The Gundam 00 Movie Is the Comedy of the Year

Setsuna having the same hairstyle as his movie counterpart is only the tip of the iceberg. :p

When I heard a bit more about the Gundam 00 movie at Anime Expo a couple of years back, I was looking forward to it. While in retrospect, Gundam 00 isn’t as good as some other Gundam series, I nonetheless enjoyed it and have actually watched it more than once. (And I suppose I’ll always be fond of it to a certain extent since it was my gateway Gundam.) But some initial reviews poured in after the movie was shown in various places (most notably Mike Toole’s article at ANN), and the feedback was not great, to say the least. So my expectations were lowered considerably heading into the movie, which is why I can safely say that I still thought it blew huge chunks.

But there is enjoyment to be had from the Gundam 00 movie! This is because it is secretly the best anime comedy that will be released in 2011. Let us count the oh so very many ways it is hilarious!

First off, the movie within the movie is actually legitimately funny. I especially enjoyed Alejandro embracing his destiny and becoming a full-fledged super robot villain even though he was at least halfway there in season one. A close second is the movie’s Celestial Being including a new glasses guy, a girl and a black dude. Fantastic.

But perhaps funnier than the movie is . . .

SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS SAJI. HE IS DEFINITELY NOT LIKE EVERY OTHER CHARACTER OF HIS TYPE IN EVERY OTHER GUNDAM. Speaking of useless characters, who else enjoyed acting as if anyone should give a shit about Marina’s opinion when she spent season two babysitting kids and being a homeless man’s Elton John. But, hey, leader of an entire nation and everything.

Now, I’d stopped taking the movie seriously long before this point (I actually took the movie seriously for about three minutes before giving up), but if I hadn’t, then this would have done it. I mean, we’ve got a Ribbons clone channeling the guy in the suit from E.T., and unleashing the pseudo-antagonist of the movie, ELS, on a poor, unsuspecting teenage girl. I’m shocked tentacles weren’t involved in this scene. But, hey, why have tentacles when you can be a crystallized alien life form? That’s my motto.

This scientist, I think, is a reaction to how thoroughly BLfied Gundam 00 is. People wanted to like Nena Trinity without the stigma of her being a humongous bitch, so after killing her off in the second season they just introduced someone who looks almost exactly like her (just with darker hair) and is also voiced by Rie Kugimiya, but is DEFINITELY NOT NENA TRINITY NO SIR. I have to wonder if they were also aiming to piss off the people who ship Billy with Graham or something. That’s not the reason for her existence, of course, since she is a Very Serious Scientist who knows a lot about science and also happens to be hot ‘n’ horny for Billy.

It’s Ribbons getting hit with a chair. There’s no way this isn’t hilarious. I defy anyone to not laugh during this scene. Can’t be done.

This is No. 2 in the “Gundam 00 movie moments that are actually legit funny” list. Patrick in pajamas is just too hilarious. He’s also the Hunchback of Notre Dame, apparently.

Good job dying, super powerful Innovator introduced in this movie! You’re awesome!

More of Setsuna shitting rainbows (as a friend of mine likes to term it). Always good for a laugh.

We’re supposed to care about this douchebag all of a sudden? That’s a laugh in and of itself. There was more clapping on my end when he bit the dust, though.

And the end, hahaha, WHAT. This is worse than fucking space whales. In fact, I’ll go on record on the American DVD if it comes to that.

“Worse than fucking space whales.” — Shinmaru, UNMEI KAIHEN

And the end, hahaha, what a sappy load of horse shit. Marina is the luckiest person here; she’s blind, so she doesn’t have to see this nonsense. I hope Setsuna enjoys his silver dong, at least.

AND HIS FUCKING RAINBOW FLOWER TOO