Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans

For a Gundam fan I don't watch enough if I'm honest. I've watched Gundam wing and Gundam OO and now this. One thing that stays the same besides the plot lines is my enjoyment. So if you're not a Gundam fan, I can't say how helpful this review will be. Anyways, let get to the nitty and gritty. I would say it was one of the more generic Gundam series. It was nothing special in terms of character development but I felt I matured with these kids. I watched over them as they navigated a harsh world with naivety, determination and tough skin. So even if they were one dimensional, they grew on me to the point a certain death, hit me harder than expected. The story itself started rather basic but the second half became a world wind of complex plotlines intersecting each other. The politics really picked up while at the same time leaving too many questions for my liking. For a Gundam series, the politics was really light. Same with the combat unfortunately. The fight scenes were nothing to write home about until the last few episodes. But boy, it was worth the wait. I can't emphasise enough the intensity the last 5 episodes delivered and also the foundations for a second season, it has laid out. The stage has been set and I have enjoyed this enough to be excited for round 2. I felt this season built up a new Gundam storyline from the ground up and it will be worth as we keep watching. I would recommend it for newcomers and old fans equally even if I have some criticisms.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans is a series that is obviously trying to do something "new" with the often predictable story of Gundam-genre shows. To this end, it succeeds in some places and fails in others. It is a ponderous, often slow-moving character-focused anime that actually does not focus very much on mobile suits at all. Set in an alternate universe not explored before in Gundam, IBO follows a group of rebellious "space rats", children who are essentially corporate slaves, as they overthrow their corporate masters and work to establish an independent economic sphere on Mars. I say that IBO is attempting to do something new because it breaks away, or at least attempts to, from many of the cliches of the Gundam genre. There are space colonies, but they are not the focus. The story is focused mostly on the pilots of the mobile suits, rather than the suits themselves. A lot of time is devoted to character development. The mobile suits use conventional ballistic and steel weapons, rather than lasers, charged particle beams, and beam sabers. Where it fails, however, it does so spectacularly. There is a "Char" character here, and even a companion character with purple hair ala Garma. There is also a wunderkind almost superhuman child protagonist who is never really given any reason for his abilities. Also, a conflict between the rich on Earth and the oppressed in space is very much in line with traditional Gundam tropes. The mobile suits themselves also rely very heavily on deus ex type technology reminiscent of Minovsky Particles from the UC universe. There is also a Relena Peacecraft-esque character. The story itself feels like someone took Gundam SEED and smashed it together with Gundam Wing. If the art weren't so good, I'd think I was watching an over-the-top melodrama anime from the late 90s or early 2000s. The series' focus on overt displays of masculinity is also an odd choice. This appears to be a universe where strong females only exist to be dominated by the men around them. All the females who start out strong are reduced to weepy whiny babies by the end of the show, whereas all the weak men become super buff macho characters. In many ways, this show almost feels like a harem anime with all the traditional harem roles filled by other men instead of women. The series also does a relatively good job of world building--that is, setting the stage for the characters and action of the story, without being too nebulous like Gundam AGE tended to be. Overall, as an alternative series to the traditional UC setting of Gundam, IBO is worth a watch. I actually hope they develop the world more with future series and OVAs because it feels like there is much more storytelling to be done here.

Brawniness men, female protagonist who leads the revolution army, conspiracies within the enemy, this equation makes a good story and a lot of necessary deaths. The story moves fast so expect surprises and not drag out. The intros and eds fit perfectly and sometimes it'll play into the ending song. I don't think I skipped the ending too many times because the song was really good and how dramatic it was when it ends an episode. The episodes felt a bit longer and fulfilling than normal due to that. If you enjoy a good plot, a journey 'til the very end for a cause, romance, you'll like this anime. The mechs are a bonus. 9/10 it's great!

This is a self encapsulated anime along with its second season meaning you do not need to watch or know about any of the immense library of gundam anime to enjoy this. With that said it is a good well thought out story about child soldiers in the scope of a war that is far above them and yet they have the power to forge their own path out of the hellhole of the battlefield. Tense moments for the too young main characters are a running theme that molds the characters into something that is a sight to behold. If you are new to gundam anime as a whole this is an easy way into the franchise as a whole. Good fights, backdrops of politics, and an enjoyable story brings this up as a golden standard for the new age of gundam anime.

