Kidou Senshi Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower

Plain horrible except for the art, and the gundam. Unlike the prequel which at least had an interesting plot, this feels all over the place. They didn't even complete the whole plot cycle here. It sure feels like this movie is just an intermission to whatever movie that they have next in line. Few continuation to what happened previously in December Sky.. and that's it. Even if they replaced the entire character with a totally different one, it wont really make that much of a difference to the story so yeah, it is that bad. The only redemption this movie have is the fairly interesting fight scene. The movie itself is an introduction to a different story. If you can wait for whatever's next, just wait.

Thunderbolt 2, Humanity, and the Consequences of War The idea of being human has a myriad of components many would look into from a biological and philosophical sense. Some of the most commonly discussed components used as the defining factor for what makes someone “truly human” include: a sense of individuality and identity, the ability to communicate with people in a natural way, tact in regards to the dead, and the idea of dealing with trauma. The second season of Gundam Thunderbolt, and by extension, this film compilation of said season’s episodes, tackles each and every one of these facets naturally, without actively trying to dwell on it as the main selling point. As such, this integral facet of Thunderbolt 2 has undeservedly been ignored or brushed off entirely. Before we dive deeper into this analysis, I feel we must first address the audiovisual component of this film, as regardless of your views on Thunderbolt as a whole, this is what the side-series is known for. We should also address some of the non-thematic additions made and any problems second season and this compilation of said season contain. Studio Sunrise, the main corporate entity behind this film’s production, did a wonderful job in creating another visually stunning work full of incredible and varied character designs, vibrant gunfire, blue flames, laser beams, and beam weapons, and the incredible new designs and updates to older models. The action is as stellar and destructive as ever, taking the carnage from the electrified and abandoned terrain of the abandoned Thunderbolt Sector of the first season, to a variety of mostly aquatic locations, whether they be attic or tropical. Whilst the Federation mobile suits of yore looked childish and out of place compared to both the Zeon suits and Thunderbolt Sector Federation models, each and every suit looks grittier and more at home with a carnivorous war environment. The music, composed once more by Naruyoshi Kikuchi, is as fantastic as before. Like with the previous compilation film, it shuffles around the tracks to mixed results, often starting in the middle of the track, such as with the first two action scenes regarding the fantastic tracks “Thunderbolt New Theme” and “Groovy Duel”. Unfortunately, there weren't any new tracks added towards the end like “Ronald Reagan Other Side” was in the new footage found at the end of the first film. The wonderful jazz and blues tracks of the second season are as electrifying as ever, with vocal tracks being better than some of the first season’s, and non-vocal tracks that directly rival those of season one. As for additional scenes, the first two tie into the analysis so we will save that for later. The third additional scene has Io being temporarily assaulted by Zeon forces who chained and dogpiled his mech, with it solely annoying him before he managed to break out and obliterate them. The final one has Bianca questioning to Cornelius why Io is going after Claudia, in which he responds that it's Io’s ex and they thought she was dead. It doesn't alleviate how silly it is that Claudia and Sergei (Karla’s superior) survived since while we already knew they were picked up somehow, it was still an unknown amount of time after surviving a situation they should not have survived to begin with. However, it was odd that Bianca didn't question it to begin with, so it’s good to see her do it here. The English dub slightly less solid than last time. While we did see good returning performances from characters such as Io and Cornelius, and the background characters were largely better than last time, a few performances, such as Laura Stahl, were rather hit or miss, and the line changes were somewhat groan-inducing. The prospect of hearing “you selfish prick” being casually told in dub was burnt asunder. Additionally, Johnny Yong Bosch somehow does an inconsistent performance despite this being a reprised role. At least we seem to have got Patrick Seitz here, even as a background character. In addition to the increased amount of new footage compared to its predecessor, the episodes of the second season flow better into a film than the episodes of the first. Even with the fact that there is no additional piece of music unlike last time where one was added at the very end, I would consider this to be the be superior compilation film of the two, regardless of if the content present in December Sky is overall stronger. Needless to say, I feel that the sequel to the events of Gundam Thunderbolt is every bit as rich as the original, though in different ways. While Season 1 (and by extension, December Sky) was a savage and grueling endeavor and electrifying spectacle of sheer pain and misery for both sides involved, with the embodiment of this being the two ace pilots who were effective our main characters in the first season, season 2 is a more relaxed and humorous but still brutal spectacle of chaotic battles that ended in similar levels of sorrow for those we followed. Season 1 was a look into the sheer horrors of war and both the stakes people have put into the war with their personal lives, and just how far people are willing to go for the sake of winning a war. Meanwhile, Season 2 was a look into the consequences of such a war beyond it whilst looking into the various things that make people human. The fact that season 2 is only mildly less brutal and chaotic must be emphasized given the complaints of entertainment value being lost when the story takes itself too seriously, and that the story apparently was just boring exposition most of the time. Saying the former discredits Gundam Thunderbolt arguably even more than the second season, the primary target of these complaints, as season 1 took itself even more seriously as this unflinchingly brutal display of carnage and lights. Saying the latter is an exaggeration at best, as while the second season’s battles were not as beam and destruction-intensive and there is no raw rivalry, there was still a fair amount of fun, incredibly well-animated, and only mildly less flashy battles to be had. This isn’t entirely as strong as the first installment was, and it does leave with a lame cliffhanger, but it is most certainly a worthy successor to the original, especially this Bandit Flower compilation version. With that diatribe out of the way, the electrifying analysis begins now! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Humanization is defined as giving more human elements to something, usually in fiction. When used in regards to characters, it is often used to mean the idea of showing characters off as more human than simply a character that is written as a role in the narrative. Seeing realistic banter what they do in their free time beyond what is directly tied to the concept or narrative of the product in question, showing background characters doing minor yet real things, etc. Modern anime are occasionally criticized with not having much of any of this show off. Simply put, both Second Season and Bandit Flower have this in spades. In the events covering episode 5, we see two seemingly random soldiers exchange a quiet yet enthusiastic fist bump before flying into battle. In the events covering episode 6, we see Io and his new friend, Bianca, not only discuss Jazz, particularly in regards to famous Jazz artists and how the genre has evolved over time and what made it so special to begin with, but have a 96 second scene of them playing a favorite song of theirs. Said song brings back fun memories of the Thunderbolt Sector days back in the first season. We then see a soldier drinking and crying over the death of his six-month-old son whilst showing pictures of him to a comrade. He is one of the antagonists of this part of the story, as it is largely a battle between the Federation and members of a certain cult who salvages and reused uniforms and mecha of both sides of the One Year War of 0079. 10 minutes later, we see another …

