Mobile Suit Gundam III: Incontro nello spazio

Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (1982) is the epic finale to the original Mobile Suit Gundam trilogy, delivering an emotional, action-packed conclusion to the monumental conflict between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon. Directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, this film encapsulates the drama, heartbreak, and thrilling space battles that have come to define the Gundam franchise, solidifying its status as a must-watch for fans.

What makes Encounters in Space stand out is its ability to balance intense mecha combat with deep character development and emotional stakes. This final installment brings together all the threads from the previous films, focusing on Amuro Ray's growth and his ultimate confrontation with Char Aznable. The personal stakes of their rivalry reach a boiling point, with both characters' paths driven by their ideals and deep-seated emotional trauma. This makes the movie not only a spectacle of mecha action but a poignant exploration of the cost of war, the complexity of personal conviction, and the toll it takes on those involved.

The animation in Encounters in Space wa stunning for the time, with impressive space battles that showcase the raw intensity of combat. The scale of the battles feels vast and consequential, with each Gundam fight adding emotional depth to the story. The design of the mobile suits, including the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam, remains a high point of the series, with fluid, dynamic animation that captures the thrill of piloting giant robots in outer space.

The film's soundtrack, composed by the legendary Takeo Watanabe, is a standout feature. The music complements the tone perfectly, from the stirring orchestral themes during key battles to the somber, reflective pieces that underscore the film's more introspective moments. The emotional resonance of the soundtrack enhances the film's depth, making the stakes feel more personal and the characters' struggles all the more intense.

The film's pacing is excellent, smoothly weaving action with moments of introspection and personal conflict. The resolution of the Amuro and Char storyline feels earned, providing a satisfying conclusion to their epic rivalry.

Ultimately, Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space is a masterpiece. It's a movie that successfully blends thrilling action, complex characters, and emotional depth. Its portrayal of the horrors of war, the growth of its protagonists, and the epic scale of its battles make it an unforgettable experience, and one of the best entries in the Gundam franchise. With stunning visuals, a powerful soundtrack, and a deeply satisfying conclusion, this film is a must-watch for any mecha or anime fan, earning a perfect 10/10.

A recyclying of the series material with the "Newtype" word thrown at the viewer with no subtetly, another guncannon in place of the guntank and some nonsensical plot changes just to give the idea that this retelling has a reason to exist. No, it doesn't. Skip all this 0079 compilation movie trilogy and go directly to Gundam Z after watching the original series, you won't miss anything.

Just as Part II was set almost exclusively on Earth, Part III takes the White Base and it's crew back to the stars to a final showdown with the Duchy of Zeon. Along the way, both Amuro and Char once again face each other, and events transpire they won't soon forget(and which carry on to the sequels Zeta Gundam and Char's Counterattack). Part III also has 75% new animation, so it appears more solid than it's predecessors, although the animation is still dated in most places(mostly during battle scenes). Overall, it's very good stuff.

The NewType concept takes away from the Gundam story. It has a lot of potential, but to me it distracts from the main message that war is hell and people are dumb. I would have loved, for example, to have this NewType thing being thrown around as a political token and as a genuine concern or fascination, only to discover that no, there is no new stage of human evolution, just some people who worked at it and some who didn't. But it wasn't to be. For the sake of this idea, poorly developed characters are introduced, given a lot of importance and then killed off. It did not help the story at all.

There are a lot more fights and there is some closure, but story-wise and on pure enjoyment level, I liked the second film in the series. I was about to look for the Gundam series only to discover that in fact this IS the series, reedited, quality improved and compressed into three films. They should do this with all anime :)

Simply put, this is perhaps the best Gundam animation released in America yet.This is actually the last thrid of the TV series compressed into a film.70% of the animation was redone so it looks alot better than the first two films.Also the film changes some things from the show such as replacing the Guntank with another Guncannon,changing around the sequence of events(for the sake of drama) and cutting out some of the silly enemy mobile suits from the orginal such as the Braw Bro.Like the others the chartecterization is strong and the realism of war brutal.No Gundam fan should be without it *****/*****