Gundam 00 — Episode 24
As you can imagine from this picture, episode 24 is pretty emo. If you haven’t watched it yet, maybe you want to do that first before reading my usual cynical tearing down of what many people may find the most touching episode in the series. On the bright side, we are almost done! (Until season 2 at least.)
If I had to use an analogy to describe this episode, which I don’t but I shall anyway, then I would say that it’s like the fireworks during New Year celebrations. They are pretty nice and colourful but they last only a short while, burning themselves up in the process. Also, the whole fireworks get old after a while when you see them every year.
This is a very shitty analogy, so we shall stop here and move on.
Summary
Ptolemaios and the UN forces regroup their troops after the furious fighting in the previous episode. With just 11 Jinxes left, the UN receives a mysterious reinforcement in the form of a gigantic gold space pimpmobile. The two sides then clash in a final battle for survival, though it seems clear that Setsuna and gang stand no chance against the flying bling fortress.
“That’s no moon…”
Episode 24 is what Sunrise has been saving up for all this while, baby! And by saving up, I refer to the human cast of the series. Just like soylent green, the secret of Sunrise’s patented storyline formula lies in the death of human beings, and, continuing from episode 23’s light appetizer, we are slowly moving into the main course of total annihilation.
Patrick, a long lost member of Team Rocket, finally bites the dust in this episode, courtesy of Tieria Erde. While logically speaking it’s a miracle that he even managed to make it this far, from the perspective of story-telling it makes little sense to have him die at this point of the story, especially considering he just barely escaped death in episode 23.
Dr. Moreno, the doctor who wears a pair of dark sunglasses while he treats potentially-fatal wounds, dies an attack that takes out the entire starboard side of Ptolemaios. Since he had a total of about five seconds worth of appearance in the entire series, I wonder if his meaningless existence was the remnant of an aborted subplot, or if Sunrise really, really wanted to have someone who wears sunglasses in the show?
So he does have eyes…
Halfway through the episode, Christina and Lichty start to share their life stories. This is where you start to sympathize with them before they die later on in the episode. Yes, they die. To her credit, Chris saves Feldt’s life with a white lie, thus preserving the sanity of thousands of fanboys. The world owes you one, Chris. From a storyline viewpoint, this probably paves the way for Feldt to mature into a hardened Gundam Meister with a sexy body.
A cyborg’s got to do what a cyborg’s got to do
On the bright side, Sunrise can now lower the budget and lay off a few seiyuu.
That said, I am not heartless. Though the whole thing was a blatant attempt to create an emotional moment after so many episodes of weak character development, I did fall for it (a little). Christina and that guy, may you rest in peace and not be resurrected as brainwashed cyborg killing machines by the villain in season 2.
By the way, if you are wondering about Lichty’s cyborg body, his parents were orbital elevator technicians and he lost them, along with half his body, as a child during the Solar Conflict .
Screencaps
Is she going to do something or what?
Setsuna is mentally preparing himself for the ensuing rape
Question to Europeans: What’s with the funky colours?
“What’s that weird thing you’re using?” “A pencil.”
First the gold pistol, now this. Definitely compensating for something
Pikachu suit
They need to nerf this in the next patch
“Fire ze missiles!” “But I’m le tired.”
So, has anyone figured out why space smoke is pink in Gundam?
“HULK SMASH!”
It’s amazing how the rest of the room is completely blown apart
This is like Survivors in space
:(
:O
T_T
As a bonus for finishing this review, I present to you a short story.
March 27th, 2008 at 5:23 am
Once I can get a PayPal or credit card, I shall donate you $500 +_+. Also, I wish you would come to the Anime Expo in US during the summer, because I don’t think I can stalk you to Japan next year <_<
March 27th, 2008 at 6:22 am
gonna hafta agree with Kaioshin Sama on the princess thing. I feel that she honestly influences Setsuna’s decisions, actions, and morals a tad bit, so I think she’ll play a bigger role in season two.
I totally need to draw a picture of this:
Wang Liu Mei: Go Pikachu! Thundershock!
Alejandro: PIKACHUUUUUUU!!!!
March 27th, 2008 at 6:38 am
@Svenz
Lol yea I did mix up Joules and Newtons
Force (newtons) = Mass x acceleration
Energy (Joules) = Force/time
So not only we must calculate Force of the impact but the time it takes to dissipate on the surface of the target… (I’m no engineer so I won’t ever bother to try calculating that)
@Highsped2ron
Those railguns do have enormous power and I don’t know any existing metals that wouldn’t at least melt from the intense heat generated by impact.
Unless they actually coat their armor with GN particles or something to cushion the impacts. (which would actually make some sense) Yet for example, the impact of a really heavy GN-X suit at high speed simply overwhelmed that tiny cushion of GN particles, or maybe it wasnt on since he wasnt in a complete defensive stance (weapons and engines were still on).
March 27th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
@nerodon
your actually very close to the truth in regards to the gundams defences
taken from wikipedia:
In addition to armor composed of durable E-Carbon, all suits are installed with a GN particle based physical barrier system, for use in such circumstances as independent atmospheric reentry.
in regards to the railgun, and the paragrph above about the gundams defences, the directors made up a metal called e-carbon which is apparently very durable and is used for just about everything, so it must have a very high heat tollerance for use in the union and aeu linear guns
bear in mind that when the gnx rammed dynames it was already damaged from the previous battle and the pilot was still injured so it wasn’t operating at 100%
March 27th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Been away for quite a while.
Anyway, just to ask, what about Tieria and Allejulah?
March 27th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
“That’s no moon…”
Yo Momma was so fat that Ben Kenobi said “That’s no moon… that’s your Mother!”
Random Robot Chicken Reference.
~ Dazzer
March 27th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
@codename:v
In the series, Lasse said similar things as what you’ve said…
March 27th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
After seeing the first episode, my first criticism on Gundam 00 is that the space elevator shown in the series is not quite believable. It’s too huge and bulky to defy gravity. But in the second episode, if i remembered correctly, it mentioned that the space elevator’s “structure is inherently weak.” Another criticism, as what codename:v said, is that CB’s crusade for ending war with war is somewhat futile. But then again, the series “criticizes” itself, for defense. They are aware that some of the concepts are weak, which is a good thing because they are aware that the viewers are NOT stupid.
March 28th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Trying to end war with war…we all know its stupid and not going to work.
But hey, doesn’t it sound like something thats happening in the real world already? :\
March 28th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Force (armed intervention or war) is the last resorts to ending war. When peace talks and other methods didn’t work, force became the only option. Probably that’s the reason why war had ever broke out in the first place.
March 28th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
@darkdestiny
wars break out cos one group of people have something the other group wants (be it land, a resource, etc) or one group does not like the other group (race, religion, whether they leave the toilet seat up or down, etc) that why wars happen
human beings have been fighting each other for centuries, and they aren’t about to stop anytime soon
March 29th, 2008 at 6:24 am
I seem to have lost some faith in G00 however i will wait and watch the next episode to see how things might go. Bored and hearing names mentioned i hadn’t heard before i watched Xenoglossia, well at least the first episode!
I now thank and curse Kaioshin Sama lol, for point this one out that i missed but now it seems only the first episode is around to watch owing to the series being strangely being picked up for DVD… i cry for the fansubs!!
March 29th, 2008 at 9:09 am
@shortstory
Good lord, get over yourself.
March 29th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
i love how in the episodes thare are g-forces acting on them in space space is supposed to be waitless
March 29th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
@cyo
Of course, it won’t work, the series just showed it. Aeolia thought it would, but his plan just screwed up.