*SPOILERS IN 'STORY' AND 'CHARACTERS' SECTIONS - THE REST IS SPOILER-FREE* I have watched my fair share of Gundam (namely the entire 'Amuro saga'), but Iron-Blooded Orphans was the first modern entry in the franchise that I've experienced, and I was very pleasantly surprised by it. Unfortunately, I've seen many reviews on MAL that completely miss the point of the show and have glaring inconsistencies and errors within them. And so I decided to write a comprehensive review of the anime's first season to hopefully clear out any misconceptions about it and get more people to check it out, as it is, without a doubt, the best Gundam work I've seen so far. Setting: To put it simply, it's great, and its greatness comes from the fact that it's different from most Gundam media and doesn't settle for any half-measures. IBO is one of the few Gundam anime to receive an R-17+ rating (the other ones being SEED, 00, Thunderbolt, and Witch from Mercury). It allows the creators to tackle heavier, more mature topics than in your standard shonen mecha. And OH BOY, tackle they do. Iron-Blooded Orphans has it all: greedy megacorporations, shady politics, slavery, private armies, human body modification, and the most prominent theme of them all: the use of child soldiers on the battlefield. It leans heavily towards cyberpunk/modern military, as opposed to most of the other Gundam series, which usually go for a space opera-esque type setting. It's honestly quite surprising that this show got greenlit for production in the first place, as Bamco usually tries to avoid overtly explicit depictions of heavy topics in Gundam media (Just to be clear, I don't mean that they shy away from tackling those subjects altogether, but rather that more often than not they do it in an excessively cautious, very "sanitized" way so that the anime can still be marketed towards younger teens in order to sell more gunpla - cause only kids would play with those silly robot toys, amirite??). Story: Overall, it's really solid; however, it does have some drawbacks that unfortunately prevent Iron-Blooded Orphans from being the masterpiece it could've been (more on that later on), but it's still a very enjoyable watch and I was on the edge of my seat for most of the time. Our story takes place in the year 323 P.D. - more than 300 years have passed since the Calamity War, a huge conflict that nearly wiped out all of humanity. The human race is slowly healing and rebuilding the broken world, but the memories of the war still remain. Earth and all of its space colonies have been divided into four large quasi-countries (which are called "economic blocs" in the show), while global order and security are upheld by an organization known as Gjallarhorn. The story centers around a group of child soldiers working for a private security company called CGS. All of them have been implanted with cybernetic modifications that improve their combat efficiency, and they are badly mistreated by their adult superiors. The CGS is tasked with safely escorting Kudelia Alia Bernstein, a prominent figure in the Mars Independence Movement, to Earth for a press conference, but they are suddenly attacked by Gjallarhorn. Amidst the chaos, the children rebel against their leaders and seize control of the company, renaming it to Tekkadan. They decide to carry on with their original objective and escort Kudelia to Earth, thus setting off on a journey that will change both their lives and the fate of the entire world. If it sounds gloomy to you, that's because it is. It's much more of a grounded, gritty story than other Gundam series. Even though the main cast are obviously the "good guys," their methods are questionable to say the least. And vice versa, the show's antagonists - Gjallarhorn - turn out to be more than just the "big bad." I would even consider some of them to be more noble and righteous than the heroes themselves. Add two-faced businessmen and corrupt politicians to the mix, and you've got a story that emanates with shades of gray instead of painting everything black and white. The world of Iron-Blooded Orphans is not so simple, and sometimes it's hard to determine who is wrong and who is right - just like in reality. The portrayal of warfare in general is also significantly different from other Gundam media: it is, so to speak, "stripped down from all its glory." In other Gundam series I've watched, war is portrayed as an opportunity for a bunch of carefree kids to distinguish themselves, save the world, and have a blast piloting giant robots while they're at it (once again, those gunpla won't sell themselves). Iron-Blooded Orphans flips this narrative upside down: here, each skirmish is a painful, relentless, and brutal struggle for survival. Even victories aren't usually a reason to celebrate because the characters' consciences grow heavy from the people they killed (this unfortunately doesn't apply to the mc, but more on that in the "Characters" section). IBO is also grounded in a more literal sense - it's devoid of all the supernatural elements present in UC Gundam. In the Universal Century timeline, the OPness of the main characters comes from the fact that they are Newtypes, a group of people born with psychic powers. In the Post Disaster timeline, the concept of Newtypes is replaced with the Alaya-Vijnana system, a technology that utilizes the implants in a person's body to stimulate their brain to process more data and quicken their reaction time. When it comes to pacing, Iron-Blooded Orphans once again does the trick. The major problem I had with some early Gundam works was that they were unnecessarily drawn out and bloated with subpar filler episodes, to the point that it was a chore for me to watch them. IBO, on the other hand, stays at a healthy 25 episodes per season, keeping the pace of the action quick but also leaving enough runtime to develop various relationships between characters. Before we move on, I'd like to take a moment to talk about violence against children in this show, as I've seen some reviewers getting upset over it: yes, it is present, yes, it is bad and *that's the whole point*. I don't know if they noticed, but it's a show about a group of CHILD SOLDIERS, which I'd assume would lead one to believe that it is gonna tackle the subject of violence against children pretty extensively. I am genuinely confused how some people don't get this: the violence is there to show the true terror of war and to emphasize that children are the victims of every conflict and that they should be protected from it at all costs, so they could just be kids and have a normal childhood instead of being forced to fight. If it was to be taken away, the message of the show would've been lost completely. It would be like making a comedy series where nothing funny ever happens: it just wouldn't make any sense. Ok, now that I've glazed the story enough, it's time for some critique. As I said before, Iron Blooded Orphans aims to be the more "mature" take on the Gundam world, and while it manages to accomplish that for the most part, the anime also commits one of the deadly sins of dark/edgy TV shows: it doesn't kill off enough important characters. Now don't get me wrong, death is one of the most important themes of the show, they keep bringing it up almost every episode. For the members of Tekkadan, the death of their comrades is the main driving force that pushes them forward. And all would've been fine, except we never actually *see* all this death they keep yapping about. A lot of people die in the show, true, but they're mostly insignificant background characters. Only two members of the main cast actually die, only one of them being a member of Tekkadan. The scene that particularly pissed me off was in episode 24 where a giant Gjallarhorn mobile suit wrecks three of the heroes' machines, annihilating them in just a couple of hits. They were pretty important characters and they were killed in a very …

