History Anime / MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans

* DownerEnding: By the end of the series, [[spoiler:Rustal Elion ends Tekkadan as an organization, wipes out [=McGillis=]' Revolutionary Fleet, and succeeds in reforming Gjallarhorn into a more democratic system with himself at the top, all of which furthers his personal reputation.]]

** Even life on Earth isn't a utopia despite the general prosperity and highest concentration of wealthy population. [[spoiler:Just ask [[CharClone McGillis Fareed]], who spent his life as StreetUrchin]].

** Gaelio is an obvious [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Garma Zabi]] expy, being the purple-haired son of a noble family who's a PunchClockVillain and [[spoiler:gets screwed over by the CharClone]].

* MythologyGag: In addition to the requisite CharClone and other various {{Expy}}s...

** When Crank's Graze is upgraded into Shino's Ryusei-Go, it was basically given a salmon-pink color scheme -- just like [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Char Aznable's iconic Zaku II Commander Type]]. The actual CharClone gets a deep burgundy mobile suit instead, but it has a machine gun with a drum mag on the top just like the traditional Zaku weapon.

** IBO holds more than a few similarities to Z Gundam. First of all, the Alaya-Vijnana system works in a way that makes it similar to the Psycoframes. Second, the obligatory CharClone isn't outright evil (he fights on Tekkadan's side even in the first season, like Quattro Bajeena fought alongside the AEUG). Then there's the fact that several Mobile Suits in IBO look like their designs were based on mobile suits from either 0079 or Z (such as Carta Issue's Gaplant-lookalike). And in Episode 24, during the heroes' first fight in a city, [[spoiler:the Graze Ein appears out of nowhere, taking Tekkadan by surprise, much the same way the Psyco Gundam appeared in Z, except Graze Ein didn't have to transform before wreaking havoc]].

* RecurringElement: Like in the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'', the protagonist first meets the story's resident CharClone face-to-face via a roadside incident. More precisely, [[spoiler:Mikazuki meets ''both'' of the story's Char Clones at this time.]]

** Montag's Grimgerde, which was the Graze's predecessor that was used during the Calamity War. [[LightningBruiser An ultra-high mobility mobile suit]] with rare {{Absurdly Sharp Blade}}s installed on [[DualWielding each arm's]] chobham shield, along with matching autocannons. Naturally, it's [[LawOfChromaticSuperiority painted]] [[CharClone red]].

** Amida's certainly dressed very revealingly... showing off an enormous scar that stretches from crotch to collar bone. That may depend on your taste, since there are some people who find scars sexy and others who don't care either way.

* AnAesop: While the show presents a lot of thorny problems and doesn't pretend to have all the answers, one thing it seems very clear about is that there isn't just one kind of family or one kind of romantic relationship that's valid: it only depends on respect and love.
** The CGS Third Group started out as exploited orphans and ChildSoldiers, with no one to love them or protect their rights. Kudelia wanted to help vulnerable children like them, but she had no one she could trust--not even her own parents. Their rebellion and their decision to create Tekkadan allow them to create an adopted FamilyOfChoice that also helps those like Biscuit and Takaki to take care of their surviving relatives through their work.
** As for romance and parenthood, sometimes it takes a relatively traditional path, such as with [[spoiler:Merrebit and Nadi who get together and have BabiesEverAfter]]. Others can be quite unconventional: the Turbines have a relationship based on polygamy and communal raising of children, and it works because everybody knew what they were getting into and decided they didn't mind the responsibilities that come with sharing everything. Eventually [[spoiler:this path is followed by Mika, Atra, and Kudelia, who discover that they want to be together as three lovers, and Atra's son Akatsuki grows up with two mommies]]. Meanwhile, while Yamagi may feel discouraged about whether Norba will notice or return his love, the other boys are sympathetic to his feelings and nobody makes him feel wrong for being gay.
** UndyingLoyalty is rarely a good thing. If the person one is loyal to is unscrupulous, it can easily end up turned into something unhealthy on purpose, and even if that person isn't, being unwilling to criticize the one you are loyal to when they should be criticized can easily get both of you into trouble.

* ArtisticLicensePhysics: The Dainsleif railguns are powerful weapons, capable of accelerating huge projectiles to incredible speeds. However, one recurring issue is that they often don't penetrate at all, be it through armor or the ground even though they often offer quite spectacular destruction otherwise, even though the explosion present in kinetic munitions is minimal in real life. Additionally, they are never shown to have any substantial recoil despite the projectiles size nor are mobile suits shown to try and compensate for it.
** In season one, there is a scene where the main character is firing a 300mm/12 inch smoothbore cannon straight into the back of a particularly armored mobile suit, and the character says "That armor is tough", although the animation does not show a ricochet or deflection of the armor piercing kinetic round, and the Barbaratos clearly takes damage from similar kinds of munitions throughout the series.
*** This problem of dialogue not matching what's happening on screen is present throughout the series, but is reduced with better animation in season 2.
*** [[spoiler:Except when the main character is killed at the end of season 2. Physics goes out the window as soon as the Dainleifs are fired.]]
** The space ships never take damage from guns mounted on said space ships. [[spoiler:In 50 episodes. Ever.]] Contrast this with Gundam Seed, Destiny or 00, where you have even cruiser class ships routinely destroying each other with large beam cannons that don't even get named until episode 5+.
*** [[spoiler:In IBO, no space ship is ever destroyed in all 50 episodes with ship fired cannons.]]
** [[spoiler:Apparently the only thing you can grow easily on Mars is corn. Why? It's not explained.]]
** [[spoiler:The Ahab generators produce artificial gravity. For some reason.]]

* DropTheHammer:
** The Barbatos's main weapon is a giant two-handed mace, a complete departure from the usual beam rifle + shield tandem that is common for Gundams used by protagonists in other Gundam series.
** The Gundam Gusion wields a more traditional example, one that's [[RocketPoweredWeapon outfitted with rockets]] for increased power. Kudal Cadel's main tactic is to build up enough momentum through rocket-assisted [[SpectacularSpinning spinning]] before unleashing an asteroid-pulverizing blow.