Gundam 08th MS Team: Review + All you Need to Know

Title	Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team
Director	Takeyuki Kanda and Umanosuke Iida
Year	1996
Episodes	12
Rating	★★★★★ (5 stars)

Gundam 08th MS Team is an anime series set in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam franchise. It’s a more realist take on the series.

The series takes place during the One Year War, a conflict between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon.

Table of Contents

Synopsis of Gundam 08th MS Team

Read below to understand the basics of the story itself:

The One Year War is happening between the Earth Federation and Zeon are fighting for control. Zeon has a special mobile armor and its pilot, Aina, is a key factor to winning. The Federation gets help from a new commander named Shiro, but he and Aina fall in love. Now, Aina and Shiro must choose which side they will support.

Overall, “Gundam 08th MS Team” is a series that focuses on the personal relationships and struggles of its characters during the One Year War, as they are forced to confront the harsh realities of war and make difficult decisions.

The focus of the anime is really the romance between both, but we can see many other characters and aspects to it.

Review of Gundam 08th MS Team

Let’s analyze it comparing the show’s different aspects

Story

The story doesn’t add that much to the Gundam universe outside maybe explaining some details about the One Year War. However, the focus on romance and characters was a very welcome change of pacing. Rating: 5/5.

Characters

The characters are key to the overall plot, since this is a very character-focused anime. In general, they are pretty good even if sometimes they act in weird manners (a staple in all Gundam anime). Rating: 5/5.

Soundtrack

Typical of Gundam, it’s a masterpiece. Very good addition to the series with some remarkable tracks. Rating: 5/5.

Animation

As happened with most Gundam OVA from the Universal Century, the animation here is superb. Maximum rating, of course. Rating: 5/5.

Overall

The romance-focused story is a nice shift and really reminds us of Romeo and Juliet. Some characters have flaws, but nothing terrible. The animation is great and it extends the Gundam UC world. What can we say? It’s a perfect score. Rating: 5/5.

Characters from Gundam 08th MS Team

Here’s a list of some of the main characters with brief descriptions of them:

Shiro Amada

The main character, a commander from the Earth Federation. He’s your typical hero.

Aina Sahalin

A member of the Zeon Forces, she forms a relationship with Shiro Amada during their time together.

Karen Joshua

She was in the 08th Mobile Suit Team during the One Year War and was the second-in-command.

Terry Sanders Jr.

A pilot who was saved by Shiro Amada and started to work for them in the 08th MS Team. A worthy member of the team.

Eledore Massis

He was in the 08th Mobile Suit Team during the One Year War and was their sonar expert on the Hover Truck.

Ginias Sahalin

He works as a technical officer in the military of the Principality of Zeon and is Aina Sahalin’s older brother.

Of course: there are other characters, but I kept only the most important ones for the overall plot.

Negative Points from Gundam 08th MS Team

While “Gundam 08th MS Team” is generally well-regarded, there are a few aspects of the series that some viewers may find problematic:

1. Slow Pace

The series is different from other Gundam shows because it’s more slow-paced. Some people might think it’s a bit slow because it focuses more on the character’s development instead of action scenes.

2. Less Political Complexity

The series doesn’t really dive into the political and ideological battle between the Earth Federation and Zeon as much as other Gundam shows.

Some people might feel that it makes things seem a little too simple and doesn’t really explain why characters do what they do.

3. Limited Mobile Suit Action

Despite featuring exciting mobile suit battles, some viewers may feel that the action is less frequent when compared to other Gundam mainline titles.

Gundam 08th MS Team positive points

“Gundam 08th MS Team” has several positive aspects that make it a standout entry in the “Gundam” franchise:

1. Character Development

One of the strongest aspects of the series is the character development of its main cast. They did a great job with them.

Through their experiences in the One Year War, the characters grow and mature, facing difficult decisions and moral dilemmas that force them to question their beliefs and actions.

2. Emotional Depth

The series gets very emotional sometimes, because the characters go through some real heartache, even amidst the One Year War happening.

They all have strong relationships and the series really shows the personal, human impact of war.

3. Realistic Depiction of War

The series isn’t afraid to show the ugly truth of war and it’s really intense. The characters have to make tough decisions and deal with the fallout, and the show does a great job showing how war messes with people and their communities.

4. Dynamic Action Scenes

The series has seriously cool and crazy action scenes, especially the mobile suit battles that are epic to watch.

5. Attention to Detail

The series is famous for being really thorough, especially when it comes to the One Year War. They really did their homework and made sure the tech and tactics are on point.

For example: the mobile suits and weapons used by the Earth Federation and Zeon are shown with accuracy, including their strengths and weaknesses.

Should you watch Gundam 08th MS Team?

After all that, should you watch it or not? Read below:

First things first: if you are a fan of the Gundam franchise, especially of the One Year War, this show is definitely worth checking out. It offers a unique perspective on the Universal Century timeline.

It also provides a more character-driven and shows other details about the One Year War – giving details specifically about the war on Earth.

If you enjoy character-focused, dialogue-driven storytelling, this might be a good fit for you. But if your prefer more action, other UC Gundam like Thunderbolt might be better for you.

In fact the series places a strong emphasis on character development and personal relationships, and explores the impact that war has on individuals.

Questions about Gundam 08th MS Team

How many episodes of 08th MS team are there?

Gundam 08th MS Team has 12 episodes.

What is the name of the final Gundam used by Shiro in 08th MS Team?

Shiro’s mobile suit by the end of the series is the Ground-type Gundam unit 081

Is Gundam 08th MS Team similar to Romeo and Juliet?

Since Gundam 08th MS Team presents a romance between a man and a woman from different factions, it is constantly compared to the romance Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

Is Shiro Amada a new type?

Shiro Amada isn’t a newtype, he’s a regular human.

Did Shiro Amada lose his leg?

At the end of the show, Shiro loses a leg.

Is Shiro Amada alive?

Shiro and Aina survived and went to live in a log cabin hidden in the mountains. In the end, Michel and Kiki find them both.

What Gundam is used in 8th MS team?

The Gundam used by the 08th MS Team is the RX-79 ground type unit.

Is Gundam 08th MS Team a realistic anime?

Gundam 08th MS Team is more realistic than other Gundam anime. However, it’s still very unrealistic in some moments.

Is Ainda Sahalin alive?