Gundam Build Metaverse

 So, a new instalment into the Gundam Build series, this time called Metaverse.

 

 

It's a three part ONA, streaming on the GundamInfo official channel on YouTube, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Build franchise.

 

This series, taking place in a time where the virtual and real world boundaries have been lessened, focusses again on the use of your GunPla builds in the Gundam Metaverse computer program.  Seria and Rio are master and student, an experienced duelist and her young and eager student.

 

Rio is a passionate young pilot,  who often hangs out at the shopping mall's GunPla portal, where he wants to keep training to surpass his master. The store owners give her pointers on how to improve her model for the battles though.  Rio presents his newest suit, the Lah Gundam, to his master, known as Mask Lady.

But mighty players from before also make their appearance, like Sei, Sekai, Riku, ... the heroes of the previous instalments of the franchise, as Rio is brought by them to the Masked Lady to join their team.  She joins them for a game, giving him a good learning experience about team battles.  But in a duel later on, Rio witnesses how his master actually loses a battle, and learning the true identity of the Mask Lady, who is actually his building teacher at the local store.

She explains how she became the Mask Lady and what her goals where, and how she was chasing the title of best female Build Fighter pilot, Lady Kawaguchi, together with her sister in her youth and why she returned to the Metaverse with Rio, even though her sister still hates you and she keeps distance of the world.  In the Metaverse he meets Magee, who seems to know Rio's master from before.  Rio enters a boss mission questseries to gain more experience and that way be able to confront Seria's sister Maria as Fumina and Magee watch on.  Build Divers Hiroto joins in the fun with his Core fighter, as there is truly a huge wave of enemies to overcome.  

Together, they confront the raid boss (Hiroto's core change sequence remains cool), with Hiroto taking it down in his Plutine Gundam together with Rio's help, teaching him some more lessons along the way when a new Gundam appears... Sekai!

He wants to see who is the strongest of those that defeated the raid boss, as Seria returns to the game in her own original avatar.  Rio is defeated by Sekai, but enjoyed the battle (and seeing Sekai I still think of that closing moment of his series, when Domon appeared as his master).  Rio and Seria are going to join a large event where Maria is bound to participate in as well.

 

In this 400 gunpla suit battle event,  Rio and the other Build fighters meet in the game, with cameo's of most main and secondary characters of the franchise.  As the battle rages, Meijin Kawaguchi himself deciced to join into the fun as well.  Rio is contacted by Sei Iori, as the Meijin comes to challenge him.  Rio reaches Maria, who issues the challenge that if he defeats her, she will listen to what he has to say.  But she pilots a huge machine, as he engages her in a duel.  

Rei is about to be defeated, but is saved at the last moment by Reiji who joined the game as well, making it a two versus one duel.  Rio in the meantime is hardpressed, but refuses to stand down, and with lessons he learned from a real Bushido, his grandfather, manages to close the gap in power.  He reaches through to Maria who gets in a lamenting rage, who's real frustration is that her sister Seria quit being so close to her goal.

 

It is shown later Rio has grown and battles his master in the semi-finals of the Lotus Cup.  if he wins, he would need to fight the new Lady Kawaguchi, who is none other then Maria herself.

So, while a short series to commerate the franchise, this was again bloody good innocent fun.  I always like the Build series for what it is, a story build around the building of models and playing with them (though sadly, still not possible in our lifetime, but maybe one day Thorin can enjoy this) and a nice relaxing viewing experience.