Review by Chris

November 6, 2005

In UC 0133, a Jovian transport ship is attacked by Zondo Gei mobile suits from the Crossbone Vanguard space pirates. Elsewhere, the passenger ship Smashion enters orbit of the planet Jupiter, and 17-year-old exchange student Tobia Arronax is very excited about reaching the distant planet. Tobia and the other exchange students gather together for the welcoming ceremony to hear a speech about the development of Jupiter. The presenter says that Jovian leader Crux Dogatie is working for mankind's future. After the speech, Tobia thanks his instructor Karas for all the help he gave on the three month journey from Earth. As the Smashion approaches the space colony in Jupiter's orbit, Tobia talks about Jupiter with the other students. One of the girls mentions that all the Jovians seem to have numbers tattooed on their hands, and they show each other their numbers before speaking. One of the other students guesses that it must be some sort of ranking system. One of the other students watches the news and points out that the Crossbone Vanguard has two Gundams that they use for their pirate attacks. Suddenly, a young girl named Bernadette Briette enters the room and runs into Tobia's arms. Several men follow Bernadette and say she's a stowaway, but she insists that she isn't. Just then, the Crossbone Vanguard flagship Mother Vanguard approaches and launches its Zondo Gei units. The Jovians respond by sending out their Batara mobile suits on Acusirio subflight units. As the battle begins, Tobia spots the black Crossbone Gundam X-2 fly by and destroy a Batara with its shot lancer. Two Bataras riding on an Acusirio attack the Crossbone Gundam X-1, but the subflight unit is destroyed. The Crossbone X-1 uses its scissor anchor to slam a Batara into the colony, and Tobia saves Bernadette from an explosion. Tobia tells Bernadette to get to safety and decides to steal a Batara because he thinks the battle is too one-sided. A mechanic tells him he can't launch, but Tobia says that he has a license to pilot industrial mobile suits. Tobia then grabs a beam Gatling gun and heads into space to take on the Crossbone Vanguard. Tobia fires the beam Gatling gun at the Crossbone X-1 and scores a direct hit, but the Crossbone X-1 isn't damaged due to its anti-beam cloak. The Crossbone X-1 appears behind Tobia, and the two mobile suits grapple hand-to-hand before pulling out their beam sabers. The Crossbone X-1 slices off the Batara's right arm and leg, and the pilot warns Tobia to eject before he destroys the cockpit. Just as Tobia escapes, the Crossbone X-1 uses is brand marker to destroy the Batara. Tobia sees that none of the other mobile suits were targeted, and he wonders why the pirates would do that. Tobia floats over to the Smashion's cargo hold and is shocked to find it filled with poison gas containers. Karas attacks Tobia from behind and says he'll have to die for seeing what he shouldn't have seen. As they struggle, Karas reveals that he's been smuggling the gas for ten years. He says that the Earth Federation will be destroyed so that Earth can become part of the Jupiter Empire. Just as Karas is about to shoot Tobia, the Crossbone X-1 smashes into the cargo hold, sucking Karas into space. The Crossbone X-1's pilot, Kincado Nau (aka Seabook Arno), tells Tobia that he either has to return to Earth and say nothing, or face the truth and join the Crossbone Vanguard.

