Ranked #67

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

The latest animation production in the Gundam metaseries, MS Gundam Unicorn is adapted from a light novel with the same title. Although most of the newer Gundam production is set in an alternate universe, this time Sunrise decided to return to the Universal Century timeline, set in UC 0096, 3 years after Char's Counterattack and 27 years before F91. Planned to be a 6 episodes OVA, this OVA will take approximately 3 years to finish. But for me, the wait is worth it, since based on the 1st episode, the series will be an excellent one.

Story: 8
The story takes off from after Char's Counterattack. Many cliched plot are used, but they are played very well to create an enjoyable plot. Since the story is a continuation of the first 4 Gundam animes, it is advisable to watch those first (namely, Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta Gundam, Gundam ZZ. and Char's Counterattack.) Else there may many aspect of the stories and concepts that you don't understand. I give an 8 based on the first episode only, so it might change as new episodes came out.

Art: 10
Too bad the maximum is 10. I'd like to give more, but oh well. Animation is the best I've ever seen in an anime. Battles are done fluidly, good character design and mecha design. One thing that I like is the cel-shading, the mechas are done using 3D CG, but the cel-shading is done beautifully to make them not look 3D anymore; they really look like hand drawn. Though it still retains a bit of the 3D CG feel, it's still the best cel-shading I've seen so far, gives more of an anime feel than a real 3D CG, like in Macross for example.

Sound: 10
I got addicted to the soundtrack of the first battle right off the bat. Not only that, the whole episode is accompanied by good soundtracks. They really fit the scene well. SFX is also good, even in scenes where there's a lot of SFX played, each one is defined pretty well without becoming a mess. Voice acting has no problem either, no annoying voice acting present for me, like those annoying overly shy girl's voice which is present in many animes.

Character: 8
Still the first episode,so I can't give much comments, but as far as I see, they got a solid start. Some characters are from the previous series, which adds to the reason why you should watch the previous series before watching this.

Enjoyment: 10
Very enjoyable. I really enjoy as the story unfolds to reveal more conflicts. The first episode gets more and more interesting as you watch. The battle is also top-notch, it's really rare to see a 'nameless pilot in a grunt unit' possess so much skill and put up such a good fight against the 'named pilot in a non-grunt unit'.

Miscellaneous things:
-It's a Gundam series set in UC timeline so it has to be good. Well, that's just my very biased opinion so don't mind it.
-Funnels. Who doesn't like funnels? This has the best animation of funnel attack I've ever seen.

Overall: 10
Perfect score, since to me this is an outstanding anime. It's got good story, good art, good soundtracks and SFX, good characters, and very enjoyable. Although, this anime is more oriented toward Universal Century Gundam fans rather than the newer Gundam fans. I think maybe because lately there's been a lot of people who voiced dislike towards the newer Gundam series, so Sunrise decided to animate this series.
All in all, a good watch, though the wait is very long, 6 months per episode, but it's worth the wait. read more

Dubbed as "Vanilla Gundam" for its shift to elaborate upon the old gundam series, this OVA will not disappoint. Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, is a OVA series set three years after the events of Char's counter attack. That being said, Gundam Unicorn is a separate story adapted from a light novel series, though i believe is canon thus the need to at least read up on the gundam series beforehand is probably advisable. Though you could get through the series without a single clue, i feel that some of experience would be lost.

Story - 8
Like all Gundam series i have watched, most explore a lot of themes ranging from environmental issues to human rights. Usually, the protagonist gets to wield some epic gundam of some sorts and the plot takes of from there. Gundam Unicorn is no exception, but you really can't blame the series, since most mecha animes are like that. However this is no reason to skip the series since, the premise shows some real promise, albeit slightly cliche (at the moment of writing this). Since, only one episode has been released, my rating of 8 is rather an estimation of things to come (and also looking back at the prequels which had a solid plot), and right now I'm certainly looking forward to what happens next.

