The Anime Backlog

Mobile Suit Gundam - The Movie Trilogy

Happy Friday, 'Loggers! I'm back after a brief hiatus that involved a two-week stint in Japan to cover the AnimeJapan event, attend no less than 20 meetings, and venture out to an animation studio to film and interview some pretty prominent veterans (keep an eye out for that). In the midst of my journey, I thought I'd be efficient and and check an entry off my backlog while heading into the land of jetlag. It did not occur to me that once I touched down in Japan that most of my backlog would become nigh unaccessible due to region-blocking. That's why I was left hanging with 45 minutes left on the third Gundam trilogy movie and no way to watch it for two weeks. So much for efficiency.

Note: This column will routinely include spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.

There is a shortlist of anime series that forever changed the medium and Yoshiyuki Tomino's 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam television series is among the top. It birthed the "real robot" mecha genre; where previous mecha series like Mazinger Z featured a sense of magical logic to explain its abilities, Mobile Suit Gundam attempted to ground its mecha in conventional abilities (note: this doesn't stop the titular mecha of the original series of wielding a flail in space, nevermind the fact that White Base looks like a seated horse). It also moved the needle on the mecha's target audience from younger children to teens and young adults. The tie-in merchandising is still baked in, but you can sell plastic toy figures and Gunpla to different audiences.

Gundam set the groundwork for mecha series, featuring deeper emotional and moral interrogations, as well as mecha that could fail. It also married the mecha genre to the pre-existing "space opera" series that already fostered an enthusiastic fanbase, like Space Battleship Yamato and Captain Harlock series.

The series has immeasurable influence on anime as a whole. As someone who is sorely lacking on mecha knowledge, this was readily apparent when thinking back on Hideaki Anno's Neon Genesis Evangelion. This is especially obvious when comparing Amuro Ray and his father, Tem Ray, to Shinji Ikari and Gendo Ikari, and the Gundam and Evangelion Unit launch sequences.

As you can guess by the timing of this publication, it's also necessary viewing to fully appreciate Kazuya Tsurumaki and Hideaki Anno's Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, which is what got me off my ass to finally rectify this specific oversight in my viewing history.

There was something immensely comforting about watching these three films. To explain that, I have to give you a glimpse into a particular time and place tied closely to my age. My parents had opted for satellight TV in the mid '90s and Cartoon Network was one of the channels included in the package. I have distinct memories of watching a lot of older cartoons on the network in its early days, from Wacky Racers to Thundercats to any one of the many Scooby-Doo iterations. The point is that, despite being a '90s kid, I watched a lot of series produced decades earlier. Mobile Suit Gundam looks like what I watched as a child, and I found myself quickly attached to the color palette and line art.

The series' focus on the human cost of war is surprisingly effective. Even in this truncated version of the series, the story is at its best when it focuses the crew and the average citizens caught in the crossfire. Amuro's relationship with his father, Mirai's love quadrangle, Kai Shiden's growth from self-serving coward to brave crew member, and of course, Char's covert quest for revenge are major draws beyond cool robot fights.

I went into Mobile Suit Gundam with only a smattering of plot concepts picked up via osmosis. I knew about Char and Sayla's connection and who Amuro and Char were as well vague ideas about the Principality of Zeon and the Federation. By the time I had finished all three movies, I was cheering when Amuro escaped the exploding A Baoa Qu in the final moments.

I know there are different opinions on whether the movies are a satisfying substitute for the 43-episode television series. I've skimmed Reddit threads and some of the main contention points are the loss of a more in-depth understanding of Amuro's mental state during the series and expanded characterization of Zeon-affiliated characters. I'd also wager that Lalah Sune's role, especially to Amuro and Char, is truncated. Her death is a major conflict point for both characters during the climax, but Amuro's infatuation with her didn't feel earned by the trilogy's end. I'd also offer, that even in this more digestible format, not to binge-watch the three films and to plan to give them your full attention. The plot and interactions aren't complicated but there are still a lot of moving parts and various military operations. It can be more difficult to fully appreciate the story's momentum if you're barrelling through the show.

I'm also happy to finally be in on nearly five decades worth of shipping discourse. While I hardly see the appeal of Amuro x Char, Amuro x Garma feels practically textual. Never trust Char when he's had a few glasses of wine.

If you want a full appreciation of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX episode two on a time-budget, this is the way to go. There's a valid argument to watch the TV series instead if you want the full emotional experience. Which ever version you choose, I urge you to watch one of them. Watch it for an entertaining history lesson full of "oh wow, so that's where that's from!" Watch it because it's just a damn good story. Get your animation itch scratched by how human-made it looks.

Final Verdict: I'm a Gundam fan now.