Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta (Limited 50 Episode Boxed Set)
by Yoshiyuki Tomino
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bin Shimada, Hirotaka Suzuoki, Keiichi Nanba, Nobuo Tobita, Shûichi IkedaDirector: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Cinematographer: Akio Saitô
Writer: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Editor: Yumiko Fuse
Producer: Ken Iyadomi
Producer: Kenji Uchida
Producer: Kuniaki Ohnishi
Producer: Toru Moriyama
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); English (Original Language); Japanese (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, Limited Edition, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 1250 minutes
Published: 2004-12-01
DVD Release Date: 2004-12-14
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Bandai
Movie Reviews of Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta (Limited 50 Episode Boxed Set)
Movie Review: Gundam at its best
Summary: 5 Stars
Yes, and I don't distinguish anime from live-action. Compared to Star Trek or Star Wars, Gundam series has always the edge of reality. You shouldn't call yourself a spacewar sci-fi fan if you haven't seen Gundam, especially Universal Century Gundam ! Universal Century Gundam ranks equally with Star Trek and Star Wars saga as space sci-fi best. But Gundam is Gundam, and Gundam distinguishes itself from Star Trek and Star Wars in its own ways.
Gundam doesn't need stuffs like alien races, warp/hyper drive, time travel, extra dimension, transporter, or parallel universes. Simply humankind in the future, when the time has come for humankind to colonize space beyond Earth atmosphere within our solar system. Enter into this realistic depiction of future, an even more realistic depiction of politics, drama, relationship, romance, and war. Gundam doesn't shy away from showing the darkest sides of life, yet at the same encourages that hope, understanding, and total struggle are invaluable to achieve a far better future. Characters in Gundam, either individual or organizational, are complex ones with unexpectable traits and behaviors, which are exemplified best by the character of Char Aznable, one of my favorite characters. Gundam is the animated version of its creators' vision about the future.
Most of American audience often look down at Gundam saying that it is merely a giant robot show for children. They are absolutely wrong. Mobile Suits in Gundam are nothing but war machines, just like aircrafts, tanks, or warship. They are not invicible. It is the characters, the drama, the plot twists, which make Gundam a very worthy addition to any sci-fi fan collection. Heroes and villains are killed, life and love are lost, trust, loyalty and friendship are betrayed. Characters grow and change, both in the good and bad directions. Mind you, the plot twists and story are truly different from what you would expect from a typical American space sci-fi.
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (MSG:Z) is the second series after the original Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG). The original MSG takes place in Universal Century (UC) 0079. Zeta advances to the year UC 0087. Here, seven years have passed since the end of The One Year War, which was depicted in MSG. You should watch either the full MSG series or the MSG movie trilogy before you watch MSG:Z, as the story in MSG:Z builds up from MSG.
In MSG, the main backdrop on the story is a great war, The One Year War, fought between The Earth Federation and The Principality of Zeon. The Earth Federation is a collective government of countries on Earth and space colonies outside Earth. The Principality of Zeon rules a group of powerful space colonies located beyond the Moon, at Lagrangian point 2 of Earth-Moon system. Zeon was previously under collective rule by Earth Federation, and its declaration of independence triggered the great war. Zeon declared war with Earth Federation, and in three months of war, the number of casualties reach a horrible value of billions of lives. At the end of MSG, The Earth Federation was the victor, and Zeon was again under Federation' authority.
However, remnants of Zeon are still scattered around the solar system. They carry with them the idea of freedom from Earth for all space colonies and space citizens. In UC 0083, a group of Zeon soldiers and sympathizers, The Delaz Fleet, launched a surprise counter-attack on Federation, dubbed Operation Stardust. Federation Space Forces led by Jamitov Hymem and Bask Om repelled back The Delaz Fleet, but the whole incident forced Federation to rethink its global defense strategy. Operation Stardust is told in more detail in the OVA series Gundam 0083.
The Earth Federation Space Forces decided to established a special unit, The Titan Task Force, in order to patrol the space around Earth and pursue remnants of Zeon soldiers and sympathizers, and furthermore to search for any anti-Federation resistance groups. Jamitov Hymem was appointed as Titans' supreme commander, and Bask Om was appointed as Titans' field operation commander. Titans was granted with full authority to conduct their operations of pursuing remnants of Zeon and other possible resistance groups which are considered to endanger the Federation.
Sadly, Titans are nothing but people whose souls are pulled down by Earth's gravity. Behind the back of Earth Federation, Titans' leaders resent and hate space citizens, and they abuse their power to oppress space citizens in the name of Federation. In reality, Titans have become a private armed forces of its leaders with a goal to gain power over the Federation. To hide their true power-hunger intentions, Titan's leaders argue that the internal security and stability of Federation is far more important than the civil rights of Federation citizens (Does this sound familiar ?). Everything can be justified in the name of Federation, with total disregard to human rights, and even worse, human lives. Under disguise as official Federation Forces, Titans become nothing more than a group of cruel fascists yearning for power.
