| Episodes: 4 | Score: 7.9 (30247)
Updated every at | Status: Finished Airing
Type: ONA
Synopsis
In Universal Century 0079, forces of the Earth Federation and Principality of Zeon engage in a battle within the Thunderbolt Sector during the One Year War. This section of space—known for its constant strikes of electricity—proves to be a deadly battlefield, as Federation pilot Io Fleming leads a charge against Zeon's ace Daryl Lorenz and his squad of snipers. With the fighters on both sides proving to be formidable soldiers, neither side is willing to back down, fighting strategically amongst the remnants of colonies. But when Io gets a hold of a prototype Gundam, Daryl will have to make a sacrifice in order to obtain enough power to crush his enemy and ensure that Zeon is victorious, or watch as his comrades are slaughtered by a single man. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Voice Actors
Nakamura, Yuuichi
Kimura, Ryouhei
News
07/02/2017, 02:29 PM
Here is a collection of promotional videos (PVs), TV ads (CMs), and trailers for the last week. This thread excludes videos that have already been featured in an art...
11/18/2016, 03:19 PM
The official Gundam portal website has announced that ONA series Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt will get a second season slated for Spring 2017. It is based on the ...
03/20/2016, 03:18 PM
Here is a collection of promotional videos (PVs), TV ads (CMs), and trailers for the last week. This thread excludes videos that have already been featured in an art...
02/28/2016, 02:31 PM
Here is a collection of promotional videos (PVs), TV ads (CMs), and trailers for the last week. This thread excludes videos that have already been featured in an art...
01/31/2016, 02:12 PM
Here is a collection of promotional videos (PVs), TV ads (CMs), and trailers for the last week. This thread excludes videos that have already been featured in an art...
01/24/2016, 11:17 AM
Here is a collection of promotional videos (PVs), TV ads (CMs), and trailers for the last week. This thread excludes videos that have already been featured in an art...
11/29/2015, 11:11 AM
Here is a collection of promotional videos (PVs), TV ads (CMs), and trailers for the last week. This thread excludes videos that have already been featured in an art...
11/19/2015, 06:02 PM
The offical Gundam portal site announced the cast and staff of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt on Thursday. The 18-minute first episode and a 10-minute documentary fo...
10/28/2015, 01:39 AM
The wraparound jacket of the sixth volume of the Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt manga, which will go on sale on October 30, has announced that the series will receiv...
Reviews
_Lazaroth_
(LAZAROTH REVIEW - LONG - SPOILER FREE) "Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt" Movie/series 1: "December Sky" is an absolute visual spectacle with an promising dark plot, but with some bad execution. Story/Characters/Action: Just when you think that Gundam has exhausted its unique or interesting battle concepts, here comes Gundam Thunderbolt with a space battle among a thick debris field with an even thicker Minovsky particle density that prevents long distance communication. Combined with the high number of deadly snipers and beams that could hit you from any direction unseen, and you have an more terrifying setting than even the jungles of "MSG: 8th MS team". It's a veryunique idea that sets the stage for many great battles and drama. The setting goes hand in hand with showing the utter destruction of war, as even space itself is filled with the deaths of man and machine alike. The hazards it presents leaves you on the edge of your seat! The focus on Zeon soldiers with prosthetic limbs is really unique, instead of being disabled, they fully embrace their second chance to fight for their homeland. The entire Zeon fighting force in this sector is called the "Living Dead", an appropriate name since they are all mostly those who have barely escaped death. Reborn as lab rats, they are tasked to defend their sector to the death, all the while the scientists work frantically and are sometimes even forced to alter the soldier's bodies in order to work on experiments and to improve their performance at any cost, all just to win the damn battle, not even the war. It's a very engaging plotline that's perfect length for a short movie (or an entire movie if you watch the sequel back to back, which I recommend). As usual, the fact that the anime portrays each side as having good and bad people within it helps to show the true nature of war and humanity, and that the actions of a few can have a profound impact on the many. By the time you're down watching all these Gundam anime, you really come to despise war for the havoc it causes as well as the people who started it. You are able to sympathise with both sides of the conflict, almost to the point of not knowing which side to root for. A true Gundam principle that I always love seeing. There's a theme of classism that's got a pretty sick undertone in this anime. The "Elite", who are high ranking members of society, were practically handed top roles in the Military despite lack of experience. The men who serve them hate their guts so much due to their inabilities that they view them as expendable. as they expect them to crack at any time from pressure. The theme of pressure is an overlooked aspect of the Gundam franchise, and in this case, it's quite prevalent as of the effects it can have on people. To the point of even using drugs in order to cope. As per usual of the Gundam franchise, the theme of OBSESSION is carried into this anime as well. In this case, the obsession is between two arch rivals who will stop at nothing to kill each other in battle, risking life and (literal) limb in order to do so. The theme of Obsession continues to be one of the best aspects of the Gundam franchise. The worst thing about this story is the romance. It's rushed, bad, and unbelievable. I have no idea why it's even here. I didn't care about any of the characters, though that may change in the next half, I still feel nothing for them. Their ideas and such were great, but not that well executed. The action is the best thing about this anime. It is utterly incredible to witness! Seeing two SUPER Mobile Suits go against each other was a sight to behold and an visual treat. Definitely some of the best fights in the Gundam franchise. I particularly love the memorable moment when we look through a POV shot of a Zeon soldier as he gets completely pummelled by the Super Gundam. It shows you first hand how deadly and scary it is. Animation/Art/Music. I was genuinely shocked to see a Gundam anime made in MODERN TIMES to have NO CGI in it! It's all beautifully hand drawn. Deep space has never looked more beautiful in Gundam. The anime constantly changes the colour of cosmic fog and gasses in order to give the usual boring black space backdrop a much needed visual makeover. A brilliant idea and a feast for the eyes. The actual ART of the anime is awesome. The thick black lines stand out and the shading reminds me of the shading from the 1979 anime. The animation in this OVA is stellar across the board. I can't praise it enough, so see it for yourself!!! Music was pretty decent, If you love Jazz you'll like the soundtrack. Nothing I'd want to hear again though. Overall: "Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt" OVA Movie/series number 1, titled "December Sky", is a brilliant visual spectacle with a dark and sometimes engaging plot that explores aspects of the one year war we hadn't seen until now. But outside of its action, setting and animation, I find myself not caring about the characters at all, despite inheriting some of the amazing themes of the Gundam franchise. This may be a length issue, but I will have to wait and see the next OVA in order to have a definitive answer overall... Also, the romance was hot garbage and didn't need to be included. Bonus: There's a sequel to this movie/series, be sure to check it out for the full story! Very soon I will have watched everything about the One year war storyline, as I'm watching everything in chronological order now (I watched the '79 anime first, then origin, after that, it seems fine to watch from chronological order!) Animation: 9.9/10 Action: 9.6/10 Plot: 7.2/10 Characters: 7.2/10 Ending: (since this is only a half of a story, I will reserve the ending for the next OVA.) Overall: 8.6/10 (Yes I uploaded this review twice, once for the compilation movie and once for the OVA series).
algoPotaku
This gundam series has the best character design of all gundam so far from what I saw of the series, each of the character designs seems unique and very characteristic of this same series. In turn, the music in the series plays an important factor for the soldiers and I liked that a lot, with the best soundtrack of all gundam so far from the series I saw. The story is the same as always zeon against the federation and well we see a lot of death and destruction. In this anime there is no political plot directly action that I liked is 4 ovasof 20 minutes so they know quickly. I recommend it to everyone who wants to see death and destruction. En español: Esta serie de gundam tiene el mejor diesño de personajes de todo gundam hasta el momento de lo que vi de las series, cada uno de los diseños de personajes me parece unico y muy caracteristico de esta misma serie. A su vez la musica en la serie juega un factor importante para los soldados y eso me gusto un monton, con la mejor banda sonora de todo gundam por ahora de las series que vi. La historia es la de siempre zeon contra la federacion y bueno vemos mucha muerte y destruccion. En este anime no hay trama politicas directamente accion eso me gusto son 4 ovas de 20 minutos asi que seben rapido. La recomeindo a todo el mundo que quiera ver muerte y destruccion.
