Top 5 Gundam Antagonists

This list is dedicated to the top 5 antagonists in Gundam (both UC and Alternate universe). Antagonists are an intregral part of the Gundam series, as all whiny teenaged protagonists need someone to push them to their limits. I measured the quality of the villain not by how sinister or powerful they were, but by the deeper dimensions of their character. Were the reasons for their actions justified? How effective were they as villains and as characters? These are some of the questions that needed answering. Note that these are my opinions, so if you disagree just share some of your thoughts in the comments below!

*warning: major spoilers*

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5.  Master Asia
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Shuuji Kurosu. Master Asia. Undefeated of the East. He goes by many names, but one thing's for sure: he earns his place here through pure badassery. This is a man who can destroy mobile suits with his bare hands for god's sake. He's also a former champion of the Gundam Fight, and a master of the style that protagonist Domon uses to defeat his enemies throughout the series. Master Asia really sets himself apart from the rest of the villains on this list with his over-the-top fervor and martial arts ass-kicking. He is responsible for a lot of the terror that occurs throughout G Gundam, but he redeems himself near the end when he realizes the error in his thinking. For his explosive style and unwavering sense of honor, I give Master Asia a well-deserved spot among Gundam greats.


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4. Haman Karn
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Haman Karn was an entry on my Top 5 Gundam Girls list, so I figure I'll just repeat what I wrote. Haman is a major villain in two Gundam storylines, and one of the only female villains at that. She is a cold and ruthless leader who uses manipulation and charisma to get her way. Her natural ability is so great that she was able to rally and lead the entire Axis community at the tender age of sixteen. Clearly, this is a woman who knows how to get what she wants. She's also a powerful Newtype, and a formidable pilot who once bested Char in battle. 

She comes across as an incredibly shrewd and merciless woman, but side-stories based on her past reveal that she is actually the product of suffering and abuse at the hands of the Federation. Tragedy is what pushed her beyond redemption, and it's only at the end of her run that we learn of her regret. I really liked the development she underwent as a character, and considering the impact she left on the U.C. timeline, it's impossible not to remember her as one of the most significant villains in Gundam.


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3. Treize Khushrenada
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Treize Khushrenada is a very multifaceted character. He says he's a lover of war, but he also states on multiple occasions that he abhors causing unnecessary harm. He idealizes chivalry and is a connoisseur in the finer things, but he's simultaneously a manipulative and aggressive military leader. It's this strange contradictory nature that makes him one of the more intriguing villains in Gundam, and it's also the reason I chose him over main antagonist Milliardo Peacecraft, who's basically just a Char clone.

His ideals cause him to clash with Gundam pilot Chang Wufei, who shares a similar admiration for battle. Their rivalry is a highlight of both their characters, and their final battle is a powerful and defining moment for Treize. Ever a man of indomitable conviction, he allows Wufei to land a fatal blow on him because he refuses to cause anyone else harm. It's an almost incomprehensible act, but that's what makes Treize Khushrenada so interesting. He's the horse-riding, tea-sipping gentleman warrior, and one of the best antagonists Gundam has to offer.


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2. Anavel Gato
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Anavel Gato, nicknamed the "Nightmare of Solomon", is one of the most fearsome soldiers in Zeon history. He fights to uphold Zeon's ideals, and is so unrelenting in his pursuits that his power of will alone makes opponents shake in their normal suits. He's also a peerless mobile suit pilot, and his abilities are no better demonstrated than when he wreaks havoc with the stolen Gundam Physalis. He wipes out an entire Federation fleet with the Gundam's atomic bazooka, and whips protagonist Kou Uraki around with just a beam saber and head vulcans. With or without a mobile weapon, he was a force to be reckoned with.

His final moments were particularly memorable for me. The way he fought to the bitter end with that burning fearlessness in his eyes, and the way he chose to go out on his own terms made me develop a deep sense of respect for his character. There weren't many redeeming qualities to him, but he made such a fantastic pure villain that I couldn't help but place him near the top of this list. He did his job as a bad guy after all.


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1. Ribbons Almark
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Ribbons was a mastermind and as macho as men come...

