Gundam as a kid and Gundam as an adult are two very different shows with evoke very different feelings. While kid me preferred Wing due to the action focus, adult me recognizes the absolute genius of the original.
Amuro, Rebel ral, the full story of char and his path that led him to that day in space. Watching chars second man just burn to a crisp for nothing. Shit was deep for no reason. It always had that angle of showing both sides in their reality instead of making you believe you were following the good guys.
Wing was my intro to the series, it'll always have a spot in my heart. But as a grownup, I have to acknowledge that Gundam 79 and Zeta Gundam are just in their own league.
Fun fact: The Feddie designs are toy-like as a result of Sunrise wanting them to sell well as toys (as was said in the video), but the Zeon designs were completely untouched by Sunrise, who basically gave the designer free reign - hence why Zeon's mobile suits and mobile armors are so unique and varied, and specifically why the Zaku has a somewhat more militaristic, purpose-built design. Also, the reason why the names for mobile suits and mobile armors are so weird is because Tomino (it may have been someone else, admittedly) just wanted to see how weird he could make the names before the suits started questioning him on them. That's why a lot of the suits in the series have such weird, particular names: they were basically just sounds that he had made and decided to use as their names.
Toonami proudly presents the most groundbreaking anime series of all time Mobile Suit Gundam, still recall Peter Cullen hyping us with this back in the 2000s and he was right
Sorry but THEmost groundbreaking anime in my opinion is 5 years older, one without we wouldn’t have gundam macross, and so much more: SPACEBATTLESHIP YAMATO
The reason many of the mobile suits have goofy names is because Tomino wanted to see if the higher ups actually paid attention to the scripts or storyboards. He said it was with the Gelgoog that he knew they didn’t read them.
This was my favorite series. Now I watched Wing as a pre-teen and was like "teens in Giant robots awesome!". This one came out on Cartoon Network when I was in 8th grade/high school. My dad wasn't a big anime fan, and would often make fun of me for it, but he watched this one and got really interested, because it faced the horrors of war and how it effects everyone. He was shocked that an anime with bright colors and such had these deep messages. (he fought in Vietnam, so he understood how Amuro's PTSD reaction pretty well.) Since then, although he somewhat enjoys other Gundam series, this one he still will watch.
According to the creators, he was supposed to be in his early 20s, but since the executives always pushed to have youngers characters they changed the number without changing the actual character, he's clearly coded like that.
Me and my friend thought he was like in his 30's and thought Mirai was like 15 or something and were super creeped out about him only to be absolutely shocked that he was 19 and she was 18
@@SaulGMV I do think its something that works really well though. Him being 19 and struggling to herd people who are only 3 years younger than him into not getting themselves killed makes his over all emotional immaturity and slqpping of his youngsters feel more real. Sure he is the most experienced but he is still 19 and it shows.
One thing missing from this video -- Clover Toys. Clover sponsored the production of Mobile Suit Gundam, and they were why the colors for the White Base and RX-79 were changed from Tomino's vision of essentially space camouflage to the bright super-robot color scheme we get in the show. It's also *probably* why we get so many random side mechs showing up -- it's very likely that Clover was looking to pump the show for as many different toys as possible. This is particularly interesting because, while gunpla absolutely rescued the series, Tomino has spoken about how the fans he remembers showing up early on were mostly women who weren't really interested in the toy line -- it wasn't until after cancellation that he noticed a large number of male fans.
One thing I always appreciate when it comes to Tomino's work is his attention to the weight and scale of the battles. The moment my brain always goes to is the scene in F91 where a woman evacuating a battle inside a colony with her baby gets concussed to death by a falling casing from a mobile suit's machine gun. For a weapon that, in a lot of the spin-offs and games, essentially comes off as a chip damage tool, there's something chilling about being reminded that even that is devastating on the human scale.
I'm going through this show as of this writing, and holy crap even 40+ years on, it still holds up. It doesn't matter if you watch it with JP audio or EN audio, this show is some of the finest television in animation history. For newbs, I'd also recommend season 1 of the OVA series Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt (aka. December Sky, which is what it was called once it made it to home video), which is set in an alternate timeline alongside the original series and is an encapsulation of many of the themes Mobile Suit Gundam '79 pioneered and explored. It also boasts some truly impressive animation and character moments. Not that it matters, because if you're looking for something tougher to chew on, G-'79 and Thunderbolt are perfect entry points into a franchise that provides you with just that (most of the time). Fun fact: I'm not that big into anime! That's right, I'm not massive into the artform, but Mobile Suit Gundam just speaks to me on such a level, man. Mainline Gundam and Lupin the Third are my go-to anime franchises.
Small nitpicks. 1.While sunrise did quickly partner with a toy company it was Poppy not bandai. 2.Piloted Mecha were extremely common at that time after Mazinger popularized it, What makes gundam and real robot unique was that the Enemy was also Human instead of mosters etc.
Thinking about it now, Tomino wanted the gundam to originally be uniform gray. Obviously that never ended up happening but in Gundam Seed (which has similarities to the first Gundam series in the first few episodes) the Gundams are all grey before phaseshift armor is activated. Don't know if thats intentional, but thought it was interesting.
When I first watched SEED a few years ago I did have the same thought about the Phase Shift armor, if it isn't a direct reference it's a pretty cool coincidence.
I like the series. It had character development. Amuro was very interesting character. The series wasn't afraid to tackle dark themes. Both sides are very human. Char was a great rival and very complex. This series is still great to watch.
Neither side is truly fully good, but both sides sure as hell have bad to them. The Zabi family in particular vary from morally grey in Garma and Dozle to full on evil in people like Gihren and to a lesser extent Kycilia.
@@connormclernon26When Degwin Zabi compared Gihren to Hitler, Degwin knew he failed as a parent and knows what will happened to Gihren. Overwhelmed with the lost of Garma, Degwin decided to do peace negotiations with General Revil
Re-watched this, Z, and ZZ. Forgot how amazing this anime is. Seriously holds up. I find myself enjoying it more the older I get. It's gotten me back into Gunpla again too.
Hearing Gundam originally flopped is so wild to me. I haven’t watched a ton of old anime, but the og Gundam show is so good to me, and I watched it way after nostalgia could be a factor.
