(Author's Note: This is a recap of episode one of Gundam Build Fighters, but is not the first entry in this article series. For anyone who has no idea what the hell any of this is, go to the primer entry for any basics like Gunpla and Gunpla Battle. Also, the entire series can be found legally on YouTube, so go check it out if you can stand cartoons with subtitles.)
In the world of Gundam Build Fighters, Gundam is not a hobby; it is a religion. Throughout this series we will encounter the obsessive, the fanatical and the downright insane people who engage in the fandom of this franchise. We will see boys use toys as means of monetary reimbursement, watch grown ass men use playthings to flirt and watch a whole lot of plastic model on plastic model violence. Today's entry will be a relatively tame entry of what is to come. It's the pilot episode, so it has a lot to introduce in its scant run time of about twenty four minutes (subtracting out the Gunpla advertisements). So I welcome you to the first entry of this recap series dubbed Dominus Nostrum Gundam, and the recap of the first episode of Gundam Build Fighters, titled simply "Sei and Reiji".
--RECAP START--
We open on a damaged giant robot (what looks to me like a RGM-79 GM) floating in space whilst starships engage in an exchange of laser fire with an off screen enemy. An unknown voice reports that "they" have broken through their final defense lines. Two other giant robots come into frame during this announcement, but I can't identify them. Suddenly, a fourth giant robot is raised from one of the ships (the White Base looking U.N.N Spacy Alvion) while a female voice announces "Launch the Gundam! Launch the Gundam!" |
You know, a giant robot would have made Star Trek: Voyager way more interesting. |
We then see into the cockpit of said giant robot, with a mustachioed man in a space suit saying, through "We're counting on you, Iori" through a video screen. Said Iori, who looks to be a teenage boy, responds that he totes got this and announces that he and his robot, named the Build Strike are launching.
So all in all, this is stereotypical for anime, right? All that's really missing is a cat girl and gratuitous amounts of fan service. And it does go on like that of about half a minute, with the Build Strike launching and our hero, full name Sei Iori, about to engage a couple of Zaku II units (the Imperial Stormtroopers of giant robots) and about to fire the Build Strikes giant rifle when the voice of his Sei's father intrudes. And while other voices would probably tell Sei to use the force, Papa Iori informs his son that he can't win since the Build Strike's arm wasn't properly snapped in.
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Don't you just hate when that happens? |
One of the Zakus knocks the loose arm away and preps to fire on the Build Strike, Sei paralyzed in terror at it all. Then, as if the snap assembly arm for a giant robot weren't proof enough, Sei wakes up in the safety of his bedroom. He looks at the Build Strike, which we discover is simply a toy he hasn't built the right arm for. Sei's mother then calls to him to mind the store for her. And with that, we are welcomed to the world of Gundam Build Fighters.
After a cut for a commercial break, we see Sei's mom, Rinko, off to go to the store. She informs her son of this by framing it as a supply run and making a reference to Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team. It's also here we find out that Sei's family runs a hobby store called, appropriately enough, Iori Hobby Shop. There's a brief sitcom-esque bit about Sei's preference for Sukiyaki over vegetable stir fry before she leaves and tell him to be nice to the customers. Once she leaves, Sei bemoans that his father never learned one of the most important rules of running a small business: location, location, location. Like many a mom and pop business in fiction, the Iori Hobby Shop is basically a freaking' ghost town most of the time.
We then cut to a world upside down.
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Two minutes and thirty seconds in and things have already gone topsy turvy. |
Actually, this is just a bird's eye view of Tokyo. We see another teenage boy, with wild red hair odd looking clothing, talk about how amazing skyscrapers are. He also is apparently doing this while lying on what looks like high steel. Sadly Dr. Peyton Westlake will not be showing up today, just some random beat cop telling this weird kid to get the hell off. Our mystery boy proceeds to insult the cop, stand up on the high steel and point to the horizon. He then says that he's decided where to go, turning to show off his good side.
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After finally getting a title card, we cut to a little boy and his father coming into Iori Hobby Shop. The little boy is in awe of the display of the Gundams that are on display and Sei admits he built each one of them himself. Something called Gunpla Battle is mentioned, and that's gonna be important in a few sentences, so let's leave that for later. Sei dithers on the subject of Gunpla battle when the father notices a trophy on the top shelf of the display case. He assumes it's Sei's, but the kid assures that it's his dad's, Takeshi Iori aka "Sir Not Appearing In This Episode (Save For Flashbacks)". The little boy points out a Gundam and asks his dad which one it is, but the father sadly cannot remember. But fear not, young child! His Royal Nerdiness, Sei Iori, is here to give all the info on Gundam, whether you want it or not.
You see, Sei is something of a Gundam fanatic. Upon hearing the question, he goes on to identify it as the Wing Gundam, talks about its transformation abilities and weapons, and then goes onto tell the back story of the Gundam before the father has to stop him. Had he gone any further, Sei probably would have gone on to talk about the entirety of the Wing Gundam series and recommend good fan fiction for them to read. As it stands, Sei just slinks off embarrassed while the boy says he want the Wing Gundam.
