"Kidô senshi Gundam Seed" (2002) TV series 2002-2003

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Creators:

Yoshiyuki Tomino
Hajime Yatate

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

5 October 2002 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

In the end, there can be only one victor.

Plot:

The discovery of an advanced model of combat mecha on their space colony throws a young man and his friends into involvement in an interplanetary war as the crew of a powerful fighting ship.

Plot Keywords:

Space | Robot | Childhood Friend | Undeclared Love | Slut

Cast

Ted Cole	...	Ray Yuki / ... (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Brian Dobson	...	Martin Dacosta (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Adam Henderson	...	Leodnir Kisaka (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Fred Henderson	...	Ulen Hibiki (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Jocelyne Loewen	...	Asagi Caldwell (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Alison Matthews	...	Ezalia Joule / ... (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Scott McNeil	...	Gerard Garcia / ... (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
John Novak	...	Uzumi Nara Athha (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Rebecca Shoicet	...	Mayura Labatt (50 episodes, 2002-2003)
Soichiro Hoshi	...	Kira Yamato (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Akira Ishida	...	Athrun Zala (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Naomi Shindô	...	Cagalli Yula Athha / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kotono Mitsuishi	...	Ezalia Joule / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Rie Tanaka	...	Lacus Clyne (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Takehito Koyasu	...	Mwu La Fllaga (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Houko Kuwashima	...	Fllay Allster / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Toshihiko Seki	...	Raww Le Kleuze / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Akira Sasanuma	...	Dearka Elthman / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Mami Matsui	...	Nicol Amarfi (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Takayuki Inoue	...	Tolle Koenig (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Megumi Toyoguchi	...	Miriallia Haww (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yasuhiro Takato	...	Kuzzey Buskirk (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tetsu Shiratori	...	Ssigh Argyle / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Takanori Nishikawa	...	Miguel Aiman (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Michael Adamthwaite	...	Yzak Joule (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Sharon Alexander	...	Erica Simmons (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kinryû Arimoto	...	Patrick Zala (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Lisa Ann Beley	...	Eileen Canaver / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Don Brown	...	Sigel Clyne (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Isshin Chiba	...	Arnold Neumann / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Trevor Devall	...	Mu La Flaga (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Michael Dobson	...	Fredrik Ades / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Brian Drummond	...	Andrew Waltfeld / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Andrew Francis	...	Muruta Azrael (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Ron Halder	...	Sutherland (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Simon Hayama	...	Chandra (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Matt Hill	...	Kira Yamato (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Nobuyuki Hiyama	...	Muruta Azrael (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Jonathan Holmes	...	Marco Morassim (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Vivian Hsu	...	Aisha (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Minoru Inaba	...	William Sutherland (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kikuko Inoue	...	Caridad Yamato (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Sarah Johns	...	Juri Wu Nien / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Andrew Kavadas	...	Patrick Zala (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yasuhiko Kawazu	...	Ades (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Gabe Khouth	...	Nicol Amarfi (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Masayo Kurata	...	Mayura Labatt (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Sachi Matsumoto	...	Asagi Caldwell (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Keith William Miller	...	Kuzzey Buskirk / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Shunichi Miyamoto	...	Shani Andras (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Vanessa Morley	...	Cagalli Yula Athha (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Toshihiko Nakajima	...	Kojiro Murdock (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tôru Ôkawa	...	Uzumi Nara Attha (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Ryôtarô Okiayu	...	Andorew Waldfeld (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Mark Oliver	...	Rau Le Creuset (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Philip A. Pacaud	...	Neumann (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Ward Perry	...	Kojiro Murdock (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tony Sampson	...	Miguel Aiman (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yuuko Satou	...	Juri Wu Nien (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Shigeru Shibuya	...	Jackie Tonomura (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Matt Smith	...	Jackie Tonomura / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tabitha St. Germain	...	Birdy / ... (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Chantal Strand	...	Lacus Clyne (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Brad Swaile	...	Dearka Elsman (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Bill Switzer	...	Sai Argyle (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Katsumi Toriumi	...	Dalida Roe Laha Chandra II (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Andrew Toth	...	Clotho Buer (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Brendan Van Wijk	...	Pal (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Sam Vincent	...	Athrun Zala (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Michiyo Yanagisawa	...	Erica Simmons (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Hiro Yuuki	...	Clotho Buer (48 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tomokazu Seki	...	Yzak Jule (45 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yôsuke Akimoto	...	Sigel Clyne (44 episodes, 2002-2003)

