G Gundam – Episode 2

Alright, time to watch G Gundam’s second episode! I’m assured by my feed that the show actually takes a while to get good, but my feed is full of liars and filthy robot-likers, so I am not fooled by their conniving ways. G Gundam will have to live or die on its own merits, based on my stringent and robot-suspicious dramatic senses. PROVE YOURSELF, G GUNDAM!

Episode 2

Ooh, now this is actually interesting. Opening with some sort of event announcer actually explaining the concept of the Gundam Fight directly to the audience. Embracing the theatricality and artifice of this very absurd concept

G Gundam

Using the earth as an actual seat

Even the core elements of the narrative, like Domon searching for his father, are treated like the archetypal, larger-than-life story beats they are

And messing with the fourth wall in more ways, as Domon more or less hands his picture to the announcer. Like the main stage players are being introduced by the playwright

“Chibodee Crocket.” That sure is a Gundam name

And the announcer pulls off his eyepatch, revealing even that is artifice

G Gundam

Neo America seems like it’s doing okay

Alright, “Maxter” is a very American Gundam name

Interesting how this particularly absurd Gundam series is also the one messing around with real-life countries

New New York basically seems like a theme park of itself – all of the world has become something like Venice. There’s a wonderful inherent sadness here

Also him being announced in a football stadium is very appropriate

G Gundam

And then we cut to the run-down streets

“Guess he went up to the Colonies and fulfilled his dream.” Here, the “American dream” is actually leaving America and the earth altogether. America is now the place people escape from

“Neo Italy.” Yeah, I figured the first country was Italy. Kind of a shame it got knocked out so quickly

Chibodee’s opponent gets knocked out!

It’s a good thing no one’s noticed Domon isn’t black

G Gundam

Using the fame of the people’s champion for as long as he’s useful

Domon, you can’t just punch someone before the match starts

If you want to challenge him to a Gundam Fight, you could just send a letter or something

Man this show has cheap animation

“I have challenged you to a Gundam Fight! NO TAKE BACKS!”

G Gundam

This episode actually moves a lot faster than the first one. Definitely an improvement

Interesting that America is the second episode opponent

Looks like Domon sustained some damage

The atmosphere of this Brooklyn Bridge encounter is pretty solid, too. Less flat direction than the first episode

Saved by the long-suffering ladyfriend

G Gundam

“All of my dreams… this is where it all began.”

“During those lonely days when no one could help me, my only consolation was my main character hair”

Ah, it’s the American Colony that looks like a tourist attraction. While the genuine article has fallen into disrepair

“And I’ll do it with these fists!” montage of Chibodee doing things with his fists

Interesting sequence of Rain approaching through disjointed shots. Much more dynamic visual storytelling this episode

G Gundam

Starting a Gundam Fight on the field of a giant stadium seems… unwise

I like how basically the defining feature of America here is the disconnect between its everyman heroes and its bureaucratic overseers

Hiding your Gundam in the Statue of Liberty is a good way to remember where you put it

I appreciate that we’re probably going to get that Domon butt shot every single episode

G Gundam basically turns its giant robot activations into magical girl transformations

G Gundam

Hah. His Gundam basically has boxing gloves

Punching his fist with your fist. The manliest way to fight

These fights just… aren’t exciting at all? Domon just wins with Manly Spirit every time, and there’s nothing of interest tactically, dramatically, or visually. It’s almost like… these are made for people who just want to see giant robots???

Chibodee, a man of the people

“I WILL BE BACK”

“Chibodee Crocket… NICE GUY”

G Gundam

And that does it! That episode was actually a great deal better than the first one, though this still seems extremely not my kind of thing. Straightforward hot-blooded masculinity just doesn’t do anything for me, and neither do giant robots for their own sake, so this one was pretty much destined to miss me. Not much you can do!

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