A Special Thanks Goes To Kodansha, Vertical Comics and NetGalley for the ARC

It’s time for a brand-new review, this time it is the first Giant Mecha-related review for Manga. Junji Ohno’s Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin MSD: Cucuruz Doan’s Island volume one. It’s a five-volume series that is based on the lost pilot episode from the original Mobile Suit Gundam TV Series. It also serves as a retelling of Yoshikawa Yasuhiko’s manga series Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN. For more reviews, be sure to click here to read the past reviews.

The Story of Cucuruz Doan’s actions is told from a brand-new perspective, through the eyes of Cucuruz Doan’s Zeon Soldiers under his command, exploring the ramifications of Cucuruz Doan’s actions during the One Year War. Gundam Veteran Junji Ohno brings us a new tale with brand-new characters and a new view of the development of the original mobile suits, all with the imprimatur of Yasuhiko himself.

It’s an interesting approach to what happened after Doan’s actions, for those who aren’t familiar with the tale, Cucuruz Doan was introduced in the original Mobile Suit Gundam TV Anime’s 15th episode titled Cucuruz Doan’s Island, which goes deeper into the lore that the original TV series introduced but with a fresher perspective years later. As a fan of the Mobile Suit Gundam series, I appreciate Ohno’s approach to a classic tale, both in script and artistically.

These contributions enhanced the storytelling, not only for the better but also a deeper understanding of the era’s technology and the personal stakes involved. It was an interesting shift, exploring the moral and strategic complexities faced by both sides of the conflict. If you’re worried that it wouldn’t stay true to the original Gundam series, then this first volume will put your fears to rest, when Junji Ohno introduced brand-new characters, he expanded the development of the original Mobile Suits. Just keep in mind that it does get confusing in some spots, so just be sure to pay attention in certain areas.

For the artwork in this story, the character designs were on par with the original series, invoking the style of the original work in each panel and character design. But the characters aren’t the only ones that made the book stand out, it was the designs of the Mobile Suits, the machinery, and the weapons were illustrated well to go with the kinetic action in each panel and page. The environment changed in certain areas of the book, for example, from battles in the deserts, in the Black Sea to training missions in space.

*Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island* takes fans on a fascinating journey through one of the most enigmatic and often overlooked chapters of the original *Gundam* series. Based on the legendary "lost" episode from the First Gundam TV series, this 5-volume manga series offers a fresh and compelling perspective on the story of Cucuruz Doan, bringing new depth and nuance to a character who has long intrigued fans.

This spinoff is a product of Yoshikawa Yasuhiko's acclaimed manga retelling in *Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN*. Yasuhiko, the original character designer and animation director, lends his expertise to ensure that the series remains faithful to the rich lore of the Gundam universe. Under his watchful eye, the manga delves into the ramifications of Cucuruz Doan’s actions from the viewpoint of the Zeon soldiers who served under him. This shift in perspective provides a nuanced exploration of the moral and strategic complexities faced by both sides of the conflict.

Junji Ohno, a seasoned Gundam veteran, brings a wealth of experience to the project, introducing brand-new characters and expanding on the development of the original mobile suits. His contributions enhance the storytelling, offering fresh insights and a deeper understanding of the era's technology and the personal stakes involved.

The result is a series that not only honors the legacy of the original *Gundam* series but also enriches it, providing both new and longtime fans with a thrilling, expanded view of one of its most intriguing episodes. Whether you’re a dedicated Gundam aficionado or a newcomer eager to explore this iconic universe, *Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island* is a must-read that promises to captivate and engage.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Kodansha Comics, Vertical Comics for an advance copy of this graphic novel that looks at a literal lost episode in the history of the Gundam series, that fills out character motivations as well as having pages and pages of mechanized battles.

My introduction to anime and manga came in fits and starts, with a lot of misunderstanding. I had loved the shows Battle of the Planets and Starblazers which were edited from Japanese shows, which meant I got a story, but not the real story. Robotech came next, but I missed a series, or something and always seemed to be playing catchup. When I started attending comic book conventions I found tables filled with VHS and Betamax tapes of shows I had heard of, adventures I never thought I would see, but without an entry point I was lost at sea. Later as magazines, books, other media began to appear and explain these stories I began to get hooked. Once I could grasp a part of the story, I wanted to know more. Besides huge hulking robots blasting each other, that is always fun. Gundam was always a creation that seemed to have gravitas. Yes one had big robots fighting, but the stories always seemed to be about important matters, peeks at the human psyche that seems to always be fighting. This graphic novel is no exception. Mobile Suit Gudam The Origin MSD Cucuruz Doan's Island 1 is written and illustrated by Junji Ohno with design work and additional writing and illustrations from Yatate Hajime, Yoshiyuki Tomino and Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. This story takes place during the early days of the Gundam saga, featuring a lost episode that has been recently made into a movie, and fills in many of the motivations of certain characters, while offering a lot of battles, and lots of introspection on why they are fighting.

