In case you’ve forgotten: these are the only reason this show exists.

Episode 4 – Geopolitica Chaotica

• Sunrise, plagiarizing its own work since 1971.
• Augus is pumping it up, and his companion is ripped too.
  • This must be a gay’s paradise.
    • Mmmm.
• “We’re working together again.” -Augus
  • Wait…are these guys…?
    • And his companion is embarrassed.
      • I SEE WHAT’S GOING ON HERE. BOW CHICKA BOW WOW.
        • Sucks to be you, Atra. Augus is quite taken already.
• Augus says it’s routine while having a flashback about “Kudelia”.
  • Um, why?
    • Well, apart from the fact that everything about “Kudelia” is mundane, boring, routine, and unimaginative.
      • I guess that makes sense.
• “CGS” is crossed out.
  • Apparently some poor orphaned child took the time and effort to paint over a two-story logo.
    • Don’t they have better things to do? Like, not working, since they are *children*?
      • And we still don’t know what the fuck “CGS” even means. Solid storytelling, Sunrise.
• IT’S FUN TO STAY AT THE YMCA. IT’S FUN TO STAY AT THE YMCA.
  • “Young Mars Caucasians of Acidalia.”
    • See? It’s a reference to The Martian. I’m so clever.
• “Don’t take too much time with this!” -Random asshole
  • Yeah, kids. Don’t take much time and effort in ensuring the giant machines of death you use are properly loaded and all safety procedures followed. Haste is all that matters.
    • Negligence is fun!
• Il Duce is disgruntled by how he isn’t in control of a country and can’t send thousands of troops on incompetent foreign ventures to recapture lost glory.
  • Go read your fucking history, you idiots.
    • Il Duce, of course, is also craven and cravenly recounting what happened last episode.
• “They’ve [Gjallarhorn] controlled this world for hundreds of years.” – Il Duce
  • PBBBBTH HA HA HA HA.
    • There is no way an organization as goddamn incompetent as Gjallarhorn has controlled a goddamn planet for goddamn centuries.
      • They make the Holy Britannia(n) Empire look like the Wehrmacht.
• That’s right, Il Duce. Have a heart attack…
• One wonders why they’re keeping this asshole around, seeing as how his only skill is being craven.
  • Oh yeah, he’s going to try to manipulate them. This’ll go so well.
    • Just be careful, Il Duce. You don’t want to end up being hanged by your own people.
      • That’s a pretty lame way to go.
• RETARDED OPENING THEME TIME.
  • BEHOLD THE SAUSAGE FEST.
    • I’m going to love the bullshit that explains how they get into space.
• Speaking of which…
• WHY IS THERE AN ORBITAL MASS DRIVER OVER MARS?
  • DOES EARTH HAVE A GENOCIDE TWITCH THAT NEEDS TO BE SCRATCHED AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE?
    • HOLY CHRIST.
• Of course the ship they’re waiting for is named “Hakobune.” That’s totally not Japanese.
• According to this map, the distance between Earth and Mars is the same relative distance between low Mars orbit and geosynchronous Mars orbit.
  • You’ll also notice the icon of Earth is centered on Japan, perhaps for the convenience of a select group of viewers. Not saying who.
    • Which is courteous, to say the least. Those poor souls out in Kamchatka need some attention now and then.
• “Usually, the path to Earth is under the control of Gjallarhorn.” -Biscuit
  • LOL.
    • Okay, stop.
      • First off, who the fuck is Gjallarhorn? Are they security forces from Earth? What organization or authority do they answer to? Who funds them? Or are they just this highly convenient space mafia that gets in the protagonists’ way?
      • Secondly, there is no way an organization as goddamn incompetent as Gjallarhorn has control over the goddamn space routes between Earth and Mars, which stretch for tens of millions of miles.
      • Thirdly, it is almost impossible to blockade a goddamn planet, particularly with just the two or three ships we’ve seen in their possession.
      • Fourthly, fuck this cosmopolitical setup into the ground.
• “We need to take a back route which doesn’t cross existing paths.” -Biscuit
  • Oh yeah, Biscuit. Space is just like a walk in the woods. It’s not like your path is highly predictable, constrained, and governed by interplanetary physics.
• “But it’s a complex route, and we’ve never traveled to Earth.” – Biscuit
  • I see nothing to worry about, “Kudelia”.
    • These people have no experience in space, none of the intense education or physical training required to be astronauts, nor any of the equipment needed to properly and safely make an interplanetary journey.
      • What’s more, they’re trying to do space hankey-pankey and plot a route to Earth that’s never been done before.
