| Mobile Suit Gundam 00 |
 |
機動戦士ガンダム00
(Kidō Senshi Gandamu Daburu-ō) |
| Genre |
Drama, Mecha |
| TV anime: First Season |
| Director |
Seiji Mizushima |
| Writer |
Yōsuke Kuroda |
| Studio |
Sunrise |
| Licensor |
 Bandai Visual
  Bandai Entertainment
|
| Network |
MBS, TBS |
|
|
| Original run |
October 6, 2007 – March 29, 2008 |
| Episodes |
25 |
| TV anime: Second Season |
| Studio |
Sunrise |
| Licensor |
Bandai Visual
|
| Network |
MBS, TBS |
| Original run |
October 5, 2008 (scheduled) – unknown |
| Episodes |
TBA (25 presumed) |
| Game: Mobile Suit Gundam 00 |
| Developer |
BEC |
| Genre |
Action, Anime Robot |
| Rating |
A (CERO) |
| Platform |
Nintendo DS |
| Released |
March 27, 2008 |
| Game: Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam Meisters |
| Developer |
Yuke's |
| Genre |
Action, Anime Robot |
| Platform |
Sony PlayStation 2 |
| Released |
October 16, 2008 |
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (機動戦士ガンダム00, Kidō Senshi Gandamu Daburu-ō?) is the latest television anime of Sunrise's long-running Gundam franchise.[2]
It is directed by Seiji Mizushima and written by Yōsuke Kuroda, and features character designs by Yun Kōga. The series was first officially announced by Sunrise during a 15-second trailer on June 2, 2007.[2][3][4] Gundam 00 will consist of two seasons, with the first one containing 25 episodes. The second season is set to go on air in October 2008 and had its first trailer released on July 13, 2008.[5] Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is the first Gundam series to be animated in high-definition,[6] as well as the first to be set in a non-fictional era (Anno Domini).
The series is set in a futuristic Earth and centered around Celestial Being, a private paramilitary force and their efforts to rid the world of war and conflict with a series of unique and highly effective mobile suits known as "Gundams".
Licensing for a North American release of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 was announced by Bandai Entertainment at New York Comic Con 2008 on April 18, 2008. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 will be the first Gundam series to air on national television in the United States since Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and will air on the Sci Fi Channel in November 2008.[7][8]
Plot
Story and settings
- Further information: List of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 episodes
- See also: List of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 factions and List of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 technology
First Season
The series is set in the years 2307 AD of the Gregorian calendar. During this time, fossil fuels became exhausted and the distribution of fuels became imbalanced. Humanity must rely on an array of solar power generation systems orbiting the Earth, and supported by three orbital elevators, each one pertaining to one of the three "major powers" on the planet.[9]
With this infinite source of energy benefiting only the major powers and their allies, constant warfare erupts around the globe for fuels and energy. The nations that rely on fuel have plunged into poverty. Many believed that solar energy threatened the "promised land of God". The chaos led to the formation of a private military organization, called Celestial Being (ソレスタルビーイング, Soresutaru Biiingu?), dedicated to eradicating war and uniting humanity with the use of four humanoid machines called Gundams.[2][4] Mobile Suit Gundam 00 follows four mobile suit pilots termed Gundam Meisters ( ガンダムマイスター, Gandamu Maisutā?), sided with Celestial Being. The protagonist is 16-year old Setsuna F Seiei (刹那・Ｆ・セイエイ, Setsuna F Seiei?), a quiet, taciturn young man who grew up in the Kurdish Republic, and a Gundam Meister for two years. He pilots the GN-001 Gundam Exia, a high mobility mobile suit effective in melee combat.[10][11] Confronting the armed resistance of the three world superpowers, the Gundam Meisters were forced to fight several opposing aces, such as Ali Al-Saachez, a mercenary who was responsible for the death of Setsuna's and Lockon's family.
Facing this new threat, the three major powers eventually unite into the United Nations Army (国連軍, United Nations Army?) in order to counter Celestial Being's armed interventions.[12] In order to fight the Gundams, the United Nations Army employed the help of Laguna Harvey, a Celestial Being intelligence agent who provides them with 30 units of the GN-X, a series of special mobile suits equipped with pseudo-GN Drives that are on-par with the Gundams spec-wise. As the United Nations resist Celestial Being's interventions, a second team of Gundams, known as Team Trinity, appears and assists in the Meisters' eradication of war, albeit in a much more cruel and cold-blooded fashion, in contrast with the original Meisters' more pacifist and less-aggressive nature of armed intervention.
