Gundam Build Fighters

Mecha series usually comes with the package of giant robots fighting space wars for liberation, conquest, and establishing a position in their perspective universe. Often or not, they adapt this style into a genre of warfare because colonies and countries rarely get along as result of internal/external conflicts. Gundam Build Fighters takes a bit of a different approach. Rather than world conquest, it adapts a competitive play involving technology that allows users to control Gundam models. These models are known by standards used in the so-called “Gunpla battles” as a sports competition. It presents a different atmosphere from the usual mecha series you may be ... used to watching. However, being different isn’t necessary a drawback. In fact, Gundam Build Fighters proves itself to be unique in its own rights.

Gundam Build Fighters is a sci-fi series directed by Kenji Nagasaki that is known for being the 13th incarnation from Sunrise’s Gundam franchise. Take this show as a more competitive version of the previous Gundam franchise. By competition, I mean it as a way that shows characters’ abilities at their best when pitted against each other. They fight for: honor, respect, dignity, and some for self-interest. However, if these competitors have one thing in common: it’s their passion to fight and embrace the Gundam culture.

This series is competitive. It’s more competitive than any of its similar predecessor such as SEED, Gundam 00, or Gundam AGE. This is because the pure nature that defines Gundam Build Fighters. The key word might be ‘fighters’ here because it sets forth two important factors: the user and the Gunpla. There’s a saying that goes “a sword is only as strong as the wielder itself”. For Sei Iori, he is definitely not a strong fighter in the beginning. Coming from a normal family background, he is your average boy who has a talent with building Gunpla kits. Unfortunately, his piloting skills doesn’t match his creative mind. It seems hopeless for him to ever make it into the big leagues until he meets a mysterious boy named Reiji. While lacking common sense or social skills, Reiji’s piloting skills allows him to compete against those of the elite. It’s a source of mystery with his exact nature, origin, and how he arrived to Earth. But regardless, he is quickly able to make friends with Sei and together become a formidable duo that has earned them recognition in the community.

Gundam Build Fighters elicits a feeling of attachment on many occasions. It’s not just the competitions but the way characters develop. Sei and Reiji starts out as obscure names in competitions. However, they are able to fight their way to the top with their skills, intellect, and teamwork. It succeeds in this field of progression because we get to see how they develop with every battle. Each opponent they fight makes them stronger while allowing them to learn from any mistakes. The show also doesn’t present them as Gary Stu characters as they do take losses on occasions against prominent opponents. Not only that but it’s also important to realize that neither Sei or Reiji blames each other for losses. They learn from their mistakes most of the time and use their knowledge to fight brilliantly through competitions. Of course, they also have the support of their family and friends. In the end, you’ll feel attached to these characters with their journey.

No journey is complete without competition. This competition comes in the form of various players across the world that truly tests Sei and Reiji to their limits. Foreigners from all over the world competes in the prestigious Gunpla Tournament to become a main event. It’s noticeable that some of these characters are also inspirations from previous Gundam predecessors. All of them have their own playing style, abilities, and personalities that offers a decent diversity of play. Prominent competitors such as Mao, Aila, Nils, Ricardo, Yuuki becomes major obstacles in the competition coming from various backgrounds. More importantly is the fact of how these characters develop relationships with Sei and Reiji. In other words, these competitors aren’t just a throwaway game. Whether friends or foe, they are able to bring out Sei and Reiji at their best and truly allows the audience to see the visage of Gunpla battles. Among other characters such as China and Sei’s family plays the role of support to show an inspiration of how they believe in the duo.

Friendship and relationships play prominent roles throughout the series. Sei and Reiji are perfect examples of friends. They help each other and compliments their abilities. For example, Sei is able to coordinate and provide strategic information during battles to Reiji as he pilots their Gunpla. It’s important to realize how far their teamwork goes towards each match. Without teamwork, they would never become who they are today. Relationship also extends to other major supporting characters such Aila that adds in a different flavor to the show’s themes. On the other hand, there’s also rivalries. Being a competitive game, this should be no surprise. There’s a sudden degree of how far rivalries ranging from being friendly competitions to cheating to gain an edge. Gundam Build Fighters explores both friendships and rivalries on levels that is relatable and appreciative with its style. Rather than just a gimmick, it extends to Gunpla battles itself and becomes a pivotal factor in determining losses, wins, or ties.

Being a Gundam series also means the audience should expect plenty of action. Gundam Build Fighters doesn’t neglect action and marks it as a major advertising event with its battles. Every Gundam is unique in their design, capabilities, and style. As such, expect every single battle to be different in its own way that brings out characters’ skills to their best. On many instances, the audience will be able to witness development of these battles as fields evolve, changes added to matches, and gameplay become more complex than ever. Complexity also reaches to the characters themselves as mysteries surrounds competitors such as Reiji and Alia. We don’t know much about their origins from the beginning such as where they came from. It provokes thought and formulation of theories that makes the show even more engaging to speculate.

Make no mistake though. Gundam Build Fighters does have its problems. Among some of these include a few episodes that feels fillerish and almost as meaningless. Examples includes training montages, a beach episode, and a few that only seems to add content that almost seems like a slice of life. China also seems to disappear into the background in later episodes as the series focuses more on competition and less on their relationship. It just seems that her relationship with Sei never really had a progression besides being close friends. It’s however easy to tell where China’s feelings really lies. While it is innocent, it can also feel childish and sway away older fan’s interests. And as ‘easy to tell’ goes, predictability is a word to describe some battles with outcomes. Speaking of childish, the series sometimes will feel that way whether you like it or not. It maintains its serious atmosphere on most cases when it comes to competitions but when outside of that zone becomes more like a cartoon for fun.

Artwork serves as an example that brings out Gundam Build Fighters’ diversity to various angles. Every single Gunpla has its own design that defines its characteristics and abilities. Sei and Reiji’s Gunpla, the Star Build Strike, serves a symbol of pride for the duo with its traditional design. On the other hand, some character designs looks blend. Most of the characters seems to be just there and doesn’t stand out in any particular way. Only a few competitors in the show such as Aila and Yuuki gives off more of an intimidating feature. Background designs outside competitions also seems average with basic designs. But if we’re talking about the battle fields during gunpla battles, that’s a whole other story.

Judging on soundtrack, this show has what it takes. Just from its OST, it’s easy to realize just how intense some battles can be with its well-coordinated orchestra. There’s a mixed beat of rock and metal on most occasions that brings out the intensity of the battles. It’s what fans should expect if they come into a competitive atmosphere that GBD is offering and thankfully, it delivers. Both OP/ED songs also offers a montage of the main characters and some foreshadowing. The strengths of these songs doesn’t lie with its lyrics. Rather, it brings out the show for what exactly it is: a game for the ultimate prize.

Watching Gundam Build Fighters will feel like living like a kid all over again. If you remember playing with toys during childhood days, then this show will bring back some of those nostalgia. However, these aren’t just toys but are plastic models that revolutionizes Gunpla battles. The story will bring out these battles at its best along with the characters. Even though the story may feel slow at times, you’ll be rewarded with patience for its dynamics, relationships, and mechanics. You don’t need to be a big Gundam fan to watch this show. No, what you need is some motivation. Relieve the experience of being a kid again and being the big dog of your neighborhood.

Gundam Build Fighters is a prime example of turning a lame idea into something worthwhile. I really was not expecting it to be this good. Even with it's strange premise, it manages to reach outside the box of its genre and become something more than I ever imagined it could be.

The idea of special particles only reacting with the plastic of model Gundams is retarded, to be quite frank. That overarching property is applied too many times to the reasoning of things that happen during the show, but it is masked by emotion and epic battles, so you gradually come to not care anymore about ... how dumb the idea is. It is never fully explained how Arian and Earth are connected and how Reiji and the PPSE president are able to be there. Those 2 things aside, Gundam Build Fighters is fantastic in every other area. The story, while a little uninspired, takes flight thanks to the awesomeness of the fights and the characters.

