The Official Gundam Reconguista Anime Thread Mk I

[Mythgarr]

Well, true, as long as we don't have another Reccoa...

[Kenji]

My impressions remain roughly where they were before (favorable and very, very curious). The strange circumstances of G-Self's flight reflect the limitations of the viewpoint and the need to explore the rest of the world. And, hey, it's a Gundamjack, technically.

Could it have been pulled off more smoothly? Well, if we learn nothing of the characters that changes my current impression of them, then yeah. However, if we do end up learning more nuance—in a series that so far seems to demand more attention than I'm used to—then I'm more than willing to just take it in stride.

Besides, I'm very fond of pretty much the whole cast, right now, so they can play grab-ass all day, as far as I'm concerned.

The whole kuntala thing stands out the most. Obviously it's meant as an insult but why it's insulting and what makes a person a part of that group is something they could easily explain briefly.

That's kind of a Catch-22, when it comes with building a world, society, and culture, I think.

Like, take "mother fucker," for instance. It's hard to imagine any conversation in which a definition of the nonstandard (well, used to be nonstandard, at least) verb, how the content of the phrase is almost always metaphorical (not just with the reference to incest but also to the reference to the action, itself), or how the tone of that reference can vaguely range from warm and endearing to extremely spiteful, would occur naturally between two people who understand the metaphor and its potential connotations through immersion.

It's just as difficult to imagine a conversation between someone culturally in the know and an outsider that dispenses any real information (without the insider deflecting or failing to convey the ranges of specificity and vagueness of the reference) or doesn't, at best, resemble Star Trek IV's "colorful metaphor" discussion.

So, I guess it comes down to whether you really wanna push the cultural and linguistic bells and whistles (e.g. John Tolkien), or if you want to make it as absolutely accessible as possible (e.g. George Martin). Each has its pluses and minuses, so it's hard to say which is better.

Having said all of that, incidentally, I think my interpretation of "kuntala" comes off rather vague, which I'm surprisingly fine with.

[Destiny_Gundam]

It's really not that hard. "Shut up, kuntala! You're just emergency food!" or "That hair... you must be a kuntala!" or even "How dare they treat you poorly for being a kuntala! Just because ages ago people were put aside as food..."

[Kratos]

You're right, it's not hard, which is why it probably isn't an oversight or lazy writing, but instead left ambiguous on purpose. Much like the fate of the colonies, this is something that has the feel of a later reveal about it, especially considering that the term has come up at least once in all three episodes.

I think the mysterious aspect of the show is executed better at some points than others, but the Kuntala thing is probably up there as one of the better. The situations onscreen don't lose any vital context by us not knowing, but viewer curiosity is still generated (and maintained, through regular use).

[Destiny_Gundam]

I dunno, I think making up words and then refusing to tell anyone what they mean will just piss people off. Especially since everyone in-universe knows what it means. Kinda alienating.

[Mythgarr]

Anyway, Kuntala is also a name of a waterfall
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuntala_Waterfall

[latenlazy]

It's really not that hard. "Shut up, kuntala! You're just emergency food!" or "That hair... you must be a kuntala!" or even "How dare they treat you poorly for being a kuntala! Just because ages ago people were put aside as food..."

Do we ever do that with real world cusses? I've never seen it. Heck I JUST learned the etymology of the F word directed at people of certain orientations, and no one ever says "Shut up F*****. You should be burned at the stake." Sometimes the cuss loses all contextual bearing to its original slur. It becomes a slur of its own, and people propagate it with its own embedded meaning, rather than the original meaning by which the slur was invented.

To add to what I was saying earlier about Bellri's behavior, I get the impression that the Director's permissive attitude to Aida piloting the Gundam also had something to do with it how easily the entire group took the Gundam jacking and a misunderstanding about Aida's intentions.