Celestial Being's supercomputer Veda, located on the moon, was later shut down by Alejandro Corner, a former Celestial Being observer who plans to make use of the chaos and destruction created by Celestial Being to rule a reconstructed world. Without the organization's artificial intelligence, Celestial Being was subsequently overwhelmed by the equally powerful GN-X units and their superiority in quantity.
The United Nations Army initiates Operation Fallen Angels to destroy the Gundams, having discovered the location of the Meisters' mothership, Ptolemaios. During the operation, Ali Al-Saachez, now piloting the stolen Gundam Throne Zwei, kills Lockon Stratos after a climatic battle. Alejandro Corner, in his unique custom mobile armor Alvatore, attacks Gundam Exia as the GN-X units destroy the Ptolemaios and the remaining Gundams. As Exia struggles with the monstrous Alvatore, Alejandro reveals his true plan to Setsuna; to destroy and rebuild the current world and achieve world domination. Setsuna, who for long had attempted to understand and correct what he perceived as a distortion, proclaims Alejandro as the source of said distortion and was eventually successful in defeating Alvatore, killing Alejandro in the process. Just as Setsuna begins to catch his breath, Graham Aker, an ace pilot of the United Nations Army, approaches with the Union Flag Custom II and challenges Setsuna to a fight, seeking revenge for his fallen comrades and questioning the purpose of Gundams' existence. The fight results in the destruction of both suits, with the fates of the pilots unknown.
Second Season
4 years since the final battle between Celestial Being and the UN Forces. Humanity, having established the Earth Sphere Federation, forms an independent security preservation force, Arrows, separate from the formal Federation army to further unify nations and the will of mankind. But the reality was the inhumane oppression of misuse of powers, doctrines & ideologies in the name of unity.
Saji Crossroad, who followed the path to becoming a space engineer to keep a promise to Louise Halevy and fulfill a dream, she is also compelled to become involved in Federation government reform.
Meanwhile, Setsuna F. Seiei, surviving the final battle 4 years ago, saw the future of the world that had been changed by Celestial Being. With the defeat of guardian Alejandro Corner, he dreamed of a peaceful world without conflict. But before his own eyes was the reality of the continuing strain on peace, the oppression caused by Arrows. He decides once more to fight with Gundam, the power with the potential to change the world.
Characters
-
Setsuna F Seiei (刹那・F・セイエイ, Setsuna Efu Seiei?)
- He is the primary protagonist of the show and was discovered by Celestial Being at the age of 14 for having special potential as a pilot. He is currently a Gundam Meister for their organization, piloting the Gundam Exia. Setsuna's real name is Soran Ibrahim; Setsuna is his Gundam Meister codename. He was a child soldier in the war-torn Kurdish Republic.[13] He murdered his own parents under Ali Al-Saachez's influence in order to prove his devotion to God,[14] and hence bears a deep hatred towards Saachez. Due to his previous religious brainwashing (and awakening from it), Setsuna no longer believes that God exists within the world. Setsuna believes that war can only be stopped through direct confrontation, and therefore has little tolerance for diplomats and politicians, believing that their "peace talks" only lengthen the conflict and cause more casualties.
Lockon Stratos (ロックオン・ストラトス, Rokkuon Sutoratosu?)
- Lockon decided to join Celestial Being after losing his parents and little sister to terrorists in Ireland; because of this, he loathes terrorists. As the eldest pilot, he is considered the team leader of the Gundam Meisters, and sports a more easygoing, flamboyant personality as compared to the other Gundam Meisters. He owns an orange Haro to control Gundam Dynames when sniping and has a personal feud with Ali Al-Saachez, who was directly involved in a terrorist bombing that caused the death of his family members.[15]
Allelujah Haptism (アレルヤ・ハプティズム, Areruya Haputizumu?)
- Allelujah spent his childhood as an orphan in the Human Reform League as a Super Soldier experimental subject. While generally gentle and rational compared to the other Gundam Meisters, he has another harsher, unstable, and outright sadistic alter ego, named Hallelujah inside him, which was the result of the Super Soldier experiments. Allelujah/Hallelujah appears to harbor a grudge against the Human Reform League for conducting superhuman experiments on children.[16] He is the pilot of GN-003 Gundam Kyrios.
Tieria Erde (ティエリア・アーデ, Tieria Āde?)
