In my timeline journey through the Universal Century, I've decided to take a detour after Mobile Suit Gundam through the OVA sequels and sidestories, before jumping into Zeta. First stop is War in the Pocket (though 08th MS Team seems an equally reasonable choice, since it focuses on operation Odessa from MSG, while War in the Pocket takes place sometime later or possibly after the events of MSG, but has little direct relation to any of the main series' plot).

Something that's clear about War in the Pocket right away is that it's for Gundam fans. Not to say that you won't be able to enjoy or follow it if it's your first foray into the series (I think you certainly still will), but there are places where the narrative assumes our knowledge about the series for its subtle introduction of expository details. For example, before we KNOW Chris is a Feddie because she tells us, there's a shot of her taking her uniform out of her suitcase and placing it on her bed. This lets us know that as Gundam fans going into this series, we are in a privileged position when it comes to knowledge about the characters and world, and potentially that there are elements of the drama that are aimed specifically toward us. The latter part proves to be true as we come to understand that the kids at the heart of the story are huge fans of giant robots themselves, which surely countless Gundam fans can relate to. Knowing as we do that Zeon is no longer fighting the righteous war for independence it initially set out to, Alfred's fascination with the Zaku in particular immediately plants a seed of worry in the heart of the viewer. Does this kid know what he may be getting himself into if he takes his obsession too far? And just how far is too far? When is a fan blinded to the ethical implications of a drama by their enthusiasm for its aesthetics?

Before I get into the spoiler-filled summary and analysis, I'll tell you just how good the series is.

There really isn't an aspect of the series to find much fault with. Other than that Chris' character is a bit underutilized, the characters are distinct, interesting and sympathetic. The art, direction and animation are amazing, especially having come off of just watching the original Mobile Suit Gundam. It's a great pleasure to be able to see the action, which was naturally a bit stiff in the original, depicted so beautifully and with such tremendous detail. As far as action goes, it's not loaded with it, but there's a good balance between how much time is devoted to the story and how much is devoted to robots blowing things up. The story and characters are the focus here, and the styling and direction of the action sequences actually further the tone and message of the narrative.

The story takes place on Side 6, which we know from Mobile Suit Gundam is a neutral territory where abetting either side of the conflict is prohibited, and whether Zeon or Feddie, carrying out any form of attack, combat, training, or building, testing, stockpiling of weapons breaks the Antarctic Treaty. The bright pallet chosen to render the scenery and characters immediately stood out to me when compared to art I've seen of the other in-between MSG and Zeta OVAs. This pallet suits and emphasizes the innocence of the main characters, and the (deluded) feeling citizens of Side 6 seem to have that they live in a sort of safehaven or Eden.

The first taste of action we get is the battle that introduces Bernie and proves to the children that the Feddies do, in fact, have mobile suits. The way the action is shot, primarily from street level, with lots of upward facing, and wide shots, showcases the preternatural, menacing immensity of mobile suits. They are shown towering over citizens and buildings like. While the GMs and Zakus are going at each other, their battle is simultaneously framed as if they are teamed up in a clumsy attack on the city itself. The citizens' delusion about the safety of Side 6, their distance from the front lines, is torn down as massive mobile suit arms and legs crush cars and crumble buildings like unwieldy wrecking balls. Notice that when the mobile suits' bodies are shown in full, when the focus is on their combat against one another, the movement is smooth and dynamic. When the focus is on the mobile suits' mutual destruction of the city, their limbs move with tremendous slow, lumbering weight. Just some examples of how the series masterfully uses visuals to tell its story!

I won't tell you War in the Pocket is one of the best anime of all time, perhaps it's too soon to even say it's one of the best Gundam series (I suppose I'll find out), but it's definitely a more than solid installment that bears the essence of what a Gundam series is supposed to be in every sense.

Spoilers to follow.

Showing the havoc the meaningless tragedy of war wreaks on innocence and innocent lives is the penchant of the Gundam series, or at least those offshoots that remain aligned with the spirit of the original. War in the Pocket is a moving, concise story that gets that point across in a special way. I already have the feeling that it is going to stand out as a stop on the timeline I'm going to be drifting along from now until I run out of U.C. Gundam to watch. Chris as a character is a little underdeveloped, but Alfred's relationships with Bernie, and to a lesser extent with Chris, are touching. He admires them both, but he learns what difficulty that entails when the figures he admires are fighting on two opposite sides of a war, fighting battles with real consequences and real lives at stake.

Alfred's enthusiasm and innocence resonate with Bernie, who probably was much like Alfred himself not too long ago, and Bernie knows exactly what to say to Alfred to get him fired up and paint himself as a hero to his young, naive companion. Alfred thinks of war as a dramatic, exciting story, and now Bernie is his main character. Bernie keeps the fantasy of war alive, both to relish in Alfred's admiration and companionship, but perhaps also to protect Alfred from learning the truth for as long as he can. Then ultimately, he does have the chance to be Alfred's hero and save side 6 from the ruthless machinations of Zeon itself.

But it's a lose/lose situation. We as the viewers know what the characters don't: Chris is the Gundam pilot. And as it turns out, neither side had to die, because Zeon's plot was discovered, while Bernie was in the process of carrying out his one man operation to destroy the Gundam.

When all's said and done Alfred truly has a glimpse of what war is about, how a soldier's hopes and good intentions can become twisted and stifled, and to the extent that they're carried out, they're never worth the lives they cost. He can no longer really relate to his school friends who fetishize the artifacts of power that makeup warfare, like bullet shells, military insignias, and giant robots. Even though his home is saved and his family and friends don't die, in a sense he is trapped and isolated with his new, troubling, burdensome experiences, and his grief over his friend the unknown, unsung Zeon soldier. Bernie tries to be the hero in Alfred's war fantasy narrative, but he fails; the hero dies, apparently for no reason, and so Alfred's innocent fantasy dies with him. He loses all that, and a friend and surrogate brother in Bernie.