Aliens in the Gundam Franchise

[GN0010 Nosferatu]

Originally Posted by monstert

The rest of your post has nothing to do with "traditional alien form that you would see in a Gundam series" either. Mass Effect and Star Wars are not gundam series.

Regardless, given the nature of Gundam with two armies one good, one bad, you would expect something in that nature. Whereas the ELS are just living creatures, like a colony of ants or something.

Before the ELS were revealed, I had expected something like I said, because they would be more traditional with Gundam.

[brightman]

Originally Posted by monstert

How about female-piloted mobile suits with human female-shaped breasts?*
I forgot if G had that. If not, an alien (perhaps semi-organic) mobile suits could have that.

Nope, no Aphrodite A lookalikes, but like I said, everything else from windmills to schoolgirls to Buddhist bells to clowns to Zambot 3s are present.

Compared to those, the ELS are pretty darn average-looking.

[GN0010 Nosferatu]

Originally Posted by brightman

Compared to those, the ELS are pretty darn average-looking.

Idk, I think they all look pretty neat. They have a dynamic range of appearances, some are big, some are small.

[BurningChaos]

For me, I would call the introduction of the aliens to the Gundam franchise as a "stepping stone".

The introduction of Aliens would certainly uplift the original and traditional Gundam concept;

Technology: Sure there's many technology that exists in all Gundam universal time lines but the introduction of aliens would surely boost and add more technology to future Gundam series. Although in the Gundam 00: A wakening of the trailblazer this is not shown as the ELS roughly didn't have their own technology because they basically assimilated and copied all the technology they encountered so they will have technology to use. (This is assuming that no significant data about the ELS is revealed up to this point other than their ability of shape-shifting.)

Story: As the aliens would surely affect the story of a Gundam series, this would also surprise those who have watched Gundam series from 1970s as the story would expand to a new faction and not the remaining old factions (Gundams, Political factions, Rebellious side, Protagonist's side.)

Mechas: As a new faction, the aliens would surely produce their own line of mechas to use to combat the protagonist's mechas and not just use the existing mechas of existing factions (Political factions), otherwise they would turn to a copy of the Gundam 00 movie.

Company: The use of Aliens for upcoming Gundam series would be new to the eyes for those who already watched previous Gundam series. As stated above, the new alien mechas would severely increase profits as the kits that will be sold would no longer feature traditional Gundam parts and might as well come in pre-assembled packages.

Concept: This category will be the one that will have a significant change as the aliens are introduced. The traditional concept of Gundam would be surely uplifted by the usage of aliens as Antagonists for the future Gundam franchise. However, as time passes by and as usage of aliens in upcoming Gundam franchise will be common it will also affect the traditional view of people that watched previous Gundam series (without aliens) and this might be an indirect way of changing the traditional concept of Gundam franchise as the people's perspective will be changed due to the orientation and common usage of aliens in future Gundam franchise.

Timelines: The introduction of aliens to the Gundam franchise could roughly affect existing timelines (UC, AC, AD, CE) as the orientation of aliens is not hinted in the main story plot that the series is currently following and this might cause the sequel to the series to differ from the series, this could also lead to a development of a separate and new series but still using the current timeline (Which in my opinion, is a great way to introduce the aliens in the Gundam franchise.)

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by BurningChaos

Company: As stated above, the new alien mechas would severely increase profits as the kits that will be sold would no longer feature traditional Gundam parts and might as well come in pre-assembled packages.

You know that Bandai already has entire lines of pre-assembled action figures and model kits, which are by no means new or innovative. And of course, this would need to be dependent on the design of the aliens as well: they very well might design the aliens to be more model kit friendly in the future, more Zentraedi than H.R. Giger for example.

Timelines: The introduction of aliens to the Gundam franchise could roughly affect existing timelines (UC, AC, AD, CE) as the orientation of aliens is not hinted in the main story plot that the series is currently following and this might cause the sequel to the series to differ from the series, this could also lead to a development of a separate and new series but still using the current timeline (Which in my opinion, is a great way to introduce the aliens in the Gundam franchise.)

