Forum - View topicGundam Epic
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tigerbalm
 Posts: 21 Location: United Kingdom |
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I have been following anime for only a short while (more than a year or so). I have watched quite a-many anime series but have not fully watched any of the Gundam series. Rather unbelievable right ? I have heard comments that the Gundam series are compulsory watching.
I intend to get my hands on as many Gundam series out there, lock myself in a room all supplied with the basic necessities and a makeshift toilet (hahaha), and complete the series in record time ! The problem is I do not know how or where to start. It seems that there are different generations or, perhaps more accurately, worlds (do correct me if I am wrong) throughout the epic. The questions are: are the many series inter-dependant and inter-related with the ones before and after it ? Should I be watching the many series chronologically and in order according to its timeline ? Or can a series stand separate on its own, complete and all ? Is it possible to pick and choose the different series based on its quality and neglect the somewhat mediocre ones and still grasp the story of Gundam ? Thanks so much all ! Hope I am not asking too much. |
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Nagisa
Moderator
 Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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Okay, not including the many SD Gundam incarnations out there, there are six majour story continuities of Gundam, all of which stand independently of one another. Below, I'm going to list them, as well as the series contained within in the order they occur in the timeline. Note that you can start with any timeline, but the order the series & movies are listed is the order you should see them within that timeline.
Universal Century Mobile Suit Gundam Mobile Suit Gundam: 08th MS Team Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit Gundam Double Zeta Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack Mobile Suit Gundam F-91 Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Future Century Mobile Fighter G Gundam After Colony New MS Report Gundam Wing New MS Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz After War After War Gundam X Correct Century Turn-A Gundam Cosmic Era Mobile Suit Gundam SEED As for personal picks, I'm highly partial to Universal Century and Cosmic Era (how shocking, a Gundam fan that holds SEED in high regard...), though I admit I have seen nothing of Gundam X or Turn-A. Wing is okay, though it's way too dull for my tastes (Endless Waltz being an exception), and G Gundam was good, though it's a drastic departure from the rest of the Gundam franchise. |
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Swordfish_II
 Posts: 617 |
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This site has some detailed information on the various movies, tv series and OVAs.
I'd also reccomend begining with the Universal Century timeline and Mobile Suit Gundams various sequels and side-stories. |
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HeeroYuy135
Posts: 150 Location: Sacramento, CA, USA |
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Just look at the last four categories. After Colony, After War, Correct Century, and Cosmic Era all run under one series (two for the AC if you want to count EW as a series rather than a movie). It just that some of these series can create a new century or era, leaving the field wide open for new sequeals...its 25 years, why not go another 25? |
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Craeyst Raygal
 Posts: 1383 Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT. |
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You are correct in believing that there are Gundam series that are intertwined. These are the Universal Century Gundam series that all take place in the UC timeline.
The order in which to watch these series is as follows. Mobile Suit Gundam (the original TV series; takes place in the year 0079 UC ) Mobile Suit Gundam: 08th MS Team (a sidestory 13 episode OAV that came out in 1999; takes place also in 0079 UC) Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (a six episode OAV from 1989 that covers a post One Year War Zeonic uprising and shows how the war affected regular civilians; takes place in 0080 UC) Gundam 0083: Stardust Memories (1991 vintage 13 episode OAV that shows another group of Rebel Zeonic soldiers and their plot to capture a new prototype Gundam, also explains to an extent the formation of the Titans; takes place in year 0083 UC) Zeta Gundam (50 episode TV series - not yet released in the states - from 1985 that is the true follow up to Mobile Suit Gundam. Covers a civil war inside of the Federation, the re-emergence of Char Aznable, and the Titan's project to create artificial Newtypes. Easily one of the best entries into the Gundam canon; takes place in year 0087 UC) Gundam ZZ (47 episode TV series from 1986 - not yet released in the states - furthering the civil war of Zeta and reintroducing a resurgent and powerful Zeon. Watch out for Haman Khan, she's trouble; takes place in 0088 UC) Char's Counterattack (theatrical movie from 1988, this is the real deal Char versus Amuro in a fight to save Earth and humanity. A must watch and an important part of the Gundam canon; takes place in year 0093 UC) Gundam F91 (theatrical movie released in 1991 - not yet released in the states - focuses on a new threat to the Federation; takes place in year 0123 UC) Victory Gundam (51 episode TV series from 1992 - not yet released in the states - shows the Federation becoming a tired and weak relic that wields little power as the colonies attempt to form their own empires and a bloody and ruthless war breaks out; takes place in year 0153 UC) That's pretty much it as far as the intertwined Gundam series. The others are all alternate timelines and can be watched in any order at leisure, though it is advisable that you watch at least Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta Gundam, and Char's Counterattack before tackling After War Gundam X, because Gundam X is an alternate universe take on what could have happened after the Zeon/Federation wars and is the only alternate timeline Gundam series that tackles the idea of Newtypes. I hope that I was of some help. |
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tigerbalm
Posts: 21 Location: United Kingdom |
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Thanks a million ! You folks are the best.
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zaphdash
 Posts: 620 Location: Brooklyn |
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Craeyst Raygal and Nagisa have tackled the various continuities pretty well already. One more thing worth mentioning, though: in regards to Universal Century shows, even though they take place in the same world, they only build loosely upon each other. The 08th MS Team, Gundam 0080, and Gundam 0083 are all sidestories that take place within the same setting as First Gundam (aka, Mobile Suit Gundam), but have little to do with it directly (in fact, the first of these, Gundam 0080, came out a decade later). So you can watch First Gundam without watching those, or you can watch those without watching First Gundam.
It's advisable that you watch First Gundam, Zeta Gundam, and Char's Counterattack in that order, but Zeta is not really necessary for the First/CCA combination. Actually, aside from spoiling one important character's death, Zeta stands alone rather well. The entire conflict in CCA, however, is centered around what happened in First Gundam. Zeta and ZZ don't really have anything to do with it and can be ignored if you want, but First Gundam must be watched before Char's Counterattack. Gundam F91 and Victory Gundam both take place _way_ after the first set of shows. F91 takes place thirty years after CCA and introduces a completely new cast. One character from previous shows makes an appearance, but...he may not have even been in the movie, maybe he was only in the novels. I don't recall for certain. Victory Gundam takes place a further thirty years after F91. It isn't really tied to previous shows all that closely.
Most of the alternate universe shows close the door on any meaningful sequel. Then again, the door was arguably closed at the end of the Gundam Wing TV series, and they still managed to squeeze out an OVA with a plot that sounds ripped straight out of a crappy fanfic, so who knows. Maybe...a mad scientist creates a second Devil Gundam and tries to disrupt the 14th Gundam Fight in G Gundam 2? |
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