[S12E3] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 7–13

Topics discussed: Is there anything going on with Moby Dick references?; the introduction of the Turbines to further explore gender and sexuality on the show; the introduction of the various meanings of family; the harem anime providing a potential framework for Atra to reapproach the romantic tension triangle between, Mika, and Kudelia in a way that allows her to reach out to and support Kudelia; the appeal of Mikazuki as a romantic interest for Atra and Kudelia; the glimpses into characterization around Fumitan; Kudelia Aina coming to terms with her own sexuality under the influences of all the other pressures on her; Atra’s navigation of sexuality and the sexualization of bodies; the framework of the family as an facilitating factor for understandings of relationships and sexuality; McGillis is a Char; the kanji meaning of some of the characters’ names; the mobile suit designs in IBO; Evangelion spoilers about what the Evas and Angels are (1:45:18 to 1:46:45); the various tensions between Orga and Merribit; the meaning of food in the series, Atra’s relationship with food, and possible stunted growth in Atra and Mikazuki due to childhood starvation and malnutrition; Orga’s responsibility to take care of the sexual needs of Tekkadan; reincarnation, rebirth, religion, and tensions between the social classification of characters in the show as “human debris”; the spiritual means of processing their emotions and its limits as it encounters the pressures of gender roles and their socioeconomic classification and oppression as lesser human or inhuman; Mika’s reflections on his sadism and its narrative link with his expression of romantic interest in Kudelia; the subdued characterization of Mika throughout the show so far; putting Almiria and McGillis on the back burner until we get a clearer sense of McGillis as a character, aside from how it’s already relating to the utilization of bodies to maintain social orders and political power; cleanliness and dirtiness in the delineation of class in IBO; the Norse mythology references in some of the names from Gjallarhorn; the Five Guardians of the Universe; alienating people with Connor’s bits; content warnings for the next batch of episodes (starts at 3:44:20).

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Sex, sexuality, and the sexualization of women’s bodies

Sex work

Harem anime tropes

Alcohol and drinking until sick

Child abuse, violence

Childhood starvation and malnutrition

Blood, violence, field medical work, and death

Racism, slavery

Arranged marriage with a 9-year-old girl, potential pedophilia

The classification of bodies as clean vs. dirty, pure vs. deformed, etc.

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