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Title:
  G Gundam vol 3 (of 3)

UK Distributor:  N/A (US release reviewed)

Author:  Kouichi Tokita, Hajime Yadate & Yoshiyuki Tomino

Suggested Retail Price (SRP):  $9.99 (around £6)

Number of Pages:  186

ISBN:  1-5918-2168-1

Reviewed:  29th September 2004

Reviewer:  Tom (Webmaster)

 

I’ll start this review with a statement: the more high-end serious films I watch, the more I enjoy the cheesy films at the lower end of the spectrum.  For every Kurosawa film I see, the more I enjoy the latest Friday the 13th movie.  Seeing several serious films can make you crave something that does not make you think or question humanity but simply take you on a fun, clichéd ride that effectively makes you laugh at yourself for taking another piece of celluloid so seriously before it.  Watching a cheap straight-to-video flick every now and then will make you realise that entertainment should be the first priority, so the more cheese and bad one-liners the better.  Yep, I cannot deny my love of cheese and I often say the cheesier the better as it will make it more entertaining.  This is something I have always believed.

Then I read G Gundam.

Oh my God.

You’ll have to excuse me for a minute as I compose myself and give myself the strength to finish this review, as it will mean I will have to think about G Gundam after trying to clear my head of it.

< pause >

G Gundam is simply one of the most shocking manga I have ever had the misfortune to read, and it was certainly difficult to finish reading it.  If you think this is going to be anything like the stylish Gundam Wing then think again, because G Gundam is worst collection of clichés, bad dialogue, uninspiring art and laughable Gundam designs you will ever see.

G Gundam tells the story of Domon Kasshu, pilot of the Shining Gundam and Neo-Japan’s (yes, NEO-Japan) entrant into the inventively titled 13th annual Gundam Fight.  Domon has not entered for personal glory though but to find his lost brother and the legendary Dark Gundam.  Domon’s quest will be a cliché filled story of love, growing-up and stereotyped Gundams.  He will undertake the standard battle with his old master Undefeated Of The East (yes, you did read that correctly), learning that the power of love can conquer all and that when mankind unites they can overcome ANYTHING!!  Sadly I am not making any of this up.

My last hope was the action and that unfortunately does not deliver like any of G Gundam’s counterparts, it is just a damp squib due to the sheer stupidity of it all. Although the artwork of the Gundams is the same as other Gundam incarnations, the daft designs of each Neo country just have you laughing too much to care (that’s laughing at, not laughing with).  Greek Gundam has a beard!  Norwegian Gundam is a fish!  Spanish Gundam is a bull!  Dutch Gundam has a windmill on it!  A windmill!!  This would just be ok if it wasn’t for the terrible dialogue as well, which combined with the daft designs and one of the most predictable plots in manga truly make a G Gundam a very bad read.

G Gundam is a poor addition to the Gundam franchise and is a typical example of selling a property purely on a name.  G Gundam feels like it has been knocked up in a weekend and to be frank I’ve seen better Hollywood sequels then this atrocity.  Speed 2 is Oscar-worthy compared to this!

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