Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans

Let's be honest he is rich, influential and has plenty of charisma (plus he seems to be ...well... vigorous person). All these criteria seems like pretty legit justification for harem. Damn if I were girl, I would probably give it thought or two too.

Also I think Tekkadan can fit into Teiwas, at least for while. After all it just means they will receive payment from them instead directly from client using their service.

Yeah, pretty much. I'm not quite sure if the narrative wants us to sympathize with him or not. On the one hand, he keeps doing stuff that makes me want to dislike him. On the other, the whole harem thing is treated like an eccentric but ultimately harmless quirk, rather than something that raises serious questions about his character.

I suppose part of my issue with the character is that he's in a series that's forcing its viewers to take a long, hard, up-close look at topics like human trafficking and child soldiers. Then it introduces a character who has a ship crewed entirely and exclusively by his harem who he's explicitly not only sleeping with, but has actually fathered children on, and it's treated like comic relief. If not for the fact that his kids with them are shown, I'd be pretty comfortable assuming that his "harem" is nothing of the sort and that's just what he calls his adoptive family because he's kind of over the top like that, and he's only really sleeping with the scar chick (whose name I forget at the moment). But the show goes out of its way to assure us that yes, in fact, he does sleep with all of them, and he has half a dozen babies (each by different mothers — also mentioned repeatedly) on the ship itself, plus who knows how many older kids back home.

Iron-Blooded Orphans hasn't been very subtle with its characters so far. Everyone is either a Despicable Evil Honorless Coward or a Noble But Ruthless Man Who Does What He Has To Do. Naze is treated more like the latter, but seriously he's got a fucking harem. The amount of dissonance there is boggling my mind.

He agreed to take Tekkadan seriously after the boarded his ship, stormed his bridge, and held him at gunpoint. Sure, he clearly didn't much like Maruba, but he seemed content to take Maruba's money until the kids who Maruba had abused were shoving guns in his face. He treats Tekkadan decently once they get to that point, but it's not like he decided to betray Maruba for Tekkadan's sake. He just took the option that didn't end with everyone dead.

Seriously, that was his other option. His pilots seemed to be winning the mecha battle, which meant they controlled space, but Tekkadan controlled both ships. If he had refused to negotiate with them, then he basically forces Tekkadan to take him hostage. If he still refuses to negotiate, then eventually Tekkadan has to shoot him — at which point his mecha pilots probably destroy the Isaribi, at which point Tekkadan kills everyone else in Naze's ship, at which point Naze's mecha destroy that ship as well, at which point the mecha pilots are now floating in space with no ship and eventually run out of air.

Naze's agreeing to talk to Tekkadan was entirely self-serving.

edited 27th Nov '15 10:48:29 PM by NativeJovian

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.

• Cannoli. Definitely some mafia elements
• I liked Garma, but his expy here is boring and kind of a jackass
• "Do you have a partner" -> "I miss Crank". Um...?
• Orga is blushing while talking to Naze. New ship!
• Merribit has a striking design and a name. Probably the spy!
• And now Kudelia gave Fumitan a necklace that matches her own. This episode is big on Ho Yay
• Yamagi is jealous of Shino's whore
• Huh, looks like the Turbines are around for the long haul

So here we have Tekkadan joining Teiwaz, family stuff, and gay

Welp, looks like the What Do You Mean, It's for Kids? entry is going to get a big ol' expansion after this episode.

What's precedent ever done for us?

Soo... about this episode

Heh it was kind of Funny to see Orga call Naze 'Aniki'

and the Moment Orga started to party, I Knew he was going to end up Drunk!

edited 29th Nov '15 6:31:49 AM by dood9780

"Death's vastness holds no peace. I come at the end of the long road—neither human, nor devil... All bends to my will." -Demifiend.

I was surprised at the choice of Merrybit's voice actress.

And come on Orga, drinking too much is not good for you.

Really not feeling Teiwaz.

• Oh boy, Gundam and gender politics are always a a good combination
• Yamagi clearly has a crush on Shino.
• Looks like Fumitan got hit by some Oblivious Guilt Slinging. She's definitely a spy. The question is for whom?

Looks like we're getting some fighting next episode. Which is good because the drama from the last two episodes has been kind of unremarkable

This wasn't really drama, was it? It's obviously the high point before everything goes to hell. Early on the series had established that they were fighting because they had nothing to lose, which has its own drama, certainly, but now that they do have something to lose that allows for more possibilities.

What we had here was mostly just further establishing Tekkadan as kids who desperately want to be seen as adults and solidifying some (gay) relationships to create future drama.

Okay been through the episode. Not bad, not bad. Avoiding the Gender politics it's another character episode.

Mikazuki is still seen as a disturbing individual, which makes sense, he is.

The crew gets crunk.

And the Gundam will be rebuilt.

I don't trust the mafia. They're being too nice. It never ends well when the mafia is nice to you.

i. hear. a. sound.

Of course not. The mafia is never nice at all and they only are if they want something.

Well, they seemed pretty upfront about what they want here. They want their name attached to this mission so when Gjallarhorn inevitably attacks it they get casus belli to enter System War II on the right side of history. The kids'll probably die, probably Kudelia too, but that's politics, boys. There's no reason to treat the kids poorly when you're explicitly telling them to go die for your honor.

Orga continues to be rehabilitated in my mind. He really does just want to take care of everyone in Tekkadan. Allying themselves with Teiwaz is probably his best bet. If all goes well, they'll end up like the Turbines — basically independent and free to do what they want, but with the backing of a larger, more powerful group if they get in over their head.

