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Despite being a mid-century war movie, Go for Broke! was an interesting experience; if nothing else it was fascinating to see how quickly the government can take a stand against bigotry… when it's in the best interests of geopolitics, of course. For this week, we decided to go with something animated… and the channel overwhelmingly voted for a Gundam movie! So we're going to show the very first one, Mobile Suit Gundam I (1981), which was an adaptation of the first section of episodes from the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam series. You can join us this Friday via Discord to watch along.
If you don't already know Gundam, and it seems like a lot of our members do!, it probably looks like a goofy 1970s cartoon. This week will hopefully prove differently as it's actually a very serious science fiction war story that can sit right up there with things like Starship Troopers. And while it didn't become popular in the United States until the late 90s, the original shows were a huge influence on a particular fandom… which seems to have included Origin's Glen Johnson, whose Wing Commander I ships can show the influence. In particular, his concept for the Snakeir-class ship (designed to be the Kilrathi Spikeri corvette) is evidently a nod to Gundam's original "White Base".
And then, of course, there's the elephant in the room: the 1999 Wing Commander movie's "Pilgrims" are taken directly from Gundam's "Newtypes". The idea is exactly the same: a new race of improved humans that is emerging from the people expanding to settle the solar system. The Confederation Handbook even has an elaborate origin and history for the Pilgrim 'powers' which are pretty close to Gundam's overall setup:
Conclusion
Physiological and historical fact, when stripped away from jingoistic political stances, does not allow for the spontaneous creation of a new species. Religious fervor may sway people into believing that they have “ascended” into a new being; wartime suspicions and patriotism may convince people that the opposing side is made up of monsters and something “other” than themselves.
There is ample documentation that Pilgrims were born of mankind, during a time when exposures to unknown dangers were high and genetic mutations commonplace, and death swift to those who mutated in disadvantageous directions. It is, and has always been, a survival trait of the human species to adapt by mutation, to grow to fit our environment, or to die in the attempt.
Just as endomorphic and ectomorphic traits are evolutionary branches in the human species, created by the pressures of environment and the inability for the unfit to survive long enough to procreate, so are the documented changes exhibited by the Pilgrims. These identical pressures come to bear on those who emigrated to space many centuries ago.
The Pilgrims are a new race of man, but just as height or melanin levels may have at one time answered an environmental need, without denying the carriers of their humanity, so too are the Pilgrims to be accepted into varied and complex ranks of Homo sapiens, no better and no worse than the rest of us.Where can I find a copy of the movie for the watch party?
Mobile Suit Gundam I is not available for rent or purchase on many of the standard streaming services. If you would like a physical copy, it was released on DVD in the US in 2002 and remains in print around the world. It is currently streaming on YouTube. An English dub is also available for those that do not enjoy subtitles. Copies are available on the Internet Archive: subtitled and dubbed. If you are not able to locate a copy please stop by the Discord and ping a CIC staff member before Friday's showing.
How do we watch the movie together?
It's pretty low tech! Simply join the Wing Commander CIC Discord on Friday and we will be chatting (in text) along with the film in the main channel. Everyone who wants to join in should bring their own copy and we will count down to play them together at 10 PM EST. Everyone is welcome and we encourage you to join in the conversation; sharing your thoughts helps make the experience better for everyone!
How can I help pick future movie club movies?
The movie club movies are voted on each week by the Wing Commander Discord. The poll is typically posted 24 hours before each week's screening and the next movie is announced at the end. The choices for the poll come from a master pool of Wing Commander-related movies. If you would like to suggest a film for inclusion in that pool you can post it to this thread.
