In case you don't know, I love the Gundam Franchise. Sure, it's had some slip-ups now and then, but overall its one of the only high budget mech anime out there that has enough of a length to fully develop a decent story, enough depth for characters to be likeable/ hateable, and some kickass fight scenes. If you read the first season review (or you just read the title) you know where this is going. Gundam 00 Second Season.
Gundam 00 Second Season sits in a weird place with me. On the on hand, I still see it as one of the best examples of what a mech anime can be, and how an anime as a medium of fictional storytelling can be taken seriously.Yes it still has a small margin of fanservice (the characters-have-have-gigantic-boobs-and-barbie-like-figures not the boobs-in-your-face-every-two-seconds-are-you-not-entertained kind), and I'm pretty sure most fourteen year olds are not as developed as Feldt...character wise! This anime is one of my favorite anime of all time. At the same time, the second season just is not as good as the first. But we'll get to that later.
Animation-- So to get to the point, it doesn't look as good nowadays as it did back then. Animation is good, but not good enough to blow minds. For a mech anime, it's pretty good. Visually Gundam 00 suceeds (taking into account when it was made). Mech designs are appealing, fights are stunning even in 2014, and characters are detailed enough to set themselves apart from the rest of the cast.
The action scenes are really a ton of fun, ranging from tense, to massacre level engagements. Let me just say this; if you thought the Strike Freedom was overpowered, you have not seen anything yet. While a lot of the fights were fun, they all were solved by the Gundam of Gundams. Still they gave enough action to get the fanboys their adrenaline rush for the day. Something I didn't like so much this time around was that there was a lot more action. I mean it was fun and all, but I can't help but think that the political ploys and tricks are all but gone. The series is still fun, of that there is no doubt, but the politics of Gundam have always been its strongest feature.
Something else I found really cool about the actions scenes was that they actually were tense. Yes, you knew that the meisters (still can't get over that title) were going to win the battle, but it wasn't as one sided as it used to be. I'm assuming you've watched the first season already, so I'm not going to put a spoiler bit here. Now other machines can use the gn drives, making the battles a lot more tense...until of course Setuna comes in guns blazing. So here's another thing that kind of annoyed me; as much as I love the 00 Gundam, it was not as invoved in close comabt as Exia. The last one was cool that way, this one just shoots stuff... never the less, aside from the only thing that could make the 00 Gundam more overpowered would be if it had a giant S on its chest, the visuals have never looked better.
Plot--Wow, I'm doing a lot of bit***** for a show I like so much, but the plot isn't as good as last time either. I mean it is still damn good, but the first one's was still better. This plot-line is a lot more straightforward, which is a bit of a shame. The first Season's plot was absent of a straight forward villain. In some ways the Gundam were the villains, and that was cool. Yes, eventually there was a definitive antagonist, but for most of the series there was not. This left the viewer to decide who was right or wrong. It made the viewer actually think! At the same time, this anime does benefit from the straightforward plotline in some ways. First off it's villain, is so much more compelling than the predecessor that was revealed with as much consequence as Oz was in the movie of the same name (with a the and a wizard of course). The antagonist again makes you think, but still provides a goal; someone we grow to hate, and love at the same time. He's a cool villain, with an unbreakable composure; and that's why it's all too satisfying when it finally breaks.
Now the other thing that this anime has over its predecessor is the ending. This has got to be one of the most kick-ass finales I have ever seen period. Every gundam series ends with a final battle, a finale that few, if any anime can match, but none come close to this one's. It's the battle of Helm's Deep, the storming of 300 guys in a canyon, it's every little bit the fantastic specticle you could imagine in a final battle. It is amazing, and is built up like no tomorrow. Unlike a lot of other gundam series, it's also less an equal battle between giants, and more like a suicide mission. Oh, and the final battle of the final battle gives enough nostalgic thrill to make even the most hardcore gundam fans break. I just recommend turning off the sound for it, because you have to listen to Marina Freaking Ismail talk for the entire length of the fight.
Sound-- I was watching another reviewer who was saying that having a short but good soundtrack is better than having a long but boring soundtrack. to him I say why not Both...
No but really this anime has the best soundtrack I've heard in a while. There is a very small number of tracks I can say are sub par. To prove my point;
Once again I'm going to say that if you enjoy English dubs, watch it in dub. While I myself watched in subs, the anime boasts an amazing dub performance. Every voice actor is impressive, and like the soundtrack there is a very small amount of voice talents that I can say are sub par. That being said Ayumi Tsunematsu, the voice actress is someone I would point as as not being exceptional. She's not cringe worthy, but she never really gets a chance to shine, to show that she actually has a good amount of talent. I mean she hasn't really done anything else that I've seen, so I can't say that she's actually any good. She filled her role; it's just a shame her role is as interesting as watching paint dry.