Let's move on to the characters now. Sei is your run of the mill young shounen protagonist who loves something so much, but he's not great at something in it. Incomes Reiji to save the day with his piloting skills. Not much else can be said about him, he's not very impressionable besides his awesome Gundam building skills. Reiji on the other hand, is hilarious to watch with his "no fucks given" attitude and epic fighting technique. Unaware of his strong connection to Aila, who is bae as fuck I might add, it's hilarious to watch that relationship grow, and at the end when she returns to Arian, with him, you know they'll work it out. Some other notable characters are Fellini and Nils. Both awesome in their own ways, Fellini is just a big baller shot caller, while Nils is intellectual and witty. One more I'd like note is that Rinko is a fucking goddess and I want her to sit on my face. Everyone else has decent contributions to the series, and I can't name one terrible character.

Here's where this anime really shines though:
The visuals in this anime are striking and beautiful, even compared to today's animation quality. The fights are beautifully animated and wonderfully choreographed.

I can't say enough about the soundtrack. The timing is perfect with the background music, heightening your emotion at the right moments and really making you feel great about watching the show. The 2 OPs are fucking excellent as well.

Overall, Gundam Build Fighters has to be one of the most underrated anime in recent memory, and clearly goes beyond what most would think is a "kids' show". 9/10

In your youth, have you ever played out your imagination? Has your toy soldier ever battled across the carpet, your racing car sped along the dinner table? Do you know the wonder of outer-space and the distant stars? Dear reader, as you are presumably an anime-watcher, I am sure that feeling hasn't quite left you yet.
Gundam Buld Fighters is the playroom that has always been a reality, where our protagonists find themselves in a world where Gundam toys are alive and the world might just as well revolve around them. In short, this is a world where noone has to grow up. Fun is ... the oath to live by.

But what's in a Gundam?
Gundam is a toy comercial filled with a burning passion. There's no denying it, each and every Gundam is an aniamted advertisement for selling Gundam model kits, and along the way, it just so happens they've managed to tell some of the most fantastically memorable and famous stories within the medium. A Gundam show means melodrama, war, giant robots, passion, love, rivalry, cliches, transformations, and a fair dash of cheesy, silly nonsense.

So how is this about Gundam Build Fighters?
Gundam Build Fighters simply put, is the celebration of that legacy.

In a wonderfully paced action-romp of loving care, Sunrise has managed to derive from the world of Gundam a battle-tournament spectacle of the highest quality. In this extravaganza of blatant, subtle, and hidden homage to the breadth of the Gundam franchise (animated or not), Build Fighters is a light-hearted approach to the tournament genre that will endear you with its celebration of childlike abandon.

Appearing as the usual match-up fare, Build Fighters manages to keep it fresh with a variety of interesting turn-outs, characters, and cirumstances. The series length plays to the show's strengths, and never outstays its welcome. The quirky cast are quick to show off their jovial mannerisms, and you can always expect things to turn out for the best.

You'll be treated to a party of tropes: a back-and-forth, tongue-in-cheek free-for-all of serious playtime. This isn't just a fun show, it's a show that knows it's having fun. The animation takes a drop at times, but manages to hide that, remaining stylish with well-drawn stills. What matters most is that the animators really bring it together for the big matches where you can expect dynamic, jaw-dropping, and exciting clashes. With a striking soundtrack and high-octane, talented seiyuu cast, the show is the perfect mix as an easygoing, and over-the-top anime.

There are mysteries and intrigues (masked characters, anyone?). Rivalries, and friendships born from that respect. You'll be engulfed in hot passions, the power of tenacity, a pool of cutsie boys and girls, a background of hairy men, old men, grown men, young men, and even shaven men. Many a socket popped, plastic Gundams broken, torn asunder. Amongst the passionate cries, might even love bloom? Embracing, exonerating, and caricaturing the sins and memorabilia of Gundams past, Build Fighters is a fresh and welcome return to the Gundam world franchise, accessible to both old fan and newtype alike.

Gundam Build Fighters is a show that aims to entertain, and for Gundam fans, its also a masterful love-letter. Gundam is a franchise stretching beyond the realm of anime. This show takes that fact, and has spun it into a perfect celebration: a carnival of Gundams.

Naturally, people don't tend to start something new without building a few first impressions. We might do this by reading a synopsis, looking at cover art, or checking out reviews. Isn't it strange that how we determine whether or not to watch, read, or play something comes from things that don't actually matter? Some of us will start an anime just because we think the opening is cool, or disregard the anime because it isn’t. Some of us will start something because there are half-nude girls on the cover, and others keep scrolling at the sight of it. Some of us will start something simply ... because it claims to adhere to our favorite genres, regardless of what it's about.

We all make a few pointless assumptions about the quality of a series, but in reality, there's no telling how good or bad something might be until you actually watch it, regardless of its reputation, score, and reviews. We all have minds of our own, and it seems kind of ridiculous that we have these premature opinions on things we've never consumed.

However, is there really any other way? How else are you going to determine a first impression without watching, reading, and playing everything you come across? Clearly no one is going to do this, as it would be absolutely maddening. So, due to the lack of any solid alternatives, we have to make due with what we can. I mean, haven't you ever watched something that looked bad, but when you finished it, you were impressed by how good it was? On the other hand, have you ever thought something looked good, and once it was over, you were ultimately disappointed?

Well… prior to Build Fighters, I had never seen a Gundam series before, and since I have a friend who is a huge Gundam nerd, he desperately wanted to watch anything related to the franchise with me. As a joke, I decided to pick up the stupidest looking Gundam anime possible. From reading the synopsis, I didn't expect much. I wasn't particularly impressed by the idea of some ridiculous god-like particle allowing plastic models to fight to the death. It genuinely sounded stupid, and I was excited to gauge my friends reaction on the series that was so clearly not the "real Gundam" that he wanted me to experience.

Instead, however, I got a very nostalgic, homely, and charming anime with a genuinely impressive understanding of how to make a kids series a lot of fun. It lacks depth but it isn’t pretentious, it doesn’t pretend to be sophisticated or more than what it actually is. It’s just plain and simple fun.

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The Simplicity of Childhood
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The initial plot for Build Fighters is actually pretty simple. Our two protagonists, Sei and Reiji, are trying their best to win a tournament because of their obsession with Gunpla. For the most part, there’s not much going on besides from this. They have to fight and fight to get to the top, making a bunch of friends and rivals throughout. However, once you get passed the initial ideas, there are a few extra plot points they introduce in order to change up the formula. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I won't talk about what exactly happens, but what the writers do is a rather effective way of keeping the series interesting. I'm not going to pretend it was foreseeable, but it was definitely intriguing.

Additionally, it's pretty cool how it tries to make every little bit of this world as fun as possible. In this universe, Gunpla battles are as popular, in fact, even more popular than any other sport on Earth would be. It seems like everywhere you go, people will be talking about or fighting with Gunpla (I’m sure this is Sunrise’s ideal marketing environment). It’s so exciting to see a world where everyone is equally as passionate about something, even if the subject matter is as silly as Gundam.

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An Incredibly Fun Cast
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Build Fighter's characters aren’t deep or complex, but they're all quirky enough for a lot of fun to happen on screen.

Sei Iori, the protagonist, is a huge fan of Gundam, and since his father is a world renown Gunpla champion, he feels obligated to live up to his name and get good at the game. Seeing him go crazy over every little thing is pretty entertaining, especially when he goes into hyper-nerd mode, quoting line to line from a Gundam series. He’s great at building Gunpla, but he’s an awful fighter, and that’s where Reiji comes in. Reiji is very close friends with Sei, and although he’s pretty edgy in battle, he has a great understanding of fun. His cluelessness and warped perception of the world makes way for solid entertainment, too. In terms of skills, he's the complete opposite of Sei. He’s not good at building the Gunpla, but he has a great sense of how to fight. Additionally, there’s a huge secret surrounding Reiji. It’s hinted at since episode one, but it’s never actually revealed until much later on. This “secret” really adds some spice to the series, making it feel like more than just a systematic tournament about trying your best to win.

These two meet a bunch of other quirky characters along the way, too. The most notable addition being Aila Jyrkiäinen, a fellow Gunpla fighter who has a chance encounter with the cast around halfway through the series. The chemistry between Reiji and Aila is incredibly adorable, as they compliment each others personalities pretty well. They’re similar in many ways, which is essential to Reiji being the one who is able to get closest to her. They definitely deserve each other in every sense of the phrase.