(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) Roses are red. Violets are blue. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans makes for a pretty flower, too. STORY Iron-Blooded Orphans (reduced to this title because it’s cool as all get out) centers on a large group of kids who, for one reason or another, have found themselves ditched by society. As they get mistreated at the hands of the higher-ups, Kudelia, the famous leader of the recent Martian civil-rights movement, arrives at their base, shaking up events on an interplanetary scale. From the very beginning, the anime follows this ragtag group of children as they deal with two fronts simultaneously: societal investigation and futuristic warfare. On the societal side, Tekkadan (the new name of their group) highlights the difficulties that people in their position endure. They are treated as worthless when they are abandoned to act as a decoy. They are seen as monsters when others catch a glimpse of the Alaya-Vijnana on their backs. They are given no remorse by the government or those in power. It’s not just them, either. The everyday people of Mars are on the verge of economic collapse caused by foreign (planet) affairs, and hard-pressed laborers are forced to take drastic measures as their living conditions and wages reach all-time lows. Granted, the juxtaposition between the elite and the dirt can be a teeny tiny bit heavy-handed at times. Literally having a “Human Debris” designation for some of the cast members makes this statement more than arguable. Nevertheless, Iron-Blooded Orphans sticks to its (robot) guns, bolstering one of its most prominent themes: the little guy can defeat the big guy. Kudelia’s pleas to the government as well as the people allows each to come to agreements that protect those on Mars and those on Earth. And Tekkadan traverses across the solar system, completing their mission despite the immense troubles that plagued their path. Simultaneously, the anime incorporates its familial theme. Again, it’s hard to miss in regards to Tekkadan. They live together. They go to “school” together. They fight for each other together. They are orphans, most not bound by blood, but that makes them no less a family. Because family is not defined by something so scientific as genetics. It’s defined by the feelings, the thoughts, the connections held between them. Once more, it’s not just them that focus on the familial. Naze’s harem, while unconventional, is a family for him and the other women. On a broader scale, the labor union is a family. And, on an even broader scale, the unfortunate people of Mars are a family, too. The magic is when this and the previous theme are harmonized. I.e., according to Iron-Blooded Orphans, in order for the little guy to defeat the big guy, family is required. Tekkadan sacrifice themselves for their brothers. The labor union reach a peaceful agreement. The people of Earth vote to save the people of Mars. Again, they aren’t the families people normally think of, and it’s not literally “family wins the day.” Instead, the anime’s mindset that family is what one makes of it, that family makes the impossible possible, ties together its political issues with the themes it touts. This familial theme is indirectly related to one of the show’s bigger problems. Namely, not letting background information sink in long enough. On two obtuse occasions, the anime, for some reason, decides it well within reason to immediately and conveniently follow-up on previously unknown information: Akihiro’s younger brother and Biscuit’s older brother. Disregarding the fact that they both deal with a long-lost brother (which is already iffy), the anime drops this information followed immediately with using it. Build-up is traded in favor of at-the-ready drama, leading to said drama falling flat. To be fair, it can handle such narrative points with grace. Fumitan’s conflicting actions and Mikazuki’s bracelet he received from Atra come to mind. Meaning not every example reeks of poor execution. This all still leaves the other side of the anime: Mobile Suit battles. This show derives from the Gundam series, after all, so it wouldn’t do to ignore what amounts to about half of the season and one of the main draws of the series. Surprisingly, despite the blackness of space, the anime does well in differentiating the fights that ensue. One takes place within a cluttered asteroid field, impairing vision and creating obstacles. One involves the group careening their ship into an orbital station. One occurs on two fronts – on a guarded bridge and on a deserted field. But Iron-Blooded Orphans’ greatest achievement with its battles comes from incorporating the “space-rat” motif. Many of the fights are uncouth. Mikazuki ignores the formal duel offer, choosing to strike first instead. The boys use an extra ship to shield themselves from oncoming fire. And they purposefully narrowly miss crashing into an enemy ship to plant infiltrators. Tekkadan is treated as dirty, so they play dirty in retaliation. Not all of the fights are peachy, though. Ein always protecting Gaelio, and perhaps one-too-many just-in-the-nick-of-time saves, turns the fights from thrilling experiences into repetitive altercations. Plus, the anime shies away from killing off more of its characters – especially when it appears that will happen (e.g., when “new” Ein takes out Shino’s, Lafter’s, and Azee’s Mobile Suits). Altogether, the narrative is, much like what its title touts, a mixed offering. ANIMATION Despite the space setting of Iron-Blooded Orphans, its art and animation remain relatively in strong standing. Especially when considering the contrasts. Mars is a barren, reddened wasteland where mountains reign and sand occupies. The various spaceships – with their metallic, compartmentalized layout – add a sense of structure and familiarity; a home away from home. Earth’s greens and blues and yellows make it into an ideal, a goal worth fighting for. Playing devil’s advocate, these separate locations are not awe-inspiring. Mars is just mountains. The spaceships are just hallways. Earth is just trees. But, again, when looked at together, they tell a story all their own. Actual animation sits somewhere around average. While the various robot battles (and there are quite a few of them) see much in the way of clashing, dodging, and destroying, downtime does not have the same level of movement. Understandably, characters are often found standing around the ship or sitting at cafeteria tables. The character designs are likewise mixed in their execution. Some of the enemies, such as Kudal and Brooke, while detailed and symbolic in their looks (the former is dressed in green with a snake tongue, and the latter is pudgy with a pig nose), they are a bit too animalistic when compared to the grounded, more realistic designs of the other characters. Orga’s design is silly, too. His faded-purple hair, with its one blade that slices across his face, is almost cartoonish. But the other characters’ designs are cared for. Kudelia’s long blonde hair, purple eyes, and red, frilly dress give her an air of both beauty and royalty – perfect for the savior princess. Mikazuki’s short stature and seemingly weak build makes his commanding of the Gundam all the more impressive. And the stark contrast between the regal outfits of the soldiers of Gjallarhorn and the ragtag coats of Tekkadan adds more to the little-guy-versus-big-guy motif. No matter which design is investigated, the crisp lines, sharp eyes, and various minor details (buttons, necklaces, etc.) add even more flair. (As a side note, some of the cast members love to close just one of their eyes. Especially Orga. He should really see an eye doctor about that….) The various robot designs also deserve an inspection. In short, they reflect the disposition of the characters themselves. Fareed’s uses two swords and stands in a classy manne…

