#zeons trips

[zeondraws]

To print out for diary

So I just came back from a three week class trip. Haven't drawn much but I am getting back to things, atleast my tiny Philosophy is just that I don't have to worry about not drawing alot for an extended period. Because I still know how to do it.

It was a great experience being outside with my classmates and just having a fun time, I'll try to write down how each week went so that I could perhaps remember if I wanna look back

So first week was somewhat exhausting, this has to do with the fact that I had my wisdom teeth pulled out two weeks prior and having to lay in bed for a week. The first 4 days after the operation were difficult, thankfully the pain slowly went away but I got an infection on the 4th day at around 4am (it was super painful and uncomfortable) and I had to wait until I could call my dentist. Thankfully antibiotics did their thing and all my wounds from the operation are healing up just fine

The drive to the house we'd stay is somewhat long but I connected my phone to the minibus so we just listened to my Spotify while other classmates occasionally suggested something they liked. It was already promising that we very much enjoyed the drive there since the next weeks would be very fun/get more crazier.

Next day would just be us going through buildings and talking about the species that live in and outside the benthos of the wadden sea. And in which areas they'd occur. Also some talks about the geology of Germany.

We would do a small walk around the area in the evening and I remember going on a morning on this day, mainly to check if I could find any feathers. I didn't find much, the area is kept super clean and the lawns are getting mowed frequently. But it was quite interesting being near the military, or well somewhat intimidating. And I THINK I did another walk inbetween these two walks, waaa.

It must've been like morning walk was me just walking on this grassy Deich to look for feathers, I saw sheep and my classmates coming back from their jogging. And after a few presentations from our teacher later, I went out again and then saw the military areas around me. And then we did another walk in the evening, I already felt tired because I don't sleep well in new areas for the first night but my legs were feeling this the next morning.

We went out with the ship the next day, it was pretty fun, we were collecting samples which ment catching a bunch of animals inside and on the benthos and sorting them/keeping a few for our aquariums. Also collecting plankton which looked adventurous.

There was this dude.. who was operating this arm of the ship, which is needed to carry around the heavy machinery and he smoked like 15 cigarettes on that day or more, I think he smokes an entire package or two. He seemed somewhat angry but apparently that's just how he is, he does his job well amd pretty much keeps the ship rust free, only thing the crew would have to deal with are his mood swings but I bow to that guy and his commitment to his work.

That day went by quickly, it wasn't too bpring, it wasn't too exciting. Was some perfect neutral, would I be interested to do this as a job? I don't know, I would have to do this more often to get a clear opinion. All the things we did on this trip were exhausting but kept me on my feet and I got enough social interaction which helped me to not dwell on my thoughts too long. At least I can't remember what I was feeling bad about. The thoughts just poofed!

The next day was rather annoying for me, I think it was because I was struggling to understand how to identify these animals, too many odd words in these ID books, everything in English which shouldn't be a problem for me. But it had so many unknown words in there that I couldn't get it into my head and I pretty much just let the others do it. Not thw greatest move, hm I think I would've been happy if we got some more slight assistance but that's my thought of that day

We went to the wadden sea museum on Sunday, I found it spectacular, a bunch if different floors, with different themes and my favourite was the display of different species in one room. And ofc the birds and uh also the cetaceans room. Yes, I bought souvenir too, always gotta buy the magnets. When I have my own apartment or just like ne in 10 years there will be soooo many magnets on my fridge. It'll be full I tell you.

I also enjoyed the tern colony we visited, a bummer that it was just placed on this concrete platform but it also had a very good function. The colony ws protected from any dangers from the mainland, only thing that could come would be peregrines but those birds also have to feed their chicks! So the researchers don't mind if a falcon catches one of the birds, part of life as they say. I think only downside was that they don't really have any job offers since I have to look for a job in about 2 months. Alot of job offers are usually for Uni students, hopefully I will find something soon.

We were allowed to givename suggestions for future terns, they gave all their terns a name, so I ofc suggested my own name, which isn't known by alot of folk around here.

Wellll and on that evening we were preparing to pack our stuff to go to Helgoland, I packed quickly as I usually do. Didn't have much stuff to bring, but I know I would bring a bit more atuff back home duo to the stuff you can buy there.

How do I explain this week.. it was a bit more stressful than the first week. Also the schedule was so tightly packed on that day we only had time to buy food at around 5pm and realised almost all grocery stores would close at 6pm!! I think one was open for longer but we all just walked to one/two of them when we could and I pretty much grabbed whatever.

It was fun day because we also got to see the Fanggarten, where they catch birds and ring them on the island. The volunteer had a song thrush and a Greater Whitethroat in his bags. Birbs are so beautiful up close.

I completely forgot that we like put our stuff in our rooms earlier this day and directly afterwards our teacher talked about the geology of the island. Maybe I forgot this because of the sheer exhaustion I felt on that day. It was interesting but also sad to hear what happened to the island during the war

I was not a big fan of where we stayed, the washing machine costed money, the rooms were tiny (ok these are probably very stupid complaints but I think I was used to different things so much that this was a pain in my eyes) and oh my god the showers, they were in another room and thankfully seperated by cabinets, but the actual showers were terrible, I didn't feel clean afterwards, these showers are typically in public swimming pools.

The next days were just getting specimens, identifying them and going to the city part of the island and looking at things to buy, I got magnets, postcards, rum, a knife, tictacs (yes), uuh food, and prolly other souvenir I forgot about.

I also spend a good portion at the beach, there were eider ducks calling in the distance which was incredible, they have the most goofiest sound of all time. Pure entertainment right there. Later I saw some classmates vibing so I just joined them for a bit and then returned to collect some seaglass. I also found feathers on that beach which was nice

We looked at the rock formations and also walked up the big staircase, hoh boy it was super exhausting on the first day, I think it got better the next days since I walked so much.

And on some evenings we started drinking alcohol, this peaked on the last night we stayed there, I thankfully didn't drink on that night. But many from my class got drunk, vomited or just were grumpy. Including me because my classmate who slept in a room with me vomited in her bed, which led to me not having alot of sleep on that day. It just shows that sleep is important otherwise I just become grumpy. But I wasn't angry at her for long.

But before everyone got drunk on that day we visited the dune island next to the main island, which was prolly the most fun part of helgoland (next to the breeding colony on the main island, this one is also very fun to look at). And I pretty much walked everwhere I could, I found red flint, a bunch of feathers and birb bones. Nothing too crazy but I was amazed how beautiful this island looked like. I haven't really been on any sandy beaches in a while.

Helgoland is pretty but I think I'd have to stay there for longer to get a proper picture of it.

I also had an encounter with a strange man on my last evening there, I think he was flirting with me but was also keeping boundaries. Only thing that was suspicious was the way he spoke to me. I was able to just bring him to the dining room where ny classmates were and then get rid of him later when we finished speaking and I had to vacuum.

It probably messed with my emotions on that day duo to lack of sleep. Surely this guy is waaay too old for me but it made me wonder about relationships. Do I want to be in one? Do I even have a desire for it? Like am I even interested in this? Romantic relationships feel weird to me, I made bad experiences with guys/men who wanted to exploit me or were only interested in one thing. I have no positive experience about this because I never was in a relationship to begin with. It feels like you firstly need to love yourself, be confident and do well with criticism and need to find some partner that would fit your criteria. I don't even know what criteria I'd look out for. I don't even feel like googling, since I am not interested to spent time on this. It feels very weird to me to just commit alot of time to nourish a specific relationship, since I like to be alone most of the time. Imagine having to juggle your hobbies with a romantic relationship, I don't know what to imagine. It's rather scary.

Well now I'd like to move to the last week/this week of events

Next day was great (even tho I clearly didn't sleep enough again becauseI was listening to music >:) heheh) we went to Spiekeroog, I must say it is a very beautiful Island, I wish I could work there immediately. There are like actual sandy beaches! and they're so long that I was just in awe. I walked barefoot while we walked on the beach. Just me walking around finding feathers and stomping around the water here and there. Could ask for nothing more on that moment, all my needs are met.

My feet felt super soft afterwards, my classmates found it weird that I talked about feet but come on! Wouldn't you like clean and soft feet? Don't lie to yourself, this isn't about the fetish. Feeling clean is nice dhskdbsjdj

I didn't find too many crazy things on that island, but I bought a bird book!! heheheheheheheh

Next day was basically just us driving around the mini bus, listening to music and occasionally listening to our geology teacher about the region and the components used in churches. It was awkward when we went inside the church minutes before the session there started, mist be weird having a class shortly visit and then walk out very soon. Sorry about that

Nothing much to say about that day, tho on each evening we played ganes or just vibed together... in one night I wanted to go to the toilet but one of my classmates was literally hiding on the toilet because... our other classmate was snoring?! No clue why he was hiding from that but I hushed him out of the bathroom so that I could use the toilet.

