Anime isn't a complete waste of time

Recently, more specifically five days ago, I started watching this Japanese anime, Gundam Seed. Unfortunately I decided to pick this "hobby" up when the holidays was about to end, and I doubt I'll have the time to finish watching it when school starts. Anyway I've watched it before many years back, and this is just to remind me of what happened (because I almost completely forgot).

To set things in context, the whole series is based on a war between two sides: The Naturals, who are pure humans; and the Coordinators, who are genetically modified humans. Coordinators, being modified to be smarter and faster, obviously pilot mobile suits better than the Naturals, so the Naturals are already at a disadvantage from the start. There are also forces, The Naturals are represented by the Earth forces, the Coordinators by ZAFT forces, and there's Orb who claims to be neutral.

The more I look at it, the more it doesn't seem like science fiction, and could very well be the problem we face generations down the road. All you need is one dare-devil to challenge the way life is made and you can spark a worldwide war. The question that came to my mind was, if this were to really happen, which side would I take? Would I side with the Naturals, as the reason stated by the government in the anime to "restore a blue and pure world", with the Coordinators, to embrace new technologies, or with the Orb to sit on the fence? I honestly don't know, and I don't wish to comment.

What if, beyond this peaceful sky, there's a war going on?

There were civilians who were with the Earth forces to help them when they were desperate for people, and when given the chance to go back to their family, they chose not to. They made a very good point. Even though they get to go to Orb, a neutral state where it is safe and not participating in the war, it is not as if a war isn't going on. Just because you don't see something happening doesn't mean it isn't happening. "We don't just disappear just because your eyes are shut" ("From Heads Unworthy", Rise Against).

There's another issue that was brought up. The Orb, emphasis again on a neutral state not participating in the war, apparently helped the Earth forces build weapons and machinery. Their stand was, "The machinery are for our own uses. When we are attacked, this is the only way we can protect ourselves and chase them out of this nation." That's ironic, considering that you're also participating in the war yourself. And when you attack them, they make more machinery with the excuse to "protect themselves". It'll never end.

The most lasting issue that I learned from the series is about victory. If you go by this philosophy that no one can win a war until one side wipes out the other, then the war will never end. If you kill someone, his friends/family will hate you and want to avenge them. They will then attempt to kill you, making your friends/family hate them, and this vicious cycle just continues on. When will it stop? In my opinion, a war will only stop when everyone single one of one side is eliminated, when one side surrender, or when there's consensus agreement. People don't fight a war to lose. They put so much effort into it, sacrificed so much, and all the want is victory. Just because you are victorious now doesn't mean you will be victorious later. We can't sustain victory forever.

In conclusion, after spending 12 hours watching anime (and I'm only about halfway done), it was worth my time.

If this were to happen, which side would you take? If you could escape, would you? 

If you had hope, why would you stop fighting?