Gundam, Mobile Suit Movies
Publisher
BEEZ
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Film
Running time
3 Movies aprox 2hrs each
Year
1979
Mobile Suit Gundam Movie 2
By Joseph (Joe) Wood
13th Aug 05  Mobile Suit Gundam a title that should need no introduction to anyone who is even remotely interested in anime. It is over 25 years since the original, series (and movies) were released in Japan and it has taken that long for someone to release it over here. The only Gundam UK fans have been able to watch buy in the UK to this point have been the fairly good Gundam Wing and more recently the great Gundam SEED. Of course, while both of these other series are good the original Gundam is responsible for their creation and the creation of many other Gundam series, movies and OVAs. The second Gundam movie takes place where the first ended, with the “White Base” and its young crew on Earth trapped behind enemy territory. The crew are getting more and more experience in battle and this helps them when they are being tracked down by some of Zeon’s top class soldiers. Lt. Ranba Ral and Hamon are constantly following the “White Base” in the hopes of capturing it with the Gundam. Sayla meanwhile begins to wonder about her brother she saw back shortly after the colony containing the “White Base” was attacked. Believing that a Zeon soldier may know the answers Sayla steals the Gundam, but gets caught in an attack by Lt. Ral. When the “White Base” captures an enemy soldier Sayla questions him about Char, the “Red Comet”, who is really her brother Casval and son of the original leader of Zeon. Amuro is taken off as the Gundam’s only pilot, and decides to runaway taking the Gundam with him. Reaching a small town Amuro encounters Lt. Ral and Hamon, and this close encounter with his enemies makes him struggle when facing them on the battlefield. The “White Base” docks in Belfast to receive further orders, Kai sees this may be his only chance to leave the “White Base” peacefully and takes it. Kai runs into Miharu, who unbeknown to Kai is a spy for Zeon. They both fall for each other but when another battle raises Kai remembers his friends on the “White Base” he returns. On board he runs into Miharu again and tries to get her stop being a spy, whilst stopping her from being discovered by the crew. As the “White Base” moves from location to location, it again runs into Char the “Red Comet”. The first Gundam movie suffered from being a remix of footage from the original TV series. There were segments that seemingly cut things out and as a result, it seemed as if people would just simply shake off the fact that their best friend had died in a minute. While this problem is still apparent in the second movie, it does not occur as much. This may be due to the fact that around 20-30% of the footage shown was remade for the second movie release, and therefore things seem to fit together better. Also, the second movie concretes more on some of the secondary characters, making us feel that these could be real people. There is also far more comedy, with a number of characters and situations happening purely for comic relief, and we need it. The second film is a lot darker, while it’s true people died in the first film, we are made to feel, and more of the characters themselves, emotionally attached to those who die. The picture and music quality are pretty much the same as the first film, but being set mostly on earth we do get to see a far wider range of landscapes than in the previous title. Overall the second movie is much more emotional, and therefore a lot easer to watch than the first film. If the third volume is as good as or better than this, then it would certainly make the Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Trilogy an essential purchase for anyone.
R2 DVD Notes
Features: English/Polish/German/French Subtitles, Japanese Language. BEEZ Trailers
Release information: Publisher: BEEZ
Release Date: July 11, 2005
Notes: Again unfortunatily the Gundam movie DVD's seems to be lacking any kind of extras bar traillers. This is extremly dissapointing.
-- Joseph (Joe) Wood 13th Aug 05
|
