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Zeta Gundam Ep. 21: A Sign of Zeta

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Summary

In space, the Titans prepare for Operation Apollo – a plan to capture Von Braun City on the Moon and consolidate control over the Earth Federation government. On a shuttle docked with the Jupitris, Jamitov comments that a base on the far side of the Moon won’t intimidate the Federation government. The new battleship Dogosse Giar pulls up next to the shuttle and uses a holoscope to project a hologram of Scirocco into space that salutes Jamitov. After the ship departs, Jamitov comments that Scirocco could be dangerous, but an underling notes that Scirocco’s pledge of loyalty to Jamitov is sealed with his own blood. Jamitov then reads the pledge, in which Scirocco states that if he ever violates the pledge, Jamitov can kill him. Jamitov recalls Scirocco stating that a signature alone lacked credibility, so he used a knife to cut his thumb and stamp the pledge with a bloody thumbprint. Jamitov’s shuttle then takes off and heads toward Earth. Kamille finishes a patrol route in the Gundam Mk-II and is annoyed by Torres’ constant instructions. Kamille returns to the Argama, and Bright comments to Emma that it’s been two days since the Titans fleet left Gryps, but they still don’t know its target. Emma reports that they haven’t detected any enemy movements nearby, so Bright concludes that the target can’t be Side 2. Emma thinks that the target is the Moon, but also comments that the Titans fleet seems small. Kamille enters the bridge and reports encountering a Colony Public Corporation transport ship on patrol that submitted to inspection and wasn’t suspicious. Bright thanks Kamille and dismisses him, and Kamille hits Torres on the head for being a pest. Torres counters that he had to say something since Kamille was being absent minded. Bright tells them to cut it out and orders Kamille to work on maintenance of the Gundam Mk-II, but Kamille takes a swing when Torres snickers at him. Torres punches Kamille in the face, and Saegusa cheers him on, commenting that Kamille acts like he’s some hero now from his time on Earth. Kamille then tackles Saegusa and punches him, and Torres punches Kamille from behind. Emma comments that young men need to let off some steam, but Bright notes that this is the bridge. He then punches Saegusa and Kamille and confines all three to the brig, but Torres complains that Kamille started it. Emma takes Kamille aside and tells him that he may have gained confidence from his heroics on Earth, but it’s different in space. Kamille responds that he doesn’t think he’s become that arrogant, and Emma comments that he’s suffering from something, but loneliness isn’t an excuse to take out his feelings on others. Kamille doesn’t think he’s lonely, and Emma responds that he’s dim-witted and it’s no wonder he’s always snapping at people. Emma tells Kamille that he doesn’t even understand his own feelings, so he shouldn’t act like he knows everything. Emma asks Kamille if he fell in love on Earth, but he denies it. Scirocco gets a call from Jamaican demanding an explanation for why his unit is acting independently, and Scirocco explains that his unit is newly formed and must assess its abilities. Scirocco pledges to join the fleet in time for Operation Apollo, and Jamaican warns that if Scirocco is late, he won’t hesitate to shoot him. Jerid and Mouar launch from the Dogosse Giar in their new transforming Gabthleys and conduct mock exercises to test the suits’ abilities. After destroying some space junk, Jerid boasts that he could destroy the Gundam Mk-II with a single shot. Scirocco launches in his Messala and engages in mock combat, and Mouar grabs onto his suit from behind. She thanks him for giving her such a quality mobile suit, and he responds that she’s got good skills. He then knocks her away and says he’d be thrilled to see her put those skills to use for him. Back on the ship, Mouar asks Scirocco what his goals are, and he explains that he wants to free people whose souls are weighed down by gravity. Mouar notes that the AEUG says the same thing, and Scirocco counters that while the AEUG is making a big fuss in space, they’re no different from the people in the Federation and are also bound to the Earth Sphere. Scirocco senses that Jerid has an objection, and Jerid asks if Scirocco is implying that he’s a Newtype. Scirocco answers that he senses the times will not change unless he does something about it. He elaborates that Jamitov converted the EFF into the Titans to eradicate the people pulled by Earth and that by starting a war he will exhaust Earth’s economy to the brink. People on Earth will die of starvation, and Mouar comments that on the surface this doesn’t seem different from the AEUG’s goals. Scirocco comments that the Earth Sphere’s fate depends on who rules humanity after the war, and he thinks it should be a genius. Jerid asks if Scirocco is that genius, but Scirocco answers that he thinks a woman will rule after the war. A crewmember yells at Torres and Saegusa for sleeping in the brig, and Torres asks what else they’re supposed to do. Saegusa asks Kamille if he came across anything interesting on Earth, but Kamille said he spent the whole time escaping. Saegusa asks if he saw any good holo-tapes in Hong Kong, and Torres asks him to show them. Kamille refuses, and Torres tries to flatter Kamille by saying he always thought he was a great pilot. Saegusa adds to the flattery by saying Kamille is a Newtype, and when Kamille says they sound sarcastic now, they apologize. Scirocco is informed that Jerid has launched on patrol, and Scirocco tells Mouar to go on standby because he feels pressure from the right fore. Mouar asks what he means by pressure, but he answers that it’s difficult to explain verbally. On her way out, Mouar passes a low-ranked young officer named Sarah Zabiarov and wonders who she is. Jerid tells himself that Scirocco can say whatever he wants, but in the end he’s just another enemy to step over. Jerid picks up the Argama on sensors and laughs at his good luck.