Additionally, there’s Kousaka China, Sei’s romantic interest throughout the series. These two do have pretty okay chemistry, but she’s not particularly impressive as a character. It feels like Kousaka exists for nothing more than cheering Sei on. She doesn’t really do anything throughout the series besides from show up in scenes meant for the sole purpose of comedy, or in the crowd to go “You can do it, Sei!!!”

Another important character would be Ral, the man who sorta coaches the two. He helps them learn tricks and secrets to assist them in battle, and although he does have important moments, he’s very similar to China in terms of how much you should be expected to care. He feels irrelevant, even when the series tries to make him relevant.

There is an antagonist, but they’re not revealed until quite a bit into the series. So, in the interest of avoiding spoilers, I won’t mention their name. As villains go, they’re not particularly impressive. Very standard motivations with the kind of actions you would expect. Not the series strongest point, but still easy to hate. You want them gone, because the things they do will probably make you furious.

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Surprisingly Inspirational
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Build Fighters is surprisingly inspirational. Although it seems like nothing more than a kids series advertising Gundam, it’s so obsessed with the idea of chasing your dreams, never giving up, and doing what you want because it’s fun. From the cool soundtrack to the exciting openings, they really understand how to set the mood. Fight scenes are just so damn awesome in this series, with the soundtrack making fast paced fights feel exciting and powerful, yet dramatic scenes feel heavy and emotional. Additionally, there are quite a few genuinely memorable battles that take place throughout the series due to how gorgeous they are. It wants to show you that competitive spirit should never die, even when the stakes are as high as they are in Build Fighters.

You might be thinking that there are no stakes since they’re fighting with plastic models, but there definitely are. It may not be as crazy as risking your life, but in the midst of a tournament where millions of people are watching, if you lose, your Gunpla will probably be destroyed. It takes a lot of time and effort for these people to build their Gunpla, so seeing that happen to their hard work is devastating.

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The Power of Accessibility
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So many titles these days are obsessed with being something deep, complex, or substantial. It’s very rarely that I see a series that isn’t under the “slice of life” tag and has been made for the sole purpose of being fun. Even if you take some of the most brainless series’ out there, they usually have moments where they try to convince you that something greater is going on.

Build Fighters is so focused on being cool, fun, and entertaining that it doesn’t have time to be convoluted. It has plot twists, and surprising betrayals, but even these can be taken at face-value without any deeper thinking.

This makes the series so easily accessible. It’s not edgy, it’s not full of convoluted dialogue, and it’s not annoying as hell. Just straight up fun. This is likely because it was made for kids to begin with.

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Childish Comedy
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Gundam Build Fighters is still a kid shows, and unsurprisingly, the comedy style is pretty childish. Unfortunately, most of the jokes it makes aren't very successful. It’s one of those situations where you're probably going to laugh because it's cute, not because it's actually funny.

However, this isn’t a big deal. Very rarely do I not have a smile on my face while watching Build Fighters, and even if it doesn’t do a great job at being successful with its comedy, (although it does have a few funny moments) it’s genuinely adorable. The character interactions are silly, and they yell, laugh, and overreact to the stupidest things, but it’s all done in such a lighthearted way that it’s hard to stop smiling.

There's something soothing about this homage to nostalgia and childlike innocence, which takes me back to my perceptions of the world when I was a kid. Sure, it does have moments where it isn’t innocent, but these scenes are rather minor.

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One Big Advertisement?
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Throughout the series there are pretty frequent ads encouraging you to purchase Gunpla, and this is because Build Fighters was made to be an advertisement to begin with. It’s trying to get kids excited for Gundam models so they can convince their parents to go out and buy them. It feels kind of dirty when you think about it for a little, since the way they portray Gunpla in the anime is so legendary. It's painfully obvious that they want you to buy their products. They make it seem like so much fun to build and work on your Gunpla, when that’s probably not the reality.

If you can look past this, it’s not that big of deal. Sunrise just desperately wants to make money, but that doesn’t really make the show any worse.

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Verdict
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Build Fighters is an incredibly rewarding experience. It does have its fair share of flaws, mostly having to do with the side characters, a lackluster villain, and a mediocre understanding of comedy, but for the most part it’s an absolute blast to watch. Its lack of sophistication might bother some old-school Gundam fans, but a show trying to be fun for the sake of fun is genuinely refreshing. From the chemistry between Sei, Reiji, and Aila to the exciting soundtrack and great fight scenes, Build Fighters has a lot going for it. Even if these things are extremely basic, it’s still a good time all in its own respect.

Most definitely a very underrated series of the Spring 2014 season. Sure, the general premise of "gunpla battles" is a bit unattractive, but they've done so much good with this series, making it, BY FAR, the most enjoyable anime of Spring 2014. Let's go into details:

Story: 7/10
As I mentioned, the general storyline kind of lacks premise. More or less, gunpla battles are used in international competition, and the main character's dream is to be able to participate (and win) the world championships. Though he is a terrible pilot, he finds and teams up with someone who can move to his ideals, and they team up ... from there.

Art: 10/10
The art is hands down beautiful. The fighting animations are ridiculously smooth, and drawings are so detailed in almost every aspect. I have no complaints.

Sound: 10/10
Sound effects, music, everything. This anime has it all. The OST is fan-friggin-tastic, with 55 tracks over 2 CDs. There's so much variety in the composer's music, from styles and different feels. Some tracks which just fill you with adrenaline and determination, others that leave you with a heart-wrenching feeling. Everything was very well mixed and balanced to perfection.

Character: 10/10
Many of the characters in this show are just so likable. But on top of this, there is an incredible amount of character development in this show. As likable as characters can be, if they don't move anywhere or grow, a show is not worth watching.

Enjoyment: 10/10
In all honesty, the show just builds up so well. While I haven't rewatched most of the series yet, I felt as if each and every episode was important to the final buildup of the series. In other words, NO FILLERS! Everything builds up so well, so possibly the most EPIC finale a series could ask for. I have no complaints.

Overall: 10/10
Putting everything together leaves me with a 10/10 for this anime. Gundam Build Fighters is the best anime I've seen since Clannad, and while the two are completely different in feels and cannot be compared, my point is they hold a place deep in my heart. For me to write a review for this anime (which I never do), means something. It's really unfortunate that the series is so underrated and unpopular.

I HIGHLY recommend Gundam Build Fighters for whether or not you're a Gundam fan.

Back when I was a kid, I'd say 4 or 5, I began my path to geekdom with two legendary and out of this world sci-fi series, Robotech and Star Wars. These two golden oldies were part of my childhood and I can't thank my parents enough for introducing them to me. More than 10 years later, I'd eventually hear about the "Star Wars of anime", Gundam, a legendary robot war franchise as expansive as the Star Wars universe itself. I loved Code Geass, all 3 seasons of Robotech (Macross, Southern Cross, and MOSPEADA), so I was interested. More than a year and several Gundam ... series later, I wound up here.

I felt like a kid again.

*mild spoilers*

Gundam Build Fighters was such a personal breath of fresh air for me that I haven't had since the early episodes of G Gundam and the 4 monthly episodes of Thunderbolt Second Season over the course of Spring 2017. The story goes that for 5 months in a row, I had never seen a legitimately very good or very fun series, ever since the Winter 2017 season when I showed my love for Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen and gloriously took down the disaster known as Hand Shakers, I watched almost nothing but anime that either sucked or disappointed me. Sure, I still had the absolutely stellar Gundam Thunderbolt Second Season but that only came on one episode per month and then it was back to more disappointment and suffering. By this point, Zeta was declining a bit in quality towards the end, the Akito movies were trash, I was massively disappointed in Jin-Roh, as while G Gundam and King's Avatar cake close, neither series ever quite gave me that spark of greatness and awesomeness I had longed for (barring episodes 6-12 of G Gundam), not to mention that I saw Eromanga-Sensei, Gundam ZZ, Musekinin Galaxy Tylor, and Super Kid, four anime that I despise greatly and had a horrendous viewing experience of. I was about to give up. I was even ready to give up on Gundam for a while once I was done with this and ZZ. Once I reused this however, things began to change.

