perspective, by deciding that drama comes out of gravitas, leaves itself wide-open to critique. A critique that is basically about how close masculinity is to melodrama. (Hi there, badly-written Newtype romances and contrived deaths for the sake of angst! ) And that’s the problem with Gundam series like Zeta, 0083, Victroy and Thunderbolt. They rarely realizes just how silly they really are.

G Gundam knows exactly how silly it is, but declines to accept that this in some way imposes a limitation on what they can do. And this along with Giant Robo is Yasuhiro Imagawa going ahead and demonstrating just how far going full Super Robot in an age that had put them in the rear-view mirror can go and just how dramatic and effective it can be. A story that is unabashedly sentimental, full of humor and warmth, and nevertheless genuinely and unapologetically dramatic with it's mash-up of straight-up wuixa antics that predates Thunderbolt Fantasy by two decades meets both established Gundam and Super Robot concepts.

This is the story of a young man who knew only how to settle things with his fists at the beginning of the series. And by the end of it, he has opened up to the woman he loves, mastered his anger, surpassed the flawed arrogant perspective of his teacher, made friendships that crosses international borders and with them, overcome a corrupt system and makes their world a better place.

Intentional or not, G is the first of many series to refute the despairing pessimism that come to characterize UC Gundam starting with Zeta. That yes, humanity can learn from it's mistakes and overcome differences. That love can save the day.

And how can you not love the ending of a series in which Mecha Satan gets blown away by a literal King of Hearts?

Giving the story a B is being very generous IMO.
This show is best viewed with your brain turned off, or else it will just scream at the inconsistent levels of stupid displayed by the writing. Often not even "Good Super Robot Show" levels of stupid.

Don't get me wrong, it's a fun show, the ending to the first half is badass and displayed the show was capable of some real depth. But it goes and casts that aside for more levels of stupid until the last 10 excellent episodes or so.

I tried watching this with "nostalgia goggles" so to speak again this last year, but it just didn't work, I guess I just can't overlook all the parts that bothered me to enjoy it as much as everyone else seems to.

AiddonValentine wrote:

This is both the stupidest and most awesome Gundam ever made. Also props to the show to kinda being ahead of its time with characters like Rain and Allenby throwing in just as hard as the guys. It's an oddball, but endlessly entertaining.[/spoiler]

Yeah, such a great, fun and exciting show. And I completely agree, really enjoyed Allenby getting to kick ass back then and Rain was pretty great too.

LightningCount wrote:

Interesting note on the English dub...well, first, it works quite well and has some great performances. But also, Domon Kasshu is played by Mark Gatha, also known for Irvine in [the underrated] Zoids and Mega Man X's title character (in the final days of that video game franchise: i.e. Maverick Hunter X and Mega Man X 8). But other than that, he has only a handful of roles, because despite his success, he left voice acting to become, I believe, a doctor. The voice acting was just to help his way through medical school, I've heard.

Oh that's neat, had no idea. It is a shame we didn't get to hear more of him. Hell yeah, Zoids is totally underrated, I loved watching Chaotic Century/Guardian Force when it finally came to Toonami, and they did a great job on that old dub.

We should get a Gundam game based on this series alone and not a part of some other title.
We have a lot of Gundams to choose from in this series alone.

There was a G Gundam game for the Super Famicom back when the anime was airing. It was a 1-on-1 2D fighter, but it's generally considered average, at best. It was essentially expanded upon a lot with the Gundam Wing fighter for the SNES, which is legitimately a great game.

Like others have posted, I love G Gundam because of how different it is from the other Gundam shows and it doesn't take itself too seriously and it's just a lot of good fun mecha action. As someone who grew up with shows like Power Rangers and Voltron, G Gundam was always something right up my ally.