What RetCon forgot to mention is that although the gundam model kits helped with Gundam's revival, the major part of Gundam's revival is because of the female fans. Essentially, the fujoshis saved gundam. Tomino even said so himself.
@@kelnhide I still find it hilarious that Yaoi Fan Girls saved Gundam. But gota give it for Timing for having Char and Amuro being so hot by 80's anime standards, and the voice actors cementing that home lol.
It's because it was originally aired for children at a time when they were able to watch it. It didn't resonate with audiences until older audiences like teens and adults started watching it
That was excellent. I’ve watched the original series in three languages and was around when it first aired. You captured the essence of the show succinctly. This would be a very good summary for new fans. Nice job!
I've seen a few of these types of videos, each and every one reminds me why I love the Gundam franchise so much. Whether by accident or intentionally, it contains so much wisdom and doesn't shy away from difficult topics.. plus, you know, giant freakin' robot fights. It's a true joy, that's had an immeasurable impact on my own philosophy.
I just recently watched the original after growing up with Gundam because of Wing back on Toonami. I never could appreciate the original when I was younger but looking at it now for what it was, I enjoy it a lot. On a side note, if you go frame by frame when Char shoots Kaischillia you can see part of her torso go past the screen, mangled from the explosion with half of her rib cage exposed, it's kind of crazy that this was just on regular TV back then.
You're actually not wrong on the grooming part as far as Char is concerned. Lalah is practically the same age as Amuro and it's even worse when you factor in her backstory from Tomino's novel adaptation of the series.
It's even more weird crazy when you watch Nu Gundam and he says right before they die, "She could have been a mother to me!" Char is really screwed up.
@@xdevantx5870 For sure. The man spent so much time pretending to be other people that it broke him mentally. Casval Deikum Zeon died the day he took the Char identity.
I love how Tomino is so insistent on Char being a sexual predator /s. It really changes him from interesting character to just the worst. I feel like its better to disregard anything Tomino writes about his female cast members that doesnt actually show up on screen.
tomino succeeded for sure. im a 20 year old who grew up with sci fi like halo and mass effect, and right from the start when i started watching gundam i knew i was in for something special. its so iconic for a reason.
Hey this was sick AF, having just watched the movies on twitter the general storyline is fresh on my mind. As an artist the visual hand painted style is pure eye candy, I could literally watch it muted on tv and still have a blast enjoying it. Truly a mark on an era
@@Retcon404 They're a good compilation/recap, and they do cut a lot of the more obvious toy commercial segments. My biggest gripe with them is how they bring in the Newtype stuff really early, and even replace existing conversions with discussions about Newtype stuff (most egregiously, the conversation between Mirai and Bright that causes Amuro to desert with the Gundam).
@@Retcon404 How are you doing I just found you channel tonight and started watching this video. Amuro is my favorite character and maybe I am a little bit bias but recently i just watched The original Mobile suite Gundam, the 3 movies and Chars Counterattack. To me it seems like the creator and japan really hates Amuro. I am like holy crap this kid can't get a break. After saving White base Bright treated him like shit, if it wasn't for the death or Ryu Everyone would have continued to treat him like a piece of shit. Every girl he has a crush on dies horribly
@@Retcon404 The dubs for the movies are hilariously bad. The compilation movies have a completelt different voice cast so Bright is british, Amuro is emotionless, Sayla is french.
I agree with the point you made on how the introduction of Lalah and the concept of new types in general really do help keep the show fresh as it progresses towards it conclusion. It was something I noticed on my original watch and I was also surprised that the show went into this direction. The word I would use for that “otherworldly feel” you describe is psychedelic. The video feels a bit superficial at times and I wish that it dig deeper in its analysis. But overall, this video was enjoyable and I think it does a good job at highlighting certain aspects of the show.
I started getting into Gundam this year and am currently watching the original from 79 and Witch of Mercury😊 The series is so vast but amazing! Great world building and characters. Plus, the themes, sociopolitical allegory and dark tone are so well done. I only got into anime and manga three years ago and prior, since my childhood in Nigeria, i never had a chance to watch it.
Back in July, at a convention, I got to meet Brad Swaile, the dub voice of Amuro in 0079, Zeta, and Char's Counterattack, as well as some of the UC games. It was great talking to him about Char's Counterattack. I told him how I recently got into watching UC Gundam in 2023. We also talked about Death Note since he voiced Light Yagami in that. (L's voice actor was at the convention as well). It turns out that he also voiced Quatre from Gundam Wing, as well as the protags from Seed and 00.
What was pretty funny about this is when Mquva says that he has enough resources to supplies zeon for 10 years and it's true seeing it in the other see U. C Gundam adaptations series
Just saw this from your post on the subreddit man. I love retrospectives like this and would love to see it continue I to the rest of the UC and/or the AU's.
Hey, thank you for coming in and leaving the comment! Glad you found the video enjoyable, I'm currently watchin Zeta Gundam for the first time and WOW. That's all I'll say for now.
Gundam is the space opera i always wanted but couldnt find in all 3 star wars trilogies. Im so glad i finally plucked the courage to get into uc, best decision ive ever made
I’m glad you found success with these gundam retrospectives. I am grateful for these as I just got into gundam because of the witch from mercury and these help explain the history of the series. Thanks
I swear to god, there was some time magic going on when they made this series. Just describing what happens in episodes like 3, the solomon battle or the final battle make you wonder how the fk they were able to fit so much action, dialogue, and character in only 1 or 2 episode arcs.
The last four episodes (Lalah's Dilemma, A Cosmic Glow, Space Fortress: A Baoa Qu, and Escape) is one of the best stretches of TV episodes ever. This show is so memorable that I actually remember episode names.
I actually got into this franchise relatively recently. I've always had an interest in action figures, so when I learned I could order and build my own, I got pretty excited. But that little GM on my shelf got me curious. Not knowing where to start, I jumped blind into the original series. What a ride. Gundam is an awesome show, and Amuro is still my favorite protagonist in the franchise.
