Forum - View topicWhat's the best entry point to the Gundam franchise?
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vashfanatic
 Posts: 3489 Location: Back stateside |
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I've asked this before in forums because... well, I've never watched a Gundam series in my life. I've made a few attempts at watching the first episodes of series here and there, but generally I've been confused and have no idea what's going on, since everything is in this big connected web of timelines. I did try going back to first series and... the first episode was awful. I spent most of it laughing. So that pretty much ruled out that.
Problem is, whenever I ask this question in an average thread I get a dozen different suggestions, so I thought I'd just throw it up here, let all the Gundam fans tell me: Which series could a total newbie use as an entry into the franchise is she really didn't want to start with the first series? |
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Takeyo
 Posts: 736 |
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(up and moved from the Shelf Life thread) I'd recommend Gundam SEED (not SEED Destiny) as a good entry point for new viewer. It's a re-imagining of the original Mobile Suit Gundam (Universal Century), approaching the franchise with more modern (but pre-9/11) sensibilities. Think Gattica, only with giant robots and racial/religious/ideological intolerance taken to the extreme.
I know some folks aren't fans of the "Cosmic Era" setting, but out of all the Gundam series that I've seen, SEED was the only one where I found the characters to be both likable and rational (as far as anime characters go). It's a soap opera, like most Gundam, and takes a good 10-20 (out of 50) episodes to really get going, but in my opinion, it's worth it. As far as series trees go, Wikipedia hosts a breakdown, and the ANN encyclopedia may, as well. EDIT: And yeah, for the casual viewer curious about the franchise, especially the Universal Century timeline, 8th MS Team would be a good pick. Last edited by Takeyo on Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Animehermit
 Posts: 964 Location: The Argama |
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well I've thrown in my recommendation for 8th MS Team as a good starter
heres the breakdown: short(its a 12 episode OVA) requires little to no backstory its very gundam has some great characters who actually develop its as realistic as gundam can get with the mechs great animation for its time. and that bitchan toonami trailer too  (not gonna link it again, getting late here)
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GWOtaku
 Posts: 678 |
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I understand where you're coming from. You want Gundam 0080.
It's cheap. It's short (a six episode OVA). It's a well-told story but a small one, so continuity is a non-factor. It was made in 1989 but has aged as well as anything from that time. It's not focused on robots beating the hell out of each other. If you want to get a feel for what a good Gundam story is like, that is the easiest recommendation I can make. More importantly, it's probably the the simplest title for you. I could name others if you're interested. But that's my first choice for you. |
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FaytLein
 Posts: 1260 Location: Williamsburg, VA |
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Honestly, newer fans should avoid the early TV series. They do come with some weight in terms of needing to see previous shows in order to grasp the whole thing, which is a bit much for newer fans to do. Look into the AC universe stuff (G Gundam, Wing, X, Turn A, SEED and 00) for a good launching off point. Wing and SEED both take plot cues, especially SEED, from First Gundam, so that might be your best bet if you really want to get into Gundam. Then, once you know what you are looking for in giant robot fights, move on into another program.
But if nothing else, watch Gundam 0080. Its probably one of the best Gundam stories out there, and though it might be confusing with the world not being presented quite so clearly, it truly is one of the best. |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Well, what do you want out of Gundam? If you want to watch most if not virtually all of the vast franchise, then start with the original, 0079. If you want a Gundam that partially retells the original story but with decent visuals then Gundam SEED is a good bet. If you want a taster, then go for 08th MS Team or 0080: War in the Pocket. Note: do not go for 0083, my personal disgust for it aside you need to know quite a bit about the early Universal Century and One Year War for it to make sense. Anyway, if you insist on modern graphics then Gundam 00 is the one to go for, at least for a full-length series.
In the end, even though I don't think it is the best Gundam I believe that Gundam Unicorn is the best starting place. Already dubbed, audibly strong and visually stunning, it tells a new side-story which doesn't require that the audience watch another title first. And since it retains UC sensibilities, if you like the story and themes and characters then that opens the door to roughly half the franchise. It is also short, so you don't have to invest in a lot of time. |
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OutlawGundam
 Posts: 62 |
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If you don't feel like you handle the original Mobile Suit Gundam because it feels a bit dated, but still want to experience the world in smaller doses then the OVAs is your best options.
Gundam 0080 Gundam 0083 Gundam 08th MS Team Unicorn Gundam These are all OVAs linked to the original Mobile Suit Gundam timeline, and mostly all stand on their own without having to watch everything Gundam related. If you'd like to know what happened in the originals, but can't sit through 40 to 50 episodes then you can check out the Mobile Suit Gundam movies that cut down and fit the plot of the series to movie length. There are some for the Original, and more recently movies covering it's sequel Zeta Gundam. If you want to watch something completly removed from the Original Universe there are several Alternate Universe series as well. Gundam Wing G Gundam Gundam SeeD These are in no way connected to UC Gundam, or even each other, they are seperate from everything and stand on their own. Gundam SeeD is considered to be a modern update of the Original, because it starts out sharing similiar themes and characters. |
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penguintruth
 Posts: 8461 Location: Penguinopolis |
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If you don't want to start with the original TV series, start with the movie compilations of the original series, the trilogy. It streamlines the plot and themes of the TV series and the animation is a bit touched up. If you're not going to watch the original story of Gundam, you might as well not watch Gundam.
