Episode 03, "The Pressure of Montero"
*****SPOILERS*****
Synopsis: Cumpa and the Research Division take control of the handling of the G-Self and custody of Aida. Noredo accompanies Bellri home, meeting his mother, and sleeping over. Meanwhile, pirate Lt. Klim Nick plans to launch in his Montero mobile suit and take custody of Aida. The next day, Bellri reports to Cumpa's office, where he's asking Aida about Raraiya, who interrupts the meeting, desperate for Bellri's company. Cumpa reveals that three people have been able to pilot the G-Self- Raraiya, Aida, and Bellri. However, at that moment, Klim attacks the Capital Tower area and Bellri, Aida, Raraiya, and Noredo all crowd into the G-Self's cockpit. The Capital Army scrambles their mobile suits, but Klim easily disables them. Aida launches the G-Self, interrupting the fight between Dellensen and Klim. Aida announces her intention to help him retreat and follow him back to their unit. Cumpa reports to Bellri's mother that the group left with the G-Self. Klim is surprised to see the group in the G-Self's cockpit as they fly off.
Comments:
We see a more colorful space pirate in this episode, Klim Nick, who is apparently the son of the Amerian president, if I'm interpreting the dialogue right. He's a bit conceited and impulsive, and enjoys having his custom-designed mobile suit and showing off what it can do. But at the same time, he's also pretty easy on his enemies, fighting them fiercely, but not going right for killing blows, and generally keeping the Capital Tower area undamaged. He seems to be an antagonist, but he's not some vicious bully, just kind of an arrogant aristrocrat. In fact, I think I trust him more than that Capital Army colonel in charge of the Research Division. There's just something about that guy I don't like.
One thing I noticed is that there seems to be some animosity between units of the Capital military. Dellensen is a nice guy and doesn't give Luin Lee any crap, but Captain Becker is a bit of a tool and calls him a "Kuntala", a weird insult that's been uttered before a few times, but I'm unsure of the origin of (though that first syllable might be clue, huh?). I guess it might be a little bit of giving the newbies a hassle, though. I'm waiting to see where they go with this, because right now there's not a whole not of characterization coming from outside Bellri's intimate inner circle of himself, Noredo, Raraiya, and now Aida.
Speaking of that group, there's an interesting thing going on there, too. I guess Bellri has accumulated a harem in the space of three episodes. I mean, Raraiya is just this weird girl who might be suffering some kind of disorder, so her attachment to Bellri is just for comfort, but Noredo is clearly both fond of Bellri and jealous of his interest in Aida, and while Aida is mostly cold towards Bellri at best, she's not exactly closed off to him, either. Bellri mostly just seems interested in the G-Self and the amazing happenings surrounding it, so like many Gundam protagonists it's IGNORE WOMEN, OBTAIN MOBILE SUITS. He doesn't seem to be all that aware of anybody's feelings towards him, though he probably suspects Noredo's, because she's not at all subtle, going out of her way to declare Bellri has fallen in love with Aida. I might find her annoying if I didn't think she was so cute.
I think the highlight of the episode was seeing Dellensen acquit himself pretty well in battle with Klim. I don't know whether or not he would have been able to beat him had Aida not interrupted, but it was pretty interesting, and the best combat we've had in the show thus far. I just wish Dellensen was a bit more developed, but it's still early.
It's odd that Bellri had very little problem essentially going AWOL and possibly defecting to the enemy. Does his interest in the G-Self go too far or is he just going with the flow? I guess we'll have to wait and find out, but there's such thing as being too casual, kid.
Overall Score:
4 out of 5
(Also, was Bellri shitting at the end?)
