The Gundam Curse
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You are currently reading a thread in /m/ - Mecha
You are currently reading a thread in /m/ - Mecha
So /m/, I've been stewing over something for a while, and it came to me when A friend and I were talking about IBO. You see, whenever we talk about the characters in a Gundam series, we usually refer to their counterpart in Mobile Suit Gundam. For example, we were talking about how autistic this Amuro (Mikazuki) was, pointing specifically to his fight with Ramba Ral (Crank Zent). It was just a habit that sort of developed over time. I realized this, and turned to my friend, knowing X was one of his favorite series, and asked what the protagonist's actual name was.
He could not remember.
In fact, he could not provide the name of a single character from the entire series.
We had both seen Victory Gundam, and yet, could only remember the names of Uso and Katejina.
We went through all of the Gundam series, and it turns out that for the most part we could only remember 3 or 4 names at most from each series.
There were exceptions, namely the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Z, G gundam, and IBO.
We determined the reasons for these.
The original MSG is a classic, and had a lot of character archetypes that the rest of the series would use, but even then we found some literally whos. Can you remember the name of that fat guy in the beginning who died? We couldn't.
Z shared most of the characters, and the new ones we could remember we only could because of the nicknames we gave them (papsmear circus).
G gundam is a Gundam series only in name /spoiler/ and yet is the best one of them all /spoiler/, so the characters were more easily memorable.
And IBO is currently airing, so it's fresh on our mind.
We think it's hard to remember characters because most Gundam shows are dry and slow paced, especially the ones written by Tomino, and because of that we can't remember their names because the characters aren't memorable.
We call this the Gundam curse.
Anybody else suffer from this?
Try and name pic related. What series are they from and what did they do in it?
Here's an easier one.
Can you even remember their role in the series?
>>13570256
Ennil El - scavanger turned enemy turned ally
>>13570276
Karen from 08th MS team - fondly remembered for being a mediocre pilot who unit gets trashed and winds up with a GM head.
Hit me with another.
>>13570256
That's Ennil El from Gundam X. She tried to seduce Garrod but got a gun pulled on her instead. She remained bitter about this for a while, until she befriends Toniya (the delicious brown girl) iirc. I've also heard she was the first character to get a breast bouncing cut-in in SRW.
>>13570276
That's Karen. She gets bodied by an Acguy.
>could only remember the names Uso and Katejina
How could you possibly forget the character with the best name in the entire franchise
Marbett Fingerhat
>Marbett Fingerhat
>>13570276
She was afraid to jump with the parachute and she got her Gundam trashed by a Zeek.
>>13570290
I can remember what he does, and how he dies, but his name? Nothing.
>>13570300
Steiner Hardy, War in the Pocket, leader of the cyclops team. Also was in this one official 4 panel way back where he reincarnated as Master Asia and taught Bernie the Sekiha Tenkyouken.
>>13570291
>That's Ennil El from Gundam X. She tried to seduce Garrod but got a gun pulled on her instead. She remained bitter about this for a while, until she befriends Toniya (the delicious brown girl) iirc. I've also heard she was the first character to get a breast bouncing cut-in in SRW.
Also was supposed to get a !Gundam in the form of the Esperanza, a unused design that exists only as a concept art.
Here's one I can remember relatively easily. Like, it takes a little bit of memory jogging, but I'd say this character is more minor than >>13570300 . I'm just not quite sure what it is. I can remember a lot of the names from 00, but that's probably because it was more recent and had some goofier names (Aliluiah Haptism). I can remember the names of 5 pilots from wing (literally the numbers 1-5) , rileena, zechs, and treize, but none of the other cast.
>>13570256
Mugga, I knew who Ennil El was before watching X.
This seems to be a problem only you and your autistic friend have.
>>13570256
>Can you remember the name of that fat guy in the beginning who died?
You forgot Ryu's name?
This guy we could remember, but only because his name is similar to a certain OTHER president of space America
>>13570324
I've never forgotten Guin's name, motives, or deeds.
>>13570292
I think Biscuit Griffin has bumped to best name honestly.
>>13570256
So long as the show is in recent memory I remember almost every characters name.
I rewatch shows at least once every 2 years.
>>13570324
Why that's Petty Officer Louis Mashengo.
>>13570256
Do you guys watch other anime a lot? Because having trouble with names in anime is more or less normal when you're new to it.
>>13570400
i know that
what is he doing on that boat?
>>13570422
We've both been watching Chinese girl cartoons for a long time, but it just seems to be Gundam that we have this issue with.
>>13570422
this
i've been watching any kind of animu since kid and played a lot of games and stuff, recently got into kancolle and easily memorize their names.
i am now able to recognize any kind of characters by their fanarts or even doujins
how the fuck do you guys not know the names of the characters from the show you watched if you're not new
>>13570484
But that's the thing
It's only Gundam
I'm fine on any other franchise
But it's probably because the characters in other shows aren't boring as shit
Even in slower paced shows like Legend of the Galactic Heroes I can name a majority of the cast. Even though the show is very slow and exposition heavy it does it well and is saturated with character development, whereas Gundam is just very slow.
I don't remember any of the events that occured in Victory Gundam or Gundam X other than very major plot points, even though I would probably rate them as some of the most enjoyable of the series to watch.
Do you both have dementia or something?
>>13570256
>my friend and I are stupid and forgetful
>clearly this isn't the fault of our own cheetos-addled dudebro brains and must in fact be part of a conspiracy
>>13570256
I can remember nearly everyone's names and what they do in Gundam shows or anything else I enjoy watching, but the less I care about a show the more I have to resort on naming them after their hair color or other defining features.
>>13570540
This. You and you're friend watched Victory but couldn't remember MARBETO-SANNNNN?
>>13570517
Pay better attention.
OP it's not that uncommon, and definitely not limited to Gundam. I watched M3 just last week and the only characters whose names I can remember are Heito and Emiru because all the others are so generic, I can't even remember the MC's name because he's the same self insert that's in a million other shows.
>>13570256
>Can you remember the name of that fat guy in the beginning who died?
Yes you faggot