I started having fun again, fun I hadn't had since the aforementioned episodes of G Gundam and the monthly viewing experience of Thunderbolt Second Season, which gave me joy I hadn't had in anime since Winter of 2017. I started geeking out again and gawking at the epic flashy mobile suits being introduced. This anime wa super fun. It was great...kinda. You see, this anime is a Valhalla for Gundam fans, seeing all ther favorite Gundam units and mobile suits either present or reimagined with even some characters from these Gundam anime we know playing minor roles and cameos, but despite that, this is a silky and sometimes stupid kids show akin to G Gundam, and while that's not an absolutely bad thing, t means this anime wasn't quite as great as it could be. It fought valiantly however, and I'm proud of it not only for that but for reigniting something in me fully. Thank you for listening to my story, so for now, let's skip the usual segue and just jump into the review proper, shall we?

I’ll address the bad first this time around, unlike usual. First off, they really underutilized he whole alternate world thing involving Reiji, the Chairman, and the Plavsky particles. We don't know how Reiji could go back and forth at his own leisure or anything about the other world beyond Reiji being a prince and his rock beings stolen that can generate these plavsky particles. Also, Gunpla tournaments are horrendously managed since it's insanely easy to cheat and there is literally no rules beyond maybe one that is clearly being broken anyway (no suits that enhance abilities), making it insanely easy and common to blatantly cheat with no repercussions or anyone to report cheating. Some victories are pretty much either asspulls or otherwise things that could've been easily stopped, especially in the later episodes, such as in episodes 21 and 24. Certain losses feel forced too, and a forced loss is always a horrible thing.

However, what makes this script way better than it has any right to be is the sheer attention to detail with the fanfare and what certain things mean. While I wish they were drawn instead of just real life images, it's nice seeing the actual Gunpla boxes in stores and stuff, and white frankly, it's amazing to be able to look at Gundam units and mobile suits and recognize what they are and what particular Gundam anime they came from, as well as seeing the new variation and pinpointing what inspired it and where said mobile suit came from. They even snuck in glorious character cameos for fans like me to geek out at. Each mech used in combat from one of the other anime is represented faithfully as well. I like that Plavsky also rhymes with Minovski (the particles from Universal Century) and that Ranba Ral is a side character who quotes/paraphrases iconic lines from the actual Ral character from 0079. Lastly, I like how Sei’s dad piloted the original Gundam from the original Mobile Suit Gundam while Sei now pilots a variation of the Strike Gundam from SEED. Reason being that it's really like passing the torch to someone who imitates and looks up to you. After all, SEED is a modern (for the time) attempt at recycling the original Gundam anime (you know it's true).

The characters in the show are fine for what they are but most of them are the plain characters you'd see in a younger action anime of this type, though they're done decently enough without being obnoxiously cookie cutter. It's interesting that Sei is a total SEED fan who originally wanted his Gundam to adhere to that series’ technological mythos (though that particular method is kinda broken thanks to the Destiny Gundam making no sense from that standpoint) and that he subconsciously knew all of the dialogue from the original Mobile Suit Gundam, but it adds very little to him. Honestly, my favorite character is Rinko, Sei’s mom, not just because of her beauty, but also because of how avidly she ships her son with China. And she’s a side character with no real important role. The other good character here is Ricardo Fellini, the Italian Dandy, simply because of his sheer style and his awesome Italian variation on the Wing Gundam (an overrated mobile suit that had a much worse color scheme in its original form than in this variation), the Wing Fenice.

Tatsuya...starts out interesting, but under the guise of Meijin, becomes a boring broken record whose two favorite words are “Meijin” and “victory”, though as his normal self, he’s a decent enough rival character. Aila is definitely the most complicated and somber, and I do like that she is just as douchey and gluttonous as Reiji, whom she grew to like, her whole tsundere gig (thankfully spared from some of the most egregious tropes that ruins a tsundere immediately) with always calling him “Baka” and blushing and acting all stuck up when she’s embarrassed sort of became annoying at times. I'm not gonna talk about everyone since there’s quite a lot of them (heck, I hardly even brought up the main leads), but I’ll try to list a few things here and there. Kirara is a beautiful idol character (who needs to write better songs) and I like her relationship with Fellini, Ral is a mostly chuckle-worthy comic relief Ramba Ral quoter who gets a cool scene where he fights a dude who is disrupting a match, Mao has infinitely better taste in Gundam waifus than his master, and Reiji can be kinda fun to watch at times, whether it's him being sassy or getting sassed at. The only character in this show that is truly terrible is the chairman, and I have no idea why they made him, the main bad guy, a pathetic comedic character who can't get shit done and is always whining and cowering in fear. But yeah, an overall meh cast with some decent and some bad characters. I guess this is to be expected for a kids anime though.

Each old Gundam and Mobile Suit are recreated perfectly in this installment of the franchise, and the designs of the original suits or variations of old suits look amazing as well, with standouts being Star Build Gundam, Gundam X Maoh, Crossbone Maoh, Wing Fenice, Sengoku Astray Gundam, and Gundam Exia Dark Matter. The fight scenes are mostly pretty good with some epically flashy attacks and equipment shown in each battle, from the digital effects lasers, to the capes that deflect beams, to each powered up mode of the Star Build Gundam. Sure, a few bits here and there (including a bit in OP 1 and ED 2) have kinda choppy frame rates, and there’s a bit of bad CGI, including the gray explosion clouds which don't look good, and the character designs are only decent and not as good as say, 00 or Unicorn, but overall the series is well animated and the digital effects are used brilliantly here. Shoutouts to some of the crazy cool techniques they used in Sengoku Astray’s battles in episode 19.

OP 1 "Nibun no Ichi (ニブンノイチ)" by BACK-ON is a pretty good and upbeat first OP they really sets us in such an upbeat and fun series. OP 2, "wimp ft. Lil’Fang (from FAKY)" by BACK-ON is even better, and honestly, one of the best this franchise has to offer, though I find it hard to describe what makes it so good other than the great vocalists. ED 1 "Imagination > Reality" by AiRI is a generic ED and as such, it's easily skippable. ED 2, "Hanpan Spirit (半パン魂)" by Hyadain, is a pretty charming and nostalgic ED, and is overall much better. I especially love the ending part of that. The actual OST is...overplayed. There aren't a whole lot of tracks, just like in Zeta Gundam, but those tracks were, on the whole, superior to these. There are some pretty good tracks like “Meijin~Six times the passion of an ordinary flamenco” and “Samurai edge”, but the main standout I can find the name of is “PowerResonance”. Still, none of these themes are bad and not a lot of them are truly forgettable, but thus small OST is overall just good and not great, even with the stellar OPs.

To be honest, even with some irritating cliche moments and weak character writing, as well as a few disappointing fight outcomes, I still enjoyed the hell out of this series. I geeked the fuck out over seeing Gundam units like MK.II, Zeta, F91, and so many more and going “I know that Gundam from that one series”, as well as doing the same with the variations and the non-Gundam mobile suits. That’s a major factor in the charm of the series, especially in the first half where that is more prominent. Though, episode 23 was also amazing since we literally get to see so many characters from these Gundam series make background and minor cameos, including many dead characters too. I especially loved Char’s and how he sasses Sei’s dad. Honestly, this is why I’d recommend this series only to people who have seen a ton of Gundam anime from multiple timelines. Newcomers won't get all this or be able to truly appreciate this kind of hype-inducing fanfare like I did, and thus, some of the charm, especially for the first half will have been robbed. The actual fights were overall pretty exciting too, like Build Strike vs Zaku Amazing in episode 6, Star Build Strike’s reveal in episode 10, Star Build Strike can Sengoku Astray in episode 19, the battle of Ao Boa Qu in the finale, and many more. I wouldn't outright say I love this series, but damn was it pretty fun. Heck, despite the fact that it never quite reaches true greatness, as an anime in and of itself, it's still pretty good, mediocre character writing and occasionally disappointing storytelling aside. It's best as a celebration of what Gundam is and was, as well as being an insanely fun promotion for Gunpla kits. Quite frankly, it's still one of the more fun Gundam anime out there, and that's pretty important too for an anime about giant robots fighting and destroying each other. Well, with all that said, I bid you adieu.