That said, Naze is still creepy. Scar chick is all "he's just TOO MANLY for one woman". Urgh. I'm also not convinced that McMurdo is being straight with everyone. It wouldn't surprise me if he ends up driving the Turbines into Tekkadan's camp by ordering Naze to betray them at some point. Honestly, I don't really understand what exactly happened with Kudelia and Teiwaz. She transferred her contract from Tekkadan to Teiwaz or something? And then Teiwaz turned around and subcontracted it back out to Tekkadan? I'm not sure why they made such a big deal about it.

Most of the episode was Aww, Look! They Really Are A Family! for the various guys in Tekkadan — from Orga insisting that everyone enjoy themselves (and then having to be helped out when he overindulges) to Akihiro showing up to the ceremony even though Biscuit expected him to ditch, to the kid who was saving up the sweets Orga had gotten them to use as treats for the even-younger kids.

I did like Azee calmly and sedately disabusing the Tekkadan kid of the notion that women are weak and pathetic.

edited 29th Nov '15 5:08:03 PM by NativeJovian

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.

Because by accepting assistance from Teiwaz instead of just Tekkadan, she's setting in motion an inevitable war between Teiwaz and Gjallerhorn. Before, her actions could've been brushed under the table as merely a desperate attempt for diplomacy, but now she's doing something that she knows will start a war and will get people killed. Maybe a war that will lead to Mars' independence (albeit with a large debt to Teiwaz), but still a war.

I mean, you're right though, it was hardly even a choice at this point. This is the only path she could have taken. But she still needed the resolve to pull the trigger. That's why Mikazuki said it was like when he first killed someone. Even if it's the right thing to do, it's going to change her life forever.

edited 29th Nov '15 5:22:02 PM by Clarste

Because now Tekkadan is a part of Teiwaz so they can officially give them the duty of watching over her instead of them just doing it themselves.

Every accusation by the GOP is ALWAYS a confession.

Things are going well right now. Far too well.

Your preferences are not everyone else's preferences.

Ah, that actually makes a lot of sense. I'd been operating under the assumption that Teiwaz had some shenanigans up their sleeves and were planning to screw Tekkadan somehow. If they're actually just using them as an excuse to start shit with Gjallarhorn, then that pretty much explains their ulterior motive for taking Tekkadan into their organization.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.

Nah, they doesn't do it "start shit with Gjallahorn". By taking care of Kudelia they will get contract on Mars resources, which indeed will lead to war but it just consequence if whole deal they are willing take.

And real reason why Mc Murdo accepted Tekkadan is likely simple: Naze see them as potentially great asset. That said Tekkadan are now part of "family" for Yakuza/Mafia that means a lot.

edited 29th Nov '15 11:20:12 PM by Tenzen12

Well, sure, but the problem at the moment is that Gjallarhorn basically controls Earth and Mars, at least militarily speaking. Teiwaz wants a piece of that action, which means they have to confront Gjallarhorn — which means they need an excuse to confront them, unless they want basically everyone to turn on them for being blatant warmongers.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.

As long as they do what the boss says. If they ever receive an order they don't like, they're going to have to go along with it or risk the wrath of a massive crime syndicate, which is not something you want gunning for you.

There are massive crime syndicates, and there are people who own Gundams. It is not entirely a one-way street here; Tekkadan's grudging consent or better is fairly important, they are new, relatively unknown, and have an awful lot of guns comparatively. Loyalty is not assumed and it is unwise to try and force it on someone who has more access to force than you do; it is secured by showing that loyalty has rewards.

The same is probably true of how the Turbines are treated. The ability to have people shot in the street is impressive, and a reason not to cross you. The ability to level whole city blocks in response to someone being shot in the street is a reason not to use it.

edited 30th Nov '15 12:18:20 AM by Night

Nous restons ici.

Pretty much. Teiwaz could probably have Tekkadan (or the Turbines, for that matter) killed if they wanted to, but it'd cost them a lot for relatively little gain. It's a lose-lose situation. By recruiting them instead, they get to turn that costly force against their enemies, and Tekkadan gets the support they desperately need, which is a win-win situation.

Until and unless Teiwaz decides that Tekkadan's continued existence offends them, and/or they try to give Tekkadan orders that Tekkadan will refuse to follow. Then it could end up biting them in the ass, because it's entirely likely that under Teiwaz's command, Tekkadan will grow from something that Teiwaz could crush (if at surprising expense) to something that can actually hold its own against Teiwaz, and possibly even destroy it under the right conditions.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.

Gundams aren't all that powerful in this universe (main strength seems to be being arayashiki compatible). Tekkadan probably isn't going to be crushing any major forces single-handedly

6* I am not sure if we are talking about same or if you have it terribly backwards.

One thing to is pick fight, other is do something that's lead to fight. This is later.

4* Tekkadan didn't became Teiwas slave, but one of many group that works together under same leadership. Look on Turbines and how they are treated. And Tekkadan received almost same level of privilegies.

edited 30th Nov '15 4:17:48 AM by Tenzen12

Good episode. With Mikazuki help Kudelia finally solidified her resolve and Tekkadan became a partner is large crime syndicate legitimate businesses that will back them up when shit hits the fan.

I wouldn't ascribe any sinister motives to Teiwaz, they probably think this is a good occasion to undermine Gjallarhorn, get some juicy investments in expanding Martian economy and get on the right side of history books while they are at it, so they have every reason to want Kudelia to succeed.

The family theme is further explored, and Naze becomes Orga wise older brother.

Also, does Kudelia hair folded into 4th dimension? How else did she put it like that?

Also also, what's with Arca telling Atra how cool it is to be part of a harem? That was random and weird. And of course Atra won't get any of it, she's like ten!

Good episode, resolves some plot threads and pushes action to the next stage. Glad that Turbines are coming for the ride, they round up the cast nicely.