The original Thunderbolt had a pretty basic story about a bitter feud between two pilots, but it worked well to lend some weight to all the action. Bandit Flower doesn't have that. In fact, Bandit Flower doesn't really have a plot at all. It feels like a 90-minute compilation of all the action scenes from a 12-episode TV series (or maybe three random episodes from the middle of a series) with almost no connective tissue between them and, critically, little indication of the specific objectives for the various battles. With no context to lend it any sense of drama, it's reduced to the narrative level of a kid bashing action figures together. It does continue some plot threads from the original, but none of them are significantly advanced or resolved here. It ends on something of a cliffhanger, and it's pretty clear that the Thunderbolt sub-series was meant to continue beyond this. Unfortunately, while there was only a year between December Sky and Bandit Flower, it's now been five years since the latter with no sign of another chapter being in development. With little internal plot development and no sense of closure, all that's left is the action, of which there is a lot. As ungarnished roboporn goes, Bandit Flower delivers. The mech scenes are top-notch, with an obsessive attention to detail and plenty of variety in the battles. That element alone raises it above mediocrity.

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower Review Story (7/10) Good More Specifically (7.50/10) Good+ In comparison to the episodic format previously release just like December Sky I feel that having all 4 ONA episodes combined into one movie makes it easier and understand and consume. Unless it's either been a while and I forgot or if they actually did I noticed a few additional scenes but not too many. Art and Animation (10/10) Masterpiece The animation and art-style of Gundam Thunderbolt never disappoints unique, rough and classic hand-drawn full as always. Sound (8/10) Very Good Nothing has really changed this time around that wasn't in the ONA episodes the sound still very good and I guess some of the BGM didn't bother me as much this time around as it somewhat did when I watched and reviewed the ONAs even though it's the same. Characters (8/10) Very Good The Characters Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower are very good quite easy to follow everyone's motives and characterization. Although the Claudia stuff did get a bit confusing nothing else really stood out as a big issue. None of the characters had any mind-blowing character development or characterization to make it any high than an 8/10. Enjoyment (8/10) Very Good More Specifically (8.50/10) Very Good+ I enjoyed watching Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower a bit more than I did watching the ONAs because like I said before it feels it's easier to consume one movie with out the pauses of binge watching four episodes or in my case when the ONAs were airing waiting monthly for them. Overall (8/10) Very Good More Specifically (8.40/10) Very Good Not much is needed to be said about Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower, although I wish Io and Daryl confronted each other that's what made Season 1 aka December Sky so amazing which was their climatic rivalry but oh well and the last about 20 minutes of the movie was a bit of a challenge to follow but not too bad either way if you were wonder if you should watch the ONAs or this movie choose this movie it's better don't believe the score on this MAL page for either this or December Sky in comparison to it's ONAs.

