The Official Gundam AGE Anime Thread AGE-9

[Mythgarr]

I thought that is the premise of AGE games?

[Strike Zero]

The story in the games is just as linear as it was in the show. The only difference between the two is the addition of young-adult Flit's chapter.

[HellCat]

I'm still convinced that if any Gundam series could support such a concept it's Wing. I've had an idea for a game where you start out as an Alliance rookie. Do well and you get offered a scholarship to the Specials training academy, which you can accept or reject. The game would follow the basic Wing story with several chances to change allegiance to factions as they emerge or stay the course even if it ends badly (one path for instance would see you end up as desperate as the Treize loyalists who hijacked the circus).

[YazanGable]

To be honest, the problem with Romary technically applies to the entire team. People mainly just remember it with Romary because she was the one who stood out the most (remember how much of a joke of a pilot Max was?)

That said, I still remember when the show was airing. Some fans latched onto her as a sort of throwback to the old G Gundam love triangle, seeing her as the Allenby and hoping this time she'd win. It was something else to watch unfold.

Romary? Do you mean Arisa?

Crap, you're right. Sorry, been a busy day here. Editing the post accordingly now.

The story in the games is just as linear as it was in the show. The only difference between the two is the addition of young-adult Flit's chapter.

Which was actually another one of the things the show had going against it when the game finally came out and completely spoiled the ending.

[Kuruni]

Oh man... I have a BIG hopers and dreamers idea in my head now... a Mass Effect style Gundam AGE game where you can basically change the future up to the Kio arc depending on the decisions you make and the love interests you pursue..sigh, lol one can dream.

Your wish was half-granted in Climax UC. You can shaping life of Tajibana (the original protagonist) however you want by pick the factions he and his team would join at varius points from MSG to CCA, then pick a wife (from three love interests) and has child (the second original protagonist). Unfortunely, you action won't change the course of history (as it stick to official timeline) and the child is almost fully customizable (you can pick their appearance, personality, and faction they join), only their stats is effected by chosen mother.

[Silver_August]

I will still say by far the worst decision to me about AGE as a whole was releasing that game just a couple weeks before the finale of the series, just to have an ending..worst yet a BAD ending spoiled so close to the end.. in a game I imagine doesn't take very long to breeze through its like... man! Really? and on top of that its a linear straight forward semi-chibi hack and slash dynasty warriors wannabe.

It still boggles my mind why the game was being released on the PSP beyond SonyMusic having involvement series (I think? im pretty sure i recall seeing them in the credits) because this game probably would've done better on the 3DS which I'd have to imagine is bigger with the kids.

Never the less, the project started as a game and it seems like it would've been SO cool if it was advertised as a Gundam Universe where you can change the tides of destiny and history and all that jazz with the choices you make and the only where you begin being the same, and having the anime serve as 1 of the possible futures you can end up with. That way the anime wouldn't spoil everything or people can say "man that anime sucked, know what? I'll make a better ending" play the game an make sure Kio is never born, lol.

See this is what I liked about AGE, it always got my mind going off into far off places of creativity and wonder at the possibilities of what you could do with the concept.

...Mass Effect + Gundam, come on Bandai! the MSVs you'd get from that would NEVER END, heck the idea of the AGE System was fuel for endless MSVs. Sigh...

Anyone else want to see Memories of SID animated? if only to see the G-Xiphos, can't wait for that HG to come out.....in like may next year...

[Mythgarr]

I actually wan to see AGE remade for three seasons, with All of AGE-2 variants coming out (yes, also the variants showing the evolution of Normal to Dark Hound, if any), the series don't end with Vagan Gear incapacitated by "love", and with Kio turned from stupid pacifist to iron-handed dictator engineer genius bend on subjugating all of humanity due to severe corruptions on both sides. Kio's child is born and grown in Second Moon and fight him in Gundam AGE Nu FX.

Aargh. AGE has infinite potentials to be awesome, but crippled by its makers, with elements of its innovations still able to influence its fans to want more of it.

