It’s the humanization of its central group of characters that makes Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans my favorite entry in the franchise. It gives the show an emotional depth that is sometimes lost in the lofty ideas the series explores.
The unambiguously immoral acts committed by Tekkadan also demonstrate one of the franchise’s central themes, that war brings out the worst in humanity.
In typical style for the franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans also features beautifully animated, engaging mecha combat. Many characters, including the protagonist Mikazuki, use cybernetics to connect directly to their mobile suits.
This system provides an in-universe explanation for exceptionally human-like and fluid movement, giving the show’s action a unique aesthetic.