[Iris Scope]

Noredo's really bugging me. It's too soon to call Bellri's fascination with Aida "love at first sight" but Noredo keeps on pushing the topic to the point that even the people around them ask about it like it was something important, which may well be the case. Up to now, I see Noredo as being like a Fraw Bow to Bellri's Amuro because of this.

[gunform1010]

Someone in the beginning of Ep 3 sounded like Bright.

[HellCat]

She's sadly realistic in being a sheltered teenager who runs her mouth off even in situations she knows nothing about. About the only time it's redeeming thus far is when she does it to defend the clearly traumatised Monday.

[Amion]

Noredo's really bugging me. It's too soon to call Bellri's fascination with Aida "love at first sight" but Noredo keeps on pushing the topic to the point that even the people around them ask about it like it was something important, which may well be the case. Up to now, I see Noredo as being like a Fraw Bow to Bellri's Amuro because of this.

She does have a Fraw Bow feel, just without the endearing design and personality.

And I'm certainly not the only one who thought this: our suspicions that

Spoiler

Cahill was indeed alive somehow

appears to be true. Explains why

Spoiler

Aida started out chipper in episode three from the heartbroken young woman of ep.2

[Raikoh]

Things keep moving along at a brisk pace in episode 4.

Spoiler

I think Bellri's logic in joining the pirates temporarily was a clever move, and my favorite thing about the episode. It isn't as cut-and-dry as making the Capital Army blatant "bad guys" though it's obvious by now that they're going to be our antagonists. Yeah, he's still showing some clear naivete, but I could actually see him acting like a real person instead of just deciding to fight the Capital Army because reasons. Episode 5 seems to be what will solidify Bellri as a pirate, so we'll probably see why there. I'm betting that his actions in this episode are going to bite him on the ass and he'll be branded a traitor, but Tomino might have something else in mind.

The fight scene I feel was well done. It's admittedly hard to follow, but that's just Tomino's style - he likes portraying fights more in a way that you would feel if you were in a fight rather than watching it. Things are going to be fast, close, and chaotic. Even so, when attention is drawn to something, you can tell what happened. I also now noticed that the beam sabers seem to work like the way Amuro used sabers in CCA, where they stay on what looks like a low setting until the pilot slashes, at which point they extend to the full length. I always attributed it in CCA to Amuro's skill, so I think G-Reco means it as an improvement in tech from UC.

A rivalry seems to be sparking up between Dellensen and Klim. That'll probably be interesting.

Raraiya seems to be getting better, and rather quickly at that, now that she has her fishy. When she makes a full recovery, I expect she'll shed some light on the G-Self. Is is Psycoframe equipped, or something more?

Next episode: Luin goes Full Char!

Bellri put it best: "You want to watch it now, I'll bet!"

[latenlazy]

Only started the episode, but...

Spoiler

Oh Jesus. They're militarizing the elevators? This can only end badly.

EDIT:

Spoiler

Also, Tomino's probably making a point about how little this society seems to understand about war, seeing as the war effort is inspiring more fanfare than fear. More evidence of a sheltered and ignorant (and probably privileged) society.

EDIT2: Finished. Things just got intensely interesting.

Spoiler

That confirms the theories about the Capital Army. While it's nice to have confirmation about the theories regarding RC's political situation, I found the most important takeaway during this episode to be that NO ONE knows where the G-Self or Rairaiya comes from, and wherever they both come from there's more coming. It seems that the Capital Army's formation isn't just a reaction to Ameria and Gondwan reacting negatively to the politics of the taboos (which themselves reveal a lot about the Reguild Century), but also some perceived threat from space. Dare I say that spacenoids (or whatever group lives in space now) still exist and are going to be at least a third or fourth faction in this series. Also, super intrigued about this Rose of Tokugawa. We're beginning to find that those tiny inconspicuous specks from the start of the series are actually breadcrumbs, and the breadcrumbs are getting bigger. Now I'm really intrigued. Finally, I guess Cahill really is dead.

[Jak Crow]

I am underwhelmed by quality of the animation. They're doing a half assed job on it.

