Customer Reviews

Mobile Suit Gundam The 08th MS Team (Vol. 2) [VHS]

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Taking place in the year Universal Century 0079 (Same time as the original "Mobile Suit Gundam") Mobile Suit Gundam: 8th Mobile Suit Team tells the story of Shiro Armada and his team of Mobile Suit Pilots, for those wondering 8th MS is a great thing to watch if you are just now getting into Gundam. Now most Gundam series tell the story of a 15 year old Dragged into the war and how he and his friends win the war, 8th ms team is the opposite, it actually documents what the "regular" people were like in the time, they use regular robots that do not have the power to take down an entire fleet, and they fight against other regular robots like "Zaku II's". With that said you get to watch the team do various operations, like freeing a town from the control of ZEON, or doing stuff in the desert. One scene I really like is a scene where they are actually preforming maintence on a robot, scenes like this actually imerese the viewer in the feeling that this is what being a soilder is like.
The characters also have human sides, Shiro is trying to prove himself and keep his dysfunctional team intact, Micheal (Spelling) is suffering the woes of a long distance relationship, and there are many other characters with "human" problems, the characters also are not imortal, there are times when their MS get destroyed, and they get injured. There is also a love story, which I find rather interesting, because it has that whole "Two soilders on different sides fall in love." feel.

Would I suguest it? YES! to everyone. 8th ms team really shows what it would be like to be a grunt in the earth federation army, and also has a nice love story in it.

this is the best gundam series ever. It has great animation and did not drag out like gundam wing did. gundam wing went for ever and ever. by the end it was pointless. This is only 15 episodes long which is great. it is short but sweet. i highly reccommed this gundam series.

Well, while Gundam Wing was getting a tiny budget, Sunrise was pulling all they're money into this piece of work. Unlike other series like Gundam 0079 and Gundam Wing, 08th MS Team is more of a ground war infantry battle with some small off-the-wall humor. In "War for Two", Shiro is assigned to Earth, but on his way there, a battle occurs. A Gundam is downed and requires assistance. Shiro decides to go out in the Ball fighter and save the pilot, but gets into a battle with a Zaku. The pilot is a woman. When both they're suits explode, they try to conserve they're air in an abandoned ship. They form a relationship and soon go back to their own forces. In "Gundams in the Junlge", Shiro goes into combat for the first time. While trading fire with some Zaku's at night, Shiro's navigation on his Gundam is knocked out. So later on, Shiro decides to explore the jungle only to stumble upon Kiki skinny dipping in a pond. However, Kiki opens fire once she notices him. When Shiro returns to his Gundam a Zaku is headed straight for him. Shiro takes it out with skill and heads back to base. In "The Time Limit on Thrust", the team must take out a couple of Zakus and three pill boxes guarding a village. However, while Shiro scouts out the route, he is ambushed by civilians. Not to mention Kiki, still mad about Shiro peeking. When Shiro is taken to a village, he explains to them that he is trying to take out Zeon and that his friends are fighting them right now. The boss of the village agrees to let him fight. So Kiki and Shiro head out to take out the Zeon forces and gain new ground. The textless opening was pretty good for an extra and the bonus clip is pretty much a trailer for the show. The one thing I hate about this disc is the sloppy menus. Not much effort looks like it went into it. Pretty standard. Overall, a great disc worth every dollar. It's nice to see a Gundam series on DVD besides Gundam Wing.

Shiro Amada, inexperienced in ground combat, is recently transferred from the zero-g's of space to become commander of the 08th MS Team. It's short (only 11 half-hour episodes, plus an epilogue), but things don't need to be long and politically complicated (more like confusing) to seem terribly realistic. A side story during the One Year War (basic setting for most of the orginal Gundam series), 08th MS Team is the story of the not-so-elite.

Straying from the main focus of shows like Gundam Wing - giant Mobile Suits destroying each other in the name of honor and peace - 08th MS Team is a quieter version of a large-scale war. Shiro isn't the heroic, I don't care if I kill you, I'll blast you for peace, war is the only way to solve anything, type presented in most previous Gundam stories (the Gundam universe sagas ran for over twenty years in Japan). Instead Shiro is sensitive, and protective of his teamates.

But things change when he meets a Zeon pilot named Aina. The 'evil' Zeon, enemy of the Federation, contains decent people. She's no more horrible and evil than Shiro. Things began to twist and turn for this young man, and he's not sure whether this is the right approach to the war at all. But his commanding officers aren't too hot about his connection with the Zeon pilot. Formerlly scorned by his teamates, he had earned their trust. Now...will things change?

The first episodes are a great introduction. You meet everybody, get the idea, begin to understand the characters. But it's not all talk. Watch out for some exciting jungle battles, and few plot twists that'll leave you wondering. The first ep is my only peeve about the series so far, being rather mushy and slow - but don't let that turn you off!

Technically speaking, the animation is wonderful. Since its an OAV, its a bit above standard when it comes to Gundam. Beautifully detailed jungle battles backed with colorful greens and browns makes this intruiging to look at. The animation can get rather comical at times, but everything is bearable. If your familiar with some anime, you'll reconize the looks of the animation from Outlaw Star, which premiered on Cartoon Network before 08th MS Team.

Actually, despite complaints, the dubbed voices aren't bad. Yeah, the dialouge can get cheesy, and the acting isn't perfect. But I've seen worse.

In conclusion, fans of spectacular battles and stoic, cute pilots may be a little turned off. But if you're looking for a more realistic side of the war, 08th MS Team is for you. The story of the cast outs and common soldiers, there's something in this for every anime fan. Simple, easy, real, no polotics - really. What more could you want?

