Welcome to GBN

Title (JP)
Title (EN)
Sub
Dub

Welcome to GBN

Episode Data

Episode

Gundam Build Divers: #1

Airing

Japanese

2018-04-03

Next →
Chaotic Ogre

Welcome to GBN is the first episode of Gundam Build Divers.

Synopsis[]

After witnessing the champion Kyoya Kujo in Gunpla Battle, Riku Mikami and his friend Yukio Hidaka have resolved to dive into the GBN world themselves. For the first time, they enter this virtual cyberspace dimension as "Divers," discovering spectacles greater than they ever imagined and an unending series of surprises. However, another Diver is watching the pair from hiding.^[1]

Plot[]

At the Gundam Base, Riku and Yukio are in line for the Gunpla Builders World Cup Extra Exhibition Match. Riku is amazed at how many people are there, Yukio tells him that this is because Gunpla Battles are the hottest new thing. Distracted by seeing the 1/1 model of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, Riku is separated from Yukio as they're pushed inside the building. Finally escaping the crowds, Riku finds himself in a room full of various Gunpla, staring in awe at them, from well crafted models to amazing diorama. Yukio finds Riku and calls him to the next room. Inside, Riku panics as a MS-06F Zaku II comes at him, firing its machine gun, only to realize it was just a hologram. Within the battle, a GAT-X303 Aegis Gundam blocks a missile, transforms and fires back, a Chou-sen Qubeley deflects beam shots before racing off. Riku watches in amazement before Yukio tells him the champion is arriving, as the AGE-IIMG Gundam AGEII Magnum expertly takes out a MSK-008 Dijeh, a Concept-X 6-1-2 Turn X and a ZGMF-X12A Testament Gundam. Awestruck by the actions of the champion, Kyoya Kujo, Riku declares that he wants to fight on stage against the champion with a Gunpla of his own. At the same time, as if stirred by Riku's words, a mysterious girl awakes in a field of flowers.

Sometime later, Riku is off daydreaming before Yukio calls out to him as they're in the middle of a soccer match and he's a little tied up. Riku helps his friend, allowing him to pass it to another, Momoka Yashiro. Her attempt to score fails and Riku makes the shot perfectly. Astonished by his skill, Momoka attempts to recruit the two of them - Riku more than Yukio - into the soccer club. However, Riku turns her down - he wants to do Gunpla Battles, which confuses Momoka. Back at the Gundam Base, Riku and Yukio meet up with Nanami Nanase, a cashier at the shop. With Riku a second year middle school student, he's now able to participate in the Gundam Battle Nexus and wants to build a new Gunpla for it, though his schoolwork is still his priority. Yukio attempts to help him, suggesting the high mobility Zeta Gundam-types or an Astray-type.

As Riku wanders around, a mysterious force pulls him down an aisle, leading him to his choice, a GN-0000 00 Gundam. Yukio is confused as to why he chose the 00 Gundam, but accepts his friend's choice. Going to the store's build zone to construct the Gunpla, the two are dazzled by its look, even as a straight build. Nanami looks at the Gunpla's box and mistakenly calls it the "Gundam Zero Zero", which irritates Yukio and corrects her. Nanami apologizes and offers them some homegrown tomatoes. Riku asks what Gunpla Yukio was going to use, and he mentions his award winning RGM-86R GM III, which he wants to customize. He suggests Riku do the same to the 00 Gundam. At home, Riku ponders over Yukio's words, then heads for his shelf containing his other Gunpla, asking for their "help". The next morning, Riku is woken by his mother as his new Gundam 00 Diver stands proudly. At the shop, Yukio and Nanami compliment Riku on his build and Nanami suggests they go for for their first Dive. With everything set, the two head into the new world.

