I love the designs in 0080 the most. There was an art book called MS Era 0099 that had phenomenal, candid war photography styled art that played off that aesthetic. It really doubled down on the notion that the Zaku II that we're all familiar with was phased out and replaced by a superior variant. Like the Zaku II Kai, Dom II, Gelgoog Jaeger were the futuristic, matured direction for Zeon's tech tree. That we'd get more highly specialized mobile suits like the Hygogg and Kampfer.
But it'll never not upset me that it was all abandoned. Bandai never revisited those amazing designs. It's just One Year War again and again and non-canon again. I'd love a side story following non-newtype engagements between OYW and Grips Conflict where we could see these kinda war machines in action again.
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I'm down for the weird pose, but there's a little jankiness going on with Bernie's MS. I'm down for the middle finger; it's probably the first thing a MS pilot figures out how to do on their own when trainers aren't looking. The leg up is kind of an odd choice, because it's not extreme enough to be a mid-air or mid-stride pose. It reads like a dainty cutesy pose, emphasized by the aloft hand to the side. This lifts the armor plating at the lap, yes, but the shading or design of the plate doesn't match the angle that it's rotating. This is a complex problem since it's at a kind of an eye-level, and it could be dismissed as an optical illusion. But the edge of that lap plate's edge is clearly indicated by that crotch structure.
The way that it reads to the viewer is one lap plate is shorter than the other. What I would do to fix this is lasso that entire raised leg and lift it up so we see less of its thigh. Makes it appear that the leg is lifting at a higher angle of attack, and with minimal redrawing, that lap plate could look like its an equal length to the other one.
Other major observation. That stage left forearm is upside down; that rounded surface at the joint with the four spikes is supposed to be at the elbow, and somehow this pilot got that part flipped. That would obstruct a bicep curling motion, if they were to attempt that.
Having said all that, it's details like these that indicate that this was illustrated! It looks really good, and I'd love to see what you do next! Especially if it's original mecha design! Voted 5!