Kamille and the others are let out of the brig when a battle alert is sounded over Jerid’s approach. Bright thinks that coming into contact with an enemy here means the Titans must be making a significant move. Emma launches in a Rick Dias, followed by three Nemos and Kamille in the Gundam Mk-II. Kamille thinks this is the same pattern as on Earth and senses that he’s going to face a new model mobile suit. Kamille tells Emma to be cautious because the enemy is unusual, and she comments that men suddenly come alive and think clearly when going into battle. Jerid fires a shot at them, and Emma notes that its power is on the same level as a battleship’s mega particle cannon. Kamille wonders if it’s a mobile armor and evades another shot from Jerid. Because his shots didn’t hit, Jerid concludes that the rifle must still need adjusting. Kamille shoots at Jerid, but Jerid dodges and transforms before kicking off the Rick Dias’ head. Jerid fires his shoulder cannons at the Rick Dias and causes critical damage, resulting in the ejection of the cockpit pod. Jerid then attacks Kamille with a beam saber and slices off one of the Gundam Mk-II’s beam saber racks. Kamille also loses hold of his rifle, and Jerid recognizes his voice. Mouar shows up in her Gabthley and tells Jerid that she’s come to help on Scirocco’s orders. The Nemos open fire on the Gabthleys, and Emma tells Kamille to deal with the enemies instead of retrieving her pod. Kamille comments that it costs money to train pilots, and he tosses the pod at one of the Nemos to take back to the ship. Jerid gives chase and grabs hold of Kamille from behind. Mouar tells Jerid to just finish things with his cannon, but he says that the Gundam Mk-II is different and he wants to torture Kamille to death. Jerid fires one of his shoulder cannons at close range and blasts off the Gundam Mk-II’s left arm as Kamille tries to reach for his remaining beam saber. Jerid is then damaged from behind, and Kamille is ejected into space when his cockpit hatch opens unexpectedly. Jerid tells Mouar that there’s a new enemy, and she notes that it didn’t come from the same direction as the Argama. Kamille floats helplessly in space and wonders if his carelessness is the immaturity that people were talking about. Fa calls out to the Gundam Mk-II, and Kamille wonders if he’s going to suffocate in space and join his parents. One of Jerid’s legs is blasted off from a beam cannon fired by a Suits Carrier piloted by Fa. Mouar tells Jerid to retreat because the enemy has a powerful mega particle cannon. The Suits Carrier then launches the new Zeta Gundam, and Jerid wonders if it’s a new AEUG model. As Jerid and Mouar engage the Zeta Gundam, Fa maneuvers close to Kamille and opens her cockpit to reach her arm out and grab him. Fa asks Kamille if he’s OK, and he says he wants to retrieve the Gundam Mk-II because they’re fighting new models. Fa explains that Apolly brought the Zeta Gundam, and Kamille is surprised that it’s been completed. Jerid and Mouar continue to engage Apolly, but with his Gabthley critically damaged, Jerid ejects and floats over to Mouar’s unit before his explodes. The Argama fires signal flares, and Kamille wonders if Apolly saw them. Fa says they could chase the enemies with the Zeta Gundam, but Kamille responds that a pilot doesn’t see everything that happens on the battlefield, which is why orders are important. Fa tells Kamille that she’s impressed and notes that they still have to retrieve the Gundam Mk-II. Aboard the Dogosse Giar, a doctor examines Jerid and concludes that he has no serious injuries, so Jerid curses his own clumsiness. Mouar leaves the sickbay and reports to Scirocco that Jerid is OK, and he comments that an adult is better off with a grown man. Scirocco tells Mouar that it’s OK if she has a fetish for young boys, but he says he’s the only one who can fulfill her ambitions. Kamille finds Apolly after a briefing and asks where the manual is for the Zeta Gundam, and Apolly offers to brief him later. Kamille tells Fa that he badly wanted to see her and holds her in his arms. Bright walks by them without saying anything, and Kamille asks Fa if she’s going to become a pilot, and she answers that she will. He says she can’t do it, and she asks if he’s really sure about that.

