Mobile Suit Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer | The Gundam Retrospective
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- Опубліковано 1 сер 2024
- 2 years after the events of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 2 Setsuna and Celestial Being return to the screen in some of the most thrilling and dynamic Mech battles in the entire series. Does a big budget and a bigger screen mean a more powerful ending for the characters we have come to know and love?
-- THIS VIDEO CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR GUNDAM 00: A WAKENING OF THE TRAILBLAZER --
Gaming Channel: / @retcon_404plays - Фільми й анімація
I feel like the ELS were honestly the best way to do aliens in a Gundam show. Gundam has always been about subverting the standard tropes of a genre (even though it's arguably pioneered just as many itself) and the way the ELS are handled is a pretty solid subversion of basically every other standardized 'aliens are just like humans in different bodies' anime trope, which is especially and painfully prevalent in mecha anime. It also subverts the opposite trope of aliens being unthinking, mindless monsters that it's perfectly fine to genocide in self defence.
Instead, the ELS are a race that is truly 'alien', and 'finding common ground' is a matter of humanity changing to suit their needs, instead of the other way around. In shows like Macross and Space Battleship Yamato, aliens are often portrayed as inferior to humanity. Not in terms of technology or intellect, but in terms of culture and morality. Their interactions with humans 'teach' them new values or 'open them up' to new experiences and ways of thinking that highlight a problem that needs to be fixed about their own people.
Meanwhile, the ELS are the opposite. They need absolutely nothing from humanity. Their eventual partnership isn't born from them realizing their own weaknesses, but from humans adapting themselves in order to facilitate diplomacy. The ELS are never proved inferior or lacking in anything. Instead, they show what humanity lacks, and present an unstoppable, ultimate consequence for their failure to compensate for the weaknesses of their culture and methods of communication.
In this, they make for the best way Gundam could've implemented aliens.
The final quote is probably my favorite of all time.. Ohh if only humanity could grasp its significance...
Yeah after watching that the 1st time I posted the quote on Facebook to save it
I mean conflict is just inevitable. This Utopian future where everyone just gets along doesn't exist. This is nothing worth lamenting, it's just the natural state of being.
@@Dharengo this is the mindset that creates that future that will never come. elevate yourself *winkwink*
@@entropyprimed I'd rather work on things I can actually affect.
@@Dharengo well if assholes dot want to coexist must be removed thus to all evil, a lesson the A-laws learn in hot fire
To me, aliens that aren't humanoid and don't even communicate in a way that's comprehensible by us, that are literally made by silicon instead of carbon and evolved on a gas giant couldn't be weirder than this. They truly feel "alien" in the purest sense of the word.
This movie is spot on absolutely everything, the perfect ending for what's probably Gundam's magnum opus.
There's a funny gag about the "Celestial Being" movie in the "00" production artbook that came out when the film was released. It includes a copy of the movie's poster and they have in-universe 'behind the scenes' pictures of its production where they treat it like it's a tokusatsu movie with a picture of a film crew helping the Seravee's actor put the costume on.
The artwork of that movie is based on Gurren lagann
I 100% believe Setsuna is so bonkers he casually has breaching charges like that plastic explosive on him at all times.
Graham's line of "but I ordered you not to die" after one of his teammates gets shot down during the Solbraves arrival to the final battle is so absurd. I love Graham so much!
"Sorry, sir. I don't have plot armor."
He disobeyed orders! now his boss will kill him!
The movie is the entire end goal of the whole series. Imagine watching the entire first 2 seasons then complains afterwards coz they don't like the concept of aliens in a gundam universe after seeing the movie when it's the very reason behind Aeolia schenberg's plan and the creation of celestial being. Anyone who watched the anime should have seen that coming already.
nobody is complaining about the fact it's aliens, more so how the aliens are portrayed or used in a weird/kinda lazy way. Especially when they mostly just shapeshift into known characters/mecha instead of something...idk...new and alien?
As a (light) Star Trek fan, A Wakening of the Trailblazer is in my opinion a surprising and interesting first contact. The aliens are as alien as they get, to the point it was a miracle first contact actually happened. First contact happened the way I imagined it to happen ... violence because of a language barrier. What surprised me was how high the language barrier was.
00, as a whole, is probably my favorite Gundam show, with both seasons having things that I love and the movie being an absolute spectacle to watch.