I checked this one out on a whim some years ago and it really took me by surprise, I was expecting an okay action series but I was blown away by how remarkably deep the storytelling was, how layered the characters were and how heavy the themes hit. I actually thought this was something of an underrated series, might sound silly given how big Gundam is but, this series wasn't and still isn't held in very high regard, but I thought it was amazing. The ending actually made me cry, pretty much the only anime series that has. Obviously it had its flaws, the animation is charming but wobbly at times, and it can be a bit repetitive but everything just sort of works out in the end. I enjoyed this so much I can't bring myself to watch the sequel series, so I checked out the sideways shows like War in the Pocket and 08th MS team instead, and just like this I was blown away by how deep the characterization is, even when the storytelling isn't perfect, they put so much effort into making the people feel real, it gets me every time. Masterful series.
Lovin' your music game; Parasite Eve, Dynasty Warriors Gundam, Mass Effect. Rundas from Metroiiiiiid Really hope your channel takes off, you have one of the best (and only) comprehensive retrospectives on the franchise
Hey thanks I really appreciate that! One day I plan on redoing this first video too! Get rid of those weird cuts and make the voice over better . Doing the soundtracks is one of my favorite parts of these videos
Really good man. I love the way you describe this show. A show I love so much. Can’t wait for you to do stardust memory, or thunderbolt, etc to the UC timeline
I was about to watch your Char's Counter attack video but then I was like if he did Char he might have did the original and here I am. Mobile Suit Gundam is my all time favorite Gundam. I recently had a Gundam marathon and I will say Char's counter attack didn't age well for me but Mobile Suit Gundam is still a classic
Its been YEARS since i watched the orginal show, actually rewatching the show now. I forgot how funky some of the music was lol. Its such a campy goodness. I absolutely LOVE the character of Char. Legit one of my favorite gundam characters. Btw i hear those mass effect themes in the background. I LOVE that presidium theme
Thank you for your work. You are a great host and your storytelling and voice are so good for this Kind of content . I hope you stay healty and live a long happy life
Great video. The movie trilogy is my favorite way to watch this story. I think it's a really well edited version that better maintains its narrative throughline. Honestly, that's my take with Zeta as well, though I know that's a really contentious topic among fans due to the changes. Looking forward to watching your other videos! I think it would be great if you saw this through to Unicorn, though I suppose that depends on how you feel about that one.
Awesome recap of my most beloved anime! I was 14 when it first showed on Italian tv in early 1980 and loved it since. I watch the original series at least once a year, I’m a huge collector and gunpla modeler and went to Japan in 2014 specifically to see the 1:1 scale RX-78-2 statue at Odaiba Gundam Front in Tokyo.
i dont understand how people keep underestimating the magnetic coating, it’s a really good idea. you coat the machine in magnets so the (relatively slow moving) joints only have to do like half the work because the magnets complete the motion. that’s a really cool idea for dealing with a machine moving to slow. Especially when the machine’s designer is out of commission so you cant easily replace it.
Thanks for the video, this brings back childhood memory. Growing up in Hong Kong Gundam was huge, I was 7 when Gundam debut. I would say this anime had a great affect on how I found my passion of art, design, and technology which shaped my career. I recently visited the Gundam Factory in Yokohama, seeing the full scale Gundam was a mix of emotions and excitement.
In other videos you mentioned you spent way too much time on this, but I really enjoyed the longer further in depth videos. Related to you a lot on the aspects of this show that I enjoyed myself and you earned a subscriber.
I’ve looked through your channel, and I don’t see a video for Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin. Have you seen it, though? Several beautiful hours of Char being a - no, THE - magnificent bastard. It’s fantastic.
I haven't gotten to it for the retrospective yet as I have been releasing them by order of production date (besides a few I skipped accidentally like Stargazer oops). I have seen Origin and really enjoy it, I know some people don't like that it retconned some stuff about Chars character but I could watch him be evil all day so I don't care. Origin is great.
Thank you so much for this content. I had one of the Gundam games for PS2 when I was a kid and was always enthralled with it but in understand most of the story. I just got a new Gundam game recently and all the animes are hard to access so it's really nice to be able to get a grasp of the storyline.
yeah man Bandai really slapped me with copyright claims lol, and this being one of my first video's I didn't think to keep the project files. Luckily now I know to keep all the files for as long as I can, so if the Zeta video ever got CC'd i can just re-edit it very quickly. Thanks for the comment!
Something of a correction, but the "giant robot as vehicles" was actually done by most Super Robot anime first, especially the pioneer Mazinger Z, the most iconic of Super Robots that introduced the concept of giant robots as vehicles to be ridden. In fact, some end fights for many Super Robot series had both mecha combatants be piloted, typically with the enemy mech piloted by the main antagonist. What Gundam did was turn the mecha from a unique "savior of humanity" into a "weapon of war" and all it entails.
I know the show was somewhat shortened because it wasn't doing well, but introducing new types in the last like 5 episodes is like if someone first mentioned jedi in an offhand remark in the last 15 minutes of Star Wars
I have the 1st and 3rd summary movies, but not the 2nd; I will get it one day. Anyway, quite a good review on the series and all of those you've done so for since here; I enjoy them immensely. Also, the gundam franchise doesn't shy away from the horrors of war and its end results; realism is definitely shown all throughout.
Probably the best and most thorough retrospective of MGS I've seen on youtube. Whatever happaned to you Zeta Gundam Retrospective? I'd really like to see it.
I would love to see you review 70s Super Robot series like Mazinger franchise, Getter Robo and Robot Romance trilogy, which I’ve heard were actually pretty great shows. I’ve always wanted to know if there was old 70s mecha anime that is worth watching, because I find it hard to believe that they were all just formulaic and boring. I mean I think if you want to do more real robot shows first, I understand, but Super Robot is definitely more prominent in the mecha anime bubble
My first introduction to Gundam was actually the game Journey to Jaburo, and after finding out that fantastic game had an anime I was immediately off to watch it. It's always a tear jerking treat.
Another excellent video! thank you. The only thing I don't agree with is the 'mysticism' twist of new type helping the show. I never liked that and I think that series without new type don't lose anything (08th MS Team, 0080, 0083).
