I have currently read the synopsis for every episode that is currently
available on MAHQ and have actually watched episodes 1-14 of Gundam 00
and I wanted to share a few thoughts.
1. Sumeragi/Kujo - I noticed in the review on MAHQ that the
reviewer was wondering what the Kujo reference that Billy and the
Professor made in reference to Sumeragi. I read that Lockon Stratos is
really just a codename and Neil Dylandy is his real name. And then of
course Setsuna is really Soran. Considering these examples and the
extreme secrecy in regards to everything in Celestial Being it seems
obvious that all of the names we are familiar with are probably
codenames. Thus Kujo is very likely Sumeragi's real given, or family,
name. Which leads to issue #2...
2. If my theory about all of the CB members, or at least the ones
other than Wan and her assistants, is correct then it seems almost silly
that Alleluia would have an alternate personality called Halleluiah as
there is probably no correlation between those names and his real name.
Unless he is schizoid enough to actually believe that his codename is
his true identity just as Setsuna thinks being a Gundam Meister is his
only identity.
3. Louise and Saji. I like them actually. I think they provide an
easy opportunity to switch perspectives on the war. They aren't as
conveniently telepathic for the purposes of exposition as Wan and
Alejandro are which is nice. Louise's injuries definitely gave a face
to all of the civilian damages inflicted by CB's efforts. I have a
feeling that Setsuna will run into her, or Saji, and it could prove
instrumental in the event he breaks off from CB and/or has a major
conflict with the Throne Meisters.
4. Tierea - In one of the episodes he comments on humanity as if
they are different then him. Since Allelujah hasn't had any reaction to
him we can definitively say he isn't an enhanced human like Soma. Has
there been any speculation that he is a cyborg or an android? That
would explain the yellow eyes, floating around inside Veda, etc.
5. Wing Comparisons - This is big enough to warrant its own
section. While I can see some parallels with Wing (Bishonen Gundam
Pilots, Female Pacifist Leader of a small country in love with the lead
protagonist, a small group of Uber-Powerful Gundams vs. the whole world,
a commitment towards pacifism/peace for the long term, etc.) I think
there are some powerful differences.
* Technology - The Wing Gundams were so ridiculously powerful
that all of the grunt MS were mere cannon fodder. Only aces in Gundam
equivalent MS stood a chance it seemed. In 00 the enemy aces have
upgraded versions of their own army's MS of choice but none are on par
with a Gundam technology-wise. In spite of this the enemy aces have
been able to spank the Gundams through sheer skill. Thus the
technological advances of the Gundams don't guarantee ridiculous
overkills by sheer power of technology. It is very reminiscent of
Norris Packard in 08th MS Team.
* Characters - I will definitely concede that at first glance
the Meisters seem like clones of Heero, Chang, and Trowa without the
lightheartedness of Quattro or Duo. That being said the Wing Pilots
never had to gun down their own parents... My question is will they
actually develop or will they stay unchanged all the way to the end.
Will Allelujah actually end up as a villain or deal with the split
personality and other damage caused by his genetic heritage instead of
just remaining in confusion? Will Setsuna be able to overcome the
ethnic divide/hatred between him and Marina? Unlike the sexually
ambivalent Heero, Setsuna actually has a reason to reject the main
heroine.
* Villains - I like the fact that other then the Thrones, there
are almost no clear cut "evil" villains in this series yet. With the
exception of Patrick, the other aces are not evil and people you can
actually root for in the same vein as Ranba Ral, Norris Packard, etc.
If anything I think that the villains are going to end up being
Celestial Being, the Throne Meisters, and Allelujah/Hallelujah. Unlike
Wing where there was a legitimate need for the Gundams to get involved,
it seems that the majority of the problem is a direct result of their
involvement. Other than the ethnic skirmishes going on in a few remote
areas, there hasn't seem to be any actual major conflicts going on
between the three main nations at all before CB showed up on the scene.
Given that they are more then willing to wipe something off the face of
the map they would've been better served to literally wipe the problems
areas off the map. Instead they are provoking the three world powers
that didn't seem to be at conflict at all.
