Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 8: The Form of Closeness

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-8-the-form-of-closeness-687759

Review:

With Tekkadan achieving a decisive victory over the Hammerhead, Naze agrees to hear them out, ultimately siding with the young soldiers and consigning Arkay to work on a Teiwaz installation to pay off the debts he incurred. Afterwards, Orga holds several meetings with Naze, securing a transport route while also requesting that Tekkadan be made a subsidiary of Teiwaz. Orga’s second request requires approval that Naze can’t give, leading them to head to a larger Teiwaz ship. Meanwhile, both Akihiro and Mikazuki devote themselves to improving their combat skills while Atra and Kudelia play with Naze’s children. We are also given a deeper look into the bond that exists amongst the members of Tekkadan, as Naze confronts Orga about it and demands an answer. By the end of the episode, the Teiwaz ship that they are headed for is in sight, meaning that Tekkadan’s next ordeal is about to begin.

The previous episode wrapped up rather swiftly, with Tekkadan shown boarding the Hammerhead and Naze conceding defeat. This episode starts with an extended look at Tekkadan’s infiltration tactics and the methods by which they actually achieved victory. While not a crucial bit of information, the writers certainly deserve credit for fleshing out the details, especially because it helps to make the victory feel more believable. Beyond these opening scenes the episode is pretty much devoid of action, but it still carries itself well and remains interesting despite that, which is something that has sort of become a trademark for this show.

We get to see some subtle growth in our main characters this time around, with both Akihiro and Mikazuki seeming to be a bit humbled by their recent battles. At least, that is the conclusion that one could come to given the fact that they both realize their need for training, and by Mikazuki’s melancholic attitude during his post-battle meal. As the Gundam pilot for this series, Mikazuki is interesting in his own right, as he does not fall into either extreme that seems to be popular in the Gundam franchise—he is neither proud and cocky nor depressive and fatalistic. In fact, Mikazuki’s personality still feels a bit mysterious, though we at least see that he does regret causing problems for others to some extent.

Elsewhere, the dealings between Naze and Orga (and later Orga’s explanation of Tekkadan’s bond) serve as a great way to introduce Naze’s character without it feeling forced while also expanding upon Orga’s character. Although we had some sense of this beforehand, we can definitely say now that Orga was not simply some power-hungry youngster seeking his own fame and glory. His devotion to and care for his fellow members of Tekkadan prove that, although by his own admission he is still a bit childish in his approach, or at least that’s how he ends up presenting himself to Naze. Still, these little character flaws are what make for interesting characters, as we will hopefully get to see Orga, Mikazuki, and the others grow as the series progresses. Whether they grow past these flaws or learn to navigate around them will remain to be seen.

A Christian Perspective:

Matthew 19:5 – And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ (NLT)

I wanted to do something a bit different with this Christian Perspective and talk about marriage. As we find out in this episode, Naze has A LOT of wives. We’re not told how many, but we know that it’s enough to staff his entire ship, so he seems to have sown his oats quite a bit. Certainly we’ve all heard people make comments throughout our lives to suggest the “benefits” of multiple partners, such as the idea that having one woman for the rest of our lives is like having one flavor of ice cream forever while having multiple partners provides a “variety”. As we can see from Jesus’ description of marriage above, though, the God-ordained marriage is one man and one woman, period. It is easy to fall victim to the worldly mentality, especially when you don’t know the truth of God’s Word; I should know, as I speak from experience. Most of my life was spent in sexual immorality, and though I never had multiple sexual partners (thank God for that now), the thought was certainly appealing. It’s not until you see things from God’s perspective (read: the only correct perspective) that you begin to realize the beauty of marriage and having one man and one woman together forever. Without being too graphic or inappropriate, lets just say that when you have one person who knows you better than anyone else, the experience is simply amazing. It’s true that I can’t speak for the idea of having multiple partners, but as a married man I can speak for the idea of having one partner who knows me on an incredibly intimate level, and it is truly an amazing experience.

Content Guide:

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: Characters drink alcohol in the episode preview

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Women wear cleavage revealing tops

Violence: Ships fire at each other; Orga’s forces fire gas; Naze flicks Orga in the face

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 7: Whaling

http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-7-whaling-687757

Review:

Tekkadan learns that their new nemesis is Maruba Arkay, the president of the now defunct CGS, who is demanding the return of his ship. To make matters worse, he has hired Teiwaz—the very organization with whom Tekkadan desires to do business—to work on his behalf. While Naze Turbine, a member of Teiwaz and captain of the ship Hammerhead, desires to assimilate Tekkadan rather than fighting them, Orga flat-out refuses and pitches his own need for Teiwaz’s assistance with the current mission. This request is, of course, declined, which leads to the two sides going hostile, with Mikazuki and Akihiro launching for Tekkadan while the Hammerhead launches its own crew of initially two—but eventually three—female pilots while the two battleships also engage in combat. The battle proves to be more challenging than either side had wagered, but Tekkadan’s strategy ultimately prevails, seemingly earning them the respect of Turbine while simultaneously sparing the lives of Akihiro and one of the Hammerhead pilots.

