MSG Iron-Blooded Orphans - G-Tekketsu

[Kraco]

That's the main difference between him and Mika. Orga's strength is his lofty charisma and ballsy decisions that work out only because Mikazuki is godly on the field. He's really quite empty under that guise of confidence. It was perceptive of him to sniff out negotiation troubles before they happened. It's something I thought Merribit would be better at too.

Despite being taller Orga certainly drew the short stick of those two. Mika is just doing excellently the one thing he has always done: fighting. Nothing more, nothing less, plain and simple. But what exactly gives Orga the qualifications to lead this group? Sure, he can make decisions and stick to them without continuously hesitating the second-guessing himself, but that could be viewed as a personality trait, nothing more. However, these guys were the slaves when the old company was still up and running. There's no way Orga actually had any leadership training or education of any sort. He also has very little experience of anything but doing dirty work back on Mars. Mika can fight everywhere the same, but Orga was a fish out of the water the moment they left Mars. I can't help but pity him, but at the same time you have to admit he has actually succeeded splendidly all things considered.

Seeing how this is getting a second season I wonder when Orga dies. Will he die at the very end of this first season, forcing Mika to finally think for himself and do something else in addition to fighting, or will Orga still be in the second season? It's hard to say now, but with the series getting longer, I have a feeling he should die before the end of the second season for it to be more meaningful and for it to launch Mika's personal development. If this had been a single season, he could simply have died heroically in the last ep saving the others, but with plenty of eps left, it could be used for Mika's sake, following the Gurrenn Lagann example.

[shinta|hikari]

Orga has charisma, one of the most important things for a leader. And then there's luck. His plans are almost always suicidal, but they always work.

[Kraco]

Orga has charisma, one of the most important things for a leader.

But in whose eyes? He's actually the little brother to the Turbine chap and basically a chess piece for the Teiwaz big boss. For the Gjallarhorn... Well, I think very few there even remember his name or face. A few, however, are very impressed by Mika as a Gundam operator. If you look back at all the episodes, the Tekkadan is a bunch of space rats who have their hands full merely by existing. Orga doesn't really need much charisma to lead these people. Without him, they would just sit still feeling sorry for themselves until they starved to death. I don't think the story has really given Orga that many chances to put his charisma to any real use. Maybe the space colonies were the first opportunity, but they were too busy trying to flee for him to rally people.

[shinta|hikari]

The very fact that he became the lil bro of Kamina shows how charismatic he is. Judging from the people on Kamina's ship, I'm sure it's not often he takes a liking to guys.

To put the comparison in perspective, while Mika is certainly a good pilot, he's no Kira Yamato. Other elite pilots have almost beaten him if not for luck and help, and that's with him using Alyana while the others use normal controls.

[Kraco]

It's a pity Orga starting to get along better with Merribit lost all the sparks that were between them and also decreased Orga's cool factor (charisma) in my eyes. This is because Orga started to rely on her as someone in whose eyes he doesn't need to look like an adamant leader. Like Bill said earlier, she feels so much more mature and wise that she's necessarily looking down on Orga, even if not in an offensive sense. It must be a huge stress relief for him, though.

[shinta|hikari]

The worst part about the Orga X Merribit relationship is it emphasizes Orga's lack of affinity with women. That's where Mika owns him totally. Mika is a natural playboy despite looking like a midget, while Orga is a naive kid despite looking like a gigolo. It's a very interesting character choice on the part of the writer/s.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm still waiting on them revealing that he secretly still has her handkerchief. That needs to happen

[Kraco]

The worst part about the Orga X Merribit relationship is it emphasizes Orga's lack of affinity with women. That's where Mika owns him totally. Mika is a natural playboy despite looking like a midget, while Orga is a naive kid despite looking like a gigolo. It's a very interesting character choice on the part of the writer/s.

Dunno how he can be such a naive kid at one specific thing when he isn't at anything else. He was the mastermind of the original bloody coup and pretty much anything they pulled off since. Why would he lose his cool with women? It's true he probably doesn't quite know how to deal with them since such personal things don't play a role in his grand plans, but I reckon he also doesn't have huge interest either. He's too invested in looking after Tekkadan.

Mika is only interested in himself, so he can easily be so natural.

[shinta|hikari]

And what did he do with the sticky handkerchief?

[Harima Kenji]

Episode 21 was Gundam

Even though I could predict a certain characters fate from the first 10 seconds of the show, the fights, the drama, the humour, the allround badassery made this great. The only thing I missed was the slaughter of a certain person by Mika's hands.

[Buffalobiian]

I hope Orga keeps his cool and recognises that Issue is more valuable alive than dead. Daughter of the most important ruling family makes for a very good shield.

This has been the first land-warfare since Mars. I guess we forgot that Orga's supposed to be a competent field commander.

