Gundam 00: A True Master Piece.

I first started watching Gundam 00 when it first aired on SciFi's Anime Monday. Of course soon I couldn't last 1 week for new episodes so... like any good Pirate I went towards the Internet in search for this series.

Recently I revisited this series, why? I really don't know. It was this or rewatching 24(I was in the mood of reliving some of my favorite series) but I chose Gundam 00. 3 days or so later, and I am finished with the series and eagerly waiting for the release of the movie and... uh well for it to be subbed. lol

But as I rewatched the series my mind was blown. I came to an amazing realization... I only understood half of the series(for those who have seen the entire series... did you just see what i did there?) What I mean by this is... I don't think I truly understood alot of what was going on. Not truly. Then again maybe my amazing talent of slowly purging information on my favorite series was my ally? Thank God I don't have such a great memory.

The series takes place in the Metaverse of Gundam. The idea behind the Gundamverse is that each series takes place in an alternate timeline of sorts. From my understanding the only real common thing between them are the Gundams themselves.

In this series a group known as Celestial Being intends to eradicate the scourge of war from the World by performing Interventions. This slowly unites the world against them as they try and fight against and manipulate Celestial Being towards their own goals.

The story is told from a variety of perspectives. First of course is the Pilots of the Gundams. Then there is Saji Crossroad and Louise, who are 2 teenagers in love. Then it also follows various people within the army's of the worlds nations.

In this series you truly get to see the full spectrum of horror that war brings. As for the first season you see the loss of innocence through Saji and Louise. You see the effect of losing fellow comrads in battle. You see the guilt a wrong move can make during a battle. You also see the horrors that cause war and hate. Greed personified by Ali Al Sanchez, Revenge through... well most characters.

The Gundam Pilots each have a horrible past that led them to join Celestial Being. Each past revolving around the effects of war and what it can bring. A Child Soldier, a young boy traumatized by a Terrorist attack, a 'failed' Child Super Soldier. Then of course there is... well I guess he really doesn't have a past.

The Gundams and Celestial Being are attempting to follow a plan by a super genius that had lived over 200 years prior to the story. His full plan is only revealed until later but one of the main goals of course is: To End War and Conflict.

This series shows how horrible war is. How terrible things can be brought on because of it. The series also focuses on how NOT to go about trying to bring about Peace.

Now lets go on to one of my favorite parts about these reviews. My favorite Characters.

Saji Crossroads: Now I can understand how some might not like his character. But in Saji's full character development I have to say I love him. He starts off as a innocent, naive, weak willed teen who is in love with Louise Halevy who is the complete opposite of him. She is bratty, controling, and bossy, who genuinely has a sweet side to her and is a really great character when it comes down to it. Anyways. In the first season we see Saji as this and in the second season we see him grow into a stronger character. I willa admit sometimes he got a bit annoying... though oddly I don't think I ever really felt that way towards him. I guess thats where the Understanding bit comes in I guess? Its a slow process for him but... one I thoroughly enjoyed watching.

Setsuna: He comes from a Middle Eastern country called Krugis, which was destroyed by a stronger Middle Eastern country. The series opens up as Setsuna is a child soldier brainwashed into believing he was following God's Will. His first line I believe is this: "There is no God. In this world there is no God!" Which pretty much sets the atmosphere of the series. While this seems to be highly anti religious... one has to remember WHY he believes this. I loved how his story in the present and how his past is slowly revealed throughout the series. It was great story telling.

Allelujah Haptism/Halleujah Haptism: Now this character is great. His background is given only here and there and hints about what he has gone through is slowly revealed. Its not until early second season do all the pieces of the puzzle fit in. Also he has one hell of a wicked Alter Ego. Now considering what his name is supposed to mean "Praise God" I believe, its... wow is there a anti Religion running through this series? Well I don't think so(huge spoiler). He gets his name from Marie Parfacy, a fellow Super Soldier who lost the ability to use her 5 senses and could only use her Quantam Brainwaves. Only Allelujah could hear her and he came to her and they became friends. He didn't remember his name or where or why he was where he was(which goes to the idea of the horrors of Super Soldiers and trying to create them for war) and so she gave him his name. So ha!

Louise Halevy: Now ok this characters sorta bugged me. In the first season not so much. But it was later towards the end of Season 2 that it got to me. She personifies Revenge within the series best. After what happened in Season 2 she seeks to eliminate and destroy Celestial Being. She is so consumed by this that(at some points it does get annoying) that she no longer cares and is incapable of even hearing the truth of what happened. She does have an awesome break down that sent chills down my spine. But it also shows how pointless Revenge is. What is done cannot be undone. Just because you avenge someones death, doesn't mean they are going to come back.

OK enough of my characters. This is getting to long and well I could say a bunch of things I liked about all the characters really.

I loved how all of their storys were told in bits and pieces. Almost never getting the full picture until later in the series. It really was well done.

I also liked how... aside from one instance, there really were no Deus Ex Machinas. Not in the true sense of the term. A Deus Ex Machina is basicly plot device that abruptly appears and quickly ends a problem. The one instance I can see this might fall under is when Setsuna firsts Quantized to avoid a fatal blow. The thing about Deus Ex Machina's is that they have no forshadowing. The term translates to "Hand of God" or something. Without the foreshadowing there is no way to anticipate them. So it might as well have been God Intervening.

In this series everything seems to be foreshadowed in some sense. There is something to establish what happened. You just had to look a bit closer.

Well there was one other instance... but I guess it was only one because of our look into the Gundam's lives. We had to assume something, but the rest of the world always wondered about it.

Anyways I love what Aeolia's Shenbergs true plan was. To end War so that man doesn't bring it into space and beyond. It was to get everyone to understand one another, was to get everyone to end war and conflict on earth so that if someday humans expand beyond into space and meet another civilization we could learn to try and understand them before war breaks out between Earth and the Aliens. Which really reminded me of Enders Game...

[spoilers] For Enders Game...

I found it amazing how Humans and the Buggers went to war. I also find it incredibly tragic that a race like them were nearly obliterated from existance. The whole reason they went to war was because of this: They couldn't understand each other. The Buggers couldn't understand that they might not be the only intelligent and sentient life in the Universe. Humans viewed the same thing. They also couldn't understand how to communicate with each other.

If they had found a way to understand and talk to each other there may never have been a reason for them to go to war at all.

... yeah I know Ignorance sorta played a part I guess. lol [/spoiler]

Anyways I loved this series and I think for the first time I truly understand this series. If only the world could watch it and realize what must be done.

If you are even remotely curious about this series I highly recommend watching it! You can probably find it in both Dubbed and Subbed online somewhere. I know for sure the first season is dubbed on youtube.

Ok now I am just rambling and... yeah.

Now I am off to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerrerereres Stone!

Yes I realize I misspelled Sorcerers... because I can never remember how to spell that word.

Actually come to think about it. I am not even conciously correctly spelling anything that I have managed to spell right!(well some names I looked up) Funny how you can type whole giant posts and realize you are not even immediately aware of how to spell things. Your fingers just sort of type it out... which is another weird phenomenom. I almost have no idea where the hell any of the keys are off the top of my head, yet my fingers continue to get it right nearly all the time.

Its like... magic!!