This episode continues to follow what appears to be an established pattern of alternating between calm episodes and action-oriented ones. While the previous episode was built around exploring some of the main (and side) characters, this one leaves little room for character development (other than the fact that Kudelia can’t put on a space suit by herself) in favor of brutal mobile suit combat. It is, of course, convenient story-telling that Tekkadan’s new opponent should be the very organization with whom they wish to do business (meaning that they don’t have to sniff out Teiwaz anymore, just convince them to actually provide assistance), but at the same time the writers do manage to bring this turn of events back around to previous actions, so at least the appearance of Teiwaz doesn’t come from out of the blue. It should have been expected that taking over CGS would have left at least some hostility, and that comes to fruition this time around.

Story aspects aside, the combat in this episode is truly intense and satisfying, although the way Mikazuki gets fairly well beaten down in the Barbatos does cause one to question what is supposed to be so special about the Gundam unit in this series. While a previous review has praised the fact that the Gundam doesn’t seem to be over-powered this time around—and while that point still stands—it also seems like there isn’t a whole lot to set it apart, when traditionally the Gundam unit(s) is/are specialized suit(s) that outshine all of the others. Granted, the Barbatos does survive a hit that was thought to be deadly this time around, so therein may lie the answer, but the struggle does leave one scratching his head as to why the Gundam should be feared this time around. On the other hand, there is a nod of respect to the realism shown—for all intents and purposes, Tekkadan is still new to this whole world, especially in regards to mobile suit piloting, while their adversaries thus far have been much more experienced. While it seems the Alaya-Vijnana system does give them an edge over foes without that equipment, it is possible that the inexperience of the Tekkadan soldiers means that the system just gives them a fighting chance instead of them simply being slaughtered by more seasoned enemies.

In any event, if you enjoy mobile suits beating the living tar out of each other and holding your breath to see how the protagonists will get themselves out of their current situation, then you will undoubtedly enjoy this episode. There is no easy victory to this battle, and the method by which the battle is decided is not easily predictable. Yet again the series also does a good job of raising as many questions as it answers (at least if you take some time to think), because it certainly isn’t clear where Tekkadan will get all of the resources it will need to repair the damage done in this battle. All-in-all, the series continues to progress nicely without feeling rushed, and it leaves enough to bring viewers back next time.

A Christian Perspective:

Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pretty much every combatant in this episode embodies this proverb. Mikazuki and Akihiro seemed to be overly confident in their own abilities while the Hammerhead pilots appeared to believe that they would have no problem wiping the floor with the young Tekkadan pilots. This shared cockiness turns disastrous for both sides, as the Hammerhead forces appear to have the upperhand at first, with Akihiro being pinned by the two initial pilots while Mikazuki ulatimely underestimates the third pilot that joins the fray. It doesn’t take long for Akihiro to show his true strength, though, which puts both of his opponents in danger (though Akihiro appears to come close to losing his life), and while Mikazuki initially underestimates his opponent, she seems to do the same to him, assuming that he must have been defeated, which allows Mikazuki to put her into a position that would have resulted in her death had the battle not been called off in the nick of time. The point is that both sides showed an unhealthy amount of pride in this battle, and as a result they both faced death during their skirmish.

The application to real life seems pretty simple here: many times we approach situations with too much pride or confidence in our own abilities, assuming that success or victory will come easy because we are “just that good”, only to find ourselves defeated or, possibly, in sin, because we didn’t rely on God or we took for granted the gifts He gave us and took credit for them ourselves. It is an easy trap to fall into, and we’ve probably all been there several times in our lives. Learning to rely on God can be a difficult thing, and learning to approach situations with humility can be even harder, especially when we are faced with something that we are quick to classify as “easy”, “simple”, or “a decisive victory”. Instead, we should approach situations with humility, acknowledging our own limits and the fact that we don’t know everything that we are getting into.

