GUNDAM BUILD FIGHTERS

DESCRIPTION

CAST

ANIME ActionGundam Build Fighters Try
SPECIAL ComedyGUNDAM BUILD FIGHTERS: SD Kishi Fighters
ANIME ActionGundam Build Divers
ONA ActionGundam Build Fighters: GM no Gyakushuu
ONA ActionGundam Build Fighters: Battlogue
ANIME DramaKidou Senshi Gundam
NOVEL ActionGundam Build Fighters
ONA ActionGUNDAM BUILD METAVERSE

REVIEWS

• 

  CodeBlazeFate

  73/100
  It's best as a celebration of what Gundam is and was, as well as being an insanely fun promotion for Gunpla kits.

  Back when I was a kid, I'd say 4 or 5, I began my path to geekdom with two legendary and out of this world sci-fi series, Robotech and Star Wars. These two golden oldies were part of my childhood and I can't thank my parents enough for introducing them to me. More than 10 years later, I'd eventually hear about the "Star Wars of anime", Gundam, a legendary robot war franchise as expansive as the Star Wars universe itself. I loved Code Geass, all 3 seasons of Robotech (Macross, Southern Cross, and MOSPEADA), so I was interested. More than a year and several Gundam series later, I wound up here.

  I felt like a kid again.

  mild spoilers

  Gundam Build Fighters was such a personal breath of fresh air for me that I haven't had since the early episodes of G Gundam and the 4 monthly episodes of Thunderbolt Second Season over the course of Spring 2017. The story goes that for 5 months in a row, I had never seen a legitimately very good or very fun series, ever since the Winter 2017 season when I showed my love for Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen and gloriously took down the disaster known as Hand Shakers, I watched almost nothing but anime that either sucked or disappointed me. Sure, I still had the absolutely stellar Gundam Thunderbolt Second Season but that only came on one episode per month and then it was back to more disappointment and suffering. By this point, Zeta was declining a bit in quality towards the end, the Akito movies were trash, I was massively disappointed in Jin-Roh, as while G Gundam and King's Avatar cake close, neither series ever quite gave me that spark of greatness and awesomeness I had longed for (barring episodes 6-12 of G Gundam), not to mention that I saw Eromanga-Sensei, Gundam ZZ, Musekinin Galaxy Tylor, and Super Kid, four anime that I despise greatly and had a horrendous viewing experience of. I was about to give up. I was even ready to give up on Gundam for a while once I was done with this and ZZ. Once I reused this however, things began to change.

  I started having fun again, fun I hadn't had since the aforementioned episodes of G Gundam and the monthly viewing experience of Thunderbolt Second Season, which gave me joy I hadn't had in anime since Winter of 2017. I started geeking out again and gawking at the epic flashy mobile suits being introduced. This anime wa super fun. It was great...kinda. You see, this anime is a Valhalla for Gundam fans, seeing all ther favorite Gundam units and mobile suits either present or reimagined with even some characters from these Gundam anime we know playing minor roles and cameos, but despite that, this is a silky and sometimes stupid kids show akin to G Gundam, and while that's not an absolutely bad thing, t means this anime wasn't quite as great as it could be. It fought valiantly however, and I'm proud of it not only for that but for reigniting something in me fully. Thank you for listening to my story, so for now, let's skip the usual segue and just jump into the review proper, shall we?

  I’ll address the bad first this time around, unlike usual. First off, they really underutilized he whole alternate world thing involving Reiji, the Chairman, and the Plavsky particles. We don't know how Reiji could go back and forth at his own leisure or anything about the other world beyond Reiji being a prince and his rock beings stolen that can generate these plavsky particles. Also, Gunpla tournaments are horrendously managed since it's insanely easy to cheat and there is literally no rules beyond maybe one that is clearly being broken anyway (no suits that enhance abilities), making it insanely easy and common to blatantly cheat with no repercussions or anyone to report cheating. Some victories are pretty much either asspulls or otherwise things that could've been easily stopped, especially in the later episodes, such as in episodes 21 and 24. Certain losses feel forced too, and a forced loss is always a horrible thing.

