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INTEREST: Mobile Suit Gundam Animation Director Says Series' Pro-War Message is a Mix-Up

It's easy to see Gundam as a pro war series, particularly if you're not a regular fan of the series or someone deeply immersed in it. Ostensibly the stories are about ending the conflict du jour, but usually the only answer they present is slugging it out until one side is defeated. Every series ends with one final big fight, and then some quick epilogue-esque wrap-up about how some peace agreement is signed or whatnot.

The deaths and devastation to non-main characters or other places tend to get passing attention in favor of the next big robot fight. When there are characters that try to drive an anti-war stance, they usually end up pushed to the side or the background in the story, or derided by fans for being "weak" or a Jesus wannabe or Mary Sue.

I'm not blaming the director here or anything, but their own efforts to present a non-war focused viewpoint have not exactly been robust over the years. And simply saying "war is bad" while portraying hero characters continuously immersed in war and trying their best to kill any enemy the come across is not sufficient to present what you may want to claim as an anti-war footing.

I've always thought that artists intentions were crucial to understanding any work of fiction.

His final message addresses Japanese youth participating protests against the recent security bill, which will allow the reinterpretation of Japan's Peace Constitution as well as the military aid of foreign countries in wartime. While he congratulates them on protesting peacefully, he says, "It's a shame if they are caught up in a single-minded pursuit of ideas such as 'protect (war-renouncing) Article 9 (of the Constitution)' and 'preserve (Japan as) a peaceful country.' For example, I hope they think for themselves from now on about how we deal with things like the Islamic State extremist group."