The keyword Mecha anime is almost synonymous with the title Gundam. The powerful fighting machines of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s imagination may not have been the first giant robots in Japanese fiction, but they were certainly the most influential of their kind, defining what the sci-fi subgenre looks like for almost half a century. On the 45th anniversary of the first anime Mobile Suit Gundam (series started on April 7, 1979), the series is still doing well and has already well over 50 titles on the robo hump.
In addition, Gundam dominates the huge model building market in Japan. With far Over 500 million kits have been sold since series production began This accounts for 90 percent of the competitive market. It’s no wonder that life-size specimens, like the even moving mech in Yokohama, are popular attractions.
What is the sci-fi franchise Gundam about?
The first series Mobile Suit Gundam begins a few years after the colonization of space by humans, when the Duchy of Zeon, which resides on spaceships and stations, attacks the Federation colony on Earth. Civilians like 14-year-old Amuro Ray are also drawn into the bitter war of independence that follows.
The boy turns out to be a talented pilot for the experimental mobile suit prototype RX-78, with which he joins the strategically important battle station White Base. His biggest opponent is the charismatic Lieutenant Commander Char Aznable, a so-called New Type, as people with special intuition for piloting mechs are called.
Sunrise/Bandai
Official Gundam 45th Anniversary Artwork
’90s Neon Genesis Evangelion is often described as a mecha deconstruction that deals with the psychological trauma of piloting giant robots. But already Gundam is despite that action-packed sci-fi spectacle equipped with a clear anti-war message that repeatedly points out the civilian costs of the conflict. Combined with that irresistible retro charm the still entertaining original series, this is a must-watch for anime fans.
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Where can you watch Gundam in Germany?
The first Gundam series was released with improved animation in three compilation films summarized, that you in this country on Netflix can stream. There you will also find the direct film sequel Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack from 1988 and the more recent Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway from 2021. A six-part CGI animated series called Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance will also be added in the course of 2024.
For the last TV series to date, the celebrated one Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury from 2022, you turn to the anime streaming service Crunchyroll.