  However, what makes this script way better than it has any right to be is the sheer attention to detail with the fanfare and what certain things mean. While I wish they were drawn instead of just real life images, it's nice seeing the actual Gunpla boxes in stores and stuff, and white frankly, it's amazing to be able to look at Gundam units and mobile suits and recognize what they are and what particular Gundam anime they came from, as well as seeing the new variation and pinpointing what inspired it and where said mobile suit came from. They even snuck in glorious character cameos for fans like me to geek out at. Each mech used in combat from one of the other anime is represented faithfully as well. I like that Plavsky also rhymes with Minovski (the particles from Universal Century) and that Ranba Ral is a side character who quotes/paraphrases iconic lines from the actual Ral character from 0079. Lastly, I like how Sei’s dad piloted the original Gundam from the original Mobile Suit Gundam while Sei now pilots a variation of the Strike Gundam from SEED. Reason being that it's really like passing the torch to someone who imitates and looks up to you. After all, SEED is a modern (for the time) attempt at recycling the original Gundam anime (you know it's true).

  The characters in the show are fine for what they are but most of them are the plain characters you'd see in a younger action anime of this type, though they're done decently enough without being obnoxiously cookie cutter. It's interesting that Sei is a total SEED fan who originally wanted his Gundam to adhere to that series’ technological mythos (though that particular method is kinda broken thanks to the Destiny Gundam making no sense from that standpoint) and that he subconsciously knew all of the dialogue from the original Mobile Suit Gundam, but it adds very little to him. Honestly, my favorite character is Rinko, Sei’s mom, not just because of her beauty, but also because of how avidly she ships her son with China. And she’s a side character with no real important role. The other good character here is Ricardo Fellini, the Italian Dandy, simply because of his sheer style and his awesome Italian variation on the Wing Gundam (an overrated mobile suit that had a much worse color scheme in its original form than in this variation), the Wing Fenice.

  Tatsuya...starts out interesting, but under the guise of Meijin, becomes a boring broken record whose two favorite words are “Meijin” and “victory”, though as his normal self, he’s a decent enough rival character. Aila is definitely the most complicated and somber, and I do like that she is just as douchey and gluttonous as Reiji, whom she grew to like, her whole tsundere gig (thankfully spared from some of the most egregious tropes that ruins a tsundere immediately) with always calling him “Baka” and blushing and acting all stuck up when she’s embarrassed sort of became annoying at times. I'm not gonna talk about everyone since there’s quite a lot of them (heck, I hardly even brought up the main leads), but I’ll try to list a few things here and there. Kirara is a beautiful idol character (who needs to write better songs) and I like her relationship with Fellini, Ral is a mostly chuckle-worthy comic relief Ramba Ral quoter who gets a cool scene where he fights a dude who is disrupting a match, Mao has infinitely better taste in Gundam waifus than his master, and Reiji can be kinda fun to watch at times, whether it's him being sassy or getting sassed at. The only character in this show that is truly terrible is the chairman, and I have no idea why they made him, the main bad guy, a pathetic comedic character who can't get shit done and is always whining and cowering in fear. But yeah, an overall meh cast with some decent and some bad characters. I guess this is to be expected for a kids anime though.

  Each old Gundam and Mobile Suit are recreated perfectly in this installment of the franchise, and the designs of the original suits or variations of old suits look amazing as well, with standouts being Star Build Gundam, Gundam X Maoh, Crossbone Maoh, Wing Fenice, Sengoku Astray Gundam, and Gundam Exia Dark Matter. The fight scenes are mostly pretty good with some epically flashy attacks and equipment shown in each battle, from the digital effects lasers, to the capes that deflect beams, to each powered up mode of the Star Build Gundam. Sure, a few bits here and there (including a bit in OP 1 and ED 2) have kinda choppy frame rates, and there’s a bit of bad CGI, including the gray explosion clouds which don't look good, and the character designs are only decent and not as good as say, 00 or Unicorn, but overall the series is well animated and the digital effects are used brilliantly here. Shoutouts to some of the crazy cool techniques they used in Sengoku Astray’s battles in episode 19.