        • Sleep tight, sweet cheeks.
• “And these back routes are divided into territories of civilian businesses.” -Or(l)ga
  • May I remind you that they are talking about SPACE. NOT GROUND. THERE IS NO “TERRITORY” IN FUCKING SPACE.
    • Also, who the fuck is translating this series? I’m asking for a friend.
• These people are still listening to Il Duce, who has given them nothing but uselessly craven advice.
  • Watch Eugene agree with him.
    • Excuse me while I go spit out his milk, because Eugene just pointed out how they have no reason to trust Il Duce.
      • Especially considering how incredibly convenient it is that some fat asshole like him knows the CEO of a spacefaring corporation.
• Or(l)ga is all fine with this. In his little brain, there’s no way they could be a trap.
  • Like what happened yesterday.
• LOL.
  • “Hakobune” was actually “Hakofune” and apparently the Japanese education system is no longer teaching people how to Romanize shit.
    • Also, why the fuck does a Martian spaceport or whatever-the-fuck it is HAVE A JAPANESE NAME?
• No, seriously. Their ship is supposedly named “Will-‘O’-the-Wisp”, but the port has a fucking JAPANESE NAME JUST SO THE JAPANESE VIEWERS CAN RELATE MORE TO IT.
  • FUCK. MY. LIFE.
• “Kudelia,” you’re the daughter of Mars’ leader and the leader of the Martian Independence Movement (somehow). How come you’re unaware of the nature of this port and are asking about it like a dumb audience member?
  • Quality writing, Sunrise.
• “But in order to use this ship, we have to officially make it Tekkadan’s.” -Biscuit
  • Here we go again.
    • 1) Hey, Biscuit. Ever heard of “smuggling”? No, you don’t. You’re still in control of CGS’ assets, correct? Just keep the ship under that name.
    • 2) Hey, translators. “Tekkadan” means “Iron Flower”. We went over this last week. We don’t need to keep saying it in Japanese.
• Or(l)ga entrusts this critical part of their plan to some side characters with no experience in the matter whatsoever.
• Meanwhile, “Kudelia’s” hair devours a seat cushion to keep itself alive.
• Wait, so, they’re just going with Il Duce’s suggestion instead of seeking out alternative partners?
  • You know what this means: the writers were fucking lazy.
• “This is where it gets real.” – Or(l)ga
  • Fighting for your lives against a vicious surprise attack that kills 110 people of your people is just a video game.
    • Negotiating space transport is the real deal.
• Is no one noticing Il Duce smiling and cackling to himself right there in front of them all?
  • I mean, really?
    • How lazy can Sundown get at this point?
      • Shit, that is a question I should never ask again.
• MEANWHILE, AT THE SPACE HALLS OF JUSTICE.
  • We’re an austere space ship, but we have teacups in storage just for fancy villainous antagonists with purple hair.
• “Your subordinates looked like they were about to die.” -Purple Asshole
  • What a way to open a conversation, dipshit.
• What is this retard even going on about?
  • “Having too excellent a senior officer means a lot of trouble.”
    • What the fuck?
      • 1) No indication has been given as to how this Blonde Asshole is an “excellent” officer. They are literally wasting company time sitting around in an office talking about this and drinking tea.
        • EFFICIENCY, BITCHES.
      • 2) That is not how leadership works.
• Major Coral attempts some highly transparent feint at pity over a blatantly intentional mess he caused.
• So, is the series ever going to bother to explain who these two assholes are or what their angle is?
  • Not for a while, huh?
    • I mean, I guess it’s obvious they’re supposed to be loyal, competent, upright soldiers who will defend Earth out of dedication and principles they believe in and……..
      • *snores* oh, shit, sorry. I fell asleep writing that character synopsis.
        • How could that be? It was so original and exhilarating.
• Blonde Asshole points out a glaring hole in Gjallarhorn’s records about a unit being missing, something any military force worth its salt would be losing its shit over.
  • Major Coral’s explanation for this is inane and unconvincing.
• One wonders how Major Coral has managed to keep his job for any length of time longer than two seconds.
  • My God, this guy’s cravenness makes Il Duce look like a Brave Fuhrer defending his Fatherland or something.
    • His name is “Coral Conrad.”
      • Somewhere, some Sunrise writer believes an imaginary mother named her imaginary son that.
        • Pbbbth.
• CORAL CONRAD BEATS HIS HEAD ON A METAL BULKHEAD.
  • AND SUFFERS NO INJURIES.
    • This guy is fucking hilarious. They are trying so hard to portray him as evil as possible.