I recently rewatched the 0079 movie trilogy for the first time in 20 years and oh my god they're still so good, just absolutely fantastic films that are even better as an adult. Easily one of the greatest space operas of all time, made all the better by its no-nonsense understanding that wartime doesn't change the act of murder, it only changes its legal consequences-Cutting to a young Zeon pilot shot down by our hero, a man who would in most other stories never be given a face or a voice, to hear him in terror begging for his mother as his cockpit is consumed by flames stuck with me all these years, I'd scarcely seen anything like it before and it to me it remains a moment exemplifying the right way to tell a war story. Every death should conjure up the image of a family back home getting a visit from an officer bearing a dreaded letter, and Gundam manages to work this into you without being didactic, but simply by demonstrating that the men & women being gunned down aren't automata but real people who have their own stories just as much as our heroes, ones that were cut short in that moment. Interesting note: The creators of Gundam did A LOT of science homework, and similar to how the "Side" colonies are based on the work of Gerard K. O'Neill just a few years earlier, "Newtypes" didn't come out of nowhere but are based on the theories of Timothy Leary developed by others like Robert Anton Wilson in the '60s and '70s, that migration into the directionless, horizonless, weightless environment of space, and having to "start over" in creating our own brand new worlds there from scratch, would release new potentials of human cognition, communication, and perception, including improved ESP, as the scientific community took ESP much more seriously back then (and arguably has started to again in some quarters). Really the only thing made up out of whole cloth is Minovsky particles, in order to take radar detection and targeting out of the equation and return everything to close-range, manual combat (if you pay close attention you can even spot them using IR sensors for detection and comms lasers instead of radio when particle density is high).
You mention how Amuro and his dad have this odd relationship with each other in the ZZ video. I just want to mention that this was based off of Tomino's relationship with his father who was a military scientist/engineer himself. This was in an NHK documentary that should still be on youtube (I saw it only about 2 months ago). It's different from the NHK documentary on the making of First Gundam. I enjoyed the video. Fair assessment of the show I'd say.
Hey so, I love the content; Your insight into Gundam and especially how it made a comeback from near obscurity is refreshing; and I love learning more about the lore and the backstory of just how it was all put together, I'm gonna sub, I will ask; around 25 minutes into the video there are a few bits where the footage jumped forward and skipped; Would you by any chance have the rest of that on like a script or something? You were cut off and I didn't get to hear the end of a few of your sentences, If not don't worry; I just wanted to see if there was anything major I missed. Anyhow I'm gonna subscribe because I love to see more up and coming video essayists, And I hope to see more of your content in the future! You seem very genuine and intelligent, and should keep at this!
I was big into anime right when Gundam Seed was starting, but I've never seen a single gundam/mecha all the way through. So it's cool to watch analysis of the mecha genre.
one thing about the rise of gundams popularity is it was also in large part due to fujoshi fangirls making doujinshis of their fave pairings, tomino mentioned this himself
Mobile suits looking human makes all the violence more intimate in my opinion. I try to think about how Amuro killing that man in the zaku in episode one would be different if instead it were him shooting down his spaceship or blowing up a tank. it just wouldn't be the same
This is a good video, but something to keep in mind is that the idea of robots being piloted internally wasn't something Gundam started. It dates back to Mazinger Z, which was created by Go Nagai.
Mazinger is an absolute classic and Nagai is such an interesting guy. I really love his other work like Devilman as well. Before this video I didn't know very much about mecha, but since then i've sure been learning.
Gundam as a kid and Gundam as an adult are two very different shows with evoke very different feelings. While kid me preferred Wing due to the action focus, adult me recognizes the absolute genius of the original.
Agreed. When I was a kid, I wanted to watch Wing, as a teenager I tried 00.
Now as an adult, UC stomps on them.
Same. My introduction to the franchise was with Wing when I was a freshman in high school. Adult me now can barely handle the teen melodrama in Wing.
Same. I recently restarted 79 which I haven't seen since I was a kid in the 90s. It definitely hits different
Amuro, Rebel ral, the full story of char and his path that led him to that day in space. Watching chars second man just burn to a crisp for nothing. Shit was deep for no reason. It always had that angle of showing both sides in their reality instead of making you believe you were following the good guys.
Wing was my intro to the series, it'll always have a spot in my heart. But as a grownup, I have to acknowledge that Gundam 79 and Zeta Gundam are just in their own league.
Fun fact: The Feddie designs are toy-like as a result of Sunrise wanting them to sell well as toys (as was said in the video), but the Zeon designs were completely untouched by Sunrise, who basically gave the designer free reign - hence why Zeon's mobile suits and mobile armors are so unique and varied, and specifically why the Zaku has a somewhat more militaristic, purpose-built design.
Also, the reason why the names for mobile suits and mobile armors are so weird is because Tomino (it may have been someone else, admittedly) just wanted to see how weird he could make the names before the suits started questioning him on them. That's why a lot of the suits in the series have such weird, particular names: they were basically just sounds that he had made and decided to use as their names.
explains the, szza,,
Toonami proudly presents the most groundbreaking anime series of all time Mobile Suit Gundam, still recall Peter Cullen hyping us with this back in the 2000s and he was right
"I'm Optimus Prime, and I approve this message!"
I heard this lol.
Sorry but THEmost groundbreaking anime in my opinion is 5 years older, one without we wouldn’t have gundam macross, and so much more: SPACEBATTLESHIP YAMATO
@@chheinrich8486 yamato is probably on par with gundam even now which is amazing
The reason many of the mobile suits have goofy names is because Tomino wanted to see if the higher ups actually paid attention to the scripts or storyboards. He said it was with the Gelgoog that he knew they didn’t read them.
This was my favorite series. Now I watched Wing as a pre-teen and was like "teens in Giant robots awesome!".
This one came out on Cartoon Network when I was in 8th grade/high school. My dad wasn't a big anime fan, and would often make fun of me for it, but he watched this one and got really interested, because it faced the horrors of war and how it effects everyone. He was shocked that an anime with bright colors and such had these deep messages. (he fought in Vietnam, so he understood how Amuro's PTSD reaction pretty well.) Since then, although he somewhat enjoys other Gundam series, this one he still will watch.
Has he watched thunderbolt?
This is my favorite anime series. I started watching it bc of Char's character arc but fall in love with the whole franchise as a whole.
Love Char. He plays so many different roles in the U.C timeline.