Next day was us walking through the wadden sea.. hoh boy it felt annoying, only fun part was when the guy (who would take us through the wadden sea and lead a save route) didn't speak 638382838 things and tried to test us as if we were taking an exam.

If there is one thing I hate, is exams. Last months I realised or atleast because the finals are soon.. that school is just teaching me how to learn for exams. I had so many struggles irl while having to juggle exams that I couldn't even get myself interested in most topics, because I was too busy thinking about the next exam. I think covid also added stress since I caught that last year. But yeah, I really don't wanna go to uni or anything after this, I find exams only to be semi good. When I look at job applications I realise how much I didn't learn, because we focused so much on grades that it's just ridiculous. At this point I feel like I have to teach the remaining things I didn't learn myself, because how do I get into this field? They want people who already worked! This goes for both fields I am interested in, well art feels more intimidating.

Because I am just someone out of thousands, I have less chances in art than in smth museum based. But I am ofc always trying to get better at things. And just continue to learn new things all the time. Can't wait to not worry about exams anymore, I'll feel free

Anyways, sonxe this guy made me feel anger towards exams I shall continue ze trip talk.

My favourite part was when we reached the sandy part of the wadden sea, my legs obv sank into the mudd when we were in the muddy area. It wasn't tooo bad just very exhausting. I wouldn't mind doing it again

But yes when we reached the sandy part, I saw the perfect opportunity to just run for a bit, and breathe in the fresh air. Since I won't get another chance in a long while to walk around the literally sea floor. It felt very nice, it felt freeing in some way. Just running around for a bit and just letting your inner child have fun.

When we reached the mainland again we cleaned ourselves up and went to buy groceries again. Well I walked into the store barefoot.. which is quite the experience because I immediately got the thought "will anyone notice? Will it be weird?" But I thought naaah whatever I am just walking barefoot, I ain't breaking rules. Atleast I noticed that I never thought about what it would be like to walk *barefoot* into a store.

I mean I can say that the floor feels nice and smooth, but it also felt cold and my clothing was still semi wet duo to the walk through the mudd/washing our legs afterwards.

when we were back in our house I changed clothes and laid in bed for a bit. When I took a shower on that day I made it extra warm, I needed that after shivering for a good while.

We collected samples ofc, I collected some cool hermit crabs there. We put them into the aquariums and would identify the species on the next day. That went by quickly we didn't find many species. maybe 15 or so

Well and when that was concluded we pretty much had free for the day, we still discussed a few things and did a small trip around the institute again to look at the machinery or see what the other scientists are doing.

On that evening we played games, talked about random stuff, I talked about bus lore (my classmates asked some very intimate bus lore questions which I found hilarious. I think I answered them all) which reminds me I also wrote some bus lore on some days, I had a small break though with some plottholes which I'll try ti implement the coming days, through tumbkr and toyhouse.

We played a card game on the last evening, I don't know hie it was called. But I didn't care if I would fin or not, I had my good laugh on that evening.

Oh shit I remember, we went to a restaurant on that day too. All you can eat buffet! I troed out so much, I was quite full but I got like 3 plates full of food. I even tried out wallaby meat and a whole tiny octopus? Or squid I think

I think the only thing I didn't like was a specific type of ice cream, so I did the only. logical thing: I asked my classmate to try it out and watch her face turn from neutral to literal disgust in mere seconds.

I also laughed way too long at one point, I apparently found something suoer funny and just started laughing for 3-5min straight. And then my classmate comes at ne with a thanos joke... thanos but as a whale (whanos) I just. I just couldn't stop laughing

The meme was so terrible but I knew anything would make me laugh out loud at that point.

I still remember how we all sat in our room before we went to bed. My 4 classmates were all huddled together in one bed while I laid in the other. There isn't a big reason why I laid alone. I just like laying a bit seperate from people. But it just felt nice being together with people whom you trust and already knew for a while and just hang out for 3 weeks. I think I will never forget this trip. I think it taught me a lesson but I don't know how to put it into words.

I hope with this new knowledge I can progress further and try out new things or just experience life to the fullest.

When I was younger I was always an outcast of some sorts, never fitting in. I always wanted to experience something normal people experience. Well I think I did experience something like that now, I tried out so much and was just being myself

Seeing that people appreciate me for who I am and enjoy my company.

Life seems scary for me at times, my main things that scare me are exams, finding an apartment to live in and finding a job to make money.

I wish we could spent more time just socialising and enjoying life, rather than thinking about money, or atleast live a bit more stress free.

I wouldn't mind going kn a trio that would last a year with my classmates. Ik that is just sone random imagination but it would sound nice, just enjoying our time together and not overworrying too much. At least I think my problems just poofed away quickly. I wasn't angy at people for long, maybe at one classmate but then I forgot why I was angry.

So yes this was my trip, I also pretty much just laid down and vibed tonight. No music or listening to music or whatever. Just in my room in silence. Feels needed

[gremoria411]

Gundam Design Lineages - Universal Century

Because I’m probably going to do a few of these.

This is a follow-up to an ask by @wordsandrobots , with the original post here:

But honestly this one works pretty well just on its own.

Gundam as a series tends to have mobile suits share several features, and it plays around with the concept of lineages and development in that field. Seeing how I haven’t made much progress on finishing my thoughts on 00’s design lines yet, I thought I’d be nice to take a nice sidebar and talk about the Universal Century.

The Universal Century is the original series and the one with the most instalments. As such, it is absolutely thick with design lineages to trip over and discuss.

However, I really don’t see a lineage between the actual Gundam’s themselves. With the sole exception of the original Gundam and the Gundam Mk-II, they all feel rather unconnected - at least directly. The Original RX-78 line was constructed basically out of whole cloth during the one year war - the general concept of mobile suits was considered but there was little influence from pre-existing designs because there weren’t any. The post-war Gundam development project was a group of units with very different design goals, grouped together under the name “Gundam” because that’s what Federation high-performance suits were called, really. Yes, they would be used against Zeon remnant groups but the Gp02 and Gp03 especially were fully divorced from prior Gundam iterations (I guess there’s the focus on close quarters combat and quick strikes that connects the other three, but again that feels more regarding mobile suits in general than Gundams specifically to me). The Gundam Mk-II was a direct upgrade to the original built at the beginning of the Gryps Conflict using modern technology, and thus shares direct lineage, but from there it all goes a bit sideways. The “next” iteration, the Zeta Gundam, was developed by Anaheim Electronics under their Project Zeta line. Project Zeta could probably be its own post, but it was essentially brand-new in terms of mobile suit design, incorporating cutting-edge technologies and some data from Axis. Yes, the Gundam Mk-II was one of the suits that were used in the Zeta Gundam development, but so was the Rick Dias and Methuss, so I don’t tend to look at it as a Gundam development line all that much. The Gundam Mk-III also clearly incorporated design features from the Zeta Project (specifically both the Zeta and Delta Gundam’s) in addition to the Mk-II, so there’s no direct link there. The Gundam Mk-IV is stated to be based off the Mk-III, and I’d be inclined to consider it took influence from other Project Zeta units as well, considering both lines would have been incorporating remote weaponry around this time (such as the S Gundam, seen in Gundam Sentinel). The ZZ Gundam appears to have been developed in response to other Fourth-Generation Mobile Suits, and is also part of the Project Zeta line. The Nu Gundam is, surprise-surprise, also part of the Project Zeta line, but I tend to look at it more as an expression of Amuro’s development rather than the Gundam itself. Project Zeta is essentially a bunch of Gundam plans all running at once, so while they cross-pollinate each other, I don’t view them as a lineage as such. The Unicorns, F91 and Alex I generally look at as their own things - The Unicorns are this odd development of the Nu and the Sazabi through the Sinanju, but their status as the absolute zenith of Newtype-use mobile suits again separates them from Gundam’s specifically. The F91 is a development of the F90, which is essentially just, a Gundam. Like, a new one. Lastly the Alex, while absolutely lovely, falls into the trap of being built in the One Year War, and thus I’m inclined to lump it in with all the other OYW-era Gundams and Gundam-a-likes. Variants, not successors.