MFbaba
Ah, Gundam Thunderbolt. What can I say? There is a great appeal to this series for its high-quality production: animation and sound. I could even consider this short series to be a music video of the sort. (Have you seen intersella5555?) If you are looking for a complex narrative to attach yourself to, this is not it. Let's delve further, shall we? Animation: Little needs to be said about the animation. The backgrounds and character designs, I found, are simply gorgeous. Whether its the bleak, war-torn space scenery to the background characters that highlight the atrocities of war. Sound: As an avid jazz-head, this is whatinitially attracted me to this series. What shocked me was the various genres in the OST. Country music, free jazz, post-bop, and a melancholy ballad come to mind when reflecting on the music. The sporadic mix of genres put left me off-putting. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the music regardless of this erroneous sun glare. Characters: The story focuses on the zeon and federation ace pilots: Lo and Daryl. Whether you route for the reckless Lo or give sympathy to Daryl, you'll find that both of these characters are one-dimensional. Story: If you are looking for a ton of gore and death, look no further! This is some war porn. This show portraits violence for the sake of itself. At a certain point, the countless deaths lose their shock-value. If you are looking for a gripping realism of war, go somewhere else. In conclusion, the story and characters are supplements to the production. I personally enjoyed this series. However, this is not for everyone. cheers, Baba
RauLeCreuset
As a major Gundam fan who owns all the original mobile suit gundams all the way up to the movie char's counter attack as well as Mobile Suit Gundam Stardust Memory and Mobile Suit Gundam 08th The MS team. As well as owning japanese ps2 gundam games and american ps2 gundam games. I have to say this, although short, this anime was packed with action from the very beginning, both the protagonist and the antagonist had their hands full from the start, both fighting for something bigger then themselves and willing to do whatever it took to avenger the deaths of both their comrades andloved ones all at the same time while trying to win an seeming never ending war between the earth federation or "feddies" and the Principality of Zeon. I love anything to do with Gundams and this is a must watch.
supedeglupe
Okay, I have been going in order down the UC timeline, and quite frankly this one just feels out of place. The freeform jazz is something you already have to appreciate in order to enjoy the theater it so constantly forces you into. But I have a lot of grievances with these 8 eps to the point where I have to write a review. The music was something you will read about in almost every review because it is so prevalent. And I for one enjoy jazz. The soundtrack got to a nauseating point. It almost is telling you how to feel, and there is notreally any time to enjoy the dialogue or emotions that would naturally be evoked. Also. this is year 0080 I believe. You want me to believe that within the same year of those well-thought out ground combat scenes in 08th MS Team, that they now are able to have extremely fast paced long distance combat in space and on ground? Feels very post 2010 anime. A lot of boring scrolling scenes. Over the top action, still enjoyable, but the rather boring characters and scenes fail to make the fights stand out as eventful afterwards. There's just a lot of war misery porn that you become numb to. Seeing GM's and zaku's floating everywhere, cracked helmets of long dead pilots. Nothing but a yawn due to such a cluster fuck of story telling. Only watch if you are trying to watch everything in order. It's not as meme as Igloo, but its not nearly as *good* as Stardust either. I had to force myself to finish the episodes just to say I did. Just go straight to Stardust.
Manthors
[Edit] Hard to talk about the first season of Thunderbolt, because it's only a few short episodes. All I can say its good, and a nice addition to the Gundamverse. I`ll leave my thoughts to you. Story: Good one, classic Gundam space odyssey. Thunderbolt's a pretty dark Gundam, dwelling into the loss of sanity of these people in war. This is an awesome addition to the Gundams series because Gundam is an anime about war. You will see people lose their minds, and look like crazy people, thus, it is actually accurate. I loved the feeling of solitude and sadness that this series achieved, being extremelyrealistic to the nature of the space-side of Gundam. The story ends with a major cliffhanger, which is nice, making you wonder. Be advised that Thunderbolt is set in the UC, so you must know a little about the UC to get some concepts and background. Yet, even if you don`t know, you can still enjoy. Art and Sound: Amazing art. But the sound has, for me, a MAJOR problem. The choice of soundtrack for when the two main pilots appear. Damn, they, for some CRAZY reason, tough that playing Blues and Jazz EVERYTIME they appear would be great. Ok, now understand this, dear reader, I like Blues, not much into Jazz, but I don`t care, I just want good settings for the sound. In the beginning, I thought, "would you look at that? It is different, very nice and original". But I could not handle it after a while. Instead of epic, cool battle music, you get TWO MECHAS FIGHTING IN SPACE WITH JAZZ MUSIC. Looks cool? Sounds cool? Well, it isn't. It destroys the mood. That's it, it destroys the mood. And I bet I know why they did it. Japan, for some reason, loves to appeal to the USA taste, they just have to, for some crazy lunacy (money). Blues and Jazz, two genres that are classic for the USA. I get it, Bandai, and you were in a good path, but using these songs ALL the TIME...Damn, I just... argh. Why? Character: First time I say this, but... not much to say... they are average. Not bad, not great. Focus on the story and they will not bother you at all. No mistakes made here, but no highlights also. Nevertheless, they made me wonder for the second season. Mechas: Great mechas. The Gundam Full Armor is a marvelous mecha tech, with its badass armor and 4 shields, something that the series never did before, or after. The Psyko Zaku became my all time favorite Zaku. Its gunpla is in my want list for a while now. It has some massive propellers and creative arsenal, distinguished from all others in the Gundamverse. All I could think is: if Char had this Zaku, the Gundam would be scrap metal. I give a major thumbs up for the mecha's design in Thunderbolt. Overall: Good Gundam, and a good addition to the UC. It might be the darkest Gundam show so far, losing only to Iron-Blooded Orphans, with good storytelling. Just be prepared to hear that f******* Jazz and Blues music all the way trough.
