HIATUS

This blog is currently on hiatus while I'm studying abroad in Spain during the month of July.

I was originally going to post in this blog daily, but that didn't happen. I've going to try weekly after I return from my trip.

~Mirai

Sunglasses At Night

So, I finished Victory Gundam awhile back. It was alright, but definitely not one of my favorites.

I also finished Gundam X, which actually was really good! It's pity that it was canceled back in the day when it aired in Japan. (In case you were wondering, they obviously got a heads up that it was canceled, so there is an actual ending, unlike when an American TV show gets canceled).

I am currently watching Turn A Gundam, and well, it is very bizarre.

Summer Days, Drifting Away

Okay, so I fixed my computer's virus issue awhile ago, but I have been busy finishing Victory Gundam, and, well, just plain lazy.

Also, part of the problem is that I realize that this is public and what not, and therefore, someone, someday is going to read this. I have an issue about not wanting to offend people, so I will try and keep everything here positive. Which means that I will continue with the awesomeness posts, whenever I get around to them.

Computer Issues

My dear laptop is has a virus at this current time, so therefore I am using another computer. However, I won't do an actual blog post until it's fixed and whatnot. So yeah.

It's the purple hair, I tell you.

Some information on the characters of the new Gundam series, Gundam 00, have come out. So, I shall discuss. Of course, this is simply based off of pictures, and the little Japanese that I can read.

Setsuna's character design reminds me almost of Cyborg 009. Almost. It's mostly that picture of him in civilian clothing that gave me that vibe. His first name is written in kanji, which is interesting to note. Lockon looks a lot more cool than he did in the trailer. Allelujah looked pretty bad ass in the trailer, but I prefer Lockon now. And Tieria... is a guy. Apparently.

Collections

Let's face it - I'm a pack rat. It doesn't help that I'm a collector too.

I collect many things. Books, Japanese candy wrappers, pretty much any Gundam merchandise I can give my hands on (other models, actually). The only thing that I don't collect is stamps.

So I'm releasing that I need an entire six foot bookcase to fit my Gundam collection. I've got the Region 1 DVD releases (including the giant Zeta Gundam box set), plus Mobile Suit Gundam and Gundam Wing on video tape. Then I've got all the English translated manga, plus The Origin in Japanese, art books, trading cards, Gundam War cards, a Gundam Wing lunch box, a dozen Haros, chibi figures, a few models (I admit it), and tons random trinkets I've collected over the years.

Oh my.

Oh snap.

Well, this post was supposed to be for June 12, but I think it's getting posted on the 13th. Oops.

EDIT: Just barely made it!

Anyway, I will be making posts about each Gundam series, as well as other anime series like. Also, stay tuned tuned for a series of posts called "The Awesomeness That is..." which will focus on something awesome. The first episode will be entitled: "The Awesomeness That is Bright Noah."

How to Watch Gundam

Many people do not want to to take up the daunting task of watching all the Gundam series. Most just watch a recent series, such as Gundam SEED, and then found out, "Holy freakin' crap, there are millions of other not connected series!"

So this is my recommended way of watching Gundam. It's not the order in which I watched the series, but hey.

UNIVERSAL CENTURY

All series that follow the UC timeline:

• Mobile Suit Gundam

It's best to start with original, in my opinion. It is also wise to watch the Mobile Suit Gundam movies (I, II, and III) at this point as well. The movies are simply a compression of the series, with some added scenes and a few changes, plus a lot is reanimated. It was made a couple years later after the series, so yes, the animation is better, if you are bothered that much by the 1979 animation.

• Zeta Gundam

Also known simply as Z Gundam, it is the sequel to the original series. A year or two ago, a three movie version was released. So yes the animation in the movies are way better. I have yet to see them though, but you can watch them after the TV series. But you eyes will probably hurt when you watch Gundam ZZ.

• Gundam ZZ

Pronounced as "Gundam Double Zeta", it is, you guessed it, the sequel to Zeta Gundam. No movie version of these yet.

