The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk II

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Brave Fencer Kirby
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Destiny_Gundam wrote:The show itself lacks any major flaws, but the same goes for the characters in universe. Sure, they've done a pretty good job of showing they do have flaws, but thus far none of those flaws have been a detriment.
That's a good way of putting it. I hadn't thought of it in quite those terms before, but I agree with you.

My main issue is that we're ten episodes in, and there hasn't been any significant character development of anyone. We've explored their backstories a bit more, gotten to understand them better, but none of them have really changed. Mika is still a calmly ruthless warrior who outsources all his thinking to Orga. Orga is still the guy desperately trying to remain cool and in control despite knowing that he's in over his head. Atra is still pining for Mika but too shy to do anything about it. Kudelia still tries to find useful work to do because she feels like her efforts are inadequate. Etc etc etc.

None of them have grown as characters, none of them have changed or developed. There's still plenty of time left for that sort of thing, sure, but I feel like they're taking too long to get to it. They had the first arc on Mars to introduce everyone and establish their personalities -- once they headed to space, it would've been a good time to start showing them maturing into their new roles. But the whole Teiwaz arc has come to a close at this point and they're still basically the same as they were in episode 1.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Mythgarr wrote:Well, Ryuki has his bug eyes under the dragons shaped faceguard, so I didn't scream it wasn't Kamen Rider.
Bump on this, because 1. using Ryuki as analog, Ryuki's equivalent would be Barbatos, which has traditional Gundam look.

2. Gusion's info in mecha thread give me a strong impression that it will be Scissor (which, until then, look more like kaijin general than Kamen Rider). It's very likely to give Barbatos one hell of battle and the show might make it that Mika would lose if Barbatos doesn't get the proper overhauled. But it might look like a pushover when we finally get to see Kimaris (and very likely some of other remaining Gundams) in action.
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Amion
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Brave Fencer Kirby wrote:
Destiny_Gundam wrote:The show itself lacks any major flaws, but the same goes for the characters in universe. Sure, they've done a pretty good job of showing they do have flaws, but thus far none of those flaws have been a detriment.
That's a good way of putting it. I hadn't thought of it in quite those terms before, but I agree with you.

My main issue is that we're ten episodes in, and there hasn't been any significant character development of anyone. We've explored their backstories a bit more, gotten to understand them better, but none of them have really changed. Mika is still a calmly ruthless warrior who outsources all his thinking to Orga. Orga is still the guy desperately trying to remain cool and in control despite knowing that he's in over his head. Atra is still pining for Mika but too shy to do anything about it. Kudelia still tries to find useful work to do because she feels like her efforts are inadequate. Etc etc etc.

None of them have grown as characters, none of them have changed or developed. There's still plenty of time left for that sort of thing, sure, but I feel like they're taking too long to get to it. They had the first arc on Mars to introduce everyone and establish their personalities -- once they headed to space, it would've been a good time to start showing them maturing into their new roles. But the whole Teiwaz arc has come to a close at this point and they're still basically the same as they were in episode 1.
I think there's been development, just not signfiicant amounts of it. Orga has come to terms with why he cares so much for Tekkadan, most notably. and Kudelia now realizes that her actions could cause another war, if perhaps not a calamitous one.

What they need to do is use this material in the next few episodes to actually twist or turn someone's behavior on its end in reaction to something. Maybe have the new girl in the ship give an order that's good business but contrary to the family's goals?

Sadly, if this show is anything like Fate Stay Night, the only work of Okada I ever saw before this (and it's an adaption what's more), then we may not get anything more significant that what we are. She's a lot like Tomino in how she doesn't tell you people's thoughts, you have to observe closely and guess at the telltale actions. She also doesn't appear to like using introspective psychoanalysis that's so prevalent nowadays.

So yeah...what Destiny said. Good, with nothing outstanding. Odd, since isn't Okada supposed to be one of those polarizing types?
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Okada loves her heart breaking twists so what we've gotten so far is really just the calm before the storm.
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Amion
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Destiny_Gundam wrote:Okada loves her heart breaking twists so what we've gotten so far is really just the calm before the storm.
And on that note, guess Mikazuki is going to kill Akahiro's little brother. Well, he could. :evil: We all know he's capable of it...
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Amion wrote:And on that note, guess Mikazuki is going to kill Akihiro's little brother. Well, he could. :evil: We all know he's capable of it...
I think it's probaly Akihiro himself. It's likely that he has to choose between his long lost brother and one of his current family. Mika would be likely has his own stage with Gusion.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Okada was a mistake.

The show is dull and keeps repeating the same boring chara ''development''. If this is just 25 eps then they couldn't even elaborate a decent story to fill 2 cours...

They should get Tow to write the next Gundam series.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

I admit the dullness is starting to sink in. It does have a similar feel to Fate Stay Night right about now. I hope we get some good mecha fights next episode, and drama. Lots of drama.

Speaking of, certain people dying this episode might have been for the best.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Kuruni wrote:Finally watched it. Man, to think that it will get back to darker tone soon... What should be another soothing episode end up more like calm before storm (I'm really worry about Takaki here, he pretty much rise his dead flag and wave it around to us).

Orga finally got shiptease, hehe... And she seem to see through his tough act. Too bad that it would be overshadowed among fandom by yaoi...

ZOINKS, I'm glad that Atra's flashback is brief, if they spend full episode on it it would be outright depressing (of course, Akihito's past is ZOINKS depress despite being as brief). That's clever use of coloring and blur, the scene she met Mika look as if the background suppose to be from storybook.