FrozenRoy
I went into this show with some knowledge of Gundam, although I have not watched much, and with the idea of reviewing a short series for the night I watched it. Robots, dark stories, the combat of war...these are all things that interest me, so with a solid score, I dove into Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt. The tone of the show's darkness definitely strikes right away, after a jazzy start of a space army getting ready and then going right into getting blown away. While Thunderbolt gets right to the point, in this regard I feel it suffers, giving little room to consider or process eventsand frequently moving too fast to really create an investment with the characters. Talking about the overall plot and narrative of Thunderbolt is hard because, honestly, it...doesn't have much of one, despite the dark atmosphere, the plot is very barebones: I know it is a four 18 minute episode anime, but I feel even something like Space Patrol Luluco (13 episodes of 7 minutes, 91 minutes of runtime compared to Thunderbolt's 72) had a stronger plot and Luluco's plot wasn't even anything special. The strongest theme is pretty obvious: War has a lot of hard descisions you have to make and that sucks. Any meaning or plot aside from that basically is "Federation vs. Zeon!", little to it. The problem with this largely comes down to the characters, which are almost entirely exceedingly flat. The only one with any life in them is one of the main cvharacters, Daryl, who gets some level of characterization over his Paraplegia and flashbacks...but, in part due to the constant flow of interrupting nothingness, the fact that the flashbacks give little context or reason to interest us aside from the most obvious, and the lack of seeing Daryl doing things not related to it, it comes off as rather trite, and his reactions to the events of the story around him are mixed in interest. This is especially notable near the end when his rival, Io Fleming, makes a line that the show presents as dramatic and meaningful, with the exception that it is rather counter to his emotional reaction and the story beforehand, which basically makes it come across as trying to be deep but ending up cheap. Pretty much everyone else in this show is flat. Io Fleming, the rival to Daryl, who is nothing you haven't seen before if you have seen a cursory amount of media in general, the guy who has thrills for battle with a cultural twist, in this case jazz music. Karla and Claudia have no impact on the story despite the amount of time devoted to Karla and she comes off as somewhat of a caricature of the common character archetype (non-fighter forced to fight/do combat research/etc) with her vanilla backstory and lack of scenes NOT relating to that. Claudia's character barely is expanded on and seems like she is supposed to serve as something to relate with Io, except their interactions pretty much mean nothing. Death in this series is hardly a spoiler when so many characters die, but Claudia's is noticeably disappointing as it is clearly meant to serve as an emotional/dramatic high point. I found myself unable to care. Nobody else is even worth mentioning, and there's lots of characters who exist as throwaways to show the "dark" setting: These characters usually get a handful of scenes where they show little or no traits outside of what is necessary for the story, making connection and thus caring about them beyond the cursory "oh, they died" extremely difficult. I'm sure it can be argued that, as a short anime, I should expect characters to be more shallow and for them to get more time to grow as things go on. The problem with that here is that, frankly, I'm not given much of a reason to BE invested in these characters, with the majority being cannon fodder as well, and no plot to really hook onto or become interested in. If this was, say, the 4-episode start to an anime, I doubt I would be very interested in watching the rest of the show. It isn't a good anime as a standalone and it isn't an interesting start: Other Gundam series certainly have superior starts, let alone counting other depth naturally. If there is one good thing in the series, it is the music, which not only sounds quite nice between both how it sounds and some good uses of merging of it with the show, and is pretty much the high point of the series, merging music with flashbacks, action and the bits in between. The animation generally looks nice, but fight choreography is rather disappointing, and the "Thunderbolt" of the title so far is useless aside from Deus Ex Machina at certain points in the series, although given how it is used I assume that it will actually mean something later in the series. Only the last fight is notable for much and it isn't honestly all that great in the context of Gundam, let alone all other anime and shows. In conclusion, I would personally avoid Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt for all but diehard fans of Gundam, as it is not an especially good or deep representative of the series, nor is it especially interesting on its own. with trite and shallow characterization, little is left to the show except for action set pieces, which do not properly utilize the animation that it has. Plot is largely non-existant, although it at least manages to avoid major issues due to the lack of it, so unless you really like mixing in music into animation, it doesn't really have much to offer on a watch.
Werty800
Thunder is one of the most frightening and destructive forces of nature when it really gets going. One look at the dark, stormy sky is enough to evoke the feeling of danger and terror. Despite that, many are intrigued by this menacing natural phenomena. It's bright, loud and brings excitement into the usually boring and lazy skies and it's not always so dangerous. Those that aren't interested in it, can still look forward to what comes after it: the sparkling sun, the beautiful scent of fresh air and the calmness that we grow to appreciate after the storm. What thunder reminds me of is war. Afterall it's created by particles clashing against each other, it tries to hit the ground because it's charge is different than the one it possesses and most importantly, it is just as fickle and hard to comprehend. There are no real set of rules and no matter how much you prepare you can still get hurt and lose to something that's out of your control. Despite that, some people find it so captivating. Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt encapsulates that train of thought I just went on. *Slight spoilers* This was the first time I watched a Gundam series, so I didn't really know what kind of quality should I be expecting, but within the first couple of minutes my eyes witnessed something unbelievably... normal. People smoking in space suits, a couple kissing in zero gravity, a guy banging on his robot with drumsticks with smooth jazz playing in the background. While I expected something to go down sooner or later, I was weirded out with the decisions that were made in the first minutes of the show. It was unique and special, I didn't really know what to think about them. After the robots started flying through the debris-filled depth of space, getting gunned down by enemy sniper (sniper robots to be exact) I thankfully started to understand what this show will be about. Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt is full of contrasts, thanks to which it builds a fantastic atmosphere. The main two heroes stand on the opposing sides of the territorial conflict. Io Fleming is a pilot of the Earth Federation Forces, he's very cocky and finds pleasure in fighting. He listens to jazz at all times and thinks of all other music as "worse. Pretty much: He is a filthy music elitist. On the other hand, Daryl Lorenz is a sniper pilot for Principality of Zeon. He's a double amputee who has lost both of his legs and is a part of a small squad. He's rather collected and acts very carefully, as a sniper should. Io killed one of his squad members, so revenge is what fuels him, but it's not his only source of emotion. The entire story revolves mainly around these two, their inner and external conflict, put onto a big battle between two irreconcilable forces. I like comparing it to a short novel. Every scene in Thunderbolt matters. There are so many storylines going on at the same time that I initially thought there was no way to bring them all to a satisfying conclusion, but thankfully I was wrong. Everything has the same amount of care and polish as the one besides it, and while the main storyline takes the main stage, even that branches off as characters explore their past and their motives. Within about 15 minutes per episode, 4 episodes in total, this show was able to create a compound story where every element interacted with another. With multiple storylines, juggling them around becomes a serious problem, but in Thunderbolt they are put in correct places, where you don't forget about them but they don't come back too fast. There's a good amount of breather time between the robot fighting and straight up dialogue. The tone shifts were executed extraordinarily skillfully, which could be seen in the first couple of minutes already, as Io takes off into the dangerous and vast depths of space from a cheerful and peaceful base. Overall, it's just well written, well though out and well executed. It decides to put the bigger picture into the background while focusing