Content Guide:

Language: 4 “d*rn”, 1 “g*sh”

Alcohol/Drug Use: Two men are shown sitting in a bar with what are likely alcoholic drinks in front of him; Turbine smokes

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: A woman is shown polishing her nails in the episode’s beginning—her top shows a little cleavage, and there are some risque camera angles; a woman in a skimpy outfit is shown next to Turbine—the top of her buttcrack sticks out from her jeans, and her top exposes much of her belly and cleavage; two other women on Turbine’s ship are shown in cleavage-revealing bikini tops; Kudelia is shown in her bra and underwear as she tries to get a space suit on—her top shows cleavage; Atra’s bra is also briefly seen as she zips up her suit; Akihiro is shirtless inside his mobile suit

Violence: Turbine’s ship engages in combat with Tekkadan’s ship; typical Gundam violence—ships are hit with missles and gunfire, mobile suits fire at each other and engage in melee combat, etc.

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 4: The Price of Life

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-4-the-price-of-life-687751

Review:

Tekkadan continues to work on their plan to get Kudelia to Earth by sending a group to a nearby spaceport to take possession of an old CGS ship. Meanwhile, Todo offers to help the operation by hooking Tekkadan’s members up with a connection that he has to a certain CEO. Unfortunately, Todo’s intentions don’t appear to be as innocent and helpful as he would have Orga and the others believe, although we don’t know what the former First Corp member could have in mind. Elsewhere, Mikazuki drags Kudelia along with himself and Biscuit to harvest corn with Biscuit’s family, which gives Kudelia a bit more insight into how the economy of Mars works and why young men must hire themselves out as labor. While there, they encounter the two agents from Gjallarhorn who were previously shown conducting their investigation in space and then later on Mars when the agents almost run over Biscuits sisters. After an initially tense encounter with Mikazuki, the situation becomes rather calm and the agents leave without incident. As Mikazuki and company return to the base later, they see that Orga has commissioned a new design for their base’s logo, and the whole company prepares for the upcoming mission, unaware of Todo’s deception at work in the background.

Generally speaking, this was a pretty slow episode, although it did serve to set up the next phase of the plot and to further establish some already present points. For example, there was enough reason to conclude that the inspectors from Gjallarhorn were not on good terms with the ship that they were investigating, and this episode seems to further drive that point home, especially as the two inspectors descend to Mars and observe the telltale signs of recent battle. We are as of yet unaware as to why there is bad blood between the two groups, so it is possible that these slow moments are building up to something more substantial later on in the series. That’s the problem with watching a show episode-by-episode: we can only see the momentary events and not the overall picture. It’s true that this is the case with pretty much anything you watch, but at least when all of the episodes are available you can watch one after another and more readily see where a particular set of circumstances were leading. For now, we can only hope that these small moments will lead to something worthwhile.

With the previous points in mind, it has to be said that Iron-Blooded Orphans deserves praise for its ability to hold viewers’ attention despite the slow pace. Whether it’s the characters themselves or the writers’ ability to tease out just enough to make you wonder what will happen next is probably a matter of debate, but the episode doesn’t feel like a waste despite its lack of action. The most intense moments are limited to Todo’s occasional hints of betrayal and Mikazuki’s group encountering the Gjallarhorn inspectors. Granted, the bit of world building in the episode helps to maintain interest, as do the minor plot progressions (such as the team Orga sent out securing the space ship). Whatever the case may be, the writers are doing something right, and they have what appears to be a more action-oriented episode prepared for next time, so those who were disappointed with this episode should stick around.

A Christian Perspective:

Read Ephesians 4.

As Christians, we are instructed to be unified as the body of Christ, not dividing ourselves over arguments and disagreements. True, we will often disagree on some point of doctrine (continuation versus cessation, free will versus predestination, etc.), but we should be able to disagree without dividing ourselves, as long as the essentials of the faith are agreed upon (you know, the things that make us Christians in the first place). The need for unity is pretty clear—it’s hard to function effectively if the parts are all working against each other and tripping each other up, not to mention the fact that if the world only sees in-fighting amongst the members of the Church, then what incentive do they have to want to join us? How are we emulating the love of Christ? So, how does this work in conjunction with this episode? I’m glad you asked!

As the review touched upon, there appears to be a lack of cooperation amongst the Gjallarhorn forces, and even among Tekkadan in the form of Todo. While the mission of the Gjallarhorn inspectors is not known presently, we can surmise that things would be much easier on them if they didn’t have to sift through data and investigate the Mars landscape in an attempt to piece information together. Todo working against Tekkadan is, of course, to their detriment because he basically plans to betray them. In this case, it was unwise of Orga to allow him to stay, and Todo is serving as more of a virus within the body than an actual part of the body itself. In any event, both of these cases present a lack of unity and how it is making the tasks of those involved more difficult than they would otherwise be.

