Mobile Suit Gundam 00 - Episode 03 Discussion / Poll

[OMG_Zerg_Rush]

For me it was an ok ep, a bit on the slow side, but at least it shows that there are some pilots who have the skill to fight a gundam.
Next week looks interesting, with Setsuna sitting at the exploding fountain and the loli pilot making her intro.
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Toyota opa history

[4Tran]

I can pretty much sum up this episode with what I said about the second episode:

Going by the second episode, I see some promising things and I see some weaker elements. On the plus side, the setup with the different power blocs and their asymmetric possession of orbital elevators is quite interesting. There's certainly a lot of potential for geopolitical interplay there. The creators are going for some rather refreshing ideas uncommon to Gundam shows. Also, the Tieren is possibly my favorite mobile suit since the venerable Leo and Aries; it's too bad that their role is basically to get blown up by the Gundams.

On the minus side, the direction is rather poor, the writing is sort of weak, and the combat choreography isn't very good (although it seems to be better thought out than Seed/Destiny). There's certainly a lot of potential for improvement, but there's a fair amount of cause for improvement as well.

The only main differences are that I liked the fact that killed mobile suits don't automatically explode, and that the silly thing at the end that Anh_Minh pointed out is a mark against the interesting "geopolitical interplay" bit.

Originally Posted by Messerschmitt_Bf-109

We have three Factions who attack and use lesser people to further their interest and a 'terrorist' organization trying to bring down the factions in a world revolution to set up one unified body. And while they pubicly said they are just stopping war, privately they said they want to start a world revolution.

At this point, it's probably still too early to speculate as to what their actual goals are.

Originally Posted by Honey_and_Cleaver

You know where two males fighting for over one girl. Now its Graham a man and Setsuna a boy who is fighting for the love of a gundam. Unique.

Maybe someone's been watching too much Xenoglossia .

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Matrim is right, IMHO. People underestimate a timespan of 300 years. And arguments like "then was then but now is now and now is different" have probably been brought up for longer than 300 years.

Precisely. The three most powerful countries in 1707 were the Empire of China, the Kingdom of France, and the Ottoman Empire. The current geopolitical situation is extremely different from back then.

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

I believe you should look at this with both your complaints combined; What if the RIRA did realise their fight is now pointless, and that they merely used CB's threat as a way to retire gracefully? That CB wasn't really having any real effects?

That would certainly redeem some of Gundam 00's writing, but I highly doubt that this is the case. The show itself heavily implied that the negotiations happened as a result of Celestial Being's actions.

[iceyfw]

mmm so far im seeing less qq more pew pew

[Demongod86]

5 of 10 for me for this one...

1) Why does the Ptolemy exist if the gundams power *it* rather than vice versa?
2) I am getting pretty sick of these GG particles.
3) Once again, a third episode with barely any character development. Hallelujah and Tieria are clones for all intents and purposes, Setsuna's a mini-mi Heero, and Lockon seems to be the only guy with any semblance of personality.
4) The situation with Ireland is just laughable. If it were that easy, how come we still have insurgency in Iraq? >.<

Also, Graham/Sergei finishing each other's lines over and over and over...what a whole load of meh.

[lubczyk]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

5 of 10 for me for this one...

1) Why does the Ptolemy exist if the gundams power *it* rather than vice versa?
2) I am getting pretty sick of these GG particles.
3) Once again, a third episode with barely any character development. Hallelujah and Tieria are clones for all intents and purposes, Setsuna's a mini-mi Heero, and Lockon seems to be the only guy with any semblance of personality.
4) The situation with Ireland is just laughable. If it were that easy, how come we still have insurgency in Iraq? >.<

Also, Graham/Sergei finishing each other's lines over and over and over...what a whole load of meh.

I'm on the same page as you. At the end of each successive episode I'm left wanting, unsatisfied and annoyed. I'm forcing myself to watch each new episode every week.

I mean the director for 00 directed Full Metal Alchemist beautifully.

And the script-writer for 00 had good dialogue in Infinite Ryvius.

I hope this isn't due to some internal disputes between these two heavy hitters.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by OMG_Zerg_Rush

For me it was an ok ep, a bit on the slow side, but at least it shows that there are some pilots who have the skill to fight a gundam.
Next week looks interesting, with Setsuna sitting at the exploding fountain and the loli pilot making her intro.

Wait, what did you just say was happening next week?

[Ashlotte]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

5 of 10 for me for this one...

