Mailbag 71: Vista

Posted June 3, 2008

It's always fun when your computer craps out on you, forcing you to buy a new one, get accustomed to a new OS, and lose more than a week in time that you wanted to use to update the website. Anyway, on to the Mailbag.

Toxicity asks:
Why don't any of the Apsalus mobile armors from the 08th MS Team have model numbers?
Chris responds:
They just don't, and there's not much more to it than that. If the staff wanted to give the three Apsalus units model numbers, I'm sure they would have. Of course, they could always be given model numbers after the fact. For example, the current official 08th MS Team Japanese site assigns a model number to the Magella Attack, which I hadn't seen any other official site do before.

AmuroNT1 asks:
What are the odds of MAHQ opening a mecha section for Square's Xenogears and Namco's nebulously-connected Xenosaga series of games? At the very least there's a lot of technical info and lineart for XG thanks to the Perfect Works artbook, and it seems decently popular even after having been out so long.
Chris responds:
I can say now that the odds are probably close to zero. There's too many other mecha shows that need to be worked on and get mecha sections, so Xenogears/Xenosaga isn't high enough on my list of priorities to warrant a section.

TK-4541 asks:
Where did the Information on the ZGMF-X10A Freedom's power output come from? And how is it possible that a nuclear fission reactor has a higher output than a nuclear fusion reactor?
Chris responds:
If I remember correctly, the power output came from a screenshot in SEED showing specs of the Freedom and Justice. As for the second part of your question, I really have no idea, nor much interest. All the science in these mecha anime is a bunch of junk anyway, so I'll never understand why people spend so much time debating all these details about what's possible and what's not. If you're already suspending enough disbelief to accept 50-foot robots as credible war machines, I don't see why any of the other details matter much.

Eddie 2 asks:
1. Will the Blue Gender section of the website be getting updated anytime soon? I enjoy reading the reviews, and was wondering if you plan on continuing finishing the episodes.

2. In your honest opinion do you think Gundam ZZ will ever be brought to America? I often wonder this because it is the only UC Gundam series that is missing from the time gap of First Gundam to F91 that Bandai has brought over. Thoughts?

3. I was watching Zeta Gundam not that long ago, and one thing really bugs me. What ever happen to Gates Capa? During the final episodes of Zeta, after Rosamia died, he just loses his concentration and disappears during the battle near Axis. A thought?

4. Do you think Tomino will ever return to the Gundam helm by writing and creating something new, like another UC story. The last fresh story was Turn A Gundam in 2000, so what are the chances?

Chris responds:
1. It's not really up to me, as I'm not the person who reviews Blue Gender.

2. A few months ago, I'd have said it's probably close to impossible. However, Bandai Entertainment has undergone so many changes recently, and there's also the recent shutdown/merging of Bandai Visual USA. I imagine anything is possible at this point, but honestly, as I've believed for years, I think we'll only see shows like ZZ in a sub-only box set.

3. Yes, that is one of the unresolved mysteries of Zeta that nags me. Gates simply disappears and is never heard from again, with no clue as to what his fate is.

4. I feel like I've answered this question at least 5 times (and I probably have at that, or more). No, I don't think Tomino will ever return to Gundam again. He's said publicly for years that it's time for young people to direct Gundam, and given that it's now in the hands of guys like Seiji Mizushima and Mitsuo Fukuda who are in their 40s, that's exactly what's happened. And honestly, I don't want to see another Gundam series from Tomino. By this point, he's directed 5 TV series, 2 original movies and 8 compilation movies. I think he's done everything he wants to with the franchise, and I see Turn A as his swan song, with the Zeta movies just being an extra goodbye. As far back as 1989, Gundam 0080 proved that you can have a good Gundam series without Tomino, and more recently Gundam 00 has reinforced that. I'd rather see a new generation of directors apply new visions to the franchise, and I'd rather see Tomino experiment with weird shows like Overman King Gainer.

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