When I first watched Gundam Build Fighters Season 1 back in 2016, I adored it. I thought the narrative despite being simple was well executed as the series had great world-building and story elements. I really liked the characters, I thought the visuals were outstanding, and I really adored the soundtrack.
It was my one of favourite anime series period. However, ever since then, I wanted to re-watch it especially now in 2019 I own the DVDs for this show and its squeal. Not to mention I now watched most of the Gundam shows like Wing, Seed, Iron-Blooded Orphans, and most of the U.C century stuff.
Does ... it still hold up or my opinion of the series has changed? Well, it’s time to find out.
Story.
The story follows a young boy named Sei Iori who has a big passion for Gunpla. He dreams to However, despite his amazing building skills his piloting skill are awful. When all hope is almost lost for the young boy, he meets up with a mysterious boy with incredible piloting skills named Reiji. Together the duo goes off to take part in the world championships where they try to become the best player like no one ever was.
I really liked the story of Gundam Build Fighters.
The show does a fantastic job at building its own world where it perfectly showcases the life of gunpla purists from different backgrounds.
Outside, the tournaments stuff there were a lot of things that are going on behind the scenes of the world of Gundam Build Fighters engaging conspiracies and villainy to its well written slice of life section which where all the characters interact very well with each other to well-crafted romance scenes which I got so much out of because It wasn’t enough of a key focus for relationships nore being wrapped up to negatively affect the series. Instead, it was a case of making hinted pairings known letting you assume that these people will end up together when they grow up.
The one thing that I really loved about Gundam Build Fighters is that at heart a kid show where it doesn’t try to compleated series let go off rails with its kid-friendly roots. One of my main problems with the kids genre that is tried to be more than they actually are where it tried to be more dark and serious and as a result, we end getting pretentious kids shows like Cardfight Vanguard G Beyblade 4D and Yugioh Vrains
Inazuma Eleven and Little Battlers Experience (especially Wars) are expectations as they were the only shows from the genre that actually how it’s darker elements correctly without going betraying itself.
Gundam Build Fighters thankfully avoided this pitfall as it ultimately decided to stay true to its light-hearted roots of being a fun and engaging tournament anime. Speaking of the tournament The Gunpla Battle Championship World Tournament arc of Gundam Build Fighters is easily my favourite tournament arc in a kids show. Not only the tournament itself has an atmosphere is it feels like you are part of the crowd watching this gunpla purist compete each other to be the best like no one ever was but the tournament structure itself is refreshing.
On top of The Gunpla Battle Championship World Tournament being atmospheric and engaging due to originally the direction and writing also really shines as the dialogue and character actions were realistic.
Finally, we have the Gundam references and let me say they are an absolute joy especially if you’re a Gundam fan.
While the story was great and for the most part nicely written there were two things in this show that bugged me and that was the as pulling in the second half. While the ass-pulling wasn’t annoying compared to squeal and spinoff series it still rubbed me in the wrong way. I won’t tell you what episodes but you will start to see them later on in the series.
The second and final thing that bugged me was that the show didn’t explore Reiji’s origins enough. His origin was interesting but the didn’t have enough time to really explore his origins. Other than those two flaws I thought the story of Gundam Build Fighters to be charming, nicely written and enjoyable.
Characters.
The characters were easily the strongest part of Gundam Build Fighters. They may not be well written, but they were all likeable and charming to the eye for the most part.
First, up we have Sei Iori who is a passionate fan wants to follow in his father footsteps.
I really adore Sei sure may not be the best-written character in the Gundam franchise by any means but he was one of the most enjoyable characters from this franchise. He’s not your typical kid main protagonist were hot-headed and stubborn all the game. He’s simply a normal young who simply wanted to achieve his dream of being the best but can’t due to his subpar piloting skills even though he is an amazing builder.
As the series progress, he grows a person where the end of the series he is able to pilot his own Gunpla without any help.
Great character and definitely a refreshing site compare to other kid protagonists that we have seen over the years.
Next, we have Reiji or Aria von Reiji Asuna. Like with Sei I really adored him. He was an entertaining and charming character from start to finish who not only made laugh every time he does something funny on screen. He also gets character development where he not only learns how the game works but he also starts having relationships and bounds towards other characters.
The thing that really stands out about Sei and Reiji is that the chemistry with each other is wonderful. Despite them coming from different backgrounds, they really play off with each other very well and by the end of the series, you feel like these two were actually brothers due to the strong character development that they got in the series.
As for the rest of the characters, I thought there were all great and charming in their own ways not counting the villain because he was. Some of my favourite supporting characters included the naive but prided Mao, the ladies’ man Ricardo, the mysterious Aila and my favourite character in the series Tatsuya aka Meijin. I really loved his passion towards and really liked his character interactions towards the cast especially when gives out the Char vibe. Not to mention he is a good rival for Sei and Reiji.
9/10

Visuals.
Visually Gundam Build Fighters as I like to call it a beautiful firework of explosives and vibrant colours.
The characters while basic on design fits with the simple modern world of Gundam Build Fighters perfectly.
The background scenery is crisp and cleans that is filled with life thanks to the use of the smooth urban and sci-fi colour palette.
As for the mechas themselves, I thought was great. Yes, many of the Gundams in this show was the same from they respective Gundam series but I really liked how very fateful they were even though some of them may have a different code of paint.
The animation in Gundam Build Fighters is great. Character movement was smooth and crisp. The mecha battles were very well animated and fun to watch. Most importantly there was barely stock footage used.

Sound.
The soundtrack in Gundam Build Fighters is one of my favourite soundtracks in anime. Not only every single track in the shows fits with the overall tone and setting of the series but they are all an absolute joy to listen even without the watching the show itself. It was one of the few soundtracks that I downloaded every single track.
Some of my favourite tracks include the passionate fun Gunpla World the retro Reiji Prince Theme and masterful Gundam Build Fighters which is one of my favourites tracks in anime.

Fun fact the person who did the soundtrack Yuki Hayashi also did the soundtrack for Classroom Crisis, Haikyuu, it's squeal Build Fighters Try and the beloved shounen series My Hero Academia.

The first opening theme "Nibun no Ichi by BACK-ON'' is a great upbeat opening theme that perfectly captured the tone of the first half.
The second opening "wimp ft. Lil’Fang (from FAKY)" by BACK-ON is one of my favourite anime openings of all time. Not only it was a kickass opening that is filled with amazing vocalists but it masterfully fits with the nature of the second half.
The first ending theme "Imagination Reality" by AiRI is a pretty catchy upbeat ending theme that I really liked.
The second ending on the other hand Hanpan Spirit " by Hyadain is good but not all that memorable.

Now for sub vs dub.

The sub for Gundam Build Fighters is fantastic. Not only it's very well acted where the did a brilliant job with the roles that were given but voice direction and audio quality was spot on.

Now we get the controversial part of the review the English Dub. A lot of people especially the fans didn’t like the dub mainly with audio quality was bad, it has a lot of miscast and some of the actings was just plain bad. Well after re-watching the show it’s dub form I can safely say that the dub for Gundam Build Fighters Season 1 is not as bad as everyone says it is. Don’t get me wrong I don’t think the dub was great or anything but least was least competent for the show that Gundam Build Fighters is. I cannot say the same thing for the squeal, but we will get that show sometime soon.

Final Thoughts.
Overall I really love Gundam Build Fighters. Yes, the show did have few shortcomings but the fantastic characters chemistry, worldbuilding, visuals and well-composed soundtrack completely make it up.

After re-watching this show I can defiantly that show still holds amazingly well compared to its sequels as well as some of the other Gundam shows like Seed and Wing. Not only it's still one of my favourite Gundam series period. It may not be number 1 since Gundam The Origin and Turn A stole those spots but Gundam Build Fighters will always be my third favourite Gundam series.

If you're looking for a great Gundam show that is laid back and fun then I recommend Gundam Build Fighters. You won't regret it.

Final Score 9/10

When I heard of Gundam Build Fighters I initially dismissed it as a desperate attempt to sell more models. However, now that I've finished the entire series I'm all the more glad to be proven wrong given how this show is surprisingly great.

