A Special Thanks Goes To Kodansha, Vertical Comics and NetGalley for the ARC
It’s time for a brand-new review, this time it is the first Giant Mecha-related review for Manga. Junji Ohno’s Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin MSD: Cucuruz Doan’s Island volume one. It’s a five-volume series that is based on the lost pilot episode from the original Mobile Suit Gundam TV Series. It also serves as a retelling of Yoshikawa Yasuhiko’s manga series Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN. For more reviews, be sure to click here to read the past reviews.
The Story of Cucuruz Doan’s actions is told from a brand-new perspective, through the eyes of Cucuruz Doan’s Zeon Soldiers under his command, exploring the ramifications of Cucuruz Doan’s actions during the One Year War. Gundam Veteran Junji Ohno brings us a new tale with brand-new characters and a new view of the development of the original mobile suits, all with the imprimatur of Yasuhiko himself.
It’s an interesting approach to what happened after Doan’s actions, for those who aren’t familiar with the tale, Cucuruz Doan was introduced in the original Mobile Suit Gundam TV Anime’s 15th episode titled Cucuruz Doan’s Island, which goes deeper into the lore that the original TV series introduced but with a fresher perspective years later. As a fan of the Mobile Suit Gundam series, I appreciate Ohno’s approach to a classic tale, both in script and artistically.
These contributions enhanced the storytelling, not only for the better but also a deeper understanding of the era’s technology and the personal stakes involved. It was an interesting shift, exploring the moral and strategic complexities faced by both sides of the conflict. If you’re worried that it wouldn’t stay true to the original Gundam series, then this first volume will put your fears to rest, when Junji Ohno introduced brand-new characters, he expanded the development of the original Mobile Suits. Just keep in mind that it does get confusing in some spots, so just be sure to pay attention in certain areas.
For the artwork in this story, the character designs were on par with the original series, invoking the style of the original work in each panel and character design. But the characters aren’t the only ones that made the book stand out, it was the designs of the Mobile Suits, the machinery, and the weapons were illustrated well to go with the kinetic action in each panel and page. The environment changed in certain areas of the book, for example, from battles in the deserts, in the Black Sea to training missions in space.
Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin MSD: Cucuruz Doan’s Island Goes On Sale On October 1st in your local bookstore and e-retailer. Be sure to check out the previous Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Manga and Anime Mini-Series, the Original Mobile Suit Gundam anime, and the film adaptation on Crunchyroll.
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Final Grade:
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