Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		4.0

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Chronicle of Char and Sayla Blu-ray Movie Review

An entertaining introduction to the Gundam universe

One of the most beloved anime franchises ever produced, Mobile Suit Gundam stands apart from the crowd of mecha series as a fine-tuned classic that has managed to withstand the test of time with its memorable characters, epic storylines, and breathtaking animation. Based on the original manga by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is in part a continuation of that classic anime. Going back to the beginning, the prequel series unveils the history of the Gundam universe and how everything started in the first place. Set in the same realm as the original Gundam that began in 1979, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is a must-see for fans.

The first collection of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin episodes contains the following feature-length episodes: Blue-Eyed Casval, Artesia's Sorrow, Dawn of Rebellion, and Eve of Destiny. These episodes focus on the chronicles of Char and Sayla. Fans of the beloved franchise always had a number of huge questions pertaining to the development of Gundam mecha suits as well as to the history behind Char Aznable (Shûichi Ikeda). The episodes in this collection will answer some of these questions as the set explores the development of the Gundam suits while exploring the personal character-moments of the characters that made the series such a beloved success.

The beginning of Char Aznable.

Fans of Char Aznable will be especially pleased with this collection of entertaining episodes as the character gets a number of moments to shine. There are a lot of classic moments to stand alongside the original anime series. The prequel series does a solid job of implementing itself into the universe and standing out as something extraordinary. This is exactly the type of anime that makes the Gundam franchise so vital and important after all these decades.

The series is compelling on its own but even more essential when viewed in the context of the series franchise and its place beside the original. The Gundam franchise is awesome for a reason (and this begins with the kick-ass animation). Featuring art direction by Shigemi Ikeda (My Hero Academia, One Man Punch) and Yukiko Maruyama (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny, Overlord). The huge mechanical machines are visually breathtaking and its outstanding to see the epic battle scenes that unfold in the series. Featuring a badass music score composed by Takayuki Hattori (Godzilla 2000, Yukai), the sound design matches the world of the Gundam universe in all of its animated glory.

The talented Takashi Imanishi (Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO) directed the prequel episodes from screenplays written by Katsuyiki Sumizawa (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Dragon Ball Z, Naruto). The prequel could have easily gone off the rails and failed to muster fan enthusiasm if done poorly. Thankfully that is not the case and the series is an action-packed event for fans to see. The saga fits alongside the originally nicely and any fan of the epic anime series is strongly encouraged to give this incarnation in the Gundam universe a spin. A fantastic prequel that has raised the bar for anime prequels and sequels to come.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Chronicle of Char and Sayla Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Each episode in the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Chronicle of Char and Sayla set is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The release is native high-definition and isn't simply an upscaled presentation (as is found on some anime releases). The video quality on the release is largely immaculate and the transfers on each of the four discs looks uniformly impressive. The colors are robust throughout. The picture-quality is sleek and clear with vivid animation on display. From the build of giant robots to the spaceships in outer-space, the high quality of the visuals is matched with impressive encoding. Fans will be enormously pleased with the quality of the release.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Chronicle of Char and Sayla Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release comes jam-packed with a variety of different audio options (to suit the need of all viewers). The discs include English uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo and uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround sound. It also contains the original Japanese language soundtrack in either uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo or 5.1 uncompressed PCM surround sound. The surround sound presentation of the original Japanese language tracks are so dynamic and enveloping that its hard to imagine anyone being disappointed. Throughout the entire surround-sound mix, dialogue remains crisp, clear, and easy to understand while the robust battle-sequences are engaging. The senses are truly moved by the powerhouse performance of the sound design. A highly satisfactory experience.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Chronicle of Char and Sayla Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1: Blue-Eyed Casval -

Promotional Video 1 (HD, 1:39)

Promotional Video 2 (HD, 1:31), in English or Japanese.

Disc 2: Artesia's Sorrow -

Promotional Video 1 (HD, 1:37), in English or Japanese

Promotional Video 2 (HD, 1:31), in English or Japanese

Disc 3: Dawn of Rebellion -

Promotional Video 1 (HD, 1:43), in English or Japanese

Promotional Video 2 (HD, 1:27), in English or Japanese

Disc 4: Eve of Destiny -

TV Spot (HD, 00:27)

Promotional Video 1 (HD, 1:50), in English or Japanese

Promotional Video 2 (HD, 1:27), in English or Japanese

Theme Song Promo Video (HD, 2:15)

Chronicle of the Loum Battlefield Trailer (HD, 1:11), in English or Japanese

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Chronicle of Char and Sayla Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is a fantastic experience from start to finish. The animation is breathtaking and the action-scenes are badass. Fans of the original anime that started it all (as well as newcomers to the Gundam franchise) are strongly encouraged to check out this entertaining anime event series. The Blu-ray release features an exceptional video-audio presentation is a must-own release for fans. Don't miss it.