The Official Gundam AGE Anime Thread AGE-7

[ZeonsSilverStar]

Fans can be fickle at times so its to be expected I guess. Anyway I figured Sid would be alot bigger than that, not to say that its tiny or anything but the intro made look huge.

Spoiler

Unless this is one of those smaller Sid like mobile armors I've seen.

[Mekton GM]

The thing that gets me is that they are throwing away this whole sub plot with the EXA-DB being wrapped up with "Oh that database we were looking for, yeah we think its in the asteroid field that we just happen to be passing on our way to the battle"

[DuelGundam2099]

I love how after 3 episodes of Age being a little mediocre, people were jumping all over it, proclaiming it's doom and how it was going to have a disappointing final

Hey now! .......... I thought some good came from those eps.

[Amion]

This was an interesting episode, and I do wonder where Zanald is. Maybe he's gathering all the poor Vagans left behind on the normal colonies, since they obviously didn't come to earth with Second Moon. My theory is he will appear in the near future to fulfill his role (hopefully) as the traitor villian.

Zeheart,Zeheart, Zeheart. Why are you following Ezelcant's deranged goals? Maybe he will be a little more reasonable, now that Glorious Leader is out of action, at least for now.

[MarshalBraginsky]

Some good did come out of this episode: Algreus expressing his initial disapproval for Flit's orders to execute Vagan prisoners. I could only think of a few historical events where POWs from various armies were executed in cold blood, and thankfully, Algreus has not carried out Flit's insane orders. Also, Zeheart should actually wake up and listen to what Asemu have said about Ezelcant's true goals.

[domino]

I don't get Soma's issue here....

In this episode, we've thankfully gotten some story progression wrapping together some previously missing elements in the storyline (as well as joining the manga side story into the canon) but we've also gotten a MAJOR character shift in the main antagonist (alongwith further teasing of a previously unknown antagonist) while the Kio, Asemu and Flit are still in the same argument that they've been having for the last 5 or so episodes.

I think the previous episodes were just fine but this one is really taking me for a loop here. It would be good if they took time to explain exactly why Ezelcant has such influence over Zeheart (ie Ezelcant raised him/saved his parents/brainwashed him/etc) for him to change basically everything we've come to think of him (unless of course Zeheart has his own Eden plan - that would be interesting and a bit inline with his sudden change of heart at the end of Season 2)

[2NA Fish]

Some major pacing issues here. They wasted 3 episodes on Gerard and the moon base, and then in a flash, EXA-DB AND La Gramis AND Zeheart gets his upgrade AND Mars Fleet has arrived on Earth AND Asuno family squabble AND Ezelcant's revelation to Zeheart.... topped off with naked guy in tube.

I really like how they're building the characters up emotionally, but everything else is a train wreck.

Edit: And a new character named "Fark"....

[Compass]

I want Zeheart to die in a tragic accident. What a flawed character.

[GNRoyalFlash24]

The thing that gets me is that they are throwing away this whole sub plot with the EXA-DB being wrapped up with "Oh that database we were looking for, yeah we think its in the asteroid field that we just happen to be passing on our way to the battle"

It could be that some people from the time the EXA-DB was created thought that the old technology contained in it might be still useful in the future and decided to place it near the earth sphere for some treasure hunting gimmick.

[kayone73]

Fans can be fickle at times so its to be expected I guess. Anyway I figured Sid would be alot bigger than that, not to say that its tiny or anything but the intro made look huge.

Spoiler

Unless this is one of those smaller Sid like mobile armors I've seen.

I dunno, looked as big as I expected it to be. Anyway it's cool they're finally showing Sid in animated form.

[Strike Zero]

I felt that the best part of episode 44 was when they revealed the commander of the laser spiral of doom -- one look at him and his stupid kabuki hair was enough to make me completely lose it for a full minute.

Actually, this whole episode was pretty hilarious in a variety of places. I busted out laughing when Zeheart completely surrendered himself to Ezelcant's batshit plan in two minutes, and again when Algreas revealed that he'd placed Flit in command of the operation to take out La Gramis. WHAT? This guy nearly used a bomb that might have taken out his own forces along with the Vagan's, and now he's in charge of the ENTIRE FLEET? I mean, I know Algreas doesn't know that, but still! And then there was THIS scene:

Algreas: Commander, we're going to be sending the prisoners down to Earth--
Flit: WHAT, you're not supposed to be treating them like human beings, just kill them all!
Algreas: Um, no, we can't really do that--
Flit: GAWD, FINE, JUST DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!

