• Planetary Robo Danguard Ace ran from March 1977 to March 1978 and gave us 56 episodes. Matsumoto Leiji is listed as the original creator and it certainly bears his mark. Not only the character designs but the message at the end that “youth must survive” was his trademark. The show traces the efforts of 2 groups as they attempt to reach the 10th planet Promete at the outer edge of our solar system (Pluto was still a planet in 1977). The heroes are JASDAM while the villains are the Doppler Army.

    Planetary Robo Danguard Ace

    Matsumoto shied away from nationalistic fervor so the heroes don’t represent any nation or the United Nations. They are a scientific organization called JASDAM that was formed to reach the newly discovered planet Promete. How that organization got funding to match a nation’s budget or permission to develop and use military-grade weapons is never mentioned. Opposing them is the Doppler Army formed by a rogue scientist named Doppler. How Doppler recruited so many people or bankrolled a private military and space exploration force at the same time is never explained. Details, bah!

    Danguard Ace

    I had wanted to see Danguard Ace for some time as it is one of the super robots pulled into Marvel Comics’ Shogun Warriors (along with Combattler V & Raideen). It certainly didn’t disappoint. The show leaned into science-fiction more than a super hero vibe like so many of the 70s super robot shows.

    Satellizer

    No super robot show can be discussed without mentioning the hero’s robot. Danguard Ace sports the primary colors familiar to super robots. Red, light gray, blue and black. Instead of the familiar sword it uses a double-headed spear or lance. It transforms into an aircraft that is better described as a flying fortress. The transformation stands out in super robot anime. It separates into 3 pieces which quickly recombine into the other mode. The pieces are not designed to operate independently. Danguard Ace isn’t afraid to be different. Instead of the standard 50 meter height in robot mode, it towers above other anime mecha with a height of 200 meters. That’s a 65 story building! For those of you keeping score, that’s taller than the Ideon and matching the Gunbuster. Also, it has 2 cockpits and operates best when there’s a copilot.

    Planetary Robo Danguard Ace has one of the most intricate storylines of any 70s mecha show. The opening credits features a song so kiddy-ish it almost repelled me. However, from the first episode it was clear the opening credits director and the script writer(s) were not on the same page. The mature and constantly developing story kept me watching. The fact that one episode out of place ruins the show makes it clear why Danguard Ace was never picked up for broadcast on North American television. American television rejects any kids show where the order of episodes can’t be changed. Mazinger Z had a stint on American airwaves because episode order made no difference (for the most part).

    It’s interesting to see a super robot show that tries something different. Most of them give the main robot to the hero in the first episode after which he wins a fight. Mobile Suit Gundam even fits this formula. In Danguard Ace the hero, Takuma, is training hard for a robot that hasn’t been built yet. It isn’t completed until the end of episode 4. In aircraft mode, it is used briefly in episode 5. It appears briefly in robot mode in episode 11 but it isn’t until episode 12 that it sees action.

    The main themes of Danguard Ace are perseverance and dedication. Takuma trains hard and competes with two other pilot candidates. It isn’t until episode 10 that he is chosen as Danguard Ace’s pilot and even then his training continues. Instead of being handed the robot after 12 minutes, Takuma has to earn it.

    Most super robot shows introduce some kind of change halfway through to keep things interesting. This show takes the characters from Earth to space. The first half of the show is rushing to train while defending an island base. This was familiar territory for super robot fans of the time. The second half is rushing to planet Promete in an attempt to beat the Doppler Army which has a space ship of its own. This was a kind of space odyssey reminiscent of Space Battleship Yamato (which Matsumoto worked on).

    Many details bear mentioning. Episode 24 had a touching message of friendship between the nations of Japan and the United States. This message had special meaning for Matsumoto whose father served the Japanese military during World War II. As in Getter Robo G, nazi imagery was used to identify the villains as clearly evil. The scientist Doppler dresses as and refers to himself as “fuhrer”. His soldiers dress as nazi officers of World War II. Most of them have German names. The giant robots sent to battle Danguard Ace are called mecha satans. I think we know who the bad guys are here!

