Gundam is a nearly 25 year old sci-fi franchise, comparable in its homeland Japan with American blockbusters Star Wars or Star Trek -- both in popularity and fiscal returns. Stateside viewers have seen merely the tip of the iceberg with the recent TV airing of the 1995-96 series Gundam Wing. In the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam series -- the bedrock from which the sequels and spin-offs take their inspiration -- it is Universal Century 0079 and the inhabitants of orbiting space...
Gundam is a nearly 25 year old sci-fi franchise, comparable in its homeland Japan with American blockbusters Star Wars or Star Trek -- both in popularity and fiscal returns. Stateside viewers have seen merely the tip of the iceberg with the recent TV airing of the 1995-96 series Gundam Wing. In the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam series -- the bedrock from which the sequels and spin-offs take their inspiration -- it is Universal Century 0079 and the inhabitants of orbiting space colonists demand their independence and decided to secede from the political influence of the Earth Federation. A civil war breaks out between the two factions, and Mobile Suits -- giant robots, essentially -- are the primary weapon in the conflict. The 43-episode series later condensed into three feature films follows the events of this One-Year War through the eyes of ace teenage Gundam pilot Amuro Ray as he struggles towards maturity, and with awakening psychic abilities, during a tumultuous battle with few clear divisions between "good guys" and "bad guys." The original Gundam's unprecedented mix of characterization, politics, and realism quickly revolutionized the mecha giant robot genre, not only paving the way for the numerous follow-ups that continue to this day, but also heavily influencing later series like Robotech and Neon Genesis Evangelion. The low-budget animation may look a little dated now, and Bandai's video releases come English dubbing only, but the ambition and achievement of this seminal anime series remains fully intact. Volk Lindsay
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Editorial Reviews
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Gundam is a nearly 25 year old sci-fi franchise, comparable in its homeland Japan with American blockbusters Star Wars or Star Trek -- both in popularity and fiscal returns. Stateside viewers have seen merely the tip of the iceberg with the recent TV airing of the 1995-96 series Gundam Wing. In the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam series -- the bedrock from which the sequels and spin-offs take their inspiration -- it is Universal Century 0079 and the inhabitants of orbiting space...