Gundam sidestory manga/novels

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Gyra Solune
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Gundam sidestory manga/novels

So, I am well aware of the, quite simply, MASSIVE amounts of extra material in the Gundam universe. So much that I'm not sure if all of it is really worth it. Soo...Which ones do you reccomend, or are vital to understanding the particular universe's workings? The ones I'm more certain about are Crossbone and the relative entirety of Astray, but that's about it.
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HellCat
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

I actually generally ignore everything past Destiny Astray since it seems to be after that that Astray stops being a fun and workable sidestory and just starts copying characters from the main work and doing weird things. It probably hasn't helped that Astray has kinda been saddled with keeping SEED hype the last few years but on a budget. Still the original Astray stuff is quite entertaining and offers a look at the wider CE beyond the clashes of the main cast.

Episode Zero is a good one to read if you like Wing. It actually explains a few things like why Treize knew what Gundams were and why Heero's detonator didn't work. G-Unit/Last Outpost is also good since it fits in nicely and takes a more 'realistic' approach to AC Gundams (no dinky shields for one).

The 00 sidestories I'd say avoid. There's the odd interesting thing but they forget they're supposed to be occuring in the shadows of the main story and so you get daft things like a Gundam laughing off a blast from Memento Mori.

Memories of Sid has proven to be a good one for explaining a few important parts of AGE Gen-3. Treasure Star is best forgotten since it's just an awkward mess about new characters getting hold of everything the show cast has with explanations from minimal to awkward.
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Kuruni
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

Blue Destiny is a must for UC fan, unless you can't stand OYW story at all.

Gundam Legacy is mixture of stand alone short-episodes and sequel of three Gaiden games. I like it, but aware how it can leave you confused if you don't know several characters.

Gundam-san, just pick it up XD . It dip into pure idiocy at time, but I have some good laugh. And somehow Garma-kun's ending leave me heartbroken, even if I'm fully aware of how it will end.
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E08
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

Well Vs Astray does give a hint why Prayer appears in Destiny Astray. As for 00 Sidestories, not all of them are bad. The ones that seem to have a bad rep are the mangas(00F, 00I). The rest are pretty ok and expands the universe.
2NA Fish
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

I've read a rather obscure novel called Four's Story. It was written by one of the scriptwriters from Zeta.

If you're a big Zeta fan, it's worth a read because it's a lot shorter than most of the other novels. While it's not amazing writing, it provides you with a piece of backstory which makes Four's lack of memories even more interesting. I doubt it's considered canon, but it's a nice extra touch. Also includes a reference to Miharu from original Gundam.
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Dark Duel
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

I've never heard of that novel, though I'm quite interested.
Where'd you find this?
E08 wrote:Well Vs Astray does give a hint why Prayer appears in Destiny Astray. As for 00 Sidestories, not all of them are bad. The ones that seem to have a bad rep are the mangas(00F, 00I). The rest are pretty ok and expands the universe.
Can't speak for 00I as I've never read it, but I have all four volumes of 00F and thought it was pretty good - mostly* - especially because Fon's such a raging psychopath that it makes him almost hilarious. Like, imagine Ali Al-Saachez, but younger, clean-shaven, white and EVEN CRAZIER.

(*The only real problem with it is the one scene where he somehow survives something that should have blown his head clean off, and after a while gets back with nothing but a rather thick scar)
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HellCat
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

E08 wrote:Well Vs Astray does give a hint why Prayer appears in Destiny Astray. As for 00 Sidestories, not all of them are bad. The ones that seem to have a bad rep are the mangas(00F, 00I). The rest are pretty ok and expands the universe.
They're all pretty lousy from everything I've read. 00V for instance has Corner invite an MS historian to a secret base so he can flaunt the fact he made the Thrones. The same Corner who played a very sneaky game to seize control of the plan and didn't admit his part till he thought victory was right in his grasp.

