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| Gundam 00 |
Background Information
The series to first appear as well as introduced Gundam in full high-definition and full production value animation after Cosmic Era's Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed: Destiny, in 2007 and 2008. The AD/00 Gundam world focuses very heavily in its first half on political climates, subterfuge, racial/religious tensions, energy crises, conspiracy theories, and the exploitation it all leads around the globe as it occurs over these issues. A note that specifically sets 00 apart from other AU Gundam shows is the attempt to focus on a parallel to the real world post-9/11. Most other shows either vary signifigantly follow up on trademark moments and hallmark cliches their UC predecessors established and 00 is a break in this tradition. Generally as well as almost universally considered to be the flawless integration of the contemporary flashpoints in Gundam to keep it relevant and fresh in its first season.
The second half with the second season becomes less character and disregards much of the world building in the first. It becomes closer to a "Zeta" clone with hallmark homages to the Titans, the issues between the oppressed 2nd and 3rd world nations in the now "United Nations" using the EFF and A-Laws to suppress any form of rioting, rallies, and actions against the UN. There is a very clear-cut and jarring discontinuity in terms of focus with the second season of 00 more oriented around combat for the sake of less relevant issues and "understanding" then the real-world drive in the first season with its characters and particularly protagonists.
First Season
The series is set in 2307 AD. As a result of the depletion of fossil fuels, humanity had to search for a new source of power. The power was found in the form of massive arrays of solar power collectors orbiting the Earth, and supported by three orbital elevators, each one serving one of the three "power blocs" on the planet, namely Union, controlling the region surrounding North America, the Human Reform League, consisting of China, Russia and India, and AEU, which controls mainland Europe.
With this nearly inexhaustible source of energy benefiting only the major powers and their allies, constant warfare erupts around the globe among minor countries for fuels and energy. Countries that once economically relied on the sale of fossil fuels have plunged into poverty.
Some even believe that solar energy threatened the "promised land of God", resulting in the 20-year Solar Wars. This chaos led to the formation of a private military organization, called Celestial Being, dedicated to eradicating war and uniting humanity through the use of four humanoid machines called Gundam. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 follows four mobile suit pilots termed Gundam Meisters, sided with Celestial Being. The main protagonist is 16-year old Setsuna F Seiei, a taciturn young man who grew up in the war-torn Krugis Republic. He pilots the GN-001 Gundam Exia, a high mobility mobile suit effective in melee combat.
Unable to counter Celestial Being's superior technology, the three major powers eventually unite into the United Nations Army in order to counter Celestial Being's armed interventions In order to fight the Gundams, the United Nations Army employed the help of Laguna Harvey. Harvey, a Celestial Being intelligence agent turned traitor, provides them with 30 GN-X, mobile suits equipped with pseudo-GN Drives. As the United Nations resist Celestial Being's interventions, a second team of Gundams, known as Team Trinity, appears and assists in the Meisters' eradication of war, albeit in a much more cruel and cold-blooded fashion, in contrast with the original Meisters' less-aggressive nature of armed intervention. Alejandro Corner, a former Celestial Being observer who plans to make use of the chaos and destruction created by Celestial Being to rule a reconstructed world, subsequently takes over Veda, Celestial Being's supercomputer which is located on the moon. Without the tactical aid from the organization's artificial intelligence, Celestial Being is easily overwhelmed and overpowered by GN-X units and their superior numbers.
The United Nations Army initiates Operation Fallen Angels to destroy the Gundams, having discovered the location of the Meisters' mothership, Ptolemaios. During the operation, Ali Al-Saachez kills Lockon Stratos after a climactic battle. Alejandro Corner, in his unique custom mobile armor Alvatore, attacks Gundam Exia as the GN-X units proceed to destroy the Ptolemaios and the remaining Gundams. Exia struggles with the monstrous Alvatore, but in the end succeeds in killing Alejandro. Graham Aker, an ace pilot of the United Nations Army, then challenges Setsuna to a fight, seeking revenge for his fallen comrades and questioning the purpose of Gundams' existence. The fight results in the destruction of the GN-Flag, while the Exia is heavily damaged.
Click here to check out the complete first season.
