G Gundam Episode 2: Roar of the Winning Punch

Domon travels to New York to fight the embodiment of the American dream – Chibodee Crockett!

Episode Summary

An eyepatched man sits on a stool in a black void; this man is Stalker, G Gundam’s narrator. He repeats what we heard in the first episode about the Gundam Fight and how it takes place on Earth, that sort of stuff.

Neo America

There’s a parade in New York City celebrating Neo America’s Gundam Maxter and its pilot, Chibodee Crockett. Domon watches the ceremony on a bar television and hears that Chibodee will be fighting some guy named “Carmela Conomy” in a boxing match later in the day.

Elsewhere, Chibodee meets with Douglas and Grumman, two men from the Ministry of Defense. They’re aware that Domon has arrived in Neo America, and after seeing photos of what happened to Neros Gundam, Douglas wants to offer protection. Chibodee scoffs at him, saying his crew of four beautiful women (Shirley, Bunny, Cath, and Janet) are all he needs to take care of him.

In the Ring

Domon masquerades as Carmela and meets Chibodee in the ring to formally challenge him to a Gundam Fight. The two fighters duke it out and seem evenly matched, until Domon gets punched in the kidney; he leaps out of the ring and makes his escape.

Chibodee orders Bunny to meet with Domon and give him a time and place for their fight. But Douglas drugs her and has her give false information to Domon, luring him into a trap.

The Next Morning

Douglas and Grumman ambush Domon with helicopters that can transform into mobile suits. Chibodee and his Gundam Maxter arrive, giving Domon the chance to get into his Shining Gundam. Together, the two fighters destroy the mobile suits so they can start their match.

Gundam Fight

Gundam Maxter’s shoulder pads fly off and reattach to its fists like boxing gloves, but Domon tears right through them with the Shining Finger. Domon spares Maxter’s head, though, believing Chibodee to be “one of the good guys.” A crowd of Chibodee’s fans surround Maxter, chanting his name; he feels better about his loss, promising to work harder to accomplish his dream of winning the Gundam Fight.

Thoughts

Here we’re introduced to Chibodee, who obviously becomes a major player, considering he’s in the show’s opening. He’s over the top, egotistical, and super obnoxious as he basks in his celebrity role. But he gradually gets better later on, and even in this episode, we see Chibodee’s a good guy at heart.

I’m not crazy about boxing, so the Domon’s fight as Carmela didn’t particularly thrill me. Why exactly did he disguise himself, anyway? And what’s Chibodee doing having a boxing match while the Gundam Fight’s going on?

The fight with the helicopter mobile suits ate up too much time and Shining Gundam’s fight against Maxter was far too short. Though seeing the Shining Finger rip through Maxter’s arm was visually satisfying, like those LET’S MELT THIS videos on YouTube.

Stalker makes his debut in this episode. I really like him; he’s one of G Gundam‘s unique elements. Not only does he talk directly to the audience to provide exposition and commentary, but he also interacts with some of the characters and environments as well. I love narrators like that.