Kidô Butôden Jî Gandamu

At first glance, G Gundam looks like a completely generic, skippable title, turning a military drama series into a Saturday morning super robot cartoon. The premise is ridiculous, emotion is a power source, and every nationality expresses the country's stereotypes. But upon closer inspection, G Gundam is not as bad as it looks. There's backstories, multidimensional characters, plot twists, and a vaguer evil than it may appear. Sure, Neo Mexico's Gundam may be Tequila Gundam, donning a sombrero, but its pilot actually doesn't want to fight, and is trying to flee the country with his sick sister! I'd say G Gundam's writing and character are better than most animes. Not the best, but enough to add weight to the fights.

Now, whenever or not you'll like G Gundam depends on your love of super robot animes. G Gundam has a good deal of fun along the way, but I know not everyone's going to love robot wrestling, super modes, cheesy Gundam designs, martial arts philosophy, and the power of love! There's also a large number of vignette episodes. None of them are boring or bad, but they do slow the anime down a bit.

Bonus points for a pretty kickass soundtrack. The first opening, "Shining Finger", and "Erupting Burning Finger" are among the most awesome in anime.

G Gundam doesn't deserve Shakespearean analysis. But its well-balanced; Rifftrax-worthy elements with enough plot to keep you hooked. Its not for everyone, but it'll always be a (not-so) guilty pleasure for me.

Personally I find that G Gundam is the best of the Gundam Saga. My reasons are as follows:

The Message: All gundam shows were designed to portray the image that "war is heck" however they do so with a war. So much that it almost blocks out the mesage. G Gundam shows us a different way of keeping order: a tournament. It also shows us how war is bad throughthe idea of the Chaos war that took place before the show began in FC 02. (This is something only a true fan knows)

The plot: Okay, I must admit that the breakup of time is shaky, Ep 1=January Ep 6=June Ep 12=October Ep 18-24= November then the last episodes take place in December or so I figure it. Other than that it takes you through building friedshps, relationships, tough desicions, awesome mech battles, and a few shot of women's unmentionables or women bathing in episode 19 (Thank you for that moment of perversion, Sai Saici)

The Mech design: Alot more thought goes into these mechs, the researchers found out the history and present of each nation and put one important aspect into the Gundam. e.x. the reason the Nobel Gundam looks like a woman is bcause there are more females than males in swedens current populaton

The characters: Where else are you going to see an American boxer, a perverted Chinese midget teenage martial artist, A Russian convict, a French nobleman and a Japanese dude with major tude problems working together to save the world with giant robots? Included in the cast are several Japanese officials (Or rather Neo-Japanese as the story goes). A Neo-Japanese doctor, a crazy Neo Hong Kong martial artist with a bad cough, 4 annoying Neo-American women, A really creepy Neo-Italian MAFIA boss, a Neo-Swedish orphan and more!

G Gundam is a rapid departure from the previous series(and even those that followed it) making it truely unique as far as Gundam series go. Instead of being secret weapons or prototypes embroiled in battles between the Earth and the space colonies, the Gundams are fighters embroiled in a tournament. This makes for truely bizzare Gundam designs, such as a Gundam that transforms into a windmill, a female Gundam, and a fish Gundam. However, don't be fooled by the campiness-"G Gundam" hides a lot of complexity underneath it's gaudy look.

Like all entries in the Gundam universe, this is set far in the future with people living on earth and in space colonies.The story goes that earth has been rather messed up by pollution and so each country makes itself a colony in space(which look like floating islands).To determine who will rule the earth the gundam fight is held.So each country sends a gundam that is repesentitive of itself and a style of fighting unique to itself to be entered in this tournament.The mech designs were pretty cool although a few of them seemed somewhat stereotypical like Neo Spain's Matador Gundam.The show offers some relatively decent charecter developments but not all that much intricate plot.This should please gundam fans and some non gundam fans since its not that hard to follow and can simply be watched just for the heck of it.

Mobile Fighter G Gundam is a standout in the Gundam franchise for its bold departure from the more serious, political tones of other entries. Instead, it combines fast-paced, over-the-top mecha battles with a dramatic storyline infused with martial arts and international flair. The premise is simple yet engaging: nations settle disputes through a global Gundam tournament, with fighters representing their countries using unique mechs inspired by their culture. This results in a series filled with exciting action and unforgettable character designs.

The main character, Domon Kasshu, is the typical hot-headed hero with a deeper emotional journey. His growth throughout the series-from a lone, brash fighter to a more self-aware individual-adds depth to the show. While the character development is strong for Domon, other supporting characters can feel underdeveloped, and their arcs sometimes take a backseat to the action.

The action is undoubtedly the highlight. The mecha battles are thrilling, with each Gundam fight offering something new and engaging. The series is visually dynamic, and its fight choreography blends martial arts with the spectacle of giant robots, making each battle unique and exhilarating. The colorful and exaggerated designs of the Gundams also help distinguish the series, making it visually distinctive in the Gundam universe.

However, G Gundam does have its flaws. The pacing can drag in the middle episodes, and some subplots are resolved too quickly or without sufficient development. The tone, while fun, can be too over-the-top for some viewers, especially fans of the more grounded, political themes seen in other Gundam series. Despite this, G Gundam remains a fun, action-packed ride with plenty of heart and spectacle.

Ultimately, Mobile Fighter G Gundam is a unique and entertaining entry in the Gundam franchise, perfect for fans of high-energy mecha action and character-driven storytelling. Its bold approach to the genre and its memorable battles make it a must-watch, earning it a solid 8/10.