Content Guide:

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Shirtless men

Violence: A flashback shows Mikazuki destroying Crank’s mobile suit; a man slams his head against a wall; Mikazuki grabs a man by the throat

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Arta and Mikazuki wear good luck charms

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 3: Glorious Demise

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-3-glorious-demise-687057

Review:

Life seems to go about normally at the base, with characters shown going about their duties and conversing normally. Kudelia is shown to be assisting Biscuit and his sisters with serving food, and it is also revealed that she tried to help with the cooking, as well. Despite her protests, Mikazuki is served a portion of the food prepared by Kudelia, which he ultimately compliments due to the large chunks of vegetables. During all of this, Biscuit is called away to feed the members of First Corp, who are rude as usual, but the tables quickly turn as they later wake up to find themselves bound in a room thanks to the food being laced. Orga and Third Corp enter and announce that they are taking over before Mikazuki executes a man. The survivors are given the option to stay or leave, with a guy from accounting being made to stay. In the aftermath, Third Corp is shown going over the numbers to determine how much money they have until Crank shows up to challenge the base to a duel. Despite a First Corp defectors protests, Orga will not agree to just hand Kudelia over, instead allowing Mikazuki to take Barbatos into battle. The two combatants engage in a violent duel leading up to a bloody finish.

While the coup was already expected thanks to last episode’s preview, what wasn’t expected was how little time the episode actually devoted to it. While one might expect a big, bloody confrontation, what we actually get is a quiet, stealth mission that is over in minutes. Granted, this is certainly a wiser method (less deaths and less noise so that more people don’t jump in), but it’s not the most exciting thing to watch. Mikazuki shows just how brutally violent he can be, though, as he shoots a bound man in the head without hesitation. Truth be told, there is a lot of talking in this episode, but it builds up the plot fairly well and manages to keep the viewer engaged because the characters themselves are actually likable and interesting.

Of course, the climax of this episode is the duel between Mikazuki and Crank at the end, and it doesn’t disappoint. While the general rule of thumb in Gundam anime is that the Gundam is leaps and bounds more powerful than any other mobile suit, it is nice to see Crank actually give Mika a run for his money. It was also nice to have an antagonist that we could actually feel sorry for. A lot of times the antagonists are just jerks, but in this case we have a guy who is actually morally against what he is being asked to do (fight children), hence the reason for only seeking a duel. Crank’s honor makes him likable, and makes this writer wish he would have defected instead of doing battle with Mika. There is also a stark contrast between the two fighters: Crank questioned his commander’s orders and sought a resolution that didn’t require bloodshed while Mikazuki followed Orga’s orders wholeheartedly and sought a fight to the death, even though Crank had no intention of pursuing that end initially. In retrospect, it actually makes Mika a little less likable, but perhaps this will ultimately move him towards some kind of change? At this point, only time will tell.

The story of Iron Blooded Orphans is just getting started—the next episode looks like it will put us in space, and what’s a Gundam series without space fights? The series is off to a strong start so far, and we can only hope that it continues in that direction.

A Christian Perspective:

Matthew 22: 37-38 – Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment.

My focus in this episode is Mikazuki’s supreme, unquestioning devotion to Orga against everything else. Case in point, Crank clearly states that the duel between him and Mikazuki does not have to be so serious as to be unto death, yet Mikazuki rejects that stipulation, stating that Orga ordered him to kill Crank. If you’ve seen this episode, then you know that Mikazuki ultimately kills Crank and emerges victorious. While Mikazuki’s handling of the situation isn’t to be admired in and of itself (Crank was, for all intents and purposes, a noble man who had no desire to kill children), his unwavering devotion to Orga’s commands is, if only for the fact that we, as Christians, are also called to have unwavering devotion to the commands of our Lord Jesus. As with most of my comparisons, this one is, of course, imperfect, and maybe even moreso than others, because Orga’s command in this situation (and Mikazuki’s adherence to it) is downright deplorable given the fact that their opponent was not seeking bloodshed, and I feel I must continue to stress that it is the idea of Mikzuki’s obedience and not necessarily his actions that I am making the focal point here.

At the end of the day, there will always be things that Jesus will ask of us that aren’t easy for us to do, and there will be other people who will try to get us to act in a way that is not in accordance with those commands. In those situations, we must make sue we adhere to Jesus’ command above all else. The good news is that Jesus won’t ask us to do something morally repugnant, but He very well may ask us to do things that we wouldn’t be comfortable with.