Gundam wing was nice, sure, if your into that kinda kiddie stuff. This is what is in store for american gundam fans that want serious gundam shows. Its a war through the eyes off the feds and the zeon. there is no wrong or right. both sides are equally to blame. When i first watched this i was blown away. It wasn't "my mech is is better then yours" or "I'm a wimpy newtype (see Mobile Suit Gundam and Chars Counter Attack)who goes bezerk." no it was waht really goes on in war on any kind of military base. The mix between the characters of the 08th Team is wonderfully done. and the part about Sanders the reaper was an excellent touch. Most kids would hurl if htey saw this anime ucase they wouldn't know what to think. mostly cuase there too defensive of gundam wing *shudder* I think that one of hte greatest anime sagas of all time is here to stay.

I don't usually write reviews of the anime I watch, but I believe this series deserves one. After watching the series, let me say that this blows Gundam Wing out of the water. It is a real drama about front-line troops that have to use Gundams in platoons to achieve victory. The Gundams aren't invincible either; they can't just run into battle and decimate the enemy as the pilots did in GW. This disk introduces the characters and gives us a sneak peek of the coming action with a few jungle conflicts. If you are looking for a gritty war story with realistic characters, this is it. If you are looking for practically invincible robots fighting entire armies, then Gundam Wing might be more for you. All in all, a great series worth viewing. Deserving of five stars.

Taking place in the year Universal Century 0079 (Same time as the original "Mobile Suit Gundam") Mobile Suit Gundam: 8th Mobile Suit Team tells the story of Shiro Armada and his team of Mobile Suit Pilots, for those wondering 8th MS is a great thing to watch if you are just now getting into Gundam. Now most Gundam series tell the story of a 15 year old Dragged into the war and how he and his friends win the war, 8th ms team is the opposite, it actually documents what the "regular" people were like in the time, they use regular robots that do not have the power to take down an entire fleet, and they fight against other regular robots like "Zaku II's". With that said you get to watch the team do various operations, like freeing a town from the control of ZEON, or doing stuff in the desert. One scene I really like is a scene where they are actually preforming maintence on a robot, scenes like this actually imerese the viewer in the feeling that this is what being a soilder is like.
The characters also have human sides, Shiro is trying to prove himself and keep his dysfunctional team intact, Micheal (Spelling) is suffering the woes of a long distance relationship, and there are many other characters with "human" problems, the characters also are not imortal, there are times when their MS get destroyed, and they get injured. There is also a love story, which I find rather interesting, because it has that whole "Two soilders on different sides fall in love." feel.

Would I suguest it? YES! to everyone. 8th ms team really shows what it would be like to be a grunt in the earth federation army, and also has a nice love story in it.

I started getting into the Gundam Universe in 2003. We have nothing Gundam related running in New Zealand on any of the TV channels, and I have been looking for something a little more mature than my trusted favorite, The Transformers. I took a punt with the Gundam movie box set, and have been entralled ever since. Of all the Region 1 Gundam shows I have so far (which is all of them bar G-Gundam) I would have to rate the 08th MS Team as tops. I'm not a huge fan of anime as such, but love the mecha shows. The depth of this story is a cut above your average run of the mill robot-jock show, and the animation is superb. Some of the English voice dub is patchy at times, but don't let this detract from an otherwise stellar OVA. Thoroughly recommended.

I don't know why people feel compelled to compare this to Gundam Wing since both series have nothing in common, and they both occur in two completely different universes. The only comparisons that can be made, however, should be in regard to the actual Gundams and pilots themselves. The Gundams are mass produced mobile suits piloted by regular soldiers; much different than the seemingly invincible mobile suits piloted by extraordinarily talented teenagers from Gundam Wing (and even Gundam X in some respects). Series like this is what Gundam is all about: action, story, drama, and of course mecha. The human aspect to war is also ever-present, which draws from the emotions and lifestyles of each character. All four volumes of this series are highly recommended.

This OAV series is set during the final days of the One Year War. Ensign Shiro Amada is a young space-born Federal officer given his first command, the 08th Mobile Suit Team of the Kojima Battalion, and quickly gets embroiled in fierce battles with Zeon forces in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. While there, they encounter formidable resistance from enemy Zakus, negotiate with wily guerrilla warriors, and discover a secret base that harbors a weapon that could bring down the Earth forces for good. It doesn't help that the first Zeon soldier Shiro meets face-to-face is the lovely, intelligent Ayna Saharin. Can he reconcile his feelings for her and earn the trust of the soldiers of the 08th MS Team? Or will a rusting hulk of metal be his epitaph in this sweltering jungle battleground?

It's kinda hard to review this because there is nothing to bash or make fun of. After viewing the entire Gundam: 08th MS Team series I can easily say it is one of the greatest anime titles I have ever seen. This is saying a lot because have a history of rating anime very harshly. It stays true to the excellence attributed to the name Gundam and even surpasses it. It effectively mimics the idea of having "good people" on both sides of war we saw in 0080, but emphasizes it more since romance is involved. However, all you action junkies out there don't get the wrong idea. This has action scenes that put GW to shame. You see Gundam is really about intelligent fighting then being flashy a la GW. 08th MS Team revisits this theory and puts it to good use. I swear, every episode gets better and better. By the time you reach the climatic Shuddering Mountain episodes you will be blown away. A classic. Do not miss this. I can't think of any conceivable reason why I would rate it any lower than 5 stars (And the catchy end credits theme doesn't hurt either =).