Characters--The characters in the second season don't get as much development in the second season, but that's cool.they got enough development in the first one. Instead they make way for some of the other characters, like colonel Sergei Smirnov, the bear of Russia.The main characters still get their screen time, but so do the other characters. This allows for more character development, and perspectives other than just the view of Celestial Being. This makes the antagonist seem a bit more three dimensional and a bit more realistic because of this. they are not your typical mustache twirling bond villains. They are definitely unjust, but at least they think that they're doing the right thing, and it's the thought that counts. I'm not going to go into most of the characters, because I think I've covered the characters enough in my review of the first season. Instead I'm going to focus on three, Saji, Louise, and *sigh* Marina. Now in the first season I found Louise and Saji to be annoying and pointless. they only mattered at the end, and while I was supposed to care about them, I couldn't. They were annoying, and while Louise showed a lot of development, meaning I felt an emotion somewhat in the ball park of sadness, I felt as much feelings for Saji as I would a brick. Actually supposing it wasn't one that hit me on the head, I think I would've had more feelings toward the brick. In the second season, their relationship is a bit more plot centered and complicated. Louise is now a fully developed character who is likeable and just a good character. Saji, is now just a character. He's not anything too important, but he's not annoying anymore. At least he has some ties to the plot.
Marina--Yep an entire section dedicated to why I hate Marina freaking Ismail. God! You know what's worse than being a character with a ton of potential that drops down to being a plot device? A character that is nothing but a plot device. Not only that, but after she finally overstays her welcome (the first episode) she even drops that. What the hell is the point? Why is she here? This makes no Goddamn sense! She does nothing throughout the series. The only thing of importance that she actually does is have some conversations with Setsuna, that give him a bit more character. that and I kid you not, write a freaking song. You know this character doesn't have the personality of a rock. She makes a rock look like Hamlet given her performance. She shows no character development whatsoever. She is as static as an old 50's TV and about as interesting as the programs on it. She is so damn useless! Even Saji, a pacifist to the core was able to fight when he was needed, even Relina Peacecraft, who's very name implies pacifism is able to pick up a gun and do something, Lacus Clyne is smart capable and an intelligent politician that doesn't have to resort to violence to get her way. Oh but what am I talking about, Marina can write songs! Jesus, Lord, and Savior, she is truly the one that drives this series forward. I hate her! You know maybe they do this on purpose. To create a stark contrast...between fun and boredom. That's it! They're saying, well some things could've been better, but at least the whole anime isn't this.
Romance--It's valentine's day whatddya expect? So it's hard to put into words, but the romance in Gundam 00 Is something that I think is sorta weird. This is either one of my favorite romances or one of my least favorites, and that depends on the outcome. Okay, so more and more gundam has been moving to a bit more of a romantic standpoint. In fact originally the series was slated to have a lot more romance and drama--something that was cut short due to time constraints. So that being said, the romance here is a bit shallow--meaning it's not as developed as other series. Myself, I don't mind it so much. Why? because it makes the characters feel more realistic, and by consequence the romance. The characters aren't focused on romance, there are there other things in their lives than their relationships. So in that way the romance feels natural and not forced. More than that, it feels more like the viewer is an observer, rather than a psychic. There's a lot of good romance in here. I don't want to spoil it, but if you've seen the first season, you'll know almost all of them. Now when I say almost there is one exception. That of course being Setsuna. It's pretty strongly hinted that Feldt has some sort of romantic attachment to Lock-on in the first season. I mean it's unrequited both due to Lock-on not being interested, and a small case of death. Yet, towards the end of the second season, Feldt randomly becomes attached to Setsuna. To me it felt out of place, but...right. I don't know how to explain it, it just feels like it was meant to be. They feel like they have chemistry without having to express it in a way that everyone can relate to. Neither of them are normal, both of them are used to solitude and their relationship reflects that. That being said I was eager for anyone to be with Setsuna except for Marina, but I still think that it fits like a glove. Oh and in case you're wondering I don't accept the ending of the manga. First off, the anime came first, second there are a lot of differences between the manga and anime, and finally if it was truly cannon, then I would be bouncing of wall pillows.
So i took a week off doing this stuff, but I'm back! So I'll be updating regularly and by that I mean within the next year or so! Thank you for reading, likes, follows and just spreading the word are all things that I would appreciate. Happy Valentine's day, and I'll siya next time!
