#iok kujan

[local-redhead-bookworm]

Between the four of them, the younger generation of Gjallarhorn probably goes through an ungodly amount of hairspray

[kydoesthings1]

alphabet mafia gjallarhorn

[amalgamasreal]

We know that Gundam loves its references and I can totally see this happening between Guel and Shaddiq.

[gremoria411]

A twofer today, just some general impressions on the ASW-G-16 Gundam Zepar (left) and the AWS-G-61 Gundam Zagan. I still haven’t watched Urdr hunt unfortunately, so I’ll be mostly talking about Zagan’s design, as opposed to anything that goes on in-series.

Another reason I’m pairing these together is because they’re both Post Disaster Gundam units, that have a two-syllable name beginning with a Z and a serial number that has a 6 in it. I’ve been able to remember them by the fact that the Zepar is Zippy. And that the Zagan has nothing to do with Carl Sagan.

Moving on from naming conventions, what do I think of them? Starting with the Zagan, I like the weight it brings to the table, it feels like it could compete with other heavyweights without much difficulty, essentially functioning as a giant can-opener to the mobile armours. It should be noted that with the possible exception of Agnika Kaeru himself, the Issues were the most prolific killer of Mobile Armours during the Calamity War. Presumably some of that was by dint of its pilot, but the Zagan cannot be discounted. It’s possible the apparent focus on defence aided in its survivability, enabling it to cope with battles of attrition better, functioning as an anvil to the other Gundam Frames’ hammer. It’s also possible that it’s missing some armament, since the hands are free. I know there’s precedent for knuckledusters in IBO, but it only being armed with the shields feels a little odd.

The design specifically reminds me of the Gremory (most likely the armour) and the Abyss Gundam from Seed Destiny (colouration and bulk, though I always remember it bigger than it actually is)

The Zepar I have considerably less to say on - it’s a nice design, agile and suited to closing the distance and stabbing things, but I do want to talk about it in relation to House Kujan, Specifically Iok Kujan.

Iok is……hm. He’s essentially a perfect example of somebody you don’t want in command. He’s a twit, and furthermore, he’s a dangerous twit, since his actions have a tendency to backfire on literally everyone besides himself. But let’s walk back a little. Who is Iok in relation to the story?

Iok Kujan is the heir to House Kujan of Gjallarhorn’s Seven Stars, the Seven Noble Families that wield the most power in Gjallarhorn, as McGillis, Gaelio, Carta and Rustal are to each of their houses (and of course Nemo, Elek and Gargin, but they’re less focused on). He only ascended to the position fairly recently, but everyone has high hopes for him since his late father was beloved.

Unfortunately, he’s really bad at it. He’s reckless, callous of those he’s fighting against and is absolutely unable to recognise his own failures.

@wordsandrobots has done an excellent analysis on Iok which I’m just going to link to here, since it’s very good:

But the crux of Iok is that he represents a great many of the failings of nobility - he’s incompetent, he’s unqualified and he displays a lack of care for how his actions effect others - not out of malice, but out of stupidity. He is a walking talking, killing example of how promoting based on blood rather than ability is such a poor idea.

But then look at the Zepar. Look at how it stands, how it moves. There’s a poise to it, an elegance, a sense of nobility. It’s armed with a sword and shield - simple, yes, but something that focuses on defence, on protection. Even the way it fights seems to be in pushing the enemy away from something, protecting it. So I would say that if Iok is representative of the realities of nobility - the incompetence and disregard for others, then the Zepar is the romanticisation of it - of a noble, red-armoured knight who would protect the people. It also represents how far the Kujan family has come since the Calamity War - Once a great and loved pilot who fought at the frontlines using a Gundam Frame, to a lacking and foolish one who fights from the rear and has to be bailed out at the cost of his subordinates lives. (I know Iok’s father didn’t pilot the Zepar, but it ties in with the theme of Iok being the end result of a lineage, rather than the beginnings).

It also draws attention to the Gjallarhorn’s meritocratic roots - Embrilla Kujan was able to slay multiple mobile armours using this machine, whereas Iok is too blinded by his own self-importance to recognise the threat that they pose, to the point he severely underestimates what it will take to kill one.

