Where should I start with Gundam?

[Fox12]

When I was a squirt, I was introduced to Gundam Wing on Toonami. I vaguely remember liking that show at the time, but I haven't followed the series since. For whatever reason I've been having a hankering for a military/political mech show to watch. Unfortunately, that franchise is bloody impenetrable at this point. There's just too much to wade through, and I don't care to watch thirty seasons of Gundam to find out what's good.

Is there a specific incarnation that's considered the best? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different versions of the story? Or is there another, similar series that manages to blow it out of the water?

 

[PapaGreg096]

Well keep in mind Gundam is more of a series of stories that don't really connect with each other so you can pretty much start anywhere but I do suggest you check out Iron Blooded Orphans, its a flawed Gem in my opnion

 

[Saelune]

Well, I like the UC Timeline the best cause...its the biggest and the primary plot. My brother and I have been slowly watching the UC shows in chronological order of events (as opposed to release). Original Gundam, 08th MS Team, War in the Pocket, Stardust Memory, and currently in Zeta Gundam. There are some other bits in there, but we havent found them, and theres a bunch after Zeta, but we arent there yet.

I also watched and really liked Gundam Seed. Far more modern anime, bishonen guys, spikey to all hell. Its a very loose remake of the original Gundam Anime, but you dont need to know it to like it. Has a direct sequel, Gundam Seed Destiny, thats an even looser remake of Zeta, which is original Gundam's sequel.

Gundam Build Fighters is a fun diversion once you actually are into the series, since the Gundam show and toys are canon to it, since its a world where people build and battle Gundam model kits.

Edit: G Gundam, Gundam Wing, Gundam 00, Turn A Gundam, and I suppose Iron Blooded Orphans are all the popular side series that have nothing to do with the UC timeline.

 

[Smithnikov_v1legacy]

Hell, space opera anime as a whole seems pretty unapproachable, don't blame your hesitation.

 

[WindKnight]

For UC stuff, probably the first couple of OAV side stories, 0080 (war in the pock) and 0083 (stardust memories). Their relatively self contained and probably give you an idea of what you getting into without committing you to the long stuff.

For alternate universe stuff, I personally loved 00 gundam, though the last few episodes fumble some elements, and Iron Blooded orphans was pretty cool, though rather puerile at times (A red shirt is mourned by someone wailing that he wanted to die being smothered by giant breasts, the all female crew is 'explained' by being the one dudes literal harem)

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Stick with Gundam Wing. Maybe MS 08 if you thought Romeo and Juliet needed more robots. I heard there was gonna be a 4 episode mini series written by the Cowboy Bebop chick, but haven't seen hide nor giant robot hand of it since.

Everything else is just another high school teen angst drama with robots, and also there's never enough robots.

 

[Fox12]

Eh. The general consensus is a lot more negative then I thought. Not really a fan of teen drama or harems.

Stick with Gundam Wing. Maybe MS 08 if you thought Romeo and Juliet needed more robots. I heard there was gonna be a 4 episode mini series written by the Cowboy Bebop chick, but haven't seen hide nor giant robot hand of it since.

Everything else is just another high school teen angst drama with robots, and also there's never enough robots.

I thought all of Shakespeare's work could use more robots. That's his only flaw. He wasn't forward thinking enough.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

When I was a squirt, I was introduced to Gundam Wing on Toonami. I vaguely remember liking that show at the time, but I haven't followed the series since. For whatever reason I've been having a hankering for a military/political mech show to watch. Unfortunately, that franchise is bloody impenetrable at this point. There's just too much to wade through, and I don't care to watch thirty seasons of Gundam to find out what's good.

Is there a specific incarnation that's considered the best? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different versions of the story? Or is there another, similar series that manages to blow it out of the water?

If Gundam Seed had an increadible Orchestral Score like this?



It has to be good.