I don't really get this part, since only Universal Century has a singular timeline that encompasses multiple series, with all the others being set in their own story verses. Aliens may have appeared in Gundam 00, but I doubt it'll suddenly go into a ripple effect where all previous timelines that didn't have aliens in the story would suddenly get them.

----

Honestly I don't mind aliens in Gundam, and in fact embrace the new change as a breath of fresh air needed in Gundam. Gundam is more about conflict and the message of conflict itself than humans vs humans imho, and in fact Gundam has always had an element of "inferior race vs superior race" from Newtypes and Oldtypes, to Gundam SEED's Coordinators vs Naturals conflict where said differences where the root of the conflict. More technologically superior aliens would simply be the most extreme end of said element in Gundam.

There is no precedent however to suggest that aliens will become the new status quo of any future Gundam work, since concepts from one show doesn't necessarily carry over into another - ex. Gundams after G didn't become Gundam Fight Sport Tournaments afterall. The only thing that 00 does in introducing aliens in the franchise is to make Gundam set its mark on a conceptual territory it hasn't been in before, like a flag saying "hey, we did this too!". It'll be up to the next creative team to decide whether they want aliens to feature in their Gundam work or stick to more familiar trappings.

[SonicSP]

It depends on how it's implemented. The politics will be interesting, because politics will always be part of Gundam.

Gundam 00 did it well in my book for the context of itself, while leaving it blank some of the more potentially messy stuff (like politics with the aliens and the like). If any future series continues with the theme, that w


Interesting to see how it continues. Seed started it with the space whale discovery; it's not much but it is something. 00 brought it to the next step with intelligent species that humans goes into conflict with but still lack the politics of it (as far as its showcased anyways). I wonder if the theme does continue, how far it will go next time.

I do hope it does not appear in a UC instalment though, that's just pure classic. But it sounds like a neat idea for another AU series.

[Elo the Blue]

What I'm worried about is if we'll start seeing protagonists battle on alien planets in the Gundam's future.

[SonicSP]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

I don't really get this part, since only Universal Century has a singular timeline that encompasses multiple series, with all the others being set in their own story verses. Aliens may have appeared in Gundam 00, but I doubt it'll suddenly go into a ripple effect where all previous timelines that didn't have aliens in the story would suddenly get them.

Hmmm, I thought that the all the previous timelines were somehow united by Turn A? With the exception of CE and AD.

Originally Posted by Elo the Blue

What I'm worried about is if we'll start seeing protagonists battle on alien planets in the Gundam's future.

IMO, aliens is a pretty broad definition so there's many ways one can build a series that involves them. I guess it's like the current AUs are for, each of them has their own specific style and substance that is attractive to a certain group of fans but not necessarily others.

But if there is one later, I'll have to see it before I can judge it.

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by Elo the Blue

What I'm worried about is if we'll start seeing protagonists battle on alien planets in the Gundam's future.

I wouldn't be worried if something like that actually happened. I've long thought that Gundam needs to get out of the Earth Sphere and explore fresh new spatial territory, if only so that we don't get Earth all the time. Although with how Gundam traditionally portrays battles in Earth and space, what'll the showtime difference between Earth and Mars combat anyway, or on another M-class planet? Not much as far as I can see, unless the teams get really creative in that aspect.

Originally Posted by SonicSP

Hmmm, I thought that the all the previous timelines were somehow united by Turn A? With the exception of CE and AD.

There's a reason that the Turn-A Bang theory is just that: a theory. Even with all the cameos and the connections, the timeline for Turn A's connection to the other series is very vague and subject to lots of personal interpretation.

Even if one believes that a "ripple effect" can occur, the fact is that Gundam 00 takes place in the Anno Domini calendar, which cannot even fit into the proposed continuities of Turn A Gundam without significant hand-waving or mass amnesia (Using the most common theory, if 00 is set before UC, then how could the Earth in UC not have Space Elevators, GN Drives and have not heard of aliens?).

