Mecha Analysis: Gundam Build Fighters Try Episode 15

Previously on Mecha Analysis
Gundam G no Reconguista Episode 16
Gundam Build Fighters Try Episode 14
 
Today on Mecha Analysis, we look at episode 15 of Gundam Build Fighters Try.Something to keep in mind when looking at the Gunpla: Returning from Gundam Build Fighters, the ones responsible for mechanical design of Gundam Build Fighters Try are as follows,

• Kunio Okawara: THE Gundam designer, designing the original RX-78-2, and Zaku II along with many designs through the years. He's had his hand in Zeta, ZZ, 0080, F90, F91, 0083, Victory, G Gundam, 08th, Wing, X, Turn A, SEED, 00, Unicorn, and many other non-Gundam anime. Holy crap this list is long.
• Not much is said about Junichi Akutsu, Junya Ishigaki, and Kenji Teraoka.
• Kanetake Ebikawa, though has been working as a mechanical designer since the late 90s with anime like Blue Submarine No.6 and Full Metal Panic!, did not start designing for the Gundam franchise until 2007 with Mobile Suit Gundam 00. Other notable works include Gunpla Builders Beginning G, Gundam AGE, and Euerka Seven: AO.

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Episode 15
Like the last time team Try Fighters upgraded their suits, the team flaunts their individual skills without much teamwork at all (though the jump-start boost from Yuuma was a nice touch of teamwork). Overall, it's what I've come to expect with this show (in terms of battles) - gratuitous amounts of flare with little substance.

Team Amorphous

This South Hokkaido team, like the name does not suggest, uses transforming mobile suits.
The first to be eliminated is the Screw Gabthley, a suit based on the Zeta Gundam Titans suit of the same name. One thing I realize I like about the Gabthley is the mobile armor mode. The "head" is quite interesting. Unfortunately for this suit, the only action we see of this Gabthley is the transformation into molten remains as Try Burning speeds by.

Raider Lagoon is completely owned by Winning Gundam. We see the typical armaments from its base model, the Raider Gundam of Gundam SEED: the Mjolnir and the Hyper Velocity Shield Cannons. For a suit with a custom name, not much has really been customized - this and the Screw Gabthley. Somehow a part of me thinks the suit designers were being lazy.

The only suit to see a decent amount of action was the Gundam 00 suit, Salty Kyrios. Why are there so many 00 suits taking the main stage this time? Could it be the fact that two out of three mech designers had a hand in the show? No, that can't be...

Moving on, the Salty Kyrios, like the other two suits in the team, is a stock suit. Even the tail unit with the rockets is something from the original Kyrios. Nothing remotely salty about this suit.

Overall Team Amorphous was from the red shirt department: Nothing but collateral damage.

Team Try Hards

I remember when Sei upgraded his suit in the original series. He tried to conceal his special moves until later in the tournament. Of course, he ended up showing the power of his shield and Plavsky Gate quite early on. In Try, we see these guys, without restraint, flaunt their power with confidence in Victory. Though there's nothing wrong with this approach, a part of me feels like they're not playing their cards smartly. I'm sure they're going to win either way.

Star Winning Gundam is pretty much more of the same - she still separates and transforms. Additional armaments include funnels and a blade that attaches to the beam rifle, creating a gunblade of sorts.

The funnels seem to not have any ranged weapon attached, but the energy that comes out of them can be have a variety of functions like cutting, pinning, or defending. The back funnels seem to be shaped in a way that it can be combined into an over-sized shuriken whereas the side funnels, at least in this episode, do not have that function.

When Lightning Gundam first appeared, I was unimpressed by its performance. With its Back Weapon System upgrade, I was still unimpressed by his performance. Now that he has the Back Weapon System Mk-II, calling his Lightning Gundam "Full Burnern," I can finally say I am sold on this suit.
The way Yuuma says "Kousaka Yuuma, Lightning Gundam Full Burnern...here I come" reminds me of the way Kou Uraki launches off with his upgraded Zephyranthes. All we need now is The Winner by MIO playing in the background.

Though Lightning Gundam's backpack and weapon have changed, the base kit and function have not. Right now, everything we know about the Lightning Gundam upgrade is a mere tune up with some aesthetic changes: Nothing suggests Yuuma created brand new weapons for a different fighting style (like Fumina's funnels). I'm assuming this was done on purpose since, according to Meijin Kawaguchi III, his mobile suit was already well constructed.
All in all, Yuuma, in this episode can be summed up with one image,

Aoi Honoo episode 2

Try Burning Gundam did not change, as to be expected.

 

Please, Sekai. At least name your fire-bird-engulfing technique...

Gundam Lion 3?

According to certain sources it is named Gundam Lion 3, but I don't think there's an official name for this mobile suit yet. We only catch a(nother) glimpse of this mobile suit, this time in the post-credits scene. Though I do like the concept, I am hesitant to say whether I am interested in this suit or not.

This suit is supposedly based on Gundam ZZ, though I see nothing that resembles the Core Top and Core Base. I am interested to see how this Voltron-like team come together and I hope the parts don't disassemble to reassemble (which the current images highly suggest).

I think I covered everything to be had in this episode. See you all tomorrow for G no Reconguista!