Avoid CE Gundam (Seed and Seed Destiny), it will give you a bad impression of the franchise. It's very bland and lifeless, with no real likable characters. If you have to start somewhere else than UC, Gundam 00 is a pretty average Gundam series that exists in its own universe. However, I'd still recommend trying to get into UC Gundam. I got into it through 08th MS Team, which takes place around the same time the original series does, but has more modern visuals and is a little more grounded. |
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DarkRoseFairy
Posts: 271 Location: Alberta, Canada |
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I agree, the movie trilogy of the original gundam series is much better then the tv show. It's shorter, no filler and you don't need to watch the tv series to understand it. I don't recommend the Zeta Gundam movies, since you need to already watch the tv show to get it or else you not going to understand what happening.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundam#Animated_series_and_films Last edited by DarkRoseFairy on Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Animehermit
Posts: 964 Location: The Argama |
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basically your cutting a lot of shows in the meta series by not watching the original series. 0080 and 8th MS Team are about the only things (in the UC timeline)you can watch without seeing the original. to help you out i'll make a list of shows in the UC timeline in order and the ones outside of it: UC timeline: Mobile Suit Gundam - One year war, the main conflict from this series lasts from UC 79-80 8th MS Team - takes place at the same time as the original Gundam 0080 - takes place during the later half of the first series Gundam 0083 - involves the formation of the main antagonists from Zeta(shouldn't watch this one really if you haven't seen Zeta) Zeta Gundam - Direct sequel to the original, came out directly after. Double Zeta Gundam - Direct sequel to Zeta Gundam, solves some of the plot threads from Zeta. Char's Counterattack(movie) - ends the remaining conflicts from the original Gundam Gundam Unicorn - takes place a few years after Char's Counterattack, you really need to have seen the original + both Zetas and Char's counterattack to fully get this one (although its not fully necessary) Gundam F91(movie) takes place 27 years after Unicorn and 30 years after Char's Counterattack Victory Gundam (series) - follows up Gundam F91 thats all of the UC gundams, I haven't seen all of them but i'm working on it
Gundams with self contained universes: Turn A Gundam (this one was done by original Gundam creator, Tomino) DAT YOKO KANNO G Gundam - this is more of a homage to Super Robot shows(think Gurren Lagann). Its a lot like a shounen fighting show, there's tournaments and whatnot. Gundam Wing - most people got introduced when this aired on Toonami, it was the first broadcast in the states. A lot of girls like this one, SO MANY BISHES. Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny - this was an attempt at sort-of-remaking the Original, its plot is kinda similar, Destiny stirred a lot of hate from most of the community for its pretty lazy writing at times. Gundam 00 - this was more an attempt to remake Gundam Wing, BISHIES 2: ELECTRIC BUGALOO and yes all of the Main characters have funny names. also note that it really isn't wise to marathon all of these, take your time and absorb the series, it can be too much to sit through all at once. Last edited by Animehermit on Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7984 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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Mine was Gundam Wing, personally, though any other of the alternate stand-alone universes would work like Gundam Seed or Gundam 00. If you want to get into the Universal Century universe (aka the original timeline) then it's best to start with the original Mobile Suit Gundam since there's an order to those and it could be somewhat confusing to start at any old place with those.
Last edited by Kruszer on Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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GVman
 Posts: 729 |
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Start with the movie trilogy. It removes everything pointless from the original series and expands on parts that need expanding.
Avoid the Zeta movies, as they change the ending to Zeta. Watch the show instead. G Gundam is awesome, and should be watched post-haste. |
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Animehermit
Posts: 964 Location: The Argama |
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in response to your post about the giant mechs in gundam not making any sense:
its stated multiple times throughout the UC series that the mobile suits were specifically designed to be primarily operated in space. while it makes sense just to use tanks an aireplanes in earths atmosphere, in space it makes more sense to use the giant robot, because it would be as effective. Later in the series the Gundams can also tranform into flight modes where they look like fighters, the original had this along with a tank mode, while the Zeta gundam could transform like well, a transformer. |
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vashfanatic
Posts: 3489 Location: Back stateside |
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Except that they then fight on ground, in an atmosphere, most of the time.  I also don't buy how "giant robot" works more in space than on the ground; why? Why not every other model of spaceship ever imagined? Why humanoid robots?
But that's neither here nor there. After all, the answer is "it looks cool!" which is a subjective thing. Sometimes humanoid robots can be awesome, I'm just not as enthusiastic about them as a lot of fans. What made me laugh about the original wasn't the age (I've watched older series than that and love them). It started out with the ridiculous size of the mobile suits, but then it was the scene where the average teen lead (ATL) tells the girl to go so that she'll be safe...leaving her to wander alone in a battlefield, 'cause that's so safe. And then the ATL learning to pilot a gundam by reading the manual as he does it. But what finally killed it was the villain in the Halloween mask. I couldn't take him seriously, I broke out in peals of laughter every time he was on screen. So I really do have to skip the first series, and I don't think a compilation movie will help at all. It'll be the same silliness, only shorter. Anyway, short OVA series sound interesting. But feel free to keep talking it out amongst yourselves. |
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John Casey
 Posts: 1853 Location: In My Angry Center |
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G Gundam is the only series where fingers burn AND shine. Watch that one.
Then, fire up the UC timeline as posted above. |
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