Yeah I watched the original then orgin, now I'm on Zeta and it's been cool having him as a protagonist in this one
Coming to this video after finishing the show. Bright was ONLY 19?! Jesus, dude…
Honestly, everything you said was on point. I loved this show
According to the creators, he was supposed to be in his early 20s, but since the executives always pushed to have youngers characters they changed the number without changing the actual character, he's clearly coded like that.
Slapped his way into authority
Me and my friend thought he was like in his 30's and thought Mirai was like 15 or something and were super creeped out about him only to be absolutely shocked that he was 19 and she was 18
@@SaulGMV I do think its something that works really well though. Him being 19 and struggling to herd people who are only 3 years younger than him into not getting themselves killed makes his over all emotional immaturity and slqpping of his youngsters feel more real. Sure he is the most experienced but he is still 19 and it shows.
One thing missing from this video -- Clover Toys. Clover sponsored the production of Mobile Suit Gundam, and they were why the colors for the White Base and RX-79 were changed from Tomino's vision of essentially space camouflage to the bright super-robot color scheme we get in the show. It's also *probably* why we get so many random side mechs showing up -- it's very likely that Clover was looking to pump the show for as many different toys as possible. This is particularly interesting because, while gunpla absolutely rescued the series, Tomino has spoken about how the fans he remembers showing up early on were mostly women who weren't really interested in the toy line -- it wasn't until after cancellation that he noticed a large number of male fans.
One thing I always appreciate when it comes to Tomino's work is his attention to the weight and scale of the battles. The moment my brain always goes to is the scene in F91 where a woman evacuating a battle inside a colony with her baby gets concussed to death by a falling casing from a mobile suit's machine gun. For a weapon that, in a lot of the spin-offs and games, essentially comes off as a chip damage tool, there's something chilling about being reminded that even that is devastating on the human scale.
That scene lives rent free in my head. Absolutely bone chilling
"concussed" is quite the euphemism
“Concussed” Yeah, if it helps you sleep. Sure.
I'm going through this show as of this writing, and holy crap even 40+ years on, it still holds up. It doesn't matter if you watch it with JP audio or EN audio, this show is some of the finest television in animation history.
For newbs, I'd also recommend season 1 of the OVA series Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt (aka. December Sky, which is what it was called once it made it to home video), which is set in an alternate timeline alongside the original series and is an encapsulation of many of the themes Mobile Suit Gundam '79 pioneered and explored. It also boasts some truly impressive animation and character moments. Not that it matters, because if you're looking for something tougher to chew on, G-'79 and Thunderbolt are perfect entry points into a franchise that provides you with just that (most of the time).
Fun fact: I'm not that big into anime! That's right, I'm not massive into the artform, but Mobile Suit Gundam just speaks to me on such a level, man. Mainline Gundam and Lupin the Third are my go-to anime franchises.
Small nitpicks.
1.While sunrise did quickly partner with a toy company it was Poppy not bandai.
2.Piloted Mecha were extremely common at that time after Mazinger popularized it, What makes gundam and real robot unique was that the Enemy was also Human instead of mosters etc.
Thinking about it now, Tomino wanted the gundam to originally be uniform gray. Obviously that never ended up happening but in Gundam Seed (which has similarities to the first Gundam series in the first few episodes) the Gundams are all grey before phaseshift armor is activated. Don't know if thats intentional, but thought it was interesting.
When I first watched SEED a few years ago I did have the same thought about the Phase Shift armor, if it isn't a direct reference it's a pretty cool coincidence.
The Gundam Mk. II would have that grayish color palette.
Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, and Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack are absolute perfection imo.
I like the series. It had character development. Amuro was very interesting character. The series wasn't afraid to tackle dark themes. Both sides are very human. Char was a great rival and very complex. This series is still great to watch.
Neither side is truly fully good, but both sides sure as hell have bad to them. The Zabi family in particular vary from morally grey in Garma and Dozle to full on evil in people like Gihren and to a lesser extent Kycilia.
@@connormclernon26When Degwin Zabi compared Gihren to Hitler, Degwin knew he failed as a parent and knows what will happened to Gihren. Overwhelmed with the lost of Garma, Degwin decided to do peace negotiations with General Revil
Re-watched this, Z, and ZZ. Forgot how amazing this anime is. Seriously holds up. I find myself enjoying it more the older I get. It's gotten me back into Gunpla again too.
When you watch Gundam origin, you really appreciate this show even more.
The Origin is really great
@@Retcon404 i don't know if he means that origin sucks or is good xD
Hearing Gundam originally flopped is so wild to me. I haven’t watched a ton of old anime, but the og Gundam show is so good to me, and I watched it way after nostalgia could be a factor.
What RetCon forgot to mention is that although the gundam model kits helped with Gundam's revival, the major part of Gundam's revival is because of the female fans. Essentially, the fujoshis saved gundam. Tomino even said so himself.
@@kelnhide I still find it hilarious that Yaoi Fan Girls saved Gundam. But gota give it for Timing for having Char and Amuro being so hot by 80's anime standards, and the voice actors cementing that home lol.
It's because it was originally aired for children at a time when they were able to watch it. It didn't resonate with audiences until older audiences like teens and adults started watching it
@@kelnhide And since then we've had yaoi baiting in everu show since
That was excellent. I’ve watched the original series in three languages and was around when it first aired. You captured the essence of the show succinctly. This would be a very good summary for new fans. Nice job!
Thank you!
Too bad there is not a Latinamerican Spanish dub yet.
I've seen a few of these types of videos, each and every one reminds me why I love the Gundam franchise so much. Whether by accident or intentionally, it contains so much wisdom and doesn't shy away from difficult topics.. plus, you know, giant freakin' robot fights.
It's a true joy, that's had an immeasurable impact on my own philosophy.
I just recently watched the original after growing up with Gundam because of Wing back on Toonami. I never could appreciate the original when I was younger but looking at it now for what it was, I enjoy it a lot. On a side note, if you go frame by frame when Char shoots Kaischillia you can see part of her torso go past the screen, mangled from the explosion with half of her rib cage exposed, it's kind of crazy that this was just on regular TV back then.
You're actually not wrong on the grooming part as far as Char is concerned. Lalah is practically the same age as Amuro and it's even worse when you factor in her backstory from Tomino's novel adaptation of the series.
