Both the Federation and Zeon put everything on the line for this major skirmish for control of the Thunderbolt Sector. “Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt” is a mecha series worth reading!
© 2012 by Yasuo Ohtagaki. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt Vol. 2
STORY AND ART BY: Yasuo Ohtagaki
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: Shogakukan
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Signature
RATED: T for Older Teen
RELEASE DATE: February 21, 2017
As the struggle for the Thunderbolt Sector heats up, the Federation mounts a surprise attack on Zeon. Attrition forces both sides to deploy Mobile Suits that are not quite battle ready—the Federation’s Full Armor Gundam and Zeon’s Reuse P. Device—the “Psycho Zaku.†Getting these machines into the fight means tough sacrifices for both sides, and for the ace Zeon sniper Daryl Lorenz in particular. Meanwhile, the Federation must send barely trained recruits into combat. Battle is joined and Lorenz and his Federation nemesis Io Fleming cross swords once again in a bitter struggle for vengeance and survival.
As the battle of the Thunderbolt Sector heats up, both sides decide to put everything on the line. The Federation gathers young recruits into combat to lead Io Fleming and his Gundam towards the Federation. While the Principality of Zeon plans to allow Zeon Sniper Daryl Lorenz to pilot the Psycho Zaku and lead other pilots to plan a surprise attack on the Federation. Who will become victorious?
What is “Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt” about?
Back in 2012, mangaka Yasuo Ohtagaki wrote and illustrated the manga “Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt”.
With eight volumes published, the series would receive a 4-episode ONA anime adaptation and a second season is slated for adaptation.
The manga is set during the One Year War (U.C. 0079) and the Earth Federation’s Brotherhood and the Principality of Zeon’s Living Dead Division are in battle in the Thunderbolt Section, a zone that is littered with debris from the destruction of space colonies and because the area has numerous electrical discharging.
Fighting for the Earth Federation is Ace pilot, Io Fleming and for the Principality of Zeon, Zeon’s best sniper, Daryl Lorenz is focused on killing Fleming.
As Io won the first meeting between the two, this time around, both the Federation and Zeon plan to escalate the battle as the Federation plans to send the Gundam in one more time to finish the job, but leading the Gundam are young recruits. Meanwhile, Zeon follows Daryl Lorenz piloting the new Psycho Zaku.
What will be the outcome of this major battle in the Thunderbolt Sector?
When it comes to the Universal Century Gundam stories, they are my favorite. And while many of us have been entertained by stories involving Amuro Ray, there have been a variety of stories that have taken place in the Universal Century, some more deeper than the others and others just focusing on the action.
“Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt” may seem like the latter because of the action focusing on Earth Federation vs. the Principality of Zeon but once the manga goes into character development, the storyline focuses on how people are growing tired of the war. People sick of seeing deaths of friends and loved ones.
Io Fleming is a man born from a wealthy family and he and his friends are thrusted into war. Fleming is secretly dating Captain Claudia Peer, a captain who is sick and tired of war and that the Earth Federation keeps sending teenage pilots as reinforcements and always depressed and tense when Fleming, the Beehive’s best pilot goes to fight against the Principality of Zeon. Along with Fleming and another childhood friend, engineer Cornelius Kaka, all three were born in privilege and are now assigned to the Beehive.
Fleming is an excellent pilot and surprises the Principality of Zeon when he shows up and takes many of them out with his Gundam and always playing his jazz music through a pilot radio station.
Meanwhile, on the opposite end are the Living Dead Division of the Principality of Zeon. A group that is put together of people who have been significantly injured or maimed and are still fighting with prosthetics.
Their best fighter, Zeon Chief Petty Officer Daryl Lorenz, is an excellent sniper and wants revenge against Fleming for killing his teammates. He has lost his legs in battle and carries a retro-style radio that he listens to in battle.
We see the other side as those who feel they are wronged and want revenge against the Earth Federation for the death of their loved ones.
Zeon scientist Karla Mitchum is responsible for giving the soldiers prosthetics but when her loved one is killed, she wants Daryl to rid of the Earth Federation, especially the man responsible, Io Fleming.
But we see how the grass is definitely not greener on the other side and how difficult life was for children growing up in the Principality of Zeon and in order to make sure their families were taken care of, they had to join the military at a young age.
So, the second volume of “Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt” gives us a look as both sides are about to put everything on the line. The Federation takes in their youngest recruits that will be responsible for bringing Io Fleming and his Gundam into Zion territory, while the Federation is unaware that Zeon has plans for a sneak attack with their best, Daryl Lorenz piloting his Psycho Zaku.
The character designs, artwork and storyline by Yasuo Ohtagaki are wonderful and I really like how the emotion of the characters are depicted. Storyline has been very good so far and for mecha fans, “Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt” vol. 2 is recommended!