TwiddleGeek

Code Geass is finally starting to pick up steam again in the R2 season, and it’s reminding me why I loved this series last time around. Not that the first two episodes weren’t interesting, but Episode 3 gets back into the cat and mouse character driven chase with all the wild twists Code Geass loves to throw in.

I’m certainly interested in how the ‘brother’ character plays out, and I can help but be amused at the academy of spies headed up by Villetta. Looks like R2 is going to recover from the rather lackluster ending of R1 24 & 25. I’m still quite dissatisfied with the way Zero cut and ran, leaving the big climax of the series to simply fall apart. It’s like they decided they couldn’t end it, then made another season. Or perhaps were granted another season, then dragged out the ending. Regardless, R2 has been fun.

I’ve decided to get back into anime a little bit since it feels like it’s been ages since I’ve seen a new series. Following Gundam 00 has been great so far, but waiting for the next release leaves a lot of time between episodes, so I’ve dug into the archive a bit and pulled out Lucky Star. A terribly random, in-joke filled take on anime, games, and life. So, of course it’s been a hit with much of the anime community.

It doesn’t take much to please me with anime or movies. I’m a guy who, much to SpaceKitty’s dismay, will consider a series “cool” if I like the title. I’ve watched entire series because I thought a single character was interesting. And hey, there’s a dance sequence opening! It’s hard not to like a series that features the main characters holding wiimotes, references Haruhi, and channels Azumanga Daioh. Like Azumanga and Bottle Fairy, Lucky Star is one of those anime that’s just… mellow, cute, and amusing. If you expect any kind of plot, you’ll be bored to tears.

So far I’m getting the biggest laugh out of the Lucky Channel segments, though I hear a lot of folks don’t care for them. Maybe they get worse later on, but so far as the first few episodes go — they’re hilarious. Like with Gundam 00, I won’t be doing episode-per-episode reviews anymore… but I’ll likely make a few more posts near the middle and end of the series. As Jeff Lawson recently said something to the effect of, running an anime blog is just more fun when you don’t have to do a report on every episode. It’s much more fun to give thoughts on series, rather than episodes.

I really like where this series has been going, and how in-depth they’ve been exploring all the issues. The premise is still fairly simple: a paramilitary organization declares war against war itself, staging armed interventions in all conflicts and destroying anyone who fights on both sides. Essentially, the Gundams come in and lay the smack down.

But it stays interesting because aside from watching the Gundams blow sh*t up, we get to follow the reaction of the world and military organizations. Being a Gundam series, there’s plenty of political drama and chess like plays for power behind the scenes and on the battlefield. Throw in some seemingly stoic yet overly emotional, fem looking, fashion reject Gundam pilots and you’ve truly got a modern Gundam Wing.

I’m up to episode 10 at the moment, and things are beginning to fall apart for our Gundam crew. The world hates them, a military group has just struck a major blow against them, and the Gundam pilots are fighting amongst themselves and losing confidence. The real shocker was — spoiler alert — Virtue turning into Nadleeh! Never expected to see the Fatdam transform by purging it’s armor, but it was an awesome twist. I have to wonder if any of the other Gundams will transform?

There may be a ton of Gundam series out there, but to be honest I find most of them to be crap. Not really sure why, but the overly political, convoluted plots have just never kept my interest. Not even the recent, more modern Gundam Seed melodrama could entice me into watching the series. But, in what many are sure to consider poor taste, Gundam Wing was always a different story for me. It was like a Gundam Lite, easier to follow but with plenty of action. Gundam: 08th MS Team also appealed to me, so perhaps squad based stories add something for me.

When I heard Gundam 00 was essentially an updated Gundam Wing, I had to give it a shot. Basically, that’s exactly what it is. A group known as Celestial Being decides to declare war, on war. The show isn’t above laughing at it’s own ideal of stopping violence with violence, but essentially that’s what most of these shows are about — aren’t they? Gundam 00 just takes it out of the good guys vs bad guys ideal, at least so far. They announce that all acts of war, for any reason and by any power, religion, corporation, or etc, will be met with force by their squad of 4 Gundam pilots.

Like Gundam Wing, each pilot has his own special Gundam type. Setsuna seems a dead ringer for Heero, Lockon is probably closer to Duo, Allelujah reminds me of Trowa, and Tiera Erde is perhaps a bit like Quatre… with the strange fatdam thing “he” pilots and the fact I was sure he was female until I heard him speak. Creepy. Despite Tiera and a few other’s questionable gender, the art was generally superb and the pacing was spot on. The opening scenes with Setsuna pinned down by giant mobile suits was both tense and beautifully animated. I’m definitely liking it so far.