Animation - over 9000?
Yes, the quality IS over 9000. There is really no words to describe the quality of the animation. Every mecha ranging from the classic zaku's to the epic gundam's are detailed to perfection, and their designs are magnificent. Action scenes are plentiful and the quality is very smooth and a joy to gawk at.Camera angles are dynamic, and are always varied especially the action sequences.
Merit should be given to the studio for portraying the characters in a "old school" way, similar to that of Chars Counter Attack albeit more detailed. Shading in every scene is detailed nicely and the backdrops are very nice. For an OVA series that is going to take three years to finish, you would expect nothing less.

Sound - 8
I'm no expert at sound or voice acting besides the fact that if they don't sound annoying then its good. Well I can't really judge the VA's, but from my "expertise" they seem all fine and don't sound forced at all. Scripting for the OVA is good and matches the atmosphere and universe well.
As for background music, i didn't really notice it since i couldn't pick much from the background scores. Usually, music is an integral part of movies, shows and games as it adds to the experience and helps the audience immerse themselves. Since i couldn't really hear anything defining, then i can only say that the soundtrack seems "meh". (as of the first episode anyways)
That's not to say however that the sound is average in this series; the sound effects ranging from explosions to that familiar whoosh are all executed perfectly and are believable.
What I'm really exited about however, is the DVD/bluray release of the first OVA which will contain (from what i hear anyways) English audio and subs from 5 different languages. Because the cast is very diverse I'm very interested to how the OVA will execute the voice acting.



After watching the first episode I was really dumbfounded by the pure epicness of the episode. From every aspect, the OVA has done significantly well and from my personal predictions, it will only get better. Whilst the series will take three years to finish, I am certainly willing to wait because the series has so much to offer. This is truly a top notch anime that fans and non fans alike will enjoy though the wait till the next episode will anal anyone.


NOTE - I will be updating this as the newer episodes gets released and when i get my hands on the DVD/Bluray release. oh and get this in HD since only the animation can truly be appreciated there. read more

Note: This review of Unicorn is based only on what has aired to date, not on any speculation or information about future plot developments.

As the eagerly-awaited by most fans continuation of the Universal Century plot, Unicorn was going to have a lot to live up to and I would say that from a strong start is has shown signs perhaps of losing its way. As a novel adaptation, I cannot speak of its accuracy although have heard that it deviates significantly, especially in episodes 3 and 4.

The plot is a complex affair of double-crossing, double agents and interlocked schemes as a conspiracy story plays out in space. In the fourth episode, one of the characters claims that it's like he is being shown all the stages of man's downfall - and at times the plot does seem like a procession of scenes like that. From the opening, showing the collapse of the Universal Century's ideals to the fourth's episode's battles in and around the base where "Stardust Memory" begins, featuring what another character calls a "war museum" of mechs from the franchise, Unicorn is heavy on spectacle and homage.

It does a fair job of explaining what's going on and why a viewer should know the significance of the Red Comet, Neo Zeon and Puru 12, but ultimately if you haven't seen at least the original series, Zeta and Char's Counterattack it will leave a lot of questions. Knowing the plot of ZZ Gundam as well would be really useful.

So the overall arc of the plot can be described as confused and deep in references to other series, but this was always intended to be for the fans. Much like GaoGaiGar Final, it relies on people's good memories of the things it is derived from and builds on that, rather than as a standalone OVA.

In fact, GGG F is a valid comparison for series' action, too. It is heavy on spectacle, and attempts to have a grittiness that other franchise entries don't. Everything is trying to outdo everything else in having the most gratituous shots of mechs exploding in gouts of liquid metal, of pilots and bystanders vapourised, of weapons that are ever-more over the top from laser chainguns that rip enemies apart to a basic standby rifle of capital-ship power.

That said, it works. The fights have an excellent sense of tension, pacing and choreography for the most part. Whereas I felt GGG F went too far into spectacle and excess, Unicorn is like the Modern Warfare of the Gundam universe - everything is tactical and full of superweapons (right down to the frankly excessive Jesta, a GM variant with a holographic sight, folding stock and suppressor on its ENERGY WEAPON, and Geara Zulu, which takes the Germanic aesthetic of the Zaku and its variants to the logical extreme with a WW2 gasmask and helmet for its head section.)

In terms of art and music, Unicorn excels. The battles are colourful and dynamic and a joy to watch. The soundtrack is excellent, probably one of the best a recent anime has had (particularly recommended are MAD-NUG from episode 4, UNICORN from episode 1 and ZERO GRAVITY, used throughout the series).