Strike Zero:

Then we get Kio Yamato, whose entire vocabulary has virtually been reduced to "Stop fighting!" and "Someday we will understand each other!" You know, for the guy who has supposedly attained the absolute approach for stopping this war that has lasted for around a century, you sure don't do a good job of backing up your position with persuasive arguments. "I don't understand my grandpa anymore."; Are you serious? WHAT don't you understand? That the Vagans are responsible for the deaths of everybody he's ever cared about aside from you, your father and your grandmother and he's bitter and hateful over that fact? What is so hard to understand about that?! Is he just that mental? Or should we call that poorly written?

So, now it's time for the big decisive battle at the fortress La Gramis. Actually, screw that, it's time for Zeheart to go on a side-quest and slay a mysterious space monster! Here's a question: if one were to be watching this without having even heard of the side-story manga starring Asemu, would the appearance of Sid (Shido?) here mean anything to them? Because, as it stands, it really just feels like Zeheart is going side-questing to slay a mysterious space monster that has only been barely alluded to through a single line from Asemu a few episodes back.

[reeoyuy]

I busted out laughing when Zeheart completely surrendered himself to Ezelcant's batshit plan in two minutes

Partly thanks to that cool interactive presentation Ezelcant has. Man, powerpoint in AG era is really something.

WHAT don't you understand? That the Vagans are responsible for the deaths of everybody he's ever cared about aside from you, your father and your grandmother and he's bitter and hateful over that fact? What is so hard to understand about that?! Is he just that mental? Or should we call that poorly written?

What Kio didn't understand is "Why can't you get over it like I do?" not "Why do you hate Vagan that much?". After seeing the massacre at Olivernotes and losing Shanalua, he hate Vagan with passion too but he got over it (somehow) and think that he found the best solution to end the conflict. When people reject his super duper ultimate way of thinking he got confused and wondered why. Typical teens way of thinking.

[domino]

So, now it's time for the big decisive battle at the fortress La Gramis. Actually, screw that, it's time for Zeheart to go on a side-quest and slay a mysterious space monster! Here's a question: if one were to be watching this without having even heard of the side-story manga starring Asemu, would the appearance of Sid (Shido?) here mean anything to them? Because, as it stands, it really just feels like Zeheart is going side-questing to slay a mysterious space monster that has only been barely alluded to through a single line from Asemu a few episodes back.

EXACTLY!

This is yet another bastardization of Zeheart's already shoddy characterization. For the whole of season 3, he's done his best to choose his battles wisely and only pushed himself in season 2 when he wasn't directly responsible for other people's lives. Suddenly, he's back to being a loose cannon and even worst, has a death wish to take on the "monster created by the EXA-DB for the EXA-DB"

[DuelGundam2099]

if one were to be watching this without having even heard of the side-story manga starring Asemu, would the appearance of Sid (Shido?) here mean anything to them?

It would to me, I mean it IS a mobile armor.

[kayone73]

^^ I agree w you guys, I think it is an interesting fast one the writers are pulling on the audience when it comes to Zeheart's character.

They first make him seem like a dumb blind loyalist to Ezelcan't despite Asemu trying to convince him he's out to screw the vagan people.

Then they pull a fast one on us in the start of ep 44 with him listening to a recording revealing Asemu was telling the truth.

Then they show that Zeheart blatantly disagrees with Ezelcan't on his plan for Eden and in fact wants to save all of his Vagan peoples.

Then he shocks the audience by seeming to give into Ezelcan't and following his will to the letter, abandoning his previous convictions and support his leader in his plan to screw the Vagans.

It seems like the writers have no idea what they're doing with the character.

However if this were a more well written show, the writers will probably end up revealing that Zeheart gives the appearance of giving in to Ezelcan't and carry out his Eden plan because he realized if he outright opposed his leader he would

1. fall out of favor with Ezelcan't
2. be in a position of weakness where he can do nothing to oppose Ezelcan'ts plan or save his people.

So he decides to play along because
1. he really does respect his leader even tho he thinks he's now an arrogant madman
2. by taking over the reigns of the Eden project, knowing Ezelcan't is going to die soon, he can simply wait until the inevitable happens and then abandon that plan and try to save all his people.

But since we know AGE's writers have been nothing but predictable, they probably won't do what I said above.

[Janx_Dolaris]

What Zeheart needs is to have a very minimal romantic interest in sock-hair girl and then have her die tragicially the next episode. This is the only way the writers seem to be able to cause meaningful developement in a character on screen.

