Gundam | Animated Observations

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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The world of anime, especially when it comes to genres like sci-fi and fantasy, can often revolve around big flashy moments and fight scenes. Mecha anime, in particular, utilize their giant robots as not just points of literal conflict but symbolic conflict as well.

Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the most historic in terms of its themes surrounding war and the costs thereof. Given the nature of its combat involving giant war machines, seems logical that these questions would arise. The latest of its incarnations, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, however, arguably does a bit more to differentiate itself in this lane than some of its peers.

Despite wanting to talk about this show a bit more in-depth, my friend and I’s group watch of the series has only gotten through the first season, and thus there is probably a lot that could be missing from any analysis. Still, there is so much in this series worth talking about, and since most of my attention has been elsewhere recently, it feels like good a time as any before reviewing the series properly once it finishes. As such, the things highlighted in this post will relate primarily to season one.

There is a lot of charming optimism to be found in young anime protagonists. Many of them fight not just because they have to but because they believe doing so will bring about some sort of good in the world. While Naruto spends a good portion of his own story hated by the people around him, he rarely gives up hope in favor of a darker outlook. The same can be said of Gon in Hunter x Hunter, though the show’s more angry, rage filled moments certainly provide a stark contrast. Hell, one of the most famous mecha series of all time Gurren Lagann is known for its main character’s eternally optimistic attitude.

The Witch from Mercury approaches its story similarly with Suletta, a young girl who comes from the outskirts of the solar system and who’s parents were involved with a biological weapon’s program known as GUND. Despite Suletta’s shy personality, her outlook is decidedly positive, often reciting her mother’s mantra “retreat and take one step, move forward and take two steps.” On top of that, her generally friendly personality makes her approachable later on.

Given many MC’s tendency towards positivity and straightforward thinking, shows often develop a sense of black and white morality that leaves little room for exploring ideas in any sort of nuanced way. However, Suletta’s storyline buckles this trend in ways that make it stand out as a more subtle narrative.

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The ending of season one might have felt like a bit of a surprise to some, but the show leaves enough clues in earlier episode that its more murderous direction is not at all unwarranted. The show draws a lot of attention to her early on, not just by making her the main character, but by making her the only character from a business family without a set of ulterior motives. While everyone else’s kid serves as a puppet for one of the businesses in the group, Suletta seemingly remains mission-less.

However, it is the seeming lack of a deeper derision between Suletta and her mom that becomes suspicious, especially framed within the context of her mom’s actions. This is especially apparent in episode 12, where it takes all of 20 seconds for her mom to use that same motto “retreat and and take one step, move forward and take two steps” to essentially convince Suletta that murder is ok. This is, of course, assuming that the masked woman is even her mom which feels less and less certain as the episodes roll on.

Not so surprisingly, the concept of witches comes in the show as well. The fantastical beings have their origins in a number of places but in recent times have been mythologized as much more evil. The Salem Witch Trials in the U.S. are a great example of how hysteria created by religious fervor fueled many into believing in these being and has since become so famous as to become a parable about delivering false accusations against others.

The invocation of this event and the history of witch hunts is utilized quite well in the series. Given the taboo nature of the GUND format and people as biological weapons piloting gundams, it is no surprise that Suletta’s fellow classmates take to her robot’s mysterious powers with a bit of fear. Though the fear is initially framed as unfounded and irrational on the part of the students, it is slowly revealed that the technology not only still exists but is possibly still worth pursuing.

A lot of this is also scene from the perspective of Miorine, especially in the previously mentioned episode 12 final scene, who watches Suletta’s development. The dynamic between the two changes drastically, both in the whole of the first season as well as when she murders Miorine’s assailant. What in her eyes were annoying, unfounded rumors about her…wife (I’ll save talking about this dynamic for the review proper) becomes founded in a near instant.