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So to sum up Unicorn, if you are at all a fan of Gundam, it is likely to be immensely enjoyable. It is full of recognisable characters and robots coming out with the same lines over the same battlefields, only more so. Where ZZ had the Quin Mantha, Unicorn has the Kshatriya which may as well be two welded together. Where CCA had the Nu Gundam, this has the Unicorn, which is almost childlike in its one-upmanship.

That's not to say it's a bad OVA. Compared to the other Universal Century OVAs, only "War in the Pocket" is better. It is reminiscent of "Stardust Memory" in its style, and visual glitz and focus on action and making Gundam into an all-action experience - but handles its plot better for the most part. It is reminiscent of "08th MS Team" in its desire to show giant robot battles as being violent affairs - but is more exciting and less infuriating.

8/10 is a fair score, I think. It's impossible not to, if you know anything about Gundam, be impressed by it. Not to smile at characters in-universe talking about things you've seen. In creating the Universal Century as a credible setting, it succeeds.

But at the same time, some major plot developments in episode 4 involving the climactic fight show it is perhaps drifting away from what order it had, and changing tone. read more

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn starts off in U.C. 0001 the very beginning of the original Mobile Suit Gundam timeline with the Laplace incident, setting it up for the main story. I think Gundam Unicorn is a great Gundam story, but it's not for someone who's unfamiliar with Gundam's Universal Century timeline. It's really recommended that you at least know the main stories of Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta Gundam, ZZ Gundam and Char's Counterattack before watching Unicorn, as there are huge references to those stories.
The story for Unicorn is pretty good, solid idea, and well executed, but the two points that really make this show shine are the characters and fight scenes.
The main character, Banagher Links, is relatable, he's an average student, albeit with newtype abilities, who is thrown in the midst of fighting he can't understand between Neo-Zeon Sleeves and the Earth Federation.
Then there's Audrey Burne, or Mineva Lao Zabi, who has left Zeon to try and stop the war that could break out between the Sleeves and Federation.
The supporting cast is just as interesting, with characters like Riddhe Marcenas, a soldier with his own personal agenda, Marida Cruz, a stoic MS pilot with a painful past, and Loni Garvey, an MA pilot with a deep grudge against Zeon.
The antagonist, the masked man, Full Frontal is very interesting too. Hailed as the second coming of Char, his mysterious agenda remains a looming uncertainty over the already multilayered plot.
The second best point of Unicorn is definitely the fight scenes. The fight scenes are really what every Gundam anime strives to be, with absolutely unbelievable art and beautiful mecha designs from the legendary Hajime Katoki, the fight scenes in Unicorn are unparalleled. The fight scenes are not lazily done that has become the norm since SEED with no battle damage, and the main mech shrugging off all damage. One example of this is one of the first fights between the main mech, RX-0 Unicorn Gundam vs MSN-06S Sinanju shows off how a real mobile suit fight would be, long range shots with almost no hits, and when a shot does hit, it's usually a casualty, especially with a powerful mobile suit like Unicorn Gundam. Because of this, the fights feel much more real than any other Gundam series to date. Another related aspect is the amazing art. It really takes the original art style of the Universal Century and gives it an HD remix, and as a result, the characters and mechs look amazing which is just the icing on the cake with this amazing series.

I personally would gives Mobile Suit Gundam an 8/10 for the story, 10/10 for art and sound, 9/10 for the characters, 10/10 for the enjoyment and overall a 9.5/10.
Definitely an anime I would recommend to any Gundam fan, especially a fan of the Universal Century. read more

Review up to OVA 5.

There are two different ways for someone to enjoy Unicorn. The first is to expect to watch mecha porn; meaning to see some amazing production values regarding giant robots. And indeed, this anime has the best overall artwork and animation in any other Gundam to date. It just looks plain awesome. The second way is through nostalgia, as we are taken back to the first and best of all timelines, that of the Universal Century. We get to see lots of familiar characters and cameos of areas and older models, so unlike most side stories you are truly made to believe this is a sequel.