Just like its Gundams: they are fine on their own, but they simply invite us to mod them here and there so much.

I meant, if you got that hobby magazine with Razor parts, you'll see Gundam AGE VXs (Age FX equipped with Razor parts hacked together as shield), Endearth (Danazine(?) added with razor parts to be a monsters with sharp parts everywhere), and I think Gundam Blitz Slash (Blitz with razor parts).

http://gundamguy.blogspot.com/2012/08/h ... rts-w.html

[YazanGable]

I will still say by far the worst decision to me about AGE as a whole was releasing that game just a couple weeks before the finale of the series, just to have an ending..worst yet a BAD ending spoiled so close to the end.. in a game I imagine doesn't take very long to breeze through its like... man! Really? and on top of that its a linear straight forward semi-chibi hack and slash dynasty warriors wannabe.

Sadly, this was a bullet they had no intention of dodging. If anything, they wanted the game out even sooner initially. Allegedly this practice works well for Inazuma 11 and Danball...but, if there's one thing AGE is teaching both Bandai and L5 the hard way, what works for one will not work for all.

Never the less, the project started as a game and it seems like it would've been SO cool if it was advertised as a Gundam Universe where you can change the tides of destiny and history and all that jazz with the choices you make and the only where you begin being the same, and having the anime serve as 1 of the possible futures you can end up with. That way the anime wouldn't spoil everything or people can say "man that anime sucked, know what? I'll make a better ending" play the game an make sure Kio is never born, lol.

I'm half and half here. While it certainly would have lent itself better as a game, and definitely provided more incentive for replay (you want to hit a million sales, Hino? It helps to have a game people are actually going to have reasons to keep playing after they end it,) I'd be lying if I wasn't a bit amused to see it turn so linear. I think that's largely just my inner schadenfreude remembering all the people hoping the game would let them pick Yurin/Arisa or get a 'Flit wins and exterminates all Vagans' end. It got old fast, and watching those last desperate flickers of hope as it turned out those weren't in the cards gave me a bit of sick amusement.

...but then, I admittedly can be kind of a jerk with fandom sometimes, so take that as you will.

...Mass Effect + Gundam, come on Bandai! the MSVs you'd get from that would NEVER END, heck the idea of the AGE System was fuel for endless MSVs. Sigh...

See, THIS the game actually got right. You look on the website at all the different wears, it makes you realize that, in the anime, the AGE system was downright stingy.

Anyone else want to see Memories of SID animated? if only to see the G-Xiphos, can't wait for that HG to come out.....in like may next year...

While I'm kind of burnt out on AGE overall, it WOULD be nice to see them try and patch up the awkwardly hanging threads of 'SUDDENLY...SID!' and 'So long son, Daddy's off to become a pirate!'

the series don't end with Vagan Gear incapacitated by "love"

It wasn't so much done in by "love" as it was a rather clumsy reheat of the V-MAX system from Layzner punching right through it whilst somehow still not killing the pilot.

A crock, certainly. But not love.

[HellCat]

So the AGE BB Senshi comics have been pretty silly (see my current avatar), but AGE-FX's might be the best one yet. The three Gundams are blasting through the Vagan lines before opting to dump their weapons and just start taking enemies out with punches and kicks. This is working out pretty well when suddenly Vagan Gear Sid appears. Response? Burst right through it with collective blazing justice/Burst Mode.

I'm just gonna believe this is how the show ended now

[Silver_August]

I will yield and say there needs to be a BB senshi of the AGE-1 with old man flit beard and goggles... now THAT I would cave in and purchase.

[Mythgarr]

I can imagine it being Premium Bandai Web Exclusive item....

[HellCat]

Came across the first 3 dub OP and ED, with song subs and English credits. Of note, the following share VAs:

Woolf and Zeheart

Romary and Kio

Seric and Wootbit.

It's the rare actor who can embody analytical mentor and pudgy crybaby.

