Turn A Gundam Staff, Production, and Episode Analyses – Episode #8 “Laura’s Cow”

Turn A Gundam‘s eighth episode was broadcast on Fuji TV on May 28, 1999. This episode was selected by fan-poll to receive an audio commentary for the Blu-ray release.

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Sochie returns to Bostonian Castle to give Guin an update on the current movements of the Militia and Moonrace. Guin then instructs Loran to go to the outskirts of Nocis to provide security around the Moonrace settlements, in light of the recent assassination attempt on Dianna. Kihel and Guin later discuss and agree that they sense no imminent threat from Dianna Soreil herself, but the Dianna Counter is belligerent and not on the same page. Much like factions in the Militia itself, there are people who believe fighting is the only solution.

Loran and Sochie come across a little skirmish breaking out between a Mobile Rib installing new fences and Earthling protesters. They use the White Doll to temporarily cease the conflict, but there appears to be a lot of strife not only between the Earthlings and Moonrace, but the Moonrace civilian settlers and their own military. Their food rations are running thin and some people have not been coping well with the stress from coming down to Earth. An Moonrace settler named Kuen has family that’s sick and suffering and he begs the military to provide aid, but to no avail. Keith and Fran happen to be in the area—Keith’s selling bread, and Fran’s taking photos for her newspaper company. Loran, Sochie, Keith, and Fran later share a meal and talk about the conflict. The three Moonrace struggle to keep their identities secret, and Sochie senses that they are acting suspicious.

Loran and co. sneak the Moonrace gentleman named Kuen to search for provisions to help his ailing family. They come across an abandoned farmhouse with livestock, corn, and other foods. They also find a female cow whose udder is ready to be milked, a great blessing for Kuen! Loran surmises that the Dianna Counter’s air strikes might have caused the farmers to flee. They seek to take as much livestock and food back to feed Kuen’s family, but they’re noticed by Poe and a squadron of WaDs out on patrol. A small battle erupts as Loran tries to fend off the little suits and protect their truck of supplies. Thankfully, Harry Ord appears out of nowhere to quell the skirmish. He reminds Poe that all conflict with the Militia is on-hold until further investigation of Dianna’s assassination attempt; she begrudgingly abides by said orders and retreats.

Kuen begs Harry to allow him to raise livestock in the settlements, to which Harry agrees and also promises that the Queen shall be notified. They carry the cow in the Turn A’s chest compartment and return to settlement with the rest of the supplies. This enrages the protesting Earthlings behind the fences, who call them thieves for stealing their livestock and supplies. A shouting match erupts between Kuen and the Earthlights; he insists that he’s simply trying to make ends meet and survive, but the Earthlings blame him for the losses they themselves have suffered. A lose-lose argument for both parties. Loran pleads for both sides to calm down, but the Earthlings accuse him of working for the Moonrace. Loran can’t hold it anymore and reveals to the crowd that he himself is Moonrace, a powerful outburst filled with catharsis and emotion. This is the second time in the show Yoko Kanno’s “Moon” is used as an insert song.

The episode ends with Sochie slapping Loran and calling him a liar.

This episode’s scenario is by Tetsuko Takahashi, a Tomino family friend who had previously worked with him on Brain Powerd. She serves as Turn A Gundam‘s literary coordinator and one of its main scriptwriters. She also attended several Takarazuka Revue stage performances with him and provided recordings of the troupe’s Elisabeth productions to Akiman for clothing design. When working on this episode, she wondered if this was even a Gundam show. Tomino was not particularly fond of this episode, as he wasn’t very involved in its production and felt it was a little too slow of an individual story. Much to his surprise however, it was very well received, both by staff members and industry people. And despite Tomino’s misgivings, it was also selected by fan-poll to receive an audio commentary track in the Blu-ray release.

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