MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: CUCURUZ DOAN’S ISLAND: A Better-Built Version Of A Mecha Classic

In the early 2000s, the classic anime TV series Mobile Suit Gundam would debut on American television. Well, most of it anyway. The series creator Yoshiyuki Tomino had some strict rules for the American release. One of the biggest requests was that the episode “Cucuruz Doan’s Island” be removed from the release.

What was so bad about this episode that Tomino didn’t want it aired? Well, it was more a matter of quality than anything problematic. Tomino had wanted Gundam to be remastered with improved video and new sound effects, but there was nothing in his eyes that could save this episode with its lackluster animation. This would turn “Cucuruz Doan’s Island” into a lost episode, where you won’t find it on the official English release.

But anime has always been known for its do-overs, seen in productions like End of Evangelion. This led to a feature-film redo of Cucuruz Doan’s Island. For essentially being a revision of one Gundam episode in the early part of its original run, it’s a great side story that gets to the heart of what makes Gundam so engaging beyond the cool giant robots.

The War of Federation vs. Zeon

Set during the One Year War, the battle between the planet-bound defensive Earth Federation and the space-colony Zeon fascists rages onward. The White Base spaceship, manned by raw recruits and war orphans, continues its Earth journey to retake Zeon territory. Aboard the White Base is the Gundam, regarded as the most powerful mech in this war and piloted by the distressed teenager Amuro Ray.

White Base is called to investigate Federation forces being destroyed at a small island in the Pacific. There are no Zeon bases on the island, but an attack by a Zeon forces Zaku robot says otherwise. Captain Noah Bright, bitterly taking orders from egotistical Federation commanders, finds himself regretting sending his young soldiers into an uncertain situation.

The mysterious island quickly turns into a battleground. The White Base’s mecha of the Gundam, Guntank, and Guncannon find themselves caught off guard. The volcanic region is tricky enough to navigate, but the presence of children throwing rocks at the mecha is an unexpected development. With an attacking Zaku having an advantage, the White Base crew retreats, leaving behind Amuro in the Gundam.

Island of Survivors

The film slows down from the action when an injured Amuro awakes at a small village on the island. Much like White Base, the village comprises young children of various ages orphaned during the war. Their leader is Cucuruz Doan, a stoic yet patient man who runs his community with strength and understanding. While the children find fear in this Federation soldier, Cucuruz finds humanity. He lets Amuro walk off if he wants to and gives him food if he decides to stay and help.

We spend a lot of time with Cucuruz’s community, getting to know a handful of the kids and watching them bond over day-to-day chores. Two of the kids try to milk a goat but could use some tips to avoid wasting the milk. An issue with a broken well pipe leads to Amuro taking on an underground repair. The children are frightened of the dark of night, leading to sleepless nights of trying to maintain calm.

Moments like these are akin to what made Gundam such a trailblazing series while keeping the anti-war message in focus. We slowly get to learn more of Cucuruz’s philosophy about war and how he holds onto the hope that his community won’t have to live remotely off the grid to avoid playing a part in this war between Earth and space.

Higher Stakes

To give the rest of the White Base crew and the Zeon forces more to do in this story, there’s a larger plot about the importance of the island and Cucuruz. It’s later revealed that Cucuruz was an AWOL member of a lethal Zeon squadron. Flashbacks reveal how his group was vicious but also caused hideous collateral damage, where Cucuruz looks on at a child clinging to her dead mother amid the destruction.

But Cucuruz isn’t just hiding from the past or trying to preserve an innocence that was lost in this war. He’s also trying to prevent the Zeon’s from activating an underground missile silo which could greatly turn the war and bring about even more devastation on Earth. So there’s more on the line for Zeon as the conniving Commander M’Quve and Cucuruz’s old unit takes an interest in finding this base.

While Zeon seeks revenge, the White Base seeks comradery for their own rather than Federation utilitarianism. Though they’re ordered to pull away from the island to join Federation forces, the crew slowly comes to the realization they can’t leave Amuro behind. This leads to some clever situations of rebellion from the entire crew. I expected this kind of rebelliousness from the arrogant teen Kai and the c*cky drunk Sleggar, but it’s rather intriguing to see the usually strict Noah Bright play along as well.

A Modern Makeover

The animation for this feature-film version of a Gundam episode is absolutely stunning. That might seem like a low bar to cross given that the original Gundam series was known for its limited budget and a slew of animation errors with wonky angles for the Gundam. Still, if you’re going to give a lavish makeover to any Gundam episode, it might as well be the one Tomino felt was least attractive.

Everything about the film is a treat for the eyes. The giant robots feel towering and destructive yet are simplified enough in their CGI to appear as more than just a mess of parts. The action is exceptionally staged, where a surprising amount of expression comes through. Scenes of Zakus struggling as they suffer amputations and GMs fleeing while being sliced down the middle all look great.

A lot of credit needs to be given to the color choices as well. A story that mostly takes place on an island of volcanic dirt might seem like it’d be a dreary mess of Earth tones. And yet the film embraces some bold color choices, where combat in the evening features deep blue battlefields and robots exploding with vibrant purples. For a franchise where giant robot explosions were previous just repetitive balls of fire, the destruction and death carry much more weight here.

I also have to give credit for the preservation of the character designs. It’d be so easy to throw out the original designs and just go with something completely different. But much of the original character designs and costumes remain perfectly preserved with a glossier coat of color, where the biggest change I noticed was how much darker the blue uniforms appear. Even the exaggerated expressions of the kids, including the trio of war orphans aboard White Base, still have their usual quirks and over-the-top style.

Fitting the Continuity

In terms of fitting in with the rest of the Gundam episodes, Cucuruz’s Island pulls a decent amount of extra story elements into its narrative without completely leaving the newcomers confounded. The relevant pieces of backstory are perfectly divulged in minor flashbacks, where Amuro is haunted by visions of his horrified mother and cold father. Even one of the most memorable moments of Bright assaulting Amuro is woven into this narrative without feeling like a recap.

The lesser elements have been trimmed from the story. It’s too standalone to involve Amuro’s rival Char and too soon to tap into the abilities of Newtypes. There are shades of these elements present but they are treated more like small visual Easter eggs for the fans. Newcomers who have no idea about Newtypes need not worry.

If you are a fan, however, you may notice a few small liberties here and there. For instance, the Federation’s GM robots are introduced earlier than they were in the series. But, hey, if it means more mecha action, it’s a solid choice for revisionism. I also didn’t mind rewriting the usually snarky and cowardly Kai into more of a team player when it comes to going against Federation orders for a rescue operation.

Conclusion: Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island

Cucuruz Doan’s Island transforms a forgotten Gundam episode into one of the most exciting Gundam movies ever. It also avoids the pitfalls present in other remakes/side-story anime movies that tend to spend much too much time on prologue and continuity. There’s no homework involved to appreciate the story of a teenage soldier conflicted about working with a former enemy soldier to prevent a nuclear-level global disaster.

Speaking as a Gundam fan, though, this film was a dream come true. It stays true to the greater thematic elements of the series while additionally having a style all its own, far more dynamic in its characters and animation. Hearing the classic music with a revitalized score while the Gundam marches forward with two active beam sabers just gave me geeky goosebumps. It is one of the most thrilling love letters to Gundam fans without feeling like a tacky fans-only nostalgia fest.

Did you see Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island in theaters? Are you a Gundam fan? How does it compare to the original series? Let us know in the comments below.

Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island will be released in theaters in the US on September 27th.

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