27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Probably the best of the Gundams!!(WARNING: SPOILERS), December 23, 2005
This review is from: Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team DVD Complete Collection (DVD)
I've only been seriously into anime for a few years. When Toonami started to use high calibre stuff like 08th MS team, Gundam Wing, and Outlaw Star I slowly started to get hooked. With all of the other Gundam series aired I was repelled by the crappy animation and long, drawn-out stories. Maybe I'm just not serious enough... or am I?
As stated before: the other series just weren't up to snuff with this one. The rich colors and crisp, clear animation are eyecatching. They truly emphasize the greatness of the series. I like how the mechas keep true to the fact that they are metal. In the original Gundam 0079 the Mobile Suits' sholder plates bent and the armor folded like skin around the joints. And when one of them got hit they ALWAYS exploded into dust. When an enemy Zaku II gets hit in this series you SEE it go down and burn. There is incredible attention to detail in everything this series does.
This series shows a lot of humanity. In earlier Gundam installations it was Good Guy/Bad Guy. Federation was ALWAYS good and Zeon was ALWAYS evil. In 08th MS Team they show an un-biased view of the One Year War. You feel for both sides of the conflict because they are shown as humans; not just soldiers. Same goes when Eladore gets drunk and thrown in a Zeon prison. It shows that he is more than just a Hovertruck operator. He makes mistakes and errors.
The story is also VERY excellent. The series shows EVERY aspect of the story so you know whats going on. It helps you understand stuff you wouldn't understand if they just showed action sequences. Some series like to do that. While the action is ample a love story is delicately nestled between the death and war. It shows that "love can bloom on the battlefield"(Metal Gear Solid reference^_^) I like the realism that Shiro and Aina have. Their missions come first. I like how later, when they realize that it's "now or never" they risk all to be together... touching(sniffle)
I highly recommend this series to hardcore collectors as well as budding fans. Even as short as it is it will deeply satisfy you.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great characters, realistiic potrayal of war and giant mechs - what more could you want!, September 16, 2005
This review is from: Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team DVD Complete Collection (DVD)
I am new to anime but I ordered this brick because I had seen a very cool music video that used footage from it.
This anime is essentially a mix between a war film, Romeo and Juliet and a mecha - a strange combination but it works. The love story is between the optimistic and compassionate feddie, Shiro Amada and the beautiful and caring Zeon, Aina Sahalin. Although there is love at first sight, the war gets in the way of any relationship.
Excellently we see war from both sides and it is not a biased perspective. Aina's brother (a Zeon scientist) seems a reasonable man at first, but his belief that a super weapon will bring peace sends him into madness. Although the Zeon's are a little more brutal than the Feddie's they are just normal soldiers and this is put forward several times.
08th MS team's story is not complex or philosophical like for example Evangelion and this will be a relief for many who find complex ramblings a turn off. This is a tale about ordinary soldier's and their experiences. This realism is what I like so much about this series. The MS team are not amazing pilots and they make mistakes. The Gundams look gritty and realistic, moving like machines and having a weighty feel to them, not flying around as though they way nothing. Several times in the series we see repair's being done to the Gundams, a touch I really liked.
All the characters in the series I liked and I thought they were realistic, funny and I warmed to them. I implore you however to watch this in japanese in subtitles because the English dub is cringe worthy.
Animation is really excellent, the best ive seen outside of films. This really helps make the action scenes explosive and powerful.
The intro and outro music are both quite catchy J-pop songs whilst the footage is overlayed with a good classical score.
The DVD has some good extras but ive liked to have seen some interviews. The layout is very cool as well.
In conclusion if you like high quality action tied in with a warming love story this is for you. Even if you don't like anime i'd still recommend this. Suit u
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short and Infinitely Sweet, June 12, 2006
This review is from: Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team DVD Complete Collection (DVD)
The 8th MS Team is my single favorite Gundam series. I've always loved the plot of the original Mobile Suit Gundam and the ideas it presented about warfare, but the art is somewhat painful in this day and age. The 8th MS Team holds true to the original ideas of the series while updating the one year war with absolutly gorgeous animation. The Gundums are just advanced models of existing units, they're not the miniature war winning gods presented in other series. This uniformity lets the cast shine through. That's a good thing, because the struggles of the men and women of the 8th MS Team against all the death around are the most interesting parts of the series. For a show that combines gut-searing action with thoughtful depth, you can't beat the 8th.
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