Zoids Wild Blast Unleashed

[Darth Escargot]

Good points, dchan. I think it's really important to realize that Mobile Suit Gundam was an anime first, and a very seriously themed one at that. I'd personally say that its execution of those themes was a bit questionable, but the point is, it started out as a serious franchise, and that's how people see it. Zoids started as a serious and dark franchise in one place in the world - the UK, because UK fans grew up on the comics, which were bleak to the point of being nihilistic. The rest of the world just had toys until the late 90s, and then a bunch of fun anime about teenage kids with giant robot pets. It's hard to get people's perception away from that and just make a tonal shift to, no, let's act like this has always been a Grant Morrison comic.

And the sheer size and cultural impact of the Gundam franchise really just means that nothing else compares to it, and just because they can do it, doesn't mean any other franchise can.

Since we're on the topic of target audiences, by the way, I've often wondered why Zoids seems to attract more female fans than other mecha franchises. Maybe that's a topic for another thread, but I've got a few theories.

[bladeligerzero94]

Yeah, the Gundam anime came first, the toys came later. For Zoids, the toys came first, the anime came later.

[dchan]

I've thought about that aspect of Zoids demographic too. I think it would be a good topic for another thread (preferably, where that segment of the fandom can frame that discussion and share their thoughts too!)

Appreciate your other points too-- I've read the comics but didn't understand that was the Zoids gateway for the UK.

[Darth Escargot]

Jul 19, 2020 17:56:00 GMT -5 dchan said:

I've thought about that aspect of Zoids demographic too. I think it would be a good topic for another thread (preferably, where that segment of the fandom can frame that discussion and share their thoughts too!)

Appreciate your other points too-- I've read the comics but didn't understand that was the Zoids gateway for the UK.

We didn't have the comics here in Switzerland, but basically every fan from the UK I've ever talked to is also a massive fan of the comics.

Anyway, I'll start a new thread in the general board. Not sure how many women we have on here that can chime in, but it's an interesting topic. Seems to me like there's more women on the FB groups, but then again most of us here have gender neutral usernames, so who knows...