Gundam on Sci-Fi channel?

[crobato]

Is it me or are they actually showing Gundam on Sci-Fi channel? They don't seem to advertise these things don't they?

What more, they got this label saying "Gurren Lagann showing now" well obviously it isn't Gurren Lagann, but what appears to be Gundam 00, and Gundam 00 is a show that was only broadcasted in Japan earlier this year and still seems to be running. On further research, this show has not been in DVD yet, so this is the first ever English dubbed license showing.

Way to go, Sci-Fi channel. The time lag between the US TV showings and Japan TV showings has dropped dramatically to mere months. Now if they only bother to advertise them or at least make some form of advance announcement.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

What! And get in the way of Mansquito ads? Hell no.

[Mokino]

Gurren-Lagann was shown really quick as well.

Unfortunately, Gundam 00 is not that great. It's not SEED-bad, but close.

[Robert Frazer]

I can't be definite as I haven't watched it yet, but from studying reports I wouldn't say that Gundam 00 is bad, more that it's wrongfooted expectations. A lot of reviewers who were anticipating a comfortable adventure series have been blindsided by the fact that the protagonists of the story are actually the villains (or at best anti-heroes). It seems to have baffled the fans, but I personally find the idea quite a refreshing change of pace.

[Starblade]

Gurren-Lagann was shown really quick as well.

They showed it for an hour every Monday, so that's a few months. But yeah, they need a better ad scheme than what they have, because the "Ani-whatever" followed by stick figures doesn't really clue anyone into what's being shown.

[Mokino]

I meant that they got it to TV quite a bit ahead of DVD release (dubbed DVDs are not even out yet.)

Gundam 00 is decent as I've said. The first season gets a bit silly closer to the end and starts rough (it takes 5-6 episodes before the plot really moves and we get ANY back story on the main cast. Seriously, they seem really wooden until they get some development.) The middle really reminds me of the best parts of original Gundam, though.

I haven't bothered with the second season and now will probably just wait until it hits TV.

[Techlology]

Gundam 00 is a pretty bad Gundam show but it in itself is a very well made anime. I dunno why people are calling it bad. Once you get past all the traps and the unexpected lulz it's a half decent show.

[Langy]

But yeah, they need a better ad scheme than what they have, because the "Ani-whatever" followed by stick figures doesn't really clue anyone into what's being shown.

It's an absolutely great clue as to when to turn off the channel, though!

I just hope the anime stuff stays on just Mondays, so it doesn't start clogging up decent TV hours (not that most of what Sci-Fi shows nowadays is that great):/

[BrianGeneral]

What's the big deal with Gundam 00 anyway?
I followed the show closely since 1st Season and up to now, I'm not disappointed. If you observe the producers of 00 (the big guys are also the makers of FMA) you'll find that realism is what they want to introduce to the readers. Sure it's hard to take on these complex political thoughts and tides, but from local forums 00 got more formal discussions about the show itself instead of fanboyism flying around. Which is a good sign.

I think we all need some stick-closer-to-reality Sci-Fi shows. Especially Gundam, and it's the reason for me to love FMP till death.

Langy: In HK, TV channels will usually have about 1.5 hours of cartoons in weekdays (around 4-5:30pm) and lots more on Saturday and Sundays. There's also a trend for some Animes to be broadcasted on Saturday nights (those cases before are Basilisk, Death Note and now Naruto). Little problems are caused by this organization for us.

[holyknight]

Seed > 00
Seed was really good. 00 is bad, and getting boring and boring.

And why would they show this anime in sci-fi channel? I thought sci-fi channels only had European/American shows/movies.

[Giant Moth]

Gundam 00 just never pulled me into it, but maybe I just got shied away from the similiarities that they had in SEED. I think Gundams has always been overexaggerated, doing all wild kinds of stuf. In seed, they shot down entire armadas with four Gundams(and they wern't even the best kind!), obliterated armies. And when that wasn't enough, they notched the powerlevels up even more. It just seems like they are taking a whole lot of awesome, bunching it up, and when they realise that's geting old, their response is to just add more awesome. To me, that's like adding salt to a dish. Too much and it will eventually destroy it. There are virtues to modesty and being the small guy, nothing seems like a real fight or a challenge when both sides powerlevels are OVER 9000, and they just ram their heads together untill the universe explodes or the other side falls over and dies.

They showed the same tendencies in 00, so I wasn't much inclined to continue watching.

tl;dr nerf Gundams

[crobato]

G Seed was something better for the younger people. That's why its in Cartoon Network. Seed Destiny wasn't shown in CN USA, but CN international showed it. The international side of CN shows anime the US side doesn't. like for example that hyper blue fairy with the attitude, Mirumon.