Content Guide:

Language: 1 “d*rn”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Mikazuki is shown shirtless; a flashback appears to show several shirtless men

Violence: A man kicks Biscuit; Orga kicks a man in the face; Mikazuki shoots two men in the head; Mikazuki and Crank battle in their mobile suits

Blood/Gore: Blood splatters on a man’s jacket and pools under his body; A LOT of blood at the end of the Mikazuki/Crank duel

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 2: Barbatos

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-2-barbatos-687055

Review:

Mikazuki explodes onto the battlefield in Gundam Barbatos, quickly turning the tide of battle to the Mars forces’ favor. His destruction of an enemy mobile suit does not deter his foes, though, but instead sends them into a rage, with the other two mobile suit pilots engaging him in battle. Barbatos quickly proves to be more than the two foes can handle, but Mikazuki quickly finds that he is short on fuel. Thankfully his enemies withdraw before delivering any killing blows. In the aftermath, the Mars forces recover their dead, Kudelia reflects on the events that have transpired (and her perceived role in causing them) as well as the situation on Mars, and Gjallarhorn licks their wounds and prepares for another attack while Crank agonizes over the fact that he is being commanded to fight children. On Mars, Orga takes some abuse from a member of the First Corps, but soon after reveals his plan to not only get even, but to also take over….

Though Barbatos starts out with an exciting action sequence featuring the Gundam that is its namesake, the majority of the episode focuses on a few individual characters as well as a bit of world building. Even in the opening battle, we see Crank—a member of Gjallarhorn—begin to have his own internal struggles over the fact that he is fighting and killing children. This theme continues throughout various points of the episode, with Crank even raising an objection to his commanding officer upon being ordered to prepare for another attack. It’s nice to see an antagonist with some sense of morality so early in the series, although the end of the episode would suggest that he is still going to follow orders and go through with the attack. Whether or not this will be the case won’t be seen until the third episode, so at least it is a plot point to look forward to. Regardless, Crank does serve as a nice contrast to Ein, a young Gjallarhorn pilot who seems to have no qualms over the killing of children.

Back on Mars, we see a variety of characters react to the aftermath of the battle. A friend of one of the boys killed in battle mourns over his friend’s death. Meanwhile, Kudelia reflects on the Mars situation in a (presumably past) speech. In the present, she reflects on the current situation and blames herself for it. It’s nice to have a character who wants to make a change and yet isn’t full of herself. Kudelia genuinely wants to make a difference, but she doesn’t approach the situation in a cocky manner. On the other hand, you have Mikazuki who seems to be genuinely apathetic in the sense that he does what he needs to do to achieve a goal. While Kudelia is beating herself up, Mika is simply moving forward. He, too, is a departure from the typical Gundam protagonists who are either cocky or (seemingly more often than not) dark and brooding. It’s not that he doesn’t care, it’s more like he goes with the flow.

How the story of Iron-Blooded Orphans will unfold is still very much a mystery, and is made even more so by this episode’s reveal of Orga’s intended coup. While the fight between Mars and the Earth forces seems to certainly be the larger conflict of the series, one can only imagine that Orga trying to take control of the Mars forces will create more enemies. Time can only tell, but so far the episodes have left this viewer feeling satisfied while simultaneously wanting more.

A Christian Perspective:

John 12:18 – You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

The above is a true statement that we witness every day in our society, and it’s a truth that we can’t escape, even in fiction. This is seen in this episode of Iron-Blooded Orphans as we watch the scenes of children literally starving and dying in the streets during Kudelia’s speech. It’s a stark contrast to the generally positive ideas humanity seems to have about expansion, as this presents a situation where humanity has expanded, and yet the problems that we face on Earth are just as present (if not moreso) on this new world. Whether this means the Gundam writers realize that there are problems inherent to humanity no matter where we are or whether this was just written for dramatic effect no one can definitively say, but they have made a profound statement either way. It also says something that there are so many dystopian stories out there—stories of seemingly utopian worlds that turn out to be far from perfect when put under scrutiny. I think this speaks to the fact that we instinctively know that there is something deeply wrong with our society and with ourselves, something that can’t be easily fixed by moving humanity to a new location or by stripping certain freedoms from people.

As Christians we, of course, know that the problem is sin, and the answer is Jesus. Had sin never entered the world, then it stands to reason that there would be no poverty or homelessness. Whether because there would be provision enough for all or because everybody would truly care for his neighbor as he does for himself (thus making sure his neighbor is well cared for) I cannot say, but we live in a society where we look out for number one first and foremost, especially here in “good old America”. I don’t say this as someone who has the concept of generosity down pat—I could certainly stand to be much, MUCH more generous with my time and my money. As is the case with many things, it is easier to recognize the problem then to enact the solution. The point is that even our fiction reflects the fact that our world is broken, and that we do not possess the means of fixing that brokenness.

In the end, the true fix won’t come until Jesus comes and establishes His kingdom here on Earth. On the individual level we, of course, have our reprieve once we shuffle off of this mortal coil, but that doesn’t change the fact that the problems that plague so many people continue on past our deaths. While we’re here, we can do our best to walk as Jesus walked and ease the burdens of those around us, but the only real “perfect, utopian” society will not come until Jesus does.