1) Why does the Ptolemy exist if the gundams power *it* rather than vice versa?
2) I am getting pretty sick of these GG particles.
3) Once again, a third episode with barely any character development. Hallelujah and Tieria are clones for all intents and purposes, Setsuna's a mini-mi Heero, and Lockon seems to be the only guy with any semblance of personality.
4) The situation with Ireland is just laughable. If it were that easy, how come we still have insurgency in Iraq? >.<

Also, Graham/Sergei finishing each other's lines over and over and over...what a whole load of meh.

Thats...pretty much what I was thinking. Sure must be nice in their version of the future...Wave a few high tech pieces of military hardware around and people are suddenly buddy-buddy...yea...right.

The whole idea of "Make peace or ill shoot you" is so laughable I don't even know what to say about it.

As a purely fantasy piece though ignoring the lame attempts at political commentary its quite nice to watch really well designed mechs blow stuff up...

[brightman]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

4) The situation with Ireland is just laughable. If it were that easy, how come we still have insurgency in Iraq? >.<

Dramatic changes aren't impossible, just look at Libya. In certain volatile regions of the world, a tiny bit of disruption can lead to big changes in policy sometimes. Since we don't understand what's been happening in Northern Ireland around the time the CB showed up, its hard to call it "laughable". Perhaps they were already moving toward peace and the appearance of the CB just cemented it?

[SoldierOfDarkness]

Originally Posted by brightman

Dramatic changes aren't impossible, just look at Libya. In certain volatile regions of the world, a tiny bit of disruption can lead to big changes in policy sometimes. Since we don't understand what's been happening in Northern Ireland around the time the CB showed up, its hard to call it "laughable". Perhaps they were already moving toward peace and the appearance of the CB just cemented it?

Well that's just the thing. We don't know the situations around the world.

Say for example if the IRA leader was tired of fighting and wanted peace(Seriously I would be too if it went on for that long), CB just gave him the excuse he would need without much critisim. Though what did the professor noted during Saji's class? I don't trust the subs at this point.

However, Saji was right in that the World was changing. All it takes is one spark which eventually leads to a bigger explosion. The IRA was just the first.

Next episode we see an even bigger change with Taliva leaving the Union. No doubt the Union will allow that to happen. If one area secedes, then the others will follow.

Wave a few high tech pieces of military hardware around and people are suddenly buddy-buddy...yea...right.

They did more than that. They attacked and defeated an HRL army(one of the major superpowers) in open combat and at the same time also attacked the other side. This pretty much screams out to anyone that CB doesn't care which side your on and we can take you down no problem.

They aren't going buddy buddy, this is more of a form of intimidation where these conflictors are trying to find comprimises with the other side to avoid getting spanked.

Besides, they are still in the 3rd episode. That's like 3/25 of the way. At least we don't have to listen to those one liners at the end of the episodes.

[Demongod86]

Except the way they set it up, it seems like everyone and their pet was up in arms, then a gundam shows up and ZOMG GUNDAMS! WE ARE NOT WORTHY! PEACE!

When we know that doesn't work anywhere near like that.

Graham is pretty cool, I gotta admit...of course, he doesn't exactly scream ACE to me either. In Gundam Wing, Zechs DUNKED Heero's Wing Gundam in a LEO. So on the SOOPA ACE scale, Graham != Zechs.

[Deathwing]

well that opening was ...well extremely pathetic battle lasts less than a minute i knew the main character would win but they didn't even make it interesting don't use cliffhangers if you cant deliver

things are moving slightly fast which is good but the whole 400 year conflict being solved weeks after the gundams show up is absurd

also just 3 episodes in and i want the main character dead

hopefully once everybody else advances this series might get interesting but for now its gundams beating everyone easily

[Shadowfox79]

It was an alright episode, there was some action, we get to see more perspectives on this. But i wonder when setsuna will actually have a personality and stop copying "Heero" Looking forward to next episode.

Btw, I can't believe the response Saji gave to Louise when she asked if he would study abroad next year, like her, and see if she's in his future. She's basically asking for him to study abroad so she can still see him next year(assuming she has to go back the next year and wants him to come with her, correct me if I'm wrong), and he goes "Kind of..??" Another thick headed charater....she's giving some sort of hint here.

[rpgman1]

I think that is what Marina is there for. She'll probably give Setsuna a personality, but I hope she doesn't turn into another Relena Peacecraft. It is still confusing as hell for such a slow series that we don't even know where 00 is going.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by SoldierOfDarkness

Well that's just the thing. We don't know the situations around the world.

Say for example if the IRA leader was tired of fighting and wanted peace(Seriously I would be too if it went on for that long), CB just gave him the excuse he would need without much critisim. Though what did the professor noted during Saji's class? I don't trust the subs at this point.