on smaller battles, both the ones using emotions and the ones using mechas and lasers. Speaking of using mechas and lasers, every fight in the show is set up and directed very well. It feels like each movement and each attack matters. There are all kinds of fights, from initially one sided to those that are neck to neck. Thunderbolt left a pleasant feeling in my mind upon finishing, because it felt as if it delivered a full package both in terms of action and storytelling. What's even more surprising is the well paced development in character's mindset throughout the show. While at face value they look one dimensional, through the usage of music and visuals cues they get more than enough development. It's easy to understand what they're after and why they're striving for it, what are their goals and resolutions, but it's not pushed down the viewers' throats. There's a lot of subtlety where its needed, flashbacks being implemented at the right points that make sense from a storytelling point of view, quick interactions between the characters that offer insight onto their mindsets and relationships. Nobody gets left out completely, and while I agree that some of the minor characters get little screen time, you do understand how much they care for their cause and how much has it affected them. The cast in itself is diverse, with characters that both struggle to undertake their tasks and the ones that put on a smile while doing so. For example, Claudia Peer gets pushed onto the role of a captain for the Earth Federation side after the spot opens up and she simply can't handle making the decisions on such scale. Sending out people who will clearly die, especially when some of them are still kids that were taking happy selfies just a few moments ago. On the other side, Karla Mitchum is forced to become a scientist for Zeon. She clearly hates war, but her talents have proven useful and as she gets tangled into it she starts becoming aggressive and emotionally unstable. She can't handle deaths of the people she sees every day, she deeply cares about them. Both of those characters contrast with Io and Daryl, who for one reason or another actively try to go out and fight. It benefits them internally, so they see no reason not to push themselves further. It's this kind of "clash of mentalities" that make the slower parts of Thunderbolt intriguing and atmospheric. The characters build upon their foundation and are always progressing. The length of the series surely helps with that, but it's not something to undervalue. The visuals are simply and undeniably astonishing. I would even risk a statement that this might be one of the absolute best pieces of animation that I ever lied my eyes upon. The show beautifully uses everything it has at its disposal: lighting, shading, dark color pallet, constant movement that was contributed by the lack of gravity (This one especially. The moments where drips of blood are flying off, or just any object in general feels so alive) the distinguishable character designs, the face detail and emotions portrayed through it, it's all there. The directing is just as good, with fantastic transitions that are as smooth as butter and some incredible shots during action scenes. This show is a testosterone inducing treat for the eyes that will make any action fan marvel in disbelief at how well could they be treated. Another thing that Thunderbolt excels at is the usage of music. I can't even begin to explain how nice it is to see music, something often ignored and pushed to the background, take the main stage, especially in an action oriented series. Throughout the show it plays a very important role, both as a atmosphere setting pieces and the songs that the characters listen to in their cockpits. Io's passion for jazz isn't just a normal thing, he has his reasons. Unfortunately the same can't really be said about Deryl's taste, but it's still important that they listen to different types as the it fits his character. Other than that, the soundtrack ventures by using opera pieces, with piano, violin and a flute mixed in. It's simply wonderful how much meaning and emotion flows through it. It's something that should be acknowledged and used more in anime that want to make usage of music that the characters listen to, or music in general. Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt is a treat at every point, a gift that keeps on giving and a surprise to overcome all surprises. There's nothing more satisfying than discovering a completely new universe with an anime that is this good. I can now safely say that I'm sold on Gundam. While the care and effort could be explained as a natural result of the length, it's not hard to see how this could be so much worse, which makes it this much more enjoyable in my mind. This is a great gateway to Gundam, which I highly recommend as a start. You won't understand everything, nor is the entire war explained, but it's not needed. The way I see it, it adds an element of mystery and entices the viewer to see more of it. Overall, Thunderbolt rocks. There's really not much else that needs to be said. It's short, fast paced, intelligent and exciting. I highly recommend trying it out, there's no reason not to, no matter if you're a fan of mecha, Gundam, or never even watched anything like it. I believe it's good enough to overcome any problem. As always, this is purely my opinion. I highly recommend for you to develop your own.
Lindle
In little over an hour, Gundam Thunderbolt accomplishes more than most Gundam titles do in 50 episodes. The most common theme of the Gundam franchise is that war is hell. This is often overshadowed, however, by flashy mobile suit fights. As such, what we ultimately take away from these series is less "war is bad" and more "robots are cool". But while Thunderbolt may be visually appealing, it never loses focus of what it's about. Thunderbolt is, start to finish, a sheer emotional gut-punch of an anime. It makes every scene it can into an uncomfortable and harrowing experience. From inexperienced soldiers being mown down to graphicwar injuries - and most notably, a stunning scene in which we see a Zaku being destroyed by the titular mobile suit, all from a first person perspective of the Zaku pilot, with debris obscuring the pilot's view and the 3-dimensional movement of space disorienting the viewer - the series' exceptional directing truly captures the fear and horror of combat. Of course, while Thunderbolt avoids the trap of sacrificing substance for style, that doesn't mean it lacks for the latter. Thunderbolt is incredible from a technical perspective. Not only is it hands-down the best-looking Gundam anime (which at this point is a huge accomplishment in and of itself), it is one of the best-looking anime, period. The animation is impressively fluid by any standards, but especially so given the level of detail in the artwork. The mobile suit designs, while not stunning unto themselves, have intricate designs with heavy use of greebling. The character designs, however, are more stylised - most of the cast bears an unusual hairstyle or hair colour. Despite this, the art style gives the characters significant anatomical detail, which alongside its sharp, sketchy lineart, gives the cast an almost punk aesthetic whilst still remaining somewhat grounded in reality. The characters themselves are quite impressive as well considering how little time we have to get to know them. The two leads are Io Fleming, a cocky Federation ace pilot, a jazz enthusiast, and pilot of the titular mobile suit, and Daryl Lorenz, a double amputee from Zeon who lost his legs in combat, and who has a calmer temperment than Io - creating an obvious Red Oni Blue Oni dynamic - and clashing musical tastes to match, with a taste for pop music. Their personalities are exemplified by their musical preferences. Io's loud, wild, freeform jazz is representative of his hot-bloodedness, and coupled with his fiery temperment and manic combat style it defines his onscreen presence - as Io himself says, "When you hear Jazz, it means I've come for you". Daryl, on the other hand, is far more melancholy, and this is reflected by the pop ballad that serves as his main theme. While this is the most obvious aspect of their characterisation, it's easy to miss just how much nuance the two of them have. Neither have a great deal of dialogue, but much is said about them through flashbacks, their expressions, their reactions, and their manner around the people they care about. We only see small snippets of their lives, but what little we see paints a much bigger picture. This is perhaps the biggest strength of Gundam Thunderbolt - it's exceptional at showing rather than telling. By presenting its story and characters by visuals and actions rather than dialogue it creates far more substance in such a small span of time. The only real complaint I have with Thunderbolt is its brevity, and that perhaps with more than an hour to work with it could have climbed to even greater heights, but it's hard not to be satisfied with just how much Thunderbolt accomplishes with the barest of minimums. Final Words: Exceptional in almost all respects, held back only by its running time. Story/Plot: 7/10 Characters: 8/10 Animation/Art: 10/10 Music: 9/10 Overall: 9/10 For Fans Of: Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, Macross Plus
CodeBlazeFate