    If you get the chance (and the time) Planetary Robo Danguard Ace is a great sample of 70s super robot action.

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  • anime, mecha 04.04.2023 No Comments

    Yuusha Raideen ran from April 1975 to March 1976 on Japanese television and had 50 episodes. It is well remembered in Japan almost 50 years later and after watching it I can understand why. It had everything a super robot show needed to appeal to a large audience plus better attention to story than most in the 70s.

    Akira, in his flight suit, is menaced by Prince Sharkeen of the Demon Empire.

    The show was so popular it has had imitators and remakes. Chouja Raideen (1996) wasn’t a true remake but it certainly tried to cash in on name recognition. RahXephon (2002) was an unofficial remake. Chief director and creator Izubuchi Yutaka stated in an interview he was basically making a modern Raideen. Raideen (2007) was the official remake. That show wasn’t a good offering so I was pleased to discover the original was available from fansubbers. At least three different fansub groups cooperated on the show. Quality level varied greatly. For two episodes the subtitles wouldn’t display so I had to open the source file and read along while the episode played.

    The spelling of the show has been a point of confusion for years. English speakers usually spell it Reideen but a look at the Japanese titles makes it clear “ray – deen” isn’t it. It is pronounced “rye – deen” so I use Raideen.

    1975 gave us a lot of super robot shows but Raideen stood out not only for its quality but also its different approach. Unlike Kotetsu Jeeg, when Raideen tried something different from the crowd it got it right. Where the other super robot shows featured advanced technology, Raideen offered the mystical qualities of the lost civilization of Mu. In the process they neatly dodged the question that plagues many super robot shows: if the enemies are so fearsome, why not build a few more of that super robot? In Raideen no one in modern times can build a giant robot. To heighten the otherworldly qualities, the opponents Raideen battles employ monster sound effects from Toho’s Godzilla movies.

    Raideen
    Raideen was built by the ancient Mu civilization.

    The voice actor for Prince Sharkeen was brilliant. Sharkeen was the main villain for the first half of the show and is featured in most promotional images of the show today. His gung-ho, hot-blooded princely voice made the character dominate every scene in which he appeared.

    Zambot 3 (1977) featured alien invaders who built each episode’s opponent from a scrap heap that was zapped before gelling into a fearsome robot. I now know this was taken from Raideen where the start of many episodes showed us a pile of rocks blessed by the priest of the Demon Empire and then zapped by energy from the statue of demon lord Barao.

    Raideen didn’t take any risks with its color scheme. It stuck to the tried-and-true red, white and blue with yellow trim. This color scheme was common in the super robot shows of the 70s and we shouldn’t be surprised it made it into the Gundam franchise. A dramatic rush through tunnels or tubes to enter the giant robot before a fight was a mainstay of the 70s super robot shows. Raideen featured Akira riding his motorcycle to the rocky outcrop where Raideen was stored so he could make a heroic leap and get caught in midair by Raideen’s energy beam. Not even Go Nagai could top that.

    The supporting characters were very well done. 1975 had several support craft for super robots. Jeeg had a jet that carried its parts to the battlefield. The Getter Robo team had a command/reconnaissance craft. Raideen had the Beluga (or Blue Gar, depending on the team writing the subtitles) that fought alongside. It was piloted by Jinguji, a badass who at times threatened to outshine the hero of the show. Rather that a single genius scientist to support the hero Akira had four. His father, grandfather, an electronics expert and another scientist. This team of scientists and experts made the operation supporting the hero much easier to believe.

    As is the case of many super robot shows, I had to wonder why the Japanese government never made an appearance to ask questions. Also, why did the Raideen team never go on the offensive and try to discover the Demon Empire’s secret base?

    Some super robot shows did a good job of portraying a central theme. Getter Robo emphasized sacrificing one’s ego to work with others as a team. Raideen had no central theme that I could find but it didn’t reduce my enjoyment of the show. It certainly made up for that lack with great story writing. Compared to other mecha shows of the 70s, Raideen had superior writing. Mazinger Z or Getter Robo could mix up the order of the episodes with no real loss. Raideen had many plot points that unfolded slowly through the episodes. The resolution of the show was a satisfying drama that unfolded over the course of more than five episodes.

