Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt vol. 5

Mangaka Yasuo Ohtagaki cranks up the action in this volume as the Federation and Zeon forces embark on their respective operations to get the secrets of the Reuse P Device from the Nanyang Sect, and take a few potshots at each other in the process.  We start off with Darryl Lorenz and his team extracting a source from under heavy fire only to be chased down a river by three very determined pilots in their mobile suits.  Darryl has showed that he’s one of the best in zero-g, but now he has to prove that he’s capable of the same greatness on land.  As for his rival, Io Fleming has been given another Gundam to pilot and we see that he hasn’t lost a step in the time that he’s been absent from combat.  Some of the crew he’s a part of may have their misgivings about the pilot’s cocky nature and his history, but I’m sure they’ll come around.  Probably when the underwater Zeon craft that’s been tailing them decides to make its move.

The action here is top-notch, but I’m also happy to report that character development hasn’t been completely discarded here.  There’s an interesting bit where one of the pilots who’s supposed to be supporting Darryl decides to watch and see what he’s capable of.  It’s arrogant and self-centered, but I’m really interested in seeing what Darryl’s response to this guy’s actions will be after he realizes that this guy watched but didn’t help.  I also liked the scenes with the crippled pilots who wind up having to pull off a suicide mission for their uncaring Zeon commanders.  Their resentment and determination to live it up before the end feels like it could burn right through the page.  

There are also a couple of decent action and drama scenes in the two-chapter story that closes out the volume.  “Sean, the Desert Rat” tells the story of a former member of Darryl’s Living Dead Division who has hooked up with some scavengers on Earth who wind up getting more action than they bargained for after they try to salvage a Gundam.  It’s fine for what it is, which is basically filler.  It may have had a rocky start but “Thunderbolt” is now at the point where I’m disappointed that the volume closes with a diversion like this as opposed to offering up more of the main story.