Gundam 00 Second Season sits in a weird place with me. On the on hand, I still see it as one of the best examples of what a mech anime can be, and how an anime as a medium of fictional storytelling can be taken seriously.Yes it still has a small margin of fanservice (the characters-have-have-gigantic-boobs-and-barbie-like-figures not the boobs-in-your-face-every-two-seconds-are-you-not-entertained kind), and I'm pretty sure most fourteen year olds are not as developed as Feldt...character wise! This anime is one of my favorite anime of all time. At the same time, the second season just is not as good as the first. But we'll get to that later.
Animation-- So to get to the point, it doesn't look as good nowadays as it did back then. Animation is good, but not good enough to blow minds. For a mech anime, it's pretty good. Visually Gundam 00 suceeds (taking into account when it was made). Mech designs are appealing, fights are stunning even in 2014, and characters are detailed enough to set themselves apart from the rest of the cast.
 |
| They even color-code them for you! |
The action scenes are really a ton of fun, ranging from tense, to massacre level engagements. Let me just say this; if you thought the Strike Freedom was overpowered, you have not seen anything yet. While a lot of the fights were fun, they all were solved by the Gundam of Gundams. Still they gave enough action to get the fanboys their adrenaline rush for the day. Something I didn't like so much this time around was that there was a lot more action. I mean it was fun and all, but I can't help but think that the political ploys and tricks are all but gone. The series is still fun, of that there is no doubt, but the politics of Gundam have always been its strongest feature.
Something else I found really cool about the actions scenes was that they actually were tense. Yes, you knew that the meisters (still can't get over that title) were going to win the battle, but it wasn't as one sided as it used to be. I'm assuming you've watched the first season already, so I'm not going to put a spoiler bit here. Now other machines can use the gn drives, making the battles a lot more tense...until of course Setuna comes in guns blazing. So here's another thing that kind of annoyed me; as much as I love the 00 Gundam, it was not as invoved in close comabt as Exia. The last one was cool that way, this one just shoots stuff... never the less, aside from the only thing that could make the 00 Gundam more overpowered would be if it had a giant S on its chest, the visuals have never looked better.
 |
| What? We all knew it was coming. |
Plot--Wow, I'm doing a lot of bit***** for a show I like so much, but the plot isn't as good as last time either. I mean it is still damn good, but the first one's was still better. This plot-line is a lot more straightforward, which is a bit of a shame. The first Season's plot was absent of a straight forward villain. In some ways the Gundam were the villains, and that was cool. Yes, eventually there was a definitive antagonist, but for most of the series there was not. This left the viewer to decide who was right or wrong. It made the viewer actually think! At the same time, this anime does benefit from the straightforward plotline in some ways. First off it's villain, is so much more compelling than the predecessor that was revealed with as much consequence as Oz was in the movie of the same name (with a the and a wizard of course). The antagonist again makes you think, but still provides a goal; someone we grow to hate, and love at the same time. He's a cool villain, with an unbreakable composure; and that's why it's all too satisfying when it finally breaks.
Now the other thing that this anime has over its predecessor is the ending. This has got to be one of the most kick-ass finales I have ever seen period. Every gundam series ends with a final battle, a finale that few, if any anime can match, but none come close to this one's. It's the battle of Helm's Deep, the storming of 300 guys in a canyon, it's every little bit the fantastic specticle you could imagine in a final battle. It is amazing, and is built up like no tomorrow. Unlike a lot of other gundam series, it's also less an equal battle between giants, and more like a suicide mission. Oh, and the final battle of the final battle gives enough nostalgic thrill to make even the most hardcore gundam fans break. I just recommend turning off the sound for it, because you have to listen to Marina Freaking Ismail talk for the entire length of the fight.
Sound-- I was watching another reviewer who was saying that having a short but good soundtrack is better than having a long but boring soundtrack. to him I say why not Both...
 |
| Boring and short! |
No but really this anime has the best soundtrack I've heard in a while. There is a very small number of tracks I can say are sub par. To prove my point;
Once again I'm going to say that if you enjoy English dubs, watch it in dub. While I myself watched in subs, the anime boasts an amazing dub performance. Every voice actor is impressive, and like the soundtrack there is a very small amount of voice talents that I can say are sub par. That being said Ayumi Tsunematsu, the voice actress is someone I would point as as not being exceptional. She's not cringe worthy, but she never really gets a chance to shine, to show that she actually has a good amount of talent. I mean she hasn't really done anything else that I've seen, so I can't say that she's actually any good. She filled her role; it's just a shame her role is as interesting as watching paint dry.
