It is the year Universal Century 0079, in a space colony the Earth Federation is storing and testing a new piloted robot for use in the battle against the Principality of Zeon. The experimental RX-78 Gundam mobile suit is scheduled to be transported to Federation command in Jaburo, deep within the Brazilian jungles. Unfortunatley, before the transporter would arrive, the Federation would come under attack from Zeon. With few resources available against the Zeon's most mobile mechs, Federation forces strike back using their new weapon, the mobile suit Gundam.
Caught in the crossfire is a young teen named Amuro Ray. Not willing to see innocent people die like this, Amuro crawls into the cockpit of the closest machine around him. Whether it be a tank, jeep or jet, he was going to use it to help stop this slaughter. And what he happened to slide into was another Gundam. Having never operated a machine like this, what are the chances he can do anything to repel an experienced squad of mech-piloting invaders?
Volume 1 includes an essay from Hideaki Anno, director of the hit anime Neon Genesis Evengelion.
Color pages from Yas.
And an essay from Kadokawa Publishing Executive Shinichiro Inoue.
Eanetdude
Posted Fri Mar 29 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Beautiful manga release! Thanks, Vertical Inc.! Great hardcover, the glossy paper really brings out the color pages and the black & white pages appear clear and sharp. Insightful essays in the back.
Only nitpicks I have are with the phrasing of some sentences and speech bubbles from the translation, "Engrish"... if you will. That and some over the top word usage that seems pretentious, especially on that back cover.
Will for sure pre-order further volumes!
Shmuffalo
Posted Wed Mar 27 00:00:00 EDT 2013
After Viz cancelled this series in its infancy, I never thought we would have an English edition of Gundam: The Origin. I'm so glad that Vertical not only proved me wrong, but published this treasure in a high-quality format few comics get to achieve. Gundam: The Origin is an excellently-crafted comic that is highly accessible for any reader, reimagining the original Gundam story in a way that accentuates its depth while expanding older fans' views of the source material.
The Origin is more than just an adaptation of a classic animated series. Penned by one of the series' original creators, this series treats the subject matter with the elegance of a masterful cartoonist. Every aspect of the original series' story and world-building is embellished, and Yasuhiko does not do this for the sake of fanservice; each creative decision enriches the reader's involvement in Gundam's setting and their ties to the series' characters. Yasuhiko's background in animation brings a unique sense of pacing and rhythm to his panels; his page layouts never feel like elaborate storyboards, instead using clever design to control the flow of reading. This volume also reproduces his fully watercolored pages (which bookend each chapter) in stunning beauty, showing off his unique sense of emotive color that's rarely been seen in the US.
In terms of production quality, this hardcover is phenomenal. Every inch of the cover is wrapped in elegant art by Yasuhiko, with little text to distract from it. All of the pages are printed on nice gloss paper (which I found a bit strange for the black and white pages, but was well worth it for highlighting Yasuhiko's stunning color pages). The back of the book features three translated essays, providing some background and cultural context for the comic. Manga scholarship is rare to find in English, especially regarding the elusive Yasuhiko. I feel the essays provide good context for readers unfamiliar with Gundam, its cultural influence, or its beginnings, while giving fans further insight into Yasuhiko's body of work and relationship with the series.
"Activation" is the first volume of eleven to be released by Vertical, and I can hardly wait to have the entire series become the centerpiece of my bookshelf.
Anonymous
Posted Sun Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2013
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
It is the year Universal Century 0079, in a space colony the Earth Federation is storing and testing a new piloted robot for use in the battle against the Principality of Zeon. The experimental RX-78 Gundam mobile suit is scheduled to be transported to Federation command in Jaburo, deep within the Brazilian jungles. Unfortunatley, before the transporter would arrive, the Federation would come under attack from Zeon. With few resources available against the Zeon's most mobile mechs, Federation forces strike back ...