[monster]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Even if one believes that a "ripple effect" can occur, the fact is that Gundam 00 takes place in the Anno Domini calendar, which cannot even fit into the proposed continuities of Turn A Gundam without significant hand-waving or mass amnesia (Using the most common theory, if 00 is set before UC, then how could the Earth in UC not have Space Elevators, GN Drives and have not heard of aliens?).

I don't necessarily agree with Turn A's implication. But it's possible that the moonlight butterfly was used to destroy technology in the past, thus negating human technological advances as their focus turned to survival.

[LystAP]

The ELS, from a post made awhile back in the Trailblazer thread, evolved in a gas giant. They were formed from organic and metallic compounds reacting to radiation in a manner similar to life on earth, only instead of a liquid water ocean, they formed in the liquid metal core of the planet.

As the ELS evolved, they became able to advance past the lower atmospheres of their gas planet, in search of the light from the sun which to the ELS, gave them life. This goal lead them to advance into space, and expand outward, avoiding the destruction of their planet by their sun.

Based off the fact that their planet was devoured by their sun, the system in which the ELS originated probably was around for eons longer than our solar system.

The ELS to me represents another new possibility, not just more war and angst. They are a "true" alien race, not some human look alike from other anime like Macross. Their motives were completely uncomprehendable in Trailblazer until the Qan used it's abilities to communicate with them. How would another species see and view all the flaws of humanity that is constantly displayed in the Gundam universes, what seems important to us may seem utterly strange to them.

Aliens aren't just a factor in being targets to blow up, they present an opportunity to get people to open their minds to all different possibilities. One of the main problems in Gundam is a lack of communication and ability to understand which tends to end up with the tons of deaths some of the series is famous for.

As for fighting on alien planets, I would love to see Gundams fighting on a world with methane seas, in the atmospheres of gas giants, and many other possible places I haven't been able to imagine. The universe is a immense and strange place, the laws of reality warp constantly throughout.

Aliens have huge potential for Gundam, just as long as they avoid the humanoid cross species "love" that infected the vast majority of other animes dealing with aliens. They're suppose to be ALIEN!, with their own conceptions of relationships that would be beyond our understanding or at least difficult to comprehend, the universe isn't suppose to be filled with love triangles waiting to happen. >_<

[Patriot's Blade]

did everyone forget about Sunrise's Ideon, Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Heavy Metal L-gaim, & Layzner which were made way before Macross existed?

[LystAP]

Originally Posted by DRAGUN H.E.X.

did everyone forget about Sunrise's Ideon, Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Heavy Metal L-gaim, & Layzner which were made way before Macross existed?

Yes! But they were more of the same <3 humanoid alien @#*@ in my opinion.

[GN0010 Nosferatu]

Originally Posted by LystAP

The ELS, from a post made awhile back in the Trailblazer thread, evolved in a gas giant. They were formed from organic and metallic compounds reacting to radiation in a manner similar to life on earth, only instead of a liquid water ocean, they formed in the liquid metal core of the planet.

As the ELS evolved, they became able to advance past the lower atmospheres of their gas planet, in search of the light from the sun which to the ELS, gave them life. This goal lead them to advance into space, and expand outward, avoiding the destruction of their planet by their sun.

Based off the fact that their planet was devoured by their sun, the system in which the ELS originated probably was around for eons longer than our solar system.

The ELS to me represents another new possibility, not just more war and angst. They are a "true" alien race, not some human look alike from other anime like Macross. Their motives were completely uncomprehendable in Trailblazer until the Qan used it's abilities to communicate with them. How would another species see and view all the flaws of humanity that is constantly displayed in the Gundam universes, what seems important to us may seem utterly strange to them.

Aliens aren't just a factor in being targets to blow up, they present an opportunity to get people to open their minds to all different possibilities. One of the main problems in Gundam is a lack of communication and ability to understand which tends to end up with the tons of deaths some of the series is famous for.

As for fighting on alien planets, I would love to see Gundams fighting on a world with methane seas, in the atmospheres of gas giants, and many other possible places I haven't been able to imagine. The universe is a immense and strange place, the laws of reality warp constantly throughout.

