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GUNDAM X (continued)
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What's the Story then? Of course, while these points may be of interest to long-time GUNDAM fans, they're strictly academic to GUNDAM newcomers (and one would suspect that attracting new fans is a major goal of these new universes). For new and old GUNDAM fans alike, here's a rundown of the basic plot. Not only did the Great War eliminate most
of the civilian population, it also took care of most of the newtypes
who fought in it and their high-tech toys. Only one genuine newtype is
known to exist now - the insipid waif Tifa Adiel. With several factions
chasing after her in hopes of exploiting her newtype powers, this shy
fifteen-year-old is the spark that ignites GUNDAM
X's plot.One of the first to join the pursuit is
fifteen-year-old hero Garoad Ran, a wisecracking hotshot with a
fanny-pack full of gadgets. Initially hired by one of Tifa's pursuers to
recapture her from the piratical "Vulture" group, he soon finds himself
on the lam with the drippy newtype. In short order, Tifa leads him to
the resting-place of the eponymous GUNDAM X, one of
the mightiest mobile suits of the great war. With Tifa at hand to advise
him, Garoad is able to fend off Vulture's own war-surplus GUNDAMs and make his getaway. |
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Having escaped both Vulture and Garoad's
unsavory employer, the two teens must then contend with everyone else.
Entire armies of mobile suits converge on the GUNDAM X and the desperately-sought newtype waif, and Tifa
resorts to using the GUNDAM X's ultimate weapon to
get them out of this jam. Using her telepathic powers, Tifa contacts a
long-dormant microwave broadcast array on the lunar surface. As the moon
rises over the horizon, a beam of broadcast power strikes the GUNDAM X, charging up its "satellite cannon." Used to
destroy falling colonies during the great war, this weapon's effect on
the attacking armies and the surrounding landscape is most dramatic.Unfortunately, the strain is too much for
Tifa, and the listless newtype falls into a coma. The GUNDAM X is captured by Vulture's enigmatic leader, Jamil
Neat, and Garoad is locked up aboard Jamil's land battleship "Frieden".
Like it or not, he and the Vulture crew are going to become very well
acquainted. This may be for the best, since they're now being stalked by
a foe more formidable than any they've faced before...
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Conclusion Sounds pretty rockin', eh? The story certainly has enough going for it to hold the viewer's interest, though the other elements of the show may take a while to grow on you. It's a bit early to assess the overall tone
of the show. One might expect a distinctly lighthearted tone from the
creators' prior work, and the first few episodes feature plenty of
slapstick and clowning around, largely thanks to Garoad's antics. But
there's the shadow of a devastating war looming over everything, and the
story veers into seriousness when attacking mobile suit pilots begin
killing their comrades and scavenging their equipment, or when the
Vulture pilots ruthlessly exterminate attacking bandits. We'll just have
to watch the show to see which approach will predominate.As for the technical aspects, GUNDAM X is up to par. The character and mecha designs are
good enough, though this writer is getting pretty damned sick of seeing
veteran mecha designer Kunio Okawara rolled out to do the principal
mecha design over and over again. The one aspect of the show that truly
cries out for improvement is the music; the opening song is decent
enough, but from then on it's a atonal medley of rambling, tuneless
background music, culminating in an ending that scrapes the bottom of
the barrel of sappy 70's pop.Overall, this GUNDAM
buff gives GUNDAM X a cautious thumbs-up. While
it's hardly likely to displace the classic GUNDAM
saga in my affections, and while GUNDAM W is a hard
act to follow, there's enough going on here that I'll be checking out
the upcoming episodes. This show could develop in some interesting and
unexpected directions, and if so, I'd hate to miss it!--Mark Simmons
COPYRIGHT © 1996 SOTSU AGENCY, SUNRISE, TV ASAHI |