  OP 1 "Nibun no Ichi (ニブンノイチ)" by BACK-ON is a pretty good and upbeat first OP they really sets us in such an upbeat and fun series. OP 2, "wimp ft. Lil’Fang (from FAKY)" by BACK-ON is even better, and honestly, one of the best this franchise has to offer, though I find it hard to describe what makes it so good other than the great vocalists. ED 1 "Imagination > Reality" by AiRI is a generic ED and as such, it's easily skippable. ED 2, "Hanpan Spirit (半パン魂)" by Hyadain, is a pretty charming and nostalgic ED, and is overall much better. I especially love the ending part of that. The actual OST is...overplayed. There aren't a whole lot of tracks, just like in Zeta Gundam, but those tracks were, on the whole, superior to these. There are some pretty good tracks like “Meijin~Six times the passion of an ordinary flamenco” and “Samurai edge”, but the main standout I can find the name of is “PowerResonance”. Still, none of these themes are bad and not a lot of them are truly forgettable, but thus small OST is overall just good and not great, even with the stellar OPs.

  To be honest, even with some irritating cliche moments and weak character writing, as well as a few disappointing fight outcomes, I still enjoyed the hell out of this series. I geeked the fuck out over seeing Gundam units like MK.II, Zeta, F91, and so many more and going “I know that Gundam from that one series”, as well as doing the same with the variations and the non-Gundam mobile suits. That’s a major factor in the charm of the series, especially in the first half where that is more prominent. Though, episode 23 was also amazing since we literally get to see so many characters from these Gundam series make background and minor cameos, including many dead characters too. I especially loved Char’s and how he sasses Sei’s dad. Honestly, this is why I’d recommend this series only to people who have seen a ton of Gundam anime from multiple timelines. Newcomers won't get all this or be able to truly appreciate this kind of hype-inducing fanfare like I did, and thus, some of the charm, especially for the first half will have been robbed. The actual fights were overall pretty exciting too, like Build Strike vs Zaku Amazing in episode 6, Star Build Strike’s reveal in episode 10, Star Build Strike can Sengoku Astray in episode 19, the battle of Ao Boa Qu in the finale, and many more. I wouldn't outright say I love this series, but damn was it pretty fun. Heck, despite the fact that it never quite reaches true greatness, as an anime in and of itself, it's still pretty good, mediocre character writing and occasionally disappointing storytelling aside. It's best as a celebration of what Gundam is and was, as well as being an insanely fun promotion for Gunpla kits. Quite frankly, it's still one of the more fun Gundam anime out there, and that's pretty important too for an anime about giant robots fighting and destroying each other. Well, with all that said, I bid you adieu.

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• 

  ChillLaChill

  85/100
  Entry-level enough for young audiences to enjoy, but contextualized enough for Gundam die-hards to embrace

  I was not expecting this show to be any good. I legitimately thought it was going to be boring corporate schlock, crapped out of Sunrise, but I was proven so wrong and I'm glad I was. The entirety of Gundam Build Fighters is so honest in what it wants to be that it's a miracle that it even turned out the way it did. Sure it might be some ploy to sell Gunpla, but it's a damn elegant one at that. There are so many hidden references and little nods to a bunch of different Gundam series that it's hard not to lose your mind as you fanboy/girl over the tiniest things. I laughed my ass off seeing the Nether Gundam referenced, it didn't even have to explain a thing for me to get the joke, I got it. Hell, even Mr. Ral being a character was a treat in of itself. Kid's will be entertained by this show, Gundam fans will be entranced by its copious amounts of Gundam fanservice that comes from the heart. Gundam fans will appreciate the effort put into this show as they see even the most obscure mobile suits make their appearances. Even just seeing various mobile suits fighting got me feeling like a little kid giddy with excitement. I kept smiling knowing the series that each mobile suit was from and liked seeing how much of a super fan the protagonist was. It was even great to witness certain characters select the kinds of mobile suits to use in battle, acting like an extension of their personality that just kind of works. It takes a unique spin on the usual battle anime by using plavsky particles as a way to use Gunpla as holograms. Besides being an on-the-nose reference to Minovsky particles and follow-up incarnations, it just gives the show some fantastical depth that doesn't really need to be explained for kids or fans; doing so would ruin the mysticism of it all. There's just so much that clicked with me during my viewing. The fights, while not overly detailed, was like watching a Gundamized version of Super Smash Bros.. I can't emphasize enough how great the callbacks are, especially for hardcore fans that can decipher every little detail that the average viewer might not pick up on.