Second Season
Four years have passed since the final battle between Celestial Being and the UN Forces. Humanity, having established the Earth Sphere Federation, forms an autonomous peace-keeping force, A-Laws, separate from and above the formal Federation army. Given unfettered discretion, A-Laws is charged with the duty to further unify nations, enforce the will of mankind, and dispose of terrorist cells. Unknown to the general public, however, is that the A-Laws misuse their power and employ inhumane tactics to oppress freedoms, doctrines, and ideologies, all in the name of 'unity'. Saji Crossroad has followed the path to becoming a space engineer, to keep his promise to Louise Halevy. But he ends up being mistaken for a member of the dissident organization Katharon and is unjustly imprisoned. Louise herself is compelled to become involved in Federation government reform and joined A-Laws as a mobile suit pilot during the four-year gap, using her family inheritance to fund A-Laws research.
Meanwhile, Setsuna, having survived the battle with Graham Aker four years ago and is in hiding, has witnessed a change in the world due to the actions of Celestial Being. Setsuna tries to confront the A-Laws by himself with his battered Gundam Exia, but is easily overpowered by their newer models. He is soon rescued by Tieria Erde, piloting his new mobile suit, the Seravee Gundam. By combining the GN Drives of Exia and 0 Gundam, Celestial Being's engineers manage to complete Aeolia's plans for an advanced mobile suit with twin GN drives - the 00 Gundam - which is entrusted to Setsuna. To pilot the two remaining new units, Lockon Stratos' twin brother is invited to assume his brother's codename and former position as the pilot of the Cherudim Gundam, and after Allelujah Haptism is rescued from the prison he was being detained in during the timeskip, he assumes the command of Arios Gundam.
Unknown to Celestial Being and the A-Laws, a third party is manipulating both sides of the conflict. This group call themselves "Innovators", composed of Alejandro Corner's former assistant Ribbons Almark, and his six subordinates. Subsequently, it is revealed that Aeolia Schenberg's plan is to ensure humanity's survival; unite the world's factions through Celestial Being's armed interventions and then advance humanity into deep space and undergo Innovation, a trans-human process. the events of this Season all lead up to the birth of humanity's first Pure Breed Innovator Setsuna F Seiei.
Click here to check out the complete second season.
Standing in the Battledome
As a series, they are casually stronger than the likes of the HST. Speed is a particular emphasis in AD/00 but it does gain a signifigant upgrade near the end of season 2 with beam saber attacks from the MC's end of series Gundam cutting apart mile+ asteroids apart, teleportation/quantization, Innovators and Innovades possessing somewhat clairvoyant and precognitive abilities.
And the movie putting it signifigantly above most real-type mechas in its own franchise with the feats performed by 00 Quanta.
Celestial Being Character Profiles
- Allelujah Haptism
- Lockon Stratos (Neil Dylandy)
- Lockon Stratos (Lyle Dylandy)
- Soma Peries
- Setsuna F. Seiei
- Tieria Erde
Celestial Being Mecha Profiles
- GN-001 Gundam Exia
- GN-002 Gundam Dynames
- GN-003 Gundam Kyrios
- GN-004 Gundam Nadleeh\GN-005 Gundam Virtue
- GN-006 Cherudim Gundam
- GN-007 Gundam Arios
- GN-008 Gundam Seravee\GN-009 Gundam Seraphim
- GN-010 Gundam Zabanya
- GN-011 Gundam Harute
- GN-0000 00 Raiser
- GNT-0000 00 Quan(T)
- CB-002 Raphael Gundam
Earth Sphere Federation and A-Laws Character Profiles:
- Ali Al-Saachez
- Graham Aker
- Ribbons Almark
The Union of Solar Energy and Free Nations Mecha Profiles:
- SVMS-01 Union Flag
- SVMS-01E Union Flag Graham Aker Custom
- SVMS-01X Union Flag Custom II (GN Flag)
Innovades Mecha Profiles:
- CB-0000G- C Reborns Gundam- Reborns Cannon
- GNW-20000 Arche Gundam
- GNZ-003 Gadessa
- GNZ-005 Garazzo
Earth Sphere Federation and A Laws Mecha Profiles:
- GNX-903VW Brave (Commander Test Type)
- GNX-U02X Masurao
- GNX-Y901TW Susanowo
- GNX-704T/ AC Ahead Sakigake
- GNMA-Y0002V Gadelaza
- GNX-603T GN-X
- GNMA-XCVII Alvatore\GNMS-XCVII Alvaaron
Team Trinity Mecha Profiles:
- GNW- 001 Gundam Throne Eins
- GNW-002 Gundam Throne Zwei
- GNW-003 Gundam Throne Drei
Weapon Profiles:
- Memento Mori
Civilization Profiles:
- ELS
Faction Profiles
- Celestial Being
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