KiritoNarukami

I have much love for the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, but Iron-Blooded has taken the cake for being the most emotionally draining and believable (characters and it’s world’s policies).

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It’s been a while since I’ve been so immersive in the “fantasy” of an anime. The ideologies and political affairs in Iron-Blooded Orphans were very thought out. Making the world, that these characters live in, very rich and meaningful. This also applies to the characters themselves, each with his or her own story for fighting with or against our beloved Tekkadan. Which is a good thing and a bad thing: Good because that makes characters that we can relate to and fall in love with, bad because it hurts that much more when they die. The ending leaves a very bitter yet sweet taste in the audience’s mouth.

The beautiful animation and art style carries over from season 1 and it’s amped up to 11. Each Mobile suit battle is more intense than the last, showing the capabilities of each unique suit. The Excellent and diverse set of backgrounds ranges from the barren wastelands of Mars to the jam-packed cities on Earth, the art is full and immersive.

Watching Tekkadan grow from the ground up, knowing their origin, strengths, and weaknesses make the audience feel a strong bond or connection with the group. This applies mostly to characters such as Mikazuki and Orga who are the leaders in every situation. Seeing Orga waiver on his decision to shoot for the stars or protect Tekkadan makes you realize that he, too, is a human who fears failure and losing his loved ones. That makes him relatable and therefore a likable and memorable character. This can be said for every character in the entire show, that’s how great the character development is in Iron-Blooded Orphans.

A fantastic orchestral soundtrack that has been with the series from the beginning continues to amaze the audience with its powerful compositions and energy. Openings were very powerful and energetic, whereas the endings have a softer touch.

It was more of me crying and yelling at the screen rather than enjoying each episode but, regardless the show has a powerful story that will make you feel something, that’s for sure.

A masterpiece and hands down one of my favorites in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. A bitter sweet anime that’ll leave you breathless with its fantastic characters, thoughtful ideologies, and high-energy fighting animations. I highly recommend for both veterans and newcomers, to either anime or the franchise. It’s a great starting point!