• Char's Counterattack

The movie sequel that closes out the original saga. (MSG through CCA have recurring characters, just so you know).

The next three are what I call the "side stories", since that's what they are. Even though they take place during and between other series, I feel that they should be watched after seeing the "original saga", because they were made later. You could choose to watch them in UC chronological order, through, but that would actually be kind of tricky (meaning you'd have to watch some of MSG, for example, then most of 08th MS Team, and then switch back to MSG, and then watch some Gundam 0080, and then switch, etc. You could watch Gundam 0083 between MSG and Zeta, though, because it actually takes place between them) . But you could watch them after MSG if you like. (They are all OVA series.)

• The 08th MS Team

There is also a "movie" version called "Miller's Report". It does not summarize the whole series, though.

• Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

• Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

There is also a movie version called "The Last Blitz of Zeon", which I haven't actually seen.

The stories that take place later on the UC timeline:

• Gundam F91 (Movie)
  

• Victory Gundam (V Gundam)

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE

Then we move over to the alternate universe series (AU). Each of these series, plus their sequels, take place on their own timeline. I think that it's best to watch them in the order that they were made (Other than sequels, of course. Watch them in order).

• G Gundam

• Gundam Wing

• Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

Sequel to Gundam Wing. There is an OVA version and a movie version. They are basically the same, only with a few changes at the very end, and different songs.

• Gundam X

• Turn A Gundam

The title is also written with an upside A.

• Gundam SEED

There are three "special editions" i.e. movie compilations of this series. Similar to the MSG movies, only small changes were made, plus a few extra scenes.

• Gundam SEED Destiny

Sequel to Gundam SEED. There are four "special editions" i.e. movie compilations of this series, which I haven't seen yet, so I cannot compare them to the series.

• Gundam SEED: Stargazer

A forty-five minute side story. There are three parts, fifteen minutes each.

• Gundam 00

Called "Gundam Double-Oh", this series is airing this fall.

There are many miscellaneous things that didn't cover here, such as SD Gundam Force (don't bother watching, in opinion), the SD Gundam series (it's a chibi parody OVA series with the cast from the original saga), G-Savior (the live action movie that I don't consider Gundam), Gundam Evolve (stand alone short episodes based off characters and mecha established in other series), and MS Igloo (which I don't know enough to tell you about).

So yeah, there's the list. Get crackin'!


EDIT 10/12/2007: There is also a new "SD Gundam" series called Gundam SEED Character Theater, which features the SEED characters as chibi.

My obsession

[A bit of disclaimer: This my view of the Gundam fandom. I'm sure that your opinion is different, but remember, different strokes for different folks. Agree to disagree. Thank you.]

Well, I was going to try and write a blog entry everyday. I'm crazy like that. Seriously. On LiveJournal, I have a entry for everyday. But I forgot to write yesterday.

Anyway, finally, I shall write about Gundam. Gundam is my main fandom. And by Gundam, I mean pretty much every Gundam series.

I'm not going to give you the complete history of how I got into Gundam. But I will describe it briefly. Like most people, I was first introduced to Gundam by Gundam Wing. Then I watched every Gundam series that was aired on Cartoon Network. And then the others through other methods...

Mobile Suit Gundam, the original series that was aired in Japan in 1979, was scorned by many Gundam Wing fans (which aired in 1995 in Japan), because of it's old animation and funky campy style. Others become extreme UC (Universal Century; the timeline used in the original saga) fans, and thought that Wing was simply a cheap remake. Although MSG easily become my favorite anime series, I still love Gundam Wing.

In fact, I came to like most Gundam series. I use most, because I'm currently watching Victory Gundam, and it's not doing that much for me. But oh well. I also still haven't seen Gundam X or Turn A Gundam yet, but I plan on watching soon.

I supposed that I am unique because I love both MSG and Gundam SEED. And yes, I liked Gundam SEED Destiny. (Mainly because a certain someone came back from the dead. Which I know is another unpopular opinion). And yes, Zeta Gundam is good, but not my favorite. Oh my.

