Mecha Talk

Gundamn! @ MAHQ Ep. 024 - "Simon's Quest"
- Unplugged Version: 64 kbps - 94 min., 11 sec. (1:34:11) - 43.1 MB
- Remastered Version: Coming Soon!

Special Guest Host: Pedro Cortes of Tomopop.com!

Segment Breakdown for this Episode:

01. Intro: "Neo News!"
Runtime: 0:00:00 - 0:11:32

02. Epic Sugar Works (Commercial)
Runtime: 0:11:32 - 0:12:08

03. 1st Segment: Anime Spotlight!: "Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann"
Runtime: 0:12:08 - 0:53:42

02. Preview: Next Time on Level Nine! - "Life Lessons with the Blue Bomber"
Runtime: 0:53:42 - 0:54:53

05. 2nd Segment: Gundam Round-up!: "Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team"
Runtime: 0:54:53 - 1:27:35

06. Florida Oriental Trading (Commercial)
Runtime: 1:27:35 - 1:29:11

11. Outro: "Closing/Props/Crossovers"
Runtime: 1:29:11 - 1:34:11

Even though you're probably still listening to episode 23, as long as that was, here's another one for you as we close out the year. It was a long time coming, but we finally drill our way into the Super Robot Adventure of the new millennium, "Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann" - and all with the help of guest host and GL-maniac, Pedro Cortes of Tomopop.com. Not to forget where our bread is buttered, Gundam falls back into conversation as our Round-up segment lands on the guerrilla-war U.C. OVA, "The 08th MS Team".

Also, for those who don't know, I appeared on an episode of "Destroy All Podcasts DX" recently, chiming in about the classic mecha anime film "Five Star Stories". Word to Andrew & Jeremy for having me on as well as mad props to Pedro for rocking the mic on this ep! Don't forget to scope out Tomopop.com & DestroyAllPodcastsDX.com after you're done here!

Much thanks for listening & the feedback on the last episode! Those responses on the thread were no less than epic!

Soul Bro Ryu
SBRmahq@gmail.com

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Chris linked me to the FSS podcast when it was released. I highly enjoyed it. You did a great job.

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"A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting their coat around a young boy's shoulders to let him know the world hasn't ended."

Another great episode. It sure feels nice to be rid of all those episode summaries.

Your GL review was great. I was surprised that the Straight Talk Express managed to critique the fandom without using the term "Hot Topic". I laughed so hard when Soul Bro called GL the "The Jeffersons" of anime.

There was one stop the Straight Talk Express did miss though. That would be the MSG-elitists who put 08th MS Team as an alternate universe series, refusing to accept that there was ever more than a single Gundam in the OYW. You may laugh, but I have heard that said on more than one occasion.

I agree that the love story between Shiro and Aina is hard to swallow since they had such little contact, but keep in mind that they had only 11 episodes and a lot to cram in them.

I don't think it's fair to call Shiro a peacenick. Relena and Uzumi Athha (Cagalli's father) were a peacenicks. Shiro simply began to question his own motive for fighting which led him to question why anyone else was either. This earns him points in my opinion since most Gundam leads have a short crisis about fighting, get over it, then continue on for the rest of the series and fight without a second thought. Seeing the colony get gassed would instill hatred in most people, but Shiro is admirable because he managed to break out of that mentality and assess the war for himself.

I also have to give the 08th MS Team props for having what is, IMHO, the best moment in any Gundam battle. When Norris is on top of the Guntank and stabs its head, unleashing a spray of blood-like oil, that is simply pure awesomeness.

Cool episode, guys. I too am an evangelist for Spiralism (aka Kult of Kamina). When it comes to the suspension of disbelief in TTGL, with most super robot series I tell people to just to take it all with a grain of salt, with Gurren Lagann it takes your disbelief curb stomps it, and then goes and does something awesome.

8th MS team is one of my favourite gundam OVAs, the romance does seem rushed, but I forgive it for the fight with Norris Packard, one of the best done MS fights in all of gundam. I do also appreciate the grittier "realer" feel of the series.

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Irreverent, fast paced movie reviews

Another thing about Gurren Laggan, the strength of it also comes from it being in the style of a true epic. Granted the dvd survives another 1000 years in the future, it will be treated the same way as the Oddessy. The moment the subbed dvds came out, I got them instantly. I marathonned the show with a friend because I wanted to see his reaction, and he was absolutely blown away. It does get kind of stupid at times, but by that point, you don't care.

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Taka Tora Bata

http://nihonreview.com/

Oh wow. Only an hour and a half this time. That's really short compared to at 2 hours minimum we've been getting for the last several episodes.

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The Gundam wiki

"Reality makes a crappy special effects crew." - Adam Savage

I'm a bit more forgiving with 08th MS team than you guys because it was the first Gundam series I saw. Sure, the romance was rushed, but the fight chorography and the happy ending makes up for that in my eyes. I'm a bit surprised that you guys didn't really touch on the mecha designs in the show. I really like the more realistic take on the mecha in the show, with the Ez-8, the MP-Gundam and even the Gouf Custom.
Anyways, great job guys.

I also can't wait for the Gundam X segment.

