PODCAST

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast

MSB is a weekly Gundam podcast for new fans, old fans, and not yet fans. Nina (a Gundam first-timer) and Thom (a lifelong Gundam fan) analyze, review, and research all 40-years of the iconic sci-fi anime mega-franchise Mobile Suit Gundam in the order it was made. We research its influences, examine its themes, and discuss how each piece of the Gundam canon fits within the changing context in Japan and the world, from 1979 to today. Part history podcast, part discussion podcast, all Gundam

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All Episodes

00:34:08

3.47: Episode 47... Again

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/09/11

Show Notes This week we revisit the final episode of Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ in light of the first draft of the episode 47 script recently shared by Gundam expert Mark Simmons. This script was written solely by Zeta Gundam and Gundam ZZ writer Endo Akinori, before being significantly re-written by head director Tomino Yoshiyuki. It stands out as a rare window into the work process behind the scenes of Gundam, and offers Nina and Thom the chance to ask... would the episode have been better without the

en-US

01:19:51

3.46: Perspective

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/08/07

Show Notes Warning: Due to an error, an uncensored version of this episode was briefly available for download. The error has been corrected, and we apologize for the oversight that allowed it to slip through. We encourage anyone who downloaded the episode between 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM on August 7th to re-download the corrected version. This week, we look back on Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) as a whole. We analyze the show, assess its strengths and weaknesses, check in on its running themes,

en-US

01:33:32

3.45: Into the Wilderness

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/07/31

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 47 - “Warrior, Once More” (戦士, 再び......), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and continuing research on the Tale of the Heike and it's influence on Double Zeta. Books and articles Thom referenced: 平家物語 (The Tale of the Heike), trans. Royall Tyler. Penguin (2012). Totman, Conrad D. A History of Japan. 2nd ed., Blackwell, 2011. The poem read in the eulogy is an excerpt from Alfred, Lord

en-US

3.44: Perfect Machines and Flawed Pilots

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/07/24

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 46 - “Vibration” (バイブレーション), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and continuing research on the Tale of the Heike and it's influence on Double Zeta. - Books and articles Thom referenced: 平家物語 (The Tale of the Heike), trans. Royall Tyler. Penguin (2012). Totman, Conrad D. A History of Japan. 2nd ed., Blackwell, 2011. Mobile Suit Breakdown is written, recorded, and produced within Lenapehoking,

en-US

01:12:23

3.43: Bring Me the Head of Haman Karn

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/07/17

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 45 - “The Battle of Axis” (アクシズの戦闘), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and continuing research on the Tale of the Heike and it's influence on Double Zeta. - Books and articles Thom referenced: 平家物語 (The Tale of the Heike), trans. Royall Tyler. Penguin (2012). - About Sir Accolon of Gaul and Morgana/Morgan le Fay from Arthurian legends. - Chivalry! - Wikipedia page for the song

en-US

01:24:26

3.42: The Puppet

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/07/10

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 44 - “Emary's Glory” (エマリー散華), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on the Japanese ballad form enka, and Thom's continuing research on the Tale of the Heike and it's influence on Double Zeta. This episode includes Epilogue (Instrumental Version) by Josh Woodward, licensed under a CC-BY license. - Books and articles Thom referenced: 平家物語 (The Tale of the Heike), trans. Royall Tyler

en-US

01:26:11

3.41: The Snake Eats Its Own Tail

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/07/03

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 43 - “The Girl from Core 3, Part 2” (コア３の少女 (後)), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on a possible inspiration for the name of Chara's new mobile suit, and Thom's continuing research on the Tale of the Heike and it's influence on Double Zeta. - Wikipedia page for 'grimalkin,' and a reference for passage in Macbeth that mentions 'grimalkin.' -

en-US

01:28:40

3.40: Cat-eyed Chara

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/06/26

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 42 - “The Girl from Core 3, Part 1” (コア３の少女 (前)), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on the uniforms worn by the miners at Cicero asteroid, and Thom's continuing research on the Tale of the Heike and it's influence on Double Zeta. - Books and papers consulted for the Tale of the Heike Part II - Early Retirement: 平家物語 (The Tale of the Heike), trans. Royall Tyler. Penguin

en-US

3.39: Panic! At the Theme Park

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/06/12

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 41 - “Rasara's Life” (ラサラの命), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on the the Tale of the Heike, and how this classic of Japanese literature may have influenced Zeta and Double Zeta. - For the Tale of the Heike itself and background on the role of the Fujiwara clan in government and the rivalry between the emperors Toba, Sutoku, Konoe, and Go-Shirakawa: 平家物語 (The Tale of the Heike),

en-US

01:27:37

3.38: Like Looking in a Mirror

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/06/05

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 40 - “Tigerbaum Dream” (タイガーバウムの夢), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on the Haw Par Corporation and Tiger Balm Gardens in Singapore and Hong Kong. - US website for the Tiger Balm line of products. - Japanese Wikipedia page for Tiger Balm. - Website for Tiger Balm’s parent company, the Haw Par Corporation (虎豹企業有限公司), and the Wikipedia page for the Haw Par Corporation. - About

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3.37: What's the Plan Here?

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/05/29

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 39 - “The Second Coming of Sarasa” (サラサ再臨), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on the story of the Trojan Horse. - An outline of the Epic Cycle poems with English translations of their surviving fragments, by Hugh Evelyn-White. - An annotated version of the Evelyn-White translations that offers additional context about the characters involved as well as the back story of the

en-US

01:06:23

3.36: Maiden Voyage

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/05/22

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 38 - “The Iron Wall of the Jamru Fin” (鉄壁, ジャムル·フィン), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on blood-type personality theory. Wikipedia page for Type A and Type B personality theory, and a Huffpo article about the Type A personality type. Wikipedia page for blood-type personality theory, and for Nomi Masahiko (能見正比古). BBC articles about burahara (blood harassment) and an overview of

en-US

3.35: Long Live the Argama

Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast ·

2021/05/15

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 37 - “Nahel Argama” (ネェル·アーガマ), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on different shuttle-launch methods. - NASA's Space Shuttle Propulsion Trivia page and FAQ about the shuttle program. - Article comparing the costs of different launch methods. - Cost assessments for the different parts of the shuttle program. - What happened to the last surviving external fuel tank from the shuttle

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