Gundam fans rejoice!  Iron-Blooded Orphans has been a huge hype for fans as we always await for a new series, yet with 10 episodes in we are surprised to see a new direction that Gundam is taking. Our hero, Mikazuki Augus, is an orphan child soldier for the Chryse Guard Security (CGS) a civil security army stationed in Mars.  He is the child pilot for the Gundam Barbatos and his team was hired to protect Kudelia Aina Berstein who fights for Chryse’s freedom from the government of Earth. The time period is 300 years after the Calamity Wars and Mars is habitable and colonized by the governments on Earth. The party of CGS consists of Orga Itsuka, Mikazuki’s childhood friend who is very much like his brother, Biscuit, the right hand man to Orga, with his sisters Cookie and Cracker, and Atara, CGS’s cook. The series starts with a good foundation for story building as the first episode introduces the setting and time period, including the politics. For newbies, this Gundam series maybe a good intro to the Gundam fan base with its diverse set of characters, relatable storyline, and eclectic art style.

In the past, Gundam has always been introduced characters in a serious military settings. Pilots were introduced as army officials who worked on missions and lived civilian lives worried more about their next task, itching to be back in their Gundams. Many of the characters we met before had no sense of family or home but were rather emotionless and lacked a sense of geounding. This series starts the characters in a home like environment. Characters are introduced in their community settings as who they are and their relationship to one another. This type of character building is a lot more personal and less political. The characters are also given diverse personalities and character flaws that allows the audience to attach and grow with a character. Whether its Mikazuki’s anger issues that make him overly protective, or Orga’s loyalty and trust in Mikazuki, the character development is far more intimate compared to other series. The characters are also almost all started off as orphan victims of human trafficking that turn them into children pilot soldiers. Due to the fact that they grew up together, there is a larger sense of family and overall casual tones among the CGS army.

Iron-Blooded Orphans also happens to have a lot more blood in this series than Gundam has had before. The Gundam fandom has been known to try to avoid gory scenes but they seem to have decided to let some of that restraint go, making the episodes slightly more gruesome. The fight scenes are extremely spectacular with lots of detail. As far as the storyline goes, there can be a few allusions taken towards American history. Chryse can easily be seen as the old American colonies back during the revolutionary war, and the government of Earth can be parallel to Great Britain. I am extremely pleased that I could easily relate the storyline to the American Revolutionary War, as it made understanding the politics in the episodes a lot easier to comprehend. In any sense an anime that promotes fighting for freedom is great in my book.

Lastly, the art style is incredible. Mikazuki, our hero is very simply drawn. Making him lack in detail offers the audience a chance to really grasp and relate to him as a character. This is quite impressive in my opinion, since then we can easily imagine him to be the hero we want him to be. The other characters are drawn well enough to fit their personalities. The Gundams and landscapes however are drawn with immense quality. Mars’ terrain looks like a mountainous desert, while even the inside of the building seem to have been etched with hints erosion and poverty. The Gundams are gorgeous mechas drawn to perfection. If you love watching anime for art styles this might be a great anime for you. The mix of detailed to simple drawings really stands out and offers a dynamic to the viewers.

Overall I give this series a 5 out of 5 for stepping out of their normal boundaries Gundam the series has immensely improved. I recommend even those who are fans of this mecha dynasty to give this one a try.