Content Guide:

Language: 4 “d*rn”, 1 “g*sh”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Shirtless Mikazuki; lots of shirtless men

Violence: Mobile Suit Combat is shown in the intro; Mikazuki engages two enemy mobile suits in combat; Orga is punched in the face

Blood/Gore: Mikazuki’s nose bleeds; Mikazuki stands in a trail of blood in the intro; Mikazuki has blood on his face and chest; Ein has blood on the corner of his mouth; Orga has blood under his nose and near his mouth; blood is shown on the floor

Other: A character mentions that his deceased friend wanted to die smothered in large breasts

Review: Gundam Build Fighters, Episode 8: Encounters of Fighters

Screenshot taken from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC1owUxslXQ

Review:

So now things get a little deeper in terms of plot. Instead of the show just being about a boy and his aspirations of world domin—er, I mean stardom–we now have an organization and a scientist out to win the tournament for their own means. This is also a mostly Sei-less episode, and even when we do see him, he doesn’t play a prominent role. No, this episode is all set up. That’s not to say it’s bad–there are two Gundam battles that take place with two new characters who will probably play a bigger role later on.

Er…. to be honest, that’s all I’ve got. I watched this episode a little less than a week ago, and kept putting off writing the review, so I really don’t have much else to say.

A Christian Perspective:

It’s Build Fighters, so of course there’s violence in the form of Gundam fights. Other than that, there is a mild case of what could be called fanservice when the camera pans up the body of a female fighter in a tight body suit. Outside of that, this episode is fairly clean (based on my notes in the Content Guide, at least).

Content Guide:

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: The camera pans up the body of a female fighter in a tight body suit

Violence: Gundam battles

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Gundam Build Fighters, Episode 7: World-Level Ability

Screenshot taken from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_86GS6Otd64

Review:

The beach episode. It seems that not many anime escape this stereotypical episode, and Gundam Build Fighters goes right along with it, bikinis and all. Okay, in all fairness, it’s not as sexualized as some shows tend to be, but there is still plenty of cleavage from unnamed random female characters and Sei’s mom. Thankfully, the beach portion of the show only compromises a small segment of this episode, instead of making up the majority of the content. Eventually, plot kicks in.

So, the whole point of this episode is that the tournament winners have been given a trip to a hot spring, hence how Sei and Co. end up at the beach. Afterwards, at the hot spring/inn, Mao shows up again, although if you’re hoping to finally see a showdown between Mao and Reiji, you’ll have to wait some more. Mao, though, is downright funny to watch as he shirks the luxury of relaxation in favor of lending a hand to the girl working at the inn, a desire born from his obvious attraction to her. Meanwhile, Sei’s mom is plotting ways to get China with Sei. Of course, we all see this as the obvious pairing, but wouldn’t it be a bit creepy if our mom’s did this in real life? Or maybe they have/do? Eh, well, not much changes there, anyway.

If this episode is beginning to sound dull to you, don’t worry. Some land sharks show up to break up the vacation feel of the episode, and in true Build Fighters form, the gangsters (if the term is appropriate) agree to settle their demands with a Gunpla battle. Yes, it’s absurd, but let’s just suspend our disbelief. We’re already watching plastic models come to life, anyway. Besides, this seems to be a reliable formula for the show: stuff happening, and eventually a Gunpla battle. It’s simplistic, it’s predictable, but I can’t say it feels old, at least not yet, and perhaps I’m being too generalizing to say that that’s the formula the writers are using, but it certainly feels like there is a big battle in every episode. Of course, it would be kind of lame to make a show about battling models and then rarely have people actually battle models. Well, anyway, now I’m just filling space.

A Christian Perspective:

Keep up your guard for the first part of this episode: Sei, Reiji, China, Ral, and Sei’s mom are headed to the beach, which comes complete with nameless female characters in bikinis (so, cleavage), along with China in a two piece (although it provides decent coverage) and Sei’s mom in a bikini (which is definitely cleavage heavy). There’s also a still shot with Sei’s mom diving to hit a beach ball, where she doesn’t have the wrap around her waist. Granted, she’s just wearing a typical bikini bottom, but I still feel it’s worth mentioning. There’s also a scene where Reiji is asked about China’s bikini, which prompts Reiji to look back and forth from China and Sei’s mom, clearly comparing their chest sizes. His subsequent comment earns him a smack (violence). So yeah, the first few minutes aren’t particularly friendly for anyone who struggles with sexual temptation. Beyond that, the episode gets back to being fairly content friendly, with the only noteworthy mentions being the fact that a truck is crashed through a building, and Ral makes a comment about the “goddess of victory”. Whether or not that last one makes you uncomfortable depends upon whether you just wave such things off as nonsense or not, I suppose.