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With no giant turtles to befriend, the children of Japan had to settle for time with their parents and toys. |
Then a kid in a purple vest comes in to spoil the fun.
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"Hi there! I'll be your smug douche for the remainder of the episode." |
The kid's name is Sazaki, and he's here to serve one purpose: to show how lame Sei is at this world's favorite past time, Gunpla Battle. He does at least praise Sei's building skills, though. I suppose that's something. But Sazaki is the embarrassing Sei business, and as good Ol' J.R. once said, business is about to pick up.
Sazaki goads Sei into a Gunpla battle, and the customers wanna see it go down. Since the customer is always right (no matter how annoying or childish the customer can be), Sei agrees to a Gunpla battle with a little help by Sazaki calling him chicken. In the words of Mills Lane, let's get it on!
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Nerd Fight! Nerd Fight! Nerd Fight! |
1st Battle: Susumu Sazaki vs. Sei Iori Field 3: Forest
Sei and Sazaki begin their Gunpla battle and it's basically a curb stomping. Sazaki's Gyan wrecks Sei's Wing Gundam, making the boy observing all this change his mind on what Gunpla he wants. Sei looks down at his broken Wing Gundam and gives out a reserved sigh.
Battle Ended. Winner: Susumu Sazaki
His minuscule ego deflated, Sei bids the customers farewell with their new Gyan and goes to clean the store. Sadly, Sazaki refuses to leave, trying to get Sei to team up with him so they could totally rule the Gunpla Battle scene. This is apparently a conversation he and Sei have had many times, since Sei gives him the same response he's probably given a thousand times before: piss off and stick your Gyan where the sun don't shine.
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Okay, so he just tells him that he's too rough in battle, but my interpretation is heavily implied. Either way, Sazaki just calls Sei stubborn and tells him to think on a partnership if he wants to win anything with his sorry skills before walking away. Sei goes back to wiping the windows of the store and proceeds to brood about his lack of prowess in the field of fighting with toys. He then has a flashback to watching his father at the Gunpla Battle Championship World Tournament and goes down further the Tunnel of Brood wanting to fight as well as his dad did. Rinko finally comes back, asks Sei what's with all this sulking, and Sei simply goes for a walk into town.
After another break, we find ourselves watching a commercial for the 7th Annual Gunpla Battle Championship. It's essentially random Gunpla fighting and destroying each other. Sei watching this in the town square and has a mild panic attack (well, mild for anime) at the sight of all those powerful, powerful toys. He sits on a bench, heading back down to Brood Boulevard and wondering what he can do to win battles, when suddenly... oh hi, Reiji! Haven't seen you in awhile. How's you sex life? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
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A bromance born of witty dialogue |
Reiji starts talking to Sei, asking just what the hell is with this video with all the robots killing each other. Sei is genuinely shocked that someone could have never heard of Gunpla battle, and drops some exposition on Gunpla and Gunpla Battle while scenes from the commercial (the one shown just a few minutes earlier) play. Considering it for about three seconds, Reiji likens Gunpla battle to mixed martial arts. And I'm just gonna say, as someone who has participated in mixed martial arts (to the point of earning my black belt in it) I can safely say that Reiji is a moron. If anything, Gunpla Battle is something more akin to something like Disney Infinity taken to an insane extreme. Sei proceeds to respond with a dismissive "eh, kinda", and immediately tries to figure out who the hell this guy is. Sei's stomach grumbles, Reiji offers him some of the bread he's eating is to Sei. Sei declines and Reiji proceeds to walk off, probably never to meet Sei again....
....Until an angry shopkeeper shows up and accuses Reiji of theft. Reiji naturally takes umbrage to this accusation and just says he saw the stuff displayed outside and took one. The shopkeeper bellows that it's called storefront sales and he can't just have people taking his stuff. Which make me hope that out unnamed shopkeeper isn't working the store alone, since the rest of his display is probably being raided if it is. Sei, not wanting this strange kid to get in any serious trouble, offers to pay for the bread.
We then cut to a bit later in the day to a playground, with Sei introducing Reiji to the wonders of soda. Reiji apologizes for the whole accidental theft thing, but Sei brushes it off as no big deal, given Reiji's obviously a foreigner. But our red headed stranger will not let this act of kindness go unrewarded. He hands Sei a seafoam green jewel before the two introduce themselves to each other proper and Reiji tells his blue-haired good Samaritan to wish on that rock if he's ever in trouble, and he'll come no matter what. As he says this, he raises up his arm, showing a gold bracelet with another seafoam green gem on it. He then proceeds to disappear. I guess that week at Batman camp last summer paid off.
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I will never desert you/ I'll stand by you |
After a brief scene at Sei's school, we head back to the Iori Hobby Shop where our intrepid nerd has finally finished his custom Gunpla, the aforementioned Build Strike. Rinko admires it, saying that the toy has the same aura about it as the models Sei's dad built. Sei takes some pride in his mother's assessment, and like a hungry shark that smells blood in the water, Sazaki shows up for Sei's daily dose of defeat. The scene where he enters the store, by the way, is the exact same one he had in the earlier episode, just with the sky changed to dusk yellow.
