| Overview |
| MS Gundam Anime |
| Manga Manga |
| MS Gundam Movie |
General Information
| |
|---|---|
| Kanji | 機動戦士ガンダム |
| Rōmaji | Kidō Senshi Gandamu
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Broadcasts
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This lengthy franchise of mech anime, manga, and games has been running since 1979.
Overview[]
Gundam was conceived by creator Yoshiyuki Tomino and developed by him along with a crew at Sunrise Inc. under the name of Hajime Yatate. The series was dubbed Gunboy during development, in an attempt to appeal to young males. The series used the word freedom heavily, and eventually the creators would merge the word gun with the word freedom to name the series Gundom. This was further iterated and changed to Gundam. Mobile Suit Gundam would follow the Universal Century Timeline, a storyline that was dominated by the One Year War and its after effects. The Gundam series would continue on to branch off into multiple series each spawning their own movies, merchandise, and unique timelines.
Universal Century[]
The Universal Century is the most fleshed out of the timelines in the Gundam saga. The series began with Mobile Suit Gundam, following a boy, Amuro Ray, through the battlefield as he piloted the weapon, Gundam. The characters from Mobile Suit Gundam would be transferred into a new series that aired approximately five years after the first, in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. This series continued the Universal Century timeline and told the events following the One Year War.
Shortly after Zeta Gundam was released, the team released Mobile Suit Double Zeta Gundam which further continued the storyline. Up until Double Zeta, the series had followed a strict timeline, the series being spaced out in real time years. Mobile Suit Gundam and the One Year War took place in UC 0079 (1979 as the release year) while Zeta took place in UC 0085 and Double Zeta in UC 0086 (both series produced in 1985 and1986 respectively). This had cause for a 5 year gap between the original series and their most complete series, causing the creators to return to previous years with two small series to fill in pockets of the story, being Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket and 0083 Stardust Memory.
The Universal Century also saw movie releases, while each of the Anime Series usually had their own compilation movie following the TV airing of the series; movie specific stories were created such as Mobile Suit Gundam Char's Counterattack which broke the strict year by year timeline having the movie take place in UC 0093.
Furthermore Gundam F91 was created 30 years in the future after Char's Counterattack which served to prevent any inconsistencies in the story. The series was originally going to be a TV anime. But due to lack of funding, events from the first planned 13 episodes of the series were compressed into the 90-minute film adaptation that made up F91.
Mobile Suit Victory Gundam was created in 1993, but was placed even further in the timeline dating its series to UC 0153 well past any events that happened in the Gundam series. It follows a story line influenced by the Universal Century, yet remains separate by being so far into the future.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team would be next created in 1996. Unlike the past iterations of Gundam, the 08th MS Team is the only series to take place during the events of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, as the series follows a story during the One Year War.
A series of CG animated OVAs and movies called Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO would be created between 2004 and 2006 that depicted a number of individual stories involving Federation and Zeon soldiers during the events of the One Year War.
The most recent title within the Universal Century continuity of the Gundam franchise occurred with the Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn OVA series in 2010 that focused on the exploits of Banagher Links and his interactions with heir to the Zeon movement, Mineva Lao Zabi.
Future Century[]
The Future Century timeline involves Mobile Fighter G Gundam being made in 1994. It is the first alternate continuity created for the Gundam franchise and one that takes a radically different storyline approach for the franchise as the series depicts a more "super robot" based storytelling approach and the Gundams are used for a fighting tournament to determine which nation will have the right to rule over the world.
After Colony Calendar System[]
The After Colony Calendar system focuses around anime based on the series, Gundam Wing, that was made in 1995. The series focused around the efforts of five young Gundam pilots trying to halt Earth's control over the space colonies. The series ran for 49 TV episodes and had a sequel called Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz come out in OVA format in 1997 and in a compilated film format in 1998.
After War Timeline[]
The After War timeline is found within the series, After War Gundam X, that was made in 1996. Originally set to run for 49 episodes, the series was shortened to 39 episodes for its run due to low TV ratings. Based in an alternate continuity for the Universal Century timeline, Gundam X is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth still recovering from the catastrophic effects of a space colony drop and is focused on the young Gundam pilot, Garrod Ran.
CC Timeline[]
The CC Timeline is found within the series, Turn A Gundam, made in 1999 and was the first alternate continuity series directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino. Taking place on an Earth with living conditions similar to early 20th century America due to the destruction of modern technology, Turn A is focused on a Moonrace teenager named Loran Cehack trying to establish peaceful coexistence between his kind and the humans of Earth. A pair of compilated film adaptations of Turn A Gundam called Earth Light and Moonlight Butterfly were created in 2002.
Cosmic Era[]
The Cosmic Era is found with Gundam SEED, the series first created in 2002 and having a sequel made in 2004 called Gundam SEED Destiny. Focused on exploring the conflict between Naturals and Coordinators, both SEED and SEED Destiny would have compilated film trilogies made for them following the completion of both their runs.
Anno Domini Timeline[]
The Anno Domini timeline is found within Gundam 00. The series was divided up into two 25-episode seasons with the first made in 2007 and the second made in 2008 set four years after the first season's events. Gundam 00 focused on the efforts of a private militia group called Celestial Being trying to settle hostilities between the world's dominant superpowers with their Gundam units. A movie sequel to Gundam 00's second season called Awakening of the Starblazer would be released in 2010. The series also had a compilated film trilogy of the TV anime's events released in 2009.