Gundam 00 has been one of the most ambitious series of the past Autumn-season. It basically tried to show us a view on the world politics 400 years from now, combined with Gundam’s trademark mecha-action. Usually, this comes along with a great risk of screwing up and delving into an emo-fest, though fortunately the director of Ooedo Rocket and Full Metal Alchemist managed to avoid this pitfall, and delivered quite an interesting series. It may be rather rough around the edges, but there’s a lot to like about this series.
A group of four guys with ultra powerful mecha who use them to solve all armed conflicts in the world. This obviously sounds like an incredibly gullible idea to achieve world peace, but the thing is that the characters are well aware that the thing they’re doing is naive. This series never claims one side to be morally right or wrong. It just presents us several different views on the world.
The strength of this series is that it knows how to carefully build up. It’s got a huge plot and a huge setting that it needs to work with, and even though there are a few errors here and there, you can see that the creators have tried to explain as much as possible. The thing is also that the cast starts out as incredibly unlikable, and yet every single character develops, and at the end of the series has turned into something better and enjoyable. With a cast so large and diverse, you’re bound to have a few favourites.
The part in which Gundam 00 screws up the most is the dialogue, though. You can see that it’s one of the few parts that didn’t receive careful attention, and it just serves to develop the characters and the plot, though it does feel rather forced at times.
Gundam 00 is a series that continuously develops both its plot and characters, and things do come together in the end quite good. I won’t to spoil anything, but let me just say that the second season will be completely different from the first. It’s not the best series, but it turned out better than expected.
The first dozen or so episodes bored me senseless and in the end I never finished it. The politics were very convincing though, and if the characters grow on you as much as this review suggests I might give it a second chance. I’m sure Bandai or someone similar wil be licencing it soon…it is Gundam, after all.
at last, a great gundam series (last one was gundam w). a lot of ppl bored by gundam00, probably because the lack of action. well, iv watched all gundam series (i really mean all from ms gundam to seed, including ovas such as war in the pocket etc), n i must say gundam00 is the most interesting so far. more mature plot, that’s carefully built up, ununited earth, n more importantly no emo-fest. the pilots were trained, not some kid who randomly pick-up a gundam n ace it at 1st try. great show, pitty it’ll be taking a season break.
I think Gundam 00 successfully mixed action and a firm plot (with good character developments in my opinion). First episodes were maybe a bit boring but they had to be there plot-wise…
I think this is one of the better Gundam series’ out there. Though the plot gets off to a slow start, it eventually builds up, and around the mid point things get really interesting.
The lack of any real ‘good’ or ‘evil’ characters (apart from a few exceptions) was interesting. Also, this show is one of the Gundams with a high character death toll, which in my opinion makes it all the more realistic.
I did enjoy Gundam 00 for the most part, but it falls short of its forebears such as Victory and Zeta.
On a positive note, it embraces the current world situation with an interesting twist, the moral ambiguity makes it stark and realistic and the machinations of the plot are complex and well-done for the most part.
Unfortunately, I felt that the main character development was strongly absent – with most of it coming near the end, and suddenly at that.
Setsuna – who appears to the main protagonist (or atleast piloting the signature Gundam) – had a harsh and realistic back-story but nothing more.
The supporting characters brought more life into the proceedings and I liked them far more than the main ones save Lockon Stratos/Neil Dilandy. He alone came across as amicable, believable and genuine.
Music and art were rather well-done and I did like some of the battle scenes.
The last few episodes were done in painstaking detail and that is where the series showcased the best of emotion and presentation. To say that some of the deaths were heart-wrenching is an understatement.
It’s a mixed series overall, but there’s enough quality that you do become involved in it.
It was great overall.
Not enough development with Marina and Setsuna to make me believe that she had that great an impact on him though. That seemed forced or at worst, a ‘crush’.
I absolutely hate the design of that crappy gold Gundam that looked like a goldfish with arms. It looked like it came right out of an episode of Galaxy Angels or something.
They could’ve at least made it look cooler.
Other than those, everything was great. All my friends are pissed that their beloved Lockon died though. He was like, everyone’s favorite character.
@ryvrdrgn14 gah please be mindful of spoilers… seriously.