‘Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island’ Dub Review

Crunchyroll’s ‘Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island’ English Dub is wholesome, a trip down memory lane to more old world 80s anime stylings. A slow burn effort.

This Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island Review contains spoilers.

Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island spotlights self-exiled Zeon pilot Cucuruz Doan and Gundam ace teen pilot Amuro Ray. The film starts off heavy on the action early on with the two squaring off in an impromptu duel between the feared ‘white’ Gundam and Doan’s Zaku. Surprisingly, Doan manages to get the upper-hand on Amuro’s Gundam leading to an island cliff collapse and Amuro going unconscious in the process.

Photo Credit: ©SOTSU・SUNRISE

Doan however, decides not to eliminate Amuro after discovering he is only a teenager, hiding his Gundam instead. This moment is pivotal to explaining who Cucuruz Doan is as a person. Doan’s deserted island, which secretly houses a Zeon nuclear silo, carries a small population of children orphaned by the Zeon war effort.

Photo Credit: ©SOTSU・SUNRISE

Doan acts as father to these orphans, teaching them how to survive with essentially nothing. He attempts to micromanage Amuro Ray in the same way, only to learn he will not relent about the location of his Gundam. This section of the film is an incredibly slow burn until Amuro rapples down to a secret hangar base underground.

There Amuro spots Doan’s son pleading with his father to give the Gundam to him. Amuro breaks the discussion only to face Doan’s son in hand-to-hand combat in a mostly losing effort. Doan’s son believes this makes him the rightful heir to the Gundam but his father scoffs at the idea.

Photo Credit: ©SOTSU・SUNRISE

Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island starts picking up steam again when Zeon forces descend upon the island. Doan’s Zaku loses an arm in the process but is saved by Amuro Ray’s Gundam right before certain death.

Photo Credit: ©SOTSU・SUNRISE

After the battle Amuro Ray throws Doan’s damaged Zaku to the ocean… And is thanked by Doan for it. Overall, it’s more of an old-school 80s hero protagonist approach than today’s modern anime stylings. No major twists.

English Dub: Vocal Performance Thoughts

English Dub wise, Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island is solid but missing that X-factor pizzaz in its offerings. While there’s some established names in the industry attached to the dub, the performances are fairly regular.

There isn’t a particularly standout, memorable performance.

Dub Review: Overall

If you mainly caught Gundam Wing in its original run on Cartoon Network, this isn’t Gundam Wing. The slow burn styling will make you feel lukewarm.

If you’re a passionate Gundam fan of many decades, you’ll enjoy the film. Particularly, the fight scenes.

But Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island is unlikely to mass convert non-Gundam anime fans to the fanbase. The film starts and ends on exciting action scenes but the middle part where Amuro searches for his Gundam is missing that extra flair.

You don’t feel fully invested in the characters, leaving you waiting for the Gundam’s inevitable return on-screen.

It’s a time capsule to wholesome anime offerings of the past where patience was a virtue. Relying heavily on nostalgia and mobile suit pilot Amuro Ray.

– Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island is in Theaters in the U.S. on September 27 and 28; and in Canada on September 29 and October 1. Advance tickets are available for North America now on CrunchyrollMovieNight.com.

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