Space citizens react and start to protest the existence of Titans. Rallies and demonstrations to voice their protest become common view in space colonies. But Titans simply shut themselves to such protests, and they continue with all their cruel and inhumane actions. And they finally cross the intolerable line. A mass rally prostesting Titans' action broke out in Space Colony 30. Titans forces raided the colony and injected lethal, poisonous gas into the colony's airflow system. Three millions of lives are killed in a blink of an eye. The news about this incident is not leaked into public on Earth by Federation, but the news spread out in space colonies.
The Earth Federation has been degraded to become nothing but a bunch of weak, shameless, corrupt, and coward politicians who only care about their own well-beings. They are nothing but puppets, while Titans leaders are the actual rulers of Federation.
Disgusted by all evil act committed by Titans, space citizens then form rebel paramilitary organizations with a united goal to end the tyranny of Titans. Two organizations, AEUG (Anti Earth Union Group) which operates in space, and Karaba which operates on Earth, stand together in the war against Titans, for the future of all space citizens.
Renegade soldiers from Earth Federation Space Forces and former soldiers of the Principality of Zeon join hand-in-hand and fight together against Titans. Behind the frontline of AEUG and Karaba military forces, investors and politicians both from Earth and space colonies became the AEUG and Karaba's political government and financial backers. Leading members of AEUG and Karaba are Bright Noa, Char Aznable, Melanie Hue Carbine, Wong Lee, Emma Sheen, Hayato Kobayashi, Amuro Ray, and many more people. And Zeta introduce the lead hero Kamille Bidan, a teenage civilan, who again was unwillingly dragged into war.
Zeta does rehash the old plot twist of good government turns bad and a rebel organization appears to save the day, but the plot twist is really different from any other similar stories. What really interesting is to see former adversaries from The One Year War combine their forces for the good of all. How Bright, Amuro, and Hayato who had fought Char with their lives during The One Year War, now worked together with Char with a united goal to end the tyranny of Titans for the future of all Earth and space citizens.
Bright Noa was the legendary captain of Federation's assault space carrier White Base during The One Year War. As a cadet officer at the age of nineteen with only six month of field assignment, he was appointed as acting captain of White Base, after White Base lost almost all its military crew because of a surprise ambush led by Char Aznable (Not even James Kirk commands his own spaceship at the age of nineteen). Bright had to replaced White Base's original military crew by recruiting civilians. He confidently commanded White Base and its newly-recruited civilian crew through victories in many battles in Earth and space before finally participating in the decisive battle at asteroid A Baoa Qu, where the Federation finally defeated Zeon. The story of Bright and White Base is the basis of the original series Mobile Suit Gundam. After The One Year War, Bright was alienated by Earth Federation Space Forces High Command, as they are afraid of his popularity and reputation. He was transferred to command a civil shuttle transport.
Bright abandoned his commission with the Earth Federation Space Forces and joined AEUG, after realizing that Federation is doing nothing to stop Titans' evil actions. He is now captain of the space assault carrier Argama, the flagship of AEUG space fleet. As a veteran captain of the great One Year War who has a wealth of experience in real space battles, Bright proves his capacity again and again in various battles between Titans and AEUG. I consider Bright as the most famous and legendary spaceship captain in Gundam Universe.
Char Aznable was the top-ace mobile suit pilot of Zeon, famously known as `The Red Comet'. In Zeta, he disguised himself with the name Quattro Bajeena, and now is a mobile suit pilot above Argama, where he is also the commander of Argama's mobile suits forces. Together with Bright, Char form the core leadership of AEUG military forces. In Zeta Gundam, Char is the second lead character after Kamille Bidan. Char also plays a dominant role as Kamille's mentor, and it is really exciting to see how Char guides Kamille to evolve from a young, angstly-ridden, and naive boy to become a true soldier who understand his role in the world and the world around him.
Melanie Hue Carbine and Wong Lee are investors from Anaheim Electronics, the primary financial backer of AEUG, also the principal constructor of AEUG space ships and mobile suits. Needless to say that they sometimes disagree with Bright and Char in overall military and political strategy of AEUG.
Emma Sheen was formerly a Titan mobile suit pilot. She looks like a strict person but is actually very kind-hearted inside. She wasn't aware of all the brutalities committed by Titans, and was terribly shocked when Char showed him all the evidence of Titans' evil actions in Space Colony 30. Emma deserted Titans and joined AEUG. Her elite pilot training makes her one of AEUG lead pilots, together with Char Aznable and Kamille Bidan. She and Kamille are very close, and Kamille which is an only child ofter look at her as a big sister (with a little bit of crush maybe ?).
Hayato Kobayashi was a shy crew member of White Base in One Year War, but now he has outgrown his past and become leader of the resistance organization Karaba. Amuro Ray, he was the legendary Newtype pilot of the first Gundam back in One Year War, but this Amuro has been confined by Federation far from the frontline, as The Federation is afraid of his Newtype capabilities. Yet Amuro finally escape from his confinement and join Karaba. With his amazing Newtype capability, Amuro takes no time to regain back all his combat agility, and within a short time he is back in action in the frontline.
