Containing four episodes on the disc, the third volume of Mobile Suit Gundam is an action-filled continuation of the series. Especially nice is the character development contained within these episodes. Previously, Amuro was seen as a stoic figure with hardly any emotions aside from self-assurance and protective love for his comrades. On this DVD, however, Amuro's character is taken for a spin, as he combats the effects of battle fatigue, and the dawning notion that others would want to kill him for the sake of vengeance against the Zeon soldiers he killed. Even as he is progressing into a more dynamic figure, he is also confronted with the emotions he feels in regards to his family and his past. Throughout the disc, in fact, many facets are revealed about the crewmembers, which makes this a particularly intriguing group of episodes to watch. Many of the White Base members are expanded on, which make them more endearing to the viewers, with the exception of the little children on board, whose frequent appearances and screeching voices make them evermore annoying brats.

Included with the episodes is a Mobile Suit Encyclopedia standard on most Gundam DVDs. It gives insight into a few of the fighters seen on the disc, which is enjoyable for mecha enthusiasts. Also included is a large sticker of the Federation Mobile Suit, which is a nice touch, as I had countless moments of fun admiring the shiny gloss coating. The only quibble to be had about the DVD itself was the dub-only format, which was due to a licensing dispute. For dub-haters like me, it meant that I had to choose between watching this classic Gundam series in English or shying away from the dub. I opted for the former choice, and it was worth it. Unfortunately, that meant that I had to deal with the problems associated with the majority of dubs: bad acting. Some of the actors did a good job, but many instances were nothing but long, drawn-out scenes of sheer monotony and yawn-inducing acting. Another negative downside is the fact that subtitles or close captioning cannot be turned on, which means that for the hearing impaired, maybe they should leave this title off their list.
While I was not quite enamored with the vocal opening and ending theme songs (the series is old, so you can't blame them), the instrumentals in the series are enjoyable. I especially like the sweet, heart-wrenching ensemble played near the end of the first episode. As is usual with all the Gundam series, the music in the series is comprised of lyrical ensembles, and sweeping battle music. Though I didn't feel the urge to rush out and buy the soundtrack, the music accompanied the scenes perfectly, and increased the emotional responses brought on by the actions.

Overall, this DVD is a great one to own, especially for mecha and Gundam fans. Continuing the legacy of the series that started it all, Mobile Suit Gundam is packed with energy and excitement, coupled with emotional interludes that make the DVD one that repeat watching couldn't mar. Even for dub-haters, the content of the series should make it reason enough to overcome all the prejudices necessary to check out this DVD. After all, despite how much dub-bashers preach the necessity of having "pure" anime, no one could ever be complete without watching Mobile Suit Gundam, one of the biggest foundations of anime history.