I did not need to think of that before, thank you very much
It's even more weird crazy when you watch Nu Gundam and he says right before they die, "She could have been a mother to me!" Char is really screwed up.
@@xdevantx5870 For sure. The man spent so much time pretending to be other people that it broke him mentally. Casval Deikum Zeon died the day he took the Char identity.
I love how Tomino is so insistent on Char being a sexual predator /s. It really changes him from interesting character to just the worst. I feel like its better to disregard anything Tomino writes about his female cast members that doesnt actually show up on screen.
@@Drums_of_Liberation Theres a Full Frontal Joke in here somewhere.
Despite a couple audio issues and cut sentences damn good retrospective and a nice way to refresh knowledge before jumping into following UC shows
tomino succeeded for sure. im a 20 year old who grew up with sci fi like halo and mass effect, and right from the start when i started watching gundam i knew i was in for something special. its so iconic for a reason.
Hey this was sick AF, having just watched the movies on twitter the general storyline is fresh on my mind. As an artist the visual hand painted style is pure eye candy, I could literally watch it muted on tv and still have a blast enjoying it. Truly a mark on an era
i really need to watch the movies as well.
@@Retcon404 They're a good compilation/recap, and they do cut a lot of the more obvious toy commercial segments. My biggest gripe with them is how they bring in the Newtype stuff really early, and even replace existing conversions with discussions about Newtype stuff (most egregiously, the conversation between Mirai and Bright that causes Amuro to desert with the Gundam).
@@Raithul I think all 3 are on netflix in the US now. I gotta see the differences now cause that sounds interesting for sure.
@@Retcon404 How are you doing I just found you channel tonight and started watching this video. Amuro is my favorite character and maybe I am a little bit bias but recently i just watched The original Mobile suite Gundam, the 3 movies and Chars Counterattack. To me it seems like the creator and japan really hates Amuro. I am like holy crap this kid can't get a break. After saving White base Bright treated him like shit, if it wasn't for the death or Ryu Everyone would have continued to treat him like a piece of shit. Every girl he has a crush on dies horribly
@@Retcon404 The dubs for the movies are hilariously bad. The compilation movies have a completelt different voice cast so Bright is british, Amuro is emotionless, Sayla is french.
Keep these coming. Gundam is probably my favorite anime series and I’ll always enjoy deep dive videos on the series.
I agree with the point you made on how the introduction of Lalah and the concept of new types in general really do help keep the show fresh as it progresses towards it conclusion. It was something I noticed on my original watch and I was also surprised that the show went into this direction. The word I would use for that “otherworldly feel” you describe is psychedelic.
The video feels a bit superficial at times and I wish that it dig deeper in its analysis. But overall, this video was enjoyable and I think it does a good job at highlighting certain aspects of the show.
I started getting into Gundam this year and am currently watching the original from 79 and Witch of Mercury😊 The series is so vast but amazing! Great world building and characters. Plus, the themes, sociopolitical allegory and dark tone are so well done. I only got into anime and manga three years ago and prior, since my childhood in Nigeria, i never had a chance to watch it.
Back in July, at a convention, I got to meet Brad Swaile, the dub voice of Amuro in 0079, Zeta, and Char's Counterattack, as well as some of the UC games. It was great talking to him about Char's Counterattack. I told him how I recently got into watching UC Gundam in 2023. We also talked about Death Note since he voiced Light Yagami in that. (L's voice actor was at the convention as well). It turns out that he also voiced Quatre from Gundam Wing, as well as the protags from Seed and 00.
I just found your channel and honestly i love your content already. It's well made.
Thank you!
Amuro saluting his mother and then walking away? Oof. Almost two decades after first seeing it, it still hits hard!
An entire Gundam playlist? Yes please
Gundam is the sole reason why I love mecha overall on majority of other related stuff
What was pretty funny about this is when Mquva says that he has enough resources to supplies zeon for 10 years and it's true seeing it in the other see U. C Gundam adaptations series
Just saw this from your post on the subreddit man. I love retrospectives like this and would love to see it continue I to the rest of the UC and/or the AU's.
Hey, thank you for coming in and leaving the comment! Glad you found the video enjoyable, I'm currently watchin Zeta Gundam for the first time and WOW. That's all I'll say for now.
@@Retcon404 How are you rewatching Zeta? Cause I've never seen it all the way through and definitely need to.
@@kevinlockhart4393 It's actually available for streaming on Funimation in the US
It’s good to have a fellow Gundam fan and provide a great look at this anime series and the legacy it has made.
Yeah!
Gundam is the space opera i always wanted but couldnt find in all 3 star wars trilogies. Im so glad i finally plucked the courage to get into uc, best decision ive ever made
I’m glad you found success with these gundam retrospectives. I am grateful for these as I just got into gundam because of the witch from mercury and these help explain the history of the series. Thanks
I swear to god, there was some time magic going on when they made this series. Just describing what happens in episodes like 3, the solomon battle or the final battle make you wonder how the fk they were able to fit so much action, dialogue, and character in only 1 or 2 episode arcs.
The last four episodes (Lalah's Dilemma, A Cosmic Glow, Space Fortress: A Baoa Qu, and Escape) is one of the best stretches of TV episodes ever. This show is so memorable that I actually remember episode names.
So glad I found this channel. Became a massive Gundam fan when I first fell in love with Wing on Toonami. Great videos, keep em coming!
I actually got into this franchise relatively recently. I've always had an interest in action figures, so when I learned I could order and build my own, I got pretty excited. But that little GM on my shelf got me curious. Not knowing where to start, I jumped blind into the original series.
What a ride. Gundam is an awesome show, and Amuro is still my favorite protagonist in the franchise.
I checked this one out on a whim some years ago and it really took me by surprise, I was expecting an okay action series but I was blown away by how remarkably deep the storytelling was, how layered the characters were and how heavy the themes hit. I actually thought this was something of an underrated series, might sound silly given how big Gundam is but, this series wasn't and still isn't held in very high regard, but I thought it was amazing. The ending actually made me cry, pretty much the only anime series that has.