I love that 00 is a full and complete series with a beginning middle and end. It's whole and doesn't need or want spin offs sequels or prequels
But it has some prequels, right?
@@Dracobyte it has 00F & 00P. Though it's not necessary and can be disregarded unless you want to delve more into the world building in the background.
Also has a stage play
🎶🎶 and in the end, none of those matter🎶🎶
I wish 00 had a Latin American Spanish dub.
Fortunately, The Witch of Mercury will have one (the second official since Gundam Wing).
Peace cannot be kept by force it can only be achieved by understanding
The very heart of what gundam is about
00 also highlights the two different ideals of innovators. As descartes uses force and fails, Setsuna used dialogue to achieve peace
This movie had a manga version, and the ending is quite funny, Setsuna not only comes back to Marina, but also uses his powers to make her young again, and then marries her, honestly though I kind prefer that one.
I thought that was more of Marina's mental landscape, like the reunion was symbolically the union that she missed out with Setsuna had things played out differently in her youth.
@@RanRii I just looked at the final pages of the manga, and while everything does look a bit dreamy, there is nothing suggesting it's her imagination, it's not like Setsuna doesn't have the power either, as himself still looks young, making her young should be easy.
Yeah I prefer the manga ending too. I always Felt that Marina and Setsuna would end up together.
The Manga ending isn't really accepted as cannon by the original writing staff. They've said that Marina was maternal figure to Setsuna not a romantic one and since he killed his actual mother when he was a child solider he had become cold and distant from others by the start of S1. This is backed up by Marina and Setsuna's mother not only looking similar but also having the same VA.
The closest thing Setsuna had to a romantic interest was Fedlt but while she clearly had feelings for him he didn't seem capable of being romantically attached to anyone.
@@DeepGreenX While I can see it from the movie perspective, in the rest of the series they sure as heck don't have that kind of relationship, they act as lovers or are hinted as so several times, the staff probably changed their mind when the movie was made.
"Time to fire without targeting!" is both the corniest and hypest line in all of 00, and damn does it earn that.
Gundam 00 is one of those series where I really cared about all the characters and wanted them to succeed, so I’m really satisfied in calling it a top-tier Gundam AU.
Also for a while I could not listen to the ending song of this film without bawling. Such a great cap off to this subseries. Looking forward to Unicorn and Rayearth!
Fun fact about the ELS Battle some of the Federation's Suits that were deployed also included the ones from Season 1
Tieriens
Flag Space Types
Helions and Enacts
The appearance may be blink if you miss it type scene but imagine using a Zaku I in UC 105
Even Union Realdos and the Flag Shelling Type
Which, funnily enough, is kinda what happens in unicorn.
@@Jonnyg325 good ole Torrington
“What is this a walking war museum!?”
“They got guts coming out in those kinds of suits”
“That’s why we gotta be careful, clearly they’re crazier than we are”
There's actually a Gaga cannon which is a Gaga but... Well, they threw a cannon on it. That's my favorite cameo.
@@wingshad0w00982 can’t exactly suicide bomb crash when that’s what the ELS do, wonder how much the movie was planned considering the finale kinda has a lot of parallels to the movie
The thing I loved the most about the 4 suits is that each had a double theme. Double gundams for Raphael, double cockpit for Harute, double rifles dual welding for Zabanya and again, double GN drives for 00 Qant
Trailblazer felt like a Gundam rendition of the Flood from Halo: assimilating their target, and controlling the host, just without the limit of biomass. It resonated in the way any massive battle of mobile suits would: a full swing into ballistic blasting and roaring down into the masses. I played Dynasty Warrior, so shredding while groups within seconds scratches an itch
Which turns them into the greatest threat to basically every sci fi civilization, assimilation, adaptation, replication, regeneration. It’d be hard for any to counter those abilities in essentially a fleet the size of a planet
And in Trailblazer the aliens aren't a bunch of creepy creatures that only want to devour every living being in the galaxy but are actually somewhat friendly
this movie hit me right in the feels, i cried, and real men cry when they feel for others
Just a slight correction: The 00 Raiser uses GN Condensers because its original GN Drives, the Exia and 0 Gundam's, were both destroyed during Setsuna and Ribbon's final battle in Season 2 and they can't use the GN Drives that Lockon and Allelujah use for their Gundams because neither are compatible. This is why Celestial Being decided to create two new GN Drives instead.
