25 Days of Anime - #6: Turn A Gundam

There's a reason why I don't watch much in the way of contemporary mecha anime - far too often, creative teams get caught up in the clichés of ridiculous action scenarios. They would rather their creations look cool and have them pull off incredible feats than worry about decent plot and character development. Meanwhile, those that do plan a series with better intentions frequently end up imitating the giants of the genre, and to that end I feel like there have been few mecha series outside of Gundam and Evangelion post-2000 that merit much recognition.

That said, I would very much love to see a new anime try to adopt a formula as bold and unexpected as Turn A Gundam did in 1999. To me, this is one of the most creative mecha series ever conceived - perhaps second only to Neon Genesis Evangelion, which predates it by four years. The combination of World War One-era technology with giant mobile suits makes for a world that could more or less be considered steampunk long before steampunk was recognized as a genre or a subculture. The time and place of the story reflects quite noticeably on the characters. From the outset, it is made clear that people live their lives day-to-day, relying on the transportation methods of trucks, biplanes, and zeppelins, while their cities are illuminated by streetlights and early neon signs. When they first discover the huge mobile suits, some of the elders share what they know of the Black History - records of days gone by, when man was capable of travelling into space and mobile suits were commonplace.

At the same time, a faction of humans living on the moon has been plotting a return to Earth. These Moonrace have been in talks with a select group of individuals about where they hope to settle, but since they are unable to come to an agreement, the Moonrace land on schedule with no real plan other than to seize a small plot of land for temporary use until further negotiations are to occur. There are some early skirmishes between the Earth military's trucks and planes and the Moonrace's gargantuan mobile suits (the WaDoms being big even by traditional Gundam standards). And while these flames of war are quickly doused, a tense atmosphere remains as everyone waits for Dianna Soriel, queen of the Moonrace, to make her next move.

Lead protagonist Loran Cehack was sent to Earth years ago to scout out the possibility of a return for the Moonrace. After his task was completed, he was free to do whatever he wished, which - prior to Queen Dianna's arrival - was acting as an assistant to the Heim family. But when the factions of Earth and the Moon are at odds, Loran must decide where his true allegiances lie. As the series progresses, Loran becomes aware of events going on behind the scenes with either faction, and frankly has one of the most interesting and genuinely human developments out of any lead pilot in the Gundam franchise.

The mecha designs range from curiously unique to wild and outlandish. Turn A Gundam is the first and only series to have its mecha designs come from an American artist, Syd Mead, and as a result it draws heavy inspiration from other particular Gundam stories, in certain cases. At the same time, the more strange and unusual a mecha design, the more fresh and interesting it is to look at, and an aspect as simple as this makes the viewing experience all the less predictable (also lending to this element of presentation are the giant pendulum-like device that allows Loran and company to travel to the Moon late in the series and the presentation of the lunar cityscape). The soundtrack, courtesy of the ever-talented Yoko Kanno, is simply gorgeous, and coupled with the colorful presentation of a largely natural and untamed world, allows the beauty of nature to shine through as much as the awesome designs of the series' signature giant robots.

Top 5 Alternate Universe Gundam series

As I'm sure many of you are well aware, I am a huge fan of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. I began watching 08th MS Team and G Gundam during Toonami's heyday, and jumped back in with 0083: Stardust Memory when I resumed watching anime on a regular basis a few years ago. Generally speaking, I am partial to the Universal Century series. I've found that - while not all are created equal - they do tend to trump the alternate universe series in terms of consistent plot development and likeable characters. However, I have viewed all of the alternate universe anime, save for Gundam AGE, and found a few series that really stood out to me as being impeccably well done and especially entertaining.

#5 - Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz: I should preface this by stating that I do not care much for the Gundam Wing series. The characters were so bland and one-dimensional and the plot ran in circles for nearly the entire run. Endless Waltz managed to turn all of that around to create a follow-up story that was not just stomachable, it was downright awesome. I find it curious that one hour and a half film did more to make me feel for and care about a small cast of characters than an entire forty-nine episode series did, and I wonder how much different Gundam Wing would have been had they cut out all the monologuing, emo Heero moments, and declarations of "it's a Gundam!" to focus instead on balancing the action and fun factor as well as Endless Waltz managed to.