Characters--The characters in the second season don't get as much development in the second season, but that's cool.they got enough development in the first one. Instead they make way for some of the other characters, like colonel Sergei Smirnov, the bear of Russia.The main characters still get their screen time, but so do the other characters. This allows for more character development, and perspectives other than just the view of Celestial Being. This makes the antagonist seem a bit more three dimensional and a bit more realistic because of this. they are not your typical mustache twirling bond villains. They are definitely unjust, but at least they think that they're doing the right thing, and it's the thought that counts. I'm not going to go into most of the characters, because I think I've covered the characters enough in my review of the first season. Instead I'm going to focus on three, Saji, Louise, and *sigh* Marina. Now in the first season I found Louise and Saji to be annoying and pointless. they only mattered at the end, and while I was supposed to care about them, I couldn't. They were annoying, and while Louise showed a lot of development, meaning I felt an emotion somewhat in the ball park of sadness, I felt as much feelings for Saji as I would a brick. Actually supposing it wasn't one that hit me on the head, I think I would've had more feelings toward the brick. In the second season, their relationship is a bit more plot centered and complicated. Louise is now a fully developed character who is likeable and just a good character. Saji, is now just a character. He's not anything too important, but he's not annoying anymore. At least he has some ties to the plot.
 |
| Daw, no really, this everyone saw coming |
Marina--Yep an entire section dedicated to why I hate Marina freaking Ismail. God! You know what's worse than being a character with a ton of potential that drops down to being a plot device? A character that is nothing but a plot device. Not only that, but after she finally overstays her welcome (the first episode) she even drops that. What the hell is the point? Why is she here? This makes no Goddamn sense! She does nothing throughout the series. The only thing of importance that she actually does is have some conversations with Setsuna, that give him a bit more character. that and I kid you not, write a freaking song. You know this character doesn't have the personality of a rock. She makes a rock look like Hamlet given her performance. She shows no character development whatsoever. She is as static as an old 50's TV and about as interesting as the programs on it. She is so damn useless! Even Saji, a pacifist to the core was able to fight when he was needed, even Relina Peacecraft, who's very name implies pacifism is able to pick up a gun and do something, Lacus Clyne is smart capable and an intelligent politician that doesn't have to resort to violence to get her way. Oh but what am I talking about, Marina can write songs! Jesus, Lord, and Savior, she is truly the one that drives this series forward. I hate her! You know maybe they do this on purpose. To create a stark contrast...between fun and boredom. That's it! They're saying, well some things could've been better, but at least the whole anime isn't this.
Romance--It's valentine's day whatddya expect? So it's hard to put into words, but the romance in Gundam 00 Is something that I think is sorta weird. This is either one of my favorite romances or one of my least favorites, and that depends on the outcome. Okay, so more and more gundam has been moving to a bit more of a romantic standpoint. In fact originally the series was slated to have a lot more romance and drama--something that was cut short due to time constraints. So that being said, the romance here is a bit shallow--meaning it's not as developed as other series. Myself, I don't mind it so much. Why? because it makes the characters feel more realistic, and by consequence the romance. The characters aren't focused on romance, there are there other things in their lives than their relationships. So in that way the romance feels natural and not forced. More than that, it feels more like the viewer is an observer, rather than a psychic. There's a lot of good romance in here. I don't want to spoil it, but if you've seen the first season, you'll know almost all of them. Now when I say almost there is one exception. That of course being Setsuna. It's pretty strongly hinted that Feldt has some sort of romantic attachment to Lock-on in the first season. I mean it's unrequited both due to Lock-on not being interested, and a small case of death. Yet, towards the end of the second season, Feldt randomly becomes attached to Setsuna. To me it felt out of place, but...right. I don't know how to explain it, it just feels like it was meant to be. They feel like they have chemistry without having to express it in a way that everyone can relate to. Neither of them are normal, both of them are used to solitude and their relationship reflects that. That being said I was eager for anyone to be with Setsuna except for Marina, but I still think that it fits like a glove. Oh and in case you're wondering I don't accept the ending of the manga. First off, the anime came first, second there are a lot of differences between the manga and anime, and finally if it was truly cannon, then I would be bouncing of wall pillows.
So i took a week off doing this stuff, but I'm back! So I'll be updating regularly and by that I mean within the next year or so! Thank you for reading, likes, follows and just spreading the word are all things that I would appreciate. Happy Valentine's day, and I'll siya next time!
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| There were other kinds of fan-art, of them kissing, getting married, etc. I dunno, something about this touches me. |
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