So, now that we’ve established I don’t really see the various Gundam’s as a design lineage, what do I think of when I think design lineages in Universal Century? Why, nothing less than the other side of the coin, from Federation elites to Zeon grunts, ladies, gentlemen and beyond, let’s talk about Zaku’s:

The Zaku I - The Zaku I was the first mobile suit assigned for use in combat, and was developed in UC 0095, four years before the outbreak of the One Year War. It’s production would eventually be replaced by the Zaku II in UC 0077-0078 (depending on if you class the Zaku II A Type or C Type it’s replacement), as the Zaku II had overall better performance, and was easier to work with due to a improved internal design. The Zaku I’s lower performance would see it mostly relegated to second-line duties during the bulk of the One Year War, but it was infamously used during the One Week Battle and Operation British, where it would be armed with Atomic Bazooka’s and G3 Gas Grenades. The Zaku I did see some frontline use however - Ramba Ral, Erik Blanke and Norris Packard would all make Ace status in these suits, and it wasn’t unknown for commanders to request it instead of Zaku II’s, since it was more likely to be available. It also was able to use pretty much any weapon that the Zaku II could, leading to a comparatively low loss in performance. Interestingly, two variants of this unit - the British Invasion “Green Devil” and First Refined Type 185th Airborne Paratrooper use, both used during Operation British and the Earth Drop Operation, respectively; would incorporate Zaku II parts, implying that the Zaku I could be upgraded to a level close to the Zaku II with little difficulty, similar to how the Earth Federation would later upgrade its aging GM’s into GM II’s.

Design-wise, I think the Zaku I’s just lovely. A little soldier guy. I like how simple and clean the body is, and the head’s just so well-defined and characterful - it just looks surprised. The darker tones and thinner design sell that this is the precursor to the Zaku II - I especially like the “bridge” in the centre of the visor - putting multiple at the side to give a clearer front view is the obvious choice, so having the Zaku I not have that is just very nice. Its weaponry is pretty great - its machine gun and bazooka are obvious precursors to ones used by the Zaku II, and it incorporating an actual shield to compensate for it not being integrated is also lovely.

The Zaku II - what even is there to say about this one? It’s justifiably iconic and for good reason. The Zaku II C Type entered service sometime in U.C. 0078, and was used in the early stages of the One Year War. After the signing of the Antarctic Treaty, it would be quickly replaced with the visually-identical F Type, which lacked the heavy radiation shielding around the cockpit and was consequently much more agile. However, the F Type would itself be largely replaced with the also externally identical J Type for Earth operations (often known as the Zaku Ground Type), which had internals better suited to combat under gravity. In case it’s not obvious, I really like the many, many Zaku variants. It’s just lovely to see so many spins on such a classic design. I like the simplicity of it, I like the weapon variety, I like how expressive it is, I like how it’s in basically everything because it’s just so “Zeon”.

The Hi-Zack. I know there’s a bunch of units between the Zaku II and Hi-Zack, but they’re all either Zaku II variants (and therefore good) or from Advance of Zeta (which I don’t really care about). So I’m just gonna talk about the basic Hi-Zack. It’s probably my least favourite of the suits I’m gonna talk about here, but that’s more to do with the rest of the line being really good. The Hi-Zack was used by the Earth federation and Titans during the gryps conflict, and was one of the three “main” mobile suits for both organisations during the war. It was noted for being vastly superior to the old Zaku, however due to a weak generator, it could only mount one beam weapon at a time (so beam saber or beam rifle, not both). This would eventually be remedied in the later Hi-Zack custom, but by then the titans were seeking a new main mobile suit, so it was only produced in limited numbers. Design-wise, the Hi-Zack’s an odd duck for me. I’m not particularly fond of the design itself, but I like a lot of the details surrounding it. It’s quite a nice microcosm of early Gryps War-era design - the chest in particular is this blend of federation and Zeon elements and I like how chunky the feet are. There’s just so much good detail here, but it doesn’t feel overdone and it looks great in animation. I’m just not really much of a fan of the design itself - it just looks too much like a Zaku +1 to me. Or the Zaku pushed through a Zeta-style design filter, with its wing binders and two-colour forearms. I also think it’s just lacking in the weapon department - the fact it can only mount a beam rifle or beam saber just does it no favours, and there’s nothing to really differentiate it from the pack, as it were. Pretty much all of its weaponry is used by other mobile suits, so there’s nothing that feels like it’s unique to the Hi-Zack. Well, one exception- I do quite like its machine gun, but I think that’s just because it’s essentially a Zaku machine gun with a fancy sight. I would also like to call out that I like how it’s got two colour schemes - one for the Titans and one for the Federation, and it looks absolutely gorgeous in the Zeta Gundam: A New Translation movies (seriously, it’s just so pretty).

The Zaku III - The Zaku III is Axis Zeon’s proper upgrade rollout for the Zaku Line, designed to be versatile and easily equipped for different missions. To this end, it had a variety of optional parts produced, leading to the Zaku III Custom, which was really just the Zaku III with various options parts added to boost performance. It was in competition to become Axis next mainline mobile suit - a competition it lost to the vastly more powerful Döven Wolf. As such, it would only be produced in limited numbers.

The regular Zaku III is a pretty big break away from the Zaku design lineage - which honestly is pretty nice. It’s built to essentially be full of beam weapons, and it has some good handheld ones (like three different kinds of beam rifles, one of which has a bayonet). I like the head and the gray colour scheme really makes it stand out. It’s got some nice bulk, so it feels like it’s derived from the Rick Dom a little as well. It’s just very nice overall, it hearkens back to the principality in form while being full of the firepower that is Axis Zeon’s functional hallmark.

A little bit of a cheat now - I really want to talk about the Zaku III Late Type. The Zaku III late type appears in the Manga Under the Gundam: Double Fake (and also Gundam F90: Fastest Formula) Honestly, there’s a lot of great designs in there, but I want to talk about this one because until the introduction of the Zaku IV (shown below), this was the link between the Zaku III and Geara Doga, so I figured it’d be nice to talk about. It retains the skirt-integrated beam cannons of the original Zaku III, as well as its beam sabers. It was also able to mount an optional bazooka. It also mounts a ballistic machinegun in contrast to the original’s beam rifle - it’s stated to be an improved version of the original Zaku III, and one typical way of improving a mobile suit is thinning out integrated beam weapons to ease the load on the reactor, so it having less beam weapons would make sense. It’s also possible that its operators anticipated fighting in colonies, where beam weapons would be overall detrimental, leading to a reduction in their use. The point I’m unclear on is if it retains the “mouth” beam cannon of the original - it’s never shown with it, but some iterations of the design are specifically noted as having removed it, implying it’s still present on this model.

Design-wise, honestly gorgeous. I love the blue colouration and the slant to the armour, while the body and form sell it as an improvement over the original Zaku III due to its more angular nature and the addition of smaller details to break up the armour. I like how the shoulders are slightly slimmed-down since it makes it feel sleeker, and there’s so many details here that are just prototypical of what we’ll see on the Geara Doga. 10/10, only note is I wish I knew how it’s armaments played out.

Note: Apparently the units seen in the Fastest Formula manga are the CR types, as opposed to the Under the Gundam: Double Take units C type designation, but honestly this could just be a stylistic thing, so I bundled the units together (there’s some nice art from Fastest Formula that’s a lot closer to how Zaku III’s are depicted in Unicorn).

The Zaku IV - Boy, it sure is lovely when Gbo2 decides to play ball and actually spits out two of the units I want to talk about. The Zaku IV is an odd one. Because, yes, precursor to the Geara Doga and part of the Zaku Lineage and all that, but also it’s designer is Ippei Gyoubu, who designed the Man Rodi, the Zaku-analogue from Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans. So it’s got just as much influence from the Man Rodi as it does the Zaku, which is just lovely. The Zaku IV was predominantly used by Zeon Remnant forces in the period between the first Neo Zeon War and Char’s Counterattack. It was armed with a long-barrelled sniper beam rifle, two rapid-fire beam cannons mounted on the head (allowing for a greater angle of fire than the original Zaku III), a pair of small beam machineguns holstered on the backpack and a pair of beam knuckle dusters stored on the waist when not in use. It does also have a large heat hawk as optional equipment.

I really like how heavily armed it is - it feels like a genuine advance on the Zaku III. It strips out a lot of the internal weaponry and hews a lot closer to the design of the Zaku II, but I like how advanced it feels. There’s echoes of 4th-Gen design hallmarks here - the Zaku IV even has an optional add-on, the Princess Booster, containing funnels. I really love how chunky the legs are - they’re an obvious follow-on to the Zaku III, but they remind me of the Dom as well - or more specifically the Rick Dom, so it’s blending together Zeon suits as opposed to just being about the Zaku. Weapon-wise…. The beam knuckle dusters are just adorable honestly, they don’t replace the heat hawk, but they’re just so neat. Them being beam weapons is pretty great too, since it’s a technical upgrade, but visually they still look so very Zeonic. I love the inclusion of the larger beam rifle and beam guns - it really sells the idea of this being a ranged specialist Zaku, and it also make it feel like the heavy weapon specialist of the design tree. The beam machineguns - I don’t hate them, but they just don’t have the design charm of the original MMP Machine Gun for me. I like the colour scheme too - a two-tone of green, with red and light gray for details, breaking up this blocky aesthetic with sharp touches that are framed by the rest of the design. I also love all the design features that feel like evolutions of the Man Rodi - the arms, the hands. Even the odd leg proportions feel like they’re referencing that design, since it basically just had thrusters instead of feet. It’s just this wonderful blend of the Man Rodi and the old Zaku II. I also love how greebled it is (though that essentially counts for all of Ippei Gyoubu’s designs).