*SPOILERS FOR MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THUNDERBOLT* Thunderbolt is definitely an interesting series within the Universal Century timeline of Gundam. It preaches what we already know: war is hell. However, it doesn't do this in a manner that makes it come off as obnoxiously preachy like say, Gundam 00 Second Season, and it doesn't do that in away that involves shooting the quality of its writing in the foot like say, Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny (aka the entire Cosmic Era). At the same time, with not even a 1/10 of the amount of episodes as the Cosmic Era, and ONLY 1/10 of the amount of runtimeas 00 S2, it manages to do far more than both of those series in terms of actually showing just how fucked up war can be. Then again, a large number of series in the UC timeline is dedicated to this. So, even though it does more with the famous "war is hell" angle, does it stand on enough other merits to warrant being called a good series? Let's find out, shall we? STORY: 8/10 This is a side-story in the ongoing war between the Earth Federation and Zeon. As such, that war it referenced constantly and this is just an ongoing battle in one battlefield, as if it were WWI, where one battalion could be facing off against another in the same battlefield for months. Each side in this particular battlefield near Space Colony Side 4 had a key player: Io Fleming for the EF and Daryl Lorenz for Zeon. Each of them has some baggage that lead them to this war, and it's all done with no words; it's just the music and visuals which are left to speak the backstory to us. I can appreciate this kind of storytelling, where you don't need words to convey something important about the characters, and that's not something you can easily pull off. In the actual battlefield, we get to see just how messed up it all can be, especially when kids are involved in the battle and are forced to panicky as they are slaughtered like their experienced soldier brethren. Some of the soldiers and captains risk their lives to save their crew, be given how much pride both sides have, they'd rather die than flee or get captured, and it doesn't turn out pretty for the captain of the this Earth Federation mothership, who ends up getting killed by her soldiers over this same issue. Even the Zeon are willing to fight to the death and die in an explosion than get arrested, which is what they try to do in episode 4 when they're infiltrated. Meanwhile, Io and Daryl, who plow through each other's soldiers and get their own special mobile suits (Full Armor Gundam for Io and Psycho Zaku for Daryl) end up locked in combat and settling the score that is alluded to have started even before the events of the series, and that same score which has built up over the first 3 episodes, ending in a crazy climax in which neither of them wins. In the end, the Federation forces are captured (I don't get how) and Io is tortured, albeit not without really spelling out the anime's message for Daryl. This anime really knows how to paint a picture on just how horrible war is, and it plays it up to Joe me without becoming preachy, and it does this with just 4 18 minute episodes, amounting to the screen time of 3 TV episodes, and it did more than the aforementioned Gundam anime in the preamble, which have so much more episodes. On the downside, there are Deus and Diabolos ex Machinas in the form of a thunderbolt saving a pilots life in episodes 2 and 4, with the first one being addressed in frustration by Daryl after he almost got a clean shot on Io. Still, this story worked rather well, and with so little time to do so, that's impressive. CHARACTERS: 8/10 A lot of people take issue with these characters being "one dimensional" and in gonna have to dispel that. Like with Cowboy Bebop, while the characters seem like 1D stereotypes of characters,thanks to implications andtheruch way in which they are fleshed out, they are much more real than one would initially give them credit for. Io comes off as a bloodthirsty jerk, but he is so much more. After losing his father, he constantly reminds himself of himvia his dad's favorite song. He fights not because he wants to, but because he has to, so he brings his mucus along that way he can get in the mood to fight without letting reality tranquility lose his morale, and he does still care about people, like his girlfriend who he doesn't has the best of relationships with thanks to this war. Speaking of, Captain Claudia Oeer is really unfit for her position, only being placed there on account of rank and the captain slot being forcibly open. The stress of the war makes her relationship with Io very hard, and she even turns to drugs to solve her problems, as then her fate is sealed when one of her more prideful subordinates shoots her for daring to suggest that she and her men should flee on account of being outmatched. She's the most tragic character here for that reason. Cornelius is just the friend of the trio who understands them and provides a bit of insight into the other two characters for us via implication, as well as help be part of the funny running gag of giving Io tissues. Daryl is pretty tragic too, losing one of his limbs early on, he still dreams of what could've been. Even his lover, Karla, can't stand what the loss of limbs is doing to him and his allies. Even still, he loses another one, and this all drives him to ask her to amputate all of his remaining limbs so that he can pilot the new Psycho Zaku in order to combat Io, who has killed most of his cohorts. As Io commented in the final episode, even though he hates what this war has done to him, he has driven himself a bit mad by it, making such a hasty and life-changing decision; he's right about what this has done to Daryl. Karla isn't very happy about being forced to be here herself, as she hates what she has to do to Daryl and the other Zeon troops, as well as the fact that she's part of this war. I really like the romance flashback in episode 4, as it really sells how much she and Daryl love each other, without needing words to do so. None of the other guys are really worth mentioning, but the named cast is pretty good and much richer than people give credit for. To those who say "What about the SEED, Destiny, and 00 Second Season cast? Many of them suffered through war but you criticized them." The thing is, those characters didn't necessarily suffer through war, they suffered through the stupidity of the war's combatants as well as themselves; they were idiots and assholes (in some cases, both, like Shinn) who let the war make them worse. Those are not good characters. That's the difference between them and the Thunderbolt characters. ART: 10/10 This is easily the best looking Gundam series ever made, without question (unless I end up seeing Unicorn, and even then, that's debatable). The sheer detail put into every single frame is astounding, and the digital effects of the lasers and explosions are simply breathtaking. The action looks freakin' amazing due to this, and the Gundams receive the perfect amount of detail, and this series rivals anime put in cinemas. Thebdirecting is wonderful in terms of the animation. The character designs also seem prettis realistic, stylistic lines not withstanding. My only gripe, fnyoh can call it that, is that the Doms and other Federation mobile suits have a more child-like shading that somewhat clashes with the gritty and detailed setting and other mobile suits. Other than that, this series looks beautiful, and it's easily one of the best-looking anime of the decade. SOUND: 9/10 The OST, done by Naruyoshi Kikuchi, is great,and makes a wonderful fit for this space battlefield in which the anime takes place in. "Thunderbolt for Main Theme" is a great score for whenever Io steps out into battle with the Full Armor Gundam, with its wonderful free jazz. "Ronald Regan Other Side" is easily the best, most epic and chaotic track here and it is glorious. "Oh God I'm Alone" is a beautifully nostalgic and melancholic track in the fourth episode as well that like with the other named tracks, I listen to a fair amount beyond the viewing of the show. The other themes are great at accomplishing the feelings their scenes intend, as if to sell them even more than the writing can. Not a huge amount of these pieces are overtly memorable, but they sell their scenes extremely well, which is still a good thing in its own right. ENJOYMENT: 10/10 I had a lot of fun with this anime. The slick soundtrack, the awesome battles, the striking feeling of hellishness in war, and the breathtaking visuals were all a real treat to witness, and the characters and writing were no slouch either. Sure, some moments were a bit iffy and weird, but it was truly an adrenaline rush of a series. I simply wish I would get more, and with a second season on the way, that same high seems likely to reach me again. OVERALL: 9/10 RAW SCORE: 89/100 Interestingly, I would say that Gundam Thunderbolt is the perfect Gundam anime for newcomers. It hits on all of the major themes of Gundam with a proper tone and decent characterization and writing, it has kickass action, and it doesn't really require much background knowledge. Even disregarding that, this is a truly solid Gundam anime that deserves all of its fanfare. Is it the best of the bunch? No; there are some UC Gundam anime that surpass this, for this really is just a side-story. Even still, this is definitely worth Watching, even if you are new to Gundam. With all that said, I bid you adieu.