Obviously it had its flaws, the animation is charming but wobbly at times, and it can be a bit repetitive but everything just sort of works out in the end. I enjoyed this so much I can't bring myself to watch the sequel series, so I checked out the sideways shows like War in the Pocket and 08th MS team instead, and just like this I was blown away by how deep the characterization is, even when the storytelling isn't perfect, they put so much effort into making the people feel real, it gets me every time. Masterful series.
Love your series man, been binging all day while at work
Thanks! I hope they live up to they hype!
Lovin' your music game; Parasite Eve, Dynasty Warriors Gundam, Mass Effect. Rundas from Metroiiiiiid
Really hope your channel takes off, you have one of the best (and only) comprehensive retrospectives on the franchise
Hey thanks I really appreciate that! One day I plan on redoing this first video too! Get rid of those weird cuts and make the voice over better . Doing the soundtracks is one of my favorite parts of these videos
This was a nice channel to stumble on and I feel like you deserve a higher subscriber amount. Keep up the great work!
it's happening slowly but surely. Thank you!
I hope he gets more views and subs!
Really good man. I love the way you describe this show. A show I love so much. Can’t wait for you to do stardust memory, or thunderbolt, etc to the UC timeline
Oh i can't wait to get to Thunderbolt either, currently reading the Manga and its really good.
I love Ghiren. "Space Hitler, Son of Space Stalin." is basically just this beautifully perfect way to make a villain.
Well nothing more villain than being based on a communist XD.
I was about to watch your Char's Counter attack video but then I was like if he did Char he might have did the original and here I am. Mobile Suit Gundam is my all time favorite Gundam. I recently had a Gundam marathon and I will say Char's counter attack didn't age well for me but Mobile Suit Gundam is still a classic
It's pure gold. Although zeta is my goat for the series.
Its been YEARS since i watched the orginal show, actually rewatching the show now. I forgot how funky some of the music was lol. Its such a campy goodness. I absolutely LOVE the character of Char. Legit one of my favorite gundam characters.
Btw i hear those mass effect themes in the background. I LOVE that presidium theme
Thank you for your work.
You are a great host and your storytelling and voice are so good for this Kind of content .
I hope you stay healty and live a long happy life
Great video. The movie trilogy is my favorite way to watch this story. I think it's a really well edited version that better maintains its narrative throughline. Honestly, that's my take with Zeta as well, though I know that's a really contentious topic among fans due to the changes. Looking forward to watching your other videos! I think it would be great if you saw this through to Unicorn, though I suppose that depends on how you feel about that one.
This was a great video! Just finished it! Great job! Can’t wait for more retcon-tent
Thats the first time Ive heard that term and I'm keeping it.
18:33 I needed that smile Retcon, thanks
Awesome recap of my most beloved anime! I was 14 when it first showed on Italian tv in early 1980 and loved it since. I watch the original series at least once a year, I’m a huge collector and gunpla modeler and went to Japan in 2014 specifically to see the 1:1 scale RX-78-2 statue at Odaiba Gundam Front in Tokyo.
The show is alright and gets really good towards the end,Char vs Amuro final battle was awesome.
i dont understand how people keep underestimating the magnetic coating, it’s a really good idea.
you coat the machine in magnets so the (relatively slow moving) joints only have to do like half the work because the magnets complete the motion. that’s a really cool idea for dealing with a machine moving to slow. Especially when the machine’s designer is out of commission so you cant easily replace it.
Thanks for the video, this brings back childhood memory. Growing up in Hong Kong Gundam was huge, I was 7 when Gundam debut. I would say this anime had a great affect on how I found my passion of art, design, and technology which shaped my career. I recently visited the Gundam Factory in Yokohama, seeing the full scale Gundam was a mix of emotions and excitement.
Bro this video was sick! Thanks for sharing. Crazy how new Gundam fans from Witch don’t even know about the history
In other videos you mentioned you spent way too much time on this, but I really enjoyed the longer further in depth videos. Related to you a lot on the aspects of this show that I enjoyed myself and you earned a subscriber.
Earned a sub for the hardwork but mainly because you recognize that shot of the Z;Gok and Char as one of the coolest. Always stuck with me too.
I’ve looked through your channel, and I don’t see a video for Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin. Have you seen it, though? Several beautiful hours of Char being a - no, THE - magnificent bastard. It’s fantastic.
I haven't gotten to it for the retrospective yet as I have been releasing them by order of production date (besides a few I skipped accidentally like Stargazer oops). I have seen Origin and really enjoy it, I know some people don't like that it retconned some stuff about Chars character but I could watch him be evil all day so I don't care. Origin is great.
@@Retcon404 gonna watch the whole list brother👌👌👌🤲
Thank you so much for this content. I had one of the Gundam games for PS2 when I was a kid and was always enthralled with it but in understand most of the story. I just got a new Gundam game recently and all the animes are hard to access so it's really nice to be able to get a grasp of the storyline.
thanks for helping me get into gundam a year ago Retcon!
Found this in the subreddit. Absolute fantastic video! Subbing cause I hope you'll do the rest of the series!!!
Hey I appreciate the kind words! I'm currently watching Zeta Gundam for the first time and man, its a mood.
Man, I have never been more hyped to go play Armored Core 6. This video got me so HYPE!!!
Yo thanks so much for making this video. My first was gundam wing and i didnt see all of the original gundam!
Oh man I thought I was dreaming for a second. I heard that Metroid prime three music at 38 minutes.😂
The numerous skips after the break are the only flaws in this video.
yeah man Bandai really slapped me with copyright claims lol, and this being one of my first video's I didn't think to keep the project files. Luckily now I know to keep all the files for as long as I can, so if the Zeta video ever got CC'd i can just re-edit it very quickly. Thanks for the comment!
Ok so glad I looked in the comments I thought my wifi was acting up
Something of a correction, but the "giant robot as vehicles" was actually done by most Super Robot anime first, especially the pioneer Mazinger Z, the most iconic of Super Robots that introduced the concept of giant robots as vehicles to be ridden. In fact, some end fights for many Super Robot series had both mecha combatants be piloted, typically with the enemy mech piloted by the main antagonist. What Gundam did was turn the mecha from a unique "savior of humanity" into a "weapon of war" and all it entails.
