Me likey!!!

I think you got your trailers mixed up. You were bashing the IBO one while praising the Beyblade Gundam one. :lol

I've watched what has aired on Toonami so far for IBO and I don't see anything wrong with it. It's nice to see Gundam do something completely different for a change. We haven't had that since Turn A.

I'm looking forward to both IBO S2 and Try Island Wars. I do think that the first season of IBO was a bit meh and lacking something. I didn't even realize I was already at the last episode and was expecting more to the story. Hopefully it'll be better in the second season.

As for the new Build Fighter series, I'm excited for what new kits we'll be getting from it though I a lot of them have already been announced/known. Also it looks like that green 00 Qan[T] is called Gundam 00 Shia Qan[T].

Eh, debatable. The tone is certainly lighter but the whole show is one big nostalgia bait that thrives off wider franchise references.

Did you see the awesome art that went with this?

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/thum...visual.png.jpg

Wow. Orga in a suit? I guess he became more like Naze in the intervening time? Kudelia looks older, so this jump has to at least be a few years. But Mikazuki looks exactly the same from when we last saw him. Is that theory about the 3 whiskers of Alya Vijana impeding his growth affecting his aging too? But Orga doesn't look to different either.

It looks like there are new recurits in Tekkadan. I'm not sure if these are compeltley new characters or some of the kids in the background that have grown up a bit, because I don't see any younger ones in the trailer.

Barbatos Lupus is badass. I know it's just form 4 with some extra siky bits, red shoulders and a bat but god lord this suit looks awesome.

I mean, that sounds nice in concept, but then you have to realize that there is going to have to be model kits in stores alongside Build Fighters running. Meaning all those retailers that stopped selling Gundam stuff due to G Gundam have to be renegotiated with, which will be a hurdle. Not to mention that model kits haven't taken off in the U.S. yet.I know Bandai tried with Sprukits, but I haven't heard anything about it since the launch.

Yeah, Biscuit's twin sisters looks like they're at least in their early teens now.

It looks like Mika grew somewhat, at least in that artwork you posted.

Okay. I see now.

I've been seeing a lot of comparisons between Iron Blooded Orphans and Metal Gear Solid 5 people have been making. The artwork I posted up above in particular reminds me of a cutscene midway through the game where they get a mech and bring it back to base.

"We hold our rifles in missing hands, We stand tall on missing legs, We stride forward on the bones of our fallen. Then, and only then, are we alive."

You think this is an apt comparison? I've never played MGS so I wouldn't know, but both are about militarism in some aspect.

It occured to me last night that there tends to be a glaring omission from most MS armories, and it's a fairly simple one.

Flamethrowers.

Effective against other MS? Maybe, certainly not a plotanium-armored Gundam. Effective in space? Absolutely not. But against infantry, especially early on in a war?

The psychological impact would be more devastating than an artillery strike. Just imagine a battlefield, thick with smoke and fire, and massive war machines striding about it, incinerating all in their path with jets of white fire, glassing the earth, liquefying armor, erasing infantry.

*ahem* I've been reading too much Tiberium Wars.

A flamethrower weapon would be cool. It's so misleading that the Guncannons' guns sort of look like flamethrowers but aren't.

Well I just finished the final disc to Gundam SEED. That was a good ending. Overall, the show made a lot of missteps and rehashed a lot of what has come before it, but it is a great place for someone entirely new to the franchise to start with. Despite its flaws with its constant flashbacks, 4.5 clip show episodes, and whiny as all hell character, it is a solid show in the long run. It does start out really slow, but it gets better as it goes along. The characters are a mixed bag though. I did like the relationship that was built between the Quattro Clone and Captain Boob Physics as it was the only love story that felt like a natural progression and was legitimate throughout the damn show. Char Clone 47 was pretty awesome too and he brought on some interesting, albeit reused, ideas towards the end. Lacus is probably my favorite character though just becasue she was one of the only people to do something of her own free will. Kira was way too whiny while Cagalli was just annoying. Not to mention the Skywalker revelation between them felt forced in as if the writers just wanted a reason to get Kira together with Lacus because reasons. Athrun was a cool character to, while the rest were just there for whatever reason be it to die or just a shoulder for someone to cry onto. The mech battles themselves were done well despite the huge amount of reused footage, but I think that was more due to the excellent soundtrack it had during them. Blue Cosmos felt pretty much just like the Titans though, only halfassed since they just kind of come out of the... well... blue. The ending was a little abrupt, which isn't anything new for a Gundam show, but it would be nice to just have a damn epilogue that lasts half an episode for a change. This isn't going to make my top 10 Gundam series list, but it isn't that bad of a show either. It's kind of like X in being a middle of the road show.