[taikonaut-kaskara]

Iok Kujan might have usurped the throne of "funniest Gundam char" from Jerid. That nigga did not take one real W the entire series n tried to die for one like 3 times. A true loser. I watched the series in dub so at first I didn't like his voice cause of the weird direction but by the end I could not possibly imagine him sounding any other way

[kaxtwenty]

Flirting vs. Harassment

[space-catholic]

Me, watching IBO Season 2: “Haha why does the internet hate Iok so much. He’s just a silly lil guy.”

Me, after watching *those* episodes: “…Okay now I get it.”

[your-fave-is-being-blended]

please blend iok kujan from mobile suit gundam: iron blooded orphans. blend him extra good i hate him

Iok Kujan from Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans is being blended!!

You cannot save him.

[wordsandrobots]

Well that was quick! Trafalgar Log has also added fansubs of the latest IBO side-story to their channel. This one is focused on Julieta and how she met ‘the bearded gentleman’, offering insight into Mikazuki’s would-be nemesis from Season 2. It’s the best thing out of this app so far, in my opinion, and if you’re in any way an IBO fan, I’d strongly recommend giving it a watch. Also Iok is here because even with all that said, we can’t have nice things.

I say that like Iok’s voice actor isn’t have a whale of a time, kicking things off as we find the Kujan’s tight-panted fail-son and Julieta in an Oceanian Federation spaceport, waiting to had over a suspicious attache case to an unknown recipient.

Iok is his usual irrepressible self and, as usual, Julieta is long-sufferingly putting up with him. From their banter, it seems this is a few days before the Seven Stars meeting shown in Season 2, Episode 1. Iok feels their mission is beneath him - it’s the kind of thing you’d send a child to do! He attributes this to Rustal Elion being distracted when giving it to them, rather than . . . you know . . . this being about the level you might maybe trust Iok not to completely balls up.

(By the way, I am seriously distracted by Iok’s outfit here. I don’t think we get this good a look at his civies in the series itself, but my word is he not doing anything to blend in. He looks like he’s about to spring on to the stage for a racy dance routine. But then, we did already know he was a complete peacock, with the brains to match.)

The identity of their mysterious contact quickly becomes apparent as none other than ‘Galan Mossa’ rocks up, resplendent in his mercenary duds and very happy to see his young colleagues. Or he’s acting that way - hard to tell with this manipulative jerk, isn’t it?

He greets them warmly, introducing himself with his new name. Iok is not happy to see him, having been previously established (in a chronologically future scene) to be quite severely intimidated by this ‘Bearded Gentleman’. We never saw them together in the show, so here we get to see what their dynamic actually was. Answer: the BG is the boisterous uncle Iok never wanted, accusing him of being underweight and then testing out his professed fitness training by means of several thwacks on the back that leave Iok wheezing for breath. It’s as hilarious as watching Iok get bullied always is e.g. the absolute least the twit deserves.

The BG recommends he eat more meat in future. As Iok limps away -- claiming to have urgent Kujan Family matters to attend to, clutching the remains of his dignity (and back) -- Julieta and the BG sit down for a chat. This is the last chance they’ll have for a while, as ‘Galan’ is headed on a new mission that he expects to keep him busy for at least half a year, probably more (this nicely underlines that Elion was setting up McGillis for a fall before Season 2 even opened).

Julieta laments having to babysit Iok all the time, before the conversation moves on to how Julieta has been test-piloting the new Reginlaze. She suggests the BG might be the better choice for the job. Didn’t his scores come out higher when he tested it?

The BG is a bit annoyed she knows he did, since he asked Chief Toka to keep it a secret. But it turns out Julieta knew based on smelling him in the cockpit afterwards. Which, OK, this is obviously meant to imply she’s familiar with his aftershave or whatever - reasonable given their implied closeness. However, it also feels like another parallel to Mikazuki, what with his well-established tendency to pick up on things via his ‘ordinary’ senses. It’s a nice touch.

‘Galan’ laments being unable to erase his existence as entirely as he would have liked, since it could cause problems on his new job. Julieta wonders why he chooses to live without a name -- couldn’t Master Rustal use him as a normal mobile suit pilot? He points out Rustal has her for that, to which she responds that she can’t hold a candle to him. The BG is unmoved: she might not yet, but with more experience, she’ll match him in no time. He’s had a feeling she would be the one who could ever since they met . . .

