TURN A TURN

Finally, I have seen every Gundam series! Well, until Gundam 00 debuts in October.

Turn A Gundam wasn't as weird as I was expecting. It certainly had it's weird times, though. Tomino, as was every alternate universe Gundam series director, was striving for something different. And he definitely made something different.

This series often lacks the typical Gundam feeling I get from other Gundam series. It's post-apocalyptic is definitely one of the causes. However, this is one of the keys to making it an alternate universe. While a lot of the themes were similar to other Gundam series, the presentation was unique. I think that one has to watch this series with an open mind to fully appreciate it. I know that I didn't, though, which was my own problem.

However, I did like it better than Victory Gundam, because the majority of the cast was happy at the end. And I decided that I like Harry and Kihel. :)

Being bad once again

So, I forgot to update yesterday. And I am totally blanking on what I want to blog about for this week.

But I promise a real update something this week! I promise!

Kristen's Being a Bad Girl

Sorry, no real blog post from me today. I having to write a research paper on the Basques, and damn, I still need 600 words. So no blogging today.

See you next week!

Me no likey at all

According to Gunota (the most awesome Gundam news blog ever - check it out), Gundam 00 is going to be split into two, a la Code Geass. I do not like this idea whatsoever. You do not split Gundam into two. It is one of the Ten Commandments. Thou shall not split Gundam.

Not to mention, and I'm just going to say this - I don't like Code Geass. I watched it for awhile, and then decided that it wasn't my cup of tea. But now there's going to be even more comparisons between it and Gundam 00. And I don't want that.

I actually in a really poopy mood (yes, I know that this deserves to go in my LiveJournal, but whatever). There's the splitting thing, and I've been having to defend my love for Morning Musume and Hello!Project. Yes, I'm a fan, and no, I'm not a perv. And then there is the eternal debate over rather Mwu should have stayed dead in Gundam SEED Destiny. I'm a Murrue x Mwu fan, so I think you already know my answer. But it's an old argument that I don't plan on writing about, at least for now.

The Awesomeness that is Bright Noah

So, I said that I was going to do this, and since I cannot remember what I was planning for today's entry, I decided it was time to make this post instead.

Let's begin!
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Bright Noah, in Gundam ZZ

Mobile Suit Gundam was the second Gundam series I ever saw. I won't get into the particulars, because that is for it's own entry. Anyway, around the fifth episode, I said, "Man, I really like that Bright guy." And that's when it began.

Most anime fans my age don't really get way I obsessed over this guy. Naturally, he couldn't be hot, because he was first drawn and created in the 1970s. And according to most anime fans these days, nothing good came out of the '70s. But this isn't an essay about that, nor should I be stereotyping.

While I admit that Bright is not bishounen (not to mention he's too old to be one), I think he's a well drawn character, ie, good looking. But I have other reasons for liking him as well.

We first meet Bright Noah in the first episode of Mobile Suit Gundam. He's only (supposed to be) 19 years old, and he's already an ensign in the Earth Federation Space Forces. With Bright starts the Gundam archetype of the captain - thrust into the role after the original captain dies, leaving him to control a motley crew, and keep the angst-ridden Gundam pilot in check.

To many casual viewers, Bright can be considered to violent. He is known for what many fans have nicknamed "the Bright Slap". Sometimes it's used as a verb, such as "I wish that someone would Bright Slap Shinn." Or, "Shinn deserves a Bright Slap". Perhaps Bright is a little to slap happy, but I see it as someone acting their age. Bright supposed to be 19, people. He has to act like an adult the rest of the time, but it makes since that his immunity sneaks out a bit. Bright is also sometimes considered stern and/or stoic, and therefore not as interesting as Amuro or Char.

However, I remain infatuated. Bright, in most elitist Gundam circles, is a fan favorite. And not just because of the slapping. He is considered by many to be the best captain in all of Gundam. Although he might not seem like it at first, up deep down, Bright's really a compassionate guy, trying to do the right thing.

It's impossible for me to mention Bright without mentioning Mirai Yashima. Part of the reason that was so interested in him was because of his relationship with the ship's second-in-command. I admit that I am a romantic at heart, and therefore am often more obsessed with the romance story lines than I am the political part of the plot. I will, however, leave this for another post, as I feel that Bright and Mirai are one of the top Gundam couples of all time.

As Zeta Gundam comes around, Bright has grown. Although he has mellowed some bit, he is still the kick-ass captain he was in the original series. He's nicknamed the Eternal Captain, because he never sustained any major injuries (nor dies) throughout the entire original UC saga. Also, he appears in Gundam ZZ, whereas Amuro and Char do not.

I realize that I am not painting a very clear picture as to why Bright Noah is awesome. That's because it is just too hard to pinpoint his awesomeness. Thus, I suggest that find out for yourself!

The voice says it all.

The cast for Gundam 00 is out. The guy who played Tamaki in Ouran High Host Club and Light in Death Note is voicing Setsuna, which could be either good or bad. Good, because I love Tamaki, and bad, because I hate Light. And Tiera is a guy, since the dude who played Takemoto in Honey and Clover is playing him. I thought that maybe he was going to end up being a girl, uncover as a boy. But I thought wrong. Lockon's seiyuu is the same guy that voices Urahara on Bleach. It seems like a good fit, based off of how Lockon looks. :)

I'm back.

Okay, I've been back for awhile, but now I really am going to post things.

I'm still trudging along with Turn A Gundam. It just doesn't seem like a Gundam series to me, sorry. I understand that a lot of people think it's awesome, but perhaps leaving it for last has led to have certain expectations when it comes to Gundam.

That being said, let's take a look at Gundam 00.

First, check out the info on Gunota, and form your own opinion.

Okay, now for mine:

*I already don't like that the captain of the ship isn't really a "captain". Reminds me too much of Bright and Murrue. And while I love them to death, I'd really like the captain to be different. Well, Murrue is very different in character from Bright. But I was kind of wishing for a more Gundam X set up in the way of captain. While it seems that the captain-lady is non-military, she's got this (I'm just going to say it), "I've got to be sexier than Murrue!1" vibe I don't like. But this is bad, since the captain character is often my favorite.

* All the girls seem to be boobalicious. Fanservice much?

*Other character's include a celebrity (Lacus, anyone) and a princess (because you can't have Gundam without one). The fact that there is a celebrity and a princess is waaaaay too SEED for me. The celebrity is Chinese and aged 17. The princess is luckily 24. We've also got some students in there (SEED again?!)

*Haro (yes, Haro) is yellow-orange in this series Mobile Suit Gundam size, and is... wait for it... Lockon's partner! Lockon's the oldest and he gets the Haro! At least the Haro's in every timeline, go to different types of characters. Maybe he will tell Haro his secrets, LOL.

Well, I'm going to try and watch this series with an open mind, but that's going to be hard.

~Mirai