From: "Reynolds, Jason M." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" <[email protected]>
Subject: Uselss Fanboy dreaming - RE: [gundam] Is "Gundam Official" dead?
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 16:27:04 -0500
I know it is useless wishing, but I would like to see Japan attempt a
straight out redo of First Gundam with Tomino on board. They could either
just redo the animation, or they could allow him to redo the series. There
are so many other shows that seem to get a version 2 in addition to the
"classic" version, why not do the same for First Gundam? The problem with
retelling the story with "different characters" (Seed) is that it seems
like
a rehash clone. While a strict redo could be considered a rehash, it can't
be a clone because it is the exact same characters. I know it is useless
speculating, but I think if done correctly it could be a hit here and
there.
I think First Gundam would have a better chance here with better animation.
The time for an idea like this really working in the way people want has
passed. The current anime market doesn't favor mecha anime the way it did in
First Gundam's time and that's one of several reasons why First Gundam's
success was like lightning in a bottle. Just taking the same thing and
reanimating it isn't likely to lead to a big enough success for Bandai to
build a franchise on in America. And redoing the series is redundant because
SEED exists: it was huge in Japan so there's no need to reinvent the wheel
again there and it wasn't quite the hit people hoped for over here, which
makes it silly to once again try to sell people on the same idea.
Mecha anime, in general, is over with. It's like in music when, every decade
or so, the current popular bands become old news and people move on to the
next big thing. But there's always the one or two bands from the previous
decade that were so big, they continue to be successful long after their
peers are dead. In that sense, Gundam is like the Metallica of mecha.
In Japan, Gundam's status & brand name recognition can keep it going for as
long as Bandai can run with the smart marketing tactics they've been using.
But in the USA, Gundam doesn't work like that. It's just another anime
overlooked by American fans, who prefer fanservice, shounen fighting anime,
and "serious, adult shows" like GiTS & Cowboy Bebop. If they want Gundam to
work here, I think they need to appeal to one of those audiences. And the
shounen fighting Gundam idea has been done so we can toss that right out.
Or Bandai can just accept that giant robots aren't the draw they once were.
---
Neo-Era
Gunota Headlines
http://aeug.blogspot.com
The New Adventures Of Tomino-sama
http://www.mahq.net/rants/neo/neomain.htm
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