Kidô senshi Gandamu: Suisei no majo

*This review is after watching Season 2*

This is sort of a guilty-pleasure anime for me. Because when it comes to the story, I stopped caring a long time ago. It was just too confusing for me to follow. At first, I thought the problem was within me and I was just not smart enough to understand this story. But after seeing the finale, I'm positive that this anime itself is a mess. The fact that they even opened so many plotlines, and ended the entire story in 24 episodes, is ridiculous. Things just suddenly happened in this anime, and I kept racking my brain to figure out why. The motivations of so many characters made no sense. Even the action scenes were hard to follow. That's why in between the story, I actually just gave up on following it.

So why did I continue watching it? Why don't I regret watching it? Well that's because the 2nd season did something that intrigued me. All these characters in the first season were just very immature and somewhat annoying in their own way. In this season, the writer just unleashed hell on all of them. Each and every character gets a brutal reality check. And this season just kept on coming at them, giving none of them any time to even breathe. And these characters were actually forced to improve. They had no choice but to grow up. There are so many character arcs that I actually didn't see coming. This season was not afraid to be dark. Even in the first season we saw that grim darkness a few times. But this season capitalised on that itself. And sunrise did do a good job on the soundtrack and animation. Not on the story though.

This isn't a good anime, frankly. I gave it a good grade because like I said, the character arcs and the darkness intrigued me. But that's why I know it's a guilty-pleasure for me. Because the story is just a mess, and many people aren't going to enjoy it.

It started good and cool then it flatlined boring. That's how I describe the experience watching it.

The series started quite good then the rest of the episoded just warped into the black hole, well not entirely as it some moments it jumps up on the last episode or two moments then dives again. The show is flague with pacing on how to balance action, story and character development. I wanted to like it but it's just to dragged out on kiddy issues. I guess this show is mainly for kids under 10.

If you are planning to watch it do not expect much as ain't gonna be like Gundam Seed. Lower your expection and you might just like it.

Looking at these reviews, most of the comments are regarding the initial episodes giving negative comments after watching a boring overutilized plot. This Gundam plot isn't it. The first couple of episodes start off cute with a non-death-related duel between characters. It starts off cute and innocent with a peaceful storyline with some episodes showing dark symbolisms of the Gundam we are used to. The character development in the show plays extremely well, and there aren't any useless/annoying or rushed characters like how several gundam anime will include: Katz. The finale really takes a huge leap into the territory of gundam throwing off viewers as what we thought was an innocent gundam builders plot was secretly a gundam masterpiece.

I really can't wait for the next season. Artwork/animation/plot has all been incredible. Also make sure to wait for the end credits on the final episode. Extremely important for the next season.

So firstly let me say the good stuffs. The art and music in this anime is done pretty well.

That's it for the good stuffs so let the bad ones roll.

1. Plot. The whole plot is full of plot holes and a lot of the direction of how the story progress is due to chance/fate? Its completely random and I think I would shoot myself in the head if I am the author of the story.

2. Main character. Suletta is not an interesting person at all. They tried to make her likeable, but she is not cute or interesting, or relatable. I understand that there might be due to further character development, but I don't see anything interesting until the last episode where we finally see something going on but its too little and too late.

3. Other characters: The is no one that is particularly charismatic or interesting. Miorine is too much of a princess. Guel is too arrogant, Elan and Shaddiq are both too pretentious.

In my humble opinion, just skip this for now. If season 2 does pick up, then maybe can consider to watch this. I've regretted spending like 6 hours on it...

There's only been like 4 episodes released so review is based on those.

It's not like typical Gundam series.

The animation is beautiful, the story is okay, but the main character Suletta is extremely silly. Many anime have silly moments and childish characters but Suletta is on another level. She has the mannerisms of a 5 year old child. Hiding behind people because she's too shy, crying like a toddler, which makes it even more weird that they're dueling over marriages.

They've basically made what would normally be the comic relief character the main character of the show. This makes it harder to take her seriously as a pilot when you see how she acts, it's hard to believe that she has the constitution to go into space and pilot a mobile suit. It's similar as to how in season 2 of Gundam00 the guy's ditzy girlfriend had become an elite mobile suit pilot. It just didn't fit.

They've shown little so far as per the normal themes of Gundam, but Im hoping it will get better. Even the Gundam has a more round cutesy face than normal, because the pilot is female, and females cute, shy and innocent, right?

I really hope it get's more serious later on.