The Geara Doga - okay, so the Geara Doga is (probably) my favourite grunt suit design, and is most definitely in the running for one of my favourite mobile suit designs period, so I will obviously be completely biased here. There’s just so much character to it in my opinion - obviously it’s still got that ever-expressive monoeye, but a small detail I like is how the yellows draws your eye to the thruster bells - it emphasised the mobility because it’s got them in so many places. The commander types (the ones with antennas) even resemble mini-sazabi’s, so there’s this lovely of throughline of design with the rest of Char’s forces. Armament-wise, it can be armed with one of two types of Beam Machine Gun (one of which has a built-in grenade launcher), has a beam sword/axe for melee, incorporates a shock-anchor and has a shield on which up to four sturm faust’s may be mounted. It’s a very tight loadout, focused on versatility and any other roles can be taken by one of the Geara Doga’s variant units (various environmental specialists, plus Newtype test units, melee specialists, and even a good old fashioned Kai unit. Honestly I could probably do an entire post just on them alone) . I also love how angled the helmet is and I think the leg detailing’s just lovely. It’s got bulk, but it doesn’t feel sluggish, which is a lovely midpoint.

In-universe, the Geara Doga’s were manufactured by Anaheim Electronics for use by Newborn Neo Zeon (headed by Char Aznable). Emphasis was placed on reliability and ease of production and repair - it’s not particularly cutting-edge, but it’s so well-balanced it doesn’t really need to be. This also allows Anaheim to use it as a basis when constructing their next commissioned mobile suit, the Messer.

And, Lastly, the Geara Zulu. I’ve got conflicting opinions on this one, which I can divide into three main points:

I do love the design - I’ll admit a preference for the Guards Type, since that takes more influence from the Geara Doga, but the standard Geara Zulu is still very nice. It feels like a modern interpretation of the Zaku II - the form’s very much the same, with its slim physique and resembling a human soldier. I think it’s got good weapon variety and I do love the modern stylings on the legs. It’s detailed, but not so much that it doesn’t look good when there’s multiple of it, which is a quality you want in a grunt suit. It retains a lot of the Zaku’s strengths as well - it’s instantly recognisable and the monoeye means that it’s very expressive. The sleeves filigree is present, but it’s not excessive, so it’s clearly signified as a foot soldier as opposed to anything more complex. It has a handful of variants - the aforementioned guards type, the Aquatic Zee Zulu and Angelo’s various units, which are all pretty nice.

It is facist as all heck. Which yeah, obviously it’s a Zeon suit, but it just takes it so much further than any real previous design. It’s a look I’m not really comfortable with for obvious reasons, but I’m just rather lost as to why it looks like this. Original Zeon was this blend of WWI and WWII Germany through a sort of late-70’s Japanese sci-fi/tokusatsu lens, where the fact that there’s real, fairly human people piloting these things is the big difference (or at least that’s how I’ve always looked at it). The Geara Zulu might work if The Sleeves were presented as this sinister remnant of evils past, a cautionary tale of the spectres of old conflicts hiding in our society, but they’re just kinda not. Honestly I find the Neo Zeon presented in Unicorn to be one of the softest takes on Zeon in the franchise - they’re all largely humanised, they’re completely outmatched by the Earth Federation whenever they meet in open combat and even their attack on Torrington (which has numerous civilian casualties) is still presented as this rather desperate thing, where the tide turns on them when the Federation is able to bring actual modern ms to bear. I suppose it could be to mislead the viewer? So we expect Neo Zeon to be this sinister force and when they turn out to have rational goals it’s a surprise? But Gundam’s has the whole gray-on-gray morality going for a while so I can’t imagine that’d be it. It could be that the Mecha Designers and Story Writers didn’t communicate much, but again that feels unlikely. Also, (and this is less of a problem with the Geara Zulu and more with Unicorn’s Design ethos as a whole) I’m not really a fan of its beam rifle being based off the real-life StG-44 Assault rifle used by Germany in WWII. Like, yeah gundam’s had real-world influences before, and I can understand leaning towards the military aficionado demographic (both in messaging and finance), but it just feels so odd. “Watch this show about the horrors of war, with realistic designs from the military-industrial complex!”. Again, the Geara Zulu isn’t the only unit in Unicorn that does this (and I don’t even think it’s the worst offender), but it is a criticism I have of the design. But because of these issues, the Geara Zulu can’t really escape feeling like mixed messaging at best.

So, that’s the my opinions on the Geara Zulu in a nutshell: I really like the design - I’m just not too fond of some of the implications. I would still recommend Unicorn however - I think it says and does a lot of good things, even if I have several aesthetic criticisms.

In-universe, the Geara Zulu was a commission design by Anaheim Electronics on behalf of the Sleeves, who lacked the capacity for mobile suit manufacture of their own. It’s seen as a solid, sensible and reliable upgrade to the Geara Doga, hence it being the organisation’s mainline unit.

Closing

And that’s all of what I would consider the main units in the Zaku lineage (plus a few extra’s for my own satisfaction). It’s nice seeing how the different designs are iterated on, and how they reflect the technological developments and practical needs of the organisations utilising them (and I suppose out-of-universe design philosophies). I particularly like how the Zaku III and IV encapsulate fourth-generation design ethos, and how the Geara Doga and Geara Zulu represent the need practical capabilities coming off that high of Newtype tech during the Neo Zeon War. (I did consider doing the RF Zaku at the end, but honestly I don’t have an awful lot to say on it).

Feel free to mention any of your favourites!

[moldy-mold]

Hey, long time no update! We’re almost halfway through the year and I’m only just recovering from February. :’)

I got into two car accidents (no one was hurt) back-to-back in February where I was not at fault for either, and sadly, one was a hit-and-run. Due to just… tons of issues with insurance, I am finally getting my car fixed. It was a struggle, but now we can have a happy ending!

We formed a hiking group in the spring when the weather was nice. I won’t lie, it was a really great decision. We’ve been trying to go to a new place each month to see the sights.

So random, but my mom back in FL found a pigeon chilling in the garage, so she picked him up and took care of him. His name is Jorge. Birds are my true love so I am very excited to meet him!

Work is fine and more stable now, compared to 2021 when the struggle was real. I have more freelance work on top of office work that I am kept busy 24-7. It’s been tough trying to draw fanart at home when you’re already drawing at work haha. Last month, I went a little too hard and injured my wrist and had to keep it in a brace for a few weeks. I still have to be careful, even now.

In other news, my roommate of 10 years is finally moving out to discover her life’s calling. It is a bittersweet feeling, kind of like a breakup haha. As a creature of habit, I had resisted the change. It took some time, but I’ve come to accept it. Money is still kind of an issue though (a single person apartment? in this economy?), so I’ve been trying to find a new roommate! With NO LUCK! :)

On a whim, I finally started Xenoblade 3 in April after my 31st birthday. My brother had gifted it to me for xmas, but I didn’t want to open the black hole (or “The Hole” as my friends lovingly call it) until I had drawn all that I wanted to draw for YGO. To be honest, I didn’t end up drawing all my ideas but I hit a road block in my creative drive. Well now I’m in the hole AND I have to find time to draw stuff! I have this dilemma every single day.

My friend and I booked tickets to see our friends in Mexico this October! I haven’t been abroad for 15 years, so I’ll have the pleasure of going to the beautiful city of Monterrey as my first international trip without my parents. I’m so ready…! Let me out…! *rattles the cage*

The Plant Saga

I took this photo a few months ago when the sun was finally coming out and my plants were in bloom again. I was afraid Lorenz (miniature rose) was going to die because he had spider mites… every single year. I managed to fend them off and now he’s doing quite well!

I’m most proud of my handling of MOMO (moth orchid) who is blooming again! I heard it was challenging to get orchids to rebloom, but I honestly didn’t have to do anything?

Other plants include: Zeon (taro) and Gimli (mint) and Shouyo (hens and chicks succulent) with the weird antennae.

The weather in GA has been really temperamental, and it hasn’t been as warm in May as it was last year, so some of my tubers haven’t regrown yet. Guess I’ll take more pictures in the late summer!

[screaming-skvll]

Posting some of my Gunpla, starting with a project that took more than a decade to complete: the Wolfgar Team.

