In hindsight, maybe they shouldn't have done the clan battle plot when they're trying to condensed 12 episodes. I get that they want to do something different instead of just typical resistance group but this whole clan battle feels pointless afterwards.

I see it as them wanting to pass time a little bit. Have an every day life where the girls fall for Shuji and also become friends. It didn't work and now feels like wasted time because those relationships still feel too underdeveloped for it to evoke emotion when the girls have to fight, but I think that was the thought process anyway

>>23327207 (OP)
They needed an excuse to get high school girls in giant robots without them just being drafted into the military.

But yeah, the short episode count massively hurt this series.

>>23327433
They could do a runaway teens with Gundam while Zeon chasing them. Basically like ZZ but with consistent tone