- A boy with a rare kind of beauty, his history, nationality and origins all a mystery. Within his gentle tone, he can give a sense of cold intentions. He values the mission above all other issues, including life, and does not show any 'concern' for his teammates. As the Gundam Meister of GN-005 Gundam Virtue, Tieria seems extremely loyal to Veda, and will go to any length to ensure the secrecy of Celestial Being remains what it is, a secret, even if he has to kill other Gundam Meisters himself to achieve this end. Compared to the rest of the Gundam Meisters, Tieria is the most enigmatic, with none of his past explained.[17]
Production
Development
According to Hiroomi Iketani, one of the Gundam 00 producers, planning for Gundam 00 started in 2005, under the temporary name "Next".[18] Iketani approached Seiji Mizushima, the director who was initially reluctant about accepting the job due to his lack of knowledge regarding the Gundam series, for the first time at the end of 2005.
The staff, consisting of over 300 people, spent roughly 2 years planning the series.[18] Compared to other anime shows, Gundam 00 has more main staff members, partly due to the detailed mobile suit designs.
Release
The series premiered on October 6, 2007, replacing Toward the Terra on the terrestrial MBS and TBS networks, occupying the networks' noted Saturday 6:00 p.m. timeslot.[3][4] [19] The first season ended its run on March 29, 2008. Season 1 of the series will be re-broadcasted across Japan on various television networks such as TBS, Kids Station, MBS and BS-i from April onwards.[20] Season 2 will be broadcast in the MBS and TBS Sunday 5:00 p.m. slot currently occupied by Code Geass R2 in October 5, 2008.
Currently, seven DVD collections have been released.[21][22] The DVDs performed well in sales, with the first collection selling approximately 42,847 copies on the first week, ranking third on the Oricon's overall weekly DVD chart.[23] The Blu-ray disc collections have been confirmed, with the first and second volume slated for an August 22, 2008 release. [24]
The final DVD of season one contains a whimsical trailer for the second season. Featuring voice work by the four Meisters, the trailer lampoons many early ideas for the show, fan theories and anime cliches before leading into a special message from Mizushima and a preview of the 00 Gundam.
The series will be broadcasted two episodes weekly on America's Sci Fi Channel, starting from November 17, 2008.[25]
Music
- See also: List of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 albums
Cover to the first soundtrack
The series' music was composed by Kenji Kawai. Two original soundtracks have been released so far, the first one on January 10, 2008, with the second OST being released later on March 26, 2008.[26]
The first opening theme song, "Daybreak's Bell" was performed by the band L'Arc~en~Ciel.[27] The first ending theme was "Wana" (罠, "Wana"? lit. "The Trap")[28], performed by The Back Horn. Both songs were replaced in episode 14 with "Ash Like Snow", performed by The Brilliant Green, as the new opening and "Friends" by Stephanie as the new ending. The first opening song, "Daybreak's Bell" was also used as the ending theme to the last episode. "Love Today", performed by Taja, was used as an insert song in episode 19 and 24.[29]
UVERworld will be performing the first opening theme song for the second season,[30][31][32] "Hakanaku Mo Towa No Kanashi" (儚クモ永久のカナシ, "Hakanaku Mo Towa No Kanashi"?).[33]
A series of character CDs has been announced; with the first one, featuring Setsuna F. Seiei and the character's seiyu Mamoru Miyano, with a song written by the band Skoop On Somebody, to be released on August 13, 2008.[34][35] The second entry to the series of character CDs, featuring Lockon Stratos and seiyu Shinichiro Miki, will be released on September 24, 2008. The music for second character CD was done in collaboration with Eijun Suganami & Shinji Matsuda, members of The Back Horn.[36]
Media
-
The cover to the first volume of Mobile Suit Gundam 00P
Books and publications
A novelized version of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 was published by Kadokawa, currently ongoing with two volumes and authored by Tooru Kimura.[37]
A light novel series, Mobile Suit Gundam 00P was serialized in Dengeki Hobby Magazine and centers around the previous generation of Gundam Meisters. Set 15 years before the anime series, 00P features events that happened before the main story. It is penned by Tomohiro Chiba, with model conductions by Dengeki Hobby Magazine.[38] The first volume of the sidestory was released in May, 2008 by Dengeki Hobby.[39]
A graphic novel that features variations of existing mobile suits, Mobile Suit Gundam 00V, which is currently being serialized in Hobby Japan, is told in the format of a mobile suit development history book published 20 years after the anime series, featuring photo guides of customized models.[38] Unlike most other sidestories, 00V has no real plot. Instead, it reveals and discusses the origins, past and future of mobile suits and characters from the series proper.
Manga
Two TV broadcast-based manga series exist to date. One is serialized in Kerokero Ace and drawn by Kouzoh Ohmari. Minor changes are present compared to the anime, such as the use of more visually comedic facial expressions, and the omission of certain characters and subplots. The first volume to this version was released on March 26, 2008 by Kadokawa Comics.[40]
The other manga adaptation series of the same name is also based on the television series, and is drawn by Auto Taguchi.[41] Unlike the first manga series, this title is published by Kodansha. The two manga series essentially follow the same story as the anime's main plot, but vary in the sequence of events that unfold and in artistic style.
