Blair Loveday
Gundam has always been one of those series that I have had a passing interest in.
There are heaps of series to catch up on which while not uncommon for an anime series, can still be a big ask for new fans. Having watching bits and pieces I was intrigued to see if the new movie Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom would be a good starting point for newbies.
And the answer is, kinda.
One year after Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny war is still happening all over the show. We join our heroes as they are kicking ass when the enemy runs and hides.It turns out there are some bad asses called the Black Knights who are going to cause some absolute havoc.
Then we bounce to a formal ball as political negotiations are taking place. It turns out that the prime minister of Foundation wants to be with our heroine Lacus who is of course in love with Kira. All of this is happening at a formal event where Foundation is trying to become a recognised nation. Foundation is of course filled with coordinators, who are basically created as enhanced people, and Lacus is a coordinator. So the main crux of the story is that Lacus has to fight her destiny to be with the man she was designed to be with, to be with the man she loves. And that theme is gonna be hammered, relentlessly.
Fortunately Foundation has a heap of weapons behind them, and in order to start firing their giant laser from space they need an excuse. So the Black Knight Squad gets up to their shenanigans behind enemy lines causing a confused attack and letting the giant laser do its damage under the guise of others attacks. And of course this means big mecha fights happen.
On the whole it’s a reasonably approachable story for newbies, and will be satisfying for fans of the series. The story is solid, and the fights and action look incredible. The laser effects especially looks fantastic on the big screen. The only annoying criticism is the unnecessary fan service moments. There aren’t many, and they just don’t add anything of value to the story. It’s not like others where it’s a consistent character trait that’s humorous, it just makes it slightly more adult for seemingly no reason.
On the whole Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom is a really decent movie that is well worth a couple of hours of your time. The story is really solid and enjoyable, the action looks amazing, and it’s just a damn good example of an anime movie belonging at the cinema.