Iron-Blooded Orphans is my second entry into the Gundam Universe whereby the first one was Build Fighters. Taking it as a story on its own as I do not know about previous Gundams, this story is AMAZING. It makes utter sense when looking at it from a reality perspective. The characters are quite well developed despite sometimes the story, in general, has some shortcomings. The art varies from high detailed to low details in a very nice way that makes it look cute and accurate at different points. Why I enjoyed this Anime so much? If you never watched Gundam before but knows a bit about the flashy swords and beams and think that those are too extravagant, this is for you. This Gundam story is not only about mechs, it's about much more than that and the mechs just brings that final touch to it that makes it perfect. As I mentioned above, compared to previous Gundams, this series, moves from a fantasy mech level to a more sci-fi mech level, so you have this sense that there is no wrongness in terms of combats and physical maneuvers even for weaponry and everything associated. Lastly, the story contains everything in terms of feelings, rage, sadness, happiness, it's a good blend that will make the experience thoroughly enjoyable from episode 1 to episode 25. Definitely something to watch!

I'm a huge fan of mecha series and even more of Gundam Series. I was disapointed of the last one they've done. So I had doubt about this one but IT WAS GREAT. They didn't do like the last one and accelerate thing so it can enter into a 25 episode series. They had let thing go and everything was in place. The annonce of a season 2 proove that there are still thing they didn't tell us about the story,caracter, mecha, etc. If you wish for a good Mecha series watch it till the end. The only downside of this is, maybe, the fact that all main caracter are kids but you can go beyond that with the extremly good story.

*No spoilers* Summary Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans follows a set of orphan child soldiers who form a group called Tekkaden, as they engage in an escorting mission through space. The story is part of the Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG) universe, though watching other MSG shows is not required. There are plenty of giant machine battles, as is expected in the mecha genre. The story starts off interestingly by introducing themes of freedom, liberation, war, mistreatment, and loyalty; however, the story develops more into action, battles, and politics which detracts from these themes. There are excessive characters, and very few of them have time to satisfactorily develop with all the action. Overall, this series may be of interest to you if you enjoy the mecha genre, sci-fi, and action, and you don’t mind subpar character development. If you are interested in a similar genre with more meaningful characters, dialogue, and thoroughly explored themes, then I recommend Eighty-Six instead. Story: 6/10 The story starts captivatingly, with an emphasis on the mistreatment of the orphan characters as child soldiers. It begins to explore themes such as mistreatment, freedom, and loyalty, although most of these ideas fall short partway through the story. The plot incorporates political tomfoolery as the members of the Tekkaden group embark on an escorting mission. The pacing is satisfactory, although the plot accelerates partway through. This amplifies the action at the expense of character development. By the end, the story is complete, but the meaningfulness explored at the beginning is overshadowed by the action of flashing machines, space travel, and weird political figures with fancy beards. Whereas similar shows tackle political themes in a meaningful way, Iron-Blooded Orphans tosses in unnecessary political rules for plot convenience (or inconvenience, as is the case near the end). The story overall is average, and the biggest flaw is that the plot focuses too much on action and thrills and not enough on the characters. If you are looking for a generally straightforward story with an emphasis on action and moderate suspense, then this will likely suffice; however, the change partway through does detract from the overall meaning. Characters: 5/10 There is a plethora of characters in the show with insufficient time for them to develop because of all the action. Some barely have backstories, some are used merely as plot devices, and even some of the interesting characters are practically written out of the story altogether once their bland character arc is completed. This is quite problematic for any story, and it is especially so for Iron-Blooded Orphans because the story itself could have been compelling: The themes lend to character development, yet the story focuses on fights and uncanny political subterfuge instead of the characters’ decisions, wants, needs, emotions, etc. Ultimately, these characters end up generic and one-dimensional, despite beginning with plenty of potential. Art: 6/10 The art is a highlight for this show, especially for fans of action, since the majority is a bunch of giant machines blasting at each other. Some character designs are quite extravagant, especially with the fancy hair styles. These designs help to differentiate between the characters. Sound: 5/10 The music is generally dull and unforgettable, but it is adequate. Enjoyment: 4/10 I have never been a huge fan of the mecha genre because it often focuses on action and battles over substance. I had read the reviews of Iron-Blooded Orphans and thought that this one might be different. It does start off nicely and seems to tackle meaningful themes, but I did not enjoy the second section because it shifted to action rather than developing the characters. Total score: 5.2/10

Iron-Blooded Orphans has some of the best animations I've seen in a mecha anime. The animation is fluid, and there aren't any CGI mechas. However, Iron-Blooded Orphans isn't a perfect show. The soundtrack is unremarkable, characters other than Orga and Mikazuki aren't interesting, the dialogue is forgettable, and the villains are lame. I mean, one of the final antagonists had some interesting ideas on how he was going to change the world... it has something to do with kids. Still, Iron-Blooded Orphans is a good show. If you like mecha fights and Orga and Mikazuki, then you're going to enjoy this anime. However, if you don't like Mechas or Orga and Mikazuki's stories, then you're probably going to hate this show. Also, I was drawn to watching Iron-Blooded Orphans because I've seen 86 get called a 'copy' of Iron-Blooded Orphans. Yet, 86 and Iron-Blooded Orphans are nothing alike besides having kids in mechas being treated as less-than-human. 86 is more melodramatic than Iron-Blooded Orphans and is closer to Attack on Titan than Iron-Blooded Orphans. So, if you're expecting Iron-Blooded Orphans to be a mirror of 86 with characters crying and having many emotional moments, then you'll be disappointed. Although, it's still a great show.

