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REVIEW: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Blu-Ray


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fuuma_monou



Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 1817
Location: Quezon City, Philippines
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:07 am Reply with quote
My pre-order of this set is on the way.

Watched Zeta Gundam before ever watching Gundam 0079 in any form. Hell, I watched Gundam ZZ before watching Zeta. When I finally got around to watching the movie trilogy, it put me to sleep. Mind, I was sleep-deprived at the time. Currently reading Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin.
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tintor2



Joined: 11 Aug 2010
Posts: 1832
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:30 am Reply with quote
Nice review.

My only problem with the show is that spoiler[it does not end. We have to put up with Double Zeta to see Kamile's development. Also there was a huge of buildup of Kamile's rivarly with the blond guy he just punches because of his gender insecurity. Then before the finale, the blond guy dies like nothing]
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Themaster20000



Joined: 05 Aug 2014
Posts: 863
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:42 am Reply with quote
I couldn't get into Zeta Gundam at all. I only watched the first half which has it's got moments, but it was all over the place when it came to pacing. The big issue for me was Kamille,who was unlikable from episode 1. The scene that did for me with him was when he stole the Gundam for no particular good reason,other than him being angry that the Titans for making fun of his name(and the show expects me to relate to this character?). I also felt they didn't do the best job humanizing the Titans,they kinda came off as just evil bad guys for the most part.

Last edited by Themaster20000 on Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:48 am; edited 1 time in total
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:45 am Reply with quote
I'll have to disagree, I cannot stand Kamile for the life of me. I'd pay good money for a director cut where they severely diminish, or even flat out cut out, his role. I get that he's supposed to grow up and all, but that doesn't make the time we have to spend with his immature self any better. It sucks cause I love almost everything else about it, but the main character just drag everything so far down for me. That also really change the story, since I get a sick enjoyment out of watching him suffer, "MWHAHAHA pay for ruining this great show!" Twisted Evil
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stowrag



Joined: 16 Nov 2010
Posts: 47
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:19 am Reply with quote
Personally, I love Kamille. I know his character irks a lot of people, but it's like Quess: he seems like an accurate representation for a boy his age in his situation with his skills.
I think a lot of people get so turned off by the character in his early stages when the real draw is the development he goes through, transitioning from an angry punk to a veteran ace to this twisted reflection of what a newtype is supposed to be (which fits better considering the ending). I really don't feel like Amuro or Judo were developed nearly so well.

Also, what's wrong with the placeholder opening song? It syncs well to the animation and makes the show feel more like Star Wars. The original pop songs don't suit the tone of the series anyway.
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macattack



Joined: 07 May 2011
Posts: 257
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:20 am Reply with quote
Uh, last I checked NO ONE from Gundam 0079 returned for Zeta. Gundam 0079 was recorded in Ocean Westwood, Vancouver. Zeta was recorded in Blue Water in Calgary. The Blue Water VAs are doing imitations of the original Ocean cast.

Unless they paid to redub Zeta from scratch there's no way anyone returned from Gundam 0079 for this.
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Merxamers



Joined: 09 Dec 2013
Posts: 720
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:21 am Reply with quote
So, i'm not entirely sure what is meant by Gundam 0079; the only Gundam things i've watched are the compilation films of the original series, and Turn A. Will i be lost if i jump into this? Or is there a vital prequel series i need to watch?
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Rowri8



Joined: 28 Nov 2014
Posts: 46
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:28 am Reply with quote
Merxamers wrote:
So, i'm not entirely sure what is meant by Gundam 0079; the only Gundam things i've watched are the compilation films of the original series, and Turn A. Will i be lost if i jump into this? Or is there a vital prequel series i need to watch?


the original series you watched is the first gundam (Gundam 0079,which was made into 3 compilation films). Zeta Gundam is the second gundam ever made and it's the sequel to the original series. so you're good to go
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Merxamers



Joined: 09 Dec 2013
Posts: 720
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:55 am Reply with quote
Rowri88 wrote:

the original series you watched is the first gundam (Gundam 0079,which was made into 3 compilation films). Zeta Gundam is the second gundam ever made and it's the sequel to the original series. so you're good to go


thanks man, that's all i needed to know Smile
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jroa



Joined: 08 Aug 2012
Posts: 537
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 12:24 pm Reply with quote
Lauren Orsini is a good reviewer, but there are two opposing schools of thought on Zeta Gundam:

a) Those who buy into the hype of its being a timeless masterpiece, so to speak, or who are otherwise openly willing to forgive and forget any real or perceived issues with the show because they place far more value on its strengths, are able to dig into its themes or otherwise keep the big picture in mind. Tomino's quirks work for them. They like the robot designs / animation style. They like the cameo appearances and guest stars from the previous series. These people tend to be able to identify with Kamille a lot. There is nothing inherently wrong with this perspective, except for the fact it certainly isn't the only one in existence.