No doubt like many of you, my first exposure to Gundam was Toonami's landmark airing of Gundam Wing in 2000–2001, and I did build a few non-grade 1/100 kits around that time (if you can call tearing parts off runners, slapping them together, and drenching them with ink wash 'building'). However, it wasn't till my sojourn in Taibei in 2007–2008 that I got into Universal Century Gundam—the good stuff—and started more seriously building Gundam models. With the abundance of hobby shops in Ximending just a short light-rail trip from my residence in the Shida night market, building mobile suits became my hobby for most of 2008.

During that time, as I immersed myself in the extensive depths of the Universal Century canon, I became particularly fond of the short bit of original story told in the extra levels at the end of the SNES game Mobile Suit Gundam: Cross Dimension 0079. Having already become a devotee of the Zaku II, and particularly impressed with the excellent Master Grade Zaku II ver. 2.0 kit released just a year earlier, I set out to build my interpretation of the Wolfgar Team, the squad of desperate Zeon antagonists from the Cross Dimension story.

PART I: TAIBEI, 2008

I began with an MS-06J, the ground-type Zaku, for Wolfgar's youngest member, Saki Graham. The cut-down shoulder spikes, battle damage, and desert weathering all represented initial experiments in the kinds of customization I would apply to the whole team.

Taking my cues from the gameplay in Cross Dimension, I equipped Saki's Zaku with a bazooka. On the other hand, I put my own spin on her armament, adding captured beam sabers from my spare parts.

Next was Martin Hagar's unit, an MS-06F space-type. As Wolfgar's seasoned second-in-command, I figured Hagar might pilot the older F-type, even after his reassignment to terrestrial deployment. Also, this variation of the Zaku II ver. 2.0 kit was brand new, and included the bulkier 'giant bazooka' that I wanted to give to Saki.

I took the shoulder armor from the next kit to give Hagar's unit two spiked shoulders. (The extra shoulder shield from this one would come in handy down the line.) Hagar wields a flamethrower in the game, so I did my best to build something vaguely reminiscent from scratch. Finding the result lackluster, I added the leg-mounted missile pods from the J-type kit.

Third up came Lester Carrot's machine, another J-type. In the game, Lester attacks only with the Zaku machine gun, making his unit the plainest. To give him more character, I decided Lester was left-handed, and customized his suit accordingly.

By the time I finished these three Zakus, midsummer had passed, and the end of my year in Taiwan was approaching. I had time enough to build a few more robots, but found myself in a bind concerning the Wolfgar Team. A Master Grade version of the Zaku cannon type had been announced, but wouldn't be released till just after my departure in August. That model would be perfect for the fourth Wolfgar Zaku, but I couldn't obtain one before I left.

When I returned from Taiwan, the Wolfgar Team remained incomplete. I knew it would be some time before I'd be able to resume the work, let alone finish it—but I had no way of knowing how long.

[anthurak]

Random mecha-related thought of the day:

Gundam 0083 is a show with characters and story that are on the whole rather... middling at best, but for whatever reason make great side-characters and subplots in a Super Robot Wars game.

Like I was just playing a bit of SRW Alpha 3 and I just find it fun that the Albion crew somehow wind up in ALL FOUR of the Alpha games. I mean the entire story of the OVA winds up being essentially a minor subplot in Alpha 1, but then they just... keep showing up in all of the following games. They even got to go to go on the big trip to the future in Alpha Gaiden. And by the time Alpha 3 rolls around Kou, Keith, Burning and the rest are just sort of hanging around as the backup squad to the main UC players of Amuro, Kamille, Judau and all their friends. Yet for some reason it’s always neat to see them somehow rounding out the group. Like sure, Kou Uraki isn’t really much more than a Federation grunt with an actual face and personality, but he’s also somehow piloting a Gundam with a weapons pack the size of a battleship with about twice as much firepower, so it’s actually kinda fun we still have him around.

And it’s not just the protagonists either. Even the bad guys seem to keep popping up after Alpha 1 too. Like how somewhere between Alpha 1 and Alpha 2, Anavel Gato somehow got himself a top position in Neo Zeon and part of Char’s inner circle and shows up in the Neue Ziel as a midboss during the Axis drop.

Then of course we’ve got the wacky adventures of the Gundam GP02 and how it just seems to show up everywhere. Including 10,000 years in the FUTURE! Spending four games getting tossed between just about every faction that uses mobile suits like a nuclear hot potato.

Whereas bigger-name titles like Victory Gundam or more powerful machines like the Masou Kishin got phased out of the Alpha series, somehow THIS cast of characters managed to stick around through all four games.

And I dunno, I guess that makes them all rather endearing somehow XD

[over-the-time-flow]

Rakan checks in with one of the guards, asking for the current whereabouts of the Excellence trio. Puzzlingly, they've been holed up in the library all day, combing through old newspapers. Rakan finds it weird, but more importantly, that Excellence machine they brought along is several years ahead of Anaheim and Nergal both. It's to be repaired and sent to Glemy alongside Amuro and Tiffa, stat.

If only they could figure out where it was built, Rakan muses. Perhaps some secret military organization...? Too bad they're all so tight-lipped.

Raul complains about the pain. Seems like the interrogators roughed him up a little, but Raj will hear none of it; being the first to wake up, he went through the worst of it.

It's more than a little unfair... even if they told them the truth, it's not like they'd believe it. Even thinking about it now, it's hard to accept that they've time traveled.

Thinking of their predicament, it's natural to try and recall what the landscape of things were in the time they've landed in, but Raul and Raj were all the way out in the space boonies studying Timeflow Particles. To make matters worse, Mizuho was never the type to be all that well-informed about politics. Regardless, she does her best to try and lay out what she does know.

Right now, Dekim's coup hasn't happened yet, so we should still be under the total pacifist regime of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. Neo Zeon is already a thing, but a woman by the name of Haman is in charge, not Char. Rakan is the de facto leader here, and he's made reference to his superior being called Haman, making this place a Neo Zeon base, or at least a place associated with them. Oh brother.

On top of that, it should be sometime around now that the Earth was getting invaded left and right. Boazans, Campbellians, Gaizok... There's also invading forces that don't come from space. The Mycenae Empire, the Dinosaur Empire... and Dekim's winding up for his coup right about now. Talk about a loaded roster. They couldn't have picked a worse time period to land in.

Their thoughts turn to what caused this. Sure enough, it's gotta be the Timeflow Engine running berserk, probably something to do with the simultaneous nuclear explosion, and the ensuing reaction must have dragged both Excellences along. Speaking of, how is the Excellence holding up? With everything that happened back to back, Raul didn't even think of that until now.

Well, the backup machine that had the Striker loadout is... repairable. But Raul's Cosmodriver was beyond saving. Somehow, however, Raj notes that the backup Timeflow Engine DID survive the trip.

Raul is sad that they've gone from all the frames they had to just the Striker, but that may have just saved them; it means that the Neo Zeon military need the trio's help if they want to repair it, and there's no way they'll pass up technology so advanced it could be from half a decade into the future. In other words, the trio is needed alive... for now.

Raul can't help but worry a bit, though. Obviously Raj and Mizuho are needed, since they have the actual know-how, but he's just a pilot. It's not exactly comforting, but Raj reasons that at the very least, they'll want him alive too, if only as a hostage to make sure Raj and Mizuho will work for them. Of course, Mizuho reminds them, that's only until the Excellence is done being repaired.

A cloud of worry and uncertainty hangs over them...

[wow-cool-robot]

Episode 8: The Dark Side of the Moon

i like pink floyd, but i admit to not being enough of a fan to think of any jokes here

oh, so this is just the new opening narration? it works

hey, jerid has a better suit now. can't believe he was piloting a standard zaku hizack until now

quattro showing up with emma like 'your mother and i are very concerned. you know you can tell us anything?'

glad to hear emma's free to do what she wants now

wait, does kamille not know he's a newtype?

emma met amuro on a trip with her girlfriend? good for her

i suppose amuro is living on his parents inheritance in a sense, given that he's as rich as he is because of the gundam

kamille: so do you think char aznable is on this ship? emma: yes, i think i do kamille: you've met him actually emma: huh? quattro: :/

and then he gaslights her. great going

jerid's out for revenge. somehow i don't see this working out for him

how's quattro going to manage without a custom mobile suit? this one has the factory colors, that's no good

i like how the animators clearly decided having realistic cockpits was for nerds, so now they can see things and have a million screens

jerid: you shot the girl i asked out on a date! kamille: dude, you killed my mom!!!

ok, jerid isn't completely worthless

kamille's dedication to grappling at every opportunity continues to amuse me

good guys have red beam sabers, bad guys have green

good fight

oh wow, i thought the episode was going to end with kamille saying he wouldn't die

huh, why does quatro bajeena have a photograph of a young casval and artesia zeon on his desk? what a weird thing for someone to have? totally unsuspicious though

lmao at this guy just fucking saying it. come on, don't break kayfabe!

we need to bring back anime hairstyles with volume

love his computer with the credit card reader on the side. also love him going to macdaniels, the burger place

lmao, jerid got put in the brig

macdaniels even has a clown mascot! and it's run by the terrorists!

ohh, so jaburo isn't good, it's still federation or titan headquarters, they're attacking it

going after the capitol would be a great move if it worked, but i feel like it's gotta be way riskier

quattro would never risk damaging earth! how could you think such a thing!

thought the mobile suit bullets only dinged the car and was going to call bullshit

and the episode ends with a second action sequence

this show is pretty good at tense action scenes

[runemyth0]

Love how Yazan went from one of the most dangerous enemies the Argama crew had faced to a random drifter getting into shenanigans in Shangri La. He doesn’t even have voice lines, but he’s got the best animation... for about two frames before he trips and disappears.