[This is a review for the whole anime, 1º and 2º seasons] I really dislike Action Mecha, and the title Mobile Suit Gundam was even a joke in my point of view, that was before watching the Iron-Blooded Orphans, at the end of the 2º season I immediately searched for the Gundam timeline of the series, even so I might not see another anime of it, just because how hyped I was to know it's universe. Action is one of the primary genres that I dislike, that's because multiple stories just have the fighting as the main part of the show. Whatever, what I like is to see fighting as a last resort, as if there's no other option to trying killing each other, or at least as a manner to compete. This anime makes exactly it, or they kill or they will keep being human trash, the show is not focused on the battles themselves, is more like the battles happens because of the plot, not vice-versa. Mecha is the genre that I might dislike the most, and that's because it's easy to make a bad anime out of it, there's so many animes that try showing its power by it's size, or by how many guns the mecha have, or by just using a single move to destroy an entire army, and that is really dumb and boring. Whatever, Iron-Blooded Orphans uses realism, war and politics strategies, even so there were some scenes where this happened, their main ones followed what I like, a fair combat with different strategies and sides. The variety of characters might be the best strength this anime has, they are all interesting, making you want for them not to die in the battlefield and to see his story develop. The line of who is evil and who’s good also is almost transparent, there’s it, but isn’t something you rely on too much, and that is an extreme positive point for me. Its world is deep, might be because of the Gundam long timeline, that it keeps you immerse while watching it, almost like you were in a window to another world that actually exists. For me it’s really difficult to review an anime above an ‘8’ score, because it’s defects aren’t that easy to explain, needing for me to rewatch it to be more precise, and I really don’t like rewatching animes at all, for the fact that in the 2º time I always will feel just a part of what I did on the first time, and for that I prefer to just enjoy when an anime is truly good, so my score on the ‘9+’ scale is more of a personal score than an actual review of it, but one thing I can say, this anime is a MUST WATCH, especially if you like realism, mecha, or action plots. Final personal score: [9.0] (1º: 8.7; 2º: 9.3)

After Aldnoah, i have searched for something in similar and i found this, i'm not a huge fan of Mecha anime but after watching 2-3 of them i can't stop myself to seek more of robots. I guess my inner kid is resurfacing again. its kinda good to remember the good old days where i watched gundam and transformers as a kid. It's quite reminiscing and nostalgic. As for the story, well ahem! A naive rich girl wants to free her home planet from the grasps of the economic blocks from earth, but, that's the least of her problem being the head of the mars revolution she is being targeted by Gjallarhorn (a very corrupt military branch from earth that reaches its reach to mars). In order for her plans to work she must go to earth safely and talk to the prime ministers, and so he hired a private army full of child militants and so happens with luck on her side she stumbles upon a relic from the past, it's a 300 year old Gundam. So far so good aint it? Well this is probably one of the best mecha anime i have ever seen in my entire life! It was well thought and very well put as expected from an action packed mecha anime. Although you may think senseless deaths all around but its actually not and there's a good reason for it, their deaths are not invain, it was a beautiful and honorable death. Enough talk, don't wanna spoil it. So well i guess you have to find out more then. 10/10 As for the art: well it was decent enough for me to keep watching, although sometimes it's out of proportion, but nah, all i care about is a good story and some ass kicking action scenes thrown in with a little bit of romance! Yep you heard me there is romance! It's the reason i came for. XD 8/10 As for the Sound: well doesn't quite interest me at all, but i like music so its decent, but not catchy. 7/10 Characters: hohoho they are amazing! All of them! That's all! just check it out you'll be amazed at the different personalities of each one of them especially the main character, he looks badass being small and all but his personality is the most BADASS of all. The perfect protagonist for a mecha/action anime nothing beats him. 10/10 Enjoyment: yes ofcourse i enjoy every last one of it, for Godsakes i've enjoyed so much i binged it till the end. 10/10 Overall it's a 9/10 that sums it all up. I'm off to the 2nd season! And i heard its even better. Happy conquest everyone XD

War is hell. A simple saying, with a lot of meaning. It's not hard to find an anti-war piece of media. From greak books like "All Quiet On the Western Front" to groundbreaking films like "Full Metal Jacket" and even songs like "Fortunate Son". It seems that the cry for peace is strong within us all. "Iron Blooded Orphans" is one of those cries and it's truly remarkable for what it does. Most of the cast are children or teens, thrown into the war machine to become "human debris", lives without meaning, chunks of meat made to kill other without remorse. They have to kill, they are orphans, criminals, people who make up the margin of the society, so they have nowhere to go. And in there a light shines, a leader, Orga. He is the one who will lead them on their journey toward a better life, or rather to having any sort of life. The embodiment of hope arises and with him rises Tekkadan. The members of Tekkadan are where we find the most human people - the garbage bin of society, machines of war without a cause. Yet still they love, mourn, cry, laugh, trust, feel. Somehow looking into the abyss made them shine brighter. They all are human, no doubt. And we feel with them. Every member lost, every success or loss they have, we cheer and mourn with them, as if we were with them. It's hard to not find a very difficult type of beauty in that, something that ancient Greeks called "katharsis", a belief that through feeling sadness and other hard emotions in a piece of media the consumer goes through a process of cleaning. But you couldn't go through a cleaning of that sorts if the world in the series didn't feel real somehow. Yes, there are giant robot flying around and flashing different weapons, but for me at the very least, Iron Blooded Orphans is a show more about the cast than the Gundams. And they are beautiful. Each character has a reason to be loved, most have a reason to hate them as well, many live tragic lives and many of them we see gone, as it is in war. Those deaths would mean nothing without the character development we see on screen, and without the many contradictions and human traits we see in them. Members of Tekkadan arise above being just a literary device, they become people. Yet, in all of that feelings we still see the good old Gundams. Action scenes are what you expect, a rave of flashing lights, tight choreaography, and a massive array of different weapons, frames and fighting styles. Each fight feels both deserved and unique, even after both seasons amassing a grand total of 50 episodes and propably a 100-something fights, it still wasn't boring. The charm was still there, it was exciting despite the horrid things the war does that are shown in the series. Even though we are made to see the darkest side of the war, it's somehow impossible to restrain yourself from enjoying the things that brought it about. And in a very morally ambigous way, it is beautiful. It's funny in quite a morbid way how twofaced it proves one to be. How, despite the many atrocities we still love the flashy lights of war. The dance of frames that look like embers from the most deadly fire that we saw consume many lives, that is ready to claim another. It may seem reading all this that it was a quite depressing and horrid watch. And to a certain point it was. But it can't be denied it's a masterpiece. Will it make you cry? Most likely. But you will also feel all of the joy of many characters of the series, the accomplishment of many goals, and you yourself will leave fulfilled, as the story ends in a very satisfing way. If you think about watching this go ahead. You'll be in for a ride.

