Anime Overview: After War Gundam X

Another Gundam Anime Overview! This is the third Gundam series that I've watched and I was very excited when this was about to be aired on television back in the day. I was really obsessed with anything Gundam-related after watching Gundam Wing, and after watching G Gundam, I was ready for my 3rd round. Again, during my Anime Overview posts, I'm not here to tell people if this Anime is good or crap. I'm just posting this so that I could share the Anime to others that are not familiar with it. However, I will obviously have some opinions somewhere in the post about the Anime's positive and negative sides (from my point of view), and this particular post (I think) will have me writing a lot of negative comments. This, however, doesn't mean that the overall Anime is crap. With that said, let's take a look at "After War Gundam X".

After War Gundam X and its logo (pictured above) are all trademarks and owned by Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency & other associated parties.

Here's the Gundam series that came after New Mobile Report Gundam W. Although I watched G Gundam right after Gundam Wing, this Anime was released a few months after G Gundam is dubbed here in our country.

The 7th Space War and the massive colony drop.

Newtype pilots battle one another.

So, let me cut to the chase since I already told you guys in my introduction. This is by far the most boring Gundam series that I've watched. Not that I hate it, don't get me wrong. It's just that I think they could've made it better. Also, the fact that the Anime was cut short and was compressed didn't help. It just really wasn't popular back then. And I understand why.

GX-9900 Gundam X
Pilot: Garrod Ran with Newtype Tiffa Adill

Anyway, the story revolves around the people living on Earth who survived the 7th Space War, fifteen years after the Space Revolutionary Army dropped massive colonies on Earth in response to the United Nations Earth's Mobile Weapons, the Gundams. Earth was turned into a post-apocalyptic wasteland after this but the people are starting to get back on their feet, although Earth is still mostly unstable.

Gundam X attacks!

Gundam X focuses on Garrod Ran, a kid working as a technician for a living. Garrod is a happy-go-lucky kid. He also sorta knows how to pilot Mobile Suits, but prefers to sell Mobile Suit parts instead since he thinks it is more profitable. His life changed drastically when he was hired to rescue a girl from "Vultures", a community of scavengers looking for junk parts left over from the  space war.

Freeden, a Vulture's ship.

The first Gundam X episode was extremely boring! Nothing exciting happened, which is weird. Most of the time, the first episode is filled with some of the most exciting moments in the overall Anime to draw in more audience. One of the funniest parts of the first episode is when Garrod finds the Gundam X. It was in an abandoned United Nations Earth's base. I just find it strange that there's a Gundam in an abandoned base, unscathed, unused, FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER THE WAR. The Gundam is also a rare Mobile Weapon used in the 7th Space War, making it harder for me to believe that there was a single unit that was unused. I guess you could say that the Gundam was hidden in the base, but the Anime didn't really made any effort to make it look like it was hidden. It was even stored in a "Mobile Suit Factory", which is one of the first places where I'd scavenge for parts if I was a Vulture! Does-not-compute!

The Mobile Suit designs are great, though. I like Gundam X's design the most. It looks really unique, what with the cool X-thingy attached to it's back and all. Its main weapon is the Satellite Cannon, which is the most devastating weapon in this series. What's annoying for me is that it wasn't even used in the first episode, which could've resulted in a more dramatic ending (if you could even consider the first episode's ending dramatic) and was only fired in the second episode. Also, the Satellite Cannon was RARELY used in the overall series, which is a shame since, in my opinion, it was the only interesting weapon in the series.

The D.O.M.E., a lunar solar station that's essential in using the Satellite System.

Even though I said that, I actually think that the Satellite Cannon is ridiculous. For Gundam X to be able to use it, the moon first needs to be visible in the sky. You need to connect to the lunar solar station based on the moon via Gundam X's Satellite System as well. The Satellite System sends out a signal of some sorts to the base, then the base sends out a super-microwave beam to the Gundam X. The microwave then charges up the Satellite Cannon, then you're ready to go. You also need to stay in place for a set amount of time so that the microwave is received properly. My first thought was, of course, "Isn't that a very tedious thing to do? It's also very impractical in a real combat situation!". I've read some stuff about the Satellite System that the United Nations Earth fixed this by placing satellite stations around the globe to mirror the microwave beam so that they can use the system anywhere on Earth, which was probably destroyed in the war? I also read somewhere that Gundam X only takes around 4 seconds to send the signal and receive the microwave beam. I don't know if these are true, but still.. The Satellite Cannon is tedious.

Gundam X contacting D.O.M.E. to charge the Satellite Cannon.

Gundam X glows once the Satellite Cannon is charged, after the microwave beam is projected to it.

Gundam X's long and tedious charging time for the Satellite Cannon is compensated by its extreme devastating force.

The Satellite Cannon can fire long enough for the Gundam X to rotate full circle to wipe out everything around it. Too bad that it can only be fired once for a set amount of time and needs to cooldown.

I had a hard time watching this Anime until the ending. It was really boring, even when I re-watched it. When I first watched Gundam 00, I think I finished it within 5 days. When I re-watched Gundam X, I get sleepy too fast that I can only watch 1-2 episodes a day. And the Anime only gets interesting in the final quarter of the series, not even halfway.

Let's just take a look at some of the few handful characters that you'll see in the series... 

Jamil Neate & Freeden's Crew

GW-9800 Gundam Airmaster
Pilot: Witz Sou

GT-9600 Gundam Leopard
Pilot: Roybea Loy

NRX-0013 Gundam Virsago & NRX-0015 Gundam Ashtaron

A new Mobile Suit is about to wreak havoc!

Nevertheless, Gundam X is still an interesting Anime. I still like to watch how the story progresses, and also how Garrod and Tiffa's relationship progresses. Come to think of it, Gundam X really is more of a love story than a war story...

Cutest couple EVER! Awww!

Hope that didn't turn you off in watching Gundam X. it's just another take on the Gundam franchise. Plus, Tiffa's cute! Hah! Go watch!

See into the future of the world...

I hope that this Anime gets a remake of some sorts.. Although it's really unlikely that it will.

After War Gundam X (機動新世紀ガンダムX)
No. of Episodes: 39

Opening Theme:
"DREAMS" by ROMANTIC MODE
Resolution by ROMANTIC MODE

Ending Theme:
"HUMAN TOUCH" by Warren Wiebe
"HUMAN TOUCH <日本語版>" (HUMAN TOUCH <Japanese Version>) by re-kiss
"銀色Horizon" (Gin-Iro Horizon) by 中瀬 聡美 (Satomi Nakase)


...and I'll see you in the next post!