The Official Gundam 00 Season 2 Thread Mk VI

[skyknight]

I was withholding from doing any post for the last 2 weeks, as to fully embrace for the finale. Man, it was one of the best final ep in anime, we get to see one heck of a final battle, first with the most powerful MS on both sides, then finish it off with the old MS from S1: 0 Gundam vs Gundam Exia, a strange way to complete the circle. This was a good and an ironic role for Tohru Furuya to play, much better especially when compared to the script for Ikeda Shuuichi for SEED Destiny; I do think Ribbons is one of the interesting villains in Gundam, but not the best.

Ribbons Cannon, I thought it was a joke referring back to the Guncannon (look at the scene when it first show up!), but guess what? Its a two-face MS (what's a better term for its duality?) that's also a Gundam with TWO fake-GN drives! I thought Ribbons Cannon as the fusion 2 Gundam units: Seravee + Sefer Rasiel. Now I wonder how this MS will work in action figures and gunpla?

So I guess this is the Gundam series that was brave enough for the possibility of encounters with extraterrestrial lifeforms, something that SEED may have attempted to approach but gave up (anyone here remember Evidence 01?)

As for the ending, I did think it was appropriate enough, it is not a "happy ever after," but "what can we do." The EF has reform itself for the better, while A-Laws is wiped out, as Homer commits seppuku, which was the path that Graham didn't choose. Billy may have found peace with himself and Semuraigi , with Graham looking behind as well (don't know how his face looks due to the shadow). Marina finally has the answer for Setsuna, and is ready to lead her people, which is quite fitting for the relationship that both have: as big-sister to young man looking for the right path.

Kati gets the right position, along with Patty! Andrei, which I was glad that he wasn't killed, finally understands the people that his parents were, and tries to do his best in maintaining world peace. Saji and Louisse will have their own private time together, both being mature through the events that have happened from S1, as they are fully aware of the world. Al and Marie walks away from battlefield, to find peace of their own, while Tierra is ready for humanity's next step. Kyle has accepted his role as a Gundam Meister. And Setsuna is without a doubt the team leader of CB.

Only a few things that I didn't like about 00, minimal development for secondary characters from S1 (Ali, Wang, Nena...), some predictable moments (thou Lockon's hearing of Anew's voice ended the life of Ali!), and a fast pacing. But make no mistake, this is one of the best Gundam series ever, and I wonder what lays ahead for us in the 2010 movie?

Also, for those whom fully follow the side stories of 00, what areas did the side story covered?

[Wingnut]

Did they show us or imply who took out that Realdo pilot who encountered the Thrones that Kinue was going to interview?

No, they didn't. Although it really wasn't all that important apparently as there were several people who would want his mouth shut permanently and any one of them could have done or ordered the job done. All of which save for Ali and Ribbons were dead by the end of season 1 too BTW. Plus the writers had bigger fish to fry, so to speak, and probably couldn't spare the screen time to explain who offed the poor guy.

[Kavik Ryx]

For such an impersonal series, the ending was pretty damn engaging. No matter how good a final episode is, many of them fail to capture the intensity and the momentum of what the series has been building up to. This is one of the few Gundam endings that managed to pull it off along with SEED and X. Definitely the most awesome battle in 00, and fresh with new footage. The scene with the 0 and the Exia in one final duel was symbolic in its own right, even if it was little more than fanserivce.

With regards to the epilogue, it's kind of nice to get happy endings, well, 100%. What made it work was kind of similar to X with people being able to move on. And it did in series beg the question of how long this peace will last. Luckily we'll have a scheduled movie to witness the final results of The Plan.

With 00 all wrapped up until '10, I guess all that's left is some analysis. As a series, rather good in its own respects. As a Gundam, kind of middle of the road, but in a good way. It is certainly has been the most mature Gundam with an actual sense of what it wanted to be and where it wanted to go. Aside from Patrick's survival record and the Fanservice Gundam, there were really no bouts of self pleasure. It was also nice to have a series where each faction or design philosophy got its own mecha designer, which helped to make the world seem more real, and not in the brown and gray sense. Yeah, things got convoluted at times, and I mean a lot, the way things transgress is logical.

That all being said, the show is not without its flaws, if you would pardon the insanely cliched way to being this paragraph. The characters were the biggest issue. Despite growing a liking towards them and there being some real development here and there, there was this real emotional disconnect. And then there were the absolutely useless ones, like what Marina seemed like, or the ones who were so incidental that they could have been easily replaced, which much of the supporting cast was. The battles were cool, but hampered by the fact that the main characters would get out with only a few scratches and a broken limb. The staff really didn't seem to have the balls to kill anyone off. And finally, it is just, so, convoluted. While I could make sense of most of it, most people are probably going to see it as little more than circular logic. Also, I can kind of tell what the 00 was supposed to do. But did it actually succeed in serving its overall purpose, or did it blow up before that was possible?