In some ways, an improvement on the first. I thought there was slightly better characterization for the people who were killed. What they were fighting over was clearer. Where we pick up with all the characters we know makes sense. But this is still definitely a "Gundam Thunderbolt", so to speak. Needlessly cruel and obscure, in service of nothing. The real crime, though, is that the movie doesn't have an ending and, as of five years later, the resolution has not appeared. At least the first movie, for all its faults, was a complete story. Just a disappointing subseries for me. Also, I'm not a fan of this retcon that the Psycho technology featured in Zeta Gundam originated with Zeon forces. The retcon wasn't done to let the Federation off the hook for its many crimes like child soldiering (see Thunderbolt 1) and cruel Newtype experimentation (see Gundam Narrative), but there wasn't a need to make Zeon complicit in any part of that. They have their own set of war crimes already, thank you very much. They don't even do much of a "your chickens have come home to roost" moment when the Newtype experimentation comes to bite them in the ass. It's almost a non-sequitor.

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower shifts the focus of the Thunderbolt story away from pure battlefield intensity and toward the uneasy aftermath of war. Where December Sky overwhelms through constant escalation, Bandit Flower is more restrained, more atmospheric, and more interested in the systems that perpetuate conflict even after the fighting is supposedly over. The result is a compelling, if incomplete, continuation that trades spectacle for unease. Visually and directionally, the film remains excellent. The standout sequence, without question, is the underwater battle featuring the Atlas Gundam and Guncannon Aqua against Zeon remnants. This is not only the best underwater or ice-based combat sequence in all Gundam, but arguably one of the strongest underwater fight scenes in anime. The choreography, sound design, and sense of weight and resistance in the environment are immaculate, making the ocean feel just as hostile as the Thunderbolt Sector once did. Thematically, Bandit Flower deepens Thunderbolt’s cynicism. War has not ended; it has merely relocated. The Federation’s presence on Earth is framed as peacekeeping, but the reality is occupation, exploitation, and continued violence under new justifications. Soldiers are not healed or released; they are reassigned. Trauma is not processed; it is repurposed. This post-war setting strips away any illusion that victory brings closure. The film also presents one of the franchise’s more interesting takes on Newtypes. Rather than framing them as humanity’s hopeful next step, Bandit Flower leans into a cult-like, almost religious interpretation of Newtype consciousness. This approach is far more compelling than the direction taken in series like Victory Gundam, which introduces similar ideas only to squander them in an unfocused and often goofy finale. Here, belief, exploitation, and spiritual obsession intertwine in unsettling ways. Io Fleming and Daryl Lorenz continue to drift along divergent paths shaped by the same conflict. Io feels increasingly hollow, unable to exist without war, while Daryl is bound by loyalty, faith, and survival rather than ideology. The film refuses to offer redemption for either of them. Trauma does not lead to growth, only deeper entrenchment. This lack of catharsis is intentional and effective, even if it makes the experience less immediately satisfying than its predecessor. That dissatisfaction, however, extends beyond theme and into structure. Bandit Flower is far more inconclusive than December Sky. Major plot threads are introduced and left unresolved, and crucial background information is either glossed over or omitted entirely. The South Seas Alliance, one of the film’s central factions, is barely explained despite being essential to both the story here and the broader manga. Their religious, cult-like nature and fanatic loyalty are intriguing, but without proper context, their presence can feel confusing rather than compelling. Because of this, Bandit Flower works best as a bridge rather than a standalone experience. If you watch it without the intention of continuing into the manga, you will likely walk away unsatisfied and rate it lower. Ironically, this incompleteness is also what pushed me to start reading the manga, which expands and contextualises these ideas far more effectively. Like December Sky, the film version is the definitive way to experience this material. It adds more new scenes than its predecessor, improving flow and atmosphere, and is unquestionably superior to the episodic Season 2 format. If you are going to watch Bandit Flower, this is the version to choose. Ultimately, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is a strong but deliberately unresolved sequel. It lacks the immediate impact and narrative completeness of December Sky, but it compensates with thematic ambition, stunning underwater action, and one of Gundam’s bleakest portrayals of post-war reality. As part of the larger Thunderbolt story, it is essential. On its own, it is fascinating, frustrating, and undeniably compelling.

