One my objectives has been to try and finish off all of the Gundam series that are out to date. With all of the anime on the market and new games coming out, it is very easy to get deterred from a goal like this. I decided that the first anime I would watch after getting back from my honeymoon had to be something Gundam since there still are a few series that I have yet to complete. I decided to start with something shorter and chronologically closer to the original. This was the reasoning I had behind choosing to watch Mobile Suite Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket.
The plot behind this OVA follows a 10 year old boy named Al during the one year war of the original 0079 series. Al is a mobile suit enthusiast who joins up with a team of Zeon soldiers who are trying to uncover a secret mobile suit development plant on a neutral colony. One of the rookie Zeon soldiers, Birnie, befriends Al and ends up fighting with the uncovered Gundam prototype suit.
I won't go into too much more detail on the plot to avoid ruining the story outcome. This OVA has much less fighting than many of the other Gundam series and focuses more on the development behind the main character. The main theme that is developed in this show is that war is not something to be glorified. This is evident in the final battle between Birnie and the Gundam.
The soundtrack to this show was not one of the more memorable ones for me as far as Gundam is concerned. The faster paced, techno-based songs are replaced with slower, orchestral themes. While I do enjoy these types of soundtracks, I won't be rushing out to get a copy of this one. With that being said, the BGM for this show fit very well for the atmosphere and animation style.
The image quality was pretty decent for a show that was made in 1989. The animation style was clean and still had the retro look and feel. I am a huge fan of retro style anime, and although the story was a little slower paced in this one (with the lack of battles), the animation style was something that kept me interested.
Overall, I was a big fan of this series. I would highly recommend it for those who are fans of the franchise. For those Who are not huge proponents of the Gundam franchise, this series is something suited towards those who enjoyed movies such as Grave of the Fireflies. There are many elements that will touch your emotions and keep the harsh realities of war in check.
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