Mobile Suit Gundam 00 - <<Season 1>>

[Keith]

Thanks Graham, I was trying to think of what those character designs were reminding me of.

So far, I'm open, as I've watched damn near every other incarnation of Gundam. Though I can't say I like the spinning top on the back of the main Gundam, or the big jewel shaped main camera's.

[UN_MARINE]

hmm... looks like another super-trendy, over-flashy & shallow show w/ even more derivative designs...

no thanks.

somehow, after 08th, Stardust, Sentinel & AoZ, nothing lives up to the standard anymore

[azrael]

hmm... looks like another super-trendy, over-flashy & shallow show w/ even more derivative designs...

somehow, after 08th, Stardust, Sentinel & AoZ, nothing lives up to the standard anymore

Hey, this is what kids go for these days. This show isn't targeting UC fans or SEED fans, but middle school/freshman high schoolers of today.

[kalvasflam]

They're not abandoning Seed. The movie is in the works. Their looking at a 2008 release.

I would like one of the following two characters: Kira or Athrun to die a horrible death within the first five minutes of the film. The have the rest of the movie on flashbacks about the dead character. Ha ha, that'll make it both a fairly dramatic departure from the usual, and the same 'ol thing as far as Seed is concerned.

But oddly enough, done under the right circumstances, it can work very well.

[UN_MARINE]

this is what kids go for these days. This show isn't targeting UC fans or SEED fans, but middle school/freshman high schoolers of today.

that's what i mean, it gotten so mainstream, & 'for kids today' it's lost substance.

kinda like 'Bayformers'

it's not like i hate it or anything, i just see it like a downward spiral or something

i'm pretty sure i'm gonna get to watch a couple of episodes too, so who's to say?

...but the spinny, top-like thingy's something i could do without. it's gotta go

[Seven]

Turn A had the "mustache", 00 has the "top spinny thingy."

[azrael]

Among having a weird backpack design, beam saber sockets on the shoulder armor, some people have noticed that the V-fin appears to lower, covering the eyes and reveal what appears to be a independent targeting camera in place of the regular head camera. So yes, lots of weird "thingies" in this show.

But oddly enough, done under the right circumstances, it can work very well.

As long as the higher-ups stay out of trying to influence the story, anything is possible.

[GRAND CANNON]

More Gunota info:

MS Gundam 00 official press releases

From Sotsu Agency's official website, the press release for Mobile Suit Gundam 00, the 12th Gundam TV series and the first to be broadcast in Hi-Def. The premise is given as follows:

"The setting is Earth 300 years from the present day, in 2307 AD. The series depicts the protagonist, Setsuna F. Seiei, who pilots a mobile suit (Gundam Excia) for a mysterious private militia (Celestial Being), going against a whole world where conflicts never cease and the struggle to eradicate war."

Bandai Namco's press release says the first Gundam 00 plamodel, the 1/144 Gundam Excia, comes in September. Outside of Gunpla, expect a slew of merchandising including figures, candy toys, vending machine stuff, apparel, video games, mobile content, and DVD & video.

¶ 11:26 PM

Newtype Gundam 00 news

The staff:

Director - Seiji Mizushima

Series Composition - Yousuke Kuroda

Character design - Yun Kouga

Animation character design - Michinori Chiba

Mechanic design - Kunio Okawara, Kanetake Ebikawa, Takayuki Yanase

Mechanic concept design - Hitoshi Fukuchi, Kenji Teraoka

Animation mechanic design - Seiichi Nakatani

The main Gundam seems to be the Gundam Excia.

¶ 8:57 PM

Edited June 5, 2007 by GRAND CANNON

[Fort Max]

So Kunio is still designing, I wondered if those were the work of someone else.

[kensei]

Turn A had the "mustache", 00 has the "top spinny thingy."

Like a hermit crab.

[azrael]

So Kunio is still designing, I wondered if those were the work of someone else.

Kunio doesn't really do much design these days. A few suits here and there. He just makes them more Gundam-ish. Most of the principal work is done by a different artist.

And this is starting to feel more Wing/X/FMP-ish. I can see at the end that it will be 2 large groups fighting and the Gundams getting into the middle of it all.

[kensei]

Overall though, the animation style looks SEEDish.

