I am nowhere near to complete my series about Gundam (one of my favourite anime/manga), even though it has been a while since my last post. This one is only a short update about a few novelties of the franchise, worth having a look if you are, like me, a die-hard fun.
Here we go:
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn [機動戦士ガンダムUC(ユニコーン)] is one of the latest productions set in the Universal Century timeline (for an explanation about the complicated and competing timelines, see this). While it actually starts in U.C. 0001 – the beginning of human space colonisation – the main events take place in UC 0096, just after Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (and about thirty years or so since the original Mobil Suit Gundam), and roughly before Mobile Suit Gundam F91. The ace of the series? Banagher Links. Originally a series of novels (2007-2015), it was adapted to a manga, and then to OVAs (2010–2014). Coming to TV in 2016. And if you really like the scenarios, you can play it too- there’s an action game based on Unicorn on PS.
Remaining in the UC timeline, there’s also Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt [機動戦士ガンダム サンダーボル]. The manga came out in 2012, while there’s a TV adaptation on the way. Interestingly enough, here we really get back to the origin, since this one takes place at the same time of the events covered in the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam, i.e., during the One Year War. Here, however, instead of following Amuro Rey and Char, we watch the Federation and Zeon troops fighting each other in the “Thunderbolt Sector”, another battle theatre. But we still have two main contenders, Io Flemming (Federation) and Daryl Lorenz (Zeon). Sorry guys, Char still outperforms everybody (even though I admit I *really* like Daryl, a cool character by any standard).
A complete novelty in terms of timelines is instead the 14th incarnation of Gundam that came out in 2015, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans [機動戦士ガンダム 鉄血のオルフェンズ ], also know as G-Tekketsu [Gの鉄血]. It seems a much “darker” version compared to the recent ones, and more on the old Gundam-style series that became (in)famous (Tomino shares with GRRM the reputation of killing his characters with much enthusiasm). Here the story follows a bunch of (baby) soldiers that set up their own PMSC on a terraformed Mars, and fight against the authority, child abuse, slavery and exploitation. (Told you it was dark). For a detailed description of this one, see the official website (it’s in Japanese, I know, but Google-T does make wonders).
Finally, and on a tone definitively brighter, in 2015 it came out also Gundam Build Fighters Try [ガンダムビルドファイターズトライ], which is, naturally enough, the sequel of Gundam Build Fighters that premiered in 2013. Here, and differently from the other series of the franchise, the story doesn’t feature wars but a sort of tournament / sports known as the Gunpla Battle (ガンプラバトル). If it looks weird, it is – and even more it’s the whole story behind the anime. Not being a huge fan of this specific series, and of the Gunpla in general, I can’t enter into details, but you can have a look at it here. For sure, it makes a good break when other series of the franchise leave you broken-hearted like after a GoT binge-watching.
Enjoy the show(s)!
it’s my favourite too… thanks
You’re welcome 🙂