Next time... Destiny BLEGH!!

Shenlong has one, I wanna say Dragon Gundam has one too but I could be wrong about that.

It does atleast in video games.

Heh, bland mobile suits, as opposed to the literally, even in-universe, retreading of old designs in BF. And, as such, BF has no consistent aesthetic, and most of the redesigns are worse than the originals, being more generic super-robot styled. Find me anything in Gundam, or anywhere really, that looks like the Barbatos.

"Cardboard characters" you mean like Mika "Who do you want me to kill next?" sociopath who's slowly losing his humanity the more he pilots the Gundam? (and as of season 1, has even had some of his body taken by it) Even before that he unflinchingly executed two people, who had caused so many casualties, in a hostile takeover. Or McCharcolate "I have lived my entire life in anger, but through all the lies I've told, you were my only friend" or how the first developed member of the villain faction we ever met wasn't even villainous, and how the main characters in said faction believe it is too corrupt and seek to overthrow it.

The only flat characters in the whole show are the background characters like the extra Tekkadan kids. Every prominent character has something going on. Orga alone has to juggle being the stoic, infallible leader while in reality he himself is being guided by Mika. He opposes the world order not just by actively participating in the fight for equality, but even on a smaller scale defies conventions and stands by his goals even if it's inconvenient, or difficult. And if it gets too difficult, that's what Mika's for. My favourite part of the show is when Orga, depressed over the death of a friend and not wanting to continue leadership, is literally strongarmed by Mika into being leader agin. Like he grabs him by the collar, put shim on his knees and stares him in the face, telling him to lead. They're like a binary system, each start orbitting the other.

Also, by-the-book stuff doesn't usually open the series with a child murdering a person for money because they're too poor and live in such a neglected, apathetic society to feed themselves any other way. Likewise it usually doesn't have the heroes, as mentioned above, execute people who do bad things instead of be the better man and let them get away with it to do ti again. I'd actually say IBO is almost the exact opposite of by-the-books. Morally unconventional as my friend put it. Hell, it doesn't even fancy itself a toy shill, despite having a toyline where the Gundam undergoes upgrade after upgrade, they're be episodes at a time where no Mobile Suits appear, and certain upgrades are so brief and context-specific it almost defies the marketting's attempts at commercializing it.

I guess you prefer actual kids games as opposed to, like, genuine conflict and mortal situations. Blatant, generic Saturday morning messages of teamwork and perserverence alongside shameless toy shilling are more interesting than the deconstruction and tests of said messages, I suppose.

Yup. IBO is very different, with a great world aesthetic. It's a very unflattering, brutal world and everything from the MS designs to the chocie to avoid beam weapons to the style of combat work around this hard-edged, actually gritty undertone. It's a lived-in, grungey world

Just because it's nostalgia-driven doesn't mean it's not also for kids.

Every design that homages a past MS or series is just another cool design for kids to buy.

Orga and Mika don't look different because their development was likely skewed by their incredibly hard lives. They already matured quicker, wheras Kudelia hasn't, and is growing up normal speed. It's also entirely possible she jus look older because of her outfit, hairstyle, and/or the way she happens to be drawn there. The younger kids definitely appear older.

I don't like the red shoulders. The red parts should be white, and the white Tekkadan logos should be red for proper balance IMO. The colours feel more haphazard, and I don't like the big skirts or blue detail in the central crest, would like it to be white or grey.

Otherwise? Yeah, it's just form 4 but spiked up, which is just fine by me. The extra large beard ties nicely into it's namesake, and the cricket-bat is sweet but kinda undermines Mika's development with the katana by mastering such a difficult weapon by giving himself more and more to the Gundam. I also miss the giant maces, but I'm sure Barbatos will pick another up. It's just Mika's thing.

