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With the success of the alternate settings, it didn't come as a surprise
that the newest effort from the original's creator himself also takes place
in a setting far removed from the first GUNDAM. Compared to the
space-traveling civilizations of most other GUNDAM stories, the setting of
TURN-A GUNDAM is decidedly retro; the use of biplanes and Model-T-style
automobiles suggest a technology level of World War I. The mobile suits are
revealed to be relics from a more advanced past. In fact, a few hints
suggest that TURN-A GUNDAM takes place on the very same Earth where Amuro
and Char once fought, but in such a distant future that it may as well be an
alternate universe for all practical purposes.
After the less than enthusiastic reception of F91 and VICTORY, it was hoped
that Tomino's comeback, which spearheaded the
Big Bang Project
(GUNDAM's 20th Anniversary celebration),
would stir up excitement for the series. The fanfare was big when the
project was announced, an a seemingly all-star creative cast was assembled,
including Kanno Yoko and American designer Syd Mead. Regrettably, first
impressions towards TURN-A GUNDAM were mixed, due to the slow-moving plot
and unorthodox mecha designs. And considering that the Gundam is the star
attraction of the series, Syd Mead's complete break with tradition for the
mechanical direction served more to harm than help the show's chances with
the fans. While the Japanese audience seems to have warmed up considerably
compared to the initial reaction, the jury is still out on Tomino's latest...
...and now, onto Gundam Wing! |
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Footnote 1:
The premise of F91 and VICTORY was very promising but never
fully realized. The Jupiter Energy Fleet, the entity that supplies the Earth
Sphere with its crucial fuel supply, has now grown into the Jupiter Empire.
With plenty of financial resources and technology but with little military
might of its own, the Jupiter Empire hides in the shadows, funding and
supporting forces that oppose the now-weakened Earth Federation, such as the
Cross Bone Vanguard and the Zanscarl Empire.
Unfortunately, hints of the Jupiter Empire were edited out of the F91 movie
at the eleventh hour, and the significance of this hidden entity wasn't
played out to its full potential in VICTORY GUNDAM, which most fans didn't
care that much for to begin with. This is a shame, really, for the Jupiter
Empire plot element had the potential to create an involving story arc to
equal the classic Zeon vs. Federation conflict.
To get a better glimpse of the Cross Bone/Zanscarl/Jupiter Empire story arc,
read the manga CROSS BONE GUNDAM, which deals with the exploits of the
remnants of the Cross Bone Vanguard, and VICTORY GUNDAM SIDE STORY, in which
Usso goes to Jupiter.
Footnote 2: It should be noted that the first GUNDAM didn't achieve stardom
during its initial TV broadcast; it wasn't until the release of the plastic
toys and the compiled theatrical releases that Gundamania started in
earnest. TURN A GUNDAM is still being digested after its recent conclusion,
and the audience may think of it more favorably to it in hindsight, just as
it did with the original. |
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