Like, I get it, since Titans got their butts kicked and so he’s out of a job more or less. But he doesn’t seem like he’s all in on the Zeon revival of Axis. More that he’s just got a grudge against the Argama.

I was legitimately worried when I saw his escape pod rocket off during the final battle of Zeta!

[ev-guide]

Places you can find EV Charging Stations and & How To Use Them Effectively

India is in the early stages of building a robust EV charging station network, and while it may take years to fully develop, we're on the right track. Just as fuel stations are found in every nook and cranny and along highways, soon you'll see EV charging stations proliferating rapidly. Charging network operators are working hard to find ideal locations to help EV users alleviate range anxiety while keeping their stations occupied to stay in business. They strategically set up stations based on user behavior, including the time spent and the purpose of visits. Using these insights, they establish stations with either DC or AC chargers, or a combination of both, to ensure EV users have the best options available.

At EVJoints, we've outlined the different types of places where you can expect to find charging stations and how to make the most of them by choosing between AC and DC chargers.

Restaurants at Highways: These are ideal for long trips. Use them as a meal stop or a break from driving. We recommend opting for DC charging, as you may not stay at the restaurants for more than an hour; you can quickly charge your EV while enjoying a meal. Charging station networks like Statiq, Charge Zone, and Relux have strategically set up stations at highway restaurants and dhabas.

Shopping Malls: If you're planning a dinner and shopping trip, use an AC charger. For just shopping, opt for DC charging; and for a movie, AC is ideal. Jio-BP Pulse leads the way in installing stations at malls across India, with contributions from Glida and Zeon as well.

Fuel Stations: Some EV chargers are located at fuel stations on highways, which are handy for long trips when you're running low on battery. If facilities like clean bathrooms or coffee shops are available, that's a bonus. Choose DC charging, as you won't have much to do while waiting. Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, and Shell Recharge leverage their existing fuel station infrastructure to set up EV chargers.

Resorts & Hotels: These setups, known as destination charging, are installed at resorts, hotels, and inns where you might stay overnight. Charging facilities are increasingly promoted as a key amenity, so AC charging overnight is a great option. CPOs like Zeon, Charge Zone, Tata, and Statiq partner with various hotel and resort networks to provide charging stations for EV users.

Metro Stations: In cities with extensive metro networks, such as Delhi, you'll find charging stations in parking areas. Commuters using the metro often choose AC charging, as their EVs can charge while they're away. Passersby typically prefer DC charging for a quick stop. Providers like Power Bank, BluCharge, and Jio-BP Pulse have strategically set up stations at metro station parking areas.

Airports: If you're picking someone up from the airport, use DC charging while you wait. For day trips, leaving your car at the airport parking lot and using AC charging ensures it's fully charged when you return. Jio-BP Pulse, Zeon, and Glida are collaborating with airports to set up stations.

Service Centers and Car Dealerships: Most EV service centers and showrooms have charging setups, offering both AC and DC charging. Customers visiting nearby can charge depending on how long they intend to stay. Service centers often use AC charging for EVs undergoing maintenance or repair. Brands like Tata, MG, Mahindra, Ather, and Ola ensure their dealerships and service centers have compatible stations for their EVs.

Residential Areas: Some builders have started allocating space for charging stations, and established residential complexes are already equipped. Some even open their stations to outsiders. Residents should opt for AC charging, while guests might choose DC charging. Operators like Tata, Volttic, GoEgo, and NikolEV are actively powering up residential complexes.

Workplaces: Some corporate offices and business parks are now offering charging facilities. Employees can use AC chargers since they'll be at work all day, while visitors can opt for DC charging to juice up their EVs during meetings. Glida is a prime example of setting up stations at business parks and corporate buildings.

In conclusion, the strategic placement of EV charging stations in various locations is key to alleviating range anxiety and ensuring convenience for EV users. By understanding where these stations are located and how to use them effectively, you can optimize your charging strategy to save time and maintain your battery's health. As the EV charging infrastructure continues to expand, staying informed and planning your charging stops will become even more seamless. Remember, each charging location serves a purpose, and knowing how to utilize these options will enhance your overall EV experience. Happy charging!

App link: https://onelink.to/eedc5t

Site link: https://evjoints.com/

Contact Details:

Name: Charles Nadar, Founder

Email: charles@evjoints.com

Mobile: 9321283380

About the author:

Charles Nadar, the founder of EVJoints, dedicated his career to the EV industry after spending over 17 years in the BFSI sector. He left his position as Head of Marketing at Motilal Oswal in June 2022 to focus on promoting the adoption of EVs. Since then, he has been committed to assisting emerging CPOs in maximizing the utilization of their stations, providing a seamless EV charging experience for users. His mission is to interconnect the EV charging ecosystem, making it more convenient for EV users to charge their vehicles and enabling CPOs to reach a broader audience. This increased visibility leads to higher traffic and ultimately, increased revenue.

About EVJoints:

EVJoints aggregates charging stations, creating an interconnected charging ecosystem. We eliminate the need for installing multiple charging apps from various station owners, streamlining the process of charging electric vehicles (EVs) and managing wallet balances across platforms. Our unified app not only helps EV users embark on worry-free, longer trips but also benefits charging station owners by increasing station utilization and simplifying management.

By prioritizing accessibility and convenience, EVJoints actively contributes to the growth and adoption of electric vehicles, playing a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable transportation future.

Social Media Links

EVJoints

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evjoints/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/evjoints/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evjoints/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evjoints/

Charles Nadar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-nadar-23018425/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charles_nadar

[cherrysaki-blog]

Rule: Tag 10 people you want to get to know better

I had this on my mental to-do list but then I got nervous because I've taken forever to do this.

Tagged by @novafire-is-thinking Relationship status: Single (and fine with it even if my family thinks it's ridiculous that I'm fine with it) Favourite colour: Blue. I like all shades of blue Something I want right now: motivation, inspiration, and energy to finish all the projects I really need to finish before I get kinda fired. Song stuck in my head: "Regretroid" - Starbomb  (tiny is really into Metroid and plays it between Metroid lets play videos) Three favourite foods: pasta, coffee, and mint chocolate Last song I listened to: "Kiss the Girl" - cover by RafScrap ft. GezeusQuiryst (I just really love RafScrap's covers. It's the second song I feel has Zeon/Nym vibes.) [my playlist is on shuffle right now and this is what was playing as I got to this question] Last thing I googled: ... actually the answer to the song stuck in my head because I didn't actually know what the song was called or who sings it. Dream trip: Japan. The anime and manga nerd never really died in me, so I still want to visit it. If you had the opportunity to [safely] become a cyborg via body upgrades, would you take it?: yes. Parts of my body are just bad. I would like to have normal or just working ankles that don’t easily sprain because I walked on sidewalk that is a little uneven. Ooooh to not randomly fall on my face because I stepped on a pebble wrong or got out of my bed too fast; sprained both my ankles with that and the doctor is like “don’t walk much and use the less sprained one to balance on the crutches.” In case you ever wondered what happens if you sprain both your ankles.

I tag.... well, this is an old thing now so... whomever wants to do this.

[avkamfher]

What if 'Gundam SEED' was told from Flay's point of view? How would they approach it? Would it have been better?

First Anon!

I have no idea who flay is. BUT I imagine she was on medication and had rational reactions to the neo zeon plots agiant the earth space sphere creating an open line of communication between both parties.

While that was occurring the lead 'SEED' protagonist had a bad trip then everything else happened.

Honestly I didn't pay any attention to th series.

[saraaxom]

'Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan's Island' Dub Review

‘Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island’ Dub Review

Crunchyroll’s ‘Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island’ English Dub is wholesome, a trip down memory lane to more old world 80s anime stylings. A slow burn effort. This Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island Review contains spoilers. Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island spotlights self-exiled Zeon pilot Cucuruz Doan and Gundam ace teen pilot Amuro Ray. The film starts off heavy on the…

[animecharareview]

Double character week part 1: Totally not Char Aznable

This man here is Quattro “Totally not Char Azanable” Bajeena, I kid, this is actually Char Aznable who took on a different alias in the events of Zeta Gundam, the sequel to the OG Gundam series, and he went from anti-hero slash secondary antagonist to one of the main protagonist. 

