Kidô senshi Gundam: Dai 08 MS shôtai

Anime has a large variety of characteristics, and among the more under-appreciated qualities are that stories tend to emphasize character interplay with an often striking level of sophistication.

Such is the case with this 1996 anime series focusing on war between Earth's Federation and a rebel empire known as the Zeon. The focus is on two characters, Shiro Amada, a lieutenant of the Federation who, after an attack on a Federation troop ship in space, winds up flying a mobile armor suit into battle against his attacker; the battle somehow goes wrong and both Amada and his enemy are floating in the remains of a destroyed battlestar; Amada's enemy is a Zeon officer, named Aina, and when the two cross swords in the weightlessness of the abandoned warship they get to know each other, and begin to form a friendship.

Both must go their separate ways and are eventually rescued. Later, as the Earth Federation - called Feddies by the Zeon - and Zeon struggle on the planet itself, Amada and Aina meet again in battle, and again fate forces both to cooperate, this time in the deadly frost of a mountaintop. Once again their friendship begins to blossom, and once again fate takes them their separate ways and to eventual rescue.

Both young officers face grave controversies as a result of their encounters. For Shiro Amada, Feddie honchos suspect him of being a Zeon spy, while Aina finds herself clashing more and more with her brother, Zeon commander Gineus, who is obsessed with completing a super-weapon called the Apsalus - even to the point of double-crossing his own officers to get it finished, with his favorite method of doublecross being high explosives.

There is plenty of action involved, and amid the combat, there is a striking moral dilemma involved. Though the Earth Federation are notionally the good guys and the Zeon betray a sinister hue that makes them the notional bad guys, ambiguity pervades the entire conflict - just who IS in the right here?

It is a question that plagues both Amada and Aina to the point they both turn against their nations, leading to a final confrontation on a vast mountaintop when the Apsalus appears and opens fire on Feddie forces.

It all leads to the very best scene of the entire series, a scene played out against an oppressive glow of white light.

This particular series is one of the best Gundam anime work created. A deviation from the usual over the top emotional display and excessive fighting dynamics, 08th team MS Gundam tackles with some serious issues.

The portrayal of ensign Shiro Amada as a "newbie" is realistic and the depiction of the turmoil he faces in the face of war is very well shown. The beautiful Aina Sahalin character is a perfect blend of courage, intelligence and she asserts herself when necessary.

The romance between the central protagonists has been dealt adeptly,and all other characters are well rounded, where they display excellent yet accurate picture of human emotional response.

A must watch for anime lovers!

I'm a Gundam fan not a hard core one mind you, what I may say may seem controversial but it's my opinion. "Gundam 08 MS Team" is my favorite series in the franchise and is one of my favorite TV shows in General.

The animation style as usual is great I really like how the warfare was conducted and choreographed making it suspenseful and strangely realistic more than just relying on just mere fighting and technology but on tactical surprise, much reminiscent of Vietnam. It's a first time showing mecha engaged in jungle warfare and they did it well from the use of darkness and plant life. You get a sense on how hard it could be to fight in an enviorment that obscures your vision and it adds to the creeping feeling of paranoia never knowing where the enemy will hit. The music is great it has one my second favorite theme for the franchise.

But that's just one of the positive qualities of the show, what made this Gundam unique from the others was not so much that it was plot driven, even though there is a plot and it does suspensefully develop but that it was character driven by it's main focus on two characters Shiro and Ayna one of my favorite anime couples. It's sort of a Romeo and Juliet story Gundam style but don't fret on being melodramatic which it's anything but, the romance is handled with believability, subtlety and humanity; it's also a long distance romance story which are never my favorite kind but this is one of those rare exceptions I make because of the length of the show, the interaction time both have which I felt was believably sufficient, and the depth of both characters.

It's easy to see how both could fall in love for one another because both are slightly similar despite on opposite ends of the spectrum. Their naive but sweet souls that have done no wrong except love each other. Shiro is a young commander whom despite his age is mature, does believe in what he's doing, but is open minded and has compassion and idealism in him. It's the same with Ayna whom is slight younger than him, she's sweet, pretty, smart, and just as compassionate and idealistic. Both deserve each other from that chance first encounter when both met sealed their fate but as cruel as fate is sometimes both get separated due to the opposite sides their on. It's a bittersweet relationship as both of them always carry that looming threat that the next battle their in they might blow each other away which at time they almost do. It's all a suspenseful build up on when and if they'll get back together, we want them too because their right for each other it doesn't matter who they are. That's another thing I love about this couple is that there's a universal sensibility about them, both could be of different races, class, religion, or disabled.

Indeed we see things do get out of control for both sides, from Ayna's brothers's obsessive need to complete and use the new weapon. And Shiro begins to see the corruption going on with the Federation, from breaching their own ethical boundaries and sickening determination to win. Both sides do stupid and unneeded things to one another but worst of all themselves.

This show has an anti war message, there are times to fight but there are times when someone needs to blow the whistle to say enough is enough, and that ongoing and misguided violence will result in nothing. But most importantly to be human don't be a person that follows orders all the time.

Yeah war isn't simple, but love and peace is even harder.

Rating: 4 stars

Unlike most other Gundam series, which take up their majority of their time in space, 08th MS team is 95% ground-based. This thrilling, well-animated OAV series focuses on the 08th MS team, a group of pilots who have limited mass production Gundams for Ground use. Their goal is to search out a Zeon research base holding a powerful mobile armor. However, problems start to emerge when the team leader falls in love with the pilot of the armor. The OAV has some of the best animation in Gundam-there's a lot of movement and detail. The mecha designs by Kunio Ookawara and Hajime Katoki are great-Ookawara gives Gundams and GMs a tank-like feel, while Katoki redesigns classic Zeon mobile suits for the 90's. The story is well-done, with convincing characters and a fully realized love story(Much better than the half-hearted romances in 0083 and Wing) Overall, a great series, I suggest you check it out when it comes to video/DVD next year.

Dark, emotional, and full of human spirit, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team perfectly captures the visceral mecha combat, thrilling story arc, and underlying antiwar message that so many of the franchise's shows seek to achieve. And unlike many others, this Gundam series doesn't suffer from a storyline that frustratingly unravels in its final act. The 08th MS Team is perfect in both tone and length, balancing action, humor, and intrigue as a small cast of characters that viewers will grow to love are quickly hurtled towards an epic and heart-wrenching conclusion. I haven't watched every single Mobile Suit Gundam series, but based on what I have seen I'd say this is hands-down the best Gundam series out there.