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「みえない地雷」 (Mienai Jirai)
“Unseen Trap”
While melodrama (and lots of it; damn Guel you’re a tsundere and a half) may be the spice flavouring this latest Gundam concoction, the usual base of political tensions and cultural divisiveness remains ever present and now properly back in the spotlight. It took a few weeks of teasing, but we’re returning home to the tried and true, with the only thing left to discern being what sets off the ticking time bomb.
With how much Witch from Mercury has alluded to Earth-Space tensions, it was about time we got an episode delving into it. Or, you know, smashing a fist into it. Unless you’re brand new to Gundam this arrangement is fairly standard – i.e. Terra hates space, space hates Terra, and someone inevitably decides to use the situation to their own advantage. The difference this time is space is the one in charge, with spaceside megacorps exploiting Earth for their own ends while Earth’s children experience the best of Victorian era economic conditions. It’s basically Gundam SEED if it was trying to be IBO/UC, with Mars replaced by Earth and sovereign states usurped by legitimate corporations.
The unknown right now is what will inevitably set both sides at each other’s throat, but we already have some foreshadowing on that front as well. Chuchu and her situation is evidence enough, as working-class background and major expectations (guaranteed she doesn’t want to disappoint those letting her go to school) answer for a short fuse personality and understandable hatred of Spacers. Teasing after all can go too far, simple feelings of superiority can easily give way to retaliation and retribution. This episode was only the harbinger of what’s to come because you don’t bring up personal circumstances for a character like Chuchu if there wasn’t intention on taking advantage of it later on. It may unclear just what will result, but rest assured whatever it is won’t be pretty.
And all of that then leads us back to Suletta and her role in current affairs. Much like Chuchu teases upcoming disaster, Suletta hints towards unification, the one character who can bridge both sides and maybe bring about peace once the fireworks commence. Admittedly this won’t all be her – Miorine has already established herself as Suletta’s guiding hand and firm, loyal support – but those honest dreams of helping her (new) homeworld and innocent ability to slot into both Earth and Space factions does enough to show how a lot of what’s to come will rest on what she decides to do.
We still have some time before this rollercoaster reaches the summit, but expect things to get crazy in a rush when it finally does. Between corporate infighting, illegal technology in the hands of an incredibly introverted (yet no less cute) girl and her mysterious mother, and Earth-space animosity, when the fireworks kick off the show is going to be incredible.
Preview
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DA GOAT is here!
I really hate to do this, but I’m dropping this. This isn’t Gundam. This is just a generic, cliche outer space school anime. That’s not to say that one can’t enjoy such, but I find myself more rolling my eyes at these poorly written kids, and their one character trait than I do enjoying them. Pretty much everything that made Gundam unique and what drew me to it is absent here. The most that we got was the little bit about Earthians being under Spacians, but even that was poorly handled and quickly ignored. They introduce Chu chu as having issues with Spacians but it’s all resolved in less than five minutes. I mean, they’re not even trying here.
I understand that apparently this dumbing down was intentional, so it may just leave 00 as the last great Gundam TV series, which is sad.
Good luck to everyone who keeps watching this, but I’m moving on.
I wouldn’t say that was resolved, her overall hatred is still there, but her specific distaste towards Suletta has been tempered. The show is very much still in the buildup phase and likely will be for the next few episodes so I’m keeping an open mind, but I can understand where you’re coming from and why this one would turn off some people.
Suletta definitely feels like a perfect bridge. It’s not just ner naivety and lack of prejudice, but also her unique circumstances.
On paper, she’s a pure-bred Spacian. Grew up in space, her mother is the head of a company that is part of a huge corporation, and even has her own cool customized mobile suit. No wonder Chuchu expected her to be the same kind of Spacian elitist as the rest.
On the other hand, Mercury is dirt-poor. Many Earthians probably have a better quality of life and more opportunities than the Spacians at Mercury, and Suletta herself is looked down on as a country bumpkin. If there’s a Spacian out there that knows the bullying and the struggle the Earthians have to go through every time, that’s Suletta.
I must admit I like this kind of conflict. More focused on classism than other Gundam shows, and yes, it’s kind of refreshing to see the space side on top. It reminds me of Isaac Asimov’s The Caves of Steel and its sequels.
By the way, is it just me or is everything appearing in italics? Half of the review, and every comment afterwards.
It’s that conflict which keeps my hopes up for this series. There’s a nice twist on the usual Gundam script underneath all the teenage angst and yuri fluff, something which we should ideally get more of once this introductory arc is out of the way.
And nope not just you regarding the italics, I missed a closing tag lol – all fixed now!
You know that scene where the citizens of Earth are rioting hits pretty close to home. We already have a small group of people who don’t see the value of space exploration. Citing all the current problems we currently have on Earth as it is. Should we not focus on our current issues before putting our resources elsewhere.
As Kazuya Sousa from genjitsushugisha no oukokukaizouki put it, people can’t see the possibility or return on their investment when their belly is empty. Not to mention the limited opportunities with a suffering economy.
While the students in this tech school are ignorantly duking it out, Earthlings are suffering. Then there are the Big celestial Corps who have forgotten their roots and which planet got them to space in the first place.
Although I will counter with this, problems on Earth are inherent to Man, as long as we thrive there will always be issues.
My thoughts while watching this episode:
Guel is such a tsundere.
This series has kinda reversed earth space relations of the Expanse…
Chuchu gets a ” not so different” moment.
Serves right them pranksters!
I cannot be the only one who absolutely hates how the MC talks around other people. I can see there’s a good story lurking there in the background, but the extreme meekness and stuttering are too much and take me out of the experience.
Dude not every Protagonist can be confident at first. Once she gets more character development she will get character progression and grow.
In theory that makes sense but in practice it is like nails on a chalkboard. In a better show I might be more willing to put up with it but so far the whole show is full of annoying things.