The Gundams looks less like Kunio's, the eyes are a lot smaller, the faces are styled differently too. It certainly reminds me of Gundam Wing, which I didn't like at all, much more less than SEED.

When there was only the teaser video, I thought that the Gundam had a mustache, the V fins were a bit low, but thankfully that was not the case.

[azrael]

Some info from Newtype (via AnimeSuki.com):

Setsuna Seiei:

A Gundam Meister for Celestial Being. He grew up in the war torn middle east and was discovered by Celestial Being at the age of 14 to have the special potential as a pilot. He doesn't speak much and comes off as a cool young man. He is now 16 years old.

I sense a blend of the Wing boys here.

The translated name of his Gundam is Gundam Excia.

Celestial Being:

The mysterious organization that strives to end all wars and change the world with only 4 Mobile Suits. Aside from the aim to put an end to all warfare, they have no ties to any government, is strictly non-profit and subscribes to no particular ideology.

Mithril?

MS-GUNDAM:

Super weapons created independantly by Celestial Being, they are a second-generation technology compared to anything the two superpowers in the world have to offer. They are machines made to take out entire armies individually.

I'm getting that Wing and Mithril-feeling. One group of people seem to have the best toys....

Solar Generator:

A top secret technology being researched, this is the common name for the Energy source GN Drive. When mass is destroyed without the discharge of gun particles, a great amount of positron and photon are generated. Smaller units have also been designed, and the special advantage is the non-generation of excess heat. The GUNDAM units are powered with this technology.

Here's our Minovsky drives.

GN Particles:

A sort of mutation neutrion discovered by chance, it is the origin of the research behind the GN Drive. When the GN Drive is in operation, these particles are automatically generated. When they're in the air they have the special property of shutting down all radar systems completely.

Minovsky particles.

The director Mizushima also makes a few comments about the direction the show is taking. Apparently the decision to set the show in 2307 AD is to force a sense of realism into the series and a stronger connection to our real world. Since it follows the same timeline as ours, the worldview and settings will be more similar to the real world than that of a standard Gundam series, which is a new direction they're aiming for. There also appears to be two major superpower factions in the world: The Union (America leading Japan, Canada and Australia) and People's Reform Federation (rough translation) comprised of mainly China, Russia and India.

Sounds like we'll be lite on space colonies...

[Black Valkyrie]

Gundam Excia looks feminine. I wonder if the series has any connection to the UC, since its calender is AD (just an opinion).

[Ginrai]

I wonder if the series has any connection to the UC, since its calender is AD (just an opinion).

Huh? That is not an opinion, that is a question.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Lots of people are throwing around the idea that it is FMP-ish.

But remember that the whole fighting for peace idea, was in the gundam zeta story when aeug could no longer tie themselves to the Federation due to it being power hungry and cruel (ie The Elite Titans were eee-vil).

So yeah I can see the connection, but the idea of gundam fighting for justice and peace and to end wars (not just for a particular country based on race, nationality) that was actually a part of Gundam all along. (difference in the newer kiddy gundam shows is that the kids are heroes instead of ordinary people who whine everytime they kill something Maybe due to the number of things the overpowered weapon can kill simultaneously - "SDF1 buster cannon of death" making everything explode without a need to engage in a proper gunfight)

Zeta is a part of UC too you know..

Edited June 5, 2007 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[azrael]

But remember that the whole fighting for peace idea, was in the gundam zeta story when aeug could no longer tie themselves to the Federation due to it being power hungry and cruel (ie The Elite Titans were eee-vil).

Not really. The AEUG was more of a resistance group against the corruption of the Titans. The AEUG is more along the lines of rebellion rather than peace. The AEUG is the opposing force against the Titans. It sounds as if Celestial Being is putting itself between 2 opposing forces and bringing about a forced peace. This is similar to the FMP-concept of Mithril or the Gundam pilots from Wing, or the Three-Ship Alliance in SEED (not GSD). It's a clear 3rd party who is stepping in between 2 opposing sides.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I see what you mean but when key members of people who fought for the feds join it, the line is blurred a bit.

from gundamofficial:

http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds/uc/ba...tions.html#aeug

----------------------

AEUG

An anti-Federation movement which opposes the oppressive tactics of the Federation's elite Titans taskforce. The AEUG's ultimate political agenda is to reform the corrupt Earth Federation government, but after the Colony 30 Incident of U.C. 0085, the organization becomes focused on the more urgent task of fighting the Titans with military force.

