In 2011, the series Gundam AGE was released to the public. It was seen by many as an attempt to make a Gundam series directed more at kids and younger viewers compared to the older audience than had grown up with either the Alternative Timelines or the Universal Century.
People HATED it.
Aside from having dismal ratings, long-term fans derided everything from the character design, mech designs, storyline and trying to take Gundam, a series that had almost always dealt with more mature subject matter, and try to make it kid-friendly. Despite having some great music, there was little else going for AGE, and it looked like that the Gundam Franchise was going to head towards a slump.
Fast Forward to 2013, and Sunrise decided to try again at making a more Kid-friendly Gundam series, but this time they took a different route. What resulted was a show that’s massive success was never expected. After the cut let’s talk about the 2013 Gundam Series: Gundam Build Divers.
Build Fighters doesn’t take place in a world torn apart by war with Giant Robots. It takes place in a future version of OUR world, where Gundam and Gunpla model building has taken the world by storm. People create their own Gundams from model kits and use a computer-based interface system (think Duel Disks from Yugioh) to battle as if they were actually piloting the suits themselves. It’s all the action of a classic Gundam series, with none of the collateral damage.
The concept for Build Fighters is so simple and so brilliant that I am shocked it took Sunrise this long to figure it out. Instead of trying to shoehorn a kid-friendly plot into the tried and true Gundam Formula of “Colonies vs Earth” they instead to toss it away completely for an easy to understand, and established plotline of what is essentially a sports anime. Instead of the same worn out plots that have been done to death in previous Gundam series, instead, we have ideas like friendly competition, the honor of battle, and gaining the confidence to fight and compete. If this had been a normal sports anime and not tied at all to the Gundam Franchise, it might have been seen as boring and done before. However because it is done with the Gundam brand, it feels new and exciting and probably represented the biggest breath of fresh air Gundam has gotten since the much-maligned (but now beloved) Mobile Fighter G Gundam, whose influence can be felt both in Build Fighters, and it’s sequel Try.
Additionally, and to its great benefit, Build Fighters is LADEN top to bottom with references, cameos, and callbacks to all the Gundam series before it. There are scenes where you find yourself pausing the camera to just take in all the characters from so many series in one scene or another. If you are a Gundam fan in the slightest, you’ll understand why many people call Build Fighters “Gundam Valhalla.” Considering that many characters throughout the Franchise often mean gruesome and sad ends, it is good to see them in a happier light here. Suit designs and famous Gundams are stuffed in one scene after another, and several of the main characters mechs are homages or personal variations of the lead Gundams from various series. Mobile Suit Gundams Wing, X, and Astray are given time to shine here where they might have not had it back when their own series was on the air.
Special mention should also be made to the cast. While Sei and Reiji’s characters have been seen before many times in other anime, they are a first for the Gundam franchise, and they carry the story well. Female lead Aila Jyrkiainen walks away with the story though, and her personality and play on the Gundam Trope she represents is as heartwarming as it is a light riff on something Gundam is infamous for (the mysterious female pilot love interest)
There are a few minor issues though, as there are for most series. The attempt to insert some mystery magic with Reiji never really pans out and feels like something the writers tried to do but decided to toss out halfway through. The music and opening themes are decent at best, and you might find yourself wishing for better suit cameos, but these are minor issues at best, which is surprising for a series such as this.
Gundam Build Fighters is a great show, and a great Gundam series, period. It knows exactly what it is, and doesn’t try to be anything else. After the failure that was AGE, Sunrise wisely realized that if all they wanted to do was sell model kits, then they should make a show about those model kits. Thankfully though, they also made one of the freshest, newest, and most fun Gundam series in many many years. I highly suggest you give it a look and see for yourself. If only for that sweet Char cameo