I love this movie alot because it shows realistically what will happen in future if humans started to explore other systems or galaxies as our technology on space travel improves over time... the movie shows if we humans tend to fail to understand should there be other lifeforms out there that is far advanced that us it will always end up in conflict...the irony here is we our own same species cannot understand one another how much more other beings.... this movie although it is very super science fictional type movie it still incorporates things that might happen possibly in the future... I also love the part Setsuna find his purpose of existence... just like in reality we ourselves in certain point of our lives find a sense of purpose we we are here....love your perspective about the OO series....
Ah, I remember seeing that movie the first time and being so confused about how it opens. The animation, tone, voices... everything is off, and I sat there wondering if I got some bootleg or the entirely wrong anime by mistake... and then we see Saji's friend cheering and learn that it was an in-story movie. ^^
I feel so sorry for Felt. Just when it looks like Setsuna and her can get together, the changes and they are apart again, then get close and then he vanishes...
The music is for the most part re-arrengements of songs from the series... but damn, are they good re-arrangements. The Final Mission~Quantuun Bust arrangement of Decisive Battle going into Masurao is the best piece of Kenji Kawaii's music I've ever heard.
Oh god that opening, I wonder if the writers knew they were gonna confuse the hell out of everyone, if they did that on purpose
@@Jonnyg325 Final Mission~Quantum Burst and segment 3 of Envoy from Jupiter (aka Fight but with more brass) are my favorite tunes from this movie.
Ah unicorn time, I love the action scenes from this one, they are some of the best animated ones in the entire series. The story could do with a little work, but the visuals are absolutely stunning.
Can't forget Hiroyuki Sawano's banger OST
The first time I saw this movie I did not liked the story. But having watched it again recently, it's actually a good movie with a very nice message. 00 still one of the best gundam shows out there.
00 Gundam was the series that got me into giant robots.
Also Mina is clearly the origin of at least Nena, since they look so similar, have the same EN/JP VA, and maybe her being sexually aggressive towards Billy is meant to be similar to how Nena was so forward with Setsuna or something, I dunno, lol.
Love your Gundam reviews. Def worth the notifications.
Subscribed !!!
You forget to mention that great final scene with a younger Shonenburge and the original human ribbons almark with Shonenburge compiling executables for the operating system of the original GN drives …it was awesome!!
This movie is my holy bible lmao. Love it so much. 9/10.
I didn't even know about the movie until the end of your review of season 2. Glad I got to watch it and then see your review! Trailblazer was as much of a thrill ride as season 2. It was a little sad that Feldt's love wasn't returned. Also the ELS really channeled the horror of something like the Borg in a Gundam universe.
ELS are technically scientifically accurate aliens
The way you say “char disease” it’s so normal and fluid 😂
I’m glad you enjoyed 00 it’s one of my favorites. I’m also glad you’re going with the OVA version of unicorn, as the Anime version literally spoils itself
00 is probably the best Gundam series for me as it did a lot of great work with the cast and story. Close second would be ibo and origins for me. Those were fun to see
Awesome video, I really enjoyed all of the 00 content but now that your going to Unicorn oh my lord it has got to be my overall #1 Gundam show, the story, the quality of the visuals, the sounds and I have to say is by far the best Gundam animation to deliver love, understanding and anti war message that all of Gundam is about, so I cannot wait for your video about it.
I think ELS work as an unknowable alien entity that works differently to humanity on ever level.
I dont remember much of the movie at all. I just remember the end...but watching this retrospective made me appreciate it more. Aliens were implemented well. As for Unicorn, I strangely took a hiatus from the ova back around 2012 and just left it at that. I still need to finish it!!
I absolutely love 00, but yeah, this movie is a lil bit lotta bit weird. Still, enjoyed it for practically the same reasons as everyone else and I do wish we got a tiny bit more, cuz the ending of Humans and ELS working together for some deep space adventures sounds awesome!
I'm so excited for these videos please keep them pumping out even once gundam is done.
I really hope bandai tags into 00 for the full mechanics line so we could get new 1/100 suits, like Setsuna's Celestial Being Flag
While the ELS was not what most expected...I feel doing things the more" Normal" way would make the movie just a Endless Waltz clone or something so I'm glad it went the way it did as it makes 00 more equal. The only sin for the movie to me...poor Felt got screwed over. Ah, just curious if you might do a review on Code Geass in the future?
