Forum - View topicThoughts On Ideon (contains spoilers)
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TranceLimit174
 Posts: 963 |
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I just finished Ideon this evening, and I was quite disappointed. The entire show feels very episodic and rarely do you feel as if you are going anywhere. Also outside of a few characters most do not change at all (at least I didn't see much development). The show also never really had a gradual build up to anything. Every episode was a Buff Clan attack and no one attack seemed any more significant than the others (unless there was an unusual display of the Ideon's power such as the Ideon Gun or Ideon Sword). So the whole time I was watching, I was thinking to myself "where are these characters going?" Even in the final stretch nothing felt overarching. Sure there were a couple of things that gave off a level of direction and finality (Karala's pregnancy although that isn't confirmed until the final episode, Sheryl's breakdown, and the Bairal Jin). But even then it was just another encounter (read another episode), until the last minute where it just cuts off and says "oh and this is what happend" as if it's supposed to satisfy viewers. Also I never did get attached to any of the characters, not sure why but I didn't find any very likeable. And for many side characters, they were hardly noticed until their death.
I think Tomino wanted to do a lot more with this series but for whatever reasons he couldn't (which is why I believe he constructed Turn A the way he did, as it is essentially Ideon all over again but better). Maybe there's a lot of subtltey that a lot of viewers found in Ideon that I just never caught. I simply didn't get a whole lot out of any of the episodes. Plus I feel the series was drawn out (which given it's rushed ending seems somewhat contradictory). Sad thing is I really wanted to like this show but it just never clicked. However I have yet to see the two movies. Given that A Contact is a compilation and Be Invoked is an extended and fleshed out ending, I'm hoping that these 2 movies will do the series justice and show me why this show has such a high reputation. |
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Arakis
 Posts: 33 Location: Amish Country, USA |
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After playing through Super Robot Wars Alpha 3 ("Cosmo, we're alive!") and watching the Ideon Deaths video clip, I developed a morbid fascination with this bloodbath of a show and started watching it. Unfortunately the translation in the fansubs is mediocre, but it's still nice to get to watch it at all when it's so old now and will likely never be picked up commercially.
Keep in mind that Ideon was slated to be a 43 episode show, but got cancelled near the end so they sort of wrapped it up quickly at ep. 39. And by all means, see the movies. I have yet to see them myself, but they do at least provide an ending to the show from what I've read. And a very final ending at that. |
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v1cious
 Posts: 6232 Location: Houston, TX |
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the movie "Be Invoked" is supposed to be the true ending.
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TranceLimit174
Posts: 963 |
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I know the show was cancelled but even then I don't think it's an excuse given how cut off the end was. There are other series that got the axe (MS Gundam, Gundam X) but still managed to wrap up rather nicely without feeling rushed (Gundam X slightly). Unless it truly was last minute, I don't see how being cancelled works as an excuse for the ending (especially with the sudden importance of Karala's baby). I'm just rating the show based on how it is. I do realize Be Invoked is supposed to be the planned ending which is why I'm withholding a final judgement. I'm just saying that I hope the two movies will redeem this series.
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mpchi
Posts: 54 |
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If you watch the 2 movies, your opinion might changed dramatically.
I recently watched the region 2 DVDs, and I was very impressed. While I haven't watched the TV episodes, the storyline in SRW Alpha 3 pretty much told me the main plot of whats going on. So while the 1st movie A Contact is mostly a condensed version of the TV episodes with only coving the major event, it plays out well enough give me a picture of how things started out and how it turned into a 'Space Runaway' journey on the Solo Ship crew. But when the 2nd movie "Be Invoked" kicks in, MAN! Was I impressed. It looks quite a bit more detailed than the TV quality, much better animation and drawings, and its really very epic. Things also gets worse and worse as the Baff Clan's attack got more fierce, with the Solo Ship getting really beat up. Then BAAM! The climax and the ending. It was so good and surprising that it really hit hard. And Tomino did an excellent job in portraying the meaningless and dispair of an all out war. Even saw a lot of inspiration for Evangelion here as well. Then it struck me....this is from 1980-81!!! And this show was rarely one of the discussion topics even among robot anime fans! This is bar none the most serious super robot anime I've seen from the 80s, and quickly became one of my top favorite. I haven't seen the TV episodes, so the long version might be dragging a bit. But if you just watch A Contact & Be Invoked, you'll sure have a blast. Just don't expect it looks as pretty as today's best animation.  And did I mention this show has an awesome soundtrack? Just go enjoy it!
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