Short Synopsis: Marina plans to go back to Azadistan, to try to rebuild her country again.
Highlights: That romance is either going to make or break this series.
Overall Enjoyment Value: 7/10 (Enjoyable)
The ED of this series is starting to sound better and better, and I finally realized that it’s been done by Ishikawa Chiaki (who also did the theme songs of Bokura no). It’s pretty much the best theme song of this series so far, even though it still comes nowhere near the work she’s done for Bokura no.
In any case, this episode was pretty much about romance(or potential romance, in any case): Alelujah and Soma grew up together, but Soma doesn’t seem to realize this (most likely from the time when people messed with her brain, in the first half of the first season. Of course the removal of these berserk tendencies needed to have some repercussions). Then we have Feldt, who sees the image of Neil in Lyle, and Lyle uses this to hit on her. Meanwhile, Marina asks Setsuna to go with her to Azadistan, while both of them proclaim that they’re not in love in stereo (pretty much THE hint in anime of a future couple). Billy meanwhile is angry because Sumeragi “betrayed” him and started to develop new mobile suits for the enemy.
The thing is, that this series definitely can’t use some badly developed romance at this point. The creators are going to be very careful to actually develop all these relationships right, in the middle of the series. I’ll be happy as long as the romance is used wisely, and doesn’t get in the way of what’s really important in this series, and gets used as character-building. I was glad that the second season removed the teenaged-part from the series, but that doesn’t mean that this has given the light for cheesy romance now. It’s just too late now to turn this series into a romance-one.
There’s also one thing I’m wondering for a bit, but that may be because I’ve been watching the second season raw so far. But if four years have passed already, then why hasn’t the Earth-Federation gotten the chance yet to mass-produce the Solar Furnaces? Why haven’t they discovered the workings of the Trans-Am-system they’ve gotten from Alelujah’s machine when he was captured? Their tactics in this episode were pretty weak: they pretty much knew the position of the Poseidon, and yet they only attacked with a small number of Mobile Suits. But I guess that that was meant to be: to show the ineptness of the new white-haired commander, and push Kati up a rank.
And there’s one thing I’m also glad about: neither Saji nor Louise was annoying in this episode. Saji is already trying to work on the Poseidon (so my big fear of him becoming a Gundam pilot is unfounded), and Louise is growing up much more, although I’d like to see more screen-time of her, since she only appeared in two or three short scenes so far.
The Earth Federation DID mass-produce Gn tau drives (now orange in colour).
Allelujah ejected the GN drive from Kyrios before he was captured, because the drive that Arios uses is the one he used for Kyrios.
So, yea the EF didn;t get their hands on a real GN drive, but they probably reverse engineered Kyrios’ materials into future suits (maybe Billy will take care of this)
Firstly, Lindt was relying on the fact that they have anti-GN Field missiles and new underwater mobile armors.
Secondly, aside from the fact that EF DON’T HAVE A TRUE GN Drive, it’s been implied in S1 and extra materials that the construction of GN Drives can ONLY take place in Jupiter and takes decades to make one, which is why only 5 exist.
I don’t really see how the romance could be a defining factor in the series given how little it’s actually focused on it. Even if this episode had a little of it I think there are far more important factors to look at then that, but hey whatever. I just wouldn’t go expecting any sort of serious romance out of Gundam 00 unless you are actively trying to set yourself up for disappointment
Indeed, the EF could have reverse engineered the systems in the Kyrios, but they did not get the true GN drive (the source of trans-am and the power of it). So it’s likely that the EF knows how to use GN drives as well as CB did in Season 1….but they just are limited to GN (tau) Drives rather than the true solar furnaces.
I have to point out that Lyle kissed Feldt on purpose so she could see he is not his older brother. He’s being a jerk, but it’s to disillusion others or else he’ll have to live as his brothers shadow as long as he’s in CB.
Also the name of the new CB spaceship is Ptolemaios II, not Poseidon. As for why the Federation doesn’t have Trans-AM technology that’s because when they captured the Kyrios Alleujah had already ejected the GN drive. The drive was picked up by a branch organization of CB called Fereshte and eventually returned to CB. Trans-AM is a unique system of the original furnaces, so just having the suit is not enough (it’s like trying to build a sports car without its high performance engine). And while the Federation might be able to mass produce fake solar furnaces they don’t and so far never had their hands on one of the original five solar furnaces.
The kiss from Lyle was definitely more to just try and kill the comparison to his brother. Definitely not about helping Feldt to move on, though it might help.
But if he didn’t want to be compared to his brother he seriously picked the wrong place to be. Goes in there uses his brothers catchphrase, the successor to his brothers Gundam, same codename, and the same bloody Haro.
Tough times on Allelujah. Since he’s really lost a step since last season. Sure he doesn’t get a headache around Soma all the time, but his skills have suffered as a result.
I do believe Lyle means it when he says that he’s sick of being compared to Neil. i myself see the act of inheriting just about everything that was (& were meant to be) his brothers’ as a means to honor a brave warrior–Neil, as well as using it as a means of aiding Kataron. i dunno if i’m right in this but i think he’s trying to surpassed his brother while honoring him at the same time.
About GN Drives, it differs from GN Tau Drives by having Topological Defect (TD) Blankets. the thing that could only be manufactured in Jupiter (not so sure about needing decades though) & responsible for enabling the drives to generate energy while using them, making it an essentially inexhaustible power source. it also permitted the use of TransAm as the GN particles generated are in such a large quantity, a limiter needed to be installed for stability reasons. lifting the limiter evoke the TransAm.