The Gundam series is one of anime otaku's most beloved robot animations, and it has a complex history. However, few fans have an accurate understanding of the Universal Century, the setting for the series' vast story. With a history so complex it's been dubbed the Gundam Saga, and new works released every year, the Gundam series often leaves first-time anime fans feeling like, "I'd like to watch it, but I don't understand the history, so it won't be fun," which is a common problem with Gundam works. Many fans have recommended Gundam works to friends, only to be turned down because they thought it sounded a bit difficult. So, in this article, we'll take a look back at the history of the Universal Century, the biggest setting in the Mobile Suit Gundam series. To better enjoy Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch of Mercury, which will be airing this year, let's take a look back at the history of the Gundam series!
The Beginning of the Universal Century: UC0~
The Universal Century, the setting of the Gundam universe, began at the end of the Christian era when the growing human population caused various nations, previously divided into different countries, to unite as a single Earth Federation government and emigrate into space to confront the common enemy of environmental issues.
Space Immigration Begins, Entering the Universal Century
With the Earth under the control of a single, gigantic organization, the Earth Federation Government, conflicts within the planet quickly subsided. Humanity's migration to space colonies, artificial colonies in space, simultaneously resolved Earth's environmental problems.
Laplace Incident
As such, environmental issues, war, and famine were essentially caused by an overpopulation of humanity on Earth, so it seemed as if space immigration had solved the problems plaguing humanity. However, the start of the Universal Century was not all hopeful, as the first Prime Minister of the Earth Federation, Ricardo Marcenas, was suddenly assassinated at the Universal Century era change ceremony.
Zeon Deikun and the Newtype Philosophy UC0050~
About half a century after space immigration became commonplace, history began to move forward dramatically. Zeon Deikun, a thinker active within space colonies, proposed the Zeonist ideology that "humans who emigrate to space (Spacenoids) will evolve into a superior species over humans on Earth (Earthnoids)."
Founding of the Republic of Zeon
This Zeon ideology was widely accepted by people living in space far away from Earth. As a result, the Republic of Zeon was founded as a "nation of spacenoids, by spacenoids, and for spacenoids."
Zeon Deikun's Death, Becoming the Principality of Zeon
Based on Zeon's ideology, the first independent nation was founded by space immigrants. However, Zeon Deikun's sudden death caused political instability. There are many theories about Zeon's death, including one that suggests it was the work of the Zabi family, who later seized power and transformed the Republic of Zeon into the Principality of Zeon, creating a dictatorial regime. However, the truth remains unknown.
One Year War UC0079~UC0080
Reborn as the Principality of Zeon by the Zabi clan, Zeon began preparations for war with the Earth Federation government. This marked the beginning of the "One Year War," the first war in human history to be fought in space.
Zeon's Crushing Victory at the Battle of Loum
While Zeon's national power is vastly superior to that of the Earth Federation government, Zeon developed weapons specifically tailored for space combat. These weapons are giant, humanoid weapons known as mobile suits. Using the principle of shifting center of gravity, these mobile suits enable flexible movement in space, quickly inflicting devastating damage on the Federation's space battleships.
Battle of Odessa
Though Zeon initially held the upper hand, by the middle of the war, the Federation had developed mobile suits, including the Gundam, and Zeon's strategic advantage was eroded. Furthermore, after losing the Battle of Odessa on Earth and being unable to procure resources, Zeon gradually lost momentum.
Fall of A Baoa Qu (End of the One Year War)
The Principality of Zeon, driven to the far reaches of space by a fierce counterattack, surrendered with the fall of its last stronghold, A Baoa Qu. While it continued to exist as the Republic of Zeon, the spacenoids' rebellion against the Earthnoids was sadly unsuccessful.
Conflict and Internal Division UC0083~UC0087
The UC (Universal Century) 0080s was the time of aftermath of the One Year War. Zeon remnants split into two factions: those who frowned upon the asteroid base known as Axis, and a terrorist organization known as the Delaz Fleet, which remained in the Earth Sphere and continued its terrorist activities.
Delaz Conflict
In contrast to the Zeon remnants hiding in Axis, the Delaz Fleet, who remained in the Earth Sphere, actively opposed the Federation forces, even stealing the Earth Federation's latest Gundam. However, their premature actions also strangled their own organization, leading to its extermination by the Federation forces.
Gryps War
Meanwhile, Axis was cunning. With no enemies after the Delaz Conflict, the Federation was plunged into internal conflict (the Gryps War). Taking advantage of this, they intensified the rifts between the Federations and succeeded in steadily increasing their own national power.
The Rise of Neo Zeon UC0088~0093
After witnessing the internal decline of the Federation Army during the Gryps Conflict, the Axis forces elevated Mineva Zabi, a descendant of the Zabi family, as the new leader of Zeon and declared war on the Federation as Neo Zeon.
The First Neo Zeon War
The conflict between Neo Zeon and the Federation caused serious damage to the Federation. At the very end, a power struggle broke out within Neo Zeon, and the Federation emerged victorious as Neo Zeon crumbled from within. However, the Federation no longer had the national power it once had, and its military was exhausted.
The Second Neo Zeon War
Neo Zeon collapsed from within, but the exhausted Federation government was unable to deliver the final blow. When Zeon Deikun's true son, Casval Deikun (Char Aznable), united the Neo Zeon forces, the Federation once again found itself at odds. Neo Zeon's absurd plan to drop Axis on Earth effectively resulted in defeat for the Federation. However, One Year War hero Amuro Ray managed to stop Axis's descent to Earth using a Gundam equipped with a Psycoframe, a material that allows machines to reflect human will, resulting in a narrow victory.
End of the Conflict UC0096~UC105
After Neo Zeon's two defeats, the Earth Federation Forces, having almost completely eliminated their enemy, began to strengthen their control. The late 1990s saw the Federation's control once again be strengthened.
Laplace Conflict
The Laplace Conflict, a battle between the Sleeves, a remnant of the Neo Zeon military, and the Vist Foundation, which wielded great power over the Federation, led to the successful assassination of Full Frontal, the leader of the Sleeves, and the weakening of the Vist Foundation, a major thorn in the Federation's side.
Mufty Rebellion
The terrorist organization "Mufty Navue Erin" in the Earth Sphere was also destroyed by the Earth Federation, and its leader, Hathaway Noah, also known as Mufty Navue Erin, was executed.
The Fall of the Earth Federation ~UC120
Thus, the Earth Federation government's rule, which had established a solid system of control in the late UC0090s, remained stable for a while. However, by the UC120s, this system began to waver.
Cosmo Babylonia Founding War
This was the founding war of "Cosmo Babylonia," a nation that upheld the spacenoid ideology of chosen people known as Cosmo Aristocracy. While the Earth Federation government narrowly won the war due to its superior national power, it also exposed the Federation military's outdated nature and organizational corruption. This war marked the beginning of each colony's autonomy and de facto independence.
Zanscare War (Space Warring States Period)
The Earth Federation's rule, completely weakened by the Cosmo Babylonia War, effectively came to an end. The UC150s was known as the Space Warring States Period, during which each colony became autonomous, and a few powerful colonies declared themselves empires and dominated the others. A prime example of this was the Zanscare War, led by the Zanscare Empire.
Summary
So, what did you think? This was a brief introduction to the vast Gundam saga. Naturally, there are Gundam works that aren't set in the Universal Century, and this year's Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury may fall into that genre. However, understanding the characteristics and flow of the Gundam world is essential for understanding future works, so be sure to keep that in mind!