...nah I'm just fucking with you. Can you imagine though? I'd rip my tongue out and feed it to a cat before seriously doing this. Anyway, continue down for the REAL greatest antagonist of all time...


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1.  Char Aznable
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Probably saw this one coming didn't you? Let's just be honest here though; there wasn't going to anyone else taking the number one spot. Char Aznable is an iconic Gundam antagonist, and probably one of the greatest characters to come out of the Gundam franchise. He made the mask badass, before assholes like...

               

...these guys...

...tried to step on the wannabe band-wagon. Char Aznable was famously known as the Red Comet during the One Year War because of his fearsome abilities in battle (destroyed five Federation battleships in blinding speed) and his preference for red mobile suits. He is a brilliant ace pilot and a charismatic leader who has the ability to rally entire colonies of people to his cause in an almost effortless manner. While he is portrayed as a villain throughout most his appearances, he never truly seems to be without his sense of humanity. He cares for his fellow Spacenoid's plight, and its his anger towards their mistreatment that often pits him against the heroes. 

He has a profound respect for his soldiers, and he's shown to carry the guilt of not being able to save his comrades when he loses them into battle. Despite all the admiration he receives as a hero of Zeon, he remains humble and deflects praise when he feels he doesn't deserve it. Based on individual characteristics alone there's plenty to be said about Char, but ultimately, it's his intense rivalry with protagonist Amuro Ray that cements his place as a significant part of the U.C. timeline. Their battles constantly force them to strive for higher ceilings, and it's likely that if this legendary rivalry had never occurred, Amuro would not have become half the pilot, newtype, or man that he was at the peak of his abilities.

Sip sip, bitches

After the original series, Char continues to involve himself in war affairs. He mentors Kamille Bidan as a member of AEUG, and he leads the Second Neo Zeon movement in a final effort to have his ideals realized. Though his actions lead to his mysterious disapperance as a result of the 'Axis Shock', his lingering spirit continues to influence the U.C. universe in the form of Zeon remnants and actual clones. And really, if anything is a testament to Char's lasting impact, it's the countless number of 'Char clones' that have appeared since his departure. It seems we just can't handle a reality without him anchoring the villain role somehow, which is fine, because he brings it three times faster than anyone else. He's Char Aznable, the greatest Gundam antagonist of all time.


Check out my other Gundam Top 5 lists~

Ecchi CG Set - Judith

Featuring: Judith from Tales of Vesperia. Definitely one of my favorite character designs ever; there's something about that outfit and blue hair. Just play the game and you'll learn to appreciate it :) Anyway, enjoy the gallery~

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories [Review]

I've always been a fan of the survival horror genre of video games, so obviously I've played my share of the famous Silent Hill series. Silent Hill has always been one of the biggest names in the horror gaming scene, sharing its throne with Resident Evil. The original game being the classic that it is, it was only a matter of time before they remade it with today's hardware. And they finally did, with Shattered Memories being the result. It came out for both the PS2 and PSP, and I've played both versions. For some reason, it looks and plays a lot better on the PSP. It's probably because the graphics aren't all that impressive and therefore looks better on the lower resolution PSP. But onto the game itself.

Shattered Memories is not a straight-up remake; it almost entirely changed the plot and the whole idea of Silent Hill, with only a few elements of the story and the characters remaining untouched. Fanboys can rest at ease, however, as the new plot elements are just as good as the original. You still take control of Harry Mason, who gets into a car accident with his daughter Cheryl and wakes up to find her missing. This time, Silent Hill isn't a mysterious town Harry stumbles upon, its his hometown. It is in constant snowy weather simply because it is that time of the season. The nightmare version of Silent Hill you eventually end up in is also changed. Instead of the town turning into blood and rust, it freezes over with ice. This is also where a key game element has changed.

Combat has been taken out of the game entirely. The game is instead separated into two different modes of gameplay. The majority of your time is spent in exploration, as you walk through familiar places such as the streets of Silent Hill or the local school while looking for your missing daughter. Every now and then, you'll hear cellphone interference (its your phone this time instead of a radio) that gets louder as you get near it. When you close enough, a loud flash will go off and you'll receive a txt msg or phone recording that tell you about some controversial things that went on in that specific area. Later, you'll find that these are actually clues to understanding the confusing plot.