Seabook takes Tobia to the bridge of the Mother Vanguard to meet its captain, Berah Ronah (aka Cecily Fairchild). Cecily tells Tobia that she can't answer all his questions, and that everything will be decided by his choice. Seabook asks Tobia again what he intends to do, and he answers that he wants to learn the truth. The ship's crew remove the poison gas containers from the Smashion, and the passenger ship takes off to return to Earth. Tobia asks Seabook if it's okay to let the Smashion leave on its own, and Seabook answers that the Jupiter Empire won't harm civilians, yet. Seabook tells Tobia he has to do some work because they're shorthanded, and the two begin to peel potatoes in the kitchen. Tobia asks if this is what he's going to end up doing, and Seabook answers that even though he's a pilot, he does this duty on his free time. Tobia asks Seabook about the Crossbone Vanguard, and he recalls the rebellion from ten years earlier. He says that he learned about Meitzer Ronah and his plans for Cosmo Babylonia in history class, and that the organization collapsed after Berah made a speech saying that all people were alike. He remembers that Seabook was the pilot of the Gundam F91, and Seabook tells him to forget the past. Tobia also recalls that Cecily and Seabook were supposedly killed five years ago by terrorists during the launch ceremony of the Mother Vanguard, and Seabook says that they're officially dead. Cecily admires herself while taking a shower and notices that someone is in her room. Tobia and Seabook walk through a corridor, and Seabook explains that they use the name Crossbone Vanguard to help gather soldiers and supplies. Tobia asks Seabook if Cecily plans to revive Cosmo Babylonia, and he says that they're only using the Crossbone Vanguard name to stand up against the Jupiter Empire. Suddenly, Bernadette runs out of Cecily's quarters and knocks Tobia to the ground. Seabook asks who Bernadette is, and Tobia explains that she was being chased on the Smashion. He says that she must've seen something she shouldn't have, and he thinks she should be sent back to Earth. Cecily says that she can't do that because the Smashion is already gone, so she decides that Tobia will have to take care of Bernadette. Cecily asks Seabook if it's right to rely on Tobia as part of their plan to capture a Jovian pilot, but Seabook believes that Tobia is up to it. On the bridge, Cecily is informed that an asteroid named Meteor 202 is a Jovian base, so she orders battle stations. Several Zondo Geis launch from the Mother Vanguard, followed by Seabook in the Crossbone X-1 and Zabine Chareaux in the Crossbone X-2. Cecily calls Zabine and reminds him to not kill any of the enemy pilots. The Mother Vanguard begins bombarding Meteor 202, and the asteroid base fires back missiles and launches its Batara suits on Thostede subflight sleds. Cecily tells Tobia that the Jupiter Empire has hidden its existence while it builds its forces to destroy the Federation and conquer Earth. A nuclear missile is fired at the Mother Vanguard, but Seabook uses his zanbuster to destroy it.

At a Jovian colony, Dogatie is informed that the Crossbone Vanguard have destroyed Meteor 202. He decides that now would be a good time to test the Pez Batara and Gangrijo to destroy the pirates. In space, Tobia practices his piloting skills in a Batara. On the ship, he briefly speaks with Bernadette, who is now assisting with cooking. Tobia thinks about his daily routine, which involves hearing lectures on mobile suit engineering from Seabook. Cecily tells Seabook that they've received a distress call, and Seabook thinks it might be trap, so he decides to launch in his Crossbone X-1 and take Tobia in a Zondo Gei. Tobia asks Seabook about Zabine, and Seabook explains that they were enemies during the days of Cosmo Babylonia. Tobia says that he's determined to become a good pilot so that he can eventually use a Gundam, and Seabook asks him if he wants to give it a try. Seabook stays behind and allows Tobia to launch in the Crossbone X-1. Zabine asks Seabook what he's doing, and Seabook tells Zabine that he doesn't trust him to stay alone on the ship. Zabine says that he defected from the old Crossbone Vanguard because he didn't agree with how they were waging war. Seabook counters that Zabine may have disagreed with how the war was waged, but he still agreed with the ideas of a superior race ruling humanity. Tobia reaches the damaged cargo ship, and as soon as he makes contact, several Pez Batara mobile suits blast out of the ship and head for the Mother Vanguard. The mobile armor Gangrijo then appears and attacks Tobia. Bernadette is impressed by the ship's beam shields, but Cecily tells her that if they don't win the battle in 20 minutes, the ship will lose power and fall out of Jupiter's orbit. Cecily calls Seabook to return, but he tells her Tobia is in his Gundam, so he launches in a Core Fighter. Zabine launches in his Crossbone X-2 and moves in to kill a Pez Batara, until he remembers Cecily's orders. He dodges the Pez Batara's beam axe and attacks from the side, which is the Pez Batara's weakness. Tobia attempts to attack the Gangrijo at close range, but he is grappled by one of the Gangrijo's claws. When Seabook approaches, Tobia ejects his Core Fighter and allows Seabook to dock. Seabook kicks the Gangrijo to break free, and he uses his beam sabers to slice into the Gangrijo and destroy it. The remaining Pez Batara units retreat, and Zabine asks Seabook if he trusts him now. Afterwards, Cecily decides that it's time to use the plan she's been wanting to avoid. She orders Seabook and Tobia to infiltrate the Jupiter Empire and locate their main base, along with the location of Dogatie. In addition, she assigns Tobia to a week of toilet duty for using the Gundam.