Story 8/10
The overall story is pretty simple: Sei Iori is a Gundam fanboy who sucks at Gunpla battling so he teams up with a mysterious boy named Reiji to compete in Gunpla fighting as a team to win the world championship. While the story itself seems like a formulaic fighting tournament narrative, there are some moments of smart writing and commentary. The backstory ... of Aila, a rival teenage girl who grew up in poverty and thus was forced to fight in the tournaments by Team Nemesis upon learning of her natural talent, can seen as an allusion to real life child exploitation by corporations. And of course, as a nod to logistic-heavy roots of the Real Robot genre, the gunpla are damaged and require constant maintenance and modding. Of course, this emphasis on repairing and customization allows us to care about the Gunpla as they are real characters; if the Gunpla models were already pre-built and could be easily disposed of, there's no real stakes as anyone would simply buy another generic set.

Art 10/10
The animation and art design is virtually flawless. All the Gunpla are vibrant and flashy as usual. However, while each Gunpla clearly resembles the models from the actual mobile suits from the different series, there are some subtle touches that make the Gunpla stand out. For instance, the Miss Sazabi Gunpla has the distinct head, torso, and arms of the red Sazabi mobile suit yet also has feminine legs and a light purple coloring. Likewise, some art style changes subtly to be more realistic or fanciful as subtle nods to the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Gurren Lagann. The art direction succeeds in providing a look and feel that's both familiar yet unique.

Sound 8/10
The music, sound, and voice acting are pretty good. The music is upbeat and energetic during the fights with distinct motifs for the different characters. Voice acting can be a bit annoying but works for most of the series. Sound is also good with dynamic explosions and snaps.

Characters 9/10
The characters in this series are surprisingly well-rounded and show lots of development. While the rivals seem like stock caricatures at first, they gradually develop more depth as the series progresses. The friendly rival Ricardo Fellini was initially presented as a playboy who fails to win over ladies. Later though, he's shown to be a spirited competitor who believes Gunpla battling should not be driven by hatred and also cares about his Wing Gundam because of how he has kept it since childhood. Yet most importantly, the characters are prefect audience surrogates thanks to their age and gunpla choice. The 20-30 year old Fellini with his custom Wing Gundam represents fans who grew up watching Gundam Wing while the 13 year old Sei with his custom Strike Gundam represents fans of Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny.

Enjoyment 10/10
This show is just pure fun and enjoyment. The fights are awesome and based on clever tactics instead of pure brute strength. Even the slice of life side stories are hilarious and make the characters endearing. Plus anyone can watch it regardless of familiarity with the franchise.

Overall 9/10
Overall I would say that is one of the best toy commercial shows. Sunrise could've taken the lazy route and made with dull characters, tedious arcs, and cheap fights present in most series. Instead, what we got was a smart, funny, and engaging tribute to the Gundam series. All I can say is that after watching this celebratory experience, I'm proud to be a Gundam fan.

Bandai made this to promote Gunpla and to introduce people to Gundam but if you are newcomer to Gundam, this series wont give you an impression on what the other series are and you might not understand the jokes and references.
If you are someone who is really in to Gundam, from any angle; the UC fan or a fan of all of it, you will enjoy this, it references everything from 0079, to Turn A, Wing, even G-Savior and SD Gundam.
When Gundam fans first heard news of the new Gundam TV series, there was outrage that Gundam was turning into something like Yu-Gi-Oh! or Beyblade.
The ... reaction was similar to the one Gundam AGE; Gundam being aimed at kids due to the character designs (which AGE wad far from. if watch it) but AGE got bad reception even after it aired, but I have observed this series receiving praise from older fans due to it's many references to the UC series as it has now aired.
If you decide to watch this anime, don't expect it to be like your average Gundam series, it isn't trying to be a hard political drama, it isn't trying to be serious, so don't compare it military sci-fi anime like Mobile Suit Gundam but other tournament, sport and competition anime.
Story: 7/10
It is a blatant promotion of Gunpla (Gundam model kits) just as Beyblade is a blatant promotion of the toy of the same name, but it doesn't try to hide it, it fully embraces it.
I didn't know what to expect from the story, the Reiji subplot (no spoilers) it surprised me but it was so-so.
Nevertheless, I was impressed by what they made out of other elements of the plot. One episodes raises two points (and hilariously breaks the fourth wall while doing so); having your life centred around model kits and that Gundam usually shows us that war is bad but at the same time they show war with giant awesome robots, to quote Mr. Ral's explanation to Reiji; Unlike the Mobile Suit Gundam story, we're not in a state of war and we don't have to put our lives on the line, it's just played for pleasure...for that very reason... people can be enthralled by Gunpla and Gunpla battle, they like it and take it seriously.
Like other sport/tournament anime there's the themes of never giving up and determination etc. one character rejected a prestigious title within the realms of Gunpla Battling, because the ideology of the current holder was to never give up, to fight until the bitter end, to mercilessly ruin the hard modelling work of opponents, instead he battles not to win but because he enjoys it.
Gundam Build Fighters, being a celebration of Gundam/Gunpla does references the plot of previous series too including the story for this series' token mentally unstable girl character and the Char clone.
Art: 10/10
I am usually indifferent to the character designs unless the are terribly repetitive like in Gundam SEED and Fafner, unlike most people it does't bother me that AGE and Build Fighters have "kiddish" character designs, that being said Gundam Build Fighters does provide a wide variety, the newly introduced characters are drawn in a modern style but Mr. Ral is drawn true to Ramba Ral from Mobile Suit Gundam.
Now for animation; a lot of anime is CGI nowadays but that doesn't mean the are entirely animated in a 3D manner (which is a common connotation), characters are usually drawn in a 2D on a computer, but mecha are now almost always done in a 3D way because it is cheaper and less labor intense however, in a lot of mecha anime, the don't try to integrate the rendered 3D with the 2D characters and it gets them out of phase, I applaud Sunrise because they don't forget (at least for Gundam), I don't remember seeing a bit of CGI that stood out when I saw Build Fighters, it was all 2D and it was brilliant. The models involed are High Grade (the most common scale and quality for Gundam model kits) so I didn't expect them to be overly detailed which is something I really like from mecha anime.
Sound: 6/10
Both of the opening themes are nothing epic, they are normal J-Pop. The second ending theme however is a whimsical and unique tune. It is done by Kenichi Maeyamada aka Hyadain, a performer who has received recent fame from YouTube and NicoNico, it is good that Bandai/Sunrise have hired rising stars to do their music.
Character: 7/10
This series does carry over the character archetypes of other Gundam series, there are the regular ones: the Char clone, other ace pilots and the mentally unstable girl and also specific homages such as Mr. Ral, Takeshi Iori and Master Chinan and they are handled well.
One of the villains may get on your nerves

This is going to be a quick, straight to the point review done by an amateur writer, but an expirienced anime viewer.

First of all, instead of making a new Gundam oriented time-line or using recycled eras such as U.C. (Universal Century, timeline featuring the most famous pilot and new type: Amuro Ray and his gundam(s) RX-78-2 and Gundam Nu)/C.E. (Cosmic Era, different timeline featuring revamped gundams and featuring GAT- Strike Gundam and) a new timeline is built showing off the various gunpla models (or Gundam Model Kits) of all or if not, most of the Mobile Suits from previous gundams. Most are ... in there, some are just hard to find (refer to Gunpla Battle Tournament gunplas and Iori Modeling Shop's Gundam Display Shelf).
The story had a very good development, but towards the end, the problems are solved too quickly or at least, that is in my oppinion. It seems like the puzzle fitted perfectly one after another too quickly. I still although, want more of the story of Iori Sei and Reiji of Aria.
Art was pheonominal in a 2014 animation perspective. The beams and lights of each gundams were mostly different when firing. (excluding background gundams meant for filling up a fight) Although the anime itself had bright and vivid art, the shadowing and torn-apart looks each of gunpla gave the series a "Gundam" feel to it(Such as the carnage between the Wing Gundam Fenice and the GAT Custom- Star Build Strike).
I also liked the sound track, openings, and endings of the song because it included both Japanese and English lyrics. The fighting music was phenominal because it had the right timing in every battle (such as counter-attacks or an inevitable lose/win).
I fell in love with the characters because each and every one have their own personalities, relationships, and ways of acting upon each other. My gut is telling me to not point out examples because of spoilers.
Overall, i enjoyed the series because it gave fun facts about gundams, it had a less dramatic feel replaced by light hearded comedy, and i will definitely hope and wait for a second season for this great anime series.