When you reach a certain point of exploration, the town will suddenly freeze over like an icy hell, and you'll start being hunted by hellish creatures. As I said before, you can't fight them; instead, you have to run away. The nightmare parts of the game have you running from door to door in an area that looks more or less the same everywhere you go. It is really a guessing game, and you really don't have time to think of your route when you have little monsters trying to kill you. The running is really a heart-pounder; you'll be able to hear the shrieks of the monsters behind you but not know where you're going. It is all a test of endurance. It's not until you find the exit that the icy nightmare fades. You'll probably die every once and awhile, but that's okay, the game brings you right to the beginning of the nightmare so you can try again. How generous of them.

Besides these two modes of gameplay, there are random portions of the game that suddenly bring you to a therapy room. You'll be in first-person view, and a therapist will ask you personal questions about your past and personality. The answers you give to these questions will determine certain elements of the story, from the dialogue spoken, to the appearance of certain characters, to the ending. I think these portions of the game were the best new addition to this remake and were certainly impressive as they added replay value and made it more open-ended.

The plot is certainly confusing, as you learn in the beginning portions of the game that strangers are living in your house and that your daughter has the same name as an alumni of the high school from over a decade ago. It'll all make sense when the game is completed, but the game never fully explains everything in the story. It'll leave you with a lot of thinking to do, but it's definitely worth the time to understand. My only complaint here would be that the game was MUCH too short, you can probably finish it in less than ten hours. At least there's some replay value.

So there you have it. Gameplay is radically different, but I think its for the better. I also love the therapy sessions, and how you can choose your own story. The changes made to the story are completely acceptable, and the only thing that leaves you down is the fact that it is too short. Exploration will also get rather dull at times if you don't know where you're going, and the nightmare sections are more or less blind guessing games, but it all comes together rather nicely. Overall, Shattered Memories is an impressive remake of the original Silent Hill, and is definitely worth a few scares.

Screenshots courtesy of IGN.com

[C.Jin's Overall Score: 8/10]

Patapon [Review]

This is something new I'd like to introduce. Every now and then, I'll write up a review and talk about a great game I'm currently playing. I realize I've done reviews for Tekken 6 and Dissidia, but this "Featured Game" thing is really what I wanted to do with them; I don't really like writing solid reviews. Anyway, let's start with one of the cutest and best games on the PSP: Patapon.

Patapon is a rhythm/strategy game on the PSP. I realize that's a strange combination, but let me explain. In the game, you play a deity that is worshipped by a tribe of warriors called Patapon, which are the little eyeball things. In order to control them in battle, you must beat specific patterns on your sacred drums. For example, pata-pata-pata-pon will make the army advance forward, while pon-pon-pata-pon will make them attack. You learn several more songs as you advance through the game, like the songs for defend and retreat. There is a constant beat during battle, so you must keep your timing and plan your songs right so you can deal the most damage.

There are three types of levels: hunting, boss battles, and story battles. Hunting levels involve you hunting animals that drop ka-ching (game's currency) and materials, which are both used to create more patapon. The boss battles are definitely the most impressive levels, as the bosses are nicely designed and present quite a challenge. Both types of levels can be replayed to farm for materials and money. Story levels are only played once, and have you fighting against your enemy, the Zigoton. These levels will often give you weapon drops and are generally the most fun to play. There are also mini-games that act as their own rhythm games, and can be played to create higher level materials.

Let me just say, I absolutely love this game. First of all, I love the graphics. It is a very creatively designed 2D game with a cartoonish feel. The patapon are especially lovable, with their simple eyeball designs. Gameplay is very unique and fun to get into, but the most addictive aspect of the game is definitely building your own army. There are different levels of materials, and the higher level materials are used to create stronger patapon. Your patapon army has different classes like swordsman, archer, spearman, horseman, and each patapon can be made a rarepon, which are stronger forms of regular patapon. The amount of farming you do for materials, whether it is by hunting or fighting bosses over and over again, really takes a lot of time and will have you occupied for hours. The time and effort it took to build my own army is what made me love the game.

If you have a PSP, it would have been very hard to miss this game. There is a sequel out too, which is a vastly improved version of this game. Patapon is easily one of the best games on the PSP, so I recommend you play it as soon as possible.