Aliens have huge potential for Gundam, just as long as they avoid the humanoid cross species "love" that infected the vast majority of other animes dealing with aliens. They're suppose to be ALIEN!, with their own conceptions of relationships that would be beyond our understanding or at least difficult to comprehend, the universe isn't suppose to be filled with love triangles waiting to happen. >_<

The ELS are a perfect example of the saying "It's life, but not as we know it".

[bio9205]

Is this the first time in film/television/book history where the aliens' invasion of Earth turned out to be a huge misunderstanding?

[brightman]

Originally Posted by DRAGUN H.E.X.

did everyone forget about Sunrise's Ideon, Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Heavy Metal L-gaim, & Layzner which were made way before Macross existed?

Err, only Ideon came before Macross in your list.

[RES-01 Perses Gundam]

As I had observed, most do not welcome much change to the Gundam universe, which of course, is brought forth by the indomitable "aliens". Certainly, many still hold truth to the traditional Gundam themes, while some are arguing that "aliens" will bring Gundam to a whole new level.

Personally, Gundam 00 was a pretty decent attempt at incorporating "aliens" into Gundam universes. Contacts were made, and most content were restricted to interpretation by humans, and only slightly explored the nature and biology of "aliens". We didn't let our imagination run wild into creating mobile suits, politics for "aliens" which are, unfortunately, very different from us indeed. This, in my opinion, should be how "aliens" are best and most used in the Gundam universes.

Take for example, the whale from Gundam Seed. It was used to exemplify the capabilities of the Coordinators to enhance the appeal of the series as a whole. The kind of complicated "we-interpret-aliens-according-to-humans" was subtly avoided. Gundam 00 also succeeded in this.

Until all themes and resources have been exhausted among "human" societies in the various Gundam universes, I reckon that the Gundam tradition would ensue.

[SonicSP]

Originally Posted by RES-01 Perses Gundam

As I had observed, most do not welcome much change to the Gundam universe, which of course, is brought forth by the indomitable "aliens". Certainly, many still hold truth to the traditional Gundam themes, while some are arguing that "aliens" will bring Gundam to a whole new level.

Personally, Gundam 00 was a pretty decent attempt at incorporating "aliens" into Gundam universes. Contacts were made, and most content were restricted to interpretation by humans, and only slightly explored the nature and biology of "aliens". We didn't let our imagination run wild into creating mobile suits, politics for "aliens" which are, unfortunately, very different from us indeed. This, in my opinion, should be how "aliens" are best and most used in the Gundam universes.

Take for example, the whale from Gundam Seed. It was used to exemplify the capabilities of the Coordinators to enhance the appeal of the series as a whole. The kind of complicated "we-interpret-aliens-according-to-humans" was subtly avoided. Gundam 00 also succeeded in this.

Until all themes and resources have been exhausted among "human" societies in the various Gundam universes, I reckon that the Gundam tradition would ensue.

Yeah, I agree. It sounds like a nice "limitation" to build on too.

But if it continues, the next one may have the aliens be more involved through the said AU series. Like in G00, while it was always an important prediction of the "Plan", most of them still remain illusive until the end. So maybe next time they will be more visible and involved than they did in G00 (and GS) but still not "too" involved.



It would be cool if they're all metal and mechanic though. Heh back in the day I was hoping they'd do a Reaper-like (from mass effect series). Heh, I sort of got my wish with the ELS being metallic.

[jonli]

Originally Posted by bio9205

Is this the first time in film/television/book history where the aliens' invasion of Earth turned out to be a huge misunderstanding?

I don't know if you're being sarcastic...

But no it is not. Out the top of my head would be Enders. Even Vajra's and Zentraedi can be considered huge misunderstandings.


They might actually just expand to planet vs planet warfare in the future Gundam franchise. Where the human race expanded through out the galaxy and evolved in different ways, hence they're "aliens" and phyiscally look different but are still fairly humanoid and hentai-doujin-able.

[SonicSP]

Originally Posted by jonli

........evolved in different ways, hence they're "aliens" and phyiscally look different but are still fairly humanoid and hentai-doujin-able.

I wonder if the ELS are hentai doujin-able?