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First, a little background story.
An AEUG pilot who calls himself Quattro Bajeena infiltrates the space colony known as Gryps, headquarters of the Earth Federation's dreaded Titans taskforce. Confirming that the Titans are developing new Gundam Mk.II mobile suits, Quattro and his comrades capture some of the machines and then return to the AEUG flagship Argama. They are accompanied by a young civilian named Kamille Bidan, a talented pilot with strong Newtype potential and no love for the Titans.
Evading the pursuing Titans and their allies in the regular Federation Forces, the Argama makes its way to the moon, where the rebels receive new weapons and supplies from their sponsors. After capturing several Federation warships, the AEUG gathers its forces for its first major offensive - a massive mobile suit attack on the Titans' terrestrial supply base, the underground fortress of Jaburo in South America.
This is the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam, the one that launched it all back in 1979, which chronicled the One Year War of 0079. This takes place in 0087, seven years after the end of the One Year War. Eventually, many of the characters that were in the original, show up in one form or another in this sequel. Amuro Ray, the original Gundam Pilot, Hayato Kobayashi is the leader of the KARABA resistance group, and Kai Shiden has become a journalist, with his usual flair for getting into trouble. And even Char Aznable has become a part of this series.........as Quattro Bajeena.
The story is done quite well in this go around. Yoshiyuki Tomino, the man who started it all, learned a lot from his first outing, and put it to good use during this series. The Mobile Suit battles are more fluid, and the characters have a lot more depth to them. The interweaving storylines between the characters on both sides, are very intricate, and they play out through the entire fifty-episode span. One of the hardest things that I found getting used to at first, was seeing Char Aznable, "The Red Comet", on the 'Good Side'. When he piloted a Gundam in the first few episodes, it really blew my mind.
The main character of Kamille Bidan went through a lot more than Amuro Ray did during his battles. When Lallah Sune was killed at Amuro's own hand, it left a scar that took seven years to heal, leaving Amuro an empty shell of what he once was. This happened to Kamille several times. Four Murasame, Rosamia Badam, Reccoa Londe, Emma Sheen, Katz Kobayashi.......he had to deal with so much death.....
The tragedy that he faced day by day made him grow up so fast, that he couldn't understand everything all at once. So it was very frustrating for him when people did 'adult' things. Reccoa changing heart and going to the Titans. Four and Rosamia, and what they were doing. In the end, after the final battle, it left Kamille in a disillusioned state.
From beginning to end, this series had it all. Romance, Comedy, Action, Drama, Deceit, and the series really made you think. There aren't even that many television series that make you do that these days.
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam has risen to the top of my Gundam Favorites, surpassing Gundam SEED. Of the series I've seen, here is how the list stands.
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket.
If you can afford this set, I would highly recommend in doing so. I patiently await Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, which hopefully I won't have to wait a lifetime to see released.
Rommie
This has also been posted on my anime journal.
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. I finished watching the DVD set two weeks ago, and I was amazed at how well the storyline still holds up. Zeta was probably the best and most mature anime ploting up until Evangelion.