If you're in HK, or anywhere else in Asia, get cable. One or two of the major cable networks should have the Sony owned Animax, which is anime 24 hours 7 days a week nonstop. Expect lots of replays though.

Sci-Fi channel is becoming more of a lifestyle channel now. It identifies core demographics, then caters everything to that demographic. Anime is actually consistent to that demographic, although to be more precise, certain forms of anime. Certainly not the Naruto or Pokemon type that filled the late Toonami or the Saturday mornings. I think they got their sights on the anime side of Adult Swim and the kind of anime that is shown there.

But unlike CN and Adult Swim, which may have licensed shows for multiple showings or multiple showings for a time period, which can cost a bundle, the Sci Fi shows seems like one showing only. And if you missed it, get it at iTunes or buy the DVD. Also, it seems that Sci Fi channel gave Manga.com a free hand on that time slot.

I have a feeling that the Dead Space prequel movie might end up getting shown there, without some advance announcement.

[Question]

I miss the days when of stuff like 08th MS Team which was a much more realistic take on mecha combat than this whole BS where a few guys destroy an entire army on their own.

[BrianGeneral]

crobato: Animax here are just playing somehow outdated anime. I have Now Broadband TV at home so I know. Even Cable TV's Toons Channel doens't have too many good stuff. For instance, when I was working in Cable TV in August for Olympics, I knew they'll air Dancouga Nova and Aquarion, while both are considered bad of their kind.

holyknight: Seed is alright, but I can't agree if you consider Destiny is also good. As I raised, 00 requires more thinking but the shape of the whole stuff is just well done. Back to the days G Gundam showed everyone was shouting at it for being an unorthodox Gundam series, but its reputation changed lots now. I'm sure 00 will be the same case.

Question: Those stuff changes when the Earth forces got their GN Drives and start pwning Celesities. It's also the case in 2nd season.

[General Blaze]

Destiny sucks. No one should ever deny this.

[Mokino]

I'm probably just stuck in the past as I'm a huge fan of the original and Zeta. SEED was a decent reimagining of the original, but things just haven't been up to par since then.

I must admit, though, the whole warring over solar energy in 00 is rather unique. The show's been too much beamspam and not enough character development or political intrigue, though.

[Starblade]

I think we all need some stick-closer-to-reality Sci-Fi shows. Especially Gundam, and it's the reason for me to love FMP till death.

This seems contradictory considering the flying space robots with energy swords. :p

[Methuselath]

Well, I think the chap meant realistic in a beliveable kind of way; not, as Question put it, a couple of heroes pwning whole armies without breaking a sweat.

For instance, I would consider Battletech to be fairly realistic, while mechs are powerful it's not the uber-awesome-pwn-wtf-lol machines like the Hero Gundams on SEED are.

Let's leave the hero vs horde thing to zombie-fest IMO ;)

[BrianGeneral]

Starblade: There're something we call as Real Robots. In Seed Destiny, TSA are actually what we call Supers. :P

[Mokino]

Real robot- fairly plausible fighting machine (most UC Gundams, Macross fighters, etc.) Usually pilots of these win due to their skill at using the machines. Macross is probably the best example since VFs die rather quickly and survive due to their agility.

Super robot - fantastic, powerful (usually enormous, but not always) WTFPWN machines. Insanely powerful robots that win mostly due to firepower instead of fighting skill. SEEDs later robots would fall into this category as well as most of what we see in Destiny.

Gundam 00's, for the most part, are closer to the real robot side. Especially at the point where the enemy starts fighting in machines that are closer to an even match.

[Someguy]

I think we all need some stick-closer-to-reality Sci-Fi shows. Especially Gundam, and it's the reason for me to love FMP till death.

Also, the Arbelest was powered by passion. Lambda Drive turns a regular mech-sized shotgun to holy jesus awesome shotgun.

[BrianGeneral]

I know.
But aside from that the rest looks pretty realistic for me.

[crobato]

I don't think realism is any qualification for the anime to be shown in sci-fi channel. Like some of the anime being shown deal more with the supernatural than science. As for realism, didn't the show that aired before Gundam 00 featured in the end a moon sized super robot that had robot inside a robot inside a robot, all powered by epic willpower and uses a big giant drill to settle things?

[Mokino]

Gurren-Lagann does indeed feature that. It's completely over the top.

Now and Then, Here and There also had some fantasy elements.

[Starblade]

I don't think realism is any qualification for the anime to be shown in sci-fi channel. Like some of the anime being shown deal more with the supernatural than science. As for realism, didn't the show that aired before Gundam 00 featured in the end a moon sized super robot that had robot inside a robot inside a robot, all powered by epic willpower and uses a big giant drill to settle things?