Arriving and finding each other, the two look around the new world and observes the various avatars around them. As they make their way across the game's lobby, they are stopped by a blonde man named Yasu who attempted to sell them special items, only to be stopped by a chiseled, yet effeminate purple-haired man who scolds him for pulling his shady stunt. Yasu runs off in a panic, leaving the newcomer to introduce himself as Magee, who wishes to help them as a beginner's guide. After suggesting a tutorial battle to get the feel of the game, he leads them to the hangar, where they get to see their Gunpla - the Gundam 00 Diver and GM III Beam Master - up close and personal. After going through the unskippable launch sequence, the two head towards a battleground area and test their skills against three Leo NPDs, with Yukio taking out two of them despite the troubles he had. However, their celebration is interrupted when the last Leo NPD reawakens and attacks them. Riku managed to destroy it by throwing a GN beam saber at its head, but this turn of events worried Magee.

They soon get an SOS signal with a girl weakly asking for help. Riku and Yukio race off to a snowy, mountainous region where they find the girl in the snow. They take her down to a warmer area where she comes to, and Magee suggests they take her back using Guest Mode when it seems she has amnesia. A second SOS goes off, and reveals itself to be an ogre-like boy whining and groaning in pain nearby. Yukio suspects the boy is acting, but Riku naively tries to help, and is tricked into activating Free Battle Mode. Riku is forced back into the 00 Gundam Diver, and the boy pins him down using his custom Xvv-xc Zedas. Magee realizes he's the player who has been hunting down beginners, but the boy blows him off, saying what he's doing isn't against the rules. Yukio attempts to save Riku, but the Zedas strikes down the GM III Beam Master, then knocks back the 00 Diver and destroys its GN Sword II. Magee tries to get the two to retreat and let him avenge them, but the girl persuades Riku to stand and fight, noting that his Gunpla hasn't surrendered yet.

Calling on Yukio for help, Riku charges forward, barely dodging a beam saber attack that takes off a cone thruster, then slides under a second and arrived at Yukio's position. He then grabs a beam saber from the GM III Beam Master and counterattacks, cutting off an arm, then using the beam saber to block the Zedas' beam cannon shot, before stabbing the Zedas' stomach. The boy sobs that he'll pay them back in spades as he escapes before the Zedas explodes. After claiming their first victory, Riku and Yukio return to the lobby. Magee tearfully holds the two as he sings praises of them, but after realizing the girl they rescued had disappeared, he worries that the strange experiences has ruined their time in the GBN. However, when they return to the real world, they let Nanami know they had a blast.

Stats[]

Characters[]

Mechanic[]

Quotes[]

Music[]

Opening:Diver's High by Sky-Hi
Ending:Ashita e by Iris

Notes & Trivia[]

The English captions on the Youtube version of the episode erroneously state the episode title as "Welcome to GBD", even as the actual title is in English right above it.
During narration describing GBN, mobile suits are shown stacked on top of each other with one victorious one at the top, this is a reference to the narration describing Gundam Fights featured in episode 2 of Mobile Fighter G Gundam, Roar of the Winning Punch.
At 00:46, the model kits displayed from Riku's right side is reused from the designs of the Mobile Suits instead of being completely redrawn like the Hyaku Shiki and the Susanowo does.
Kyoya's attire in his first appearance resembles Montag's outfit.
A diorama of the HG Gundam AGE-1 Titus and the HG Destiny Gundam homages a scene of Super Robot Wars' R-1 and G Gundam's Shining Gundam's fight in the Super Robot Spirits commercial.
Several avatars resembling several characters from various Gundam series was seen in the Lobby of GBN:
- A diver resembles Patrick Colasour from Mobile Suit Gundam 00 in his AEU uniform
- At least two smaller blob-like divers resemble the creatures seen in the Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mark V chapter "SD Gundam Sōseiki: Pikirienta Pōresu".
- An attendant at the lobby before Magee takes Riku and Yukio to the hangar is wearing a female SDGF uniform from SD Gundam Force
Aside from the HGBF kits, this episode serves as an informal commercial for the SD Gundam BB Senshi DiaoChan Qubeley & General's Palanquin and the P-Bandai exclusive HGUC RX-124 Gundam TR-6 (Woundwort).
This marks the second animated appearance of the TR-6 Woundwort and first for the Testament Gundam.
Riku has a framed poster of Mobile Suit Gundam 00.
Riku has a copy of Gundam Sentinel.