5 Point Discussions – Gundam Build Divers 6: “Past And Future”

Riku and the others have almost gotten all the members they need for their own force! But they’re still one short. Wait…who’s been building all these rental Gunpla models? Remember, if you like this article and 5 Point Discussions, please share it on Facebook or Twitter! It really helps. And if you’ve got any comments or questions, please hit me up @SageShinigami.

1. Divers has come a long way from it’s mediocre opening episode to being a show I legitimately look forward to seeing every week. It’s not great, but the characters are likable and the worldbuilding is careful and meticulous in a way that grabs me. But if I have one flaw with the series it’s how quickly our protagonists have become the darlings of GBN.   It’s not blatantly obvious yet, but the start of this episode sees both Tigerwolf and Shahryar still trying to recruit Riku and Yukki to join their force.
It’s cute–Tigerwolf and Shahryar are clearly much closer friends than they let on–but it’s also kinda unrealistic from a character standpoint. These kids have just barely started to figure out the game, but they’re already so special the top builder in GBN and the leader of one of the best forces in the game are fighting over them? The initial offer was acceptable, but seeing them stick around this episode felt a little over the top.
In any case, they respect Riku and the group’s desire to become a force, and point out if they need greater numbers they should ask the guy who built Momo’s rental Kapool. He’s clearly a talented builder, and would lend them the experience they need if they’re going to go far in GBN.

2. In today’s episode of Gundam Build Divers, we learn the dangers of being a kid stalker!  The group asks Nanase who’s been building the rental models, and learn it’s her big brother, who looks mysteriously like the main character of 3D Kanojo. Upon finding out, they head to his house and start harassing him into joining. That’s not being snarky–he turns them down at first, they refuse to take no for an answer. They bug him first thing in the mornings, find him at night, and even try to pop up outside his window after he refuses to answer the door for them anymore.
Realizing his sister gave them his information, he calls her up and berates her for sending a group of brats over to his house. She yells at them for being pests, and they apologize and finally calm down. But it’s starting to look like their goal of forming their clan is further out of their reach, until Riku asks what made him quit in the first place.
Nanase explains how years back, Koichi and his friends played the older version of GBN.  Dubbed GPD, it was a version of the game where you hooked your Gunpla into a machine and the Gunpla moved and fought on its own. Basically he existed during the years of Gundam Build Fighters/Fighters Try. But when GPD faded and GBN became popular instead, his group of friends broke up and stopped playing. This is what happens when a circle of friends only exists to do one thing together–stop doing that one thing, and there’s no friendship anymore. Losing his friends, Koichi fell into a deep depression and stopped playing Gunpla altogether.

3. After learning Koichi’s history and deciding to leave him alone, they still run into him while heading into a model building store. He explains how he doesn’t want to go back, but Riku and Yukki point out Shahryar thought he was a talented builder. Apparently an ego boost was all the guy needed to get back into the game, as he goes home and the very first thing he does is dig out his VR set to log in.
He’s there barely a few seconds before the Mysterious Waif and part-time Gundam Whisperer Sarah recognizes him as KO-1, the person Riku wanted to recruit.  Seconds afterwards, Riku’s other friends pop up–Tigerwolf, Magee, Shahryar–and they all make themselves acquainted with our new cast member. They all must have been playing for quite some time, as he recognizes all of them even though he stopped playing four years prior.  Still, overwhelmed by this sensory overload, he runs off for a bit of time to himself, and while he’s gone he starts looking at some of the gameplay of Riku and Yukki to figure out what the fuss is about.
While that’s happening, the others are looking at Koichi’s old Gunpla models, and Riku decides he doesn’t even care if Koichi wants to join anymore, but he would like to get him back to enjoying what he loves. With that, the group rebuilds all of Koichi’s busted Gunpla, something Nanase drags him into her shop to see. Touched by their effort and reminded of the way he truly loved Gunpla once, he agrees to help them. And so now we finally have an experienced member, and they can form their force!

4.  …Or I guess we could hold off until the next episode. Despite being ranked 4th in Japan and 8th in the world once, Koichi never played GBN much and so he’s ranked F. The minimum rank to join a force is D, so the group berates him while dragging him into the field to raise his level. It’s a cute enough ending, but jeez. You just convinced him to join, now he’s a useless person for not being some kind of ace? You knew he quit playing, you’re lucky he came back at all.

5. Next Episode: They’re finally about to reach what we’ve been waiting on all this time: a Gunpla force battle! But who will be the group’s first opponent? Also, the Gunpla Champion and General Rommel both show back up! Guess the kids are being tossed into the deep end of things.
Gundam Build Divers is available for streaming on Crunchyroll and the official Gundam YouTube channel.