I know the show was somewhat shortened because it wasn't doing well, but introducing new types in the last like 5 episodes is like if someone first mentioned jedi in an offhand remark in the last 15 minutes of Star Wars
Thanks for the laugh at 'This B* is nuts'. i needed that to start the day.
Amazing retrospective.
I have the 1st and 3rd summary movies, but not the 2nd; I will get it one day. Anyway, quite a good review on the series and all of those you've done so for since here; I enjoy them immensely. Also, the gundam franchise doesn't shy away from the horrors of war and its end results; realism is definitely shown all throughout.
Watching the entire Gundam retrospective, you have gained a new subscriber.
I saw this anime for the first time only a couple of years ago. It absolutely does hold up after all this time.
Probably the best and most thorough retrospective of MGS I've seen on youtube. Whatever happaned to you Zeta Gundam Retrospective? I'd really like to see it.
I would love to see you review 70s Super Robot series like Mazinger franchise, Getter Robo and Robot Romance trilogy, which I’ve heard were actually pretty great shows. I’ve always wanted to know if there was old 70s mecha anime that is worth watching, because I find it hard to believe that they were all just formulaic and boring. I mean I think if you want to do more real robot shows first, I understand, but Super Robot is definitely more prominent in the mecha anime bubble
My first introduction to Gundam was actually the game Journey to Jaburo, and after finding out that fantastic game had an anime I was immediately off to watch it. It's always a tear jerking treat.
I do enjoy how the main character is a raid boss and the antagonists are the underdogs who need everything to pull a win.
you sir are a gem for the gundam retrospective series, hope more subs are in your future! def earned mine >
Awesome job Retcon
Thank you!
Appreciate your Gundam content dude. Falling down the rabbit hole
Brucie Bonus Points for using Mass Effect BGM, love it.
My dude. What a fantastic break down!
Cool and epic video 👍
Another excellent video! thank you. The only thing I don't agree with is the 'mysticism' twist of new type helping the show. I never liked that and I think that series without new type don't lose anything (08th MS Team, 0080, 0083).
I recently rewatched the 0079 movie trilogy for the first time in 20 years and oh my god they're still so good, just absolutely fantastic films that are even better as an adult. Easily one of the greatest space operas of all time, made all the better by its no-nonsense understanding that wartime doesn't change the act of murder, it only changes its legal consequences-Cutting to a young Zeon pilot shot down by our hero, a man who would in most other stories never be given a face or a voice, to hear him in terror begging for his mother as his cockpit is consumed by flames stuck with me all these years, I'd scarcely seen anything like it before and it to me it remains a moment exemplifying the right way to tell a war story. Every death should conjure up the image of a family back home getting a visit from an officer bearing a dreaded letter, and Gundam manages to work this into you without being didactic, but simply by demonstrating that the men & women being gunned down aren't automata but real people who have their own stories just as much as our heroes, ones that were cut short in that moment.
Interesting note: The creators of Gundam did A LOT of science homework, and similar to how the "Side" colonies are based on the work of Gerard K. O'Neill just a few years earlier, "Newtypes" didn't come out of nowhere but are based on the theories of Timothy Leary developed by others like Robert Anton Wilson in the '60s and '70s, that migration into the directionless, horizonless, weightless environment of space, and having to "start over" in creating our own brand new worlds there from scratch, would release new potentials of human cognition, communication, and perception, including improved ESP, as the scientific community took ESP much more seriously back then (and arguably has started to again in some quarters).
Really the only thing made up out of whole cloth is Minovsky particles, in order to take radar detection and targeting out of the equation and return everything to close-range, manual combat (if you pay close attention you can even spot them using IR sensors for detection and comms lasers instead of radio when particle density is high).
Wow this show is soo dark and intense. I can't believe this is what the young kids in gundam build fighters were obsessed with lol
Well at least some Gundam shows that came after this, take away the darker tone, & be more lighthearted.
26:45 ah good old Stellaris music. I know that hypnotic melody lost many hours to it
You mention how Amuro and his dad have this odd relationship with each other in the ZZ video. I just want to mention that this was based off of Tomino's relationship with his father who was a military scientist/engineer himself. This was in an NHK documentary that should still be on youtube (I saw it only about 2 months ago). It's different from the NHK documentary on the making of First Gundam.
I enjoyed the video. Fair assessment of the show I'd say.
Thanks man! I actually think I watched a bit of that doc months ago when I was making this video.
ima rewatch this vid a few times to help u hit that sweet 100K!!!
Hey so, I love the content; Your insight into Gundam and especially how it made a comeback from near obscurity is refreshing; and I love learning more about the lore and the backstory of just how it was all put together, I'm gonna sub, I will ask; around 25 minutes into the video there are a few bits where the footage jumped forward and skipped; Would you by any chance have the rest of that on like a script or something? You were cut off and I didn't get to hear the end of a few of your sentences, If not don't worry; I just wanted to see if there was anything major I missed.
Anyhow I'm gonna subscribe because I love to see more up and coming video essayists, And I hope to see more of your content in the future! You seem very genuine and intelligent, and should keep at this!
The Witch from Mercury seems promising!
I was big into anime right when Gundam Seed was starting, but I've never seen a single gundam/mecha all the way through. So it's cool to watch analysis of the mecha genre.
Good video dude, enjoyed your synopsis
Dude fantastic video watched this one after the g gundam one showed up in my feed!
one thing about the rise of gundams popularity is it was also in large part due to fujoshi fangirls making doujinshis of their fave pairings, tomino mentioned this himself
Your music choices in this video are excellent
Really well done recap, thanks!
Mobile suits looking human makes all the violence more intimate in my opinion. I try to think about how Amuro killing that man in the zaku in episode one would be different if instead it were him shooting down his spaceship or blowing up a tank. it just wouldn't be the same
I’m just now getting into the UC and started with this. I’m totally down for it!
This is so well put together, keep up the good work!
Thank you, that is very much appreciated!
This is a good video, but something to keep in mind is that the idea of robots being piloted internally wasn't something Gundam started. It dates back to Mazinger Z, which was created by Go Nagai.
Mazinger is an absolute classic and Nagai is such an interesting guy. I really love his other work like Devilman as well. Before this video I didn't know very much about mecha, but since then i've sure been learning.