Flashback three years to a Gjallarhorn Mobile Suit Training Camp, somewhere in a deserted desert. The BG has arrived to inspect a group of cadets being directed in a mock three-on-three battle. And this is where this short hits us with the *really* good stuff.

You see, these cadets? They’re young people from ‘institutions under Gjallarhorn’s jurisdiction’ and the reason the BG is here is to select people to use in his undercover work on Rustal Elion’s behalf. Those picked are promised glory and honours, but the survival rate is hardly stellar, so it’s easier to pull from this pool rather than the official military academies.

So two things. One, we establish Gjallarhorn uses orphanages to source its cannon fodder. This is my shocked face. And two, it isn’t fucking McGillis who deserves the appellation ‘pied piper’. If you thought your opinion of the Bearded Gentleman couldn’t drop further below the bedrock, this short may just prove you wrong.

Anyway, Julieta is, entirely unsurprisingly, a bit of a problem child. She has been deployed three times only to be sent back because she is chronically incapable of not rushing off ahead on her own. A fact she is proving right now, leaving her teammates in the dust to take on the entire opposing team by herself. Which she does and wins, because it’s Julieta and position as the distaff!Mikazuki couldn’t be clearer. She wipes the fucking floor with the other guys, kicking up dust to blind them, using their own ‘suits as shields and performing a leaping take-down that would do Barbatos proud. All while wearing a slasher smile. Young!Julieta is scary.

She has also heard of the BG from the older cadets and marches up to him after the battle to offer her services. The instructor is incensed, both by her actions and her rudeness in addressing the BG. But the BG just laughs. OK then, why should he consider her for the job? Because, she proudly explains, she does not value her own life at all.

Intrigued, the Bearded Gentleman decides to fight her himself, borrowing an older Geirail since Julieta just trashed the other trainer Grazes. In the present, Julieta explains that she thought he was insulting her because an older ‘suit couldn’t be much of a challenge. Shows what she knows, as we cut to her worn-down after a long, drawn-out slugging match in which she’s clearly not been able to lay a finger on the BG.

Easily evading her attacks, he taunts her, asking if ‘Julieta’ is the name her parents gave her. She replies that it is: they gave her a name then threw her away. In her head, she’s starting to panic, clearly unused to being backed into a corner like this -- a point emphasised when the BG casually sends her axe flying and counters her retaliatory knee-strike by sending the Graze flying.

The BG explains that because she values herself so lightly, her attacks a correspondingly weightless. If she wants to work for him, she’s going to have to cling to life, kicking and yelling even when crushed into the dirt. Otherwise, if she sees herself as disposable, he’ll kill her right now!

Rallying with a cry that she’s not done yet, Julieta blocks his axe with the Graze’s entire arm and swings a final fist . . . which avails her not at all and she’s stomped under the Geirail’s foot. That was a good yell, the Gentleman tells her.

In the aftermath, Julieta asks what she should call him. It helps conversations flow better to have names to call people. He tells her to call him whatever she feels like, which leads to him coining the ‘Bearded Gentleman’ appellation. He’s not too thrilled but she explains it will be good to have a term that’ll last for years even as he keeps changing his name. Evidently impressed not just by her skills but also her presumption in assuming the outcome, the BG agrees to take her on as a student. The flashback ends with her agreeing that he’ll get to see what kind of pilot she’ll become.

In the present, Julieta wonders if she’ll ever learn his real name. He says “if the day comes that everyone is valued equally and treated right” and says until then, he’s counting on her to protect Rustal. He leaves her with the encouragement to eat plenty of meat.

Well.

So first up, if you have somehow come this far without having seen Iron-Blooded Orphans proper yet, I need to stress that the BG/’Galan Mossa’ is a manipulative arsehole who contrives the deaths of dozens of people, including a large number of literal children, in order to further Rustal Elion’s political goals. Anything he says needs to be accompanied by a massive pinch of salt. That being said, I buy he’s genuinely impressed by Julieta and I kinda sorta maybe believe he thinks working for Elion will lead to a better world. This would be broadly consistent with his actions and what little we know of their relationship -- it’s just, y’know. Totally fucked by ‘ends over means’ logic and the inescapable fact he’s funneling vulnerable people into risky, even fatal work because that’s easier than persuading someone with a decent life to take it on. I don’t think one can strictly take his comments that Tekkadan are as low as animals at face value because he says that to someone who already holds that view, but he seems to have no problem doing . . . well, any of this.