More "Gundam vs. Aliens" plots would be pretty cool
I think Trailblazer suffers disportionately from the Francois Truffaut's “There’s no such thing as an anti-war film”-issue. That, even if your themes are anti-war the inherent excitement of depicting war is going to make it appealing on some level. You could reasonably argue that for Gundam in general, but in this they were going for a more cerebral SF plot about first contact with a completely alien species ala 2001: A Space Odyessy or Arrival, but they really wanted enormous flashy battles that really show off their cool new MS designs as well for obvious reasons. They didn't quite gel, and that... even when blazing the trail into completely new territory for the franchise it still couldn't evolve beyond its Gundam roots to do something truly different.
I feel the opposite. I like that we get to see new designs like Qan[T], Zabanya, Brave, etc but I always feel uneasy during the big battles in the movie simply coz I don't want any of the human characters to die. That actually a good sign of an anti-war media where I don't want the battles to the death to happen at all, and I wish Setsuna could've woken up sooner to avoid all the lives that are lost no matter how cool Harute & Zabanya look when they mowed down hordes of aliens. In short: I truly root for the understanding in this movie more than the battles which makes it a good anti-war media.
Can't wait for the Gundam Unicorn retrospective. In my opinion, the TV version of Unicorn was better, even if it IS the 7-episode OVA divided into 22 episodes. The TV version does have improved animation, but it's hard to point it out. Also, the TV version has some great songs for the opening and endings. Gundam 00 became my favorite series, alongside the Cosmic Era series.
the story of 00 dose continue after this in other media but unfortunately has never been animated the best we got was Grahams Exia repair 4 in SD Gundam
Another great video on the 00 series I've got fond memories and look forward to Unicorn
God. Your choice of musix is something else. You bustin out a Bomberman Hero track has me feeling nostalgic.
I already love watching your videos, but a sudden love of purple AND agreeing that Raph is the best ninja turtle? Bravo. Bravo sir!
What catches me is the quote
It is perfect to our current situation
the creator of Gundam OO made a wonderful message for us to know that peace can only achieve if we understand each other
Trail blazers is definitely one of the best Gundam movies
Omg!!! I asked for this like an hour ago!!!! How could I have known you'd already prepared in advance?
This movie is very silly. Yes. 😂😂
I still consider 00 the best Jump in spot for ppl that are starting with the franchise. There’s not as many of us that are willing to start from the beginning. But now that we have a few new series (IBO and Gwitch) that have good contained stories, I can add them to the list as well.
"Giant space flower man" space hippies. Those are the 2 jokes my friends have made about this move.
This aside my personal belief and theory is that else are the predecessors of psycommu, from the UC timeline. Case in point that both psycommu, and the else appeared around jupiter, are a type of living metal, and they react strongly to people with strong psycic abilities. And that both the Turn A and Turn X were made by the else.
00 will forever be my favorite series, the fact we're getting a 3rd season next year is so exciting. Trailblazer has its flaws, but I like how it tries to end everything and help humanity ascend to a tier 3 civilization.
Wait how come I'm just now hearing about s3?
Im sorry, but did you say there is a 3rd season?
more like 2027
@@mattsmusings1571 yes, EXIA R4 piloted by grahan aker
When the Tolami popped up at the final battle, it was like "The boss has entered the Field". It felt like CB entering the fight made a massive amount of diffrence, and that the Tolami was an armada unto itself
00 is still my favorite but I didn’t love the movie. But doesn’t take away how much I love the first 2 seasons.
Aye we gotta get this man to at least 20K by the end of summer
hi, i really like this retrospective, i can't wait to see your thougts on AGE
Moral of the story: graham aker is one of the most magnificent weaboos ever
lets goooo this series has been very nice to watch
Great video
I never watched OO before and only watched this movie and the ending made me cry
Please do a review on Big-O! I mean if you havent already 😅
This most definitely
This movie is certainly interesting. I just really liked 00 as a whole, but it is certainly a weird movie.
Grahams group is called the soul braves. Their Mobile suits are called Braves
I am so close to being able to see this as not a gundam movie but an Alien movie and loving it.
Brilliant synopsis. Looking forward to Unicorn 😅 Cheers.
Whenever I watch this movie, keep thinking "How easily were you beaten by Ordinal Scale of all things"
From all the things you said you wanted out of this Human vs alien war then you should watch Heroic Age!!! The story line is fantastic and the Kaiju vs aliens and alien bugs in space is amaze ballz 😂
A great end to a great series!