 

[Dragonlayer]

If I may hijack this thread briefly, can anyone remember the specific name of an old Gundam PS2 game, that was third-person and had you gradually unlocking more advanced suits while fighting through campaigns from both side's perspectives? If it's any help, I'm sure it was based on the show's earliest incarnation: I recall it was the Federation against the Principality of Zeon, and characters from the universe would often show up, including some ace pilot called Char.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

G Gundam obviously

The only Gundam Series I wached from Beginning to end on Toonami.

Also the concept they used on how the Mechs are politied is much more logical, because seriously how do you pilot of perfectly formed humanoid mech in a cockpit with controls like a Jet?

 

[FalloutJack]

It depends upon your style and preference of mecha. For instance, if you were on Toonami, then you were watching either Gundam Wing, G Gundam, or Gundam shows from the Universal Century era. Start from where you started. Figure out what it is that you were enticed by the most. Because UC Gundam and the other shows are pretty different. If you liked Gundam 0079, The 8th MS Team, and War in the Pocket, you're gonna want to look into more in that era. On the other hand, if you liked Gundam Wing and G Gundam, you may wanna see Gundam Seed, Gundam 00, and so on. It's up to you.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Heh I kinda suprised only one or two mention the Universial Century timeline series aka the original Gundam series. Still I'm not suprised give it didn't age too well.

Basically I typed it as this as I have seen most Gunbdam series after Gundam Wing-

Mobile Suit Gundam- Retro as hell.

Gundam Seed and Gundam AGE. The plot/ storyline is kinda similar to Mobile Suit Gundam (Two or three emeny mobile suits inflatrated a space colony only to find the Gundam and etc. Granted these updated version of the original ain't that good.

Gundam Build Fighter- WAY more lighthearted as it's not based on war at all but rather in real life (aware of Gundam as a franchise). It's basically the Yugioh of Gundam but not kiddy sterotype per say (no power of friendship!). Granted I enjoyed that series!

Gundam Reconguista In G- AVOID THIS SERIES AT ALL COST! It make look pretty but it's the worse series I have seen past Wing series (granted I have not watched Seed Destiny). It's has the most inconsistant and muddy plot there is and the characters are so incosistant as well!

What I recommend-

Gundam: The Origin. The prequel to Mobile Suit Gundam but made recently so it not old animation style but kept the style used in that time (retro haircut). Also it's a great way to see why the conflict happened in the first place without needing to watch the original.

Gundam 00. It's abit like Gundam Wing as in at the start, the Gundams are way more superior to the grunts and the opposing force try to figure out a way to stop the Gundam.

Gundam: Iron Blood Orphan. The protagonist is similar to Hiro Yuru except he does go through with the plan (when did Hiro killed Relena anyway when she learn he's a Gundam pliot?). I actually liked this series as it's more hand to hand or rather weapon clash than just shooting at each other.

 

[Cap'nPipsqueak]

When I was a squirt, I was introduced to Gundam Wing on Toonami. I vaguely remember liking that show at the time, but I haven't followed the series since. For whatever reason I've been having a hankering for a military/political mech show to watch. Unfortunately, that franchise is bloody impenetrable at this point. There's just too much to wade through, and I don't care to watch thirty seasons of Gundam to find out what's good.

Is there a specific incarnation that's considered the best? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different versions of the story? Or is there another, similar series that manages to blow it out of the water?

Don't.

God's fist that series is annoying. All of them.

 

[balladbird]

Depends on what you like in it. One of the good things about Gundam is that it has a fairly diverse pool of cliches and genres it likes to draw from. If you're a fan of more political, factional, game-of-thrones style conflict, a heavier focus on characters and their interactions than politics, or just want to watch giant robots clobber each other.

 

[Fox12]

Depends on what you like in it. One of the good things about Gundam is that it has a fairly diverse pool of cliches and genres it likes to draw from. If you're a fan of more political, factional, game-of-thrones style conflict, a heavier focus on characters and their interactions than politics, or just want to watch giant robots clobber each other.

Hmm, mostly the game of thrones political bit. Maybe some real military strategy. Something like Code Geass, if you removed the awful teenage drama, and the plot and strategy actually made logical sense.