Biscuit will be missed. It's his careful checking that makes sure Orga's grand plans are left without holes. I suppose Merribit can fill those shoes, but I also hope this means Orga gets to grow as a more well-rounded leader. If the show fails to portray that, then he should really die in a future battle. As the characters have acknowledged, without Biscuit they'd be gambling a lot more on luck.

[Kraco]

Mika isn't exactly known for sparing enemies, so who knows. Issue might live or die. At least none of them are evil, so in that sense if Mika now initially doesn't finish her off, it's unlikely she would be summarily executed later. Byt the looks of it she didn't die yet in this episode, but once Mika switches his attention back from Biscuit's death scene, she still might.

Even if Issue survived, it would be strange if she could get back to her former position. She has miserably failed two operations back to back losing lives and helluva lots of material. Furthermore, both of the operations were such that Gjallarhorn wouldn't want them to become public knowledge. Actually, now that I said that, it's not unthinkable Issue would make an extremely poor hostage. The HQ might think her only use would be to die a martyr's death. That is, she would be more useful dead than alive.

[shinta|hikari]

Her family might think otherwise. She's probably in a high position because of that anyway.

I love Mika's choice of weapons. It's so barbaric. And the melee battles on the ground are much better than the shootouts in space. It just feels a lot more gritty and exciting, especially when they smash up the enemies using clubs and shit.

[ForteCross]

Her family might think otherwise. She's probably in a high position because of that anyway.

I love Mika's choice of weapons. It's so barbaric. And the melee battles on the ground are much better than the shootouts in space. It just feels a lot more gritty and exciting, especially when they smash up the enemies using clubs and shit.

especially when you can hear the metal crushing beneath the clubs!

seriously i hope mika freaks the fuck up and just smash Issue inside her gundam, although i would like to see her gundam frame fighting her brother. one by one tekkadan is getting armed up with their enemies frames, the only problem with this series is that the gundams themselves are not named and most of the time is hard to recognize, but in the upside most of the characters are strong

[Kraco]

one by one tekkadan is getting armed up with their enemies frames, the only problem with this series is that the gundams themselves are not named and most of the time is hard to recognize, but in the upside most of the characters are strong

I enjoy every single moment of the lack of Gundam worship in this show. That's why it's all well and good not overly much attention is paid to the frames themselves and most go without names or special super unique abilities. Instead we have got the interesting personalities and the cybernetic implants making the main guys a more realistic opponent to the infinite governmental forces.

[Buffalobiian]

Mika isn't exactly known for sparing enemies, so who knows. Issue might live or die. At least none of them are evil, so in that sense if Mika now initially doesn't finish her off, it's unlikely she would be summarily executed later. Byt the looks of it she didn't die yet in this episode, but once Mika switches his attention back from Biscuit's death scene, she still might.

Keeping her alive wouldn't be Mika's call, it'd be Orga's.

[shinta|hikari]

Mika needs a threesome after losing a close friend. Orga can use some Merribit S Onee-san play too.

[Kraco]

Episode 22-23 - HS



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Just what sort of a military academy did Carta graduate from? The train ambush was beyond ridiculous. Especially after her speech on the island was already once interrupted. Now she repeated the exact same mistake. She's really beyond any and all hope. But then again, it was said the episodes directly that Gjallarhorn has lost its original purpose a long time ago and is now only a hive of corruption and political power struggle. It makes sense its warfare is also more about display of power and ceremony than actual strategic fighting. McGillis certainly was playing Carta like a pro.

Mika and Orga's unhealthy relationship took another step upwards. In fact it's hard to recall too many relationships between two characters in anime that would have been this powerful. They really depend on each other in a twisted, insane way. It was quite interesting to see Merribit continuously hesitate and ponder how to help Orga in a mature way, even to the point of trying to consult other adults in vain, yet the only way to get Orga back on his feet was that shared craziness with Mika. On the other hand considering the starting point of those two, they are still a lot higher above the surface than in the very beginning. Merribit can't be blamed too much, or in fact anybody at all, nobody save those two themselves knows what sort of a bloody journey without an end they embarked upon, even if Orga seems to be forgetting it every now and then. Merribit is getting surpringly involved, nonetheless, even if she's largely helpless.

[shinta|hikari]

OMG. This was the best episode yet.

That massacre was awesome. Biscuit, you have been avenged.

Mika is probably the best protagonist I've seen in years. Cold, brutal, yet human.

The scene where all the children were watching and Merribit was panicking was PRICELESS. It clearly depicted just what kind of lives these kids lived before becoming Tekkadan. Merribit's arguably correct reasoning is meaningless against the bonds these kids share.

All that said, I actually like all the antagonists so far, even Carta. This episode humanized her a lot. That fight clearly made Barbatos the villain, which is absolutely delightful for me. I got the shivers each time people got surprised at how brutal Mika can be. He was always like that though. These girls just hadn't seem him fight before Tekkadan left Mars.

[Buffalobiian]

Carta was useless, but she's got the best heart here. Bless her.

Somehow people with standards always appear more "just" than people without, even if the former does the wrong thing with it and the latter does the right.