  Let's also take a moment to talk about the blood-pumping soundtrack too. Yuki "You Say Run" Hayashi does a stellar job at making dramatic moments feel intense. Even if it might be a "show for kids", Hayashi breathes life into the battles with plenty of energy. I'm literally just watching two plastic Gunplas fight it out, and yet I'm here getting chills watching it. There's a few stand out tracks that really play with some different genres that kind of meld together. I haven't even talked about the openings, and endings, which I never skipped. Speaking of My Hero Academia though, it's the same director, and it definitely shows in the superb action sequences, especially when the Gundams seem like a 1:1 recreation of All Might moves. Ironic considering this show pre-dated the now widely acclaimed hero series. Since the mobile suits have no real pilots with true consequences, they were able to go batshit crazy with the combat scenes. It's just an all-around solid package in the production department. The animation could've shined more for the more slice of life scenes, but realistically I don't think it needs to because it helps juxtapose the insane action. It still effectively portrays the Gundam fanbase from all walks of life without getting too complex. Making it overly animated would only detract from its simplistic storytelling and relaxed energy of the everyday scenes. I get so many vibes from the various battle shows I watched as a kid, and the overall structure does a great job at bringing me back to the simpler days of my youth watching shows like Yu-Gi-Oh (it has quite a few similarities since both series feature a high-profile character from another world who helps the protagonist fight battles).

  The main thing, as an older fan, is that Build Fighters does tend to step into anime cliche territory at times. Certain characters are very rudimentary, lacking nuances of proper characters that other series might have. It's something that can be forgiven as this show's main target demographic isn't people like me, at least immediately. It's geared more towards younger fans, so some leeway is necessary for my criticisms. Of course, that's not to say many of them aren't charming because they're all special in their own way. The narrative can get a little bit lost sometimes, and it doesn't always justify its choices with the most rational decisions. This means that the pacing can meander it plots a route for its protagonist, only for them to get sidetracked with irrelevant, albeit entertaining side-adventures. Some of these stories do somewhat flesh out the minor character's history, just a little, with certain ones getting either half or a full episode dedicated to them. It works well, but sometimes it can feel a bit aimless. For example, Mao's half-episode felt necessary, it just should have been written to center around the whole Build Fighting and not martial arts; just my two cents. Sure many of the characters feel very surface level, juvenile even, but they get adequate development over the course of the show.

  The biggest elephant in the room is the fact that the dub of this series is absolutely horrendous. Fandub levels of bad. I thought I had stumbled upon one, and didn't realize I was watching an official version on GundamInfo's channel. Big letdown, and it does upset me that the dubbing which wasn't handled with the same care. If you watch Build Fighters watch it subbed, the voices are so much better. I'm not usually one to be the sub elitist, but here I'll make an exception. The actors barely put emotion or enunciation in their character portrayals. Save yourself the trouble of a dub that has no standards. I don't know how they even allowed this one to receive the dub it did, it's an outrage for a show like this, and kids should not be subjected to it. Good kids show dubs can and do exist already. With all that said, this is a great series for the younger crowds regardless. Really the only thing to make me cringe was the dub, so really as a kids show, it's damn solid in its presentation. Build Fighters becomes one big tournament arc in the latter half, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it begins to hit it's stride later on. Of course, this big end-tournament arc, while entertaining, could have had more of a build-up (see what I did there), in order for characters to really grow and train properly. With that said the final few episode battles were very adrenaline-inducing. If there's anyone who doubts that the show never reaches a peak upon ones initial viewing, then I strongly urge you to stick with this show until the very end.

  If you like anime that's in the same ballpark as Yu-Gi-Oh, then you're in for a wild ride. Build Fighters does make me envious because we rarely get any kind of series with passion behind them in recent years when it comes to shows based games or brands. In fact, I'm a little surprised actually that Bandai didn't jump on the whole toys-to-life trend that was a huge thing back when this show was airing because it works so thematically with the universe, plus I would've been completely on board with that idea. Build Fighters will remind you why you love Gundam in the first place. It's not going to wow you with its thrilling plot or depress you by (constantly) killing loved or hated characters. That's not the point. In fact, it's not meant to even be gripping either. It's just pure unadulterated entertainment for fans of Gundam. Gundam Build Fighters treats its audience to a spectacle that strays far away from being a petty cash-grab. It's a celebration of what I, and I'm sure many other Gundam fans will adore. Build Fighters has so much intricate care put into the entire show it's hard not to love it for just existing. I highly recommend this series. It's the perfect distraction from the usual mainline and AU spinoffs. It's so enjoyable in fact that you can just flip on an episode whenever Gundam decides to depress you with its overly serious presentation. It's been a while since I've seen anime so unafraid of acknowledging how fun it can be, and there's a lot of unexplainable nostalgia for a show I literally just finished. The people working on this Build Fighters know their audience well enough to have me caring long after my viewing was finished. This is aimed to be a timeless Gundam piece that has enough lightheadedness and magic that will be enjoyed across the generations. Build Fighters isn't a shameless toy-focused show, it's an open love letter to fans of Gundam where the merchandise is just the added benefit.