Iron-Blooded Orphans is easily one of the best anime I've ever watched. To me, the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is like the Japanese equivalent to Star Wars, except the lore and aesthetic got better and tighter with time, as opposed to Star Wars, which many fans would agree is no longer canon. If you're a fan of Gundam in general but haven't watched this series, you definitely should. Unlike the original movies, which are very old by now, this series is 25 episodes long, therefore giving plenty of time to allow the viewer to grow close to the main characters and witness amazing character development. The art style might seem kind of standard by today's standards, and while the action scenes might not feel as epic as some other modern anime (Jujutsu Kaisen is the first one that comes to mind), the weight of everything is felt heavily during the intense battles. When you start the series, you might feel unclear as to who are the good guys and who are the bad guys, but by the end, you know fully well who you are rooting for to win, and the stakes feel so high by this point. This is an amazing anime that deserves your attention.

Iron Blood Orphans is quite honestly my favorite anime ever by a long shot. From the music to the character development and even the art/story was amazing! After just the first few episodes I found myself wishing I could join Tekkadan in their fight for freedom. However, the main reason I think I like the anime so much is because of how the story develops. The story and the music really go well with each other. From that memorable scene on Mars to that last fight, it really grabs at your heart and make you feel everything that has happened throughout the series. I truly can't put my emotions/thoughts that have been engraved into me because of this series. If you haven't watched this series I highly recommend. It really just makes you want to join Tekkadan

There’s definitely something about how productions within the Gundam universe are created. Albeit most series are stand-alone (not necessarily dependent on each other), the audience is guaranteed blood, action, systemic revolution against discrimination, poverty, unfair social structures, and protecting comrades/family. I, personally, haven’t seen all of them, but when I do watch, I almost always see myself cheering for an underdog trying to uproot an unjust society. After all, it’s easier to invest in a narrative that reflects current realities seen in the real world. As an addition to the mecha-franchise, Mobile Suit Gudam: Iron-Blooded Orphans does not disappoint in delivering the expected themes. True to its name, the show is about poor young orphans, experimented on to become weapons, forced to be disposables in war; how they struggle with their youth, realities, and how they try rise above all those to finally find a place where they call home. A great thing about the writing of this anime is that it really gets the viewers going. It’s no-nonsense with a plot that keeps propelling forward. This means there’s no dull moment and most, if not all, scenes contribute well to the story. Given the premise of poor children who are treated like trash trying to change their fates, it’s entertaining to journey with them as they face many trials, not only to defend their newfound family, but also to, in effect, fight for social equality, especially with all the twists and turns that come along the way. Personalities are distinct and interesting. They are all fighting for a bigger cause, more important than their own lives. The backstories that come with them add to the enjoyment. Though uniqueness in characters—child soldiers with dark pasts—is one of the defining points of the anime, the lack in their development was apparent. There were indeed many challenges, even deaths along the way, which are substantial enough to stir up growth. However, when confronted with them, there was a cyclic mindset of sacrificing oneself for these losses and making their organization even more reputable. Perhaps this could be attributed to maturation, but more of just plain old stubbornness. A certain flashback (trying to be vague to avoid spoilers) in the past recurs several times to remind the captain, specifically, that he has to move forward despite everything, without properly delving into what actually happened during that time. This causes a disconnect towards what their motivation from the past is. Many favorable circumstances also came too easily to help them achieve certain goals. Some events could even be called predictable. As with the fights, it’s typical of Gundam to have certain ace pilots to do most of the heavy work. Even so, the inexplicable strength, strategies, guerrilla knowhow, and tactics that helped their team get so far seemingly came from thin air. For the most part, Iron-Blooded Orphans is a commendable series. Looking forward to season 2 and hopefully, more growth is evident.

This is my first dive into the GUNDAM series, this was a fun excursion, the story moved me from one episode to the next, it is a sweet flow of combat meshing with hard hitting narrative flowing to an excellent climax. I liked this series in particular as it appeared to be a diversion from the presumed norm of this franchise, staring orphans among most things, like an elder scrolls game, you see the world you are introduced in at the angle of the down trodden and low. A wonderful journey from the bottom to a place they belong, you'd be surprised what the right flue can do to a group of otherwise strangers united by the same upbringing, the idea of "human debris" a presumed euphemism for a much more darker word, you could even call it a stain on human history. These individuals are driven for one common cause. The love they had for there comrades in arms, the way there bonds stretched across countless battlefields, onto a near boundless sea of stars, painted hot, with the burning flowers that bloom the many havens ( I liked that bullets that hit and looked like fire flowers). In closing it was the bonds that bind between this rag tag group of people that extended past the no-tangible embodied made tangible in iron-body-machinery, GUMDAMS are cool. Superb, brilliant, wonderful. bravo.

