Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Add Reply
3 generations- Is it working for you?
Topic Started: May 7 2012, 07:48 AM (482 Views)
HellCat
Member Avatar
Regene Regetta
So the obvious big angle of AGE is that we're getting to see one massive conflict split across three generations. Gundam has obviously covered similar ground before but never within a single show covering such an expanse of time.
The question is, is this angle being presented well or is it just a gimmick?

I'm mixed. Whilst I love the concept on paper, I think AGE is running with alot of 'It's a foregone conclusion' and not really putting the effort into detail things. The 'romance' between the Asuno men and their brides to be is a key sign of this, with some interaction early on before the designated female is reduced to an ineffective cheerleader. I appreciate that 14 year old kids don't really have a mind for long term romance but there's more an air of 'silver medal' then there is true emotional bond.
I think alot of the potential to show characters ageing was wasted in Asemu's arc. Obviously we got a look at Flit and Woolf but Millais was wasted and Emily seemed stuck in playing good housewife. Even a character like Dique didn't get much time.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
SonicSP
Member Avatar

It has its positive points. My favorite at the moment is seeing Flit gone from naive idealistic child to more realistic and scarred adult. That same boy who's piloting the mobile suit is also the kickass Vice Admiral of Earth Federation, who also happens to be a tactical mastermind while facing his nemesis with a strange matter of fact calmness (relative to say, after Yurin was killed).

Another good point was also seeing Asemu as an adult just having his baby for a short whiole has that feeling, and I have a feeling this would pass to him after he returns. That being said, it has a lot of weaknesses. The mothers are seriously underused, while some characters have not been handled nicely at all, such as Grodek (basically taken out of the vault for a quick snuff, without barely adding anything to th4e emotional impact of the characters. Flit acted in the next episode as it never happened). Milais was also underused in terms of importance in Gen 2. I'm also kinda saddened about Deseil, who might as well have been a seven year old kid in an adult body (but with more testatarone rage), I didnt expect him to be the nominee of the Noble Peace Price but comeone, evolve the evil streak will you.

It doesn't help that we barely see the Vagans sucessors or change in conditions either. Sure, we know they're gaining territory but as far as their anime battles are concerned they keep getting beaten and beaten and beaten. The only decent example I have was the contribution of the final space battle in Gen 2 possibly contributing to the Earth invasion at the start of Gen 3. Aside from that, it feels more like a bunch of small skirmishes than a war. On a different note, I know its early in Gen 3 but I thought not aging Zeheart in Gen 3 was a strange strange choice by the creators, as it sort immunes him to being seen as a product of the progression of time. Even seeing the contrast between Gen 1 Woolf and Gen 2 Woolf in the look, act and voice was interesting as was the case with other EF characters.

Strange example, but I thought RIN was once of the anime I've watched that I thought handled progression of time fairly well and interestingly, both from a technology and character perspective (whatever one think it's other factors/features). Of course, it cant be compared to AGE because its set in the normal world/timeline. Its far harder to portray tech changes of this sort beyond a military scale, especially since technology rate of change can be different in the future than say in the 20th century. Especially if rate of technology change differs via industry.

Part of the problem is episode count, but I don't think its much of an excuse since 13 episodes can still be used to do alot of things. Its a tall order and that has to be respected, but if it doesnt work well then its still on their heads if you ask me.
Edited by SonicSP, May 7 2012, 12:57 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
unoservix
Member Avatar

the whole great thing about the three generations setup was that it seemed like it would finally explore the relationship between a Gundam lead and his parents, which traditionally has been rather toxic.

naturally, this meant Asemu's relationship with his father was reduced to helplessly chasing after his father's achievements until he reached rock bottom and became a SUUPAA PAIROTTO instead, and Flit...pretty much ignoring his son, all things considered. and then they ruled out any such relationship between Asemu and Kio, although it remains to be seen what they'll do with it from here. so that's been pretty disappointing.

i get that Flit has to be a major character throughout, but so far AGE has been at least as much about him through the years as it has been about his son and grandson. i guess that's one way to take the three generations angle, but it's not really the one i was expecting, nor was it the one they seemed to imply would be the case.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
HellCat
Member Avatar
Regene Regetta
We're well into the third gen now and it still annoys me how little AGE seems to do with character relationships. Asemu is a perfect example here. Are we going to see some continuation of his interactions with Zeheart after they awkwardly saved the world? Is Flit ever going to learn the two were friends, something that really should have come up in Asemu's arc? Is he either going to be a decent father to Kio or are we stuck with 'Daddy's a pirate, his career is all he has'?

We seem to less get evolving, ageing characters and more the staff getting distracted/thinking the viewers are psychic geniuses who only need the very fringe of a relationship to let the actual clashes of character play out in their heads.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
balofo

trainwreck? trainwreck!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
EXE
Member Avatar
Heroic Peon
I think the format of the show has had it's advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, you get a real sense of time and scale when the series is stretched out over such an enormous period, the technology improvements make sense for the first time in Gundam history, and it felt like there was a real war going on.

On the other hand, lots of the things we've taken for granted in a long anime like this have been lost due to the compressed schedule for each arc. Character development outside of Asemu's in his arc has been pretty flimsy, most of the side characters seem like an after thought, and Kio doesn't seem that relevant so far.

Despite all that, I think AGE is one of my favorite Gundam series. It has it's flaws, but it hasn't had a crushingly disappointing second half like 00 had and is a lot more consistent than most of the other AUs. Still doesn't top the majesty of G Gundam though.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
HellCat
Member Avatar
Regene Regetta
Given that most people complain that Flit seems to overshadow Asemu and Kio, an idea- would AGE have worked better as less direct generations? Say Asemu is Flit's grandson and Kio is Asemu's grandson. This leaves enough room for each protagonist to be the clear star and older characters are kept nicely at bay/given a sense of legend.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
unoservix
Member Avatar

i think that would have begged the question of Asemu and Kio's fathers and wound up distracting the writers even more

plus, well, that would mean they'd have to reintroduce an entirely new cast for each generation. in Asemu's generation they could carry over the likes of Woolf and Grodek and Millais without having to define entirely new characters.

on the other hand, there's no reason why they couldn't have kept the same setup now and just made Asemu and Kio more engaging. right now Flit overshadows everyone because he's been around the longest, he's got comparatively the most interesting writing, and he's going to a rather dark place that you don't really see in Gundam protagonists. but it doesn't help that Asemu and Kio have been pretty much left to rot.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kyosuke Nanbu
Member Avatar
The world needs only one Small Boss!
As far as it goes individually, still disliking it. The 3 generations just aren't giving enough time to properly develop the casts around them aside from the main protags. Also some bad issues with AGE 3. Which ironically is really just because of the MC. The rest of the cast has actually been pretty entertaining in AGE-3.

HOWEVER,

If you not pay so much attention to the 3 gens, but rather pay attention solely on Flit as the true MC of the whole series, and how he goes along through out t the years, It's worked great.

All other MCs in the gundam franchise, your basically just watching a show that revolved around a short point in their lives. And after that main conflict, it's usually over.

Where as with Flit, his entire life revolves around the conflict.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Anime · Next Topic »
Add Reply