My bets are are Zeheart dropping 2nd Moon onto earth, since he is now CCA char.

I like the idea of him waiting till Elcazant bites the dust to steer the ship towards his ideals though.

[YazanGable]

So, watched this last week's episode...and maybe it's just me, but holy Hell, Flit's argument smacks of ego.

I mean, on paper it's altruistic enough...but the way he frames it, he manages to make the act of being mankind's savior still about him.

"They killed my family! I must stop them so no one else will suffer like I did!"
"I do this for the people I failed to protect!"
"I will become the savior that defeats the evil to humanity, no matter what!"

Even when he tries to sound like he's doing it for other people, the way he puts it makes it come across as though it's for himself. Really helps put the whole warped savior complex he got back in Gen-1 in a clearer, and somewhat harsher light.

I mean, I'm not saying he doesn't care about other people...but as far as they've written it, his care for them seems to be reflected through his own vision of himself as their savior.

[kayone73]

So, watched this last week's episode...and maybe it's just me, but holy Hell, Flit's argument smacks of ego.

I mean, on paper it's altruistic enough...but the way he frames it, he manages to make the act of being mankind's savior still about him.

"They killed my family! I must stop them so no one else will suffer like I did!"
"I do this for the people I failed to protect!"
"I will become the savior that defeats the evil to humanity, no matter what!"

Even when he tries to sound like he's doing it for other people, the way he puts it makes it come across as though it's for himself. Really helps put the whole warped savior complex he got back in Gen-1 in a clearer, and somewhat harsher light.

I mean, I'm not saying he doesn't care about other people...but as far as they've written it, his care for them seems to be reflected through his own vision of himself as their savior.

I like the direction they are taking Flit's character, even if its an unpleasant one. If we look at the whole AGE storyline as Flit's tale, with his son and grandson being supporting characters, his path is definitely turning into a tragic one, not so much because of his loved ones who died, but how twisted and ultimately, egotistical and self-centered a person he has become. It's like his character broke the 4th wall, he finds out he is the hero in his own story...and takes it far too seriously and is blind to everything else.

I'd like to see him hold onto his bigoted hatred until the very end of the story, but go out in a sacrificial blaze of heroic glory because he realizes he will never change his thinking, but recognize he is now living in a world that is moving past his hate, so he doesn't see a place for himself in it.

[Arbiter GUNDAM]

Well, for my own self, I've found AGE to be mediocre since about episode 18, but it's really taken a dive in this arc. I don't want to go into rant mode too much but Kio is really annoying me. At least Kira could make up some pseudo-philosophical bullcrap for his no-kill policy. When confronted by people like Fram, Spriggan and his own grandfather he can't make a convincing argument and he just runs away. And I trust nothing Asem says anymore. I was listening to Gundamn's reviews on the earlier episodes and it suddenly hit me that Asem has turned back into the naive brat who argued with his father about finding a way to fight so civilians don't get hurt. 'Gratz Asem, you actually regressed in this show. Why he hasn't been hauled off for desertion and treason, I have no idea. And yes big lulz at Wendy for being so much less awesome than THIS Wendy.

And if Zeheart really is planning on following through with saving the Vagans after very loudly proclaiming that he will follow Ezelcant's ideals, I'm calling bullcrap. You cannot have your character break the fourth wall to deceive the audience so they are later surprised by a plot twist. But this is AGE we're talking about, why expect anything less?

I have this dark, foreboding feeling that Natora is doomed to not progress and that she will continue to be Captain Moe for the remaining episodes. Even so, who's for some SericxNatora? Any takers?

Where is Zanald? I want him to smash my table for me.

And would I be completely insane if I speculated that the tube guy is a brainwashed Deen?

All in all, I was once again face-palming through the whole episode.

(munches chocolate bar for emphasis)

[Amion]

(munches chocolate bar for emphasis)

^hey, if nothing else, at least something good came of this series.
(Munches a chocolate bar for emphasis)

I would really appreciate it if Zeheart actually turned around and revealed he was just playing along with Ezelcant. From what we saw, he gave in far, far too easily, so until proven otherwise, I'll just optimistically assume he is waiting for dear old Glorious Leader to kick the bucket so he can steer things in the right direction.

Or Fram will die at Asemu's hands and he'll go into a fit of rage and attempt to drop Axiiii-I mean-Second Moon on Earth to evolve humanity.