I like Gundam. I love Gundam, actually. I love the characters, the themes, the stories, the soundtracks, and the mecha.
So I made this blog! Where I can share my thoughts, obscure lore, and write stuff about Mobile Suits!
A brief guide to my color-coding. Standard-color text will convey in-universe information, blue text will convey meta (or out of universe) information, and purple text will be my own personal thoughts or commentary. Red text is typically when I get possessed by the vengeful spirit of Char Aznable.
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Below, I'll keep my queue for my MS posts. So check back here often!
Posting will be inconsistent. I'm shooting for weekly, but they may be released more or less often depending on how busy my schedule is, or how my motivation is. If I'm pumping out one a day, don't get used to it!
I'm always accepting requests for what machines or subjects to write about, so feel free to drop one! Requests will be considered in the order which they are received! Asks in general are also appreciated, whether you want more information about a given subject or are just looking to hear my opinion on things!
DISCLAIMER
I am not associated with Bandai! Furthermore, I am not a fluent Japanese speaker. A lot of information on MS development is only available through JP sources. Mistranslation and misinterpretation happen! I should not be considered an authority on what is or is not fact. I'm only doing this because I enjoy the process of doing research, and I'm passionate about Gundam. This is a passion project! Nothing more!
The Queue
Requests (are) open!
Questions are (always) open!
NRX-0013 Gundam Visargo/ NRX-0015 Gundam Ashtaron - After War Gundam X
RMSN-008 Bertigo - After War Gundam X
MS-14U Gelgoog Outer Space Type - Char's Deleted Affair
ORX-012 Gundam Mk-IV - SD Gundam G Generation Spirits
I had a dream that I went to a video rental store (???) and they had a gundam manga where everything was the same except the entire cast was cambrian creatures (?????)
The incursion of the Jupiter Empire into Earth-sphere in U.C. 133 began as a cordial affair. Crux Dogatie and his entourage were welcomed with open arms by the Earth Federation. During this short period of peace, the mobile suits of the Jupiter Empire largely avoided drawing attention.
However, when that peace was shattered, the Jupiter Empire's mobile weapons became well known symbols of fear and oppression. Among these mobile suits was the striking EMS-08 Diona.
The machine's human-like appearance is easily its most distinctive design feature. While it isn't directly known what the intent of this particular design was, it may have been intended to blur the line between pilot and machine. With the machine largely serving in ceremonial roles, it can be inferred that its human-like appearance was a result of that intended use.
As it was designed for ceremonial purposes, the EMS-08 Diona was lightly armed despite its high performance, as standard only carrying a single beam rifle.
The machine was capable of carrying different weapons as well, such as a heat naginata, though this weapon is not standard issue for the machine.
The Diona first made its appearance in Earth-sphere in the late months of U.C. 133, serving as a royal guard for Princess Tetenith Dogatie, better known as Bernadette Briett.
An upgraded version of the machine was used three years later by Europa Dogatie. The upgraded unit featured a large, back-mounted container to hold spare arms and ammunition, a version of the "Wings of Light" which would later be made iconic by the Victory 2 Gundam two decades later, and a specially designed cockpit that would protect Europa from the psychic abilities of her twin brothers.
The EMS-08 Diona was originally designed by Yuuichi Hasegawa for the 1994 manga Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam.
The Angel Diona was designed by Yuuichi Hasegawa for the 2006 manga Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam: Steel 7.
February 22nd, 1981 - Anime New Century Declaration
Read by Mamoru Nagano and Maria Kawamura
Transcript below
We got for the first time the anime of our decade.
"Mobile Suit Gundam" is the creation of a new kind of anime that goes beyond the relationship between viewer and director.
This work appeals to the future of our world where men and technology have merged in a narrow sensitive approach.
However, in the darkness of the absurdity of war, the characters only express themselves in pain.
But there, love and truth don't seem so far away.
However, they will soon reach a new illuminating stage, the “Newtype”.
But we don't feel it yet.
Because Amuro is the unique "Newtype".
This is the drama of the question of life.
If we try to admit this question, we will have no choice but to seek our own spiritual world through the “Newtype”, with deep expectations and determination.
Now let's get involved and I swear it for the future.
We hereby declare that our pioneering era has been initiated by anime and that we are on the dawn of a new century.
...Tomino talked a lot. Stuff like, “There are 20,000 of you gathered here today.” I specifically remember this because it was written as 10,000 in the newspaper the next day. Takajin Yashiki sang “Cross of Sand” for a second time. During the latter half of the event, two fans dressed as Char and Lalah came on stage and read the declaration of a new anime century. The whole square listened in silence as if the words unified us all...
"It seems especially stupid to me now, as a very cynical adult, that certain [Gundam] fans want to cut Newtypes entirely. To demand a story in Gundam made only of professional soldiers, and to cut out this element. 'Can't Gundam just be about adult wars?' To me, this rings as the most pathetic childishness, for who - besides children - demand[s] to be adults so clumsily?"
-Argonbolt, On Gundam: UC 0079 Mobile Suit Gundam Review/Retrospective
"It seems especially stupid to me now, as a very cynical adult, that certain [Gundam] fans want to cut Newtypes entirely. To demand a story in Gundam made only of professional soldiers, and to cut out this element. 'Can't Gundam just be about adult wars?' To me, this rings as the most pathetic childishness, for who - besides children - demand[s] to be adults so clumsily?"
-Argonbolt, On Gundam: UC 0079 Mobile Suit Gundam Review/Retrospective