      • “Young fools! How dare they underestimate me!”
        • SO WELL-ROUNDED. HE FEELS LIKE A REAL HUMAN.
• And Coral’s blaming Crank for his incompetent management of everything ever.
  • Well, to be fair, Crank was a selfish moron too, so meh. There go my fucks about this.
• Meanwhile, at the Halls of Mars.
  • It’s a good thing Augus hasn’t suffered any side-effects from using the 200-year-old Hitler Just Dance.
• Ah, Yukinojo. The blackest Japanese man known to man.
• Yes, someone is finally realizing that they have no idea what they’re doing or if this 200-year-old Hitler Super NES is capable of spaceflight or if it’s even in good condition.
  • But it’s a Gundam, so I’m sure you’ve nothing to worry about until the plot demands it.
• It’s a good thing we sent some random guy to negotiate the most important part of our entire plan.
• Flashback to a scene to explain Akihiro’s motivation for doing anything.
  • Which takes two seconds to summarize: he has nowhere else to go.
    • If you’ll remember (and I do, Sunrise, as much as you would wish otherwise), that motivation was already covered in the first episode. This scene adds nothing to the series.
• Yes, let’s trust the guy who looks like Fat Adolf Hitler. That’s a great idea.
  • At least have some backup in place, kids.
• Augus, like me, is so fucking bored.
• Is Or(l)ga really about to lecture them all about how important their first job as an independent organization is?
  • Gee, how novel.
• Odd that such a poor organization can buy fresh Martian vegetables.
• “UMAI!!!” -Random asshole.
  • Anime Trope #1096870908918050814360 1436 7041356708091356890.
    • Sigh.
      • That’s totally what Japanese people do in real life.
        • (It’s not.)
• Also odd that “Kudelia” and Fumitan’s clothes are both still in pristine condition. Not even a smudge on them after days in a dirty, industrial environment.
  • WOMEN MUST ALWAYS LOOK PURE FOR THE MEN.
• “I’m such a weak person.” -“Kudelia”
  • By Thor’s Hammer, woman. Just kill yourself and save us all the pain.
    • The pretentious self-deprecation is just excruciating. I’d rather grind my penis against sandpaper than listen to this shit.
      • Was this written by some Sunrise employee’s toddler and they just left it in there because they thought it sounded profound?
• Orcus or whoever-the-fuck this is opts to call them with a “Voice Only” option instead of showing his face.
  • SUSPICIOUS SCENARIO IS VERY SUSPICIOUS.
    • GEE. LET ME CONSULT WITH ADMIRAL ACKBAR FOR A SECOND.
• Wait, wait, how is he getting their video but they aren’t?
  • I don’t know. Fuck it.
• And this genuflecting old pervert is supposed to be trustworthy too? Gosh, “Kudelia”, you can really pick ’em out of a crowd.
• “I might rob them of all their smiles.” -“Kudelia”
  • A NORMAL PERSON WOULD TOTALLY SAY THAT.
    • When was the last time anyone you’ve known talked like that in any way, shape, or form?
      • This writing. This writing. Where’s that blasted sandpaper?
• ARE THEY GOING ON A DATE? OMIGAWD SOMEONE CALL MARS PEOPLE.
• Wait, wait, wait, wait. What the fuck?
  • Now the Specialist Dipshits are on Mars’ surface? And they’re wearing full suits in a desert landscape?
    • I don’t know. None of this makes sense, nor has it ever made sense.
• Yeah, let’s do visual reconnaissance in white suits against a brown Martian landscape. No one could possibly spot us.
• “The Noachis July Assembly.” -Sunrise
  • I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a studio more in love with the sound of its own voice than Sunrise.
    • LOOK AT HOW EXOTIC AND COMPELLING OUR WORLD-BUILDING IS.
      • LOOK AT HOW MANY STRANGE ENGLISH WORDS WE CAN SHIT OUT OF OUR ASSES.
• BEHOLD, CHILDREN OF MEN: EXPOSITION IN ITS PUREST FORM.
  • WORDS FLASHED ON A SCREEN.
    • MY GOD. IT’S FULL OF STUPID.
• The Earth is organized into four blocs:
  • The African Union.
  • The Oceanian Federation
  • SAU
  • Arbrau
    • Pbbbbbth.
      • “Arbrau”.
        • Ah ha ha ha ha ha.
          • You can’t make this shit up. Unless you’re Sunrise.
• The Malta Conference divided Mars.
• So wait, Gjallarhorn is some sort of supernational entity or independent organization in control of fucking Mars? What?
