by Rody » Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:40 pm
I finally finished the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Although it's true that elements of the show have not aged well - the animation isn't the smoothest, some of the dialogue is poorly handled, and the music, well, isn't what I would have expected for a sci-fi/action series - the core aspect of Mobile Suit Gundam is that it's a war story, told from the perspectives of rookies and veterans on the front lines, and it does so exceptionally. I was very surprised and impressed by how balanced the protagonists and antagonists were - in fact, very rarely did the "bad guys" seem bad; They were just men and women stuck on the opposing side, bound by duty to fight our heroes. Ramba Ral and Char are definitely among my favorite characters, and I loved the moments when the heroes and villains met outside of the war zone, with a surreal air of peace and tension. There were virtually no points in the show which were too fast or slow, and the suspense only continues to rise as the story progresses, culminating in the fantastic personal duels of the last few episodes. Admittedly, the final episode was somewhat rushed in resolution, but overall it was pretty much everything I could have hoped for.
Mobile Suit Gundam may show its age now, but I believe its characters and themes are timeless. This show fully deserves to be called a classic, and I highly recommend anyone who hasn't seen it yet to watch it very soon.
5/5 stars.