Blog Talkback: Gundam Week: Starter Kit and Acknowledgments

And now Gundam Week has come to close... And I'm sorry to say, a disappointing close at that. The starter kit for the majority part is a not too bad way to help orientate people who want to be familiar with Gundam, but it really comes too little too late in this week to even make a difference. Why couldn't it have been at the start right after a rather stirring Gihren Zabi/Quattro Bajeena/Treize Khushrenada oration of Gundam's impact. Seriously, Gundam is a 30 year old franchise with a LOT to talk about I understand, but really in order to commemorate a week of it, what is done?

Lists. Nothing but lists. No examination of various series and their strengths, flaws, and foibles. No sense of interest in examining some of the franchise's various quirks. No final page wondering what's to be done with Gundam as we look toward the future. Compared to Miyazaki Week, this, coming from a Gundam fan, is disappointing, and from a fanboy perspective, utterly deplorable. TZ has the most distinctive set of Gundam fans out there, and ever since it's inception we've had stand-out guys who love the franchise and usually had interesting things to say about it. But during a week where they can let loose and REALLY get people interested in the series? They went on autopilot. Look, I know you guys have busy lives (Lord knows that I do), but for a franchise you love, the dedication towarRAB this week is non-existent, and it can't really be done again NEXT year because it loses its impact, most especially since the next big deal for Gundam will be 10 years from now.

And even as a Gundam newbie, I never felt AT ALL empowered to be interested in the series. Why unlike Miyazaki week, weren't there any articles about Gundam's various iterations from not just TV shows, but OAVs, and movies? Nevermind the fact a gaze into what isn't here in the US and a hope to someday see them here was never meant to be. Why neglect mentioning (if not reviewing due to licensing issues) Victory Gundam, Gundam X, MS IGLOO, and Turn A? Then why not plug the many Gundam reviews done by people like HellCat and Duke? Why no Unicorn review to cap off this week!? And outside of the Zaku II crap, why no other interesting Top 5, never mind top TEN!? Gundam has a crapload of stuff to be covered and it could have been given a kind of love that only the fans in TZ could give to it.

Instead we got this rather disappointing spectacle of lists and a primer. Like a Christmas cracker with one disappointing bang.

Better luck next time, provided TZ's around to see Gundam's 40th in 2019/2020.
 
I have to agree with Juu-uchi, this has just a gigantic waste of potential. Instead of say a series of well essays (ala Miyazaki Week) like maybe the rise and fall of Gundam's popularity in the States, we just have these lists. And they're not even good lists to boot, in fact they're pretty bad and also hilariously slanted and biased. Trying to save face with a sort of primer at the end just doesn't begin to attone for the overall mistakes made durring Gundam Week. Its been a real sharables.
 
I have no beef at all with criticism or with wishing for something more than lists, but I will say that the Starter Kit post wasn't an attempt to "save face" since that was something that was meant to be there very early on.

In regard to a review for Gundam Unicorn, I'll indulge in saying that I get to officially take that on. Look for it soon.

About "see you at the 40th," though, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that the blog won't be touching Gundam again in 2010.....
 
Really? Still gonna be kick'n 10 years from now? I don't know if you should make such promises. Life happens and all.

I don't know if I'd say I was disappointed by Gundam Week but I do feel there's a lot more that could have been discussed and the lists weren't all that informative.
 
I think you guys are daft or something. If Pojo.com, a site about children's card games can still exist, I'm pretty sure a general animation site that gets decent-enough access to news will stick around.
 
Oh, absolutely. Espicially when you steal 98% of your crap from other sites. Luckily that isn't what Toon Zone does and it's hardly likely any of that will run out. Most of the staff are full blown adults and have been so for years so if contributing up until now hasn't been too much a problem, it won't be in ten years.


Anyhow, I think there's absolutely room for expansion. I don't know who is likely to take the inititive on the next Gundam project we do but I don't think the worRAB here will be forgotten.
 
Meh, I came from a skeptical end. You never know what happens and who knows what really happens. I never implied such with regarRAB to the starter kit. But then again, it fits more at the beginning at the end.

Also perhaps I am too quick to assume such, but then again, a good first impression would have been nice. More Gundam stuff in 2010 doesn't change the fact that you should've brought you A game for this week. That said, still looking forward to your Unicorn review.
 
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