 

[balladbird]

Depends on what you like in it. One of the good things about Gundam is that it has a fairly diverse pool of cliches and genres it likes to draw from. If you're a fan of more political, factional, game-of-thrones style conflict, a heavier focus on characters and their interactions than politics, or just want to watch giant robots clobber each other.

Hmm, mostly the game of thrones political bit. Maybe some real military strategy. Something like Code Geass, if you removed the awful teenage drama, and the plot and strategy actually made logical sense.

hmm... based on that, I'd recommend you give the original UC series (Mobile Suit Gundam, Stardust Memory, Zeta Gundam) a go, then. They tend to focus more on how the actions and battle portrayed affect the world at large than on the interpersonal drama of the characters themselves.

Those are some of the older series, though, which may be a deterrent depending on how you feel about 80s camp. For more modern shows that focus on similar themes, I'd recommend Gundam 00 or gundam thunderbolt.

 

[Saelune]

Depends on what you like in it. One of the good things about Gundam is that it has a fairly diverse pool of cliches and genres it likes to draw from. If you're a fan of more political, factional, game-of-thrones style conflict, a heavier focus on characters and their interactions than politics, or just want to watch giant robots clobber each other.

Hmm, mostly the game of thrones political bit. Maybe some real military strategy. Something like Code Geass, if you removed the awful teenage drama, and the plot and strategy actually made logical sense.

Maybe start off with 08th MS Team then. Work through some of the other UT OVAs and mini-series, to see if you like the setting before you get into the big 3 series, ie Original Gundam, Zeta, and Double Zeta, as they are each like, 50 episodes. Original Gundam has the main characters struggling to live as they travel place to place for a large part of the series that may put you off if you dont care about the characters which has alot more personal drama than you might prefer, atleast as a starting point.

And characters are prone to dying by the way. Maybe not at Game of Thrones levels, but enough that it can be a real bummer once you've come to like them.

 

[Fox12]

Depends on what you like in it. One of the good things about Gundam is that it has a fairly diverse pool of cliches and genres it likes to draw from. If you're a fan of more political, factional, game-of-thrones style conflict, a heavier focus on characters and their interactions than politics, or just want to watch giant robots clobber each other.

Hmm, mostly the game of thrones political bit. Maybe some real military strategy. Something like Code Geass, if you removed the awful teenage drama, and the plot and strategy actually made logical sense.

hmm... based on that, I'd recommend you give the original UC series (Mobile Suit Gundam, Stardust Memory, Zeta Gundam) a go, then. They tend to focus more on how the actions and battle portrayed affect the world at large than on the interpersonal drama of the characters themselves.

Those are some of the older series, though, which may be a deterrent depending on how you feel about 80s camp. For more modern shows that focus on similar themes, I'd recommend Gundam 00 or gundam thunderbolt.

Depends on what you like in it. One of the good things about Gundam is that it has a fairly diverse pool of cliches and genres it likes to draw from. If you're a fan of more political, factional, game-of-thrones style conflict, a heavier focus on characters and their interactions than politics, or just want to watch giant robots clobber each other.

Hmm, mostly the game of thrones political bit. Maybe some real military strategy. Something like Code Geass, if you removed the awful teenage drama, and the plot and strategy actually made logical sense.

Maybe start off with 08th MS Team then. Work through some of the other UT OVAs and mini-series, to see if you like the setting before you get into the big 3 series, ie Original Gundam, Zeta, and Double Zeta, as they are each like, 50 episodes. Original Gundam has the main characters struggling to live as they travel place to place for a large part of the series that may put you off if you dont care about the characters which has alot more personal drama than you might prefer, atleast as a starting point.

And characters are prone to dying by the way. Maybe not at Game of Thrones levels, but enough that it can be a real bummer once you've come to like them.

Those look like they'd be exactly what I'm looking for. I'll probably give 08 team and Stardust Memory a shot first. Thanks for the recommendation. I think that will scratch the itch perfectly.