As I said, this is not a graceful way to retire. Show cowardice, and people will just splinter away and go on as they've been doing.

Besides, also as I've said, occasions to stop fighting aren't hard to come by. The CB showing up isn't one of them, though.

However, Saji was right in that the World was changing. All it takes is one spark which eventually leads to a bigger explosion. The IRA was just the first.

It's not an explosion, it's a fire being doused. By a spark. Which makes no sense.

They did more than that. They attacked and defeated an HRL army(one of the major superpowers) in open combat and at the same time also attacked the other side. This pretty much screams out to anyone that CB doesn't care which side your on and we can take you down no problem.

And that's stupid. What you need to fight terrorism is good body armors and assault rifles. And above that, good intelligence. Police work. And even that pales in comparison with the need for politics. The political courage to do what's right, and the wisdom to know what it is. A strong leadership on both sides, willing to stop the conflict.

But you need Gundam-level of firepower the way a fish needs a bicycle. It's not like the government doesn't already have overwhelmingly more firepower than the terrorists who rely on stealth. It's just the wrong battlefield for it.

Originally Posted by Shadowfox79

Btw, I can't believe the response Saji gave to Louise when she asked if he would study abroad next year, like her, and see if she's in his future. She's basically asking for him to study abroad so she can still see him next year(assuming she has to go back the next year and wants him to come with her, correct me if I'm wrong), and he goes "Kind of..??" Another thick headed charater....she's giving some sort of hint here.

So he's not ready to commit. That's not exactly a rare trait. In kids, it's probably a good thing, too.

[Ascaloth]

What's new? It's mostly the same things I've seen from Gundam Wing thus far.

Six of ten.

[wingdarkness]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

Graham is pretty cool, I gotta admit...of course, he doesn't exactly scream ACE to me either. In Gundam Wing, Zechs DUNKED Heero's Wing Gundam in a LEO. So on the SOOPA ACE scale, Graham != Zechs.

I'm really hoping with a little more time and tech-planning (inwhich Graham seems quite capable of) he'll have a better showing...His persona is too savvy and adventurous for him to be a grunt in skills for much longer, but with that said it's very easy to go from Char to Jerid if you get pwnd too much by the main Gundam...

[SoldierOfDarkness]

As I said, this is not a graceful way to retire. Show cowardice, and people will just splinter away and go on as they've been doing.

Besides, also as I've said, occasions to stop fighting aren't hard to come by. The CB showing up isn't one of them, though.

Well again I'd rather wait until I see good subs to see what the professor was saying if there was anything new in the development of the IRA.

And that's stupid. What you need to fight terrorism is good body armors and assault rifles. And above that, good intelligence. Police work. And even that pales in comparison with the need for politics. The political courage to do what's right, and the wisdom to know what it is. A strong leadership on both sides, willing to stop the conflict.

But you need Gundam-level of firepower the way a fish needs a bicycle. It's not like the government doesn't already have overwhelmingly more firepower than the terrorists who rely on stealth. It's just the wrong battlefield for it.

I'm probably contradicting what I stated but we are talking about unrealistically robots that literally defy the laws of physics that tears down entire armies effortlessly. I mean how much reality can we bring into this whole thing?

Eitherway, it's still too early to know exactly what CB's true goals are anyways.

[Karnot]

Either way those Tieren are crap performance wise. They are about slow as WW2 era heavy tanks which would be toast in the modern combat field.

Yeah, well, they lack mobility. But they also dont look as fimsy and frail as those Flags and whatnot, which blow up from a single hit. And Sergei could get much farther than Graham could with his exquisite machine. Clearly they are built more with the focus on the outer design, instead of structural capability.

[4Tran]

Originally Posted by SoldierOfDarkness

I'm probably contradicting what I stated but we are talking about unrealistically robots that literally defy the laws of physics that tears down entire armies effortlessly. I mean how much reality can we bring into this whole thing?

Whether it's realistic isn't really all that important. What is important is that the creators are seemingly solving a complicated problem with a pat solution - one that doesn't really make any sense to boot. It's a hallmark of poor writing, and if it's overdone, it can threaten the thematic thrust of whatever they're trying to accomplish.

[Tak]

I was expecting the Commander Tieren to give Exia a little bit more of a challenge, but it turned out to be a deja vu. It reminded me of the first time Kira fought a mobile suit, piloted by a not-so-grunty grunt.

I guess nothing can stand up to them as of it. Although I'd be vastly interested to see what new toys the world will come up with in the near future.

And I just had to wonder what neutral-Japan have in stores. Will they be a second Orb? Hah!

- Tak