Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom (2024) User Reviews

Good follow-up for the diehard fans of the Seed arcs.

[polo9999 · 8/10 · 27 April 2024]

It's been quite an amount of years that the movie were expected to release in the Japanese theaters... maybe 15 or even more ! Finally, it reaches the Western Theaters on limited release.

As a long-term fan of the Gundam Seed anime, it was a no brainer that i got hyped and went to the theater once reached and the result's pretty good. A good amount of action and drama in a 2 hours long movie.

First mission were accomplished : It wasn't boring at all, it was quite an abridged version of a season 3 of the anime which makes it powerful and gives some breath when it requires with all the key criterias that made Seed so popular : A good balance between drama & romance, the charadesign and, of course, the stellar fights.

Now onto some part of the movie that contains spoilers about the plot.

Romances :

• The romance part has been mainly focused on Kira x Lacus (obviously) with some challenges on the way. The writters definitely have heard the numerous critics about God Yamato and put him a bit back on earth as a response. We were close to a true NTR moment (for the ones who knows the term)
• However, which was a surprise, the Shinn x Lunamaria relationship has been more developped than in the anime series which is nice to see about the secondary characters
• Unfortunelately, for the Athrun x Cagalli fans, their airing time got even worse than on Destiny i found... They are clearly been relegated to the 3rd row

Onto a few critics :

• I don't know what they have been smoked on with the antagonists designs but with the "Mother" who definitely looks underaged and offset with the rest of the cast.

• In regards of the end part of the movie, we've got more than questionnable fanservicing of Lacus... Almost as horrible than were for Meer in Destiny which is a waste, also, the design offset with the others and... some budgets assignments are definitely focused on some "body movements". The last scene is also pretty hillarious for the ships. Enough to fill some doujins shelves imho for the upcoming Comikets.

Overall a pleasant movie and follow-up of Destiny. There has been some nice appearances thourough the way and, fortunelately, not too many flashbacks.

It is the most successful Gundam movie for a reason!

[davidpayze-29934 · 10/10 · 29 March 2024]

This movie accomplishes so much in a two hour time-run, and has at no-point been unengaging. It does so much justice with the story left off from the end of SEED Destiny, by building up on what has already been established, as opposed to creating something completely different. Moreover, it explores the horrors that comes with segregating people based on genetics and skills, and the consequences it has on human and societal development.

As such, all the characters are written perfectly; even reamending characters that were previously despised in the last series to the point they are now beloved (Shinn Asuka). Both the music and animation is truly to be commended for as well, with iconic songs also being brought back in greater appreciation of the two preceding series. In addition to this, there are many great and comedic moments in the film that keeps the audience entertained throughout the whole run.

Everyone should take the opportunity to watch this amazing anime film in cinema, as its focus is so much more than just mecha action!

The Follow Up We Were Hoping For

[doomstriker888 · 10/10 · 14 May 2024]

Simply put this is gundam at its best. You may not like Gundam Seed but it's a fact that it is one of the best and most beloved Gundam series. It saved gundam back in the 2000s and is giving it a resurgence again so the vocal minority may not like it but you dam well better respect it for its significance. But thats what makes gundam great is we have something for everyone. Seed was awesome and Destiny was obviously a rushed mess but the remaster does do a good job of cleaning it up. This movie is for the fans and gives this series the high note it deserved to end on if this truly is the end of it. Give it a watch. It's a lot of fun.

An Average Movie to Add to the Collection

[VampyKitsune · 5/10 · 21 May 2024]

This movie tries to do a lot within its small runtime and it can make the plot feel a bit disjointed. We've had the entirety of two runs of Gundam SEED to establish the characters presented. This made it confusing to understand the choice to make a will they won't they relationship plotline that could have actually been carried out more creatively as I'll explain later. Aside from that other characters who have been well established in the series are treated as a vainfully as the unnamed citizens that get nuked and microwaved in the film. With side characters having their loyalty questioned only for those doing the questioning to be the ones who betray their allegence. The plot is a lot less focused on the world and instead is shifted primarily to the goals of our main villain and rival love interest, Orphee Tao.

From here I get into spoilers. The plan is that the federation is supposed to give up their allgence to Orphee who constructed a convoluted plan to destroy his own kingdom to throw it into war. He strikes most of the major representatives of the Federation to force unconditional surrender to him and his advance race of genetically modified lifeforms. Amoung these is our main character's love interest Lacus, who was quasi-mind controlled into loving him. Kira, our main character is sent back and forth on his feelings for Lacus as he feels unsuitable for being a killing machine of a Gundam pilot. The movie spends way to much time on this uncomfortable plotline to the point of embarrassment. Meanwhile, cities are being destroyed and governments toppled in the wake of the Secret Weapon that Orphee has at his disposal. In the end once all of characters rally together in the end they fight and destroy Orphee and his goons. As for all named Federation characters and even the traitor not a single one dies and it ends happy on the beach with no moment of reconciliation for the cities and lives lost.

My recommendation, get rid of the romance plotline entirely and focus more on the rift between love nd war in Kira. Make it so Kira persuing his goal of peace so blindlessly and recklessly that Lacus purposely pulls him back for fear of his and his crew's safety. Her making the willing decision to side with Orphee out of sacrifice to bring peace to Kira instead of the embarrassing jealousy mind control thing would have been far more impactful in my opinion. It would have brought more focus on to the action ans grim acts of war in the movie as well.

Essentially the film is a fluff piece finale to end off the series and does little to leave a lasting impact for the viewer. However, I do see merit in ways it could have been more impactful had they focused less on the fanservice and romance.