They showed Mina to show you that there are Inovaides carrying out their initial purpose which is to aid humanity
next is the return of Char Aznable as Full Frontal
I can't believe you skipped over the fact that Setsuna laughs for the first time in the series in this movie.
The ELS Quanta looks CRISP tho
Imma keep parroting my theory that the writhers based the whole setting of the 00 worldbuilding off of the Foundation trilogy from Isaac Asimov.
You have great taste in background music.
14:50, hey watch it! Jeez and I was just sayin’ something nice…
I like watching this reviews it pretty amazing
It's not an anime, per se, but it would be amazing if you could cover one of my favorite 90s shows. ExoSquad. It has a lot of anime qualities, despite being American. And its pure unfiltered 90s cartoon futurism in the best way.
I prefer the belief that says 'Peace is the Pause between Wars' because 'War is Eternal'.
if you want to see mech v bugs please checkout macross frontier; knowledge of pervious series helps but isn't necessary and the soundtrack is astounding
11:10 I feel for billy, on one hand you have a smoking hot captain and the other , a smoking hot scientist… decisions decisions
To be fair, Setsuna seems to always have Plastic Explosives with him, as seen in the Opening Episode of Season 2 in the High-Gravity Labor Camp
Speaking of aliens in gundam I would like to give a shout out to gundam age. It's an interesting but rushed series with some of my favorite suit designs of all time
Age really missed out on the opportunity to go full on with the alien design aesthetic they had going at the start.
I found it very interesting and heartwarming to see someone giving this series a good review.
And I'm glad you liked it.
But ...
Man, I really wanted to like 00...
I liked most of season one, hated most of season two, and hated most of the movie.
The scene where Graham pulls back on his suit to let the ELSS pass him, while taking a full face of G-force and still manage to get a big blast on them is one of the best scenes I've ever seen in a Gundam show
This one goes out to the algorithm.
Love your vids, do you have Thunderbolt on your list to review?
Oh yes I've been waiting for this. And now gundam age and g reco should be soon
I definitely enjoy this movie a lot, and the mech battles are sick, but I can't shake that feeling that there's something missing.
Fafner, another anime that deals with assimilating aliens, I feel does it better, as it does eventually show that they have a stake in the thing too, and rather than the aliens just being friendly the wrong way, they quite literally don't know how to do anything else until later in the series, it's very interesting to see them slowly evolve and adapt.
I would still recommend the SEED tangent/parody/whatever known as Cross Ange. It's a guilty pleasure, but can be fun if you're in the right mood.
An other thing that most people seem to forget about is Blue Gender. It's... a thing. Yes, it's definitely a thing.
Hot off the presses.
Very nice.
I do have to say the battle with the ELS is Gundam's vest answer to Star Wars battles.
I need to get around to watching Rayearth at some point. My fiancee has been recommending it to me and I've just been distracted with a bunch of other stuff to find time to watch it.
I'm hoping that when you do get around to reviewing Gundam AGE, that you enjoy it almost as much as I do despite the glaring flaws.
Correction though
Graham Aker and the SolBraves Squadron are piloting the Brave: Earth Sphere Federation's Next Generation Variable Frame MS derived from UNION's Over FLAG and A-LAWS x Billy Katagiri's Madurai and Susanowo MS Units...
They may not be as powerful as the Gundam Harute nor the 00 QAN [T] due to being only powered by a GN Drive Tau (One Drive Unit for the Green Colored Standard Issue Units, while Two Drives powers the Blue Colored Commander Commander's Use Unit), BUT Their ability to intercept targets full frontal and from the rear are sufficient enough to put enemies at bay...
The AEU Enact and the Masurao
In the Manga, Setsuna cures Marina's Blindness and made her young again, its not sure if she was also turned to an Els because its black and white so not sure if she is also shiny
Even think about that what they did with the celestial being movie until you mentioned it and look five years after 9/11 we got both the United 93 and the world trade center movie
Looking forward to your next videos! Is Iron Blooded Orphans on your to do list?
Wow I didn't expect the story to be so weird, as a huge fan of sci fi, I really quite like the plot.
Kinda hype for the unicorn video
When Lockon rescues Alleleuiuacoughcough and Marie from the power substation, he's in Dynames. More fanservice!
Doh, you mentioned it later. Sorry!