Review of Mobile Suit Gundam 00

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 encapsulates all the quintessential elements of the Gundam franchise. From compelling main characters to nail-biting one-on-one mecha contests blended with elaborate military tactics and grand scale wars, it excels on all fronts. Despite the slight melodrama, it does not overwhelmingly cloud the plot like in Gundam Seed. What truly sets this epic apart is its mature tone and character portrayals. Unlike most other mecha series, the protagonists in this one are not teenagers, but fully grown-up adults, giving the story an adult weight. I highly value the neutrality the heroes' organization's ideological position, fighting to erase all conflicts impartially. It confirmed with whatI have thought on before, and the series discusses it properly, even mentioning the hard real-life situations like the unrest in the Middle East.

Towards the climax there are instances where the Gundams get sudden upgrades, similar to tropes found in Dragonball Z or Naruto. Although it seems artifical, the rich storytelling and the character development overcomes these stand-out moments.

The task of keeping tabs on the many tertiary characters may be difficult but it's just a little nuisance.

Even though the series features the major event, it lacks the emotional punch conveyed in Gundam Wing and Gundam Seed. Also, the male characters may be cool but they have neither the depth nor the charm of their counterparts in those series.

Recommended to those who are already Gundam fans. For new fans to the franchise aiming to discover the appeal of Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is a great place to start, being visually superior to both Gundam Wing and Gundam Seed. If you have fallen in love, the earlier installments are worth looking into, they develop different casts and the military dynamics.