The Mobile Suit Gundam series, which began airing as a television series in 1979, is a major part of the Gundam series, but how much do you know about its history? It boasts one of the longest histories among Japanese robot anime, and because of its long history, it boasts an overwhelming number of works. Many readers who have tried to research the series' history by looking up a list of works have likely been surprised by the sheer number of titles. So, in this article, we'll introduce the Mobile Suit Gundam series to coincide with the announcement of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury, which will air this year in 2022. We've put together a concise summary to make it easy to understand for fans who are thinking about watching Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury but are worried because they have no prior knowledge of the Gundam series, so be sure to check it out.
Mobile Suit Gundam 1979
This is the first installment in the memorable Mobile Suit Gundam series. Initially, this series was extremely unpopular, even tragically canceled midway through its run. However, it began to gain attention after reruns of the anime, sparking a massive Gundam boom across Japan. It's a beloved robot animation that remains beloved to this day.
It was an incredibly innovative work
Why has Gundam garnered so much attention? The answer lies in the fact that, unlike typical robot animations, this work depicts a thoroughly realistic robot war. Robots before Gundam generally followed an Ultraman-like progression, often fighting mecha sent by aliens or invaders. However, Gundam completely eschewed this premise, becoming an innovative work that depicted realistic warfare despite being a robot anime.
Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta (1985)
The Gundam series was not broadcast on television for some time after the 1979 broadcast of "Mobile Suit Gundam." However, its popularity continued to grow over the years, and a sequel, "Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta," was finally produced in 1985. While clearly a sequel to "Mobile Suit Gundam," this work boasts many edgy features, including the protagonist's personality and mecha designs, and has become a cult favorite to this day.
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (1986)
"Z Gundam" has led to numerous sequels. The third installment, "Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ," continues the serious plot of previous installments while simultaneously incorporating comical elements. This work also has a sad side, as it's surprisingly forgettable, as characters like Char, one of the series' most popular characters, barely appear.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (1988)
This film depicts the final battle between Amuro and Char, known as eternal rivals in "Mobile Suit Gundam." It's one of the most popular works in the Gundam series, and being a theatrical release makes it easy to watch. It's become common to watch "Char's Counterattack" after watching the Gundam trilogy.
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (1989)
This is the first Gundam series to feature a female protagonist. Like "Mobile Suit Gundam," this work is set at the end of the One Year War. The story is highly dramatic and has become extremely popular. Like "Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch of Mercury," which aired this year, this is another Gundam work with a female protagonist, so be sure to check it out.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash (1989)
This work depicts the Universal Century after the deaths of Amuro and Char. The protagonist is none other than Hathaway Noah, the son of Captain Bright Noah and Mirai Yashima. What's more, it's a rather shocking story in which Hathaway becomes a terrorist. Originally released as a novel, it was once considered impossible to adapt into a film.
Reevaluated by the film adaptation!!
Despite strong demands for a film adaptation, this work never made it onto the big screen. Finally, in 2021, it was released as a feature film. With stunning visual quality and a fresh take on characters, this highly acclaimed film fully captures the best parts of previous Hathaway films while also offering a fresh interpretation.
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, Afterglow of Zeon, 1991
This series is famous for featuring multiple Gundams in a single work. In particular, the Dendrobium Gundam, which appears as the film's ultimate weapon, boasts the largest size in the Gundam series and has earned enthusiastic popularity among die-hard fans. The unique and powerful characters and mechas that appear in this series add to its appeal.
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991)
This is the Gundam film produced as a theatrical release following "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack." This film clearly aims to transition from the Amuro generation to a new generation, and has a slightly different feel from previous Gundam series. Incidentally, the Gundam F91 that appears in this film is merely a nickname; the protagonist's mobile suit is simply a Gundam-like mobile suit.
Mobile Suit V Gundam (1993)
This is the first time I've seen a TV series like this in a while. Director Tomino himself famously described this work as "poorly made," but I actually quite like it. That's because the Gundam is so cool. It depicts Gundam in its final form, spreading its wings of light as it fights, and like that scene, it's full of scenes that really appeal to the chuunibyou in me.
Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam 1994
This is a series that is currently being developed publicly as a manga. Normally, we avoid introducing manga-only titles in this article, but this work is an overwhelmingly popular series, even among the many manga works available, so we decided to include it here. Set in the Universal Century immediately following F91, this work continues to feature characters from F91.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996)
This Gundam series is set on Earth during the One Year War. The story primarily focuses on land battles, and includes detailed depictions of the Earth front that weren't depicted in the original Gundam. However, by this time, the One Year War had become increasingly complex, resulting in some inconsistencies, which continue to cause controversy in some quarters. However, these playful aspects are also part of what makes this series so appealing.
Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIZIN 2001
This is a new Gundam work by manga artist Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, who also illustrated the original Gundam. While this work primarily follows the plot of the original Gundam, it also includes details about the beginning of the One Year War, which were not depicted in the TV series, brilliantly explaining all the setting that fans were confused about.
The Island of Cucuruz Doan is being made into a movie this year!!
This year, the Gundam series is attracting a lot of attention, especially with the release of the theatrical release "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Island of Cucuruz Doan."
Mobile Suit Gundam UC (2010)
This work depicts the story of the "Mystery of Laplace's Box," which begins in the first year of the Universal Century. The artwork is based on the theme of fully depicting the world of the Universal Century, and it serves as a culmination of the Gundam series to date. It has received extremely positive reviews from fans, and the work's background music can be heard in many scenes.
Gundam Reconguista in G (2014)
This is a work by Director Tomino, who created the original Gundam. Unlike previous Gundam series, this work is set in a world far into the future, far from the Universal Century. Since it's been a while since Director Tomino last worked on a project, many fans were excited to watch this work in real time.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (2015)
This Gundam work, directed by Tomino, follows on from Reconguista in G. This work features many uncharacteristic depictions and settings, making it a rather unique piece of work. It's also famous as an internet meme, and the line "Don't stop..." from the character Orga is a familiar one that's heard in many scenes.
Mobile Suit Gundam NT (2018)
This work is a sequel to Gundam UC. The Gundam design is quite distinctive, and it could be said that the Gundam is completed by adding many additional units. Many characters from Gundam UC also appear in this work, making it a must-see for Gundam UC fans.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury 2022
The latest Gundam series, "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury," will air this year in 2022. There is still little solid information about this work, and the worldview it will be set in is unclear, so readers interested in this series should keep up with the latest information.
Is it set in the Universal Century?
The biggest question you're probably wondering is whether this work is set in the Universal Century, the setting of the Gundam series. The elements required for a work will vary greatly depending on whether it's set in the Universal Century or not, so it's important to keep a close eye on the setting of this work.
Summary
What did you think? In commemoration of the announcement of "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury," we introduced the long-running Gundam series. Of course, you don't need to have seen all of these works to enjoy "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury," so enjoy the latest installment in the Gundam series with peace of mind.
