The original saga of Mobile Suit Gundam reaches its spectacular climax with Char’s Counterattack, the 1988 theatrical film that reunites Char Aznable and Amuro Ray for one final conflict, and sees Yoshiyuki Tomino and company bringing these characters, their story, and the major themes of the series up to now home with astonishing aplomb. As the first original movie in the franchise’s history, Char’s Counterattack boasts incredible production values and some of the greatest animation we’ve ever seen, but it’s also a deeply intelligent, incredibly thoughtful capper to all the big ideas, character arcs, and interpersonal conflicts broached in the original three TV series. And after spending so much time talking about the ingenious character creation that is Char, this movie gives us ample opportunity to put the character and his complex evolution in context, leading to one of the best conversations we’ve had about Gundam so far.

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