Sir Haggis' Guide to Gundam

After what has seemed like an eternity, Bandai has finally begun to make one of its most popular and longest-running franchises available here in the UK. Yes, Gundam is slowly being made available for those of us who prefer DVDs to fansubs and local releases to importing. It's about time - the franchise is more than twenty-five years old. In many respects, it could be said that Gundam is Japan's Star Trek. It's not an unfair statement; as well as cosmetic similarities between them, both were cancelled early, and yet have gained large fanbases all over the world, with new series and many spinoff books, model kits and other merchandise keeping interest alive.

The Gundam franchise is indeed massive, and can often be a little daunting for anyone new to the scene. So, to celebrate the first of what I hope to be many releases, here is a brief guide to the various series and how they relate to one another.

Gundam series are generally divided into two groups: UC and AU.
UC series take place in what is known as the Universal Century timeline. Mobile Suit Gundam takes place in the year UC0079, while the events told in Char's Counterattack happen later in 0093. Listed below are the various series in chronological order, and although this is generally considered the best way to watch them, it's not at all necessary.

Mobile Suit Gundam (43-ep TV, 1979)
Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Trilogy (1981)
While there had been giant robot shows before, MS Gundam was one of the first to try to make them seem more "real" than super robots, by building a believeable universe around them. It tells the story of Amuro Ray as he reluctantly becomes a pilot aboard the Earth Federation's White Base, fighting against the Duchy of Zeon and masked ace pilot Char Aznable (one of the single best anime characters ever, in my opinion) during the One Year War. Like so many classic series, however, low initial ratings led to its cancellation. It was only through repeats and the release of three complilation movies that its popularity soared, and was given a new lease of life.
Chances of getting it here: Relatively slim, at least for the TV series. The recent US DVD versions proved to be unpopular, as they were dub-only (the official reason is that the quality of the original Japanese recordings was too poor to transfer, and the death of a major character's seiyuu means that lines cannot be rerecorded). Having said that, the compilation movies are being released here in all their subbed, remastered glory, so if you want to get into Gundam, they would be the best place to start.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (12-ep OAV, 1996)
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report (Compilation movie, 1998)
A more recent return to the UC timeline, 08th is probably Gundam at it's most realistic, and focuses on the story on ground troops during the One Year War. The 08th's rookie commander, Shiro Amada, leads his team on a guerilla campaign through the jungles of southeast Asia, in a gritty, personal tale of love and war. At the same time, the compilation movie is an example of how to do one properly, as it can be taken as a stand-alone feature. Taking the form of a military report, it focuses on a single person's actions and the consequences for those actions.
Chances of getting it here: Good. 08th is one of the more recent Gundam spinoffs, and has proven to be relatively popular following its release in the US. I remain cautiously optimistic, as it's one of my favourite Gundam series.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (6-ep OAV, 1989)
Telling the story of a skirmish through the eyes of a child, Gundam 0080 focuses slightly more on the characters than you might expect from a giant robot franchise. It's no bad thing, though; you do get rather attatched to them. But don't worry, the mecha do still get their share of the spotlight. Veteran anime fans may also recognise Megumi Hayashibara as Christina Mackenzie.
Chances of getting it here: Actually pretty good. It's short and to the point, but can stand entirely on its own with little or no knowledge of the UC Gundam universe.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (13-ep OAV, 1991)
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Last Blitz of Zeon (compilation movie, 1992)
A few years after the One Year War, the remnants of Zeon steal one of the new experimental Gundam units - that just happens to be armed with a nuclear warhead. It's up to rookie test pilot Kou Uraki and the Albion to track it down before they get the chance to use it. It's also home to some of my favourite Gundam mecha designs.
Chances of getting it here: Entirely reasonable. It's relatively short, and has all the hallmarks of a Gundam series without requiring all the foreknowledge. I would avoid the movie, however; it feels rushed, has a number of holes and omits rather a lot of development.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (50-ep TV, 1985)
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Movie Trilogy (2005)
Zeta is widely regarded as one of the best Gundam series, and has recently seen a sucessful box set release in the US. In 0087, it follows fledgling newtype Camille Bidan (yes, it's a guy) as he joins some familiar faces to fight a new evil. Because it came out in the wake of other shows like Macross, transforming was the 'in' thing to do, and is why just about every mobile suit transforms, even when here's really no need to.
Chances of getting it here: We may not see the series for a while, if ever, but we may see the trilogy of remastered movies, currently doing the rounds in Japanese theatres, in a few years time. Hopefully.