    Raideen is a super robot that no anime fan should miss. I wish a fan subbing group with more polish would clean up the subtitles and make sure they display for every episode. A blu ray release for North American would definitely earn my dollars.

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  • Go Nagai’s Mazinger is well remembered after its 1970s debut but nearly as popular is Getter Robo. While Mazinger was the first piloted robot in anime, Getter Robo was the first combiner. Starting in April 1974 and running until May 1975, Getter Robo was immediately followed by Getter Robo G which finished in March 1976. The two shows total 90 episodes and followed the format established by Mazinger. That format is new villains, some new characters and new robots for the heroes.

    The first show’s 3 modes appear on the left while the second show’s 3 modes are on the right.

    I have very little time to watch anime these days but I make exceptions for the really influential shows. Getter Robo, like Mazinger, was so popular there are many sequels and spin offs both in manga and anime. Shin Getter Robo (1998), called Getter Robo: Armageddon in North America, was the first time I got to see anything from the Getter Robo franchise. I had wanted to see the original for years and the fansubbers finally completed the original series.

    Go Nagai mecha shows are a lot of fun but the typical 70s super robot structure can wear on modern sensibilities after a few episodes go by. Each episode is a new threat that ends in a fight. Little changes over time. Many aspects of the real world are left out to simplify things for both the writers and the young audience. For example, the government of Japan doesn’t appear in the show. The fact that a research institute has developed weapons more powerful than the military doesn’t even merit a visit from a government employee. Enemy robots could attack at any time and enemy assassins infiltrate the town around the research institute but the pilots still go to high school each day.

    I was floored when I saw the 100 Devil Empire had a general named Hiddler who looked and dressed exactly like Adolph Hitler. That wouldn’t fly today.

    The theme running through the show was the importance of cooperation and teamwork. This isn’t so rare in 1970s Japanese TV shows but it got especial emphasis here as the robot that saves the day is a combiner. Three fighter craft must maneuver with perfect timing to dock in combat situations. The first show, Getter Robo, portrayed the pilots’ clashing personalities slowly coming together into a well-oiled machine quite well. Getter Robo G switched out one pilot for a new one but didn’t handle things with the same skill. Benkei (named & modeled after the warrior monk who hung out with Minamoto Yoshitsune) was pretty self-centered and clashed with Ryoma and Hayato. After a few episodes the clashes evaporated but he never learned anything or changed.

    Don’t let my criticisms dissuade you. The show is a lot of fun and had a big influence on mecha anime for years go come. Watching the 90 episodes at a rate of 2 to 4 per day had me ready to stop by the end but I’m still ready to look for Raideen’s 50 episodes.

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  • Kotetsu Jeeg ran from October 1975 to August 1976 and had 46 episodes.  I’m only halfway through the show so I can’t give my impressions of the story but I think I know why it’s one of the mecha shows that is not well remembered after it went off the air.

    The Jeeg robot tried to do something different but didn’t pull if off.  The color scheme was quite different from its contemporaries by being yellow and dark green.  Although different, it wasn’t attractive.  Also, the show began when Great Mazinger was still airing and it was terribly derivative.

    1)  The Big Shooter, an aircraft that carries Jeeg’s body parts to the place where it needs to form, travels down a rollercoaster track deep underground just like the Brain Condor fighter craft that docked in Great Mazinger’s head.

    2)  The opening credits looks and has a theme song so similar to Great Mazinger’s that it makes one wince.

    3)  The hero works with an attractive woman his age that is distant and demands he become stronger and more dedicated, just like Jun in Great Mazinger.

    4)  There is an annoying, loud character that declares himself the hero’s rival but is so weak he’s no competition.  Just like Boss in Great Mazinger.

    5)  The would-be rival has an even weaker sidekick with a runny nose, just like Nuke in Great Mazinger.