I will say, though, I feel like design undercust a lot of Barbatos' internal aethetics. While it continues teh deisgn evolution from scrawny and delapidated to brutish and demonic, I miss the pink symbols it had indicating some sort of unique brand or logo. Plus, the gold vents now no longer make a continuous "stack" up the body. The HG I feel also doesn't capture the aggressiveness of the show design. (which TBF, the old Barbatos models weren't as aggressive, either, but the gap was smaller)

It doesn't look bad, I just don't think it's as good as before. Just seems to have gone a bit too far detail-wise.

Flamethrowers are kinda useless with the advent of beam weapons. They're just as effective, but less unpredictable, easier to use, and more efficient. As for intimidation, a giant robot kinda has that covered by itself.

Plus, very few MSs have dedicated anti-infantry weapons. There are examples, but typically MSs fight other MSs.

...
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/...20120319155127

That doesn't look anything like Barbatos. Like at all.

I mean, it's humanoid, and thin. But oh, Barbatos isn't even thin anymore. And no other MS in IBO is that thin anyway. The EVA doesn't have the same chunky body parts. Or the stout, gutless midsection. Or the big, prominent knees and shoulder. Or the broad shoulders, for that matter. Or spikey aesthetic. Or the big feet.

http://67.media.tumblr.com/e1d3d99fd...q4vgb_1280.jpg

It does have a prominent chin, though, so I guess that makes them twins?

Yup, totally one-upped me there, champ.

I do admit, Barbatos is one hell of a unique design. It's a Gundam for sure, but way edgier and uses different shapes from Gundams before it.

Makes sense. I still believe the fan theory that the 3 Alya Vijana whiskers are severely slowly Mikazuki's growth but I sort of see that he's a bit taller.

Dumb idea, but what if there is an upgrade/accessory later on in the series that allows the bat to slot into an even more badass mace than Form 4's?


I agree with you completely. Barbatos in the show is aggressive and sharp. While the HG does capture the different shapes Barbatos uses compared to other Gundams (see the feet as an example), the agressive nature of the suit just doesn't come across in the HG. I really can't put a finger on it, maybe it's just due to HG's relative cheapness compared to MGs and PGs that the designers couldn't pull that sharp look off without making HG Barbatos a lot more expensive. Hell, even looking up pictures of the 1/100, it's closer, but it doesn't get it right.

[/QUOTE]

Yeah, it still looks like a Gundam, it's just really difefrent.

Also possible, and would show another tragic side effect of the surgery. (and yet would fit in nicely with Mika sacrificing his well being for more advantages)

It's also entirely possible we're both wrong, and he's just a shorty. :lol

That'd be cool. Maybe he could swing it around and let it fly off like how he used to throw the mace.


It's less horizontal than the lineart. Like for example the crest and chin don't protrude as far forwards, and the eyes are not as far back and to the sides. The model kits go for a more typical 'human' face.

Or he just looks especially short compared to Orga lol. I hope we get the backstory of them shooting the guy in the beginning of episode 1.

Ah, okay.

...
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/...20130419201714

Currently about an hour or so into Gundam Breaker 3 and here's what I've been able to put together:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnM12l7UEAAilzJ.jpg

Epyon color scheme?

Nice!

That still doesn't look like it. Though the proportions are closer.

Unless you think "vaguely resembling something else" means it "looks anything like it."

I take it the Super Best Friends also made you pick it up? :lol

(My copy just hit customs yesterday)

Also I finally finished Build Fighters. It was a really good show. What sucks though is that I typically try not to buy into marketing ploys. but now I just want to buy a bunch of Gunpla.

I got Gundam Extreme Vs Force for Vita today and I'm trying to learn the feel of the game and how it controls. I think I have done maybe two single player missions and messed around in free VS mode to get used to how the game controls. I think I'm slowly starting to get used to the button inputs, but how the suits move is really tripping me up.

Yeah BF tends to do that.:lol

Who?

Naw, the game's been on my radar for awhile now what with it's more in depth customization and all.

Hearing that there's a version with english sweetened the deal. The English is actually pretty good too.