A Jupiter hydrogen collection station receives a distress call from a Zondo Gei, and Tobia claims that he and an injured Jovian soldier are attempting to escape from the Crossbone Vanguard. With Zabine, Umon Samon and several Zondo Geis pursuing Tobia, Lt. Barnes Gernsback's Batara team launches and attacks. To keep up appearances, Zabine uses his long beam rifle to blow away several of Tobia's appendages. Barnes attacks Zabine, and after a brief battle, the Crossbone Vanguard suits retreat. On the station, Tobia says that he was captured by the pirates and forced to work for them, but he and a captured Jovian soldier (Seabook), escaped. A fat commander asks Tobia what he knows about the pirate fleet, but Barnes says that Tobia should be taken to the sickbay. Tobia thanks Barnes for the help, and Barnes tells Tobia that if his son were still alive, he would be Tobia's age. He tells Tobia that his son died in an accident three years ago, and that Tobia should mention his name if he has any problems. Tobia goes to Seabook's room, and Seabook knocks out the soldier standing guard over him. One day earlier, Cecily released several Jovian pilots who were captured in the previous battle. Tobia asks her if she always does that, and she says that the Jupiter Empire's actions are Dogatie's mistake, not the people's. Tobia asks if they could use her prisoner release to sneak a spy into the Jupiter Empire, and Cecily says they've tried it many times. Tobia asks what happened to the spies, and Cecily asks him if he really wants to know. Tobia goes to the sickbay and sees that Seabook has a Jovian tattoo and changed his fingerprints. Tobia thinks about what the Crossbone Vanguard is doing and wonders if not killing people is just their way to justify their piratical actions. Zabine tells Tobia that he agrees with Cecily's cause, but he questions her way of fighting. He tells Tobia that if he worries too much about not killing people, he could hurt his own comrades. Bernadette asks Tobia why he has to infiltrate the Jupiter Empire, but he tells her not to worry. Seabook says that Tobia will do well, but Bernadette thinks he could die. Umon says that he thinks Tobia is a Newtype. He tells Tobia that he's a Newtype himself, and that back in the One Year War he destroyed six Zeon Rick Doms with just a Ball. He tells Tobia that if he has several more brushes with death it will awaken his Newtype abilities. Bernadette gives Tobia a necklace to keep him safe, and Zabine tells Seabook that he'll protect Cecily. In the sickbay, Tobia and Seabook dress themselves as medical personnel and wheel the guard through the halls as a patient. Tobia hears a woman's pleas for water and realizes that Jupiter is short on resources. A boy asks Tobia for water, and he gives him a container, saying that the patient is already dead. Everyone is shocked by Tobia's action, and Seabook attacks Tobia, asking him how he could give away Dogatie's water. Seabook warns Tobia to be more careful, and a patient wearing a mask spots Tobia. Tobia and Seabook enter the residential blocks, and suddenly an alarm sounds. Several security mecha approach them, and Seabook wonders if they were discovered somehow.

Without a doubt, Crossbone Gundam is classic Tomino. Although its a manga series, it features many of the elements seen in Tomino's Gundam anime. You've got a young hero who accidentally becomes a pilot, hordes of strange enemy mobile suits and an evil empire bent on bringing down the Federation. With the strong pirate theme, Crossbone seems like a cross between Gundam and Leiji Matsumoto's Space Pirate Captain Harlock. What's most interesting about this series is that it's set within the 30 year gap between Gundam F91 and Victory Gundam. As a single feature film, F91 got the short end of the stick, but Crossbone gives us a chance to see the continuing adventures of Seabook, Cecily and Zabine. The secretive Jupiter Empire is amassing an army to conquer Earth, and it's revealed that in the past they've funded anti-Earth movements. It's also said that there's a connection between Crux Dogatie and Fonse Kagatie, a Jovian who was the real power behind Victory's Zanscare Empire. Cosmo Babylonia and the old Crossbone Vanguard are no more, and it'd be interesting to see this explained a bit further. So far, the series is off to a good start, and the first volume ends with a nice cliffhanger.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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