No, it was a galaxy-sized robot that was powered by a moon-sized robot that in turn was powered by a rather large transforming spaceship robot that was powered by yet another robot powered by a robot powered by willpower and evolution with a similarly sized drill apparently made of recursively smaller drills and I don't really know what the fuck anymore it stopped making sense after the second episode. Also all the robots wore sunglasses.

[Master Chief]

And don't forget that they punched other robots through the space-time continuum into the dimensional rip between the tenth and eleventh dimensions and woke up from an eternal comatose state in the area between those dimensions using the raw power of hot-blooded manliness. Also raw raw fight the power.

I'm with Mokino, the older Gundams were the best. They should bring back some of the UC series. I personally really liked 8th MS Team.

[Mokino]

No, it was a galaxy-sized robot

Galaxy size? Nope, it was THROWING galaxies around.

8th MS team was really good since it focused on a set of grunts rather than the war heroes. I especially liked how they were smart enough to include a support vehicle. Gundams wouldn't be the best recon units.

[ZellFish]

Hm. Just caught this. Interesting. Also, someone said "It's good AFTER you get passed the traps." - Good sir, I love the traps. Makes me feel dirty. Anyways, now that I know this is on frequently, I'll watch it. And I do agree, Ani-Monday needs better advertising.

[holyknight]

holyknight: Seed is alright, but I can't agree if you consider Destiny is also good. As I raised, 00 requires more thinking but the shape of the whole stuff is just well done. Back to the days G Gundam showed everyone was shouting at it for being an unorthodox Gundam series, but its reputation changed lots now. I'm sure 00 will be the same case.
I never said I liked Destiny, it was bad.

Gundam 00 is boring too. Hopefully it'll get better.

[Mac_Bug]

Admit it, it was only 'bad' because it's what would happen in real life if you did stick damaged teenagers into cockpits to fight for the fate of the world.

[TigerVX]

Gundam? Real Robot? Maybe in the 1979.

VOTOMS all the way =P

[Kalimac]

I like 00, it was a bit slow in the beginning but after a while it picks up and the last episodes of season one was great. Season two is shaping up to be at least as good, and I'm looking forward to see how things will evolve.

Also, a Gundam topic isn't complete without mentioning G Gundam.

[General Blaze]

a Gundam topic isn't complete without mentioning G Gundam.

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/1518/superasiatj5.jpg (http://img234.imageshack.us/my.php?image=superasiatj5.jpg)

[Master Chief]

MASTER OF THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST!

Oh, and when he blew up those Gundam Heads with his bare hands while outside of a Gundam, and then ninja kicked a building out of the way to escape from a collapsing tunnel? Also great Asia moments.

Oh my god, G Gundam is unsurpassed in its pure awesomeness.

[Starblade]

I will never stop finding that funny General Blaze.

[noname0112]

Seed > 00
Seed was really good. 00 is bad, and getting boring and boring.

like we always see reused scenes being looped over and over, cliched lines and more.

back to the topic, seed is a fantasy sci-fi anime while 00 is near realistic sci-fi anime. i think it would make sense for 00 to be aired in sci-fi channel for its not as ridiculous compared to seed. i mean, at least 00 gundam is more scientific (and somewhat nerdish) compared to the dragonball-like seed.

[Mokino]

Yes, G Gundam was great because it was so crazy. It really is a super robot show. Managed to pull off a decent plot in the second half as well.

One thing I do like about 00 is that nobody is really villified to the extent most anime does. Everybody has their reasons for fighting and most are valid. Original Gundam pulled that off well, too. Zeon itself just wanted independence, but it was stuck with some power mad leaders.

[Starblade]

Dropping one of their space colonies on Australia while complaining about a lack of resources probably didn't help matters either.

[magnus1114]

Well, except for Prince Ali anyways. He's arguably the most evil guy on the show.


Well, him and RIBBONZUH.

Gundam OO is much more Gundam then seed ever was. Seed was aimed at a much younger audience, and was filled with half-hearted pacifistic crap. If you're going to be a pacifist in a gundam, it can work- Wing showed us that much. But blowing up enemy suits, angsting over it, blowing up more enemy suits, angsting more, while getting consecutive powerups and angst-ups? not the best of shows.

Seed was interesting- and I could watch it at the begining. But not at the end. And let's not even talk of Destiny. In the end it was targeted at a younger audience, and this was clearly evident. The only redeeming features of Gundam Seed are the side stories- Astray and the MSV books.

