"Kidô senshi Gundam Seed Destiny" (2004) TV series 2004-2005

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Creators:

Yoshiyuki Tomino
Hajime Yatate

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

9 October 2004 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | War | Animation | Horror

Tagline:

A leap of faith!

Plot:

Two Years after The war Between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT, conflicts between the two nations heat up again...

Plot Keywords:

Warrior | Space War | Piloted Giant Robot | Genetic Engineering | Racism

Cast

Kenichi Suzumura	...	Shinn Asuka (22 episodes, 2004-2005)
Akira Ishida	...	Athrun Zala (22 episodes, 2004-2005)
Mike Coleman	...	Yolant Kent (22 episodes, 2004-2005)
Soichiro Hoshi	...	Kira Yamato (21 episodes, 2004-2005)
Naomi Shindô	...	Cagalli Yula Athha (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Rie Tanaka	...	Lacus Clyne / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Takehito Koyasu	...	Neo Lorrnoke / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Mami Koyama	...	Talia Gladys (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kotono Mitsuishi	...	Murrue Ramius / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Maaya Sakamoto	...	Lunamaria Hawke (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Toshihiko Seki	...	Rey Ze Burrel / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Houko Kuwashima	...	Stellar Loussier (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Ryôtarô Okiayu	...	Andorew Waldfeld / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Megumi Toyoguchi	...	Miriallia Haww / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Tomokazu Seki	...	Yzak Jule (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Akira Sasanuma	...	Dearka Elthman / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Fumiko Orikasa	...	Meyrin Hawke (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Hiroki Takahashi	...	Arthur Trine (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Junichi Suwabe	...	Sting Oakley / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shûichi Ikeda	...	Gilbert Dullindal / ... (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Takanori Nishikawa	...	Heine Westenfluss (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Brad Swaile	...	Auel Neider / ... (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Michael Adamthwaite	...	Yzak Joule (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Lisa Ann Beley	...	Murrue Ramius (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Nicole Bouma	...	Meyrin Hawke (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Ted Cole	...	Gilbert Durandal (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Trevor Devall	...	Mwu La Fllaga / ... (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Brian Drummond	...	Andrew Waltfeld / ... (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Matthew Erickson	...	Shinn Asuka (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Fred Henderson	...	Todaka (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Maryke Hendrikse	...	Lunamaria Hawke (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Matt Hill	...	Kira Yamato (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Jonathan Holmes	...	Arthur Trine (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Hideyuki Hori	...	Lord Djibril (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kikuko Inoue	...	Caridad Yamato (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Scott McNeil	...	Unato Ema Seiran (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Masakazu Morita	...	Auel Neider (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Vanessa Morley	...	Cagalli Yula Athha (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kirby Morrow	...	Rey Za Burel (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Toshihiko Nakajima	...	Kojiro Murdock (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kenji Nojima	...	Burt Heim / ... (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Chantal Strand	...	Lacus Clyne / ... (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Yuuki Tai	...	Chen Jian Yi (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Venus Terzo	...	Talia Gladys (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Sam Vincent	...	Athrun Zala (19 episodes, 2004-2005)
Hiro Yuuki	...	Clotho Buer (19 episodes, 2004-2005)

Also Known As:

"Gundam Seed Destiny" (USA) (short title)
"Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny" (literal English title)

Runtime:

25 min (50 Episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG | Australia:M (some episodes) | Singapore:PG | Canada:14+ (TV rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) (VHS/DVD rating) | New Zealand:M (volume 7) | New Zealand:M (volume 9) | New Zealand:M (volume 10) | New Zealand:PG (volume 8)

Company:

Sunrise

Trivia:

In November 2004, Takanori Nishikawa (as T.M. Revolution) made Gundam singles history when his single, "Ignited", hit the #1 spot in Japanese Oricon's daily top 20 singles; a first for the franchise. Up until then, the highest ranking Gundam song was T.M. Revolution's own "Invoke", which had made it to #2. Initial sales data has "ignited" as having sold 108,000 copies. "Ignited" is the First Opening Theme song for the serie, "Kidô senshi Gundam Seed Destiny" (2004) while "Invoke" was the First Opening Theme song for Gundam SEED Destiny's prequel, "Kidô senshi Gundam Seed" (2002).

Quotes:

[Shinn, Athrun, and the rest of the Minerva crew have discovered the Earth Alliance's dirty secret at the Lodonia Lab, the place where they create the Extendeds]
Shinn Asuka: This is crazy! It's unbelievable! They go on about Coordinators being a mistake and a crime against nature, and then they create these?
Athrun Zala: Shinn ...
Shinn Asuka: How the hell can they say tinkering with genes is wrong when they are doing things like this?
Athrun Zala: I couldn't agree more.

Movie Connections:

Spin off Kidô senshi Gundam Seed C.E. 73: Stargazer (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Ignited

Destiny Redeemed

Well, I did make a critical comment on Seed Destiny on IMDb prior to this (and yeah, I still don't like the first Seed) but after watching it on later episodes, something tells me that Destiny really seems to capture the core essence of this mighty mecha-based franchise, and it all shows in some of the most intense battle sequences ever made on TV. So it's pretty fair for me to pull back those crude words I uttered for the sake of all Gundam fans.

Though there are so many changes since the first show (truthfully, you'll be stuck in the woods if you don't follow its trail), it's still pretty much about the conflict between ZAFT (for dummies, space guys) and the forces of Earth, just like its predecessors. OK, I really miss lots of episodes in Seed (cause I don't really like it at all), so I have no idea the whole premise here but there's one thing I know about its characters: not one single person wants to prove to be heroic nor evil in this show because they are just doing what is right in their own eyes. And makers of the Gundam shows get smarter these days.

Despite its melodramatic nature, frequent uses of flashbacks (doggone these stuff) and the fact that the 'save our country from the enemy' conversations can become really annoying, the major highlight (and the main reason I watch Destiny) is the grand mecha battles: every single Gundam, including the famous one-eyed bots, make their appearances on (this time) both sides of the battlefield. Unless you know the show well, viewers will be virtually confused with their affiliations. Aside from improved 3D effects (and they blend really nicely) and character animation, one of the greatest thing that I realize recently is that most anime have 3D robots these days: the Gundam series, like Mr. Miyazaki himself, instead defy them by using the old-school methods (hand-drawn, that's for sure) and the result is impressive. In fact, I think these hand-drawn mechas look more versatile and exciting (nostalgia is the perfect word) compared to the rest of the 3D robots, which is a wonder why most recent mecha shows suck.

Like all anime stuff, there are some J-Pop songs specially produced for Destiny: mostly are varied in quality, ranged from awesome and memorable to the state that makes you think 'WTF?'. Just check them up, listen and you'll see what I mean.

And here is my analyst of the later episodes of Gundam Seed Destiny and yes, I admit it's really good. If you don't like its convoluted storyline, you'll be still enticed by Destiny's mecha battles, and they're all worthy of its parent name.