b) Those who watch it and are more or less disappointed after all the hype. There is uneven pacing, odd moments of characterization and a few other writing issues beyond the superficial awkwardness of the subtitles. Kamille is, at the very least, not quite universally considered as the most likable person in the world. The scenes where he gets punched in the face might have been meant to reflect discipline, but they're also rather unintentionally hilarious. There is literally only one truly good person in the Titans (who then just quits) and the rest of the organization might as well be a cartoonish version of the Nazi party. Key characters on the villain side come and go away for dozens of episodes before suddenly becoming relevant. Or how a certain female character appears to die only to suddenly return many episodes later and die again.

Needless to say, I think nuance is more important than absolutes and my own opinion is somewhere between these two extremes. This is a good Gundam show, which actually tends to improve in its later stages, and there are certainly a number of memorable characters and elements, but the entire structure is not quite as solid as its most ardent defenders believe.
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louis6578



Joined: 31 Jul 2013
Posts: 1862
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:17 pm Reply with quote
Did Ocean redub this? It sounds like the same crappy Blue Water dub with everyone on the original 0079 dub replaced to me. Maybe my ears aren't working.
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 8461
Location: Penguinopolis
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:21 pm Reply with quote
You're kidding me, they have the same "dubtitles" as the original NA DVD boxset release? Can anyone else confirm this? That's a pretty big detraction from the quality of the release, if true. Especially since they corrected the subtitles in later releases, so there's no reason not to use those. I don't want to resort to that stiff English dub. The Japanese cast is brilliant in this.

I love Zeta Gundam, though. It's my favorite mecha series of all time, in fact. All the extra wrinkles added to the UC timeline really helped build a more robust environment for the narrative, and the little twists and turns throughout and darker tone made it such a compelling watch. Granted, some of the characters can be a hard sell, but Kamille matures into a less erratic, or at least more centered person over time, and his indignation towards "bad adults" focuses towards the real threats eventually. There's also a problem with some of the clunky dialogue. But the contours and intricacies of the plot more than make up for any awkwardness. It's a more cerebral, complex experience than the original series, and even most of the follow-ups.

It also helps that the mechanical designs are some of the best in the franchise. I love seeing those mobile suits in action.
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levonr



Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Posts: 811
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:14 pm Reply with quote
The dub cast from 0079 never returned. Bandai doesn't care to have consistent dub casts. Like Saber Marionette, each season has a completely different cast! Blue Waters did a decent job finding actors that sounded similar so maybe that's how Lauren got confused.
I prefer subbed since while I think the dub was well cast(even Kamille, who sounds young to me) the acting itself is poor.

Also I disagree about the music. I adore that instrumental music, it fits Gundam in general much more than 0079's music ever did and instrumental is what Gundam has used ever since for the most part. Its timeless music, while 0079's is very outdated sounding(Don't get me wrong, I still like it).

stowrag wrote:
Personally, I love Kamille. I know his character irks a lot of people, but it's like Quess: he seems like an accurate representation for a boy his age in his situation with his skills.
I think a lot of people get so turned off by the character in his early stages when the real draw is the development he goes through, transitioning from an angry punk to a veteran ace to this twisted reflection of what a newtype is supposed to be (which fits better considering the ending). I really don't feel like Amuro or Judo were developed nearly so well.


Yeah I believe Tomino really wanted to push this character much more. I thought he was the most interesting of Gundam main characters. I'm with the reviewer, "his flaws don't make him unlikable; they make him compelling and vulnerable.".
Of course many just find him annoying. Probably sick of angst teens in anime. However back then it actually wasn't that common. Think about it, most anime from that time I think of manly men or optimistic teens. It really wasn't until the 90's that angst teens started to take over anime Wink
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residentgrigo



Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 2424
Location: Germany
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:49 pm Reply with quote
The music score is a bit harsh and i would have gone with an A- on story due to the slightly uneven firsts arc (Kamille only becomes interesting after a family members death for example) but this is the finest space opera after LogH and a rare "masterpiece".
Zeta or 0083 is also a main reason why i will never be able to care about or follow Age, Orphans and the other post 00 shows. The currently manga remake Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Define is actually a bit better/focused than the show and in desperate need of love. The same goes for all the other recent Gundam remake manga. I still can´t be leave that this very show lead to a turd as Destiny... This franchise sure is strange you all.
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 8461
Location: Penguinopolis
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:58 pm Reply with quote
residentgrigo wrote:
The currently manga remake Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Define is actually a bit better/focused than the show and in desperate need of love.


I hope Vertical picks this up at some point in the near future.
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