One good lesson this show delivers—not just for Christians, but for anyone in general—is that violence is not the answer.

Content Guide:

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: It’s a beach episode, so there are female characters shown in bathing suits, and especially bikinis, which of course expose cleavage; male characters are also shown in swim trunks; there is a scene where Reiji is asked what he thinks of China’s swimsuit, and he clearly begins to compare the size of China’s chest to that of Sei’s mom—nothing is explicitly said, but it’s obvious what’s going on

Violence: Gundam battle stuff; a character is smacked; a truck is crashed through the front of a building

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Ral makes a comment about the “goddess of victory”

Review: Gundam Build Fighters, Episode 6: A Reason To Battle

Screenshot taken from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyLIjk_V-1g

Review:

Well, we finally get the big battle we’ve all been waiting for, but it certainly came early. Six episodes in, and a total carnage of a battle… it kind of feels anti-climactic. On the other hand, though, if this is what we get six episodes in, then what will the final climax of battles be? Really, they probably could have teased out some plot points from this, such as Reiji’s apathy at Yuuki’s withdrawal, but the problems arrive and resolve within this episode. I don’t know what purpose there is for this, but it just feels like we reached a milestone in the series while it’s still young. Regardless, the big battle for this episode was great to watch.

It’s also cute to watch how Sei and China are slowly growing closer together. Apparently Sei’s mom thinks so, too. Outside of that, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of development in character relationships, other than the whole Yuuki/Reiji & Sei thing. Other than that, Mr. Ral does pop up to offer some wisdom to Reiji, but it’s wisdom that we could all consider: why do we engage in hobbies? Specifically, Mr. Ral is addressing Reiji’s thoughts about Gunpla battle, but we can probably apply what he has to say to any hobby that we partake in.

Of course, the series does still have some of those eye-roll worthy moments that come with anime such as Yu-Gi-Oh and Beyblade, mainly in reference to how seriously people are reacting while playing a game with toys. At least in Build Fighters, though, the Gunpla are shown as if they were real, which at least makes the battles more intense than two tops beating against each other. Honestly, I have no real complaints about the show, other than the fact that the pacing could have been done differently, but I am looking at it from the present view instead of the overall view, so perhaps it will make more sense as the story continues to unfold.

A Christian Perspective:

Watch out for that episode preview. This is as bad as it gets: Sei’s mom in a bikini, which of course means cleavage. China is shown in a school swimsuit, which isn’t really fanservicey in and of itself. So it’s certainly not the worst on the fanservice scale, although it is more than what we’re used to from this show (well, okay, Kirara was probably worse than this). Hopefully the context of the next episode isn’t simply to throw in some fanservice. Beyond that is just the typical Gundam fight violence. The big battle in this episode is particularly gruesome, at least as gruesome as two robots beating each other up can get. I’d venture to guess that most people who have watched this far aren’t bothered by this kind of violent content, though.

Content Guide:

Langauge: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: In the preview, Sei’s mom and China are shown at the beach, with China wearing what looks like a school swimsuit and Sei’s mom in a bikini (which, of course, means cleavage)

Violence: Gundam battles, one in particular being “gruesome” in terms of robot destruction

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Gundam Build Fighters, Episode 5: The Strongest Builder

Screenshot taken from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG6x_FcfWrA

Review:

Well, now Sei has a rival. Wait, wasn’t that Yuuki? Or was he Reiji’s rival? Bah, whatever. Anyway, the first post-credit scene in this episode seriously feels like a fanboy’s sales pitch for Gunpla. Sei and Ral basically blurt out a bunch of reasons as to why Gunpla is fun outside of the battling aspect. I suppose I should take some notes, though, as my own Gunpla are basically built by instruction and then stuck on a shelf (or back in the box as they wait for a place to be displayed). Well, anyway, it’s not really a criticism as much as it is a point of humor.

I also find it humorous as to how big Gunpla apparently is in the world of Build Fighters. The trucker from the opening, for example, seems to appreciate the Gunpla he’s given as payment for a ride, and one character even uses a Gundam model in an attempt to hit on a woman (what’s more is that it actually works, at least until Reiji shows up). Then, in contrast to all of this, is China’s dad, who is basically not open to the idea of taking Gunpla as payment. I guess not everyone likes Gunpla, even in a world where it seems like everyone loves Gunpla. Or he just has better business sense. One of the two.

