機動戦士ガンダムSEED (Mobile Suit Gundam SEED)
50 episodes TV series (2002 - 2003)
C.E. 71 - Escalating tensions between the Naturals (normal humans) and Coordinators (genetic engineered humans) led to a open war between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT. With the increasing importance of mobile suits in the war, the Earth Alliance, with help from the netural Orb Union, secretly developes the G-weapons: five new experimental mobile suits with the latest technology. However, ZAFT has learnt of the five mobile suits, and they will do whatever they can to keep the Earth Alliance from using the mobile suits...
Kira Yamato lives with his parents at Heliopolis, an Orb Union space colony. His peaceful life will be turned upside down when ZAFT forces attacks the colony in search of the new Earth Alliance mobile suits. In order to protect his friends, Kira pilot the last remaining Earth Alliance MS, Strike. Unfortunate for Kira, his old friend Athrun Zala is now with the ZAFT forces, and he is ordered to capture the Strike... or destory it.
Gundam SEED is the first new TV series in the 21st century that did not involve long time creator 富野 由悠季 (Tomino Yoshiyuki). Instead, veteran director 福田己津央 (Fukuda Mitsuo) was given the project to boost the franchise with a new generation of fans.
It is the most successful TV series not based on the Unviersal Century storyline since Gundam Wing, spawning 3 movie adaptations, a sequel TV series (SEED Destiny), manga side-stories (Astray) and OVA series (Stargazer).
While some older Gundam fans have expressed disappointment towards the series, I have no problem with it! In fact, I love it! Lots of tear-jerking scenes throughout the series, and the story is good enough. Of course, Freedom rules! Clearly the best designed Gundam in a long while! Not only that, the female characters featured in the series have become hot figure items! Definitely unheard of in the past.
Dino's Rating: 10
Will Girls Like It: Possible
[After-Phase] 星のはざまで
5-min DVD release special
Unfortunately, Bandai Entertainment had not included it with the Noth American DVD release, so there will be no review until I manage to get a copy of it...
機動戦士ガンダムSEED
スペシャルエディション 虚空の戦場
(Gundam SEED Movie 1: The Empty Battlefield)
機動戦士ガンダムSEED
スペシャルエディション II 遥かなる暁
(Gundam SEED Movie 2: The Far-Away Dawn)
機動戦士ガンダムSEED
スペシャルエディション完結編
鳴動の宇宙 (Gundam SEED Movie 3: The Rumbling Sky)
The three movie adaptations uses footage from the TV series and combines with new footages to condense the 50 episodes into three 90-minute movies. While the first and second movie are pretty much the same as seen in the TV series, along with the new footage, it is the third movie that has received the most treatment. The final battle was rewritten with new footage, but pretty much stays the same, except with Mu La Flaga. Fukuda-san decided to alter the scene so that they can reintroudce Mu in the sequel... other than that, I like it!
Dino's Rating: 9
Will Girls Like It: Possible