[bullethead]

Came across the first 3 dub OP and ED, with song subs and English credits. Of note, the following share VAs:

Woolf and Zeheart

Romary and Kio

Seric and Wootbit.

It's the rare actor who can embody analytical mentor and pudgy crybaby.

Any more clips of the dub floating around?

[DeganUAB]

It's pretty easy to find the first episode if you google "Gundam Age dub", but its probably not the best idea to post links here.

My impressions:

Good: Same music, Gundam being dubbed in general is a positive sign

Bad: Aside from Flit, the rest of the characters...especially Emily...sound pretty bad. I would rate this on par with dubs from the 90s or even 80s. It felt Robotechy. That's not a dig against Robotech, but it's nowhere near Gundam Unicorn or 00 in quality.

According to a comment on from a month ago on youtube the dub has apparently just been completed by a concern in the Philippines. Take this with a grain of salt, but the commentator said the show should begin airing in two months time and the first two episodes should be floating around online due to a leak. This was posted a month ago.

On the subject of dubs in general, it seems that the only way to make a Gundam dub profitable to the home company would be a simultaneous world wide release a la Unicorn. Age's time has pretty much come and gone in the merchandise department. I don't really see what the point of getting people excited after the Japanese have moved on since they're the primary movers of product. It's always nice to have increased demand for your models, but it doesn't seem like it would be anything more than clearing out the old stock. Thoughts?

[bullethead]

On the subject of dubs in general, it seems that the only way to make a Gundam dub profitable to the home company would be a simultaneous world wide release a la Unicorn. Age's time has pretty much come and gone in the merchandise department. I don't really see what the point of getting people excited after the Japanese have moved on since they're the primary movers of product. It's always nice to have increased demand for your models, but it doesn't seem like it would be anything more than clearing out the old stock. Thoughts?

Well, I do think that having the dub release simultaneously with the original Japanese voice work is a great idea, I think the bigger problem with dubs is that post-Toonami US advertisement of Gundam is terrible. It's pretty hard to sell a product if people don't know it exists - just look at Vertical's print run of Gundam: The Origin. The only real advertising is Vertical's Twitter, which isn't really going to reach a whole lot of people, and some shout outs on other sites. Gundam 00's run on SyFy got nothing besides little bumps and banners during the Ani-Monday block and maybe a few articles on sites like ANN. Sure, Sunrise/Bandai have a consistent con presence, which is great for showing off stuff like Unicorn, but it honestly doesn't do much for raising awareness of the brand outside of anime fan circles.

Besides, with something like AGE, releasing way after the show is over isn't that big a deal, since the whole point of it was to get kids into Gundam. It doesn't matter if they buy tons of AGE merch as long as they keep coming back and buy stuff from newer and/or older shows.

[HellCat]

Gundam.info announced that the region block for the show has been removed, seemingly for the standard countries.

[Arbiter GUNDAM]

Sunrise Guy: Alright looks like Build Fighters is really popular in North America. Wait, what's this? Why are the AGE streams blocked there? How long has that been set? 2 years?! WTF guys! Fix this now!

[Silver_August]

Bandai Guy: Hey boss, I just got off the phone with Sunrise, AGE is streaming now internationally.

Bandai Boss: Excellent, now we can get rid of these HG Genoaces.

Bandai Guy: uh...boss?

Bandai Boss: *putting HG Genoace boxes in crates* yes, what is it?

Bandai Guy: Research has shown most of the audience has already watched the series... through various "methods"...

Bandai Boss: Oh? and What'd they think of it?

Bandai Guy: Well... ahem, uh, I suggest we talk with the Build Fighters guys about having AGE suits cameo in season 2... or market them as a GM-Zaku Hybrids, maybe put Char on the box too, it works for Toyota.

[Amion]

Maybe someone should inform Thundermuffin that reading this thread and the Build Fighters one will yield plenty of material for his fanfic.

[Mythgarr]

The lack of AGE suits in Gundam Build Fighters is disturbing. Not even Dark Hound or Titus is present.