Many AEUG members are dissident Federation Forces officers, including its leader Commodore Blex Forer and his trusted advisor Lieutenant Quattro Bajeena. Its primary sponsor is the lunar manufacturing corporation Anaheim Electronics, and the group is supported by the space colonies of Side 2 and many of the lunar cities. The AEUG also maintains a secret base at the Sweetwater colony, where its flagship Argama was constructed. [Zeta Gundam]

--------------------------------------------------------

The goal maybe to oppose titans but only so long as the titans are within the federation itself as their elite soldiers.... The idea is very similar imo. The gundam represents freedom, like a noble knight fighting for ideals (freedom, peace) vs a soldier hired to kill things for a specific group. (even though all the robots are based upon the design)

It's like the jedi in star wars who can't just be used for selfish reasons or be considered as a soldier. They try to maintain that image of fighting for freedom. When the republic fell that freedom was lost and they became "rebels" to the emperor who many will sympathise with.

I just think of Zeta gundam more than I do FMP. You could say that mithril is just AEUG at a different time. The goal to me is very similar: to whine that people are killing each other and that killing won't solve problems, just make them worse which mean we got to use force to avoid making problems worse. (megaweapons of mass destruction are created and used by one single dominant side which then causes a global cataclsym if two sides have them and are prepared to actually use them, instead of only to threaten to use them) If the "good guys" allow balance: both sides are capable of defense through "a threat to use them" but not likely to want to actually use the Weapons of mass destruction which takes out all the innocent civilians who had nothing to do with it, and choosing instead, to communicate their problems, then there is more hope for long term peace. (and after this is achieved: then you can destroy the gundams like at the end of Wing or just reduce their manufacture, so that their immense power doesn't end up falling into the wrong hands)

*I think the theme of communication is the important thing about the newtypes in the story. They are the sensitive new age hippy with all the answers where the insensitives ones (us normal people) are the bad guys. Because the newtypes sense "people's feelings" they are better communicators and why the female characters love the charismatic (char) noble type characters in the story. Every single show has this same theme even ones where there is no mention of psychic powers. You could say that the good newtype is like charles xavier in x-men (trying to fight for peaceful co-existence, not consider by the audience as a "military organisation" just like how AEUG were easier on discipline compared to the government military) and the BAD new type is like the kid in "Akira" who wants to use his powers to "teach us a lesson" through their divine punishments on humanity as if they were God sitting on the throne to judge us all. (even though they went through some childhood abuse or some horrifying event to become how they are so we feel sorry for them having to die because we now feel they were forced to go that path due to their unique circumstances)

Edited June 5, 2007 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Fort Max]

Mithril only put down terrorists though, they weren't trying to stop entire armies with one machine.

These Gundams are sounding even more supahrobot ish then Destiny's ridiculous upgrade suits.

Still with FMA's director helming it I'm hopeful for a pleasant surprise.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

The thing that stood out for me in seed is the sexy female captains with a bit of bounce. That will get me to watch. Sexy females with nice breasts that bounce when the ship gets hit or crashes into something, in a nice sexy military uniform with lots of fan service. Will those be in it? I remember in the commentary to macross how the only reason there was an all female crew who sat higher up in the bridge was so you could get a nice look at their booty.

Edited June 5, 2007 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Phyrox]

I watch giant robot shows because, well, I ain't got no giant robot.

I don't watch fan-service lameness because, well, I do got a girl.

[wolfx]

Gundam Excia looks feminine. I wonder if the series has any connection to the UC, since its calender is AD (just an opinion).

Isn't UC years measured in....UC....not AD?

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I watch giant robot shows because, well, I ain't got no giant robot.

I don't watch fan-service lameness because, well, I do got a girl.

What about a sexy female pilot of a giant robot with bounce? Maybe something like the girl in that "war in the pocket" ova?

Edited June 5, 2007 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[kensei]

Isn't UC years measured in....UC....not AD?

It's considered to be an alternate universe. I think if you read the passage Azrael supplied, the director wanted to place it in the future that more relates to a more contemporary setting. Whatever the hell that means.....as if we're gonna develop anything half as good as a Gundam in the near future.