    6)  The would-be rival builds his own giant robot (Mecha Don) and tries to fight evil better than the hero but gets easily swatted by each attacking villain.  Just like the pink-headed Boss Borot in Great Mazinger.

    7) The hero’s robot issues out from an impressive modern-looking science institute with its own defenses.

    8)  Each episode the villains try to either lure the hero’s robot into a trap or smash the science institute.

    9) The enemies use a circular flying fortress to attack or support their giant robot/monster.

    While I’m enjoying Kotetsu Jeeg I can understand why it didn’t gain a place in the fan’s hearts after it went off the air.

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  • Studio Sunrise’s Muteki Robo Trider G7 ran from Feb. 1980 to Jan. 1981.  I had the time to watch the 50 episodes recently and enjoyed it.  While not my favorite and certainly an odd duck when compared to most other mecha anime, it nonetheless had a charm all its own.

    Trider G7 along with Takeo Watta and his 4 employees. The general of the robot army that opposes Earth is on the left.

    The story follows the adventures of Takeo Watta, a Japanese boy of about 12.  The story takes place in a future where the moon and Mars are populated and colonization has begun.  People operate space stations and regularly travel through the solar system.  Yet, somehow daily life in Japan operates exactly as it did in 1980.  People dress the same, live the same, etc.  Watta’s father owned a small transport and trouble-shooting company that got short term contracts that involved transporting goods or protecting a location from a specific threat.  The company’s only real asset was a well armed super robot, Trider G7, that could transform into a spaceship and travel anywhere in the solar system on short notice.

    When Watta’s father died the company had no one to operate Trider G7 as was about to fold.  Watta, still a grade school boy, stepped forward and declared his decision to get a license for operating a giant robot and become the company’s new president.  The four employees could keep their jobs and Watta’s father’s legacy would continue.

    Trider G7 in spaceship mode & docked with its shuttle.

    Most episodes followed the same format: Watta is seen at home, school or his neighborhood dealing with situations typical for 12 year old boys.  Suddenly, one of his employees bursts onto the scene and announces they have a job and Watta must come immediately to operate Trider G7.  Trider G7 launches, transforms into a space ship and docks with the shuttle where the four employees are strapped in.  On the way to the moon or Mars Watta gets called back to the conference table in the shuttle where a snack is served. Every time it’s a different snack familiar to Japanese people and Watta talks with his employees about the food and then about what’s happening in their lives.  When the destination is reached they see an attacking giant robot and Watta separates the Trider G7 from the shuttle.  After a fierce and brief battle the enemy is destroyed and Watta gets back to Earth just in time to resolve what issue he was dealing with at the episode’s start.

    Trider G7 was a really blue-collar, down to earth sort of show that was clearly written to appeal to a younger audience.  In a way I saw it as two different shows pressed together. The first show was the super robot and its plucky young pilot battling evil.  The second show was a typical grade school boy dealing with ordinary things familiar to the audience.  Seeing the narrative switch gears between such different things at least twice per episode took some getting used to but the show’s appeal made me come along for the ride.

    Trider G7 was stored beneath a playground in Watta’s neighborhood. The children had to flee the play equipment every time Trider G7 launched! Somehow, no lawsuits resulted.

    Trider G7 is one of the shows that is remembered well in Japan years after it went off the air.  I’ve been thinking lately about what makes some mecha anime remembered fondly years later while others are mostly forgotten.  Perhaps some of it was Studio Sunrise’s clever marketing or the successful robot color scheme of red, dark blue and white with some yellow.  Trider G7 didn’t have a strong story or memorable villains.  I’d say the likable characters and warm, heartful portrayal of daily life in a Japanese town hit the right note with young viewers.

