Kidô senshi Gundam F91 (1991)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Yoshiyuki Tomino

Writers:

Tsunehisa Itô (writer)
Yoshiyuki Tomino (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 March 1991 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A new generation, A new war, A new hero

Plot:

After a generation of peace, the Earth Federation has begun to build new space colonies to house humanity's growing population...

Plot Keywords:

Anime | Sequel | Number In Title

Cast

Kôji Tsujitani	...	Seabrook Arno (voice)
Yumi Tôma	...	Cecily Fairchild / Berah Ronah (voice)
Masaaki Maeda	...	Carozzo 'Iron Mask' Ronah (voice)
Kiyoyuki Yanada	...	Zabine Chareux (voice)
Takeshi Kusao	...	Dorel Ronah (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jane Alan	...	Leahlee Edaberry / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Yuri Amano	...	Jessica Nguro (voice)
Eriko Chihara	...	Minmi / Editoh (voice)
Dorothy Elias-Fahn	...	Dorothy Moore / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Akifumi Endô	...	Chris (voice)
Michael Forest	...	Theo Fairchild / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Sandy Fox	...	Kochun Hein / Leah Mariba (voice: English version)
Barbara Goodson	...	Nadia Ronah / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Hiroshi Hashimoto	...	Young Man (voice)
Masato Hirano	...	Pilot (voice)
Teiyû Ichiryûsai	...	Manuela Panopa (voice) (as Mie Suzuki)
Masaru Ikeda	...	Governer Staust (voice)
Sayuri Ikemoto	...	Reese Arno (voice)
Kazue Ikura	...	Bertuo Rodriguez (voice)
Minoru Inaba	...	Bobulz (voice)
Takurô Kitagawa	...	Federation Officer (voice)
Kiyoshi Kobayashi	...	Gillet Krueger (voice)
Yûko Kobayashi	...	Leah Mariba (voice)
Chie Kôjiro	...	Annemarie Bruge (voice)
Takehito Koyasu	...	Dwight Camury (voice)
Steve Kramer	...	Bobulz / Gillet Krueger / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Lex Lang	...	Bardo / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Wendee Lee	...	Bertuo Rodriguez / Jessica N'quro (voice: English version)
Joey Lotsko	...	Nanto Roos / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Julie Maddalena	...	Reese Arno / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Dave Mallow	...	Cain Sohn / Chris / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Mona Marshall	...	Nye Fletchman / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Taiki Matsuno	...	Arthur Jung (voice)
Atsuko Mine	...	Mrs. Elm (voice)
Sean Mitchell	...	Dwight Camry / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Tomohiro Nishimura	...	Azuma (voice)
Olivia O'Conner	...	Minmi Editoh / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Tamio Ôki	...	Theo Fairchild / Roy Jung (voice)
Tony Oliver	...	George Azuma / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Ai Orikasa	...	Dorothy Moore (voice)
Ryûzaburô Ôtomo	...	Nanto Roos (voice)
Bob Papenbrook	...	Cosmo Eigesse / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as John Smallberries)
Tony Pope	...	Leslie Arno / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Anthony Mozdy)
Simon Prescott	...	Meitzer Ronah / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Simon Isaacson)
Jamieson Price	...	Zabine Chareux / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as James Lyon)
Derek Stephen Prince	...	Birgit Pirjo / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as David Umansky)
Michelle Ruff	...	Cecily Fairchild / Berah Ronah (voice: English version)
Philece Sampler	...	Manuela Panopa / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Sue Beth Arden)
Lia Sargent	...	Female Officer / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Hiroyuki Satô	...	Ken Sohn (voice)
Joshua Seth	...	Arthur Jung / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Miyoko Shôji	...	Monica Arno (voice)
Tsubasa Shyoya	...	Bilgeet Piriyo (voice)
Melodee Spevack	...	Mrs. Elm / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Steve Staley	...	Seabook Arno / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Steve Cannon)
Doug Stone	...	Gruce Erras / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as David Orozco)
Paul St. Peter	...	Rohbar / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as George C. Cole)
Kim Strauss	...	Pilot / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Kurt Strauss)
Takashi Taguchi	...	Rohbar (voice)
Teppei Takasugi	...	Meitzer Ronah (voice)
Yasuhiro Takato	...	Sam Erg (voice)
Hiroshi Takemura	...	Gruse Erras (voice)
Julie Ann Taylor	...	Monica Arno / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Mikio Terashima	...	Leslie Arno (voice)
Kirk Thornton	...	Sam Ehrug / Stoasto / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Sparky Thornton)
Akiko Tsuboi	...	Nadia Ronah (voice)
Noriko Uemura	...	Nye (voice)
Shigeru Ushiyama	...	Captain (voice)
Kari Wahlgren	...	Annamarie Bourget / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Jennifer Jean)
Norio Wakamoto	...	Lieutenant Baldo (voice)
Takeshi Watabe	...	Cosmo Eigesse / Cosmic (voice)
Dave Wittenberg	...	Dorel Ronah / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as David Lelyveld)
Tom Wyner	...	Carozzo 'Iron Mask' Ronah / Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Abe Lasser)
Mari Yokô	...	Leahlee Edaberry (voice)
Konami Yoshida	...	Kochun Hein (voice)

Also Known As:

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for pervasive sci-fi violence.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG | Canada:14A | USA:PG-13

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Soundtrack:

Eternal Wind

I'm fairly impressed

Through my course of anime obsession, I've grown to love anything and everything Gundam. Though, there have been a series or two I've strayed away from (SEED and TurnA). Gundam F91 was once in the category. Being a whole series condensed into just one movie did not fancy my interests, not to mention it looked cheesy compared to the rest of the UC era. Finally after picking up the first few volumes of Crossbone Gundam manga, I knew I'd have to see the movie. It turns out, it was pretty good for what it is.

Story(***): Out of 5 because it is fairly intriguing, but nothing new. One does tire of the same old plot of a civilian getting into a Gundam, showing Newtype abilities, and being thrown into the chaos that's happening around them. Nonetheless, it does get the extra push because it is slightly different, and the original scenario does set a great backbone for the rest of the movie. Also, the character's individual stories were fast moving (due to time limits), but you do begin to feel for them.

Animation(*****): If Neon Genesis came out in 1996, and this predates it by 5 years, it looks spectacular. The mobile suits look great and the characters hold true to the gundam style. What I truly enjoyed are all the minor details: The F91's fins opening as it launches, minute strafe thrusts as mobiles suits dock, snow and rain, debris of everything you can imagine pouring out of a space colony breach... it's all there.

Sound(*****): I do not believe, in a single Gundam series--past and present--have I heard such details of battle. Again, it's small things like bullets ricocheting off of armor, individual rocks moving, small scrapes from mobile suits landing on metal carrier decks, etc. Also, the music is second only to Char's Counter Attack. You gotta love "Eternal Wind", and the "Imperial March"-esquire background score.

My biggest gripe is how short it is. This is perfect material for a 6 OVA series. Had it been a little longer, we'd see more of the villain's background, and some nicer fights with Seabook facing off against Crossbone aces.

There's a lot of drama, a lot of good flashiness, some amazing sound, and a good deal of light hearted humor from the would-be-heroes. So, I suggest definitely giving this movie a try. As always with Gundam anime, you're going to want to start from the beginning and not here.