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One interpretation of TTGL, that got brought up during the mecha panel of Manifest and I thought you might find interesting:

It's the history of the mecha genre encapsulated in a single show.

- First, the Super Robot era, with a single robot on the heroes' side.
- Then, the Dai-Gurren brigade forms and we get the real robot era with armies clashing.
- After that, the Eva era where everything's dark and angsty and conspiracy-laden
- And finally, out the other side with a return to over-the-top badassness and epic battles.

Any thoughts on that?

Post listening comments.

Glad to help with keeping the legions of Camel00t in check.

I only first watched Gurren Lagann on Sci-Fi channel when it aired, and I agree really with you on the Straight Talk express where the fans are concerned about when the series supposedly ended. That and moe blob Nia complainers are, or at least were the worst aspects of what I saw of GL "fans" when it was airing in Japan.

On the 08th team, I too stayed up and watched it on the Midnight Run and enjoyed it even then found it enjoyable.
I think that Shiro's defeat Zeon, but not kill them policy was more of an annoyance than any implausibilities with the romance with Aina had. Love on the battlefield is weird, in particular if it's someone on the other side, so I really didn't give that much criticism compared to Shiro's sudden change in how he was fighting. But like you said, that might be due to the director change.

On the BGM this time for the FOT commercial, I swear that's one of the BGM tracks for the Phoenix Wright series of games. In particular when interacting with just the Fey sisters.
That was another something I didn't expect to hear.

And for the record, Jamil is like combining Quattro, OYW Amuro, and Bright Noa all in one character.
And he never takes off the sunglasses, even when out cold in the infirmary. When he eventually does, it's a major change in the motivation of the character.

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The Gundam wiki

"Reality makes a crappy special effects crew." - Adam Savage

you're right how did I miss Turnabout Sisters.... [size=0]too bad I can't find the exact version[/size]

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"If You are a man you'll do what's important before you grieve" -Captain Harlock

"I like the SAGA. Its what Rambo would pilot if he was in Gundam 00" -Kylern

At the time of recording 24, we felt a shorter episode would be approriate considering some people are probably still listening to 23.

Just wait though, in 2009, Gundamn will do an 8 hour episode.

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Wait, what? Is this something you've planned, or is that a joke of what will likely happen (continuing with the trend where we were surprised with the first 2 hour episode and now it's the norm)?

I take it that one will involve an extended roundup of Macross, a look a mecha designers, and a rundown of your least favorite characters in anime.

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Taka Tora Bata

http://nihonreview.com/

Short but sweet! I have not checked out Gurren but I may give it a shot.
I was wondering if we would get another ep before the new year.

Well I'm off to the rest of the podcast!

Like most people, I was pretty hyped when Gurren-Lagann started airing. But as it kept going, that feeling dissapeared. It's still a great show, but any enthusiasm I had for it was totally eclipsed by the enthusiasm of others. Needless to say that had a dimishing quality.

I'm probably one of the few people who actually didn't like Kamina. Heck, I dare say I hated the guy. A total blow-hard who just ran off his mouth, never thought things through and was generally just very very stupid. I didn't like episode 4, but not because of the animation. Boulders man! He threw boulders at him! Yet here you have everyone, characters and fans alike, treating him like the 2nd coming of Christ and that he could do no wrong. I can appreciate the effect he had on Simon, so his character served his purpose and I can respect that much. But boy did I want to punch him and tell him to shut up.

Well, atleast he's no Black Star. God, I despise that guy.

My sentiments are, unsurprisingly, scars from my high school years. All the popular guys were total morons while intelligent people like myself were ridiculed. I just don't think stupidity should be rewarded.

So, naturally, during the 3rd arc, I supported Rossiu. The man was doing all he could to protect humanity, even if it meant betraying his best friend. But of course everyone considers him the root of all evil because he doesn't solve his problems by yelling himself hoarse.

Atleast at that point I had Darry's ass to distract me.

And just to set the record straight: No, Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann is not the biggest mech in existance. Elder God Demonbane grew so big the entirity of the universe couldn't contain it.

As for 08th MS Team, it's been ages since I last saw it. Only real memorable moment was the Norris battle. I also remember Kiki (and no, I was too young to be pedobear back then). Episode 12 was just some extra bit, so I don't put too much weight on the quality of it. Overall, I remember liking the OVA.

Looking forward to your X segment. It was the 2nd Gundam series I watched, and it remains the #1 on my list.

Also, let me do a double segment on Nanoha and Strike Witches, I'll get you your 8 hours.

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"A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting their coat around a young boy's shoulders to let him know the world hasn't ended."

Sorry Peter, but this is Gundamn, not Peter's Pedobear Party Podcast.

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I had to skip over the Gurren Lagann portion just like the days of Code Geass R1, but I promise I'll soon manage to listen to it.
The 08th MS Team segment was great, and I definitely look forward to hearing the roundup of AW:GX

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I'm disappointed Soul-Bro didn't bring up his "Norris is like the Scream killer." analogy again. Good episode, really looking forward to the X segment.

You all know you'd listen to it!

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"A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting their coat around a young boy's shoulders to let him know the world hasn't ended."

I reckon there's a definite case for both of those counting as mecha (as I've said before, Nanoha is a mecha show disguised as a magical girl show)