  • To the point that it was able to redraw national borders on another planet?
• NOTHING. MAKES. SENSE.
• So, wait, the Mars territories already have autonomy, but are basically under economic slavery.
  • I love how Sunrise is flashing this incredibly important backstory faster than the human eye can process it. Fantastic storytelling there.
    • And it’s all in English, which means the Japanese viewer is fucked.
• OH BOY. HERE WE GO.
  • SAU = Strategic Alliance Union
    • Pbbbth.
      • HA HA HA.
        • NO ONE WOULD EVER NAME THEIR COUNTRY THAT.
    • And it consists of the US and Latin America…but not Canada.
      • Um, are they not aware the US and Canada have been close allies for centuries with very similar cultures and heavily intertwined economies? Why would they not join with the US?
  • The “African Union” controls all of continental Europe, Africa, and the Middle-East and reaches into Central Asia.
    • Bull. Fucking. Shit.
      • What, did the Muslims finally complete the conquest of Europe and Africa or something? What the fuck?
  • The Oceanian Federation consists of China, India, Southeast Asia, Australia (which has a giant fucking hole for some reason near where Sydney is), and Japan, the Center of the Universe.
    • …no, Sunrise. No.
  • “Arbrau” consists of Russia and Canada. That’s it.
    • Nope.
      • Nope.
        • Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooope.
• It’s official: this show is abso-fucking-lutely retarded.
  • Geopolitics wants its dignity back.
    • Also, why was Greenland left out? I think that’s a bit unfair, you assholes.
• Why do are they doing this on land? Don’t they have the facilities at Gjallarhorn to just reconnoiter this area from space? Or send their subordinates to do it. Or something.
  • Delegate, you idiots.
• Um, question: if this is the battlefield where they fought a few days ago, then why isn’t the Iron Flower base in plain view?
  • Because it was right there. Everyone was watching it happen from the comfort of the base.
    • Did it just sprout legs and walk off?
      • Or did Sunrise just shoot continuity in the head execution-style and throw it in a dumpster?
        • I HAVE NO IDEA WHICH EXPLANATION IS MORE LIKELY. HELP ME, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
• “The Regulatory Bureau.” -Sunrise
  • POISON. I NEED POISON.
• Oh, there’s the base.
  • Good thing nobody can see them in their white suits and purple/blonde hair against a uniform background of brown.
    • Or notice their descent from space, which Sunrise just hoped you wouldn’t think about.
      • Silly, Sunrise.
• They’re still painting over this shit. Wasn’t that covered ten minutes ago?
• “Excuse me, where are we?” -“Kudelia”
  • Good fucking question.
    • How did they go from a barren desert to a lush cornfield? Where is this in relation to the base? What the fuck?
• Biscuit’s grandmother is named “Sakura-chan.”
  • Right.
    • So why is Biscuit named Biscuit?
      • Fuck it.
• Um, doesn’t Atra work at a store in town? Why is she here in this random cornfield?
  • Is this scene just an excuse to build tension between the two female leads as they fight in their hearts over their masculine object of desire?
    • Don’t answer that question.
• Oh, it’s a good luck charm. Atra made it for him.
  • Too bad, Atra. He doesn’t really give a shit.
    • Think of it more as a representation of your bitterly unrequited and insane love for this fuckwit.
• Now these two Specialist assholes are talking about their family or something, not that we care.
• WHAT. ON. MARS.
  • THE BLONDE SPECIALIST HAS A 9-YEAR-OLD FIANCEE?
    • THE FUCK. THE FUCK. THE FUCK. THE FUCK.
      • WAT.
        • WHAT IN GOD’S NAME.
          • AND THEIR PARENTS DECIDED ON THIS?
            • AND HE’S OKAY WITH IT, BECAUSE SHE’S HIS FRIEND’S SISTER?
              • AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
• “Kudelia” is predictably fascinated by the grueling, backbreaking labor of harvesting corn by hand.
  • Which they should not have to do if they have the equipment to mow the stalks down flat. We have the technology to mechanize that process today. It’s basically ubiquitous in the First and Second World. Why is it not on Mars 500-ish years into the future?
    • Have any of these writers ever read a book about anything ever?
      • I haven’t yet seen any moment in this series where they show a modicum of knowledge on any subject.
        • They fucked up geopolitics.
        • They fucked up space travel.
        • It’s a Gundam series, so they fucked up combat and physics.
        • They fucked up logistics.
        • They fucked up human behavior.
        • They fucked up basic storytelling, character motivation and development, and imaginative themes.
        • They fucked up philosophy.