Right. I really didn't want to write a review, [I've finished season 2 btw] until I saw some 3 rating here in MAL. A thought dawned to me that, they must have too many first-world problems because they've got luxurious comfort zones. Because it's like this: Up until Daniel Craig, James Bond(s) have to be suave, and commandeering, caresses women, full of spy-gadgets like laser Omega watches, and that submersible Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me. Then Daniel Craig's Bond came along, and the idea of Commander Bond being witty, calculating, sly, sexual, a gambler, all that, well, he got his balls whipped. "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to cry," Bond's villain sneered. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans works like that. Its ball-wrenching, murderous, vengeful, self-destructing intent shatters comfort zones since 2015. If you're a "Gundam fan" who sees Gundams full of lasers and overpowerful, moves like a mosquito, with armors thicker than French goat cheese, and you expect the enemies to be the numerous usual baddies who got shot or slashed, of course you'll see Iron-Blooded as off. But, that'd be like you have to be the sort of person who'd be hating Daniel Craig's Bond because he has no explosive pens. STORY - 8 It isn't particularly impressive for Iron-Blooded Orphans, so I won't discuss that much. But it is devious, and brilliantly executed to deviate from the "normal powerful Gundam" we know. To understand it even, when you say "Gundam", it actually means the Universal Century timeline kind of Gundams: the RX-78-2, the Z-, the ZZ-, the RX-93, these kinda. The "other" Gundams, like: the Shining, Wing, Strike, Exia, Barbatos, they're the "spin-offs", made to create "nth-versions" of the franchise. Hence, Iron-Blooded can create its "own version", correct? Right. The themes have to be the same to make it Gundam-ish, ofc: politics and war, showing the human nature both complex and twisted characters who either participated the war or got involved, as well as these overpowerful "real robots" that could shoot a hundred mobile suits in a strike. In Iron-Blooded, it's just metal-to-metal, no lasers, no frills thing of relic (according to story) that has difficulty finishing each enemy. No one gets erased by a laser that can fill your TV screens here, or raining plasma shots. They have to be crunched, gutted, and die horribly, no exemptions on any character. ART = 10 I always score most anime as 10, anyway. SOUND = 7 Seiyuus are awesome, with Takahiro Sakurai, and Squid Gi--I mean, Hisako Kanemoto around, yeah. CHARACTER = 8 There are people who'd argue that Mikazuki is a flat character or didn't change throughout. And that's the thing, because "protagonists" need to change, need to be dynamic and such. And that's good, if you're actually making a "hero" type of protagonist, because the "plot" is his/her journey, he/she needs to develop it, one way or the other. But let's say you're not into making "hero characters", you're a lot more creative than that. Like if you're the writer of Iron-Blooded, why follow some Lit101 lessons, when you have a darker idea in mind, right? Commander Bond didn't "develop" from being a weaboo-spy nerd to an actual spy, you know. Protagonists, as well as deuteragonists, or any other characters types, that are complex can be, well, complex---that is, if you know what you're doing. Don't try writing something like a sparklepire. Iron-Blooded had been as character-driven to begin with, anyway. It wasn't that Gjallarhorn just attacked them because they were planting corn in Mars, scene C happened because the characters chose scene A over scene B. Basically it's just that, and harbor a ton of characters that inherently still has as what Bandai/Sunrise is known for with their Gundam series, the thing called "human nature" that makes legitimacy of Iron-Blooded to bear the "Gundam" recognition on its own. Forget the lasers, real lasers actually are invisible and US Army are already experimenting them even. ENJOYMENT = 10 That is, if you're NOT someone who wears their comfort shells. OVERALL = 9 Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans is a bizarre masterpiece. It's like the wicked sheep of the family of Gundam series, the Daniel Craig Bond, the Hennessey Venom GT of supercars, the death metal of music genres, and unless you can get past the thought that Gundams doesn't always have to be ridiculously unbeatable, you'll see its dark-lit side of things. But if you're still stuck with your comfort zone, then consider trashing this show, because it can damage and implode your comfort zones so bad. VERDICT: a masterpiece that is not for uber-laser-powerful Gundam fans.

Story: (10/10) Yes its a mecha anime, no it is not just fighting. MSG: IBO has a clear, meaningful, deep, personal story throughout the entirety of the show, if I could rate the story higher I would. Art: (8.5/10) The art in the show is normally great but there are also times where the backdrop isn't perfect. Sound: (10/10) Incredible OPs and great voice acting; they really make me connect with the characters Characters: (10/10) The characters grow with you. They are all unique and even those who are based on a cliche are run with excellently. I would die for even a barely shown minor character, that's how fleshed out the characters are and yet there aren't random pointless scenarios that make this happen, everything has a purpose in this show. Enjoyment: (10/10) Let me make this clear, this was my first mecha anime and I did not expect to like it at all, in fact, the reason I watched the first episode is I accidentally clicked on it once and was too lazy to go out of it, but I digress. What I got out of this show is that no genre of anime is restricting, after all, I assumed this would be a RAH RAH show with pointless fight scenes. Boy, was I wrong! This show easily took a spot on my favorites list and I assure you that it will for you as well. Overall: (10/10) I feel that I made my thoughts clear enough above but if I didn't, feel free to leave a comment on my profile or message me for clarification. PS: while MSG: IBO is a part of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, it is not a part of any previously existing Gundam Universe, so you do not need to have watched any of the previous shows to watch MSG: IBO. I know because that's what I did.