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No, this recap still has a few paragraphs to go. |
Sazaki practically drools over the Build Strike, excited to fight with what he sees as his Gunpla already. Sei, naturally ticked off, tells Sazaki he'll beat him in a battle with the Build Strike, even putting the custom model itself up as the prize for the fight. With this, from behind the shelves of models, a voice comes out saying that he's heard enough. Ral shall be the judge of this battle.
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"This is no Agony Booth, boy! No Agony Booth!" |
No no no! Not that Ral, the other Ral!
Yup, that's the guy.
So, yeah, this Mr. Ral. He's essentially Ramba Ral from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series (up to getting the original voice actor of Ramba Ral, Masashi Hirose, to voice the character) as a suburbanite Gundam enthusiast. He'll be our mentor figure for the remainder of the series, so you'll be seein' a lot of him and his glorious mustache. For right now, he'll be sizing up Sazaki and providing commentary for our upcoming bout. Also, he'll be fulfilling the role of an extremely less pathetic Bill Dauterive by having a not-so-secret crush on Rinko.
But enough character intro, let's get to the fighting.
2nd Battle: Susumu Sazaki vs. Sei Iori. Field 2: Desert
Sazaki drops all of his weapons save for the beam sword so Sei will have no excuses when he's beat. The Build Strike dodges the Gyan's initial attack, but as Ral observers, the performance of the Build Strike seems to be too much for Sei to handle. This gives Sazaki the advantage to get behind the Build Strike and charge it. Sei does get to turn around and pull a beam saber while Sazaki is charging, but it's not good. The weapon gets knocked out of the Build Strike's hands and it's knocked to the edge of the game board. The Gyan closes in, ready to knock out the Build Strike so Sazaki can claim his prize. Boxed in, Sei can only look on in terror, calling back to the dream sequence that opened the episode. His only thought as the Gyan closes in for the finishing blow is "I don't want to lose any more!"
A familiar voice cries out "Don't give up! Move forward!" A hand with a familiar bracelet on its wrist pushes Sei's had on the right control orb, letting the Build Strike shoulder tackle the Gyan. A shocked Sei looks to his right and see the redheaded stranger who, true to his word, has come to help him out of trouble the jewel that Reiji gave him glowing like the sun.
NEW CHALLENGER! 2nd Battle: Susumu Sazaki vs. Sei Iori (Engineer) & Reiji (Pilot)
Reiji futzes around with the controls for a bit, making it look like the model to do the goofiest dance I've ever seen a toy robot do. Sazaki charges again, upset that Sei would let such an amateur pilot his Gunpla. Reiji pilots the Build Strike like he was born for it, dodging the Gyan's charge and delivering a kick to it for good measure. The Gyan slashes away, but the Build Strike evades each one, eventually knocking the beam sword out of the Gyan's hand. Sazaki flies off to retrieve the weapons he tossed at the beginning of the battle. He uses the needle missiles of the Gyan's missile shield, but the Build Strikes is too fast for it. Reiji asks if the Build Strike has any weapons and Sei relies that they do have a beam saber (a second one, not the one that got knocked away). Reiji rushes forward, dodging rifle blasts and causing Sei to flashback again to his father's performance at the world tournament. Sazaki freezing in fear, terrified at this mystery boy. The Build Strike flies across the board, beam saber raised and with one slash, it's all over.
Battle Ended. Winners: Sei Iori and Reiji
Sei is elated that his Gunpla has finally won a battle. Sazaki is distraught. Ral and Rinko congratulate Sei, but he insists that he wasn't the one who won. He looks for Reiji...but he's nowhere to be found. As the credits for the episode roll, Sei runs out into the night, looking for his mysterious new friend, thinking...no, knowing that he has found the person who can bring the best out of his Gunpla. But he does not find him.
Well, until he heads home and discovers Reiji stuffing his face, here to battle with Sei.
--RECAP ENDED--
So now that we've made it through the first episode, met out main characters and setup the world the series inhabits. None of the characters come off as extremely unlikable (even Sazaki, smug prick that he is, isn't as terrible as he could have been). Sei and Reiji immediately come off as people who can work off each other both the comedic and dramatic senses while still being their own characters, complimented by each other rather that one hogging the spotlight from the other. The fight scenes are sparse but still are incredibly well done, which really helps me to forgive some of the more flagrant shortcuts (i.e. Sazaki's second entrance). All in all, a very good episode and a damn fine start to the series.
I'll have more to say in these post episode follow-ups, so keep your eyes open for the next entry of Dominus Nostrum Gundam. We'll expand or main supporting cast by two people, see a high school gymnasium with a game board for playing with toys, and we are introduced to a new music sub genre: techno-flamenco.
-P.S. During the opening dream sequence, they misspell launch as "lunch". It's nothing that important, I just find it mildly interesting.
