GundamReviews

Gundam ZZ Ep. 40: Tigerbaum Dream

0
Summary

The Nahel Argama passes through a minefield as it approaches Side 3’s neutral Colony 24 (aka Tigerbaum). Judau fires the ZZ Gundam‘s double beam rifle at a mine that floats too closely to the bridge. The ship then lands inside Tigerbaum, which is completely modeled off of 20th century Hong Kong. After landing, several men approach the ship and begin placing seals on all the weapons and mobile suits. A representative informs Beecha and the others that the seals cannot be broken and that there will be no fighting while they are in Tigerbaum. Nearby, a boy named Lunan looks at the ship and thinks about Gundams. As everyone disembarks, the representative tells Judau that Tigerbaum has remained neutral and prosperous thanks to the efforts of their leader, Stampa Halloi. From his office, Stampa watches everyone with a spycam mounted on one of his men’s shirts. He likes beautiful women and is delighted to see women like Haman, the Moon sisters, Elle and Roux. He has his men put them on a separate bus from the men so that they can be brought to his palace. On the road, Lunan attacks Judau’s bus with a Petite Mobile Suit. Judau fights with him and eventually takes control of the Petite. Lunan and his friends explain that they want to sell the Gundam to make enough money to pay Stampa’s high taxes. Everyone has to pay taxes, and those who don’t are forced to work in a mine. He also tells Judau that Stampa likes having women and that the other bus has gone to his palace. The other bus arrives at the palace, and Haman and the others see that Stampa likes to collect old mobile suits. With no other way to penetrate the palace, Judau and Iino put on dresses and makeup to infiltrate disguised as women.

Stampa watches everyone with a hidden video camera. Sarasa tells Haman that she is keeping secrets and must confess them if she wants to see the Light. Haman tells the guard she doesn’t want to be in the same room with such strange people, and Stampa allows her to be moved to another room. He takes an instant liking to her and decides that he will have her last. Judau, Iino and one of Lunan’s friends approach the palace and ask for work. A guard agrees to take them inside to see Stampa. As they walk through the compound, Judau spots lots of old mobile suits from the One Year War. Stampa goes into the room to meet with everyone and greet them. Sarasa tells him his heart is closed and unkind and that he must open it up. A guard opens the door and accidentally bonks Stampa on the head. Stampa thinks Judau is ugly, so he decides to keep Iino and the other girl. Judau knocks out a soldier with a lucky cat and runs outside to steal a Z’Gok. Lunan and Beecha penetrate the compound, and Lunan steals a Gogg. Judau destroys one of the walls in the palace so that the girls can escape. A Zaku I appears to attack Judau, but he fights it off. An Agg Guy attacks Judau with its claw arms, but he disables it. An Acguy appears and attacks Lunan, disabling him. Judau wonders who such a skilled pilot could be and is shocked to see it is Haman. She tells him he should obey her if doesn’t want to end up dying for nothing. Judau places his claws within an inch of Haman’s face, and she tells him he is too cute a little boy to kill her. A Zaku I attacks and damages the Z’Gok, forcing everyone to escape. On the Nahel Argama, Sarasa tells Judau that the evil inside Tigerbaum is increasing. In space, the Endra II approaches Tigerbaum.

Commentary

I don’t know what’s going on here. This episode is so pointlessly bad that it’s like the episodes from the first part of the series. After doing so well, it’s a shame to see the series go off track like this. We’ve got a Hong Kong style colony run by a perverted fat man, and Judau in drag. I don’t know why the heck garbage like this is showing up when the series should be gearing up for its finale. We’re introduced to a boy named Lunan here, and he and his friends are almost exact duplicates of Judau and his gang. We also get to see the Agg Guy, an extremely ugly mobile suit from canceled 1980s manga/model kit series MS-X. I really didn’t like this episode, and what’s worse is that it looks like there will be another episode spent in Tigerbaum.

Overall Rating
2.5/5

Gundam ZZ Info

Director:
Yoshiyuki Tomino

Writer(s):
Yumiko Suzuki
Minoru Onoya
Hidemi Kamata
Meigo Endo
Ken Terasawa

Mechanical Designer(s):
Mika Akitaka
Makoto Kobayashi
Hideo Okamoto
Yutaka Izubuchi
Hajime Katoki
Yoshinori Sayama
Masahiko Asano
Mamoru Nagano

Character Designer:
Hiroyuki Kitazume

Musical Composer:
Shigeaki Saegusa

Format:
47 episodes

Airdates:
Japan 03.01.1986 – 01.31.1987

Comments

Comments are closed.