The game's story is pretty much Build Fighter Try's plot.

There are a few, but it's a very rare occurrence. Dragon, Shenlong and Altron are really the only ones that come to mind. Again, I'm talking more of use as a grunt weapon.

Never, ever underestimate the value of psychological warfare. Giant robots alone may be enough to inspire fear, but stick them with a tank and a nozzle, and you don't just have a giant war machine, you have a wrathful colossus of terror, especially when the enemy doesn't have much to counter it. Flamethrowers may be impractical in the field, but I sort of get the feeling once we enter the territory of directed energy weapons and striding war hulks that walk like men, "impractical" stops being a legitimate argument for the most part.

Honestly, IBO strikes me as a show perfect to use it, seeing as it avoids beam weaponry like the plague. I can't imagine that Mobile Workers would last long in flames hot enough to turn concrete into goo.

Flamethrowers are also more dangerous to the user half the time. One good shot to the hose or tank and you're dead. There's a very good reason flamethrowers are hardly ever used.

This is true. Maybe in season 2.

Now on Chapter 2 and Builder Parts have become a thing:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnNYik5XYAEAIc8.jpg

I see this being less of an issue for something that can afford properly armored fuel tanks, however. The advantage of a hulking war robot is that you have a lot of options that you wouldn't have with an infantryman.

It isn't just designs though. It constantly brings up characters, plot points and even sometimes music used from Gundam's long history.

I never said you couldn't market it towards kids, but I certainly didn't feel like it was aimed towards them.

I think it's aimed towards both, honestly. Kids maybe a bit more simply because of the tone and emphisis on model kit shilling. Everything that's a call back to a previous show is just a new concept for kids today. Just like if they watched an actual older Gundam show.

Just like how TFA recalls so much from Transformers' history, is still a show for all ages, but primarily children.

And the mucking around in Gundam Breaker 3 continues...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnaejVZUAAE6hYU.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cnap4dBWcAEI8WN.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnawSguWEAAchiF.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cna5-1pW8AAHB72.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cna-5xsVIAA7S1s.jpg

I like that Killer Bearguy but.....Polkadots?

I wanted to do hot bubblegum pink or dark brown aren't options in the game.

well its not really an issue its just that blue with white patterns remind me of striped panties and considering where you put it..

So, I found a REALLY cool thing in Gundam Breaker 3. So, if you have a GN Drive attached (thus giving you access to Trans-Am) and you wait until that and your Awakening meter are full and activate them both at the same time Trans-Am Raiser starts playing (My Gundam actually has the 00 Seven Sword backpack on, so it could just be if you have a Twin Drive System, I'm not sure).

Also, that first one Kiryu...is that supposed to be Amazing Exia?

I watched the first two discs to SEED Destiny and so far they're meh. Even for being a brand new series they are still showing a constant amount of flashbacks to SEED. Really? REALLY?! And now that there are 10 episodes in they have 10 episodes worth of footage to constantly show flashbacks from of this show. UGH!!!! :wall::wall: Anyway, Cagalli seems to be way out of character from how she acted in the first series. I get that she is now a political figure, but she seems to have done a complete 180 on her personality and it doesn't even feel like she is Cagalli. The fake Lacus was clever but most of what is going on in this show is just so stupid. Oh, three gundams are stolen by the opposite team and a new ship has to chase after them. Yawn. This plot sounds awfully familiar. Oh, and what is up with "I'm so totally not Mu La Flaga even though I sound exactly like him and even have the same psychic connection to the blonde kid on the opposite team" bit? Did they really think this was clever? Thankfully the music continues to kick more ass than a colony drop, but overall, this show just feels like it is trying to remake the show they just made, but also ruin some of the characters from that show at the same time. And did Athrun seriously think changing only his name was going to make people not know it was him? At least get a new hairstyle or something!!

Oh yeah, and I'm really sick of seeing the scene when Shin has to give his sister a hand.

It seems like Toonami ratings for IBO have not been great. They have drop under 1 million after the second episode. I guess people are not into the show. I bet most causal people went in expecting it to be like G Gundam or Gundam Wing.

Brace yourself Kain, 'cuz it's gonna get WORSE.