#4 - Gundam 00: The second-most recent alternate universe series, Gundam 00 break from the military strategies so prominent in the Universal Century, but does not force ridiculous mobile suit designs on viewers. Instead, Gundam 00 presents a perfect balance between the stylized and realistic sensibilities, and is host to some of the most creative yet practical mobile suit designs to date. Giant robots aside, the concept of a unified world that is so frequently visited between the two seasons is very probable, considering the chronology of the series. While each season has its up and downs, the element of mystery surrounding the Gundam Meisters, Veda, and the Innovators keeps the experience interesting, and the fact that the plot allows characters to develop through both successes and failures adds a human level to the story.

#3 - After War Gundam X: To be completely honest, the execution of Gundam 00's story is probably done with fewer flaws. But Gundam X is such a bold and different Gundam series that I can't help but place it near the top of the stack. The ravaged Earth that resulted from a series of colony drops presents an incredibly cool setting that shapes the characters, forcing them to adapt to a wasteland of a planet. Garrod Ran is not only one of the youngest lead pilots to date, he's also one of the funniest. His relationship with Tifa Adil makes for one of the cutest and endearing romantic subplots in all of Gundam. Gundam X presents a perfect balance of fun action scenes and serious plot, with a younger cast trying to learn from the mistakes of the previous generation.

#2 - Gundam SEED Stargazer: A spinoff that deserves recognition as its own sequel series in the Gundam SEED storyline, this three episode OVA accomplishes so much in so little time. It chronicles the events that follow the Break the World Incident from SEED Destiny. Earth is subjected to both social and environmental chaos, and the DSSD races against time to complete their deep-space exploration Gundam, the Stargazer, before the forces of Phantom Pain find and destroy it. It's a unique series in the SEED universe, not only because of its notably darker tone, but because neither side is explicitly stated to be 'good' or 'bad'. The events that unfold are left entirely up to viewer discretion.

#1 - Turn A Gundam: The most daring Gundam series of them all, Turn A takes place in a retro-future where technology has reverted to roughly the same level as it was during World War I. Biplanes fly alongside mobile suits as the Moonrace humans return to Earth in hopes of claiming a territory for their own settlement. Unfortunately, not all of the Moonrace believe in the same strategy, and it quickly becomes apparent that a number of individuals share a stake in how this landmark meeting of Moonrace and Earth dwellers will ultimately play out. The rich culture cultivated in the anime, combined with the multiple layers that drive the primary conflict makes for a genuinely excellent story. But what really tops it all off is the brilliant cast of incredibly diverse characters - lead pilot Loran Cehack among the best of the best. Loran wishes that the Moonrace and Earth dwellers could all live in peace, but he also realizes that sometimes difficult decisions must be made in order to come to a peaceful resolution. He is perhaps the most believably human lead character in any Gundam series to date, and - gorgeous animation and breathtaking soundtrack aside - makes the entire experience of viewing Turn A Gundam so wondrous and memorable.

Top 5 Anime of 2010

Along with my "year in review" post for all the anime I viewed during 2010, I've decided to make a post regarding the five best anime among those. For this list, I more or less discarded the ratings I gave each anime (as not all of them are among the series/films I rated the highest), and instead based this list more on my own personal experience with the anime - how much I enjoyed it, how thought-provoking/suspensful it was, how creative the story was, how well the art style and soundtrack fit the series, etc. (Note: series that I did not complete in their entirety this year - i.e. Full Metal Alchemist, Sgt. Frog, etc. - are not eligible for this list, despite the fact that I may have expected I would be finished with some of these series by the end of 2010.)

#5 - Turn A Gundam: Despite it being nontraditional Gundam in more ways than one, Turn A Gundam is, in my opinion, the single best alternate universe Gundam series released to date. The characters make the show what it is in the style of how 08th MS Team played out, and that said, the story is both genuinely entertaining and a bit more thought-provoking than with most mecha series. The soundtrack and art style do wonders for the series in subtle ways.

