Mecha Analysis: G no Reconguista Episode 1 & 2

 

As you may or may not know, Gundam G no Reconguista kicked off in Japan yesterday. I thought it would be wrong if I did not write about the anime the scale models in this blog are based on. Instead of analyzing the episode (you can read my quick thoughts on reddit), I will be looking into the machinery in each episode. With a focus on the mechanical design, I can tie it into the scale model hobby at some point.

Background
Gundam G no Reconguista is set in the Regild Century, many years after the Universal Century. Tomino's story focuses on a Captial Guard student named Bellri, a bright whimsical character who happens to be the director's son (whatever that means). The Capital Guard run into some pilots, shooting happens, people die, all the synopsis. If you're reading this blog, I hope you're watching the anime.

The ones responsible for mechanical design in Gundam G no Reconguista are as follows,

• Akira Yasuda, known for designing mechs in Turn A Gundam, Code Geass and Overman King Gainer.
• Kimitoshi Yamane, notable for mechanical designs in G Gundam, Gundam SEED, SEED Destiny, SEED Stargazer, IGLOO, and Eureka Seven: Ao
• Not much can be found about Ippei Gyobu. I think he's new.

Hopefully, through this list, we can see how their previous works compare to the work in this anime.

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Episode 1
We start off the episode with a short action scene between Grimores, Catish and the G-Self. Besides the opening scene, both the Grimorie and Catish do not play a prominent role until episode 2. Because of this, I will save my analysis of these two suits for the section labeled "Episode 2." The two suits that show up throughout the episode is the Recten and the G-Self.

Recten

Bellri initiates test protocol

This mobile suit is the general purpose machine of the Capital Guard. Mainly used for repairs and general maintenance, it is shown there are many tricks to use the Recten as an offensive machine. I really like the Recten design. The overly-boxy, barely-humanoid look sets it apart from other suits that exist in the series.

Offensive capability of the Recten

Not much of the same can be said about he rear thrusters. The shape matches the rest of the body, but I wonder why the arms connecting to the thrusters have to be so long - they'll become less effective as they stray farther from the suit!

The maintenance utilities like the welding gun and large arm attachments are okay. Nothing really stands out in that department, though the fact that the welding gun can be tweaked to become a weapon is interesting. I am curious on how the metal bars on the head help protect against...anything. Maybe that's the point, if they're really more like general purpose mechs, then they're not meant to see action so readily.

Welding Gun used as a short-ranged beam weapon

One thing I missed the first couple times of watching the episode is the Recten's remote camera located on the lower part of the head. I wonder if we will see this featured in the Gunpla kit.

Bellri deploys the remote camera system.

The head design reminds me of a certain CRT-faced robot, Kanchi!

Unfortunately none of the Mechanical designers are credited towards FLCL, so there is no direct correlation (unfortunately).

G-Self

The first time we see this mobile suit, it is being fought over between the Pirates and the Capital guard. A girl by the name of Ms. Monday falls out of the cockpit as a Grimorie attaches a cable and shocks it. The capital guard rescue the girl, while the pirates fly off with the G-Self. One feature we see in the opening scene is the fact that the G-Self has detachable backpacks. The atmospheric pack detaches from the G-Self as the pirates grab the suit. We see, later in episode 1, that the G-Self has other backpack attachments, including one for maneuvering in space.

Pirate Operated G-Self with a space pack

G-Self, in episode 2, deploying the Atmospheric pack

Weapons include collar mounted beam sabers, generic shield and a beam rifle which gets "Rect" by Bellri.

Besides these features, not much has been explained in how the G-Self is special. I am sure I will have to mention the G-Self more than this one time. For now I can touch upon the aesthetic. The overall design is very much similar to Turn A Gundam: the round body shape, and the atypical V-fin being the most prominent. With the interchangeable packs, I can see influence from SEED's Striker Packs. This gives an interesting mix of military/'tacticool' loadouts of SEED and the mystical power of Turn A (with a little bit of F91 in the atmospheric pack). I am not fully sold on the design yet, but the idea is starting to grow on me as I see it in action...

...or as it gets captured.

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Episode 2
I thought the transition from the space fight in episode 1 to campus life in episode 2 to be slightly confusing. I understand there is a space elevator, and the location can change pretty readily, but the end of episode 1 involved the G-Self riding the elevator farther and farther away from Earth, and then we cut to episode 2 where they're on Earth, on campus- a little jarring. Once again, if you're confused with what I am talking, go watch the show - I am not trying to give a show report.

While in the atmosphere, we see more Catish and Grimories in action. The Rectens attempt to fight, but get absolutely "Rect." G-Self, once again, but not much can be said that I haven't gone over alrea-WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

This world became a very strange place.

Grimorie

 

So far, the Grimorie is shown as the staple of the Pirate's military might. These machines can go against the Captial Guard Catish, and destroy Rectens in Earth's gravity. These multipurpose military machines can be used in space and on Earth, with a decent ability for mid-ranged attacks and hand-to-hand combat.

 

Unfotunately, it seems the cockpit is pretty exposed, making them pretty susceptible to beam weapons at any range.

CAHILL, BANZAI!

A very interesting design overall. I like the fat military man look to the suit.

Catish

Episode 1, in pursuit of the G-Self and the Pirates

The Capital Guard's atmospheric flight suits, all we see them do is fight against Grimories and, most of the time, get destroyed. They're equipped with a mid-range weapon and some sort of melee weapon, but are seemingly inferior to the Grimories.

Hopefully we get to see more of these suits in the future doing much more than getting sliced by the Grimories. The design is definitely not striking any "awe cords" in me right now.

"Classics"

This is a very interesting scene to me. The first two suits the animators show when Cahill inspects a warehouse are the following,

For those who are unfamiliar with these two suits, they are the Zaku II and the Rick Dias, both of which are the first mobile suits you see in Tomino's first two Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam, and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. A very cool nod at Tomino's past work!

From there, I am not sure if every suit shown are exclusively from Tomino's work, but a majority of them definitely are.

Not much to talk about in terms of designs and features. I wonder how many more times we'll see references to the Universal Century throughout the series. If the story of Amuro was ever passed down, how would they portray him potentially thousands of years later? I guess we will see in the coming weeks! 

Until the premier of Build Fighters Try, this has been Mecha Analysis, see you then! 

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