PheolingAnimu
War has been prevalent throughout human history and we can expect it too be for many more years. The fascination with war has lead too many movies, video games, and even anime based on it. Many showing it as a glamorous thing that is fun and exciting. Mobilesuitgundam thunderbolt is the opposite. Thunderbolt is a show about the brutal reality and harshness that comes with war. Showing that war doesn't give a crap about your love, family, or ambitions. People will die, many people in fact. Everyone who goes to war has their own goals and people waiting at home for them , but onceon the battlefield all that is at risk. In Thunderbolt you get too see how people on both side of the battlefield all have their own motives and emotions. All usually being vastly similar to their counterparts. You get enough sense of the characters through what little you see , but they tend not to stay around for long. Its fast paced with immense tensity. The characters aren't the main focus of this series , but the rivalry between the two MCs was great too watch. I was anticipating their final battle the whole series and was no disappointed. The art and animation in this series is beautifully executed. The fluidity of the action scenes are almost at sakuga levels at points. You never feel they cheated you out with its unique style along with the soundtrack The soundtrack is different than you'll get compared to any other gundam. Its a jazz centric track that i feel makes the anime have its own sort of electric feel . It suits this series well because you are viewing the series like you were also flying right along the MCs listening to the radio in your gundam (which many characters do in the series) . Overall i feel this was one of the most enjoyable mechs i've ever seen. The portrayal of war is brutal and unwelcoming , letting you know once you get onto the battlefield you are no more valuable than anyone else. Life can be taken in seconds and your love ones aren't guaranteed to come home.
Fel_Temp
So I'm the type of person who gets really annoyed by well directed anime trying to work with shitty scripts. Like I thought Windaria was ruined by its writing, and Macross Plus only drops in quality whenever anyone opens their mouth. So I didn't have very high expectations for a Gundam series that has a reputation of being all style and no substance. Here's the thing: they're right. The characters don't have much depth, there isn't any message beyond the most basic "war is bad," and watching it doesn't even add much perspective to the UC Gundam universe. But sometimes, style isenough. The series is gorgeous, has a great soundtrack, is paced very well, and might be the best directed Gundam series I've ever seen. I think the big difference between this and the anime I criticized above is that in this case, the script knows to stay out of the way. It's more the framework for an experience than something you're supposed to focus on, and it works well enough for that. My only complaint is that it still assumes that you're familiar with old school Gundam and therefore doesn't bother explaining the world or conflict, so it's not something someone new to the franchise can just jump into. Thunderbolt is the greatest spectacle in the Gundam franchise. Go in expecting a horrific popcorn flick, and you should have a good time.
blue5peed
Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, In war there are two types of soldiers and they both play jazz. MSG Thunderbolt is a story about the kinds of people that are able to survive and even thrive in the extreme environment of war, this is illustrated through the struggle of opposing factions ace pilots, protagonist Daryl Lorenz an amputee sniper of the 'Living Dead Division' and antagonist Io Fleming of the 'Moore brotherhood' a thrill seeking adrenaline junkie of questionable morality. For both factions their ace is indispensable but for very different reasons. The Living Dead Division is a military corps of amputee pilots and it represents menwho must first be broken down before their concious might assent to the grim theater of war. Observing them at their base the 'Dried Fish' we see an easy going band of brothers who cherish each other, their radio chatter is frequented by gallows humour, positive reinforcement and cooperation. They have all paid a heavy price in this war, literally a pound of flesh and lament their regrettable circumstance. They seem more like conscripts drafted into war rather than volunteers fighting for independence. The protagonist is the personification of the Diving Dead Division's attitudes. Daryl Lorenz the ace sniper enters this skirmish having lost both legs in a battle prior. He is a melancholy man who, if he had some romantic notions of war in his youth, has long since become disillusioned of them. He has fond memories of family outings to the beach where he would run across the sunny shore with a broad grin on his face but now he can only experience that by running while piloting a mobile suit which gives him no pleasure, in fact it does the opposite, it brings him to tears as the innocence of that memory is lost, he runs now only in the guise of a killing machine. If Daryl Lorenz and crew have to fight they fight for their pals along side an evanescent hope of peace that might someday come if they cling to their humanity, the little they have left. Io Fleming and his division represent men who are predisposed for whatever reason to war, they don't just survive war, they thrive on it. Looking at the constituents of the 'Moore Brotherhood' one finds a very young outfit who appear to be straight out of boot camp and are constantly berated by their superior officers. The young soldiers have an almost religious reverence for the Gundum type mobile suit making sure to salute it as they enter its hanger, this behaviour may be the fruit of some kind of early indoctrination that preps children to be soldiers, one is left to wonder how early this process began if they are being deployed at such a young age. Io Fleming himself needs no indoctrination his evil lends him a natural inclination to war. He is a self centered hedonist that enjoys the the cheap thrills war has to offer be it the rush of making intricate manoeuvres through debris at high speed or the killing with impunity that war affords him. He treats his own squad as expendable even though he has the talent to help them in battle he would rather use this teammate as decoys towards his own ends, if they die so much the better. He openly declares that he does not care what you think of him or if he is punished for his sins. The leadership of the Moore Brotherhood is not phased by such a man, despite his traumatic and unprocessed past and ostensive death wish, they continue to promote him even going so far as giving him his own squad to lead but then again this is the same leadership that sends children to the front lines, if it assures victory and furthers their military careers they will gladly make a deal with the devil, they are professionals. In both factions there are characters who are exceptions to the rule and their descenting views serve to heighten the moral tension within their respective camps. In the Living Dead Army there is an insensitive scientist who sees the soldiers as nothing more than lab rats, he cares only for his own survival. Meanwhile the Moore Brotherhood's ship the 'Beehive' has an empathetic captain who is driven to the edge by usurpers that would do anything for total victory. Both the music and visuals in MSG Thunderbolt are striking this show is worth watching just for them but there is also a clever use of those assets as narrative devices. The lightning strikes that occur sporadically, because of static energy discharging form the ashes of a doomed nearby colony, are used to highlight moments of dramatic tension and are even used as a key element in some important set pieces in the show. The way both characters interact with the Jazz is more integral though, Io Fleming likes to bang about in his cockpit with drumsticks when he is not piloting and when he is, he is using his mobile suit itself as an instrument to perform his Jazz improvisation of mass destruction. Daryl Lorenz on the other hand uses Jazz to calm his nerves with sentimental oldies the only escape he has from his hellish circumstance. No matter how you look at it waging war is an unnatural and futile act you might go into it saying you have a just cause but it will break you down long before it is over and then question fast becomes just how much of your humanity are you willing to rescind to win this death game? That is the question MSG Thunderbolt asks and seeks to resolve through this antagonistic duo. Few series are able to strike at their point with the efficiency of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, delivering a meaningful commentary on war through a flash, just 4 episodes, a feat many series fail to achieve even across multiple seasons and it does so in prodigious style whose jazzy thunder still echoes through my heart long after the credit roll.