The Witch from Mercury does not feel the need to spell out a lot of its larger points. Part of this might be its attachment to the legacy of Gundam which at this point feels like it needs little explanation. However, a lot of it feels like trust in a more mature audience, one that is able to handle not just layered and nuanced storytelling but also queer relationships and the ethically dilemma that is warfare.

How do you all feel about the series so far? Let me know in the comments (preferably without spoilers from season 2).

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As always, special thanks to Jenn for supporting the blog on Patreon.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

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Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

After putting up my What Else Should You Watch: Doctor Stone post a few weeks ago, I again thought about the kinds of posts how I have not done in a while, and I settled on a first impressions, if for nothing else than because its kind of an easier one to write while I am dealing with end of the semester stuff. For this first impressions, I am taking a look at a show that was put on Netflix only recently, but has been given a lot of critical acclaim for a while, that being Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans

Iron-Blooded Orphans, like many of its Gundam counterparts, takes place in a world after great destruction. In its case, the Calamity War, a battle between earth and its outer colonies in space, ended in the division of earth into four separate economic blocks. Mars, meanwhile, is in deplorable conditions, and its people are quickly signing on to the idea of Independence from Earth. Kudelia Bernstein, an aristocrat representing the independence movement, decides to enlist the help of the CGS, a local military branch. However, her sense of security is somewhat short-lived, as Gjallarhorn, the organization responsible for keeping peace in the universe, attempts to assassinate her. Despite the attempt, Mikazuki Angus and Orga Itsuka, along with many other child soldiers working under the organization, pull together to help defend her.

Now, I will get this out of the way upfront: I am in no way an expert on Gundam, so what I say after this point is going to apply to this series only. I do not want to generalize to much and then have Scott tell me I am wrong. Anyway, onto the rest of it.

After watching three episodes of Iron-Blooded Orphans, I can say for sure that the series is not boring. While it sticks to a lot of science fiction convention, even from the first couple of episodes it has an extremely ambitious vision of the story it wants to tell. One of the good parts about it right of the bat is its main characters, Mikazuki and Orga. The first scene of the first episode shows the two of them struggling to survive, even having to kill someone to do so. The desperation of their situation becomes immediately apparent, and so its makes sense why they ended up joining a military organization, even as kids. Another important thing that first scene shows is the dynamic between the two of them. Mikazuki is very much someone who will whatever Orga asks him to, even killing someone. This kind of dynamic is both immediately concerning, and also hints at what might come later on.

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The story also alludes to a lot of other important themes early on, such as poverty. Orga, Mikazuki, along with many of the other kids at CGS, came from desperate situations where they were on the brink of dying in the streets. To escape this suffering, they did what they thought they had to and joined the military, if for nothing else than the basics of food, water, and shelter.

For as much as I try and put my own taste aside when talking about the artistic merit of a series, it is not always easy, and while I have enjoyed certain mecha series in the past it is not a genre that generally peeks my interest. I mainly took a look at Iron-Blooded Orphans as a way to test my own waters, so to speak. However, as it turns out, I am still not much of a fan of the idea of giants robots slamming each other into the dust, at least not under normal circumstances.

One thing that is worthy of criticism outside of personal preference though are the character designs. Specifically, the way the character designs clash with the feel of the story being told. Iron-Blooded Orphans is clearly trying to show us the gritty reality of its main characters, from murder, to betrayal, it wants to capture all of the feelings and actions involved with life at war. Which is why it is strange that the characters all still look like they are supposed to be in a shounen series. I would say that normally this does not bother me as much, but Iron-Blooded Orphans is aggressive in how much it wants to be taken seriously, and so the clash is much more noticeable.

Suffice it to say that I will likely not continue the series, or if I do it might just be a few more episodes. While there is probably a lot of good left to be found in the show, it frankly just does not appeal to me much and the clash between its characters design and its tone will probably throw me off the whole way through.

How do you all feel about Iron-Blooded Orphans? Let me know in the comments below.