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REVIEW: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM Anime Film Review


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tintor2



Joined: 11 Aug 2010
Posts: 1795
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 12:52 pm Reply with quote
Interesting. I sometimes wonder if some AU Gundams bring references as Durandal was voiced by Ikeda while Ribbon not only was Furuya but even piloted two Gundams identical to Amuro's. From what I guess based on the trailers, one of the villains seems to be a reference to Scirocco from Zeta due to the power he uses on Kira kinda like how Kamille's state deteriorates in the finale (in the trailer, Kira's eyes go red when piloting the Gundam).

About fanservice, while it seems to be common in most Gundams, I read that Fukuda's previous work Cross Ange downright abused it even more than Code Geass and Valvrave so I can see influence carrying over. Strangely enough, I don't remember Hirai doing this kinda work in previous series like Fafner, or the ones from Taniguchi.
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Primus



Joined: 01 Mar 2006
Posts: 2757
Location: Toronto
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 1:07 pm Reply with quote
I'm going to be honest, I've not been looking forward to this and I'm not sure this review changes my mind. Hearing it's once again about Kira's struggles with war makes me feel like we've done this before. Throwaway villains and Athrun being an afterthought isn't convincing me either.

tintor2 wrote:
Strangely enough, I don't remember Hirai doing this kinda work in previous series like Fafner, or the ones from Taniguchi.


Hirai is a character designer. He draws what he's asked to.

It's maybe worth noting that both SEED and Destiny were shows that aired at 6PM in Japan. While they weren't devoid of blood shed or titillation, a theatrical film released 15 years later is going to be allowed to do more.
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Arale Kurashiki



Joined: 24 Aug 2015
Posts: 744
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 2:16 pm Reply with quote
Saying that fanservice feels out of place in Gundam Seed is a bit funny to me as a fan of other Gundam; the fact that Seed has breast bounce shots at all is one of the things that distinguishes it from any Gundam I've ever seen. (Not that breast animation is necessarily "fanservice" but in Seed it seems to be.)
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 1728
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 2:35 pm Reply with quote
Hmm, so pretty much another episode of Kira feeling bad the show. I will probably watch it eventually, but the focus always being on Kira and the situation always feeling the same does not make me excited.
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tintor2



Joined: 11 Aug 2010
Posts: 1795
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 3:13 pm Reply with quote
Primus wrote:


Hirai is a character designer. He draws what he's asked to.

It's maybe worth noting that both SEED and Destiny were shows that aired at 6PM in Japan. While they weren't devoid of blood shed or titillation, a theatrical film released 15 years later is going to be allowed to do more.


I mean, artists still have their own preferences. The late Takahiro Kimura admitted once that his favorite episode of Gun X Sword was one filled with fanservice and the OVAs of Code Geass had more of that appeal.

But yeah. I don't know what did Fukuda do on Cross Ange but the concept of that anime was pretty much a harem mixed with mechas.
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thieftheodore



Joined: 24 Jan 2013
Posts: 24
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 4:16 pm Reply with quote
smurky turkey wrote:
Hmm, so pretty much another episode of Kira feeling bad the show. I will probably watch it eventually, but the focus always being on Kira and the situation always feeling the same does not make me excited.

The title of the movie is FREEDOM, of course it's gonna be about Kira. Anyways the movie feels like the true sequel of original SEED instead of Destiny. It shows how Flay actually fucked up Kira making him doubting if Lacus truly loves him and how he lose it all when he thinks Lacus has left him for Orphee.

Gone the stoic Kira from Destiny, and we got back his emotional self from original SEED
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 1728
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 4:59 pm Reply with quote
thieftheodore wrote:
smurky turkey wrote:
Hmm, so pretty much another episode of Kira feeling bad the show. I will probably watch it eventually, but the focus always being on Kira and the situation always feeling the same does not make me excited.

The title of the movie is FREEDOM, of course it's gonna be about Kira. Anyways the movie feels like the true sequel of original SEED instead of Destiny. It shows how Flay actually fucked up Kira making him doubting if Lacus truly loves him and how he lose it all when he thinks Lacus has left him for Orphee.

Gone the stoic Kira from Destiny, and we got back his emotional self from original SEED


It makes sense that Kira is in the spotlight given the title, but maybe we could not have the same Kira situation happen for the third time? Maybe we could also give some other characters a bit of shine and not have them be forgotten for most of the movie? I know that the answer to both questions is no.

As for Flay, that sure is a name that brings back memories, I had kind of forgotten all about her and how much of a charming character she was....
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Greboruri



Joined: 09 Jul 2003
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Location: QBN, NSW, Australia
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 6:18 pm Reply with quote
Arale Kurashiki wrote:
Saying that fanservice feels out of place in Gundam Seed is a bit funny to me as a fan of other Gundam; the fact that Seed has breast bounce shots at all is one of the things that distinguishes it from any Gundam I've ever seen. (Not that breast animation is necessarily "fanservice" but in Seed it seems to be.)

