Kidou Senshi Gundam: Dai 08 MS Shoutai - Miller's Report

This is a sort of recap episode. Most of the run time is just the 7th and 8th episodes of the series in nearly their entirety. It contains some flashbacks of episode 1. It contains a few small additional scenes sprinkled throughout with a new character that only appears here. It does not really add much to the story and can easily be skipped.

A 12 episode OVA series with a recap episode that only really recaps 2 episodes seems very strange and there's a particular reason for that. The director of the first 6 episodes of the series, which were ... all released across four dates in one year, died during production. A new director was brought in for the remaining episodes but from that point on production slowed and the last 6 episodes were released 2 per year for 3 years. The longest gaps in production were between episodes 6 and 7, and episodes 10 and 11, each being nearly full year gaps. This recap film was released during the second gap. Without the troubled production of this series, this film likely would not have been made.

The 08th MS Team is a top tier Gundam series, but I'm not going to talk about why here. This 50-minute movie, "Miller's Report", takes place two thirds of the way through the series. I watched it hoping for a decent amount of new footage since it's framed with an original story as intelligence officer Alice Miller investigates Shiro Amada. Sadly, this ended up just being what it was meant to be: glorified padding between releasing episodes of the OVA. The movie recaps most of the events surrounding Shiro and Aina's relationship, and combines it with the aftermath of what happened when the OVA took ... place with some footage cut out and some footage added. Structurally, it's very weird in this way. It's chronologically consistent at the beginning, then delves into a long flashback, then goes back to chronology and follows the OVA in an abridged format until it ends before the final act. Miller is only given basic characterization and is only seen in a few minutes of the total running time. I guess if you're super desperate for more of The 08th MS Team then this could do as it retcons some additional detail into certain episodes, but it doesn't really improve the experience much. The best part of watching this was OZC's encode, which was absolutely incredible. If more encodes of old series got this treatment then maybe life wouldn't be so terrible. Go watch "A Battle with the Third Dimension" instead.

I am a huge fan of the series "Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team". I think it's the most realistic portrayal of what a war with mobile suits would feel like. So, after seeing it on TV in America I was thrilled to read there was more. A movie, no less! "Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report". I couldn't wait to see it. Turns out, I had already seen it for the most part.

"Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report" is, to be clear, a COMPILATION movie. A glorified clip show. Re-enforced and fortified with the thin ... addition of the film noire-esque character of Federation Investigator Alice Miller, filling a few gaps in the story between episodes 8 and 9, and solving the mystery that has haunted many 08th MS team fans (and by "many" I mean maybe two) ...how did Eledore re-join the team after his hospital stay?

We are given many clips from the first 8 episodes. Linked together by Miller's investigation and a small character arc for her. All and all, "Miller's Report" is a bit of padding to fill in what was an easily overlooked hole in the story line. And does little to enrich was already a superb entry into the Gundam franchise. My advice, if you're still hungry for some "08th MS Team" after you finished the show or are a stickler for continuity, give it a watch. Otherwise, skip it and just watch "Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team" as is. Cheers!