We will also see various characters from the original MSG, as they will make both cameo or supporting roles throughout the series.
But the truly real star of Zeta Gundam is Kamille Bidan, a seventeen-year old teenager with all the angst and temper. Kamille hates his own feminine name, and he is doing all he can to prove that he is a man. History repeats itself as Kamille was drawn into the war as a mobile suit pilot. He rises into the rank of ace mobile suit pilot and transforms into a true soldier, thanks to the tutelage of Char Aznable, Amuro Ray, and Bright Noa. No other characters in the Gundam Universe has this kind of privilege. Although Kamille fights for AEUG from battle to battle throughout MSG:Z, unlike Amuro, he retains his civilian status, and never enlisted officially as AEUG soldier and assigned a military rank. A great pilot he is, but a civilian he remains.
Throughout the series we will the complex interactions between parties: not only characters, but also between various political, financial, and military organizations. Bright is well-known as a strict and by-the-book Federation Forces officer. But having witnesssed all the brutalities committed by Titans, and realizing that Federation Forces are doing nothing to stop those, he follows his heart and deserts Federation to join AEUG and fight Titan. Char Aznable who was known as the villain in MSG, now fights with his life to protect Earth and space citizens from the tyranny of Titans, and surrender is certainly not among his words. But he always says he is his own master. Who knows what really his secret plan is. Kamille starts as quite hot-headed, angry, and sometimes pathetic young man, but war has forced him to outgrown his age, and later he become calmer and wiser. Amuro was a great war hero in The One Year War, but this Amuro is certainly not the same Amuro we have seen in MSG. Anaheim Electronics builds the AEUG flagship space carrier Argama and mobile suit forces, but they claim to be independent and neutral in front of Earth Federation Government. The Federation which was the good party in the original Mobile Suit Gundam, now has become weak. The emergence of Titans seems want to say that even with democracy and united government like The Earth Federation, the evil side of humans is still lingering in the background, waiting to re-emerge. And all of those were scripted and animated 20 years ago !
There is a caveat though. Some fanatic anime purist claim that the US release of Zeta is not pure, as the opening and ending theme have been replaced by instrumental scores taken from the series. This is due to licensing problem. However, I myself find the replacement opening theme to be a treat, it certainly glorified the greatness of Gundam.
Do yourself a treat and get this Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. You definitely will not regret it. There are very few sci-fi series who can match the complex and realistic ways Zeta Gundam describes the future of humanity.
Believe in the sign of Zeta !
``On Earth, humans souls are pulled down by gravity, and they can't fly freely as they should'' - Char Aznable.
``Those who have to be removed, are only those whose souls are pulled down by gravity ! But even that reason is not enough to justify mass murders and wars ! Why build a new world if no one can live one's life in it !'' - Kamille Bidan.
``Kamille, the new world CAN NOT be built by the older generation. Do you think the world can be a better place if kids like you have to fight and sacrifice themselves for older people like me ?'' - Char Aznable to Kamille Bidan during the deadly moments of final battle between AEUG against Titans.
``Why we have to fight amongst each other, and further pollute the Earth'' - Quattro Bajeena/Char Aznable, in his speech before Federation's General Assembly where he exposes all the crimes committed by Titans and AEUG is only doing all they can to stop Titans.
``Welcome back Lieutenant. Why you look so shy ? Your speech was broadcasted all over the space colonies. Pirated copies, of course. You have given all space citizens a new hope. I'm truly honored to be working with you, Char Aznable.'' - Bright Noa, after welcoming back Char on board of Argama and shaking Char's hand, forgetting all his past adversaries between him and Char seven years ago during The One Year War.
``People sometimes hate each other because of misunderstandings, right ? But even the most different can become friends. But that kind of understanding will takes time to develop. And we are not just dealing with a few number of people here. But one day, maybe people will finally be able to understand one another. And when that day come, I believe we will be reunited at last, with those who have passed away'' - Kamille Bidan.
Summary of Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta (Limited 50 Episode Boxed Set)
VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES!! - Featuring exclusive Zeta Gundam artwork by famed artist, Tsukasa Kotobuki (Saber Marionette J) - Limited Collector's DVD Art Box featuring 'Thinpak' packaging - Exclusive collection of Zeta Gundam collectable figures/pencil sharpeners - Exclusive Zeta Gundam Poster - 48 page Zeta Gundam 'encyclopedia' booklet \nUniversal Century 0087, Seven years have past since the defeat of the Zeon army during what has now become known as the 'One Year War'. An elite Federation military force known as the Titans are tasked with the prevention of further uprising by space colonies orbiting the Earth. Tragically, the destruction of an entire space colony at the hands of the facist-like Titans threaten to undermine peace between the Earth and those living in space. A civilian, two decorated war heroes, and a powerful new Gundam mobile suit - The world is once again on the brink of war and the future of humanity is at stake.Similar DVD Movies
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