English Dub Review: Mobile Suit Gundam the Origin: Advent of the Red Comet “The Battle of Loum”

 

Overview (Spoilers Below)

The battle for Loum is upon us, and it’s a massacre, just as the old fortune-teller predicted. Dozle is commanding the fleet, and he is merciless. Remember, folks, he has to kill as many Federation soldiers as possible so his baby daughter never has to. However, for somebody killing out of duty, he seems to be enjoying the carnage a little too much.

Garma, still watching the war on TV next to his super-creepy dad, is calling the shots like he owns the place—because someday he will. But when the Zabi troupes retreat, the young boy becomes confused.

“Father, why are our ships running away,” the puzzled boy asks.

“Because I’ve commanded your brother Dozle to play chicken with the enemy,” the despot answers.

“But if the Federation calls his bluff,” the boys says, moments before a harsh realization, “won’t Dozle… die?”

“Precisely,” says the old man, as casually as if he had said, “Would anybody like a peanut?”

Kycilia catches wind of Dozle’s stupid move at almost the exact same moment as Garma, and confronts her older brother, Gihren. Her denouncement of the Zabi family is strong and striking, but the poignancy of the moment is slightly weakened since she’s dressed like Cobra Commander from the old G.I. Joe cartoons. Still, she’s insanely irate, and this is definitely not the last we’ll hear from her on the subject.

Meanwhile, in space, a Federation ship called the Duckbill is flying around on a recon mission, far from where the fighting is taking place. When they come across Dozle’s fleet, they freak out and immediately contact the admiral’s ship. They give up the Zabi fleet’s location and warn their people ahead of time. You see, the Federation has a secondary fleet that could easily cut through Dozle’s forces. But utilizing their last line of defense could also cost them the war.

In the end, Dozle’s (actually Degwin’s) risky strategy works and the fleet holds back without attacking. While on the main battlefield, Casval and the other mobile suits make quick work of the primary fleet. They leave only the admiral alive in hopes that he’ll soon surrender.

As for the Duckbill, well, no good deed goes unpunished. After their futile attempt to warn the admiral, their little recon ship is torn apart by a much larger warship, because the Zabis like to punch down. The pilots are thrown into space to die slowly—just two more victims of a bloody conflict that has already claimed millions upon millions of lives.

 

Our Take

What can be said about an episode that was ninety percent spaceships shooting at other spaceships? The animation looked good, that’s for sure. The battle wasn’t too hard to follow since the Zabi ships were primarily dark green and the Federation ships were light blue. Whoever was behind the color palette deserves kudos. I can’t even imagine reading something like this in a manga. The shading would have to be impeccable. Can you even imagine?

Casval/Char is still a prick whose motivations remain a mystery. I like how the other mobile suit pilots strive to outshine him. But with inferior weaponry, they don’t really stand a chance. It’s kind of like watching the Buffalo Bills. They’re not good enough to win against the stronger teams in the league, but they give it their best shot.

What the hell, Garma? Just last episode, your dad looked you in the eyes and said he doesn’t give a damn if Dozle lives or dies. HE. IS. EXPENDABLE. So why make him explain it to you all over again? Degwin is old and tired and will probably die before you’re old enough to have your first space beer; don’t exacerbate his suffering. Obviously, I’m kidding. Degwin’s a tyrant who deserves way worse than a barrage of annoying questions from his spoiled, Barron-esque heir.

I think the problem with the Federation Admiral is that we haven’t seen him do anything particularly human throughout his many appearances in this series. I think we’re supposed to be rooting for him over Dozle, but we know so much more about the latter. Yes, Dozle is an insane loudmouth who has the mind and maturity of a fifteen-year-old, but he’s our insane loudmouth with the mind and maturity of a fifteen-year-old. We’ve seen him with his wife (?) and daughter, and we know he makes compulsive decisions out of misguided ideals of love. Deep down he’s a decent person, he was just born into the wrong family. On the other hand, the Federation Admiral is just some military guy we don’t really care about.

War is strange… among other things.