Gundam 08TH

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.

The 08th MS team features two hopeful romantics from different sides of the conflict. Aina, the Zeon officer, and Shiro, the Federal Forces' new pilot, meet in a battle in space, throughout the 12 episode series (and one "movie") the two debate their love for each other while trying to come to grips with the war that surrounds them. It features a Romeo and Juliet romance and unbeatable animation. By far one of the best to hit American Shores. Suit Up!

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.

When I first checked out this chapter of Mobile Suit Gundam on Toonami years ago,I have to say this chapter of this show was even better than the first one.I only got to see some of the episodes,but not all of them. I had to get this series,and that is what I did. But when I bought the series after getting advice from Voice Actor,Michael McConnohie,he was right. It was enjoyable,and I really got into the series. It had a good storyline,and some of the best Gundams since the first. The characters I liked in the show are:Kiki,Shiro,Aina,and Norris.But however,this show is one the best chapters in the Mobile Suit Gundam series. So in closing,if you liked the first chapter of Gundam,then see this one.It's the best.

This show has great pacing, characters, and story elements. It has a very nice flow and is easy to digest. The only flaw is the last episode being out of place. Ignore that and this will easily be a perfect Gundam show.