Alfred Izuruha is a 10-year-old who lives in the neutral colony cluster of Side 6 and, like most boys his age, is obsessed with the war between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon. Unbeknownst to him, Al's next-door neighbor, Christina, is the test pilot of a prototype Gundam being developed in secret by the Earth Federation in the colony. A Zeon Special Forces team is assembled and tasked with infiltrating the colony in order to either steal or destroy it.
When a skirmish breaks out between the Federation and infiltrating Zeon forces, the fascinated Alfred stumbles upon a Zaku mobile suit that has been shot down, piloted by Zeon rookie Bernard "Bernie" Wiseman. After this encounter, the two start a mutual friendship, so Alfred can learn more about the war that interests him so much, and Bernie can acquire inside information about the colony to aid his team's mission.
Synopsis
Dubbed as ‘Kidou Senshi Gundam 0080: Pocket no Naka no Sensou’ or in short ‘Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket’, this six-episode series is a heart-wrenching war drama that’ll run you through an emotional gauntlet. Set in Universal Century 0080, it’s devoid of any grand heroics or epic space battles, focusing instead on an all too real reality of war as seen through the innocent eyes of our ten-year-old protagonist, Al Izuruha. Living in an Earth Federation colony, he is fascinated by the war between the Federation and the Principality of Zeon. His admiration for mobile suits soon meets reality when a battle erupts in his colony.
Al befriends Bernie Wiseman, a rookie Zeon pilot, who’s undercover after his mobile suit was destroyed in the battle. As the Federation plans to stave off another Zeon attack using a prototype Gundam, Bernie is given a mission that decides the fate of the colony; unbeknownst to Al, who becomes entangled in it leading to dire consequences. This animated war drama is tightly packed with intense narrative, heart-breaking character arcs and the heavy price of war.
Review
Let me tell you folks, ‘War in the Pocket’ is a must-watch and possibly one of the best war dramas made in anime. It’s not just another ‘Gundam’ entry. Instead, it focuses on the atrocities of war through the eyes of an innocent child, making it markedly different and poignant.
‘War in the Pocket’ delves into the grim realities of war without having grand heroes or bombastic space battles. Instead, it throws you in the deep end, vehemently depicting ideological clashes, tough moral choices, and the harsh contrasts between the innocence of a child and the bitter realities of war.
The animation quality is superb and holds up pretty well even today. Specifically, the mobile suit designs are great, combat is well-animated, and the detailed colony life insinuates nuances that are not often seen across the genre.
The series boasts excellent voice acting, with Japanese voices perfectly fitting the character’s personality and echoing their emotions freely. However, the English dub doesn’t fall far behind, effectively channeling the pathos of the storyline.
The storytelling is just brilliant. In only six episodes, it manages to make us deeply empathize with the characters, even though we know they’re part of a war that lacks any clear good or evil. Mangaka Harutoshi Fukui does NOT sugar-coat the horrors of war – instead, he portrays them in a way that forces viewers to question their own morals and ideologies.
The series ends with a gut punch that serves as a devastating commentary, highlighting the tragic cycle of war that’s common in the Gundam franchise. However, due to the inherent risk of spoilers, we will leave the details for you to discover.
In conclusion, ‘War in the Pocket’ is a profound storytelling masterpiece that shows us how war is never about heroes or villains – but about ordinary people caught in its vicious cycle. So, whether you’re a Gundam fan or just someone who appreciates great storytelling, this is an absolute must-watch. Choose to buy, rent, or stream it – just make sure you don’t miss out on this gem.
This crown jewel amongst the Gundam franchise stands as a testament to what can be achieved in storytelling, setting a high benchmark for any anime tackling the theme of war.
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