The main problem we get now, is that a lot of fans of 'gundam' have been introduced to 'gundam' via Seed, and consider the way things were done in seed to be standard practice for what gundam is. They look at it and go "That's how gundam should be", when in fact, Seed is the deviation from standard practice, and not at all how gundam should be. 00 and Wing are much more 'Gundam' then Seed ever was. They actually deal with war, have realistic characters (as realistic as Heero Yuy can get, anyways) and approach the conflict intelligently. Seed, on the other hand, is far too full of angsting teenagers who've got no reason to be in the conflict they're in other then Authorial fiat.

I mean, sure, Gundam has a long tradition of using teenagers. But it was particularly bad in Seed because they never grew up. They just got more pretentious as the series went on.


Powerups are another big thing in Gundam- getting better machines as time goes on, both for you and your enemies. But in Seed, all that was terribly contrived, and the powerups turned already mary-suish characters into, well... Jesus Yamato. The gundam that can't possibly lose ever.

The fights were fun, I'll admit. Stupid-shut-your-brain-off-before-watching fights, but fun nevertheless.

The reason Gundam 00 seems to set people off is that they go into it expecting Gundam Seed. One of the biggest thematic points of Gundam 00 is that it's NOT Seed. It's logical, it makes sense (more sense in the second season than the first), and the characters are relatively intelligent.

People die, on both sides. Characters you like get horribly wounded. That character we thought was dead comes back- BUT HOLY CRAP THEY KILLED HIM OFF FOR REAL THIS TIME!

But even so, 00 has it's cliche. For the end of the first season, mister Fantabulous, Alejandaro Corner flitting around in his super mobile armour blowing the ever living crap out of people before dying to super Setsuna. And if anything, 00 is guilty of spending too much time on character developement, and not mindless gundam combat. Graham Aker was positively missing from the last five episodes until his GN Flag ripped into action in the last five minutes. That was rather cliche- as though they realized that maybe they should have payed more attention to him because their S2 plans need him to win/lose this fight. So that didn't really make sense, especially when you consider that the maneuvers Graham was pulling to face the gundams in his Flag were very high G, and he was causing all sorts of internal damage, but plug an Tau drive on his suit, and BAM, he's capable of full burn with no damage.

I mean, we all know it's not the drive that prevents the damage, it's the flight suits and other stuff- Flags, even Graham's custom Overflag, were never designed to handle the stress that he regularly puts out, and as such, his flightsuit was just bog standard. In S2, they've learned a lot of stuff about it, and everyone has new fligthsuits and can pull awesome maneuvers.

S2's still ongoing, and there's been a lot of character developement. It actually makes sense plotwise- a lot of things I noticed in S1- not the least of which being the utter stupidity of Celestial Being's plan- turned out to be accurate. Their plan was to end war by destroying weapons and those who make war. This was basically causing the world to unite against them, and I realized that Celestial Being is only the faction with the gundams, not the entire faction enacting this plan. As evidenced by Corner and RIBBONZUH! and Chinese Boobs, there's a lot of other factional stuff going on. So Celestial Being causes the world to unite against their actions, the united world destroys celestial being, and then there's basically peace.

Well, that turned out to be fairly accurate speculation, though given that there's a Season 2, obviously all things didn't go according to plan. In general S2 looks a lot better then S1- it's faster for one, because all the characters in the play have been established. Character developement, plot developement, the show is a literal cornicopia of awesome. And it's all the things that Gundam Seed lacked, or did poorly.

So in the end, if you get a chance to watch it, watch it. It's worth it. But don't approach it about some angsty teenager kiddy fight show, becuase that's absolutely NOT what it is. Approach it as a standalone series. Don't go into it expecting gundam seed, or even assuming that Gundam seed is the norm when it comes to gundam shows.

And if you still don't like it, well maybe Gundam isn't for you.

[Eidorian]

I never thought we'd end up with a Gundam 00 thread here. Great work magnus1114.

[Methuselath]

Amen. Finally.

I'm bored of arguing with my friends who started Gundam with SEED and complained about the 'overly' complex stories that 00 or even UC introduces. The way I see it, 00 is more like UC than SEED. Politics as the main force that propels the events rather than fighting just for the sake of fighting.

On the other hand, Char Aznable is still the best.

[Eidorian]

Can't resist Brian Drummond as Zechs.

[magnus1114]

I think my all time favourite thing about Gundam 00 S2 has got to be MISTUH BUSHIDO. He's nearly more Char then Char.

[Eidorian]

I think my all time favourite thing about Gundam 00 S2 has got to be MISTUH BUSHIDO. He's nearly more Char then Char.Or the fact they aren't even trying to hide said masked character's identity this time around. It's a joke!

"It was worth the ridicule."

[Mokino]

I should give 00 another chance. I stopped watching it originally around episode 8 since there was literally no character development at that point and didn't seem like there would be.