Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Episode 1: Day of the Unicorn
Wow…
I have been waiting for this since 1989. Yes, I was into anime back then, renting Char’s Counterattack on VHS in raw Japanese from a martial arts supply store in south Sacramento…
We finally have a worthy successor to Char’s Counterattack…
I’ve often lamented that we have not seen a continuation of the Universal Century storyline outside of Victory and F-91. F-91 was OK, and I haven’t seen more than an episode or two of Victory, (although what I saw was nothing to write home about)…
But this…
RX-0 Gundam "Destroy Mode"
After Char’s Counterattack, Sunrise decided to revisit some classical settings in the UC time-line, and we got a lot of great UC stories as a result. The OAV series’ Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket and Gundam 0083: Stardust Memories are two great examples… But I always wondered how the survivors of the last Neo-Zeon war fared after Char and Amuro were no more…
Now I know…
First of all, if you are in any way a fan of UC Gundam, (I can’t be the only old-timer out there), then this is a MUST-SEE. It’s that good…
Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t actually give you a review of the story itself… Well, I’ll give you my opinions, but I’m going to be as spoiler-free as humanly possible. You really have to see this for yourself…
The new protagonist (Banagher Links) is excellent. He is obviously a NewType from the outset. He is, however, much less whiny and bitchy than either Camille or even Amuro. He seems to be more serious-minded, with a clear sense of purpose. As with all great UC stories, he has issues with his parents.
Banagher and an admirer...
The main heroine for this series is clearly going to be this young lady:
Audrey Burne (Hepburn?)
The story revolves around the chance meeting that brings these two together and trying to stop a war. It really is a great story with enough similarities to other UC stories to feel familiar, while still keeping it’s own sense of originality. What I’ve always liked about the Universal Century as opposed to the alternate universe stories is it’s sense of realism and believability. This is definitely continuing on in that vein… The story is very well paced, and the political situation is not unlike the end of 0083/the beginning of Zeta Gundam. The Feds are working over-time to hunt down and obliterate any Neo-Zeon remnants, while a non-military “royal family” might be preparing to shift the balance of power…
The animation is top-notch. It’s at least as good as Gundam 00, with a lot of CG thrown in for colonies, environments and mobile suits…
Shot by lots of "funnels" at once... Ouch...
I give this title a 10/10…
Apparently, classes in the future will include lessons in vertigo...
I recommend seeing this as soon as humanly possible, or sooner if you’re a fan of Gundam…
If you’re really lazy, you can mosey out and get your own copy on March 12th. I guess the Blu-Ray is also going to have English dialogue available… (But the regular DVD won’t?!? Not that I care, I just don’t get it)…
I now officially need to get a PS3, so I can watch this in Blu-Ray…
Shiro's Scary Thoughts 
By the way, you forgot to mention how amazingly fucking awesome the soundtrack is.
For anyone reading, pay close attention to the soundtrack as it is even better than the 00 soundtrack and is absolutely breathtaking.
A wide range of instruments and a variety of music creates a feeling that sends chills down your spine…
This film is a honest tribute to the depth and legacy that has been established in the UC and the potential for that storyline with modern animation and storytelling techniques.
Great informative post!
Hey, just want to say that your review was good but you said that the graphics or animation was as good as Gundam 00, but I reckon it is a bit better than 00 was
I Agree with Kevii, Unicorn’s animation quality is superior to what 00 S1/S2 did, though when it comes to the 00 movie, i’d say they’re on par. Unicorn is my new ultra favorite gundam after X10a freedom and 00 raiser!!!