Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower Blu-ray Movie Review

The One Year battle concludes. Yet war continues to rage on.

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is the follow up feature-length anime sequel to the hit Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky. The film first debuted online in an episodic format with four episodes which are now reconstructed into a feature-length film and which are presented as the “director's cut” of the saga with brand new footage that was previously unseen.

Occurring around the same time-frame as the original Mobile Suit Gundam saga, the film picks up eight months following the turbulent events which occurred in Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky. The One Year War which raged on between the earth federation forces and Zeon has come to a dramatic conclusion. Yet total peace is still not obtained between all of the nations. A new war rages on as the Gundams fight each other between the Earth forces, the principality of Zeon, and the South Seas Alliance.

The Atlas Gundam pilot Io takes a commanding role as one of the leaders of the forces. Io must learn to face down his greatest enemy and confront the menacing Daryl, a deadly antagonist with a sniper rifle. Can Io, with the aid of his Atlas Gundam, help to save the federation? Utilizing his technologically advanced Gundam build, Io wields an almighty power to fight for the future of mankind.

Unlike the previous entry in this Gundam saga (which was quite entertaining), Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is not as impressive as a sequel. The storyline is quite convoluted and often feels chaotically structured. The film introduces several new characters who are not given adequate time to be developed and explored. The film feels rushed and uninspired compared to December Sky.

Fight for Freedom

The film has the same behind-the-scenes staff and production team that worked on Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky. Written and directed by Ko Matsuo (Red Garden), the filmmaking excels most when it kicks the action sequences into over-drive. On this level the filmmaking delivers.

The action scenes are intense and beautifully animated. The staff of animators bring their A-Game and deliver a beautiful looking production which continues to showcase why studio Sunrise remains as a powerhouse in the anime industry. The music score composed by Naruyoshi Kikuchi (Pandora's Box) continues to deliver on a jazz-infused backdrop which is complimentary to the style.

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is not in the same league as the greatest of Gundam series and it falls short of the excitement generated previously in the Thunderbolt saga. Yet for any Gundam fans hoping to find some more exciting space-battles between giant robots duking it out, Bandit Flower still delivers on those merits. The storytelling was underwhelming and left many unanswered questions (presumably for a theoretic sequel to be greenlit) but if you're biggest goal is entertaining action-scenes then sit back, relax, and watch this space epic unfold.

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented on Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded presentation in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. This is an impressive presentation which has beautiful color-reproduction. From stunning Gundam fighters to the inescapable awe of the spaceships, the film's animation is superb. Without a doubt, the encode quality is terrific and does a great job of bringing the animation to life. Each sequence has a vibrancy to it which renders the detail of the artistry with clear precision. This presentation delivers.

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio is presented with a lossless uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo soundtrack in both original Japanese (with English subtitles) or in an English dubbed version. The clarity of the soundtrack impresses. Dialogue reproduction is quite clean and clear and can be easily understood. The film utilizes many impress sound effects. Even with a stereo presentation, the sound designers did an excellent job of creating an enveloping soundstage which brings the detail to life.

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Promos (HD, 1 min. 17 sec.)

Commercial (HD, 17 sec.)

Trailers (HD, 9 min. 25 sec.)

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is a viscerally entertaining action-packed follow up to the first entry in this Gundam storyline, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky. The storytelling is not as cohesive as the previous entry and the writer-director leaves some unanswered questions for a potential follow-up. Yet purely from an action standpoint, the awe of watching the Gundams fight is exciting and will please fans looking for entertainment. The Blu-ray releases is exceptional from a technical standpoint and features impressive video and audio. Worth a look for Gundam fans.