The story is not really for first timers. The story takes place during the One Year War, after the desertion of the officer Cucuruz Doan. The characters are members of a Mobile Suit Unit that are dealing with the aftereffects of what has happened, along with the discovery of a large Gundam that seems to be immune to their attacks. The action ranges from battles in the deserts and on the Black Sea to training missions in space.

Fans of the series will enjoy this quite a bit, first time readers might find it a bit confusing. The graphic novel features plenty of good character moments, discussions of responsibility, fighting and dying for causes, and the fact that war leaves it's scars even on those who survive. The art is really quite good, with a lot of kinetic action and weight of huge metal monsters clashing, some living a lot dying. Again not an easy issue to pick up if one is unaware of the storylines, but for fans this will be a keeper.

Cucuruz Doan's Island is a bit of Gundam curio with quite a bit of backstory; the original version of the story took place in episode 15 of the original Mobile Suit Gundam 1979 TV show. Chief animation director and character designer Yoshikazu Yasuhiko had taken ill during the production of the original episode, and the episode suffered at his absence, with the episode so poorly produced that Gundam director and creator Yoshiyuki Tomino refused to let it be released with other episodes when the series got re-released on DVD. Yasuhiko began his own manga adaptation of the original 1979 Gundam series (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin) that ran from 2001 to 2011, which added new prequel material (that got it's own anime adaptation in 2015). Released alongside the prequel anime in 2016 was this sidequel manga retelling the story of the missing episode, which Yasuhiko adapted into a feature film in 2022. This manga is being released after the western release of that film.

If the backstory for this is confusing, it certainly informs the manga, which requires at the very least an understanding of the factions and plot of the original series. It follows former Republic of Zeon mobile suit pilots under Doan's command, and their experiences in the war One-Year-War after his desertion. If this sentence doesn't make sense to you, you'll probably want to skip this manga (or read Yasuhiko's excellent Gundam: The Origin first). Doan's former subordinates each have an encounter with a Gundam of some type or style that tears their forces apart, reinforcing Gundam's broad anti-war messaging.

All that being said, it's very well produced. The manga matches the Yasuhiko's original character designs and visual style, with clean mechanical designs and dynamic-but-easily-followed action.

Arc Copy...Personally I found it fun to read through an action packed gundam adventure and looks a vintage story-timeline which I am not familiar with. Wonder if reprint or remake? If remake, the vintage art style feels enpointe.

Giant robot fighting stories aren't normal my type of books but thought I'd give this one a try. Not much of an overall story other than they are fighting an enemy, and they are trying to protect the dam. One of the guys is lost and there is a little backstory for the characters. Hoping that they give us more information in later books.

A classic with beautiful illustrations. A perfect 10/10. Can't wait to read the German edition in autumn.

Just like every other form of Gundam media I have barely an idea of what is going on but everything looks amazing and is just cool as all hell to the point that I truthfully don't care.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, Vertical Comics, Junji Ohno, Yatate Hajime, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Yoshikazu Yasuhiko for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

Cucuruz Doan's Island is a five volume spin-off serries from the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin manga series. I greatly appreciate the art style, as it fits The Origin manga, making a smooth connection, as well as having the feel of the original anime series, even though this manga is entering the media world nearly half a century later.

This mini-series follows the ramifications of Cucuruz Doan's actions as a soldier and the ramifications those actions have on his followers and their side of the war. It offers new characters sharing the view of the Zeon perspective from mobile suit piloting and battles, to mobile suit manufacturing.

I love all Gundam's and find them to be quite intriguing, especially the science and technology within the diverse story lines. This manga has an original Gundam feel to it while also feeling like a fresh story. I enjoyed the new characters and the cameos, and there is always merit into seeing other perspectives. Surely something any Gundam fan will enjoy.

More One Year War stories, please! A very enjoyable read. I can't wait to see what happens! I love the menace the Gundam suit is and the legend of it amongst Zeon pilots.

**Cucuruz Doan's Island** brings a fresh perspective to the Gundam universe, reviving the legendary "lost" episode from the First Gundam TV series. This 5-volume series, spun off from Yoshikawa Yasuhiko's manga retelling, delves into the impact of Cucuruz Doan's actions through the eyes of the Zeon soldiers. Gundam veteran Junji Ohno introduces new characters and insights into the development of the original mobile suits, adding depth to the classic tale. With Yasuhiko's endorsement and a recent animated film adaptation now on Crunchyroll, this series is a must-read for Gundam fans.