It’s Christmas season and harmony is what it’s all about. The jolly holidays pull away the wreckage sites orchestrated by the vices of war to give more notice to the child-like air, playful despite the mischief. War in the Pocket took many steps away from the endless show of carnage of 0079 to bond with other avenues covered during war times. A refreshing change of pace in aesthetics, setting, character motivations, and musical motif exposed the creativity contained within the Gundam universe.
I can imagine that at that time, the Gundam fad had reached significant heights considering how undeniably awesome the very idea and look of mecha is, especially back then in the relatively early phases of its conception. Plenty of mobile suit designs should have been materialized into merchandise figurines. It would not be surprising to assume that the flashy fights and cool-ass robots and futuristic technology had its anti-war nature flow away over many people’s heads (and at the very least, the first season didn’t take as much liberties to place consistent spotlights on the disastrous effects of full-blown feuds).
In comes this 6-episode OVA having kids glorify war, perhaps a consequence to the peace of Side 6, the 10-year-old half of the dual protagonists cast directly, actively, willingly participating on excursions for Zeon’s cause due to its being the peak of entertainment and nothing else (a dream come true for a boy playing shooting games). Why, it must be play at its finest for children! The show retains Al’s engaged positive spirits by intentionally detracting away from the aftereffects of death until the very last episodes, merely reducing casualties into plain numbers, while merry and lighthearts blanket snuggly. The townspeople carry on about their days and it seems like unrest was non-existent at the infliction of the neutral Side’s battle scars. OP and ED work in tandem to grip the watcher within smothering leisure.
And yes, it does not serve to be against the show’s quality. Rather, it builds to the conviction towards a state of life untouched by ruin. While it does that, it is cheeky in presenting the misguided views of people towards the golden sheen of steel. The subdued yet warm flames within the hearth that is War in the Pocket manifests as a call to foster such environments and denounce the zero-sum game adults forced everyone to play.
Staging characters of opposing factions become obliviously attracted to one another simply because of human nature activating was brilliant to prove the point. In the end, authorities dictate the flow of conflict, and underlings can’t help but go against people they could have had amiable relationships with, fighting each other to the death just to survive. Running away and fighting head-on both incur casualties, Chris said. Therein lies a woeful struggle in this sort of societal conflict. The hammer to the nail was the ending when Chris and Bernie no longer had to fight in order to protect their loved ones. Result: the admired unknowingly killed her admirer, bereaving her neighbor who must have been too young to even properly process what has happened. Now Al knows how devastating war must be, and how it is a different kind of game adults play like every human life is but a chess piece and every weapon is a toy, something his close friends still have not been made to understand. A crying Al does not need a continuation of spectacles and buried treasures. What he needs is the nightmare of children his age: the mundane, ordinary life.
A rather short piece, yet a satisfying one within the Gundam universe. War in the Pocket is a most relevant story which has energized my interest in the franchise, sat me beside the simplicity of media wonderfully, and blessed me with ✨ 80s anime vibes ✨. Indeed, an enjoyable show.
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