I Love Ramyun

I thought I'd dedicate a post to appreciate the god-send that is ramyun noodles. For those of you that have been living under a rock for the last few decades (though even cavemen would have several packets of Ramyun), ramyun noodles are a Korean brand of instant noodles. Many people confuse ramyun with ramen, which is actually a Japanese noodle dish that probably influenced the creation of ramyun. There are many different types of ramyun, from seafood to mild, but my favorite is the definitely the hot and spicy Shin Ramyun.

Shin Ramyun is the most popular brand of ramyun in Korea, and probably amongst the Korean population in America as well. The bowl and cup noodle versions of it have been so useful to me in college, where instant ramyun is incredibly useful in a time-pinch. That's definitely why its so popular amongst students and young, busy workers.

The two best things to put in your shin ramyun are eggs and kimchi. I ALWAYS put eggs in my ramyun, it slightly dulls the spicy taste but makes it sweet and more flavorful, mostly thanks to the delicious egg yolk. My method is to put the egg in on the last minute of cooking, and as soon as the egg drops you have to break the yolk and mix it around to make sure it merges with the soup. Kimchi is not normally put into the ramyun, its actually a side dish. It almost seems like kimchi was destined to go with shin ramyun because its fresh and spicy taste compliments the ramyun REALLY well. You absolutely cannot eat ramyun without kimchi. 

Though of course, as everyone knows, ramyun is amazingly lacking in any nutritional value and contains some crappy ingredients like Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). It's no wonder it tastes so good. So, I recommend that you eat ramyun very rarely (like maybe once every other week), and when you do you can add vegetables and eggs with a side of kimchi to make it a little more nutritional for you.

But these instant noodles are freaking delicious, with its hot and spicy flavor and hot, soothing soup. I might have an addiction to these noodles right now, so I better watch out though. Damn chemicals...

Gunpla News: MG Wing Gundam!

This is quite possibly the most exciting gunpla news I've heard in years. The original Wing Gundam is getting MASTER GRADE TREATMENT! Finally! The Katoki version was great, but what I really wanted was for the original anime version to get master grade. My wish has finally come true! In other news, the Gundam X is being rebooted with a HG 1/144 model. Hopefully the X gets a MG too.

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MG Wing Gundam
April Release
Price: 4200 yen
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My god, I don't know if its because I love the Wing Gundam so much, but this model is looking bloody terrific. The proportions are great, the colors are accurate, and everything is just looking so good. This is definitely a must-buy on my wish list.

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HG 1/144 Gundam X
April Release
Price: 1890 yen
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The GX looks great as well. The 1/144 Gundam X models were the first line of models I ever got in my life, so this is quite nostalgic for me. Those old models were quite brittle, especially compared to today's standards, so this upcoming release should be promising. I hope to see more of these in the future.

Gundam Unicorn: Episode 1

So I didn't bother writing about the impending release of the Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn OVA, but the first episode has recently come out and I got my hands on it. I'm not sure how many episodes there are going to be, but the first episode was nearly a full hour. It's really good to see Gundam going back to the UC era.

For the first few minutes of the episode, I was just in awe of it. The animation is top-notch, more fluid and more heavily detailed than Gundam 00. I guess you have to expect that sort of quality from an OVA. I'm also particularly fond of the music, it really added to the epic action. More impressive than anything else, though, was the action scenes. Most of the action featured an enemy mobile suit, called the Kshatriya, which is a massive newtype mobile suit that uses fin funnels. The parts featuring the Kshatriya were definitely the highlight of this episode.

The plot is very confusing at the moment, with the word Laplace being thrown around and mentions of a man called Full Frontal, who is referred to as the reincarnation of Char Aznable. The main character is very typical of UC protagonists, meaning he is a young boy trying to figure himself out and ends up being thrown into the conflict. There was nothing too surprising about the way he ends up piloting the Gundam Unicorn, but its unique in its own way and acceptable.

We only see the Unicorn at the end of the episode, but at least we see its destroy mode transformation, which is actually in 3D. Quite impressive really. Overall, it was plenty good and well worth taking a look at if you feel that hunger for Gundam after the end of Gundam 00.