Originally Posted by LoweGear
That was actually a rather good start to the series, even if it ain't exactly the kind of grim-dark that the Prologue was. Suletta is very much a panicky, socially-anxious wreck of a girl completely different from every main protagonist we've got in every other Gundam before. Nonetheless, Suletta does have a spine to her, and the fact that she challenges Guel to a duel despite her nervousness for Miorine's sake is a rather good indicator that Suletta can rise to the occasion when push comes to shove. The small hints we get from her, such as her never having attended school before, and seeing and tasting an actual tomato for the first time, really says a lot about how she lived beforehand, making it appear as though she and her mother lived in (relative) isolation since the events of the Prologue.
The first episode still doesn't actually lay out the general direction of the series, as it can still go anywhere at this point, but does establish the world and the ground rules for the school quite well: basically, the school solves its disagreements through sanctioned mobile suit winner-take-all duels where the objective is to break the opponent's blade antenna. I love the high technology on display in the episode, such as the energy shields the school uses to block beam weapons from the combatants.
The Gundam Aerial here though despite not moving much manages to actually look and feel amazing in combat, especially once Suletta takes the helm and unleashes the full power of the GUND Format via the Bit Staves, which was suitably epic and well-animated in a good cinematic moment. I find it hilarious though that we essentially get a Gundamjack this episode via Miorine stealing the Aerial in order to fight Guel herself, and it clearly shows not only how bad of a pilot Miorine is but also that the Aerial is most definitely Suletta's machine. I also like the little details on the fight, like how the Aerial's beam rifle has thrusters, and how much recoil it has when firing (Unicorn's Beam Magnum has nothing on this thing).
That ending though was utterly and completely HILARIOUS due to how well they set it up: since Guel becoming Miorine's fiancée was decided via a duel, then by defending her honor and defeating Guel, Suletta de facto becomes Miorine's groom. It's blatant yuri bait, but it's very well done and entertaining yuri bait, especially Suletta's reaction to how the hell that happened. Also the relationship between Suletta and Miorine is just a joy to watch at the second half, with Suletta showing us her indignant gumption at Miorine's Gundamjack with a headbutt to return the favor earlier in the episode.
Counterbalancing all the school events though are the goings on behind the Bennerit Group, and how its leader Delling Rembran rules over it with an iron fist, immediately bankrupting a company under them that wasn't performing well. We even get an attempted assassination by one of the board members against Delling as a play to have their house marry Miorine, though that plan got derailed when Suletta wins the match. It's a good tease into how the events of the school will affect the outside world and the larger corporate politics at play, and we'll likely see the reverse with outside events affecting the school in future episodes.
And finally the one thing that amazes me most about this episode: the sound direction. Not only was Takashi Ohmama's music actually quite great, but the music and sound work was used to such incredible effect in this episode, from the mechanical background sounds to how they aligned the music with the action onscreen (that drop in the music before the Bit Stave attack was especially sublime). Bamco obviously made a brand new sound library for this series to use, and the staff ain't afraid to use them to give this series a refreshing feel sound-wise.
Definitely looking forward to future episodes!
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