(LAZAROTH REVIEW - MEDIUM LENGTH - SPOILER FREE) "Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt" movie/series 2, "Bandit Flower", is a visually stunning, but narratively disappointing, OVA sequel to the first OVA. This review will be shorter since most of my relevant critique is found in my first OVA review, as it carries over to here. Animation/Art/Music. Animation remains almost as stellar as the first OVA, such a beauty. There's some Mild CGI, but it's most often used sparingly to enhance a scene, rather than outright replace entire animation like most modern Mecha. Speaking of Mecha, the new mobile suits from both sides look incredible. There's some really great and creative cinematography. The varied settings due to taking place on earth rather than space is fresh, but loses some of the lustre of the first OVA. Music is experimental, which I give credit for, even if it sounds like a bunch of drunk monks moaning into the microphone at times. The jazz is jazzy, so if you're a fan, you'll like it. Story/Characters/Action: The story suffers from being too short. If it was longer, as in an entire anime season, it would feel much better as, really, not much happened in this OVA. Like, at all... I'm left with a feeling of "So that's it?", especially since it's been ALMOST A DECADE since this movie released. But I'll touch on that later, first, I need to praise the novelty of its narrative setting first. Focusing on the direct aftermath of the One year war, it's very intriguing to see the Federation and the universe as a whole dealing with Zeon remnants who won't abide by the ceasefire after the Zeon empire's full official surrender. This is the earliest content (I think?) right after the war ended, but it hasn't really ended yet until the rebel resistance is squashed forever. I love that we get something like this, as it is something that media rarely portrays. Usually in war stories that have the war end on screen, by the very next scene, the world has returned to normalcy. But in this anime, things are more realistic. There will obviously be those who never give up, too prideful or vengeful to admit defeat. There are some decently interesting ideas, but the story feels so... frivolous that I really wish they had just turned this into a 24 episode season or something. There was enough source material for that at the time, surely? Overall: This OVA was still quite entertaining due to the action, even if I didn't enjoy the story. I don't think I can even recommend that people watch this movie after they have seen the first movie. The first movie can be enjoyed in a purely visual way, the 2nd movie is more plot focused, even though the plot is extremely underbaked, partly due to this movie/series feeling like an "in-between" movie/series, but even then, it could've been better executed. As much as I think it's a cardinal sin to say this, I think you're best off watching only the fight scenes on YouTube or something :/ Bonus: I'm VERY disappointed that the Thunderbolt storyline wasn't a finished series. I hadn't realised that they were adapting an ongoing manga until it was too late. I HATE stopping in the middle of a story, especially when I have to wait YEARS AND YEARS for a continuation, as I have a horrible memory, which is part of the reason why I write such detailed reviews for almost everything I read/watch, to remember my feelings on something. I prefer to BINGE COMPLETED things, though I do make some exceptions, like with weekly/monthly manga that I keep up with. But if it's Video, I prefer binging, so I don't watch anime weekly. I wait until it's over to see all of it at once. Since there hasn't been a Thunderbolt anime in almost an entire decade, I really hate that I will probably forget the story whenever that other movie comes out, if it ever does!! Worse than that, they've only adapted 7 volumes out of 24 (with more on the way)! Usually in this situation, I'd read the manga, but I really like the animation quality of this spin-off adaptation. It was a treat for the eyes, but I guess with a story this meh, I can forgive stopping in the middle like this. Animation: 9.2/10 Action: 9.1/10 Plot: 3.0/10 Characters: 5.6/10 Ending: (It's unfair to judge an ongoing story on an arbitrary ending due to not adapting the entire thing, so no rating here...) Overall: 6.2/10 (Yes I uploaded this review twice, for both versions of the adaptation.)

I liked the first movie well enough. I can't say I liked this one. It carries over the visuals of the first movie, has some excellent fight scenes and some cool new tech, there are some interesting dynamics to the missions, we get some new characters that warrant some attention, more characterization for those that die so it doesn't feel like just fodder, and... that's about it. I think the first movie worked well because it felt like a personal fight between two fighters in a distinctly impersonal battlefield. This movie introduces more complications, including a cult that feels half-baked and only gets some explication in the end (including a minor cliffhanger) and a revelation about a specific character that functions as motivation for one of our leads but never gets explained, both of which might have barely been enough for me to see this further... if there was any further to go. Yep, we stop here, so everything ends in anti-climax. It's hard to recommend a series that ends this way, even if I feel the ride was worthwhile, so despite my score remaining at mid-level, I can't recommend this one. If you see the visuals and think the ride is worthwhile, there are other Gundam entries of similar quality that won't disappoint narratively.

What's here in this film is fantastic, but I have a big problem with what's not here. The action scenes are some of the best in any Gundam series or film I've seen, there's so much grit that makes everything much more intense. Like the first film, Bandit Flower is an unfiltered portrayal of the horrors of war in the Universal Century, it's extremely violent and dark which makes everything feel so believable. I also really liked the music which did a great job complementing the chaos of the battles and the emotion in other scenes. My main issue with this film is how it doesn't finish its story arc and hasn't got a sequel to do so either, this sucks because there isn't anything resembling a resolution here. You would have to read the manga to see what happens next which is a shame. Even with its unfinished story arc, watching some of the best battles in Gundam history is more than a fair tradeoff, this is well worth a watch.