#4 - Samurai Champloo: I've only recently gotten into hip-hop music, but I'm certainly more partial to the old-school style than recent artists of the genre. Nujabes, Force of Nature, Tsutchie, and Fat Jon carry more of an old-school hip-hop sound in the soundtrack to Samurai Champloo, but add plenty of their own stylings to make it unique and cohesive with the series' story and art style. Fuu, Mugen, and Jin play off each other brilliantly and the colorful host of characters they meet during their journey only fuels the humor further. Equal parts action and comedy, Samurai Champloo is one of the most creative blends the anime industry has seen in years and kept me deeply entertained the entire way through.

#3 - Paranoia Agent: Lil' Slugger's actions start a slew of rumors that ulimately sets the stage for one of the most gripping and (admittedly) disturbing series I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. It's the sort of disturbing that you as a viewer are unsettled by, but don't want to stop watching due to how captivating the plot and characters are. A number of cleverly-scripted plot twists along the way coupled with the constantly changing perspective of narration was icing on the cake for me while watching this psychological thriller-mystery hybrid.

#2 - Ergo Proxy: A dystopian sci-fi series that slowly but surely reveals more and more to viewers about the many mysteries and subplots therein, Ergo Proxy paces itself brilliant, adding some epic action sequences when necessary. The proxies add an intersting dynamic to an otherwise familiar dystopian story formula, but the characters are where the series really shines through. The ideas conveyed within Ergo Proxy are fairly complex and as such not every potential viewer will be able to wrap their head around things (some may also lack the patience necessary to follow some less action-heavy episodes), but for those who choose to tackle this series, beautifully drab art style and all, it's a deeply thought-provoking and very well-scripted series.

#1 - Paprika: The concept of dreams is something that has fascinated and perplexed man for ages, but rarely does a story about dreams that is so original and perfectly-executed come along. While there are relatively few characters throughout, each of them plays an important role in the intricacies of the DC Mini's theft, its recovery, and the merging of reality and dreams. There's an interesting dynamic between Paprika and Dr. Chiba Atsuko that has been attempted many times in movies but rarely pulled off with as much creativity or success as this character's outward self and her repressed emotions. The soundtrack, while beautifully scored, is mildly creepy at times, which is only befitting of this mystery within the mind.

Turn A Gundam US release

It seems this was announced back in early July of this year, but apparently the news snuck past me. Bandai has announced a US release of Turn A Gundam, which is fantastic news as far as I'm concerned. Turn A Gundam is by far my favorite alternate universe Gundam series to date and I can't wait to have my very own copy of the DVD release. There has been no news as of yet on the English dub voice actors. I imagine that Bandai will release the series in two parts via their Anime Legends collections, as the case will also be with the upcoming 2011 release of Mobile Suit Gundam. Bandai has released series such as Zeta Gundam, Gundam SEED/SEED Destiny, and Gundam 00 on seperate discs containing approximately four to eight episodes at a time and then later going back to re-release the series in the Anime Legends collections, but I imagine that, with Turn A Gundam being a now 10+ year-old series that Bandai will release it in as few seperate collections for the sake of convenience for Gundam fans who have been waiting a long time for Turn A Gundam's US release. To be honest, I never expected Turn A Gundam to see a stateside release, but this gives me new hope that After War Gundam X and ZZ Gundam might someday also see US release.

Anime review: Turn A Gundam

Easily one of the strangest yet most creative Gundam series released to date, Turn A Gundam takes place in a timeline known as the Correct Century. The series takes place thousands of years in the future after all of the galaxy’s technology has been wiped out. After much labor, the humans living on Earth have managed to achieve a level of technology similar to that around the time of World War I.

However, there is a society of humans living on the moon who wish to return to planet Earth. To make certain that a return to Earth is even feasible, queen Dianna Soriel sends three spies down to the planet. Fran Doll, Keith Laijie, and Loran Cehack secretly become a part of the Earth population, taking up the roles of a news photographer, baker, and personal assistant respectively. Loran finds himself the assistant of the rich Heim family, and spends much of his time with their two daughters Sochie and Kihel. Sochie and Loran play off of each other as a quarreling brother-sister type duo, but Kihel seems constantly distanced from them, as if her mind is focused on something else.