    I lived in Japan in the early 90s for more than a year so the “slice of life” stories appealed to me.  The friendly, thoughtful characters made me want to see what would happen in their lives.  The show was made on the tail-end of the 70s which had a lot of decent, moral characters who were intended to be role models for the viewers.  The angst-ridden, self-absorbed characters of later decades still weren’t a fixture in mecha anime in 1980.  If someone were to describe the show to me before seeing it, I probably would have avoided it.  The odd mixture of two very different premises sounds like it would make for painful viewing but somehow Trider G7 made it work.  This is a show that asks for a big suspension of disbelief.  How can a twelve year old be made the actual president of a company?  Why does his school allow him to run out of class on a regular basis?  What government would allow a private company to use a robot stuffed full of military grade weapons?  Who would grant a license to operate a giant robot to a twelve year old?  If you’re willing to put aside such thoughts, the show can really grow on you after a few episodes.

    My complaint was the translation.  I watched a fan sub and there is evidence to suggest they wrote the English subtitles based on the script for Italian television.  Also, the fan subbers didn’t do a good job of editing the sentences for good readability.  My knowledge of Japanese helped me smooth out a lot of the pain of the poor translation.

    Although, I’d recommend this show to anime fans I’d make it clear you should have some experience with daily life in Japan or you may not see the show’s appeal.

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  • When online friend Ollie Barder dropped a note that Red Photon Zillion was available in North America on Blu Ray I wasted no time securing my copy. I tried to watch it years ago but I could only get the first half of the series. I’ve finally been able to watch it all with subtitles.

    Red Photon Zillion aired in 1987 and lasted 31 episodes. It tells the story of the White Nuts, an elite team of sharp shooters armed with special zillion energy weapons, as they try to prevent an invasion by hostile aliens called the Noza. After landing their forces on the human colony world of Maris, The Noza are successfully pursuing a campaign to wipe out the humans and dominate the planet. Noza forces are unaffected by all but the heaviest of human weapons and their soldiers advance almost unchallenged.

    Three relics are found in the ruins of the aliens that lived on Maris centuries ago and incorporated into energy pistols called zillion guns. Humans are unable to produce more so they hurriedly put the guns into the hands of three elite sharp shooters: JJ, Champ and Apple (pictured above). These three form the core of the White Nuts who are supported by technician Dave, coordinater Emi and lead by Mr. Gord. The White Nuts have three elite combat vehicles – one for air, land and water – and use transforming motor bikes.

    Baron Ricks
    Baron Ricks, the lethal commander of the Zoza forces who later goes rogue

    The show has an upbeat atmosphere and focuses on the action. Each episode is a new challenge as the Noza press their invasion. In time, we see the Noza suffer from short life spans and are under pressure to complete their conquest before their lives end abruptly and the next generation emerges from their cocoons.

    The characters were fun and appealing (something rare in recent anime) and the villains were appropriately menacing. The Noza general Baron Ricks was particularly interesting. His strong sense of honor and independence made him a scene-stealer.

    Zillion is a great show and I certainly recommend it to science-fiction and anime fans. It’s also appropriate for all ages. Although they avoid technical details, the attention to story and science-fiction themes made this a show that ages well. The Noza are presented as alien beings with their own biology and motivations. Planet Maris is much like Earth but the frequent eclipses and alien ruins set it apart and make it interesting.

    Zillion has an interesting footnote. It was originally created as a promotion for the Light Phaser, a peripheral for the Sega Master System. During the first half of the show, the three main characters’ zillion guns looked exactly like the Light Phaser and even had cords that went to a box connected to the heroes’ belts. I had to smile during one episode when JJ twirled his zillion gun on its cord. It’s hard to make dangling cords look cool. Even though the show was a toy commercial the studio creating the show decided to give a damn and gave us a TV show that’s worth owning on DVD. Sega returned the favor and there are two Zillion video games.

    In 1988 the TV show was followed up by an OVA, Zillion: Burning Night. I only found out about the OVA when my DVDs arrived. Rather than give us another Zillion story the OVA gives us the same characters in an alternate universe. Here, the technology is late 20th century and the five Noza from the TV show who have names appear as humans. The zillion guns appear as they did in the 2nd half of the show and instead of firing red energy they are standard guns. They are still special because all other guns have been confiscated by the villains. Although this may seem odd to westerners, those familiar with East Asian history know that there were many times when the authorities made weapons very scarce and commoners had to improvise their own crude weapons to have a decent rebellion.