That line in the review was odd to me as there was the same shot of Murrue Ramius's breasts jiggling in almost every single episode of Destiny, so much so that was a like a running joke. In fact in the final episode they expanded on that shot. Also typing in Meer Campbell and gif will produce a lot of results which flies in the face of the claims about fanservice in the original series in this review.
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seacoffee



Joined: 27 Jan 2024
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 6:40 pm Reply with quote
If this Gundam Seed Film gets an English Dub, please let it be from Ocean Cast. If you go on Behind The Voice Actors and go through a voting poll of every character, the majority backed up the Ocean cast.

At least have the option to have both dubs. One for the people who like Oceans and another for people who like NYAV.

While I like the NYAV actors, the problem seems to be the mediocre performances. The NYAV groups are not bad actors, they are good actors, but some actors were miscast and it seems the dubbing of the show was rushed.

The actors were given poor directions. Sometimes it is better to be natural than to be performative and overly theatrical. It is hard to do this in anime, but those vital subtle moments and intent were missed.

Ocean's has its problems too. But they have fewer casting issues and far better direction. I wish the NYAV handled Gundam Seed with more patience and care.

The juxtaposition between Trevor Devall and Mark Oliver cannot be unmatched.
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John the Dark Lord



Joined: 19 Jun 2020
Posts: 230
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 6:40 pm Reply with quote
Well, what a funny coincidence, a fansite has just translated a new interview with Fukuda where he talks about those exact points you people are bringing up.

Quote:
――I was particularly interested in how Kira Yamato, our main character, would be depicted in this new work. In SEED, his struggles and growth were central, but in DESTINY, he seemed more enlightened, almost like a sage who had comprehended everything. This made me wonder if expressing emotions as a main character was challenging.

Fukuda: In DESTINY, there wasn’t much “drama” piled on Kira, unlike the protagonist, Shinn Asuka. Kira had already reached his conclusions about what needed to be done, so he didn’t have conflicts and seemed like he was taking the long view (seemed like he was enlightened). But more than enlightened, I’d say he was just emotionally exhausted by DESTINY. So, for FREEDOM, I wanted to walk Kira’s arc back. After all, he was originally just your average, non-political college student (laughs). So this time, I’ve created a “dramatic” situation for Kira that troubles him, and once again, I’ve depicted him as someone who frets and struggles through his conflicts.

―― We definitely seem to see a return to the Kira from his days in SEED. Despite being the main character in DESTINY, Shinn had some dark aspects, though he has a more positive demeanor in the film, and I thought, “This is the kind of Shinn’s performance I wanted to see!” so it was a pleasant surprise. (laughs)

Fukuda: With so many characters in the SEED series, it’s tough to give them all spotlight scenes. Obviously, a 2-hour movie can only show so much, and honestly, I didn’t want to cut anyone. But Shinn did sink into darkness in DESTINY, while initially he’s a sweet, straightforward kid brother character. So I’m glad we could show his brighter side this time.
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09jcg



Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 522
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 7:11 pm Reply with quote
Reviewer might want to do a rewatch of seed. Just finished one and it's not afraid of fanservice, with several nude shower scenes and nipples added onto characters for the HD release in Seed Destiny
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Daze3x



Joined: 03 Sep 2021
Posts: 20
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 7:41 pm Reply with quote
As someone who actually likes Destiny and thinks it's as good as the first season, I wasn't initially excited for this film, as I felt the conclusion to Destiny felt satisfying enough. We don't need sequels to everything that's good. But reading this review does alleviate any doubts that it's just a cash grab. Seems like there might actually be merit to the movie. Not that it's confirmed I will agree with the reviewer, but it was a shockingly positive review based on my expectations.

As for the way the character's lips are drawn. Sorry, but it looks ugly as hell. Hirai's art style is already weird but holy shit, why are they drawn like that? Did the dentist leave the mouthpiece they use to take X rays or something? LOL
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Richard Eisenbeis
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 17 Dec 2018
Posts: 88
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 8:34 pm Reply with quote
09jcg wrote:
Reviewer might want to do a rewatch of seed. Just finished one and it's not afraid of fanservice, with several nude shower scenes and nipples added onto characters for the HD release in Seed Destiny


Actually, I've never seen the HD release of Destiny (I rewatched the HD version of SEED and the Destiny compilation films a few years back though). I had no idea such things were added. Interesting.

All this talk of sexual fanservice in SEED has made me think about a few things:

The first is that I may be far more desensitized to it than I ever realized. Like it may have to be insanely egregious or out of place before it even starts to register in my mind. I have been watching entirely too much anime for over 30 years at this point, after all.