        • And now they’re fucking up agriculture.
  • Manual harvesting is soul-crushing work, but of course “Kudelia” finds it refreshing, because she’s a sheltered rich girl.
• LOL, “Kudelia” is so weak she can’t break a corn off the cornstalk, but then Augus catches her when she falls, creating a predictable, awkward situation.
  • Hey, Augus: pull her up before her arm rips out of her socket.
• CONVENIENT WIND ALLOWS FOR A POIGNANT SCENE.
• The currency for this planet is the “galar”, but of course it scales identically to the yen for the convenience for the Japanese viewer.
  • Also, there is no way any farmer would be growing corn if they could only get $0.50 for 10 kilograms. That’s not economically viable.
    • 10 kg = 0.4 bushels
    • So the price of corn is $1.25 per bushel. The current price for corn on the US market is $4.3775. For a metric ton, that’s $172.34; this Mars price is $49.
      • $49 for a metric ton. Going back 30 years, the price of corn has never gone that low on the US market.
        • Conclusion: Sakura-chan and her misshapen lineage should be so fucking destitute that “Biscuit” should be named “Kernel”.
• Sunrise fucked up economics too. Achievement unlocked.
  • Also 2.0, there is no way there is still a market for corn-based biofuel in a civilization capable of terraforming and colonizing other planets.
• I don’t understand. Mars is the lifeblood of Earth’s economy (somehow), right?
  • So how is Mars so bloody destitute?
    • Don’t say “colonization.” That doesn’t make any fucking sense.
      • It would take far more resources to terraform Mars and turn it into a viable biosphere than it would to just invest in Earth. The equation just isn’t profitable, period.
        • Colonization happens when developing, powerful economies from the outside encounter weakly-held lands or territories filled with unexploited natural resources and a poor population. It’s easy money.
          • You know what’s cheaper than terraforming planets? Asteroids. There’s a zillion times more money in harvesting shit off asteroids than desiccated wastelands like Mars. Maybe that should’ve been your premise, Sunrise. Have a child-labor force being used to drill asteroids. You know, makes sense.
        • Mars is a useless piece of rock. How is Earth in such a condition that it was able to terraform Mars into fertility, divide its territory up piecemeal and control it for hundreds of years uncontested, but *also* depend entirely on Mars to keep its economic engine going?
          • There is no economic scenario in which any of this makes any sense.
• “Human Debris.”
  • Also known as “slavery.”
    • But we can’t say “slavery” because reasons.
      • Those reasons being “Human Debris” sounds cool to a Japanese ear.
• “KUDELIA” IS SHOCKED THAT SOMEONE THANKED HER.
  • Why?
• Atra is being jealous. No one cares.
  • The Eldritch Twins return to wreak havoc.
    • So, Atra, what do you see in Augus?
      • Like, what is it that attracts you to him besides his shapely body?
        • I can’t see anything in his personality that would attract anyone.
• The Eldritch Twins are so fucking dumb they can’t look both ways when crossing the road.
  • AUGUS GETS HIS MURDER FACE ON.
    • Also jumps to conclusions and doesn’t investigate the situation at all.
      • Jesus Goddamn Christ, how are we supposed to like this character?
        • He just switches to psychopath mode on the turn of a dime. He’s nothing more than a public menace and a danger to everyone around him.
          • GEE, AUGUS. MAYBE YOU SHOULD’VE ASKED WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE YOU NEARLY BROKE THAT MAN’S WINDPIPE.
• “ALAYA-VIJNANA SYSTEM.”
  • 100 TRILLION YEN, WHORES.
    • I was wondering if they could go one episode without saying it. GUESS NOT.
• Augus is also so stupid that he can’t recognize Gjallarhorn’s insignia even though they’re his chief enemy that he knows he’ll encounter in the future.
  • Also, the Specialists are so stupid they put a Gjallarhorn insignia on their car while doing a covert investigation.
    • I’ll save time next time: everyone is so, so stupid.
• “My name is McGillis Fareed.” -McGillis Fareed
  • Someone got picked on in high school.
• “Kudelia”, try cutting your hair in the future so that you don’t stick out like a sore thumb.
• MEANWHILE, AT SPACE DOCK.
  • “Will-O’-The-Wisp” is now the “ISARIBI.”
    • …that means nothing to me.
      • OBSCURE JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY REFERENCE.
• The Iron Flower insignia is revealed.
  • Apparently we’re supposed to care about this, even though it’s in the opening sequence.
• Il Duce is cravenly doing evil things with evil people.
  • Fear not. The Jews can smell his blood and they know no fear.