    The White Nuts is now a rock band and instead of being a talented sharp shooter, JJ is a gifted brawler. I laughed when I remembered the fascination mid and late 80’s anime had with rock bands. Countless mecha pilots, martial artists, private eyes and high school kids were transformed into rock musicians who played to large, adoring audiences.

    The Noza matriarch Admiss is now a middle-aged woman with three adult children (the three elite cyborg Noza soldiers from the TV series) who lives in a fortress that oppresses the surrounding countryside. Apple is kidnapped to become a forced bride to one of Admiss’ sons. Champ and JJ infiltrate the fortress to rescue her and come face to face with Admiss’ hired enforcer, a human Baron Ricks who now wields a whip. The OVA was fun but my desire to see a science-fiction side story in the same universe as the TV series left me disappointed.

    Zillion is a great anime TV show and if you haven’t seen it now is a great time to pick it up.

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  • anime, Manga 13.05.2018 1 Comment

    This week I finished reading through a fan translation of Bartender.  Bartender is a manga that started in 2004 by Joh Araki with art by Nagatomo Kenji.  I first encountered it as the 11 episode anime show from 2006.  I really enjoyed the anime so I jumped at the chance to read the manga.  I was very glad I did.

    At first it comes across as a slice-of-life story that follows Sasakura Ryu, a young bartender in Tokyo, as he navigates the problems and odd customers that are a part of the service industry.  The manga’s true story line emerges slowly as the chapters progress.  We see Ryu take on new challenges in order to develop his career as he grows closer to a young woman who is the granddaughter of an elderly hotel chain owner.  Ryu is dedicated to developing his skill as a bartender but that is only a means to an end.  His true goal is to serve the “glass of the gods”, that is, to use his talents to offer customers a drink that will heal their soul.

    The theme of the manga is people connecting with other people in little, seemingly unimportant ways that heal their wounds and improve their lives.  Ryu’s father was a famous and ruthless politician that crushed countless opponents. Ryu wants to take the opposite approach to life and heal others through insightful, considerate service.  Ryu is a sensitive soul gifted with strong observational skills.  He’s the kind of person that notices small gestures and details of his customers and uses the knowledge to select just the right drink and start a conversation that will do them good.

    The manga tells a gentle, subtle story that, while not exactly action-packed, is a joy to read.  I recommend it to those who want to take a break from high adventure and follow a milder story with appealing characters.

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    The theater poster for the new Mazinger Z: Infinity movie.

    Fathom Events brought the new movie Mazinger Z: Infinity to Austin, TX for 2 days only.  I took my 2 older boys to see it in the theater.  The movie was a lot of fun to see.  I’m glad I took the time.  I wouldn’t even have known of the event unless my friend Ollie Barder hadn’t told me.

    The movie’s story takes place 10 years after the events of the Mazinger Z TV series (although they kind of ignored the full time line established by Great Mazinger).  Kabuto Koji and the other characters are older and have moved on with their lives.  The discovery of a massive robot that resembles the Mazinger robots is discovered in the base of Mt. Fuji.  Soon after Dr. Hell’s mechanical beast army reappears and announces the return of the fearsome villain.  Dr. Hell seizes control of the recently discovered Mazinger Infinity and plans to use its fearsome power to annihilate the universe and replace it with one of his own making.  Kabuto Koji uses the original Mazinger Z (hidden from the public for years) and the cyborg LISA (who appeared at the Infinity’s discovery) to prevent Dr. Hell’s plans and save the universe.

    The Mazinger Infinity packed the power to erase the universe and replace it with a new one of the operator’s choice. Talk about feature creep!

    The animation in the movie was great.  The mechanical designs from the early 70s were altered only slightly to add a more detailed look to them.  The effect was great to see on the big screen.  The story was an altered form of a Mazinger manga from recent years.  The script was careful to pack references and brief scenes of all characters and machines from the original TV series that fans remember.  The writers aimed at entertaining audiences more than scoring points with the progressive set.  The result was a fun, action-packed movie with nothing to break the audience’s immersion.