Julieta’s backstory is mostly what I got from the show: someone who starts out in the same boat as our protagonists before being taken in as a tool of the aristocracy. I like that the BG calls her on not valuing her own life: fighting for a purpose becomes the focus of Julieta’s character over the course of Season 2 and it makes sense with how she relates to it that she’d start out completely devaluing her own existence. She has her ambition in the flashback -- she’s cocky and obviously wants to move up in life -- but it’s at the cost of zero survival instincts. This is the counterpoint to Mikazuki coming into play: by the time we meet him, Mika lives entirely for Orga. Young!Julieta has a void where that kind of thing should go and fills it with something that is less a choice than the only available option. Remember, Mika actively believes in Orga, to the point of being the driving force in their relationship, and there lies the root of his determination. Julieta still doesn’t believe in anything yet. She’s just taking the next opportunity that comes along.

And yeah, we should probably dwell on how Gjallarhorn recruits unwanted children to its ranks. Again, not a huge surprise but interesting to have spelled out. Obviously not everyone is going to be a blue blood, yet I’m not sure anywhere else in the series implies quite this level of an underclass. On the other hand -- it’s a military. This is exactly what they do, generally speaking. I did kind of assume mobile suit pilots were somewhat more highly regarded in Gjallarhorn, if I’m honest, but I suppose there’s need for expendables even there.

Overall, I’m ranking this the best of the side-stories so far not just for what it provides (backstory Julieta probably ought to have had in the show, to more firmly underline her arc) but also because the animation is really good. It clips along nicely and the voice acting and sound work is fantastic, entirely compensating for the game-interface delivery outside the animated segments. My only compliant is that apart from a gorgeous deployment of ‘Battle of the Seven Stars’, the music recycled here feels distractingly Tekkadan and I wish there was something in the score that permitted the same ‘ordinary life’ feel from the Gjallarhorn side. But that’s a nitpick -- this is excellent stuff.

[theballmighty]

The average Gundam fan, when asked who their most hated character is, usually tends to answer like, Reccoa Londe, Quess Paraya, Nena Trinity, or Nina Purpleton, which are all wrong. There is an objectively universally correct answer to this question, and it is Iok Kujan.

[caterjunes]

god iok kujan is such a great character. he's a complete shit & dumbass, he's so full of himself, and he's so fucking incompetent. i'm obsessed, i hate him, he's so good.

[wordsandrobots]

I mean, there's always that.

But it's worth stressing how the writing goes out of its way to not provide a single moment where Iok is sympathetic. He's so devoid of interiority, introspection or basic competence that even the bits where he's attempting to be honourable and noble get undermined.

You're right about what you said before -- the show *wants you to hate Iok* and it does an extraordinarily thorough job of removing any alternative view on him. Which is such an outlier among the major Gjallarhorn antagonists, isn't it? Gaelio, Ein, Carta, Julieta, Rustal, even Mossa all get moments or backstory or bits of connective tissue that gesture at depth regardless of whether it's actually shown. Iok is just shallow, in all senses.

I dunno -- sorry, not really going anywhere with this. I guess I don't find it surprising a character written to be hateable is hated. Even the comic relief he provides wraps around to being Not Funny as it becomes clear this muppet is the catalyst for everything going wrong.

Then again, I don't find aristocrats who are written as actual aristocrats very amusing to begin with. Too close to home! I do know he's the one character I've consistently had zero interest in writing, which is probably why I'm thinking about this...

(Don't get me wrong, he's a great *character*, but I think the show covers everything there is do with him.)

now that i think about it carta and iok actually fill the same slot as a secondary antagonist…they’re both obsessed with honor and living up to their fathers’s name, comedy relief (carta with her blond man collection, iok with julieta) while posing a serious threat (carta killing biscuit and iok killed the turbines) and were killed by tekkadan in revenge…the main difference is carta is less hated/more liked because her character is semi-sympathetic for the sake of gaelio and mcgillis’s arcs but iok just doesn’t have that. also iok is poc that might have something to do with how the general fandom receives him idk

[wanderersrest]

A Spoilery Rant About Iron-Blooded Orphans

I came across a take on Reddit today pertaining to one of my favorite Gundam series in the franchise, Iron-Blooded Orphans. It's a fairly common take, and one that is, in my mind, just flat out wrong.