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• 

  MC45436G

  99/100
  More than just a piece of advertisement, it is a love letter to the Gundam culture as a whole.

  Out of all the anime I’ve rated there are 2 that stand out a lot from the rest, Transformers and Gundam Build fighters. While I can easily explain the former as being a childhood show, the latter’s placement has much more nuance to it. There is a very good reason why this show that seems like it was aimed for kids and a glorified gunpla ad is the only other Gundam that I’ve given this score to. Simply put, Build fighters is a Gundam that has an appeal that is far beyond the show itself. It is not a series you would completely “get” without very specific prerequisites.

  To a regular Gundam fan who is looking for a serious story, Build Fighters looks like a childish entry of the franchise that misses the point, to a gunpla builder it is a glorified advertisement, and to the non-initiated it is a generic sports anime with a combinations of those other opinions. However, if you follow the main message of Gundam and understand all those perspectives, the true beauty of this show becomes apparent. Build fighters is a celebration of the Gundam culture as a whole and what it means to partake in it. The franchise is so much more than just the anime or the model kits or the other media holding the anime, it is all of those combined. What could count as being a Gundam fan is far more out reaching than with any other series. A fan could only watch the anime, or build the kits, or read the manga and play the games, it doesn’t really matter since they are all still Gundam fans. However, when you invest with all those different facets of the franchise together and join in the community discourse, you will get to appreciate what this show accomplishes.

  Build fighters is a passion project and love letter to the whole Gundam culture made by Gundam fans. So many elements in the show reflect what it is like to be invested in the many sides of this franchise and be part of the community surrounding it. Aside from the countless references to the various anime and elements of the gunpla hobby, it showcases just how particularly passionate fans of the series can be. To the most enthusiastic Gundam fans, this show reaches a level of relatability and entertainment that can only come with a massive investment with the franchise.

  Of course, a piece meant to appeal to Gundam fans needs a decent story to stand as a full show. Build fighters’ plot is that of your regular sports anime with multiple coats of pure Gundam goodness. While it may seem generic at first, the plot actually helps build upon the celebratory nature of the show. It allows for the different contestants to each represent all the shades of the Gundam fanbase. Aside from allowing a wide range of personalities, each character depicts all the different kinds of fans and their special relations to the franchise. Another unique quality that is strengthened by the sports anime format are the battles themselves. When the usual realism of Gundam is taken out of the picture, it allows for a much wider variety of exciting and unique fights. Despite the ridiculous concept of having the model kits fight using straight up magic, the battles are still still fought with a lot of tactics and intelligent moves. In addition, since the gunpla aren’t real mechs with pilots some of these fights are some of the most brutal and graphic in the whole franchise. Without the concern of human life, the kits sustain so much more damage than normal mobile suits. Furthermore, this element also plays a part in both the story as well as making for some emotional scenes.

  If you weren’t addicted to plastic crack before then this show will make you interested in the hobby. It goes over all the essential information about building gunpla in a very entertaining way. Call is shameless advertisement, but is one that is fueled by pure passion. The joys of the hobby as well as interacting with like-minded people is expressed with so much heart that it is infectious. There is a level of satisfaction when your niche interest is shared with so many others that is perfectly captured by this show.

  Even if you’re not a Gundam fan, Build fighters is a series with so much heart, passion and pure entertainment that anyone can enjoy it. If anything, it has the biggest chance of converting somebody into a fan of the franchise and its different areas that no other series comes close to having. The Gundam culture has so many avenues that extend past just the anime and this show expertly captures that. Thus, once you have familiarized yourself with all the things that come with being a Gundam fan, that is the point that building fighters becomes a masterpiece.

  I will say that the passion is the strongest in the first season and later works do feel like more of a generic sports anime or a more blatant gunpla ad. They are still fun shows and have even improved in some areas that this season lacked, but none of them have been able to capture the magic that the original had.

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