Article Overview
Gundam Build Metaverse fails to live up to its potential as a 10-year anniversary celebration, offering forgettable characters, scripts, and battles.
The lack of originality and substantial exploration of the Gundam universe in favor of fan service and familiar characters hinders the series from showcasing the enchantment of the original Gundam Build Fighters. As a result, it merely functions as a promotional vehicle for plastic models, leaving fans dissatisfied and yearning for an authentic mecha show.
In October 2023, Gundam Build Metaverse was released online, serving as an anniversary celebration. However, the release received little enthusiasm. The three episodes, found on the Gundaminfo YouTube channel, bring together various characters from the Build sub-franchise but offer little else. Essentially, it is a promotional showcase of upcoming plastic models by Bandai-Namco, with hopes of enticing their "loyal, true fans" to flock to stores.
The Build series has always captivated fans with its exploration of the aspects of Gundam that extend beyond the main stories. With its 10-year anniversary, there was a prime opportunity to showcase this self-awareness once again. Regrettably, this opportunity was squandered, resulting in forgettable characters, lackluster scripts, and unremarkable battles. It is a trifecta of disappointment for viewers.
Metaverse Exists in Promises, and Not The Show Itself
Gundam Build Metaverse (2023)
Sunrise rushes through familiar faces in an hour, sacrificing original ideas to revisit the past. This sacrifice is evident in Rio Hojo, the ostensible protagonist, who exists mostly to gush about Gunpla and express surprise at meeting more popular and interesting people. Even the Lah Gundam lacks any personality or interesting features, as if there was a mandate not to overshadow the cameos. Meanwhile, the villain presents an opportunity for an emotional conflict, but lacks the time to develop it.
The three episodes of the Gundam Build sequels primarily focus on fanservice. While the idea of unifying all the previous sequels into a canonical timeline seemed promising, it primarily serves as a way to disregard anachronisms and pay tribute to familiar characters. Continuity is lacking, and the main purpose is to provide fans with recognizable characters. Even Reiji, who briefly appears in the last episode, mysteriously manages to resemble his original self. The interactions between cameo appearances are minimal, usually limited to brief greetings and farewells.
Sunrise has long been attempting to capture the enchantment of the original Gundam Build Fighters, a series that skillfully balanced self-awareness and endearing homage to Gundam, garnering widespread admiration. However, in commemoration of its milestone, the characters are instructed to promote merchandise, forcefully announcing the names of their models, leading to lackluster animated battle sequences. Although it is customary for Sunrise to advertise plastic models through brief animations, it is undeniable that Gundam Build Metaverse fails to seize the potential it held, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the arrival of the next authentic mecha showcase.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I feel disappointed by the Gundam Build Metaverse series. The show fails to live up to the potential of its 10-year anniversary celebration, offering forgettable characters, scripts, and battles. The lack of originality and substantial exploration of the Gundam universe in favor of fan service and familiar characters hinders the series from showcasing the enchantment of the original Gundam Build Fighters. As a result, it merely functions as a promotional vehicle for plastic models, leaving fans dissatisfied and yearning for an authentic mecha show.
I understand that the Build series has always captivated fans with its exploration of the aspects of Gundam that extend beyond the main stories. With its 10-year anniversary, there was a prime opportunity to showcase this self-awareness once again. Regrettably, this opportunity was squandered, resulting in forgettable characters, lackluster scripts, and unremarkable battles. It is a trifecta of disappointment for viewers. Sunrise rushes through familiar faces in an hour, sacrificing original ideas to revisit the past. This sacrifice is evident in Rio Hojo, the ostensible protagonist, who exists mostly to gush about Gunpla and express surprise at meeting more popular and interesting people. Even the Lah Gundam lacks any personality or interesting features, as if there was a mandate not to overshadow the cameos. Meanwhile, the villain presents an opportunity for an emotional conflict, but lacks the time to develop it.