I haven't watched a Gundam show in a while. And by "a while" I mean at least 10 years. I got tired of the repetitive action scenes, cookie-cutter characters, and plots that were just an excuse for conflict. I dismissed new titles with fancy words like "Unicorn" and "F91" attached to them as essentially Barbie getting a new hat. But, there was something about "Iron Blooded Orphans" that just was very compelling. I gave it a watch and I am so glad I did as this is one of the better Anime shows I have watched recently, Gundam or not. Story-wise it's pretty simple, child slaves on Mars in the distant future rise up and take over the business they were once beholden to as property. "Human Debris" is the term they use here. These children have been modified with technology so that education and training is not necessary, just plug them in and they know what to do. This instantly makes the cast of young protagonists easy to get behind. How can you not root for enslaved children to win? The plot is a bit weighed down by politics, sub plots, and many factions in what feels like a jigsaw puzzle of a story at times. I actually went out of my way to learn many names of governments and factions that ended up playing little to no role in the plot itself. Don't trouble yourself too hard with these details. The meat of the plot is the kids and their fight to survive the war they have set themselves up for by standing up. This is not war in the sense of excuses to have battles, comment on how awful it is, then experience no loss as many of these shows often do, this treats battle for what it is- hell. Casualties are suffered and comrades are mourned on both sides with a gritty emphasis placed on the youth of the fallen. I finished a few episodes with a depressed feeling. The Gundam itself is almost an afterthought! The plot is helped along with a colorful cast of characters. There is no main character to be sure, but a central core four. Starting with the pilot of the primary mech, Mikazuki. In past shows, this kid would be the focus of the show 90% of the time. But, he is so subdued that it would be hard to just concentrate on him. He seems almost boring at first, but you learn very quickly that it's just one layer to what may be the most complex character in franchise history. A devoted, loyal, and courageous fighter but also a stone cold killer. Capable of compassion and tenderness, but also a lust for blood. Mikazuki follows the orders of Orga, the leader of the kids, Orga serves as military commander, business manager, big brother, and in many ways father to children he leads, putting a lot of weight on his shoulders while still managing to keep an ever present spike on the tip of his hair. That thing could put someone's eye out! Hair do aside, Orga generates a lot of sympathy from the responsibility he holds. He must give orders that may result in the deaths of those who are- not just employees and soldiers- but family members. A position he struggles with at times, but succeeds in ultimately. Then there is Kudelia, the leading lady, I think she is where the show fails the most in characters. Serving as the "only hope" character, she is generic in that she wants equality for an oppressed people, while detesting violence. She hires the band of child soldiers to escort her to Earth to meet with "X" government to discuss "Y" trade laws, but also hates all the bloodshed she causes by embarking on this journey. Thankfully she accepts it as a necessary evil to accomplish a greater good, but otherwise serves only as a stereotypical princess and love interest for Mikazuki. Finally there is McGillis, the resident Char Aznable type, who serves as antagonist and anti-hero. I won't give too much away, but he is a man with plans of his own while serving Gjallahorn, the main bad guys in pretentiously over-the-top uniforms to match their snobby personalities, making them as easy to hate as the kids are easy to root for. The rest make up a strong supporting cast, including a guy who dresses like a pimp and has a bad-ass ship crewed by his harem of hot wives earning him the award of "Luckiest Man In Space". The cast of mechs in this is a good one, too. The primary Gundam "Barbatos" is interesting in that it has very little in terms of fire power, but makes up it melee. Most of the mechs in this show rely on some form of hand-to-hand combat weapon as their primary piece, making it short on sweet, sweet, 'spolsion porn yet gnarly in the way they show the carnage and brutality of each impact, fluids (blood and oil) spew frequently, with a lot agonizing scenes of machines being torn apart methodically along with their helpless pilots. This was the first show I have seen that took the glamour away from being a Gundam pilot and equates it more like being a medieval era knight. The battle scenes are some of the finest I have seen in almost any Anime, and the art and effects showcased in the them is the best I have seen in a Gundam series. Speaking of art, the character designs themselves are very bright and colorful, contrasting the dark atmosphere they live in, and hearken back to the days of the original series. They even have one of the male characters pilot a bright pink mobile suit. Real men wear pink. Just ask Vegeta. I found the music be to only above average with some good opening and closing themes to start with, "Raise Your Flag" by Man With A Mission served as a good tune to get the blood pumping for an episode and "Orphans no Namida" by Misia as a more bluesy and sullen closing theme that is catchy and fits the often sad endings to many episodes. The Sub vs. Dub battle here is no contest in my opinion, the Japanese cast destroys the English one in terms of quality of performance and fit. There is also a slight emphasis on the fact they speak Japanese, so accuracy plays a part as well. Go Sub or go home. This is a gritty experience from start to finish, yes the cast is primarily young children, but they are not innocent. They are products of the environment they were raised in. Each day is a fight to survive, not just for their own future, but for the ones who died fighting for that future. The show succeeds brilliantly in it's mix of emotional moments and awesome fight scenes so that it feels like a complete experience. The season ends well with a sense of closure, but still leaves plenty open for Season 2 which I eagerly look forward to. I would dare call this show a masterpiece if it were not for some episodes that dragged too long with politics and a few side characters that were introduced suddenly and forced to develop too quickly (looking at you, Carta Issue). I enjoyed this show immensely and recommend it to Anime fans in general as a great intro to the Gundam franchise and a very good series regardless. 9/10. Check it out. Cheers!