ggultra2764
It would seem the Gundam franchise has been on a bit of a roll with quality lately following my viewing of Unicorn and Iron-Blooded Orphans. Unlike many of its past predecessors, Thunderbolt takes on a more gritty and bleaker mood in its focus on the conflict with the forces led by ace Zeon sniper Daryl Lorenz and ace Federation pilot Io Fleming. This change in mood allows the series to do away with the Gundam franchise's typical cliches and flaws as major characters are older in age, do not engage in ideological babbling during heated battles, and the main mecha of the series are notportrayed to be nearly unstoppable in battle. Like Gundam 0083, Thunderbolt explores the ongoing conflict within the Thunderbolt sector through the perspectives of both Daryl and Io. Both have their personal issues they face due to engaging in combat with one another with Daryl being an amputee pilot forced to remove his remaining limbs to raise his compatibility to pilot the newest Zaku unit prepared and Io dealing with mental instability due to a messy past with his family. The series also takes the time to explore the camaraderie that both leads share with their fellow pilots and close companions, showing the humanity found among both sides and the desperate measures that both sides are willing to take in order to favor their side in their ongoing war. In spite of the series consisting only of 4 18+-minute episodes, Thunderbolt has enough time to tell its story, flesh out its lead characters, and go a little further than most Gundam titles in showing how brutal and merciless the reality of war is. Presentation-wise, Gundam Thunderbolt offers high-quality visuals and animation on par with what is offered through Gundam Unicorn. Sporting highly-detailed mecha and character designs, the series offers a large amount of fluid movement during its heated battle scenes that are pleasing on the eyes. Sticking out most particularly with Thunderbolt compared to other Gundam titles is the show's soundtrack. Consisting entirely of jazz pieces, the music is normally listened to by Io as he engages in combat and the melancholic mood given off by each of the show's musical tracks are very fitting for the show's more darker mood. Overall, Gundam Thunderbolt is another excellent quality addition to the Gundam franchise as it creates a story set in the Universal Century timeline with a more darker mood and unique soundtrack that is different from the norm for a Gundam title. A definite recommendation for fans of the mecha franchise.
circustance
Gundam Thunderbolt is one of those anime series that are surprisingly short but within this small burst of four episodes we basically get one of the best animes I have seen in a long time. Thunderbolt delivers on so many levels and especially caters to long time fans of the series and the U.C. era. To a newbie to Gundam I would suggest you watch at least one other early U.C. era Gundam series before watching this one because the story kind of expects you to already know what's going on in this time period and as such mostly focuses on the battles and also"somewhat" devotes it to the characters as well. Don't get me wrong the characters in Thunderbolt are great, even with somewhat limited time to explain their stories due to the small amount of episodes it still manages to get their stories across. Albeit I would've liked to see the main pilot of the Feds get more story as they somewhat focus on the Zeon's sniper ace more so, even giving an entire episode for him (Don't get me wrong I love him.) while the Fed's main pilot only gets maybe 6 minutes in total for exposition of his story. In general the story isn't as shined upon and as such it might drive some people to view it in a negative light but the real meat of this show is definitely the action. The action and amazingly stunning art and animation of Thunderbolt is far from an eyesore. Not to mention the godsend of a soundtrack that compliments both the mellow and intense scenes. Composed by the wonderful Naruyoshi Kikuchi, he literally touches almost every main genre and nails it. Along with the brutal fights between all of the Mobile Suits and the amazing compositions you are also treated to the intense feelings of a real war. Thunderbolt delivers the heart-wrenching feeling of how war truly is, as did previous U.C. Gundam series and definitely doesn't feel out of place within its mark in the Gundam universe. One of the aspects that makes this so is the fact that they focus both on the Feds and Zeon equally when you put together all the episodes. It gives the show a grander feeling and a bigger emphasis on the horrors of war. Supporting this is the character interactions, especially between the two main pilots who have a great sense of desperation and urgency against each other which at some point crosses the line between wanting someone to win to just feeling sad for the fates of these people who are fighting for their beliefs. All of this and the aforementioned amazing OST, art, animation, and action makes way for a show that I think is just simply great. Although I'd like to see more story shown, what did they did with mind you, only four 18 minute episodes is much more than most anime series could hope to achieve. If you love or just generally like mechs, Gundam, or anything I mentioned above you will absolutely enjoy this show. It definitely made me want more from the artist and I hope a sequel season to the ONA and the movie is released.
Bors_137
I understand the appeal of having gorgeous mecha blowing each other up in a well animated battle spectacle to the tune of snappy upbeat jazz, I really do. It’s just a shame that Gundam Thunderbolt couldn’t deliver much more than that. It’s definitely a good looking and sounding show, but its narrative and characters fall short in comparison. Not to say it can’t be enjoyable and entertaining, but your experience will greatly vary on what you look for in your gundam shows. The main duo weren’t particularly bad, yet come off as very underwhelming. Not much effort on giving them personality outside of making sure theywere polar opposites. Io Fleming is reckless, rebellious, and purely driven by his desire to feel alive in the battlefield. Daryl on the other hand is the calm, kind soul that fights to protect his comrades. After the motivations for hating each other are presented early on, these two contrasting individuals fight to preserve their ideals. This dynamic has been played out to death already, and the show doesn’t attempt much to try to change it up. There is nothing memorable about Daryl besides his limb loss, that’s all he is characterized by. While Io's much more entertaining, he's also a one dimensional jerk. Had there been better characterization, the show would have been more than gorgeous war misery porn. I found it hard to be invested in the cruel war being depicted when the characters are just there to be pitied. Show me more aspects about them, anything besides how much they rather be somewhere else. Towards the climax, the characters are conflicted with tough moral choices, which could had much more impact had they been fleshed out enough for me to care about them. The aesthetics are by far its strong point. Space battles look detailed and the character designs are appealing. The setting of debris and ruins isn’t particularly great, though the constant light effects keep it from looking dull. The flashback song's a little too corny but it'll mostly come down to whether you’re into jazz/country folk even though they fit the scenes well for the most part. Its main theme is the harshness of war. Crucial decisions must be carried through, and the people in charge have to live on with its consequences. It’s a fine concept; the problem is that it doesn’t do much with it. “Hey did you know war is sad? Well it is, let me show you, and tell you…constantly”. There is some strategy behind the battle scenes, but it usually comes down to who has the bigger robot dick. If the Gundam is on screen, be ready to watch a lot of defenseless Zeon mobile suits act as target practice. Enjoying the over powered Psycho Zaku and Gundam face off is the main appeal of the show, since the narrative behind it all isn’t strong enough to warrant a watch. I would recommend this to any mecha fan who wants pretty robots beat the crap out of each other in what is probably the darkest addition of the franchise yet. Fans of the UC gundam storyline may also enjoy it for its setting, references and solid action scenes.