Gundam Build Fighters, the 2013 Gundam series is a show that aims to promote Bandai's Gunpla. It aired every Monday on TV Tokyo at 6pm and is available with English subtitles on GundamInfo's YouTube channel to the international audience.

GBF was carried out by Studio Sunrise and directed by Kenji Nagasaki. Yosuke Kuroda wrote the story and Yuki Hayashi composed the OST. Kenichi Ohnuki drew the characters' models with Yasuda Suzuhito's cooperation.

Story: 7/10

The story revolves around Sei Iori, whose father, Takeshi Iori is a Gunpla Battle champion and mother, Rinko Iori runs a Gunpla shop.
Often, Sei helps out his mother in the shop. Therefore, he ... got a deep insight into Gunpla building and gave it his all as this was his passion. His dream was to be a Gunpla Battle champion to succeed to his father but he was only goot at Gunpla building.
One day, he encounters a mysterious boy, Reiji. Reiji tells Sei that he is a the prince of Arian. Soon, he thinks of Reiji as very strong Gunpla pilot and teams up with him. Together, they will enter the Gunpla World Championship and face very strong opponents.

Unlike competitive shows, GBF's story has many axes: The championship, profound relations between the characters and Reiji's story. Every one of these axes is very important to the entire series and let the show be a lot more than a just a competitve series with just battles and a champion at the end.

The battles feature all of the series' characters and every battle is very intense. The battles between side characters tend even to be the best.

Sound: 9/10

Yuki Hayashi did an awesome work here. The entire OST is a masterpiece. The musics go from calm partitions up to insanely intense stuff. The OPs are sung by Back-On and are very good (they work as insert songs in the last episode). The first ED is sung by AiRI (and is the best ED) and the second is sung by Hyadain.

Character: 7/10

The characters are very attractive, every one has got his own story and every one's is a major part of the whole story. We get to see that in the series' second part (15-23).

Animation: 9/10

GBF is animated by Sunrise, possibly the best studio for robot shows. The animation team has great names of robots animation and GBF is just what you get from robot show carried out by a team full of passion for robots.

Every one of those is very good at mechanical and effects animation, and that is just what a mecha show needs. Effect (beams, explosions, smears on character animation) are all over the place, along with awesome mechanical animation and choreography on the battles (and even for fun. Just watch episode 13!)

Gundam Build Fighters' first appeal is to promote Bandai's Gunpla, but I tend love it even more because it is. If entertainment alone is what you expect from an anime, then Gundam Build Fighters is for you. If you expect a lot more, then Gundam Build Fighters IS for you. The show's target is everyone at every age, and I think GBF does better at proving this than words.

Gundam Build Fighters is hands down one of the funnest and entertaining series I have seen.

Gundam Build Fighters was obviously made to sell toys. But, it has fantastic characters, a well thought out story, beautifully animated fights and wonderful catchy music that overshadow the toy angle of the show.

Story (8):
The main plot is an excellent example of how to do a tournament series right and the general mystery behind one of the main character, Reiji is well done.
The tournament plot is handle in a way where during the preliminaries we focus on future opponents instead of focusing on opponents that won't matter in the ... long run which is something a lot of tournament stories forget about.

Art (8):
The animation is like most Gundam series where you can tell Sunrise put all their money into making it look good and eye catching. Though what elevates it is the storyboarding and direction during the fight scenes are great and capture great moments.
The character designs are simple but memorable. Each character has a distinct design and stand out from one another.

Sound (9):
The soundtrack of Build Fighters is incredible and has a wide variety of music. The individual character themes and background melodies make several scenes better just by being there like a great soundtrack should. The openings are fantastic and tells the viewer what the themes of the show are which is what all great openings should do.

Character (9):
The characters are great and very well developed. The main duo Sei and Reiji compliment each other greatly making them perfect team. Other main characters such as Aila and Rinko are fantastic characters who make every scene their in great. Even side characters have a bunch of personality and leave an impact even if they only have a few scenes.
Though the main rival, Yuuki sadly doesn't get enough focus until final few episodes. Though he does have a history and personality. But, it came a little too late for me.

Enjoyment (10):
I had a smile every episode weather it was character interaction, incredible mech fights or even references to other Gundam series such as how every single episode preview they say the next episode phrase like the original Gundam's, "Who will survive?".

Overall (9):
This is a fantastic show and I highly recommend anyone even if your not interested in Gundam or mecha.

So I had just come off of watching Gundam AGE, which really was disappointing, when I watched this. Initially, I thought the concept was going to be lame, but I actually enjoyed it. The idea of how they would make Gundam work in the real world was satisfying enough to me that it rekindled my love for the models and I bought a few soon into the series. The characters are fun and likable, the idea of Gundam competition was fun. Art is fun, and you get some really over the top OP Gundam action.

*****Spoilers Below, ye be warned*****

Now I have ... to talk about the HUGE missed opportunity of exploring Reiji's world. You really don't get alot of information about his world and I think it really takes away from the story. I felt like it would have made a very interesting season 2 to go to his world and see what it was like, or even do a bit of that in season 1.

All and all, it's a fun little series, not great, but the over the top Gundam action is fun enough.

This review has very minor spoilers that won't harm the watching experience. Most of them appear in the first few episodes.
Gundam Build Fighters, or, as I usually call it, Gunpla Build Fighters, is a, in my opinion, a very refreshing take on Gundam, this time by the use of Gunpla (Gundam plus plamo - plastic model) and plot particles. Even though I generally frown upon the use of plot particles and other means of power (looking at you 00, but that was acceptable), it's not anything major and gets an immediate pass. Now, to begin with the review in an orderly fashion.

Story:
As it goes with ... the story, it's nothing special, but it is a new try in the Gundam series. Various players and Gunpla builders around the world want to test their Gunpla and their skills at the world tournament series. One of them is Sei Iori, who builds Gunpla like a champ, but is very mediocre at actually fighting. With the help of Reiji, an unknown figure who practically disappears like the wind, he can rectify that issue and focus on building and improving his kits. There's the usual drama that starts appearing around the halfway mark of the series and has actual relevance in the series. If you watched enough Gundam series like me, you'll know how some episodes will end. The story is also far more cheerful than the serious story of Gundam 00 (and Gundam AGE, but I don't like to talk about that one) and is executed quite well, even with some comedic relief that is more than welcome in the frequent dramatic episodes after the aforementioned halfway point. It would however need a large amount of world building to make the story work even better. 7/10.

Art:
Art is one of the categories I don't tend to talk about much, especially since I had to watch the series online, and at a lower quality. I can definitely say that the art and graphical effects are surprisingly well done, and that the Gunpla actually look good. There's even the original Gunpla boxes inside the stores. Compared with other series at its time, it also ends up being very solid. 8/10.

Sound:
This is also a small area of the review, because the sound is just very high-quality in general. There's practically nothing I can say against it, and the openings also fit the atmosphere of the series. 9/10

Character:
While the characters of Sei and Reiji don't sound ideal in the first few episodes, they start to seamlessly fit inside the series. Sei tends to his hobbies during the days, and Reiji fills his needs by filling himself by raiding every nearby food stall in a ten mile radius. He also has some antics during some episodes, and forms a very solid bond with Sei. There's also the odd characters from other series, such as Mr. Ral, from the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Each opponent or antagonist is also well fleshed out in the process of the protagonists' side activities and during fights. A lot of them are likable, too, and that rings very well with me. 8/10.

Enjoyment:
There's nothing to say about this one. The series has scratched the itch I had flawlessly, and still left me hungering for more. Unfortunately, the next thing I have on my desk is Build Fighters Try. 10/10.

Overall, in the end, the series has left me pleasantly surprised, with some good twists, audio and art to support it, too. It has also made me want to begin building Gunpla myself, but considering shipping and the availability here? It's going to prove difficult. In the end, I give the series a very good 8/10.

