Gundam SEED Stargazer, a short ONA that spans a total of 50 min in the DVD version, and split into 3x15min in the STAGE versions, tells the events unfolding following the Julius Seven catastrophe, dubbed Bloody Valentine, that was mentionned several times during SEED and SEED DESTINY.

It follows a fairly large cast, and two main central figures: Sven and Selene. Selene, a Coordinator and scientist participating in  the development of the Gundam Stargazer, has her station come under attack by Phantom Pain, a EAF  battalion that has come to claim its AI unit. Sven, piloting the Strike Noir (hottest SEED Gundam everrr) is part of the attacking forces.

Although incredibly short, and thereby so, so very unsatisfying, STARGAZER is by far one of my favorites SEED spinoff ever. Its plot is strong, and although character development is lacking due to time, the characters are also strong and so very endearing. The ending is either tragic or open depending on how you interpret it.

I’m not exactly sure why I liked Stargazer so much. Nothing of particular importance happens – no outwordly political intrigue, no amazing speeches, no save/destroy the world plan. It’s just about a bunch of people trying to survive, trying live, and fighting for it. And maybe that’s everything it is. Maybe that’s why it’s so captivating, to me at least. My only, tiny quirk, is that I wish it was longuer ;_;

Oh, and a little note: I do believe the DVD version has extra and/or longer scences that aren’t in the STAGE versions, and some extra shots during the ending credits where you see what happened to the rest of the crew.

edit; for those too lazy to do Math, the ending says that 669 hours have past while Selene and Sven where sleeping – that’s 27 days and  21 hours. Selene said they’d survive for 27 days,which means that they died ;_;

Advertisement