After a few years, Sochie and Loran are both old enough to participate in a coming of age ceremony in front of a statue known as White Doll. As the ceremony commences, Guin Lineford is in the nearby city of Nocis, explaining to Kihel that some of the earth-dwellers have been in talks with the moonrace for years about their return, though no agreement has been reached. Suddenly, a number of mobile suits attack Nocis. In the heat of the battle, White Doll crumbles, revealing a mobile suit inside, known as the Turn A Gundam. Loran and Sochie jump inside the cockpit and head towards the city to try and fight off the invaders.


Following a brief skirmish, a ceasefire is ordered, and Guin Lineford and Dianna Soriel sit down to talk about allocating a portion of the Earth for a moonrace-exclusive nation. Shortly thereafter, Dianna Soriel and Kihel decide it would be entertaining if they were to switch roles for the day. However, the two get more than either bargained for, as Dianna is requested to return to her ship. Kihel is then whisked away, with the moonrace under the impression that she is in fact their queen Dianna Soriel.

As the series progresses, more information is revealed about the dark history that preceded the events of Turn A Gundam. Countless mobile suits are uncovered in the mountains near Nocis and other areas across the Earth, the majority of these being Kapools and Borjarnon. Many of the mobile suits that appear in the series are nods to mecha from previous Gundam series, including the original Mobile Suit Gundam and ZZ Gundam. Others, such as the Turn A Gundam, WaDom, and Mahiroo are completely new mobile suit designs. A first (and so far only) occurrence in a Gundam series, many of the mobile suits were designed by Syd Mead, an American industrial designer who previously worked on the films Tron, Blade Runner, and Short Circuit.


Clocking in at fifty episodes, Turn A Gundam does a brilliant job of filling the time allotted with exciting battle sequences and plenty of plot development Though the series can be a bit slow going at first, it pays off in the end. There are no “filler” episodes in Turn A Gundam, a welcome break from some of its brethren series. Every event that occurs has a purpose in the overarching story. Towards the end of the series, there are a few major plot twists that send the story in a completely unexpected direction, but prevents things from being totally thrown off course. The finale is very fitting, albeit the fact that it is somewhat bittersweet for the characters.

The single aspect in which Turn A Gundam best surpasses other Gundam and mecha series is the character development. Loran Cehack is possibly the most multi-layered Gundam pilot to date, constantly wrestling with his moonrace heritage and duty to the Earth militia. Loran manages to keep his cool, only releasing his anger and frustration when in battle. Though still relatively young in comparison to most of the other characters in the series, Loran carries himself as one of the most mature and understanding characters in Gundam history.

Likewise, Dianna Soriel comes to terms with her past while posing as Kihel. During her travels with Loran and Sochie, Dianna gains a greater respect for the common folk. She witnesses first-hand the destruction that the mobile suits can cause, and spends much of the first 25 episodes re-evaluating herself as a leader.


Even Gym Gingham, who does not appear until late in the series, breaks the mold of the traditional lead villain. Though he does become a bit power-hungry near the finale, Gingham does an excellent job of carefully calculating his plan of attack and his methods of persuasion. He comes very close to overthrowing Dianna Soriel’s regime, going so far as to plant agents on Earth to both spy on her, as well as create sympathy for his own movement.

From Guin Lineford and Harry Ord, to Lieutenant Poe and Agripp Maintainer, no character is included without an important role. Although there are a few such as Bruno and Jacob who fit more traditional and arguably stereotypical roles, they are still involved enough in the story that they do not come across as boring.

The art style of Turn A Gundam is full of bright colors and detailed environments. Everything from the forests of Earth to the artificial ocean on the moon breathes life. There are fewer battle sequences than in most Gundam series, but when they do occur the animation is flawless and the fights themselves are both creative and brilliantly executed. The soundtrack of Turn A Gundam is beautifully orchestrated and each piece fits perfectly to its respective scene. The opening theme may be a bit silly by today’s standards, but both ending theme songs, “Aura” and “Moon” are nothing shy of epic.

Turn A Gundam is a far cry from most other Gundam series. It has fewer battle sequences and the tense air is absent for a large portion of the series. However, it makes up for these by putting greater emphasis on complex characters and brilliant storytelling. The positive mood that the series conveys puts a large focus on the theme of growing up and of hope for a peaceful future. Although not one of the most popular Gundam series, Turn A Gundam is easily one of the most creative and - in my opinion - one of the best mecha series ever conceived.

My Rating: 9.75 (out of 10)