Sadly this is as far as the good reasons go, since most of everything else is either a rehash of earlier Gundam shows, or it is a bad addition altogether. I mean I liked how all of a sudden the world federation is proven to be founded on staged terrorist attacks so the populace will turn to it for protection but that is something that was already shown in other universes as well, such as Wing and 00. I disliked a lot how all of a sudden the conflict gained pitiful objectives, such as finding a princess or a super magic cube. It used to be a lot more strategic and grand scaled in earlier titles.

As far as action goes, it is surely spectacular with the use of the budget. There is a sort of choreography in all the battles and the various special attacks make them further exciting. For the same reason of course you are distracted from the story and the characters, since the action gets most of the focus. And it also feels a lot closer to the super robots genre that the real robots one, which feels almost like a betrayal. UC pilots so far were using their skills and occasionally taped into their Newtype telepathy. They were surely not betting all their money on magic technology, such as a shield that deflects lasers, or a magic cube that can alter humanity.

The above has the result of making most of the plot to feel like a line of randomly generated minor missions than a clear thought out masterplan. It’s as if they are attacking places at random and hope for something more interesting to pop up.

The character interaction is good for allowing each major character to grow by talking with others. At the same time it will feel like they want to solve all of life’s mysteries by chatting with the enemy during a battle where they are trying to kill each other. And damn, how many times did scorn enemies meet in a friendly matter only to start shooting at each other a few minutes later? I am also torn so far at if I like the new protagonist. He looks and acts like Camille from Zeta (which is bad) who finds it really hard to decide if he wants to fight or not (which is good).

I feel like the show has played all its cards in a few OVAs and is just going in circles until the last part. In all it is a very good war drama/action title but surely goes way too easy with its plot and doesn’t try to offer something new. read more

When i started watching the first episode,i was wondering whether this could be yet an other one of those ultimately disappointing sequels of the universal century timelines.Well,the result was not the same when i finished the episode,leaving me with a jawdropper wanting for more than this.

Since i've only seen it till the 5th episode,i'll be giving the overall gist of the anime till that part.

Story: 9
The story is well written as the war ultimately draws to a close between the two fractions.Though some might find a few sentimental elements here and there a bit ackward,this one is definitely unique and stands out from the other universal century prequels.The story definitely heats up with each episode.

Art: 10
There's no doubt about it.Sunrise has definitely done their homework.With the old style combined with the new animation,this one just amplifies everything.It is a new form of art of how the gundam stories are told.

Sound: 10
The sound matches very well with how the anime goes along.

Character:9
The overall character development is pretty good.The way the old characters are brought in goes well the storyline.

Enjoyment: 10
As far as the enjoyment is concerned,any gundam fan will love this one as some of the battle scenes are even better than the predecessor ones.

Overall: 10
Finally,to conclude,this is on amazing masterpiece which depicts how a good a gundam series can get.Despite a few parts where it gets too deep,this is something which can leave you astounded for sure. read more

Maybe it's because I watched Wing first. AND I have an issue against "whiners."

I thought Victory Gundam was THE PINNACLE of anything Gundam, Turn-A and Double Zeta were pretty good, and Mitsuo Fukuda and his wife needed to be kicked out into the streets... for even thinking that they actually reach Yoshiyuki Tomino status with Seed & Destiny.

Fukuda's works had nearly killed Gundam for me. 00 tried it's best but fell on it's face. No. If anyone wanted anything Gundam done right, you go back to the old professionals.

And what they came up with is a Unicorn.

Bancolding$ (Bandai Namco Holdings Sunrise) basically took Double Zeta's "good parts" (the Puru clone and her MS), gave it Single Zeta's "cruel reality" and "whining-yet-useful protagonist," and used the animation from Char's Counter. It's a collection of "Gundam cliche's" and "reminiscing of the good-ol' days" that would usually kill those with lesser respect for history.

And I gotta say... It's holding up pretty well. The MS fights were able to drown out the speeches, the characters are easy to recognize and not lost in sea of "who's who." Is Bancolding$'s "Char" the "Stan Lee of Marvel movies?" (Wanting to co-star in EVERY ONE OF THEM)

Maybe (with Gundam Unicorn), the anime industry can be saved. Not by Yamakan; but by knowing the difference between "making money" and "making a legend." read more