A manga sidestory entitled Mobile Suit Gundam 00F is serialized in Gundam Ace. Illustrated by Kōichi Tokita, this manga series focuses on Fereshte, an autonomous branch of Celestial Being that is also in possession of several previous generation Gundams. The series acts as a link for the main story to the 2 other sidestories and introduces the characters and mecha from the other publications.[38] First volume to this title was released on March 26, 2008 by Kadokawa Comics.[42]
Another manga series based on the anime, Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Aoi Kioku, focuses on the Gundam Meisters' memories, present and past lives. This series is illustrated by Tarō Shiguma. [43]
CDs
-
A drama CD prequel entitled Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Another Story: Mission-2306 was released on July 23, 2008.[44] In this drama CD, Setsuna F Seiei is tasked with the mission of preventing an assassination of Barry Halevy, the leader of a fossil fuel export regulation watchdog group, and protecting his daughter, Louise Halevy from terrorist organizations.[45] A second drama CD, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Another Story: Road To 2307, has been announced and is currently slated for a September 24, 2008 release. This drama CD will focus on the Meisters, as well as the Union's story.[46] Unlike the first prequel CD drama, the second will have a comparatively much more serious tone, with stories that link to the original TV series.[46]
A series of character CDs based around the concept of being a message to the character from the cast member who plays them will be released, starting from Setsuna's on August 13, 2008.[34] Two original soundtracks and five singles, featuring the theme songs used throughout the first season, have also been released.
Video games
A Nintendo DS game titled Mobile Suit Gundam 00 has been released in March 27, 2008. This game follows the anime's plot, but lacks the introduction of the GN-X, ending with the entrance and introduction of Team Trinity instead.[47] The game was produced by BEC.
A PS2 game named Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam Meisters will be released in October 16, 2008.[48][49] The game is currently under production by Yuke's.[50] Unlike the original Nintendo DS game, Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam Meisters will cover the first season's plot completely.[51]
Reception
Critical reception
After a sneak preview of Gundam 00 on September 1, 2007, Anime News Network remarked "striking parallels" between the series and an earlier installment of the metaseries, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995): "Like Gundam Wing, Gundam 00's main story begins with hyper-powerful Gundam units appearing at various locales to execute slightly-less-than-Dynasty-Warriors-level mayhem in synchronized phases of a paramilitary operation."[6] Later, Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network suggested that just like Mobile Suit Gundam SEED adapted the original Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) for modern audiences, Gundam 00 may possibly be an attempt to do the same with Gundam Wing.[52] He also remarked that "its political flavour [...] is distinctly post-9/11", noting the political and cultural similarities between the series and our modern society.[52] Critics have praised the series for the smooth, detailed visual effects and animation.
"As for the production values, they're top-notch: the mecha and character designs are attractive, and the fights—especially the opening chase scene—are fluid and composed with an eye for maximum impact."
— Carl Kimlinger, Anime News Network[52]
While critically acclaimed, the first season of Gundam 00 experienced lower average ratings than its predecessors Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. Over its 25 episode run, it averaged a rating of 4.85% and peaked at 6.1%. On a more positive note, Gundam 00's average rating was higher than all other previous Gundam shows set in alternative universes such as Gundam Wing (which averaged 4.3%) and G Gundam (which averaged 4.1%).[53] The DVDs have shown consistent high sales figures, with the third and seventh DVD release topping the anime DVD sales chart,[54][55] selling approximately 55,135 copies in the third volume's first week.[56]
Popularity
In a top 20 anime poll published in the April 2008 issue of Newtype magazine, Japanese readers voted for Gundam 00 as the best anime, higher than its predecessor Gundam SEED which was voted ninth. In Newtype's poll for top 10 male anime characters, Setsuna F Seiei was voted second, Tieria Erde third, Lockon Stratos fifth, Graham Aker sixth and Allelujah Haptism at seventh; and in its poll for top ten female anime characters, Nena Trinity was voted eighth and Marina Ismail was voted tenth.[57] Mamoru Miyano, the seiyū for Setsuna F Seiei, also won the "Best Voice Actor" award at the 2008 Tokyo International Anime Fair.[58] Miyano and Tieria Erde's seiyū, Hiroshi Kamiya, both won the "Best Main" and "Best Supporting" Male Characters respectively at the 2008 Seiyū Awards.[59]
References
External links
(Japanese)
(English)
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