It's somewhat of mood whiplash but of course, she's on the right track! That's the best way to resolve love triangle subplot! XD
You are quite right, it was a calm period between bouts of action (albeit with lots of death flag waving :| ), and now for the next few episodes things will be anything abut calm, courtesy of the Brewers. But calm has its own uses, namely for some reflection and world-building. And what a crapsack world it is for a lot of people. "Post Calamity Era" sums it up very well, like Japan in the grip of the Sengoku Jidai or in the Occupation years.

All the talk about family inside Tekkadan isn't just padding or fluff, it's how they really feel about each other, and this episode underscores the burden on Orga's shoulders every time he considers a course of action. Does he make the wins look easy? Yes, but he has no choice; a misstep will bring disaster, and there are too many people out there like the Brewers who see his beloved family as nothing but cash on the hoof, and a bonus score to go along with the big prize of the MS at that.

Atra's "we can all be a family" thought was kawaii, and snark-bait too. But the charming thing about that ship-tease was its utter sincerity. As shown in-story, for the kids family is what you make of it, and Atra must have felt some sympathy for Kudelia's painfully ironic situation. Sadly it will not happen because even SEED could not serve up a Good End like that, but it was a nice idea! :mrgreen:
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

So long as the next series of violent encounters with the Brewers is used to bring some swift and true development, angst, and conflict amidst the orphans, I'm happy. Time will only tell. Its just I'm starting to recall now about how FSN just kina kept going, building up and building up and...fizzling out without much development done that could've been. Oh well. From what I can tell this is an original from her and the storyboard. Maybe they'll surprise us. At the least we know now that McGillis
Spoiler
will in fact be the Char: he got Daddy Issues, and appears to be readying to do something about it. Guess the mask goes on in the next few episodes to hide his identity when he does the deed.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Don't give up hope yet for Gundam story carnage, Amion. The Brewers are the most dangerous foe Tekkadan has faced to date, all of that and a Gundam too. Unlike previous foes the Brewers won't pull punches either, so Orga will be sorely tested. And Earth isn't even in sight yet...The next encounter with Gjallarhorn won't be so easy either, since Fareed knows what his organization is up against.

For myself, I am currently 100% fine with "looks great, less killing", like a more serious Dragonar story, and let Gundam Thunderbolt carry the bucket of blood this season. But yeah, this a Gundam show, and blood will flow eventually and make us shake our fists at the screen.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

So we get "Not so Different" trope playing the moment we get the story to continue... It's pretty clear that the kids in Man Rodi are just the same as Tekkadan were during CGS days.

For now it's too brief for me to say much about Gusion other than it's clearly a proper match for Barbatos. Ironically, I think the reason why I don't find it too impressive yet is because the Man Rodi are pretty tough by themselves.
Spoiler
Well, since it happen early in the episode I think most of us would expected Takaki to survive.
Animation quality seem to drop in few scene...oh, well. They seem to develope Ein into a truly scary direction, he seem to keep all honor and patience I expected from Crank's successor, but just put his vengence on Tekkadan over everything else.

More loli! Yeah!!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Mika seem to develope some sentimental value with Barbatos? I doubt that it will be as bad as Setsuna though.

Surprise, I though we'll get most of the episode focus on battle, but although pretty cool it's only brief crash at the start. It look like the next one would be true crash, and possibly end the Brewers arc as well? (if so, it's pretty fast)
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

So Okada, this gundam thingie you are making? It fails to truly excite me like G-Reco. Really, that thing is a storytelling mess and I like it more than GIBO. GIBO is just full of slow boring moments, cliched dialogues, and really, everyone RELAXING. ALL. THE. TIME! There's no sense of urgencies, no sense of DOOM LOOMING in the background, nothing. Just bands of family tropes flying in space.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

^Heh. I'm just happy we will get two straight episodes with Gandamu action. Shocker, I know. One positive I can say about IBO is that it's like 00 in that it can have only a few minutes of action scenes but the quality more than makes up for it. That Gusion is fantastic; I am a fan of heavy melee units and it checks all the boxes for me.

I am not giving up on this show so easily simply because it's like nothing I've ever seen before on a Gundam show. I hope we see less Vin Diesel family moments and more Gundam bashing and/or real character development.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

I'm with MythGarr. This has become the Gundam talk show. Too many people talking about feelings and very little fighting giant robot battles. I like my characters to have backstories and depthness but there has been too little action this last month. Overall we had like four or five mobile suit battles in 11 episodes (I'm counting the one in episode 1 & 2 as the same).
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Five indeed.

Barbatos' debut
VS Crank
First Space Battle
VS Hammerhead
Gusion's debut

I'm still fine with it though, even if I'm more of mecha fan than character. Partially because I think the quality of each battle does make up with the lack in quanity. And partially we get four loli now, with only Atra has very low risk of being killed, so I'm please :mrgreen: .
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Eh, I'm fine with things going slow for a bit, so long as there is an eventual payoff.


Now I'm about to say something, but before I do I want everyone to know that while I'm personally not a fan of body art (piercings, tattoos, etc.). I respect other peoples' choices to get and admire them however...

the leader of the Brewers is a horrifying a abomination!! Good lord man! I'm hoping that's some kind of physical disfigurement, because the idea of someone choosing to do that to themselves is, just, just, ugh.
OK, freak out over. :P
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

And the pilot of Gundam Gusion, I agree. He's from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. I hope they don't kill Masahiro so he could take his place as the Gusion pilot.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Heh, to those of us who've seen Dragonar, the Brewers are nothing.
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Re: The Official Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Anime Thread Mk

Destiny_Gundam wrote:Heh, to those of us who've seen Dragonar, the Brewers are nothing.
They are rejects of the Gon Jem squad and FotNS.
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