Spoilers below, and also content warning for pedophilia, genocide, and media literacy.

Also, fun fact: Tumblr's gif keyboard has a lot of Ein Dalton gifs. So that's cool.

ORGA AND McGILLIS ARE NOT THE BAD GUYS

If you can somehow look at Orga Itsuka, a character who leads a group of child soldiers that are struggling to make a living for themselves, and McGillis Fareed, a character who fights to change the world due to being a victim of child sexual assault by his own adopted father, I can't. I can kind of understand saying that about McGillis, especially since he's a classic Char Clone (backstabbing for self-gain included), but to be fair, McGillis really needs therapy. And IBO wouldn't be interesting if he solved his issues by being rational.

Orga's only crime, on the other hand, is being a dumbass. And this isn't an issue that only arises in season 2. It's present in season 1 as well, it's just that for the majority of season 1 he has Biscuit to play the voice of reason. Even then, Orga's goals are pretty noble if misguided, as all he really wants to do is guide the other kids of Tekkadan to a future where they have a place they belong. Because, you know, they're all expendable child soldiers. The first episode of the series has a moment where their previous employers use them as fodder while they escape with all of their money and capital.

And this is really what gets my goat with this take. People will talk about how Orga and McGillis are the real bad guys, but it's almost as if one person is kind of a well-meaning if hotheaded kid who only knows how to solve problems by using brute force and luck, and the other is an insane man who believes that having the original Gundam (this being the ASW-G-01 Bael, not the RX-78-2 Gundam) will be the key to solving all of the world's problems. This isn't even touching on the fact that this take whitewashes the actions of the actual antagonists of the show, Rustal Elion and Nobliss Gordon. Reminder that Rustal is a war criminal who commits multiple false flag operations to incriminate Tekkadan, and Nobliss is a war profiteer who benefits from all of this conflict no matter what.

I get not liking the ending of this series. It's bleak as all spark, and it's the culmination of a series of episodes that's basically the viewer getting kicked in the crotch repeatedly like they're Aki from Chainsaw Man. I get that people are probably sick of the whole "media literacy is dead" discourse. I am too. I especially hate when people use media literacy as a cudgel to bash people for making takes that others don't agree with. But I'm *this* close to turning into Ein Dalton and screaming "KUDELIA AINA BURNSTEIN" Isao Ota because of this take. Because the idea that "Orga and McGillis are the bad guys, ackshually" ignores both character's backstories while absolving actual evil characters like Rustal, Nobliss, and everyone's favorite failson Iok Kujan of their wrongdoing. One day, I'll talk about Iron-Blooded Orphans in earnest. I just needed to get this off of my chest because of how often this take turns up in online discussion. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going finish my transformation into Isao Ota post about Patlabor.

[local-redhead-bookworm]

i just keep thinking about a bazillion different au's in which mcgillis gets to be happy and safe and loved

soooo what if izn*rio died early on and gallus became mcgillis' guardian (carta got moved to the kujans bc i want her and iok's chaos. but still see gae bc sibs & she'd learn to treat mcgillis properly)

gallus and mom raised such good and sweet kids so the love they and gaelio would give, and almiria when she's old enough

it wouldn't completely undo the damage he had from his let's say year? at the fareed house, but enough to make him grow up better and be happy and have trustworthy adults and GET THE LOVE HE DESERVES AND GIVE THE LOVE I KNOW HED GIVE IF HE COULD

Oh, I'm 100% here for it. Whether the man dies naturally or from murder I don't know, but I'm here for it. Gallus did manage to raise the two kids with their heads on mostly straight (Gaelio's gay yearning aside), and while he is a rich person with more privilege than almost anyone, the Bauduins seem happy. They would love McGillis, even if they didn't fully understand him, which I feel like at least the parents would get it.

Also Iok and Carta as chaos siblings? galaxy-brained idea. I need dozens of crack fic about them causing problems together. They are the cause of so many ER trips that started as "betcha won't do it, coward" silly dares. Also the less time Carta spends in the Fareed house, the better. That man messed up her psyche too, let's be honest.