It's a problem I have with Chiba's writing- he seems to involve major characters even if it invites plotholes. On a similar note, 00P Season Two involves a few dramatic incidents of a traitor in CB with Ian's involvement but in the show Ian acts like the idea of their being an internal traitor is completely new.
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ShadowCell
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

okay you know what screw what everyone else has to say, the only Gundam manga worth reading is "Gundam Sousei"

read it. live it. become it. your life will never be the same.
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HellCat
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

ShadowCell wrote:okay you know what screw what everyone else has to say, the only Gundam manga worth reading is "Gundam Sousei"

read it. live it. become it. your life will never be the same.
I live in fear of having a 'the hero, Amuron' moment in my journalism work.
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Arbiter GUNDAM
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

ShadowCell wrote:okay you know what screw what everyone else has to say, the only Gundam manga worth reading is "Gundam Sousei"

read it. live it. become it. your life will never be the same.
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E08
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

HellCat wrote: They're all pretty lousy from everything I've read. 00V for instance has Corner invite an MS historian to a secret base so he can flaunt the fact he made the Thrones. The same Corner who played a very sneaky game to seize control of the plan and didn't admit his part till he thought victory was right in his grasp.
That's rather inaccurate. Corner orginally invite only the UN pilot, Deborah, but she has a bad feeling and requests that Robert Spacey accompanies her. As the role she plays is important to Corner's plan, he then accedes to her request. Besides, the story did hint that Corner may be planning to get rid of them later but that fail as Ribbons tips the pair off.
HellCat wrote: It's a problem I have with Chiba's writing- he seems to involve major characters even if it invites plotholes. On a similar note, 00P Season Two involves a few dramatic incidents of a traitor in CB with Ian's involvement but in the show Ian acts like the idea of their being an internal traitor is completely new.
I dont really remember that, did Ian specifically say that he is surprised by the traitor? If not, it is possible that he is surprise by another betrayal again.
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HellCat
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

It's still a fairly daft way to explain how 00V can cover Throne variants given we're talking about a plan that was hidden from all the show cast, with only Veda being aware of it. I like the linking narrative of 00V being an in-universe account of the evolution of MS but that particular chapter really could have been better thought out. Sidestory characters don't need to have their finger in every pie and when the writers make them do so it strains the credibility of the story.
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E08
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

Since Laguna is helping Corner, it shows that Corner is aware that he cannot do everything by himself and that he need outside help in some case. Anyway, whether some part of the story make sense or not can vary depends on the reader.
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Arsarcana
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

There's a difference between getting outside help because you need the resources (and are planning on silencing him as soon as he stops being useful) and inviting an outside party in just to brag about your secret accomplishments.

Anyhow, on the Wing side if you like that universe I'd also suggest Battlefield of Pacifists as a link between the TV and Endless Waltz, which explains why four of the five Gundams are on their way to disposal and why Wufei's isn't at the start of the movie. Avoid Ground Zero like the plague.
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HellCat
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

E08 wrote:Since Laguna is helping Corner, it shows that Corner is aware that he cannot do everything by himself and that he need outside help in some case. Anyway, whether some part of the story make sense or not can vary depends on the reader.
That's true but on this ocassion I just don't think it fits. You can quite rightly argue it fits with how Laguna was used (he certainly sure was dead at his desk as soon as that part of Corner's plan was over) but the idea of him letting a needed test pilot bring such a high profile guest and then both of them escaping because Ribbons chose to blab just makes Corner's plan (which other 00 sidestories actually do a good job of making sound have little to no margin for error) look foolish. As I said, it comes off as a very awkward attempt to justify how Robert can write about the Thrones development.
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E08
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

For the record, Corner did not brag about his accomplishment to the pair. He just tell them that he is a good guy betraying CB so as to save the world.

As for Robert, the introduction in the first chapter notes that his research about MS development history did not attract much attention till many years later. Thus, he is definitely not a high profile guest. Indeed Corner's plan will be quite perfect if Ribbons did not betray him. It is thus fitting that Ribbons is the one to tip the guests off and he did it in a vague manner. As for whether a plot point looks awkward, let's just say different people have different feelings about it.
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Re: Gundam sidestory manga/novels

Dark Duel wrote:I've never heard of that novel, though I'm quite interested.
Where'd you find this?
I was in Japan at the time. Around 2002 or 2003. Amazon.jp has got it though.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%A9%9F%E5%8B ... 4044119066
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