I think that first and foremost, this series does a great job at not alienating the viewer if this series is your first entry into Mobile Suit Gundam, as it was for me. Everything, even the heavy lore stuff, was pretty accessible and easy to interpret... at first. However, like most of my favorite anime, really- this series shines because of its fleshed out cast of intriguing characters with interlocking and opposed motives and interests in the hyper-corporate conspiracy in the background of this series' setup.

Suletta Mercury being such a strong character- along with her counterpart in Miorine Rembran- is why this series works so well. They're both a joy to watch interact, even at their bristly beginnings. The way their personalities contrast, and how their different strengths compliment each other in battle and when navigating issues at their school such as their AWFUL parents, tensions between Earthians and Spacians, and a number of people who want to become Miorine's bride for less than noble reasons. Suletta is immediately loveable and relatable with her fish-out-of-water vibes and her genuinely good heart- and Miorine is immediately admirable if not lovable on the same wavelength for her effortless coolness and her bravery. the supporting cast is also fully of solid and mostly memorable characters, from all of the hot but awful men such as Guel Jeturk and Elan Ceres (though i do find both of their stories captivating and compelling despite their evil actions), to the members of Peil house who slowly begin to love Suletta just as much as the audience certainly does.

It's not ALL about the characters though, the series does have very interesting and compelling worldbuilding with the way the school is so sharply divided between the haves and have-nots, and the way even children have to have connections to some kind of corporate sponsor just to get an education. The behind the scenes corporate stuff gets a bit convoluted, but I imagine S2 will shed a light on a lot of that, so I'll hold off on considering that a huge drawback. But I always found the concepts a bit more interesting than the execution.

The action too, is stellar. Kinetically and breathtakingly animated with fitting scope for the all-out space battles they are- you feel the tension and the orbit-high stakes of each one. The mystery (though they defiantly make pretty clear what the answer to this is early on if you're in the know of this series' deal) of whether Aerial is a Gundam/GUND format mobile suit also adds to the uncertainty of who will win many fights in the movie, especially those against Elan but I won't spoil as to why.

I am mixed on the ending though- it feels shocking and discomforting, to be sure... but I hope they aren't going to fully turn Suletta into an antihero or villain now, I would honestly probably hate that.