Cell Go well with Gundam SEED FREEDOM Anime Movie Evaluate
I will be forthright. I had a feeling that this movie would never be finished. Chiaki Morosawa, the playwright of Gundam Seed, suffered from severe diseases, therefore the project was shelved when it was first revealed back in 2006. For the next ten years, not much was heard about the movie, and Morosawa died away in 2016. However, the film has now been finished by Mitsuo Fukuda, the director of Gundam Seed and husband of Akira Morosawa.
The main focus of Gundam Seed Freedom is the aftermath of Gundam Seed Destiny, which was released in 2004. During that series, Durandal revealed his idea for an imposed societal structure in which a person’s destiny would be determined by their genetic makeup. There would be no conflict in this society since everyone would be happy doing what they were “meant” to do. In spite of this, Kira and the others decide to fight for free will because they think that mankind may achieve peace without implementing Durandal’s harsh scheme. The conflict is still going on years later.
The majority of this movie is a character study with Kira at the center. He is tired from the constant slaughter going on around him, so in order to protect his companions from the suffering he is going through, he is taking on an increasing amount of emotional burden. Many of them can only pray that the fighting stops before he reaches his breaking point since it is obvious to them that he is getting close to it. His narrative is sympathetic and poignant. Even as a young man, he still has the enormous heart of a child in him. But as a byproduct of his need to keep others safe, he has cut himself off from his friends’ emotional support, locking himself within his own failing heart.
We have Lacus on the opposite side of the narrative. As the spokesperson for C.O.M.P.A.S., the international military group that Kira is a member of, she spends her time in this role. Sadly, this means that even though she really loves him, she can’t support him personally as much as she would want to. The arrival of Orphee Lam Tao, a guy who appears to be an almost supernatural match for her, severely strains their relationship. Also, Kira’s perplexity only intensifies when they are compelled to spend time with closely on a diplomatic assignment, and her mental health declines. The whole thing comes to a head with a sexual assault scenario. It is, however, one that ends abruptly and isn’t meant to be titillating or gory. Above all, it aligns with the film’s central concept, which contrasts predestined fate with free choice.
Apart from our central duo, SEED and SEED Destiny include a whole ensemble that returns in one way or another. The interpersonal drama between Shin, Luna, Hilda, and the new character Agnes Giebenrath takes up a large portion of the non-Kira-related attention. Cagalli, Captain Ramius, and Mu each had a brief period of attention. Surprisingly, for being the deuteragonist of both SEED and SEED Destiny, Athrun has a rather little part in the movie—she doesn’t even make a meaningful appearance until the latter half of the movie. Nevertheless, every one of our heroes has a respectable storyline, or if not, they all play significant roles in the narrative at some time. To be honest, it’s amazing to see the band back again after all these years.
Regarding the adversaries, while they do serve as credible foes to our heroes, they are mostly unremarkable. Although their designs are great, they lack individuality. The sole exception to this is the previously mentioned Orphee, but even he has to use a much more famous antagonist to make himself seem like a major danger on a worldwide scale.
On the visual side of things, a lot of nostalgia is being played up. Older hero mecha as well as brand-new creations created particularly for the movie are on display. Moreover, a lot of the new technology featured in the movie is based on previously seen material that has been elevated to new heights. Characters and items from Gundam Seed spin-offs like MSV and Astray also appear in the backdrop. The animation is generally quick and fluid, and any computer graphics are seamlessly integrated into the 2D animation aesthetic. Regarding character design, a few of the prominent female cast members have obviously added larger lips, although it doesn’t come off as unsettling or disturbing. Indeed, it serves as a useful visual indicator that our youthful characters are still maturing.
Having said that, I find the visual presentation to be problematic in two ways. First off, it seems that a few sequences that serve as transitions were removed. This implies that certain characters—particularly in the movie’s finale—seem to leap aimlessly from scene to scene or mecha to mecha. The second is that in some areas, the level of sexual fanservice has increased. The new flying suits are far more “form-fitting” than anything we’ve ever seen, especially Lacus’. Apart from its notorious opening theme tune, the Gundam Seed universe is normally far more founded in reality than fanservice, thus it seems a little out of place.
In relation to theme tunes, the movie’s soundtrack succeeds in being both fresh and sentimental. We receive new tracks from Gundam Seed musicians as well as remixes of vintage Gundam Seed songs. I will be listening to this soundtrack for weeks, if not months, since it is fantastic for lovers of the two TV shows.
In conclusion, Gundam Seed FREEDOM for Mobile Suit feels a lot like Gundam Seed, which is, in the end, what matters most in a movie like this, a much-anticipated sequel. The primary topic of “destiny” vs “free will” is well handled, and the characters are executed with a sense of consistency. Furthermore, this film significantly enhances the much-maligned Gundam Seed Destiny in hindsight. The movie has a strong personal core that easily outweighs its flaws since it focuses on how the events of that show influence Kira and Lacus years later. This movie was almost built for you if you like Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny, and you’ll be glad you saw it.