Irregardless, 00 is still a solid 7/10, which will hopefully allow for future series to walk away from past cliches that this one unfortunately couldn't.

[jam!]

[quote]Also, I can kind of tell what the 00 was supposed to do. But did it actually succeed in serving its overall purpose, or did it blow up before that was possible? /quote]

I think 00 achieved its purpose. The true innovator has arisen thanks to the TDS and world peace has been stablized...for now.

00 ranks highly in my opinion as both a series and a Gundam series. I'd watch it over ad nauseum. Only the Gaga bit makes me cringe. I think they shattered more cliches than used them. It was quite acceptable than they put in fanservice. It shows they recognize the diehard UC fans however they didn't insult those fans by using blatant ripoffs (though the 0 Gundam is really no better than the ZAKU from SEED, it was handled better)

[Recon 5]

I just realized that with the O they managed to pull off the most extreme example of foreshadowing in the history of anime.

[Renegade334]

Al and Marie walks away from battlefield, to find peace of their own

I pretty much thought they were going on a pilgrimage. With the long line of hikers walking towards some monument/church, the entire setting resembles the real-life travel to Santiago de Compostella or whatever other area of pilgrimage exists in this world. Since he was named after a token/cry of joy towards God, I can understand why he's trekking towards a site that's meant to cleanse the souls of the faithful and give them some clarity/peace of mind.

while Tierra is ready for humanity's next step

He also stated he was going to merge with Veda, making me fear for his chances of ever returning to a flesh-and-blood body...I hope that he did have the foresight to make a backup of his own personality, just in case...

[Vent Noir]

In the end, the show just... didn't click for me. I've said a few times now that I had a hard time liking the main characters - I mainly stuck with it hoping that some others (Soma, Sergei, Kati, Patrick) would get to do something cool, and... well, I've said my piece about how I feel Soma/Marie was handled, and I'll spare people from bringing it up again (at least for now).

I won't go around crying trainwreck, or hating on people who liked the show (good for you). I hope the movie wraps things up, though, because I really have no desire to see another series with the same characters. Hopefully, the next Gundam show will be a different universe, or at least a new cast (and don't pull a Destiny!).

Sorry if I sound like I'm whinging (despite how it may seem, I really don't like to go around pouring cold water on things, honest!)

[quasadra]

thats okay. it is just a show, not everybody have to like it.

but i have some good time with this series. this is the first anime that i watch latest ep weekly. counting season one(i prefer marathoning the whole thing after it has finished otherwise). coming into boards to get diffrent take on each ep and fill some holes that i wouldnt know by myself(00P). i really like the first season, even the 2 season is not as fun it is still a great ride. there are some flaws that i dont like but there are minor. plus others have brought it up already. overall i am very pleased with this new gundam series. a 9/10 from me.

[MindlessFire]

There could be a different alternate interpretation for the final battle between Exia RII and O Gundam. Remember from the start of series when Ribbons in the O Gundam saved Setsuna's life and spared him because of the way he looked at it at that time? That near death experience was something Setsuna would remember for the rest of life and we would constantly see this flashback over and over again. Because of this he now idolizes the Gundams so much that he wants to embody Exia as himself, a Gundam. When Tieria was about shoot him after the PMC Trust intervention and asked why he deserved to be a Gundam Meister. He answers that its his existence that's the reason and that he's still alive (probably fate).

After learning that it was Ribbons in the O Gundam that saved his life and also it was him who altered Veda to make Setsuna the Exia's Gundam Meister. Setsuna was pretty scorned to find that his savior and the Gundam he'd idolized was now actually his archnemesis not to mention he'd been used as Ribbon's pawn in Season 1. When Setsuna plunged Exia's GN Sword into the O Gundam cockpit, it was like symbolizing that he was leaving his past behind him for good. Like what Lyle said, it was pointless to keep dwelling around in the past instead of turning a clean slate and look forward for the future.

Has anyone noticed that:

"Setsuna F. Seiei, will exterminate the target!"

was changed to:

"Setsuna F. Seiei, will clear a path for the future."

Come to think of it, that reminded me of the S2 character trailer where Setsuna said he's a Gundam and then said that no, he WAS a Gundam.