But more than that, I wonder if I think about sexual fanservice differently from most people. To me, there's an important difference between what is being shown and why it's being shown. For example, take a shower scene. Does the scene exist so the viewer can see them naked? Or is it used to show the character when they are at their most vulnerable physically (i.e., nude) and mentally--forced to confront their darkest thoughts head on? For another example, do a character's breasts bounce randomly to turn on the viewers or is it because the ship they're on is racked by explosions--and, you know, physics exists.

To bring it back around to SEED specifically. Are there sexualized characters in SEED? Without a doubt. Both Flay and Meer use their sexuality as a weapon. It's a vital part of both their characters and the stories centered around them don't work nearly as well without it.

Is it fanservice? I guess that depends on your own personal definition. Is all potentially sexual content inherently fanservice (every girl that has cleavage, every guy that goes shirtless when wearing a swim suit, etc.)? If you say yes, then you'd be hard pressed to find many anime without any fanservice to speak of--even including those made for kids. If not, it becomes a question of where the line is. For me, it's where the sexualization is done mainly to titillate the audience rather than in service of the plot and characters. However, I freely admit I may be in the minority when it comes to this definition.

Back to the main point, the issue I had with Freedom is that spoiler[a character who, up until now had been rarely if ever sexualized (namely Lacus), is put in a skintight plug suit and pilots a mecha with a cockpit straight out of Cross Ange--i.e., putting the character in the doggy-style position--with a camera that enjoys getting shots of her T&A.] The cockpit design, the flight suit design, and the camera work are all solely for titillation and feel completely at odds with the rest of the anime and its design.

I hope that clears up what I wrote in the review a bit.
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TJ_Kat



Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 360
Location: Saskatoon, Canada
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 9:04 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Sexual fanservice that doesn't really mesh with the Gundam SEED world.


I mean, the SEED compilation movies and the HD remaster added Kira and Flay's sex scene, where it was only implied in the original version...
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09jcg



Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 522
PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 9:20 pm Reply with quote
Richard Eisenbeis wrote:
09jcg wrote:
Reviewer might want to do a rewatch of seed. Just finished one and it's not afraid of fanservice, with several nude shower scenes and nipples added onto characters for the HD release in Seed Destiny


Actually, I've never seen the HD release of Destiny (I rewatched the HD version of SEED and the Destiny compilation films a few years back though). I had no idea such things were added. Interesting.

All this talk of sexual fanservice in SEED has made me think about a few things:

The first is that I may be far more desensitized to it than I ever realized. Like it may have to be insanely egregious or out of place before it even starts to register in my mind. I have been watching entirely too much anime for over 30 years at this point, after all.

But more than that, I wonder if I think about sexual fanservice differently from most people. To me, there's an important difference between what is being shown and why it's being shown. For example, take a shower scene. Does the scene exist so the viewer can see them naked? Or is it used to show the character when they are at their most vulnerable physically (i.e., nude) and mentally--forced to confront their darkest thoughts head on? For another example, do a character's breasts bounce randomly to turn on the viewers or is it because the ship they're on is racked by explosions--and, you know, physics exists.

To bring it back around to SEED specifically. Are there sexualized characters in SEED? Without a doubt. Both Flay and Meer use their sexuality as a weapon. It's a vital part of both their characters and the stories centered around them don't work nearly as well without it.

Is it fanservice? I guess that depends on your own personal definition. Is all potentially sexual content inherently fanservice (every girl that has cleavage, every guy that goes shirtless when wearing a swim suit, etc.)? If you say yes, then you'd be hard pressed to find many anime without any fanservice to speak of--even including those made for kids. If not, it becomes a question of where the line is. For me, it's where the sexualization is done mainly to titillate the audience rather than in service of the plot and characters. However, I freely admit I may be in the minority when it comes to this definition.

Back to the main point, the issue I had with Freedom is that spoiler[a character who, up until now had been rarely if ever sexualized (namely Lacus), is put in a skintight plug suit and pilots a mecha with a cockpit straight out of Cross Ange--i.e., putting the character in the doggy-style position--with a camera that enjoys getting shots of her T&A.] The cockpit design, the flight suit design, and the camera work are all solely for titillation and feel completely at odds with the rest of the anime and its design.

I hope that clears up what I wrote in the review a bit.
I actually agree with alot of your points, but with the caveat that the scenes that are fresh in my mind regarding Seed pretty much fall in line with fanservice. For example, a scene with a female showering in Seed destiny was just her shoulders and up. It was replaced with a fully body shot that showed her nipples in the remaster. There were also shots of the black haired lieutenant (forgot her name) showering with no addition to the story, and a changed shot of female character wearing pink shirt to a see through shirt, etc. While there are certainly scenes that are sexual in nature that I wouldn't think are fanservice (the infamous kira/flay scene). I just find it hard to say that showing women showering in Gundam to be anything other than an attempt too tittilate

I guess my point is that, this has sort of been Gundam Seeds DNA for a while now, so it embracing it for its send off film actually seems pretty on brand to me.
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