The characters brand new to Origin held up as well and worked wonderfully in their roles, particularly Ramba’s father and the man who would take care of Char and Sayla in the second episode. Even witnessing a younger Amuro Ray was wonderful, especially when everyone’s favorite troublesome little mascot, Haro began acting like the lovable goof fans know and love. The biggest standouts were Dozle -the lovable oaf- and Ramba Ral, both of whom were particular highlights in Origin.
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Additionally, witnessing other major characters from the original series in their younger forms was particularly charming. His malicious tendencies also originated from a place that feels both human and sensible, unlike a more direct counterpart in Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader and how the Star Wars prequels attempted to do the same. Seeing him in a position of power is an absolute treat, whether it be him taking down a Guntank single-handedly as a child, or beating up a spy with his fists and a spiked plank. Char’s vengefulness was built up perfectly and shown to be as innate to him as humanly possible.
Dare I say, if the CGI were present in the mechanical models exclusively, this would be Gundam’s visual magnum opus! It already achieves such marks from a directorial standpoint.Įven more care was taken to make sure that each development of the characters, narrative, and technology, kept the integrity of the original series intact. The smoke effects work wonderfully as well, particularly in regards to the purple smoke and explosions of Federation ships and student artillery. One need look no further than the spectacular opening scene in episode 1 or the battle in episode 6 to know exactly how kinetic and monumental these skirmishes are. The directing of the action sequences -courtesy of franchise veterans Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Takashi Imanishi- is exquisite, most especially in regards to the iconic Custom Red Zaku II Char pilots. The CGI work for these mechs, in particular, is nothing short of commendable, as the clunky experimental designs of the iconic mobile workers -prototypes to the iconic mobile suits- are capitalized on tremendously. As for the mechanical designs of the pre-0079 era, they work exquisitely as the prototypes and predecessors of what would become the norm of the One-Year War. The expressions are the liveliest in the entire franchise, striking the perfect balance between character detail and freedom of animation of the models. The character designs by legendary Gundam veteran and original mangaka Yoshikazu Yasuhiko are absolutely perfect, perfect updates on both the iconic designs of yore and the art redesigns of the manga. They exist yet mean little mere bumps and scratches in the left calf of a machine painted, oiled, and buffed with the utmost care. However, in the face of an 18-meter behemoth of passion and glory, these issues the size of a small dent. Certain moments regarding character relationships can feel rushed as well. Some of the ending themes are forgettable and the music takes a while to truly match the scale and magnificence of the series proper. Additionally, the film series stumbles choppily at first before truly hitting its monumental stride. On 3D CGI can be off-putting when non-mechanical objects rendered in such a style look worse than Dozle in a car accident. It would be unwise to herald such a title as absolute perfection there are blemishes in this magnificent work of art. As such, it is as charming and emotionally evocative as the franchise has ever been, continually asserting itself among the best animated series this decade has to offer. Origin is cinematic brilliance, and one of the finest in modern manga adapting and modern anime storytelling. It is the epitome of what Gundam is and was, and is the type of work only a master can craft. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is an ode to excellence, an art habitually outdoing itself.