Gundam Double O...HELL.... YEAH!

(From Gunota Headlines)
A very short promo appeared after today's episode of TBS/MBS' "Toward The Terra" announcing a new Gundam series. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Double Oh) is set to air at 6pm on Oct 2007. The official site is up providing a streaming promo.

Known details are:Setting - 2307 AD ("seireki", Japanese for "anno domini")Characters - 4 Gundam Meisters, who pilot the mobile weapons.Factions - Solestal Beings (not real sure on the English name right now), a private militia group whose purpose is to eradicate wars.

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Rumors about the series have been going around Japanese message boards for some time, especially after Sunrise registered several Gundam00 domains. The proclamation that the setting would neither be in the Universal Century of the original nor the Cosmic Era of Gundam SEED, as stated by Sunrise's Yasuo Miyakawa, seems to have been followed through with. Staff members are yet to be confirmed although the most persistent rumor is that the series will be directed by Fullmetal Alchemist's Seiji Mizushima.

This is of course, awesome news. It's interesting to see the first Gundam series actually set in AD, and not a fictional era. The classic Universal Century, while generally good, has been tapped into alot, and the Cosmic Era timeline seemed to fall apart as Gundam SEED Destiny fell further and further into favoring easy to write old characters instead of building up really good new characters, and just too much fell apart. The further Fukuda is from the Gundam name, the better, it needs time to heal and become the "real" feeling show that was what originally intended.

I regret that I've yet to watch all but two full episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, but the prospect of Mizushina Seiji has me hopeful. If something like FMA can be as successful as it was under his direction, I will be optimistic about what he can do for the Gundam franchise.

The brief views of new mecha designs seem eye catching enough, and seem to have a hint of the Turn A Gundam's design, which looks neat. It's always neat to see something that looks so little like a Gundam, but is instantly recognizable as one. Perhaps the most notable difference is the absence of two vents in the "mouth" areas of the new designs. It's a subtle change, but adds just the right amount of difference. Perhaps the strangest thing about the new Gundams, is that there are four. I would have expected 1 or 5, as has become the norm over the years. (Aside from G, but that's a special case, and even then the Shuffle Alliance were the 5 "main" Gundams)

Finally, the character designs look good too. The Cosmic Era seemed to lack much difference in faces aside from different skin tones and hair color/style. Everyone seems to look different enough. What's the drawback about all this though? It's another thing Japan related to make me want the Fall to arrive sooner. Here's hoping for another great show.

"Rebirth begins through destruction"