Build Fighters is a love letter to all Gundam fans that tells a light-hearted and sincere story revolving around Gunpla kits. Removing the weight and baggage of most mainline Gundam series that deal with war and mobile suits as weapons, Build Fighters is instead a celebration of Gundam as a pop culture icon. Rather than a protagonist thrust into the midst of conflict, the show adopts the plot of a sports anime with an aspiring competitor seeking to prove themselves in a tournament. It is unabashedly a show aimed more at kids and young teenagers than something dourer or "serious". Yet there is plenty for ... an older viewer to enjoy, both in its well-integrated references to other media in the Gundam franchise and the plain and simple fun of the series. Choosing to use a Gunpla battling sport as a premise is nothing short of genius; the ultimate wish fulfilment of fans of all Gundam media. It provides an excellent basis for both a tried and tested sports narrative and an excuse to integrate mobile suits from different series.

Though its central plot is nothing new or innovative, it is a highly competent rendition of your standard athlete's story. It cuts away a lot of the fat of other narratives in the same vein, like the threat of a club shutting down or some inter-school rivalry. Instead, Build Fighters focuses squarely on the competitive tournament aspects of its story. It lets its characters' motivation and competitive spirit carry the emotional weight and create stakes instead of resorting to some external pressure. Where it shines is that Build Fighters goes beyond the regular trappings of a typical sports anime in what it can do with its matches. Even though they are narratively just plastic models, the battles between these heavily modified mobile suits are spectacular, rivalling the main series. Although the stakes are technically far less since there is no threat of death, it is still nonetheless emotionally compelling with the attachment the characters have to the Gunpla they made themselves. Like other good sports anime, it concentrates on emotionally investing viewers in the aspirations and goals of the characters to make the outcome of matches matter. In fact, Build Fighters uses the lack of death as a threat to its advantage in how brutal its battles can get. With no danger of injuring its pilots, the amount of damage that the show puts its mobile suits through is extreme. Going beyond the damage that could realistically be shown in traditional Gundam narratives, Build Fighter's battles often outdo all but the most climactic clashes of the mainline series. It ratchets up both dramatic tension and spectacle, putting many fights in more "serious" shows to shame. In addition, it gets exceedingly creative with the type of battles the characters fight, bolstering its traditional one-on-one matches with some creative clashes like armed races and mass free-for-alls.

Backing its spectacular battle scenes is its fantastic mobile suit designs. Not only do they have a whole arsenal of iconic models, but the new mobile suit designs are excellent as well. They exude creativity and add style with their modifications on the original mechas they are based on. The battle sequences themselves often take advantage of the Gunpla battling premise to allow more fantastical mobile suits and weapon systems instead of being forced to adhere to the more real robot or realistic style options. This gives the action a myriad of options to wow the viewer and keeps things interesting. The only limit to what kind of style or strategies the various competitors can employ is the writers' creativity. It includes the use of support mecha, detachable remote weapon systems, and even mobile armours, to name a few of the ideas utilised during the various battles. This adds an additional element to the usual battle-focused story's attribute pillars. Beyond just the combat skills and strategy, there is now an emphasis on the construction quality of the fighter's Gunpla. Though this idea is somewhat nebulously represented at times since it is questionable how aesthetic elements like a better paint job, a matt overcoat, or panel lining would make Gunpla superior in battle. Even then, this is more a reflection of the ideals of what makes a real-world Gunpla model good translated into the show.

This trifecta of skills necessary to compete well in Gunpla Battles gives the show's characters differentiated strengths. Build Fighters makes the excellent choice to have its protagonist Iori Sei be an outstanding builder but very limited in his ability to actually control his Gunpla. It does wonders for his character since he is not all capable on his own, making his relationship with other characters necessary as he relies on their help. His timidity in most areas is sharply contrasted with his obsession with all things Gundam, making him a strong surrogate for the audience while still being his own, highly endearing character. This is contrasted by Reiji, who has excellent fighting abilities but knows absolutely nothing about Gunpla, their capabilities, or how to build them. The symbiotic dynamic between the two creates some great character moments both when they clash and come together. Sadly, Reiji is the weaker part of the duo due to how straightforward and rather simply he can be read most of the time. That and his part of the plot surrounding his origin and the mystery of the plavasky particles feels tacked on. As if the writers did not feel confident enough in their own ability to tell a compelling sports narrative that hinges on the investment of the audience in the goals of the characters. Instead, the general mystery surrounding the plavasky particles feels weak and actually detracts from the core plot of the Gunpla battle tournaments. It is far too fantastical for a series that focuses on more down to earth themes like good sportsmanship and love of the sport.

That being said, Build Fighters is very tongue in cheek about many of its supporting cast and the references it draws from the main Gundam series. The series even has its own Char clone in Yuuki Tatsuya, which everyone, from time to time, does note how absurd the situation with his identity is. That and Rambal Ral becoming a coach character for our protagonist all serve to keep the show's light-hearted tone while celebrating the Gundam franchise as a sort of mash-up. While these references may go over the heads of Build Fighter's main audience, these elements give older viewers the occasional tidbit that will definitely put a smile on their faces. In addition, the whole supporting cast is quirky and entertaining in their own right, the easy standout being Yasaka Mao as one of Iori's direct peers. Sadly, some supporting characters like China, who were incredibly endearing in their earnestness, fell by the wayside towards the end as she faded more into the background with the height of the tournament. Nonetheless, the supporting cast is still one of the show's great strengths that adds charm to its fairly by the numbers plot and heightens the emotional connection to each of the battles.

Overall, Build Fighters is a mash-up and love letter to the Gundam franchise. Its premise and characters are exceedingly endearing, and it never fails to put a smile on even an older viewer's face with some of its references. Despite it frankly being a glorified toy commercial since the entire premise revolves around the product of Gunpla, it is undoubtedly glorified to the appropriate level to make Build Fighters its own story worth watching. Despite the plain and simple fun that Build Fighters offers, appealing to every Gunpla fan's inner child, the shoehorned mystery of the Plavasky particles does drag it down somewhat. Combined with the relatively standard striving to best the best sports tournament plot, it is hard to say Build Fighters is truly standout since it is not very creative in this aspect. That being said, the plot is exceedingly competently executed and is an excellent example of a classic sports story done right. Overall, Gundam Build Fighters is a solid 8 out of 10. It is definitely something all Gundam fans should watch to put a smile on their faces since they will get the most out of it.

Build Burning Gundam Launching!

Hi all welcome to review about Gundam Build fighters, I'm Loveanime93 and today i'm giving my views on this anime.

Now Build Fighters is a cross between Beyblade and Gundam in my opinion and I think its been achieved extremely well. The anime in general allows newcomers to Gundam to experience it in a lighter atmosphere without any danger to the characters but still have the awesome battles and suits clash. As a veteran of Gundam though i would of liked it to be a bit darker because as i said there wasn't any real danger to the characters.

Now the story ... was in my opinion well done and easy to follow and simple for someone new to the series of Gundam. The story follows two young teens who want to become stronger then their rival. That's the brunt of it really and if your looking for romance in this story you won't really find it in this version of Gundam as its more aimed at a younger audience.

Now the Art in this anime is simple but effective and it can sometimes be better then its counterpart Gundam Series. The Art makes you think your on different planets as you watch the characters fight it out with their Gundams. The character art for the central and supporting characters is well done and fits the characters voice and personalities.
Animation wise, its easy on the eye and flows nicely one to another and voices are in sync with the characters.

Now the soundtrack within this Anime is fantastic and can this battle music can get the blood pumping as you watch as it helps bring out the full potential of a fight. Opening and Ending wise its catchy basically the soundtrack in general is worthy of being in a Gundam series.

The characters are unique and i think they stand apart from their counterparts from other Gundam Series and in my opinion they two main characters counter balance each other. Character Development is not a problem in this anime as the two main characters develop a lot and you can see the changes as you watch from the very beginning.

Enjoyment wise, its easy and not cringing to watch which was a surprise when i first watched it as i thought it would be extremely bad. But i found it enjoyable and its great to pass time watching it. only problem i found was he fights can be repetitive and uninteresting but at other times blood pumping and gripping so its up and down as you watch it.

Overall I would say if your looking for something to pass the time with or you want a lighter toned Gundam, i recommend watching this as you shouldn't be disappointed. I'd say give it a go anyway if your not a fan of mecha or Gundam as it might possibly change you opinion about the mecha genre. Also if you've watched Beyblade watch it as its got a similar concept.

Well that's my review for Gundam Build Fighters. I'm Loveanime93 thanks for reading this review.