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Gundam Ep. 8: Winds of War

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Summary

The White Base flies low over the desert to avoid being detected. They fly so low that Mirai can’t avoid obstacles, and Reed criticizes her piloting skills. Despite their efforts, a squad of Dopps flies overhead and tracks their movements. Garma is sure they want to avoid detection, but Char thinks they want to create an interference field with Minovsky particles to prevent use of powerful weapons. Bright tells Reed that the Zeon are likely to attack at the Grand Canyon’s Lake Mead. The civilians come to the bridge and ask to be let off at the Grand Canyon. A woman named Persia says she wants to raise her son Coaly in his father’s town of St. Anges, and Reed accuses them of being selfish. Bright says he has an idea and suggests asking the Zeon for a temporary ceasefire. Char believes that the ceasefire is a great opportunity to prepare for an attack, and Garma agrees. Char thinks about how Garma is still the spoiled rich kid he once knew. Kai blows a hole in the side of a Gunperry plane, and the civilians get aboard, along with Ryu, Fraw and Amuro. A Luggun recon plane follows them as they head for a landing near a lake. Amuro begins releasing smoke from the hole, and Ryu tells the Zeon that their systems are damaged from recent attacks. Ryu makes a fake crash landing, and the Zeon suspect nothing. Garma and Char watch the video from the front line, and Char is surprised they didn’t try to sneak any commandos into the area. Garma is sure they will win this battle, and Char thinks that if he doesn’t, he’ll look like a fool. The civilians all decide to stick together, except for Persia, who wants to find St. Anges. Fraw, Kai and Job John take off with jet packs, and the Luggun follows them. They haven’t noticed that Amuro and Ryu stayed behind, and the two of them prepare the next part of the plan.

Persia and Coaly nearly fall off of a cliff as they head for the town. Amuro takes the Gundam out of the container to attack from behind the enemy lines. The Luggun follows Fraw, Kai and Job back to the White Base. One of the Luggun pilots, Big John, is worried about Persia and flies back. Amuro hides behind a large rock and watches the Luggun. Big John drops a capsule filled with supplies, but he sees the Gundam’s eye reflecting light as he flies by. Amuro opens fire, causing the Luggun crashes in a nearby lake. The White Base is attacked, and Kai launches in the Guncannon for the first time. Though he fights well for a beginner, he is overwhelmed by the number of attacking Dopps and Magella Attacks. Char suspects that the enemy will attack from behind their lines, and sure enough, Amuro does. Amuro arrives at the battle to help Kai and fights off Dopps, Magella Attacks and Zakus. Big John and the other pilot sit with Persia and watch the battle. She says that no matter who wins the battle, wives will be left without husbands and children without fathers. When Amuro runs out of ammo, he starts throwing his shield at the enemy and attacking with a beam saber. When all the Zeon forces are destroyed, Garma is shocked and wonders how he will explain this loss to Kycilia. Char tells him he can still recover from this loss and promises to join him during the next battle. The Zeon pilots leave, and Big John tells Persia that the wasteland they are in used to be St. Anges and that she should join the other refugees. Persia can’t believe that St. Anges has been completely destroyed. On the White Base, Amuro and Fraw wonder if Persia ever found the town.

Commentary

This episode was mostly cut from the movie trilogy, save for some parts of the battle. However, the events that occur here show some humanity in the midst of war. Not all Zeon are evil, as evidenced by the Big John, who worries about Persia and her child. The woman’s pointless search for the town of St. Anges also serves to show the futility of war: no matter who wins or loses a battle, the innocent always suffer. This time, the White Base tries to get the upper hand and uses deception (and the complaining refugees) to their advantage.

Overall Rating
4/5

Mobile Suit Gundam Info

Director(s):
Yoshiyuki Tomino
Ryoji Fujiwara (movie 1)

Writer(s):
Yoshiyuki Tomino
Masaru Yamamoto
Kenichi Matsuzaki
Yoshihisa Araki
Hiroyuki Hoshiyama

Mechanical Designer(s):
Kunio Okawara
Yoshiyuki Tomino

Character Designer:
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko

Musical Composer(s):
Yuji Matsuyama
Takeo Watanabe

Format:
43 episodes; 3 compilation movies

Airdates:
Japan 04.07.1979 – 01.26.1980
U.S. 07.23.2001 – 09.12.2001

Theatrical Release:
Japan 03.14.1981 – 03.13.1982

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