So, like I said, Sei now has a rival in terms of building Gunpla. This comes to a head when the two decide to display their custom Gunpla, at which point a battle ensues. You’ll be disappointed to know, though, that the battle only takes place in the minds of the two combatants. Somehow they manage to have a mental battle (no, it’s not suggested that they’re psychic or anything like that) where they battle with their Gunpla. Don’t expect to find out who wins, though. If that’s not enough, though, we do get a very brief competition battle at the end of the episode, with a post-ending credits scene that continues with the plot line introduced at the end of the previous episode’s post-ending credits scene.

Well, what else can I say? Not much, really. It was nice to see a rival introduced who isn’t a total jerk. Granted, he does come across as one at one point, but in the end it seems more like a friendly (though serious) rivalry, much better than Kirara, who tried to sabotage Sei’s Build Strike. It will be interesting to see if we will find out who’s stronger later on down the line (although let’s face it, if this keeps up with typical anime stereotypes then the win is already assuredly Sei’s). Gundam Build Fighters continues to be a fun show, even if it isn’t the most original or innovative concept out there (let’s face it, there are plenty of toys-used-in-battle shows out there).

A Christian Perspective:

Not a whole lot to say on this one. The worst thing, as far as content goes, is an apparent use of God’s name in vain, specifically “Oh my G**”, except said in Italian. What the character says, specifically (and I include this simply for the fact that I may be wrong, and someone may wish to correct me) is “Oh dio mio”. As far as I know, “dio” is the Italian word for God, so…

Other than that, there is just the typical violence of Gundam battles (admit it, that’s what you’re here for, anyway) and a woman wearing a low cut top, thus showing cleavage. You know, it occurred to me that I could really expand this section by exploring themes in an episode. I have nothing for this episode in particular, but maybe I’ll keep it in mind for the future.

Content Guide:

Language: If my limited understanding of Italian is correct, a character basically exclaims “Oh my G**” in Italian

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: A woman is shown wearing a dress/top (not sure which) that shows cleavage

Violence: Gundam battles

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Gundam Build Fighters, Episode 4: Gunpla Idol Kirara

Screenshot taken from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-FVyHGZI0Y

Review:

If you’re wondering what happened to episode 3’s review, well… I seem to have lost it. I did the content guide, and then never got around to writing the review. Now I can’t find my file. I suppose I’ll have to go back and re-watch that one and do a review at some point, but I really wanted to watch the next episode.

So, anyway, this episode is honestly pretty predictable. It doesn’t take a lot to figure out the plot twist, if you can call it that, but the story is still entertaining enough, and the reveal during this episode’s big battle would probably be a bit of a surprise, if I hadn’t already read about the Build Strike on Wikipedia…

In a way, it was a cute episode, at least when you pay attention to Kousaka. Her interest in Sei probably isn’t much of a surprise, either, but it’s still kind of cute to watch her reactions in this episode. On the other hand, though, they do bring in some fanservice this time around. Granted, it’s probably mild as far as fanservice goes, but it’s still there and it’s still worth nothing. I’m specifically referring to Kirara’s attire. They enjoy showing her a bit provocatively when she’s performing, she dresses in a skimpy outfit, and the camera seems to enjoy centering on her breasts. It’s not prevalent enough to ruin the episode, but it does raise the question of, “Why?” Fanservice, in my opinion, is never necessary, and particularly so in a show about kids building models.

With that said, let’s get to the meat of why you’re probably here: Gundam battles. While the battles may not make up the majority of the episode, the main battle for this episode is still entertaining to watch, especially if you don’t know the Build Strike’s secret. It’s a fun watch, as always. I did notice a few errors in the subtitles, though. Again, this isn’t something that ruins the episode, but I’m low on things to say, and I don’t think I criticize a lot, so I included it.

A Christian Perspective:

Well, Kirara. Skimpy outfit, cleavage, camera centering on her breasts… yeah, stuff like that is prevalent. There is no nudity, and most people would probably consider this mild, but I must question why this was included. I mean, it’s probably safe to classify this more as a kids’ show, so the Kirara fanservice–mild or not–seems completely out of place, and is something we could do without. Even excluding the close ups of her breasts (and yes, she was clothed) would have been an improvement. Other than that, there was the violence of the Gunpla battles, which I have simplified as, well, Gunpla battles in the “Violence” section simply because the nature of the battles doesn’t change: guns, beam swords, explosions, etc. If it’s in one episode, it’s probably in all of them.

Content Guide:

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Kirara dresses rather skimpy, in the equivalent of what we might as well call a bikini top and “booty shorts”, if you will. The camera makes it a point to zoom in on her (clothed) breasts, and some of her poses are a bit provocative. Also, she shows some cleavage. Ditto pretty much all of that for her appearance at the Gunpla battle. The camera focuses on her breasts a few time.

Violence: Gunpla battles

Blood/Gore: None