Also Known As:

"Gundam Seed" (International: English title) (short title)
"Mobile Suit Gundam Seed" (International: English title)

Runtime:

Japan:25 min (50 episodes) | Japan:50 min (4 specials) | Japan:5 min (1 episode)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG (some episodes) | Canada:14+ (TV rating) | USA:TV-Y7 (cut version) | South Korea:15 | Canada:G (Quebec) (VHS/DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Canada:14

Company:

Sunrise

Trivia:

Cagalli, Fllay and Lacus, the three female leads of the series, only ever exchange 1 line of dialogue to each of the other two throughout the series' 50-episode run.

Quotes:

Kira Yamato: I'm not sure what I am. Maybe I wasn't meant to be born into this world.
Lacus Clyne: My mother told me something long ago. She said "The world belongs to you just as much as you belong to the world". For you were born, and that gives you the right to exist. You know since I've met you, I have become a much happier women.
Kira Yamato: Lacus.
Lacus Clyne: [leans on his shoulder] I want you to stay here, Kira. With me.
Kira Yamato: [sighs and pulls her closer]

Movie Connections:

Spin off Kidô senshi Gundam Seed MSV Astray (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Realize

Wasted Potential

I think the reason Gundam Seed fails is because the creators weren't too sure of what they wanted it to be. Do they aim to please mecha fanboys or focus on the deeper story? When you strip Gundam Seed to it's bones, the key ideas are very decent. They're interesting, intriguing and ultimately entertaining. The execution of these ideas aren't half bad either. Where Gundam S fails is in focusing on Mecha battles too much. It's not that Mecha battles are something I dislike, the ones in Eureka Seven and Neon Genesis Evangelion prove to be entertaining. Why? Because they are relatively short and animated with detail, fluidity and with a motivation to get a specific response out of the viewer (fear, excitement...). It's also clear they want to work each scene to it's potential. Gundam Seed fails because it has WAY too many Mecha scenes- mostly irrelevant to the progression of the story- and they go on for WAY too long. 80% of an episode would be spent on these fights, and people at desks going "People firing at so and so location" "Fire!" and "Evacuate situation" .... it becomes repetitive, TEDIOUS, annoying and plain boring!

The characters and story are the best part of the show. Kira, Cagalli, Lacus, Flay are all unique and posses their own backgrounds. The side characters also prove being likable. They're generally well developed and well rounded. I found the character interaction scenes a lot more interesting and entertaining than the fight scenes. HOWEVER, the show focuses on these interactions and relationships 20% of the time.

It's so FRUSTRATING because if the creators thought through each episode a bit better, it would have been 24 or 13 episodes long- but each scene would add something. Each scene would be interesting. The fight scenes would be a LOT better. They could have spent more money improving the animation and sound with this too. Overall, you would have something that deserves 8/10. Sadly, Gundam Seed is just a lump of wasted potential.

The artwork is very strong. Each character looks different to the other. The backgrounds are passable. What I thought was disappointing was their use of color. The colors are generally too bright and detract from the scenes. They don't set mood very well. If the colors were a little duller, like Evangelion, it would have came off a lot darker. The characters don't move around too much, so the animation is flat in that department, but this can be blamed on the length of the show. Cells are repeated in fight scenes- soon enough you see the SAME fight scene over and over... it's just like: GET ON WITH IT.

The music for opening and closing credits are EXCELLENT! It's a lot of JPop, but well composed (Yuki Kajuira is a genius)... it's not fluffy pop, but well sung fast paced numbers. See Saw has beautiful music, and all the theme songs are incredibly catchy. 9/10 What else? The dub is decent enough- nothing sticks out as being awful, besides maybe the wooden quality of the performances, but this is because of the dubbing process in general. Go for the Japanese.

Overall, I would love to see someone edit the show into something shorter and see what happens to the entertainment and re-watch value.