[latenlazy]

I am underwhelmed by quality of the animation. They're doing a half assed job on it.

Going to have to disagree on this one.

EDIT: Might as well add in a few more comments. I wonder what Bellri means when he says he's indebted to Aida. Also lol at Tomino taunting the audience with the previews.

[zetatype]

EDIT: Might as well add in a few more comments. I wonder what Bellri means when he says he's indebted to Aida. Also lol at Tomino taunting the audience with the previews.

Given his reaction to Noredo telling him that they can go back its possible he tries to go back but gets arrested by the Capital Army and Aida swoops in to bail his ass out. Though you'd think something like that would be teased in the preview.

[gunform1010]

Did G-Reco just jab at Lalah's line "You have pretty eyes"?

[darkhunger]

I am underwhelmed by quality of the animation. They're doing a half assed job on it.

Really? Tomino's storyboarding might be a bit strange and sometimes clunky, but no way is the animation "half assed" for this one.

Going to have to disagree on this one.

EDIT: Might as well add in a few more comments. I wonder what Bellri means when he says he's indebted to Aida. Also lol at Tomino taunting the audience with the previews.

I think it's hinted that Bellri was affected by his killing of Cahill and feels guilt about it, so wants to pay Aida back somehow. That might even be why he was so unresistant in getting "kidnapped" in the last episode.

[Evex]

This might be my lack of sleep wrighting, but I just had a line of thought I found interesting. Ms. Monday, can't, think of her first name, was seen piloting the G-self in episode 1. With the recent information from episode 4 I can think of where Ms.Monday comes from. The two places that come to mind are the colony on the dark side of the moon, and venus. Given some thought these two places are not effected by these "taboos" that have been mentioned, and most likely deal with technology and weapons. The way monday acts also might be a side effect of some sort of cold sleep, or just a side effect of her jumping out of the G-self in a squirrel suit at an altitude where the air is thing. Its possible Ms.Monday stole the G-self and was trying to warn the people on earth about an approaching threat, either that or she is some sort of advance scout.

[Amion]

This might be my lack of sleep wrighting, but I just had a line of thought I found interesting. Ms. Monday, can't, think of her first name, was seen piloting the G-self in episode 1. With the recent information from episode 4 I can think of where Ms.Monday comes from. The two places that come to mind are the colony on the dark side of the moon, and venus. Given some thought these two places are not effected by these "taboos" that have been mentioned, and most likely deal with technology and weapons. The way monday acts also might be a side effect of some sort of cold sleep, or just a side effect of her jumping out of the G-self in a squirrel suit at an altitude where the air is thing. Its possible Ms.Monday stole the G-self and was trying to warn the people on earth about an approaching threat, either that or she is some sort of advance scout.

I will go out and cast my vote for Venus. It would make sense that as she regains her senses and memory, Rayaiaya or however-you-spell-it will hint that the answers lie at Venus. Makes the most sense to me how to tie that part of the plot in.

Ok, so yes, he's definitely dead then. I take back what I said about Aida's twirl in the last episode, it was in poor taste, Tomino. Kinda cute, sure. But very odd for a grieving person.

"You want to watch it now, i'll bet!" Those quips at the end of the episode are getting more and more funny and somehow endearing. And what's so strange, he's been dead on accurate for me most of the time.

I don't care for Klim's javalin thing. He's always throwing it, and that makes no sense when he has what amounts to an extremely fast spear/whip. It functions so much better as a sword that can fire ranged weaponry than it does a thrown weapon that blows up or falls away. Whatever, at least MS is awesome.

About the animation: it's a mixed bag for me. I would be dishonest to say I'm not tiffed here and there. I don't really mind Tomino's style, but really small stuff like the way that beam javalin thing created its shield as apposed to last week was a bit irritating to me. The animation then was fluid but the artwork lacked any skill. Contrast it to now, where it's replaced with a full beam shield like it's supposed to be. That, or the G Self upgrades weapons simply because of its Photon magic.