He pilots the Rick Dias before switching over to one of his well-known mobile suits, the Hyaku Shiki, most notable for its golden colour due to its anti-beam coating. 

The Rick Dias in Quattro’s colours before becoming the standard for the rest of the Rick Dias units.

The Hyaku Shiki with the Gundam Mk2 on the left fighting against the Titans’ Asshimar on the right.

Quattro Bajeena or Char Azanble, he is one of the pilots that fights against the uprising of the elite division of the  Earth Federation, the Titans, under another faction within the Earth Federation, the Anti Earth Union Group or AEUG, in the Universal Century 0087.

His personality was that he became didn’t really had any antagonistic features that he used to have from the original 0079 Gundam since he had completed his ulterior motives of killing off the Zabi Family, which he worked under except for Mineva since she was only a baby. Thus he was more of the very level-headed person and patient while also who cared for the crew and respects his former enemies that he used to fought against during the One Year War(UC 0079)

However ever since the main protagonist of the show, Kamille Bidan joined the AEUG, he took the time to nurture him, becoming his mentor, then later on, things happened thoughout the series, which includes meeting his former enemy and rival, Amuro Ray on their meeting with the AEUG’s ally on Earth, the Karaba the leader of the AEUG was murdered during their trip to the leaders meeting, he reluctantly took on the job of becoming the leader the AEUG which was the previous’ leaders last request, when all he wanted to be was just to become a freedom fighter to fight for his beliefs that he places his hopes and faith in the Newtypes and spacenoids.

The turning point of few of his personality change was that the AEUG was met with the Neo Zeon (the revamped Principality of Zeon that Char used to fight for), where he lost his cool when he realised that Haman Karn (The real leader of Neo Zeon) is using Mineva Lao Zabi, who was only a child, to be the leader of the Neo Zeon in name. Aaround the same time, the Titans were there to see who the Neo Zeon will ally with. 

Due to Char’s anger, the Neo Zeon allied with the Titans which later on, both of these factions fought against the AEUG, bringing them to a crippled state, and the loss of many of his crew mates that he has bonded with throughout the entire series, including Kamille Bidan, not really dead but got into a vegetative state, thus causing him to snap and sets him up to revert to becoming the antagonist in the sequel movie, Char’s Counterattack.

Overall, this is my favourite version of Char Azanable, especially the way he bonded with the characters and his rivals, and the fact that at the end of Zeta Gundam got a lot of people thinking of “what’s going to happen to him next?” Since he went missing in action after the Gryps Conflict. Even the Character design just shouts iconic, with the red colours that shouts back to his Red Comet Days. Even delivering the most famous Gundam meme, yet obscured in mainstream communities where he quotes “ I came here to laugh at you” to Amuro Ray to answer his question to why he came to Earth.

Now that is all for this overview, next will probably be a very obscured character from a spin off manga of a popular yet niche anime franchise that I haven’t read in a while.

Links:

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-came-here-to-laugh-at-you

https://images.app.goo.gl/pAJm9GEedGUjE7zB9

https://images.app.goo.gl/3BCv6ihJexGxRR6KA

https://images.app.goo.gl/yHNmSTbBrt26nhVH7

[ecbenvolio]

So Long Mother Earth

“What’s the one thing you’ll miss about Earth? And you can not say your family or friends,” Zeon’s face fills the comm screen. They have a mischievous smile on their lips.

“Oh, that’s an easy one,” Jules responds, “Ice cream.”

Zeon’s smile morphs into a look of confusion. “Ice...scream?”

Absently Jules twirls a finger around one of her locs and tries to hide her smile. “No. Ice cream. It’s an Earth dessert. I know I’ve told you about it, Ze.”

Zeon’s species has this quirk. When they are embarrassed or feel any type of strong emotion, the crest across their forehead blushes a strong cyan hue. Jules notices that ever so slightly Ze’s forehead has changed color. They’ve always prided themself on their stellar memory. It’s funny how an innocent sentence can be interpreted a certain way in another culture.

Jules continues on “I won’t go into specifics on how it’s made. You’ll probably find it a bit gross anyway.”

Zeon leans forward. “Why will you miss it so much?”

Her eyes stray from the communicator screen toward the window in the terminal. It’s winter on this side of the Earth. She traveled down here as it was the location of the soonest shuttle to the space station. But if she was home right now, she’d be with her friends hanging out in the city, getting ice cream from her favorite stand in Stratford, walking along the boardwalk by the ocean. She’d learned to fall in love with that sensation of sweet vanilla on her tongue, and the feeling of her best friends’ arms around her shoulders. The sand between her toes.

“There’s no ice cream on Egeon. Or beaches for that matter.” Zeon points out. “Are you sure you’ll be happy here?”

Jules eyes snap back to the comm screen. Ze’s brow is knit together with worry as if the two had not spent the better part of a year discussing this trip. As if Jules hadn’t already gone through months of space training and other classes prior to getting on a plane and coming closer to the Antarctic than she dare to imagine. As if her shuttle didn’t leave tomorrow.

She smiles. “I’m sure, Zeon. Earth may have many things I’ve learned to enjoy, but I’m sure Egeon will too. Besides, there is one thing that Earth has always been missing that I’m looking forward to seeing…”

“And that is?” they ask seriously.

“It’s you, silly.”

………

That would be the last time Zeon and Jules would be able to talk for a while, but that was the least of her worries.

Comm access was expensive but not unattainable on Egeon, a planet that acted as a communication hub for half the galaxy. It was of Egeon that instantaneous communication was discovered decades ago. It was the only reason that someone like Jules, a 29 year old microblogger, could even get in contact with someone like Zeon, a communications major a million-something lightyears away.

While Earth could receive communications from Egeon and other planets from the outskirts of the Milky Way, it was costly. It would not be a problem once Jules was on Egeon. The problem was the five-year journey to get there. What would seem like six months to Jules during lightspeed travel would be a half a decade in the eyes of her friends and family.

Jules left the comm terminal reluctantly and walked back down the path to her hotel room. One more night before take-off. There were many things that she could do one her last night on Earth, but at the moment there was only one thing she wanted to do.

The hotel room was small but a warm welcome from the cold. She immediately gets onto the bed, wraps herself in covers, and pulls out her phone. There’s a moment of hesitation but she selects a familiar contact.

The phone rings and rings but no one picks up. It’s not unexpected. They didn’t make any plans to call each other, but Jules was sure she’d at least want to get the last word in.

She hangs up with a sigh and sits there for a minute. Five minutes. Ten.

Then Jules makes a decision. She turns one the phone’s camera and switches it to video mode.

Here’s the thing: Jules doesn’t enjoy looking at her reflection. She rarely takes self-portrait photos. As a result, it’s a bit disorienting to see her face in the camera lens. Brown skin, big brown eyes set slightly too far apart for her liking, but Zeon thinks are gorgeous because the color doesn’t exist among Egeonians. Her hair is in fresh locs ready for a hassle free six month journey. There’s a deep scar on her forehead that she doesn’t remember getting but will stay with her for the rest of her life.

She takes a deep breath and hits record.

“To my dearest mother,” she says, “ I’m usually not one to record myself, but I figure since you won’t be seeing me for a while it was okay to make an exception.”

She pauses, licks her lips, and thinks.

“It’s my last night on Earth and I thought it would be nice to hear your voice? The last time I heard it you were angry and maybe a little confused. You called me too young and a fool and selfish and...well a lot of things. I think I understand where you were coming from. Maybe. Maybe if I was in your position I’d feel the same way. Your feelings are valid. But your accusations are wrong. I’m an adult. I’m being pragmatic. And that selfish bit? Let’s not throw stones from glasshouses.

“I’m not mad at you, but I am disappointed. I’ve found joy in my life and wanted to share it with you. Instead, I’m having a one-sided conversation in the middle of the night with my smartphone.

“Egeon is over 90 billion lightyears away. Once I’m settled there, I should be able to hook you and granddad up with lightspeed comm access so you can watch the wedding in real-time. If you want. It’ll be five years from next month, so plan ahead. You’ll be retired by then, right?

“...I’ll miss you. And granddad. And tell Mia I’m sorry for missing her first day at college, and her graduation from college. I wish I had something profound to say, but I don’t. So...talk to you later. Love you. And so long Mother Earth.”

