Features:
- Animated
- Color
- Box set
- Dolby
Description:
Five feature films from the Universal Centruy Gundam series:
The Movie Trilogy
Although the subsequent television series, theatrical features, novelizations, manga, and merchandise have made it one of the most popular properties in film history, Yoshiyuki Tomino's landmark mecha series Kido Senshi Gundam (Mobile Suit Gundam) was not a success when it aired in Japan in 1979. But when the series was recut with new animation into three theatrical features in 1981 and 1982, it connected with audiences, sparking a craze that climaxed with near-riots in Japanese toy stores over Gundam merchandise. Inspired by George Lucas's Star Wars trilogy, George Pal's Destination Moon, and the films of Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu, Tomino set out to create a universe that would enable him to go beyond the standard duels and battles to explore politics, mysticism, ecology, and social prejudices. The robots in earlier science fiction adventures were generally remote-controlled machines owned by boys who treated them almost like pets. Beginning with the Mobile Suit RX-78, the Gundam robots resembled outsized space suits that could function as one-man space ships. Kunio Okawara's anthropomorphic designs blended the flamboyance of traditional samurai armor with high-tech angularity. The eye-catching results added to the visual power of Tomino's well-choreographed sword fights and wrestling matches on Earth and in space. The Gundam features ushered in a new era of mecha adventures--and anime fandom: decades later, their influence can be seen in countless other animated sci-fi epics. Char's Counterattack
The fourth Gundam feature (1988) takes place 14 years after the third and continues the rivalry between Earth Federation mecha pilot Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, now ruler of the space realm of Neo-Zeon. Char so hates the Earth, he plans to bombard the planet with asteroids, causing a deadly nuclear winter. Although the corrupt Earth Federation commands vastly superior resources, all that really stands in Char's way is Amuro and his Nu Gundam Mobile Suit. Writer-director Yoshiyuki Tomino continues the story of the Newtypes, humans who possess psychic powers. The latest possessor of these abilities is Quess Paraya, an obnoxious teenager who whines and fusses until she's finally killed. Char's Counterattack is essentially a two-hour space battle, and although Tomino had only limited technology at his disposal, the choreography of the mecha duels is generally effective and exciting. Miller's Report
In this brief OAV, Federation intelligence officer Alice Miller pretends to examine captured Zeon mobile armor, but she's really investigating the conduct of Lt. Shiro Amada during the skirmish that reunited him with Zeon noblewoman Aina Sahalin. Miller bluntly challenges Shiro's conviction that even enemy soldiers shouldn't be killed unnecessarily, but Shiro remains unshaken in his beliefs, even when staring down the barrel of a gun. Miller's Report consists almost entirely of recut footage from the 13-episode 08th MS Team adventure. Seeing Shiro and his loyal crew of misfits again is a welcome prospect, but there's very little that's new. The 08th MS Team is set in 0079 UC (Universal Century), within the main Gundam continuity. This collection belongs in the library of every serious anime fan. Rated 13 Up: Brief nudity, minor profanity, and violence. --Charles Solomon
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