Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans

Episode 7

Now here's the Gundam battle we were missing last week—and then some! Picking up from episode 6's cliffhanger, this was action, action, action from beginning to end. It also introduced a group of worthy opponents who grew on me as much as Tekkadan has. As both our heroes and their opponents fought for their own idea of justice in a chain of clever, daring, and beautifully animated battle sequences, this episode had all the elements that remind me why I became a Gundam fan in the first place.

Right off the bat, the orphans are dealing with a conundrum. Maruba—the president of the organization that left our heroes to die when Gjallarhorn raided them in episode one—is back for “his” ship, and it seems he's brought some muscle. We finally meet Naze Turbine, the slick-looking fellow from the intro song, along with his team of lady pilots. Naze is a mafia boss of sorts with lots of influence, and Biscuit chides Orga to opt for diplomacy (like Orga was ever going to listen). “Whatever your principles are, we have our honor to protect,” Orga says, and the line cuts. The rest of the episode is an impressive battle that has Tekkadan fighting more aggressively than they've ever dared. “They passed the first test,” notes Amida, a pilot with a romantic connection to Naze, as the orphans skillfully deflect and eventually overpower their opponents. If this was a job interview, the orphans passed with flying colors. Even as the battle heightens to life-or-death moments, it's clear that Naze and Orga won't stay enemies for long.

Since 1979, the Gundam franchise has been personified by relatable characters on both sides of the battlefield, occasionally introducing antagonists who are just as likable as the heroes. This episode makes Naze its candidate for that archetypal role. Naze made a deal with Maruba and intends to keep it, but it soon becomes clear that he doesn't know the whole story of the atrocities Maruba has put the orphans through. It's more than Naze's sly sense of humor or seasoned battle strategy that makes him a likable character though. Just like the orphans, he lives according to his own code, and his set of morals doesn't really line up with either Gjallarhorn or the Martian resistance. In this way, he could possibly be this series' “Char clone.” In nearly every Gundam series, there is a renegade antagonist that's more charismatic and relatable than any other member of the opposition—think Schwarz Bruder from G-Gundam or Turn A Gundam's Harry Ord. Naze does not wear a mask, but he occupies a similar liminal space between the hard and fast lines of “us” and “them.”

The title of the episode, “Whaling,” takes on literal meaning through Mikazuki's battle tactics against pilot Azee, when he harpoons her mobile suit. The choreography both here and between Amida and Akihiro is a treat to watch, not only because of the fluid animation but the creativity of their battle tactics as well. On both sides of the battlefield, these pilots refuse to give up. The mecha design in this episode was also fantastic. Gundam ships have had retractable bridges dating back to at least Gundam Seed Destiny, but never have they had such a practical design. I realize that Iron-Blooded Orphans is trying on some level to sell Gunpla model kits, but I don't care. I am so ready to buy all their playsets and toys starting with Amida's suit.

At first, I thought this was an episode about sticking to your guns, but really it was about doing the right thing, even if that means revising your views and changing your mind. "War is not black and white" has been the eternal message of Gundam. There are more than two stances to take. This episode struck at the heart of what Gundam is all about and did it beautifully.

Rating: A+

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans is available streaming at Daisuki.net and Funimation.com.