Someone please get McGillis stuck with some people who would actually love him, it would fix most of the problems in this show.

Every time he's with the Bauduin family, there's just this warm golden light and he actually looks at ease. But when he's focusing on Gjallarhorn or his role as heir to the Fareed family, he's in either cold lighting or in shadow. They're the good things in his life!! He cares! He just doesn't know how to express it and is afraid to get attached! But give him a family that loves and understands him and he will let those walls down!

[archer3-13]

i think why i like jerid messa, outside of the objective hilariousness of

"but that kid looks like a boy" -> all of jerids friends and loved ones dying

is that hes a genuinely really interesting parallel to char aznabale from the original 0079, but his legacy in fandom places him as something of a different character type altogether.

i say parallel, because i do think jerid was created with the intention of paralleling char aznabale in the same manner that kamille parallels amuro ray: an older officer pilot of the enemy organization [with blond hair] who forms an early rivalry with the protagonist due to a sense of humiliation from being outmanoeuvred by a 'total newb' pilot and who develops newtype powers in time for their final battle with the protagonist after losing a loved one [or several in jerids case].

he is in essence zetas char clone, but given what his legacy in the gundam meta narrative sense has been across series and in uc itself its clear he wasn't able to actually make that work given as hes remembered as 'that joke of a dude who kept trying to kill kamille'.

i think thats for a few reasons.

1] hes not nearly as cool as char, or rather hes never really presented as cool as char gets presented as. jerids a lot more openly insecure and emotional in his moments of vulnerability or in his passions, and he doesnt really have much in the way of a street cred when we first meet him and he only develops said cred in the titans well the organization is deteriorating. char by comparison is introduced to us as the 'fearsome red comet' during the arguable height of zeons power.

2] he never really gets to be a threat to kamille. both jerid and char are ultimately equally unsuccessful in their attempts to defeat their rivals, but where char gets to easily dominate his and amuros early fights before getting put on the back foot at jaburo to show how far amuros come, kamille often dominates a lot of his and jerids early fights and it never really improves for jerid after that [even if they're arguably suppose to be becoming more skilled in parallel to each other compared to amuro and chars relation]. this is no better illustrated then kamille kicking jerids gun out of his hobbled ass before tossing jerid down mount kilimanjaro.

3] char was something of a shaker and mover of the plot well also being amuros rival. he kills garma, he takes a leading position during jaburo, he relentlessly pursues amuro in space and he kills kycillia prematurely ending the war. jerid kills people kamille cares about, but ultimately hes just a cog in the machine of the gryps war. meaning other characters are more important to look out for, leaving him somewhat easily ignored. ya know, outside of the funny haha joke of inadvertently helping secure the downfall of the titans cause he laughed at kamilles name.

and i cant help but find that kinda interesting, in the same way i find iok kujan interesting as a parallel to orga itsuki [charismatic commanders who suck at piloting mobile suits and whos men are intensely willing to throw their lives away for, despite said commanders not really having a god damn clue what they're doing].

[amalgamasreal]

Top: Patrick Colasour - Known for being essentially immortal, nicknames include "The Immortal Colasour", "Colasour the Indestructible", and "Colasour the Cockroach". He's basically the comic relief gag character of Gundam 00, who exists to keep getting the latest and greatest new mech only to have it shredded by the Gundams but he somehow survives. He's just so likeable though that you can't hate him, he ends up marrying his superior who he falls in love with after she beats him up for being cocky. Survives his series.

Middle: Jerid Messa - Ruthless, egotistical, overconfident, and has a complete disregard for civilian lives. His only redeeming trait is that he is loyal to his squad mates and deeply laments their deaths at the hands of the main character of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Kamille Bidan. It's the only thing that makes him better than the bottom spot. He does not survive his series.

Bottom: Iok Kujan - Zero redeeming qualities. Impulsive, cowardly, claims to care for his subordinates but sacrifices them constantly while blaming the main characters of Iron Blooded Orphans, the members of Tekkadan. He frames people for his own misdeeds, he uses underhanded tactics, goes to extreme lengths with zero regard for how they make his superiors look. Easily the most hated character in the last decade of Gundam content. Dies in a horrible but cathartic fashion in his series.

Guel fans rejoice, he chose the correct path: