It’s not a TV series, it’s not a movie… but a brand new OVA (Original Video Animation) series—in which was shown in theaters in Japan in limited showings despite the true meaning behind OVAs, of a Gundam series for the first time in more than a decade… and the first Universal Century series this decade. The first Episode of Unicorn begins in an excellent pace like Endless Waltz by introducing the main characters, like Banagher Links and Audrey Burne. But as for the story, I’m not sure…

Unicorn takes place 3 years after the events of Char’s Counterattack, in UC 0096. The fight between Londo Bell and Neo Zeon has died down, but the Zeon has other things in mind… something called “Laplace’s Box”, which holds the secrets of the Universal Century and the existence of the colonies. Sticking with the traditional teenager-gets-stuck-in-warfare theme in every series, Banagher, who is a student at Anaheim Electronics, gets a similar treatment… except that his reasoning appears less tiring than what the other characters in the series have been through.

Seeing an unidentified mobile suit entering the colony during a skirmish, Banagher eventually wanders off from his friends to check it out in a Ball-model mobile suit (not found on a truck, mind you). Later, he sees a girl (Audrey) falling into the colony after sneaking in. After rescuing her, they land near a building, where they attract attention of colony inhabitants—and the people who are looking for her. The people who are searching for Audrey introduce themselves, only to get a Haro thrown at them…

Banagher and Audrey flee from danger and find themselves in a mansion: home of the Chairman of Anaheim Academy, Cardeas Vist, and the Vist Foundation. While in the house, Banagher has flashbacks from looking at the decorations on the wall showing Unicorns. Banagher snaps out of it, saying that it all looks familiar to him.

With Banagher being asked to leave, Aurdrey and Cardeas have a conversation about the plans to unlock Laplace’s Box. Unlocking the box would mean many problems for the colonies, warns Audrey. But being the stubborn old man that he is, Cardeas sees his plan in another way. His stubbornness will eventually lead to bloodshed that happens later in the episode…something that unsurprisingly ticks Banagher off, but on a smaller scale than what Kamille went through. But he gets to know more of Cardeas before he pilots the Gundam Unicorn…

As far as the plot is concerned, this definitely brings Gundam back to its roots. However, I will say that the story is a little confusing… and the fact it will take a while to see the full story unfold, being an OVA series, it may take a few rewatches waiting for the next episode to understand the story. Being a Gundam fan myself, this is no problem. The next episode of Unicorn due in Fall 2010, is The Red Comet, which introduces Full Frontal, a musclebound, Char Aznable poser admirer.

Seeing that is takes place a few years after Char’s Counterattack… and that just about many of the UC series features the original cast from Mobile Suit Gundam, there should have been some cameo appearances by one of them. They are no where to be seen, but rather heard: Captain of the Ra Cailum (and my favoriteness character in the series), Bright Noa, gets an honorable mention.

Bonus: With Gundam Unicorn being my first Blu-ray title in my Anime collection (and ever), I do see a better difference in the quality over what it could have been like viewed on a DVD. And to tell the truth—I still own a SD Television (I know, I know, I should get with the times). I’d go a bit into details of what differences between old and newer Anime series on Blu-ray, but I need more experience watching BDs…

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