    I was disappointed to see the Great Mazinger and its pilot downplayed in the movie.  I realize a movie has to focus pretty tightly and Mazinger Z has proved more popular than Great Mazinger over the years.  Still, I remember how the Great Mazinger made its appearance in the final episode of Mazinger Z and showed itself to be a great step above Koji’s mech in terms of power and ability.

    If Mazinger Z: Infinity rolls into a theater in your town you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see it yourself.

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  • After many years I’ve finally watched the original 43 episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-80).  Since my teenage years I’ve known the show in detail and didn’t feel it was important to sit through the low production values and dull music.  It was so much a part of my younger years that the actual episodes seemed unnecessary.  After watching it I can see that I shouldn’t have put it off so long.  Although it’s not without its flaws the show really is a gem of mecha animation.

    Each episode offers great action and characters with wide appeal.  It is rightly recogized as one of the best television shows from Tomino’s golden age.  It is popular in Japan to this day.  I was surprised to find it airing on Japanese television in the early 2000’s right next to current shows.

    Zaku II

    The Zaku II became an iconic design in Japan. It shows up in unexpected places because it’s so recognizable.

    Mobile Suit Gundam was easier to recognize and understand for general audiences.  Aura Battler Dunbine is an example of a Tomino show that, while great, was harder for many people to get into.  The strong World War II influence helped the show resonate with viewers all over the world.  Many uniforms, action sequences and machines were instantly understood.  Some fans mention western science-fiction influences like the beam sabers borrowing from Star Wars’ light sabers and the Musai cruiser being an inverted Enterprise from Star Trek but these were minor, cosmetic things.  The main aesthetic came from the European theater of World War II.

    The first of the Gundam TV series had the best storyline and pacing.  Tomino put a lot of thought into the One Year War taking place through the 43 episodes.  Major events and players in that war were woven into the episodes seamlessly giving later writers in the Gundam Universe much to work with.  Some of the conflicts like Odessa Day and the battle for A Baoa Qu were too grand for the animation budget they could muster for a television show in 1979.  It’s no surprise that so many side stories and alternate retellings have been made decades later.

    Zakrello

    The Zakrello. Still goofy after all these years.

    Some things about First Gundam are hard to ignore, however.  The awkward mecha designs still look silly even after years of admiration.  Zeon’s Dabude tank, Zakrello mobile armor, Dopp fighter plane, etc.  You may think that Nagano Mamoru contributed some crazy designs to Z Gundam but they were a marked improvement over so many oddballs from Moble Suit Gundam.  The music for the show was quite poor.  I enjoy many 70’s anime sound tracks and the style of the music doesn’t disagree with me but Studio Sunrise’s work on the show’s soundtrack resulted in dull, annoying songs that very few people will listen to today.

    Stories set in the UC Gundam setting in later years would have done well to learn from the first show.  Later entries in the Gundam franchise have sometimes veered into simple-minded anti-war propaganda (Gundam 0080 comes to mind) but the first show didn’t set that tone.  Mobile Suit Gundam had a pragmatic view of war that didn’t glorify it in any way but had room for the heroics of the main characters and admiration for those who would risk their lives to defend their homes.

    One particual issue that has bothered me over the years was later Gundam entries’ desire to write Newtype powers out of Gundam.  Although Newtype powers were a subtle influence through much of the show’s run, the final episodes make it clear that Newtype abilities are a key feature of the UC Gundam setting.

    It’s a shame I waited so long to watch the original episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam.  Although later UC Gundam anime seems to have gotten stuck in the One Year War the first show makes it clear why so many people like that part of the Gundam timeline.

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  • Z Gundam movie DVD

    The first Z Gundam movie is titled Heirs to the Stars

    In 2005 the 50 episode Z Gundam television series from 1985 was compiled into a movie trilogy titled Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation. I grabbed the DVD set when I saw it on Amazon.com but waited to watch them until my surround sound system was working. It was worth the wait! The movies use dolby 5.1 surround and, together with the full-screen animation, make for an awesome cinematic experience. Read more…

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