Mobile Suit Gundam the Origin vol. 1 review

Mobile Suit Gundam the Origin vol. 1 review Story and Art by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, Original Story by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yatate, Mechanical Design by Kunio iwate

When colony Side 7 is attacked by Char it is up to Amuro to pilot the technology called a Gundam against the Zeon invaders. As the battle unfolds Amuro will have to come face to face with Char. Will Amuro win… or will he lose?

Serialized in the shonen (boys’) comic anthology Gundam Ace, Origin is an incredible science fiction epic. The book is a gorgeous hardcover with high quality paper. The story itself is impossible to put down once started. The pace is quick and the action is fierce.

If there is one fault in this book it is the protagonist who is a generally difficult character to sympathize with. The rest of the cast is much easier to relate to. The books also has excellent pacing never once dragging in it’s over 440 pages. Overall Gundam the Origin is an excellent book well worth your time and money. I cannot recommend this book enough!   

Rating: 8/10

Gundam the origin vol. 1 is available in print in North America from Vertical Inc.

Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen episode 1 review

Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen Episode 1 Review directed by Mamoru Hatekayama Produced by Studio Deen

One day a note drops into Jun’s room asking whether or not he will wind a doll. Jun chooses the former; thus begins a series of magical battles between dolls. Mysteries are abound in this new fantastical world Jun has now entered.

Based on a manga which is currently being serialized in the seinen (men’s) comic anthology Weekly Young Jump in Japan; Zuruckspulen makes next to no sense in its first episode. This is not the right foot to start your series on. The show looks very nice but the pacing is far too quick to follow the events and characters have no time to actually interact with one another.

The advertising for the show indicates that there will be an alternate reality, supposedly, but the show does a poor job establishing it giving zero indicator of it in the first episode. If the show has any hope of improving itself it will need to slow the pace down considerably and allow the audience to familiarize themselves with the characters because as it stands it is one giant abstract mess.

Rating: 4/10

Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.