BohemianRhapsody
2015 has been a pretty good year for Gundam fans, with both "Origin" and "Iron-Blooded Orphans" being interesting additions to the franchise. However, I believe that the achievement for the best entry to the Gundam franchise in the recent years should go to "Thunderbolt". Right from the start, "Gundam Thunderbolt" sets itself apart from other Gundam anime: it doesn't focus on large-scale battles or pilots single-handedly shifting the tides of war; instead, it chooses to focus on how war can affect a soldier's life, and especially, on a personal battle between two pilots of opposing sides. The main characters of "Thunderbolt" are Federation pilot Io Fleming andZeon pilot Daryl Lorenz. They have completely different personalities, and yet their goals are the same. Much like the film "Enemy at the Gates", "Thunderbolt" shows the personal fight between these two characters on the battlefield, without ignoring the supporting cast of characters and the rest of the battle. In only 4 episodes, it manages to perfectly juggle several elements and ideas, ending in a high note. The art and animation of "Thunderbolt" are great. Since it was only 4 episodes, I guess the budget per episode was higher than usual, and it definitely shows in the final product: "Gundam Thunderbolt" is one of the most visually beautiful anime in the last few years. The soundtrack is also pretty nice, especially the jazz music that was incorporated in the fights. So overall, I think "Gundam Thunderbolt" is a great anime. In only 4 episodes, it manages to achieve more than other anime with triple its runtime, telling an interesting war story, with well-developed characters and beautiful visuals.
NadeSadeFadeWade
Edit: I've changed to a different way of working out the overall rating I give anime now, as I think it works better than just my hype from the moment of watching an anime. Just gonna say this I have no knowledge of the Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt Manga. --------------------- Animation --------------------- The animation for this show was brilliant. ---------------------Sound --------------------- The sound was brilliant, the voice acting was perfect to me, and the various soundtracks were awesome, especially the Jazz soundtracks. --------------------- Story --------------------- The story was well laid out and gave good incite to all the characters backstories and was a primary driving force for the story. --------------------- Character --------------------- All the characters were well developed considering this was a 4 episode series. Additionally we see more information on the soldiers fighting for Zeon than we really see in other series of the franchise. --------------------- Value/Enjoyment & Conclusion --------------------- This series was highly enjoyable and I would recommend it for those with no real knowledge of the Gundam franchise, as well as people who already have knowledge on the Gundam franchise.
PoeticJustice
The sweat drips off his forehead as he enters the cockpit. He sits in the rigid yet comfortable cockpit. He closes his eyes, begins to block out the environment. It distracts him. He talks out his Walkman, places it on the dashboard in front of him. He turns to his favorite genre, fusion jazz. It is chaotic, unstructured and full of passion. It is just like him. He gets filled with the adrenaline from the impending battle. This thrill, this feeling is what gives him life. It is in these moments that he truly knows what it means to be alive. The Gundam series has alwaysbeen about the never ending battle between two entities, The Earth Federation, and the Principality of Zeon. The mainline Gundam series have always been grand, touching on both the military and the political sides of the war. Gundam Thunderbolt, however, takes a more intimate look at the war and focuses on a battle between Zeon and the Federation on the remains of the space colony, Side 7. Ace pilot Io Fleming is sent to the battlefield where ace sniper, Darryl Lorenz awaits. The first thing I noticed about this entry in the Gundam franchise is, the tone is much darker. There was a somber feeling lingering in the air as if someone important had just died. This Gundam is much grittier than any other entry in the franchise that I had seen. When a pilot dies, you see their last gasps, their eyes rolling back in pain, the coughing of their blood. All these details are minor but change the entire tone of the series. There is a lot of death in this show, and each death weighs heavy on the characters. People aren’t killed and shrugged off moments later. There is a lasting impact. Thunderbolt focuses on both sides of the war, both the Zeon and the Federation. We are shown the dynamics of both groups of soldiers and their personalities. The show does a magnificent job at humanizing the cast, giving them a level of importance above nameless henchmen. However, the stars of the show have to be Io and Darryl, the two ace pilots. They are characterized masterfully, not only through dialogue but by the music they listen to. Io is a jazz head. He loves how chaotic it is. Jazz also parallels his personality. Io is reckless and unpredictable. Darryl likes slow pop songs; they are harmonic, gentle and melodic. Darryl, likewise, is kind, patient and orderly. This is the first time I have seen an anime use music to describe effectively a character. The show uses flashbacks masterfully. They do not occur in an intrusive matter, but rather, tie into current events, giving new meanings to certain scenes or interactions between characters. The animation is superb. The battles are fluid, and the character designs are very well done. Each character has a distinctive design, whether be a hairstyle or some unique feature that makes them distinguishable from one another. The sound editing is fantastic. How the soundtrack compliments each encounter, whether on the battlefield or off it, made those scenes much more impactful. Gundam Thunderbolt is a great anime. The only problem is, you end up wanting more. The show ends on a note that leaves the watcher unsatisfied. I hope there is a second season.
Rikuson1
Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt Review Story (9/10) Great The story for Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt is great even though it does not adapt the entire manga because that's still ongoing and unfortunately if we want to continue the story that's where you're going to have to go at least until season 2 comes out as far as this review. But as far as what little story they gave us it has capture the initial war story and atmosphere that the original Gundam set out to bring to the table. The presentation alone on every level definitely help more so than before because I did read the mangaand about 9 of chapters were out before the anime aired and I didn't feel it was as great as the anime made it out to be. From an anime standpoint it is definitely presented far better than the manga which is a good thing because that's what every anime's goal should be is to be better than what it's adapting not because anime has movement, sound and color but because it's just something that as an adaption should be taken into consideration and Thunderbolt succeed at presenting the struggles of war far better than it's manga counter part and as a war/rival story in general which at the end of the day that's what we like to see in our Gundam, the struggles of war and a good rivalry between ace pilots. Art and Animation (10/10) Masterpiece The art and animation in Thunderbolt is not only unique but is straight up a masterpiece. It's constant switch from rough art style and clean/fluid animation is such a good combination that I hope more Gundam series in the future take this approach because it fit's the Gundam universe so perfectly. The CG on certain scenes didn't bother me enough to have any negative statements on it as I felt it was left to a minimum. Sound (10/10) Masterpiece The sound is straight up a masterpiece, not really too big of a fan of jazz especially the type that is played in this series but what really stood out to me and what usually does in Gundam series is the voice acting and sound effects on the weapons used in Gundam series as everything sound so crisp to my ears and the even though I'm not a fan of jazz it didn't bother me enough to complain about it either since that would be more on the subjective sides of things. Characters (9/10) Great The characters in Thunderbolt are great, not that many but granted this 4 episodes and the characters that we do focus on are extremely memorable and exciting to follow whether it's Daryl Lorenz or Io Fleming bother of them have a amazing chemistry as rivals and both of their backstories are great. Enjoyment (10/10) Outstanding My enjoyment for Thunderbolt for every second of these 4 episodes was outstanding. I was going to wait for the dub if the series ever got on because that's usually how I like to consume my Universal Century related Gundam series but seeing as we never got any confirmation of a dub even to now (update the dub did come out and it was awesome). I went ahead and watched it sub and I'm glad I did because none of my enjoyment was lost not watching it in Dub. The fight scenes and tension in this series and in every single episode made me craving for more. Overall (9/10) Great More Specifically (9.60/10) Great+ This is a great quick and short series that I can recommend to anyone even if you aren't a Gundam fan or even a fan of Mech series because not only do I feel it succeeds at being a great Gundam series and a great mech but also just a great anime because it even does stuff in the realm of Gundam that hasn't been done to this degree ever. I highly recommend this one and I might pick up where the manga left off because I wasn't really feeling the manga by the time I put it down for the anime but hopefully I feel different after watching these 4 episodes.
Animanga