Now, the newest Gundam series, Gundam 00 is coming out this fall. And I'm excited. Are you?

Jumping on the bandwagon

I've never been one to say, "Oh that's overrated." This is mainly because that's based on a matter of a opinion. For example, if everyone seems like it, but you don't, then you will probably say that it's overrated because you don't like it.

I think that it is also very important to actually try it before you claim that it's overrated. Who knows, maybe you will like it.

But sometimes you don't. And that's okay. I understand.

Naruto is an extremely popular anime nowadays, especially in America. Personally, I've tried to watch it several times in high school. Then, at my university's anime club, we watched two episodes a week. I stuck around, watched it, and still didn't like it. It wasn't my type of series.

However, I had written the series Bleach off as being similar. Because of this, I never actually watched any of it. But then we watched it anime club, and it slowly grew on me. Now I'm a fan. :)

There are plenty of people that didn't like the hype surrounding the Harry Potter books. I, for one, was a early fan, so I didn't really understand why people were dissing it before actually reading. I have several friends who at first hated it without even reading it, but finally tried it out, and realized that they loved it.

But sometimes, even when you have tried it, you don't like it. I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End yesterday. Now, I love, love, love the first film, but I didn't like the second one at all. It wasn't the same for me. The third one was better, but I still didn't enjoy it very much. At this current time, I'm really afraid to tell all my friends who loved it that I didn't like it, because my opinion is very unpopular. Because I don't want to hear, "How can you not love it?"

Sometimes we jump on the bandwagon, and sometimes we don't.

I <3 Miaka Yuuki

Fushigi Yuugi is one of my all-time favorite anime series. (Actually, I'm a really big fan of Yuu Watase's works). And guess what? I have no problem with Miaka. In fact, Miaka is my favorite character.

For most people, it seems, Miaka is too whiny for them to handle, and promptly stop watching the series, because she is too annoying. But it doesn't bother me in most cases. In fact, I am typically the fangirl of that whiny character. Sailor Moon anyone? Usagi's my favorite character in that as well. I'd rather watch a series with a main character like Miaka, rather than one like Haruhi Suzumiya (no offense to all the Haruhi fans out there - I will admit that I didn't see the whole series).

But as I said in my last post, different strokes for different folks. So people out there, don't just go, "I HATE MIAKA!!one." Please have an intelligent debate over her character flaws, and realize that some people actually like her, and that they feel that their opinion is not being respected. But also, we must respect the people that don't like her as well, and don't go around going, "OMG, how can you not like her?!eleven". Remember that it goes both ways.

Growing Out of Anime

I supposed that for some, liking anime is simply a phase that one goes through. For a period of time, anime is your passion, and then you "grow out of it". One of my friends, for example, is done with anime. She just didn't stop watching it; she pretty much cutting all ties to it. Selling all her manga and anime merchandise, leaving all internet communities related to it, etc.

While I understand why she's doing it, and while I understand that she has no interest in anime anymore, I highly doubt I will ever "grow out" of liking anime.

I think that for some, such as my friend, it really a phase. But for others, such as myself, it's a part of my life, like TVs and movies.

And there is nothing wrong with that. Different strokes for different folks.

First Post, yay!

Hello, blogging world!

My name is Kristen, but I go by Mirai on the internet. I am a major geek and whatnot, and yeah.

I have used for LiveJournal for, gosh, four years, but I haven't actually had a real blog.

Anyway, my Japanese professor encouraged us to make blogs to stay in touch over the summer. Well, I was already logged into my Gmail account, so I decided to make two separate blogs - one for the fandom side of me, and one for Japanese. So this is the fandom side.

I am still unsure what to put here, because, as I said before, I use LiveJournal, and therefore type most of my Gundam rants and whatnot there. But I will find a use for this one day, I promise.

Bye for now!

~Mirai :)