Commentary

Kamille has successfully returned to his space, but his mind is still on what happened on Earth. His crankiness results in a bridge brawl with Torres and Saegusa that Bright immediately shuts down with his fists. Emma calls out Kamille’s behavior and perfectly captures what’s going on, but he can’t be honest with himself or her. Saegusa asks Kamille about “good holo-tapes from Hong Kong” which sounds like an obvious euphemism for porn, and I would note that Kamille doesn’t exactly deny having stuff. Kamille’s distraction almost proves fatal, and he learns that the Gundam Mk-II isn’t up to the task of fighting new Titans suits like the Gabthley. It’s a lucky break for him then that the Zeta Gundam shows up to save the day. Kamille has a moment adrift in space, and the anxiety he experiences provides a good view of his thoughts. His comment about his recklessness being the immaturity that people criticize him for is a good amount of self-awareness on his part. His reunion with Fa shows that he definitely missed her, but he kinda ruins the moment by saying that she can’t be a mobile suit pilot when he has no idea what she’s been up to in his absence. We see the return of Scirocco after many episodes on Earth, and he’s now got Jerid and Mouar working for him. Scirocco is clearly a skilled manipulator and tries to work his charms on Mouar, but she doesn’t seem interested in him. Jerid sees Scirocco as an obstacle to his future power, but he’s really outmatched against Scirocco in every respect.

Original Review: April 14, 2001

Overall Rating
3.5/5
Zeta Gundam Info


Director:

Yoshiyuki Tomino

Writer(s):
Hiroshi Ohnogi
Yumiko Suzuki
Tomoko Kawasaki
Yasushi Hirano
Akinori Endo
Miho Maruo
Minoru Onoya

Mechanical Designer(s):
Kazumi Fujita
Mamoru Nagano
Kunio Okawara
Makoto Kobayashi
Kazuhisa Kondo
Hideo Okamoto

Character Designer:
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko

Musical Composer:
Shigeaki Saegusa

Format:
50 episodes; 3 compilation movies

Airdates:
Japan 03.02.1985 – 02.22.1986

Theatrical Release:
Japan 05.28.2005 – 03.04.2006

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