[wolfx]

It's considered to be an alternate universe. I think if you read the passage Azrael supplied, the director wanted to place it in the future that more relates to a more contemporary setting. Whatever the hell that means.....as if we're gonna develop anything half as good as a Gundam in the near future.

No you got me wrong....i was questioning BlackValkyrie's theory that this new anime is a UC storyline because the year is told in AD.

I wanted to point out that if its UC, the year will be something like 0080, 0081, 0082 etc. This is in AD which is close to our future i guess. Though it could be argued this is the prequel to UC....i 'm not a gundam nut enough to know what's happening before Gundam.

[kensei]

No you got me wrong....i was questioning BlackValkyrie's theory that this new anime is a UC storyline because the year is told in AD.

I wanted to point out that if its UC, the year will be something like 0080, 0081, 0082 etc. This is in AD which is close to our future i guess. Though it could be argued this is the prequel to UC....i 'm not a gundam nut enough to know what's happening before Gundam.

No you got me wrong, cause I was trying to quote both of you, but that feature has been disabled.

[Fort Max]

I can't remember what year Tomino decided that the Universal Century started from, if someone knows then that would clear up this arguement in a flash.

Either way, how could it be a prequel to UC when these Gundams are already far in advance of old Grandaddy RX-78.

[Tinderfitles]

After watching some of the trailers and reading some of the comments i have to admit that i am not in the least bit shocked in this move. The original Gundam, even Zeta Gundam, recieved low marks on the ratings scale while shoes like Gundam Seed/destiny, and Wing recieved alot higher response, so you can say if the formula for printing money with gundams aint broke dont fix it. So its no real shock to me that they went with the "end all wars" theme again.

However what concerns me is the current trend in the Gundam Universe, and that is that the pilots are fighting not to end a conflict (like 0079, 0080, 0083, Zeta, Double Zeta) but bring about an end to all conflict. This is troubling because pretty soon there going to back themselves in a corner on how many realities can we make using this thin string to connect them (sting being the common term gundam and there acceptance as giant mecha) without becoming completely stale, unoriginal, and uninspiring. Gundam was originally about a kid, just like any other, who activates a mobile suit and becomes a piviotal hero in stoping the deadliest war in human history. Zeta, was more about the transition from a rebellious youth to a soldier, and that not everyone makes it alive in war, you lose friends it just happens. Double Zeta, same concept as zeta except with more teenage rebellion and of course random fruit fights in docking areas. etc. etc.

I hold some gundam shows in the same respect as Macross, and the rest i give the same respect i would to a cheap canadian, Funimation funded sub of an anime.

[wolfx]

Either way, how could it be a prequel to UC when these Gundams are already far in advance of old Grandaddy RX-78.

Here's Deus Ex Machina to you.

LOSTO TECHNOLOGY!

[F-ZeroOne]

No you got me wrong, cause I was trying to quote both of you, but that feature has been disabled.

Edit: Oops, replied to wrong post...! Please ignore.

Edited June 6, 2007 by F-ZeroOne

[Black Valkyrie]

The reason I`ve mention it cuz I read (I think it was at MAHQ.net) that 0001 UC started on 2045 AD. I even if I`m wrong, I`m expecting a surprise.

.

.

.

.

.

MSGZZ

MSG00

[azrael]

Talk about a long list of contributing mecha designers (confirmed by the Sotsu Agency)...

Kunio Okawara, Kanetake Ebikawa (Full Metal Panic!, Vandread), Takayuki Yanase (Toward the Terra… television series, Zegapain), Hitoshi Fukuchi (Blue Gender, Double Fake: Under the Gundam manga), Kenji Teraoka (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Great Dangaioh).

Seiichi Nakatani (Planetes) will adapt the designs for animation.

[Fort Max]

It's quite a lot of talent too, Speaking of talent, have they announced anything regarding music yet?

I'd love to see Eureka Sevens composer working his magic in Gundam.

[ChrisG]

The reason I`ve mention it cuz I read (I think it was at MAHQ.net) that 0001 UC started on 2045 AD. I even if I`m wrong, I`m expecting a surprise.

G-Saviour claimed that the UC calendar started in 2045 AD, but now G-Saviour is considered Alternate UC and not part of the main continuity. There have been all sorts of claims over the years of when UC officially starts, but there's no official number. Besides, it has no bearing on 00 since there's no UC connection.

[Black Valkyrie]

Thanks for the clarification. Oh well.