[pulseofthestars]

Void King AU random facts

Spoilers for the Lostbelts under the cut

- Void King Kamille, much like Wodime, has become powerful enough that he can battle Servants and has equivalents to Noble Phantasms. The first being referred to as ‘Operation British - The Hollow Abode that Burns the World’ in which he can manifest a replica of the colony taken from Side 2 during the Principality of Zeon’s attempted colony drop on the Federation main base at Jaburo. This colony then hurtles towards his target in a massive explosion of metal, glass, and other materials. For context the actual colony drop fell on Sydney Australia and obliterated not just the city but a large part of the continent as well and led to the deaths of billions. His other is ‘Beyond the Time - Imagery of the End of Time’ in which he takes himself and his target(s) on a mental trip through time, bearing witness to the various events of the past, present and future until he finally brings all to the end of time. He thus entraps his foes in the same hell he had been trapped in thanks to Koyanskaya, trapped in a place with no sight, no sound, and he aims to have them feel the crushing sensation that is life’s pointlessness when in the end all things will be lost to this uncaring and unfeeling void.

- Void King Kamille can also form hollow versions of various Heroic Spirits he had connected with before his downward spiral, often using remnants from them such as a major weapon or valued item of theirs to manifest these images. While powerful though they are not AS powerful as the real deal but to make up for this can be reformed so long as he has mana and his will is ironclad.

- While he mainly follows a twisted form of mercy (As @fatumservis noted in tags as a difference between him and Cassandra Alter) there are some entities that Void King Kamille absolutely despises and would destroy not out of his warped compassion but because of his hate. The first being Koyanskaya as she was the one who tortured him to begin with, the second being Beryl for being The Worst, and last the Fae of the Avalon Lostbelt due to observing their actions in his timeline’s version of the Lostbelt, though he does have the potential to form an odd sort of friendship or at least alliance with Oberon Vortigern due to a mutual desire to extinguish life, albeit for different reasons.

- During initial appearances Void King Kamille wears a suit of armor that is based on the armor of Supreme King Judai from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. This is something I went with mainly due to thinking the armor would be a nice contrast to Lion King Rhongomyniad’s armor from the Camelot Singularity since one could say they’re both entities who do what they do out of misguided desires to “save” mankind. Later appearances I would see a new suit of armor/Mystic Code that is based on either the Zeta Gundam or the MSN-06S Sinanju from Gundam Unicorn.

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Why You Never Get Sick of Seeing Char Aznable Ruin Garma’s Life

  Today marks infamous Gundam villain and completely-innocent-man Char Aznable's birthday. What better way to celebrate than showcasing the Red Comet's love for good-natured betrayal? While Char might currently hold the title of anime’s most prolific back-stabbers, one classic case of betrayal continues to stay fresh in fans 'minds: the tragic tale of Garma Zabi. It's time to take a trip down memory lane.

  Even Pretty Hair Won't Save You From Sweet, Sweet Revenge

  During Mobile Suit Gundam’s original broadcast, little was known of Char or his backstory. Char’s initial appeal was undoubtedly his indisputable combination of fearlessness and mystery. Unlike all the other Zeon goons, Char wore a mask for undisclosed reasons, further adding to his allure. Besides a chance encounter with Sayla in Episode 2, everything and everyone about Char and his relations was totally up for interpretation. Until Gundam’s fifth episode aired on May 5th, 1979. Suddenly, Char had a friend and ally. His name was Garma, and he had nothing to blame except the misfortune of his birth.

  Char and Garma return to a hero's welcome

  “Re-Entry to Earth” begins a series of events that both lead to Gundam’s first major arc involving Char requesting the Zabi family's aid, Zeon’s most powerful asset. Up to this point, everything had been a game of cat and mouse between Char and White Base — an obvious fight between good and “evil.” However, the introduction of Garma signals the series pivoting from one-and-done episodic conflicts. Garma is not just a bad guy, but a bad guy with an implied backstory related to Char! And yet, something seems off. Char isn’t just playing dirty against obvious good guys or lasers now. He’s playing the political game.

  After several failed attempts to capture White Base, Char offers Garma a chance to claim Amuro’s Gundam for himself under a strategic guise. Garma naturally takes the bait, depicted as selfish and vain in ways Char’s charisma can control. While both are hungry for clout and power, Char ultimately emerges the victor by guiding Garma’s forces directly into White Base’s line of fire. Garma crashes to his death in a fiery blaze, only barely putting together the pieces when it’s too late. This is when Char reveals his true intent: to destroy the Zabi family from the inside out. This classic betrayal isn’t just about Garma, but as Char announcing himself as a whole new class of anime villain with unprecedented nuance.

  Innovating the meaning of "friendly fire" since 1979

  Variations on a Theme

  While Garma’s death sets off a chain of increasingly escalating events in Mobile Suit Gundam’s Universal Century timeline, this is specifically an early series watershed. And, of course, it’s also a huge meme. Theatrical screenings of 2016’s Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky film included a short animated PSA depicting Char and Garma on their cellphones reminding guests to mind theater etiquette. The two tease each other with catchphrases from Mobile Suit Gundam’s tenth episode, “Garma’s Fate.” The phrase “Hattana, Char!” or “you betrayed me, Char!” has become relentlessly parodied in everything from merchandise and boxed cookies to official parody manga like Mobile Suit Gundam-san. Garma’s classic quote has now become shorthand for Char (or anyone else) unexpectedly screwing someone over.

  Local man ruins everything (Source: Gundam 0079: The War for Earth, Screenshots taken by Blake Planty)

  Perhaps the strangest depiction of Garma’s betrayal is the 1996 FMV game Gundam 0079: The War for Earth. While exclusively released in Japan, this title used American actors and roughly adapted the first ten episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam. The title included many English-language firsts for this franchise entry specifically — including a delightfully hammy rendition of Garma’s famous last words: “Char, you craven traitor!” whereas the Japanese-dub preserves the classic line. Other versions of Garma’s final blazing moments of glory include the long-running strategy game series Gihren’s Greed. The 1998 title and its sequels depict a more mature Garma attempting to pacify Zeon if the player manages to have him survive Char’s sabotage. The 2001 Playstation 2 game Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo provides one of the first accurate depictions of Garma dubbed in English, this time translating the famous line as: "Char, this time you double-crossed me!" While these variations on canon never change the essential arc of Char’s first major betrayal, they nonetheless suggest a long-lasting fascination with a one-note character. With each revisit to classic Gundam, inevitably something new is always added.

  Garma after Char gives him the bad news (Source: Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo, screenshot by Blake Planty)

  Getting Back to Basics

  Garma’s popularity could possibly be attributed to how unexpected Char’s betrayal was at the time, especially for a pioneering series like Gundam. Garma’s always been a plot device, albeit one that got a surprising amount of development (five whole episodes!) before his demise. It wasn’t until classic Gundam character designer Yoshikazu Yasuhiko began serializing Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin in 2001 that Garma finally got his narrative due. In this adaptation of the original series, a new arc was added about Char's previously mentioned academy days. Unlike the previous iterations of Char’s epic betrayal, this re-telling serves double-duty in developing Garma and Char’s shared megalomaniac tendencies. Char encourages a notably docile Garma to start a student uprising and in the process, plants all the right manipulative seeds to make his master plan work years later. It’s mind games all the way down.

  Garma speaks to Char after the Battle of Loum

  In an interview regarding his performance as Garma in The Origin’s OVA adaptation, voice actor Tetsuya Kakihara commented, “If I ended up portraying Garma as that epitome of a ‘spoiled kid,’ he'd end up a truly saccharine character.” Kakihara added that, had he played Garma without “a bit of mischievousness” Garma wouldn’t believably buy into Char’s plans nor “come together” as a character with a strong sense of pride. The Origin’s depiction of Garma would have to match up to Shuichi Ikeda’s reprising his original role as Char with the audience very well knowing how it all ends. In other words — portraying Garma as two-dimensional and vain as he was in 1979 simply won't do when everyone knows the beats. The Origin isn't exactly coy about this, either. After Garma happily introduces himself to Char as his new roommate, the scene immediately cuts to an explosion on a battlefield as Char laughs. Best. Friends. Forever.

  Mood 

  Mobile Suit Gundam is a story that never gets old. No matter how many times it’s told, it’s always exciting to see how classic material gets reimagined over the years. While Garma’s betrayal might’ve been shocking the first time, it’s now just another part of the ebb and flow of Gundam lore. Yet, there’s excitement every time you know it’s coming — the same way audiences still anticipate Darth Vader telling Luke he’s his father. When "the moment" happens, it's all the sweeter for being the culmination of something bigger than itself. It’s not just a win for Char, but a win for Gundam’s talent for making nearly 41 years of twists feel as fresh as ever.

  Who are your favorite Gundam besties? Let us know in the comments below!

      Blake P. is a weekly columnist for Crunchyroll Features. How come Casval and Char are never in the same room together? His twitter is @_dispossessed. His bylines include Fanbyte, VRV, Unwinnable, and more.

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com