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (47-ep TV, 1986)
Immediately after Zeta's conclusion, salvager Judau Ashta decides to steal the Zeta Gundam and take it for a spin. Series director Yoshiyuki Tomino thought that Zeta depressed people, and so made ZZ much more lighthearted. However, this did not sit well with many fans, who preferred the grim war story of Zeta to the fun and games of ZZ. As a result, ZZ is another series that doesn't get much attention.
Chances of getting it here: Entirely dependant on the fate of Zeta. If that gets a domestic release, and proves to be popular, then this may have a chance. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Couterattack (Movie, 1988)
The final chapter in the story of Amuro and Char, this movie should not be watched without having seen at least the original series or movies first, as it relies heavily on your familiarity with the characters. The movie itself is a visual treat - well animated, with some great battle sequences and mecha designs - but the story is no let down either, and finishes with quite a bang.
Chances of getting it here: Because of it's one-off nature, releasing this movie effectively tests the water to gague potential interest in the Gundam franchise. Due for release in September.

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (Movie, 1991)
I was rather surprised when I learned that this movie recieved a limited thatrical release in the US, as I had long thought Bandai had tried to bury it. Originally planned as a 50-episode TV series, it was first changed to a 13-ep OAV, and then condensed to make a 2 hour movie. As you might expect, this results in an extremely fast-paced story that allows little time for character or plot development. Having said that, it is one of the best-animated Gundam titles, and the whole thing looks and sounds great.
Chances of getting it here: Another relatively low-risk release, it's due out in September

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (51-ep TV, 1993)
Sixty years after the events of Char's Counterattack, a new war has broken out. Cue young boy taking a new Gundam out and participating in said war, and do little to change an unbroken formula. Apparently, Tomino was going through something of a mid-life crisis during the production of V, and I have heard that he was deliberately trying to get his own show cancelled for whatever reason. It would certainly explain some of the mecha designs at any rate...
Chances of getting it here: Virtually non-existant. V was a relatively unpopular series, and its commercial failure ultimately led to Bandai's takeover of Sunrise.

That's just the Universal Century series! Bandai's aquisition of Sunrise led to the creation of new stories and timelines, called Alternate Universes (AU). These series have no relation to any other Gundam series, and can be seen entirely on their own.

Mobile Fighter G Gundam (49-ep TV, 1994)
Taking a complete 180-turn from the direction of the original series, G Gundam was more of a super robot show. Pilots shout out their attacks, the Gundams pull all manner of poses, and generally the whole thing is played for laughs. The cheese factor is too much for some fans, however, and opinion of the show is generally polarised. It enjoyed some sucess on America's Cartoon Network a couple of years ago.
Chances of getting it here: It's looking increasingly unlikely. If they were going to do it, they probably would have done it before now.

New Mobile Report Gundam W (49-ep TV, 1995)
New Mobile Report Gundam W: Endless Waltz (3-ep OAV/Movie, 1997)
More commonly known as Gundam Wing, up to now this was the only Gundam series available in the UK. Probably the most widely known Gundam series, it has proven to be popular even in circles where mecha shows aren't generally accepted; a significant portion of it's fanbase are girls. And while this is another series that is either loved or hated, I must confess a soft spot for it; it was my introduction to Gundam, and is home to some of my favourite mobile suits designs.
Chances of getting it here: It's been available here for some time. Odds are, that if you have any interest in Gundam, you will have already seen at least some of it.

After War Gundam X (39-ep TV, 1996)
Another Gundam series that was cut short because of poor ratings (and pushing it to a 6AM Saturday morning slot didn't help matters), but still one that many fans regard this as one of the best. Taking place in apost-apocalyptic world, the Newtype element was taken from the original series and given a new twist. Additionally, X manages to have a strong, likeably cast, and one of the best Gundam lead pairings. And even though the ending was significantly rewritten, Gundam X thankfully wraps itself up nicely.
Chances of getting it here: Slim at best. This is one that Bandai has tried to forget, despite fairly strong demand from fans.

∀ (Turn A) Gundam (50-ep TV, 2000)
∀ Gundam movies (2 compilation movies, 2001)
Probably the most un-Gundam Gundam series, TAG is a dramatic change of direction. Set while the world is on the verge of the industial revolution, the people living on the moon have decided to return to earth, bringing with them strange and wonderful technologies. War breaks out, with the people of earth challenging the mobile suits of the moon with little more than biplanes and rifles. While supposedly Tomino's attempt to consolidate all Gundam universes into the one, many fans regard it as just another AU series.
Chances of getting it here: Even less than those of X. TAG didn't fare too well in Japan, and there is little reason to see it doing otherwise anywhere else. Fansubbers recently completed it, however, so that may be the only way to see it.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (50-ep TV, 2002)
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Special Editions (3 compilation DVDs, 2003)
SEED is effectively an updating of the original series for a new generation, taking the story and changing a few names and places here and there, while retaining enough originality to entertain Gundam veterans. One of Bandai's flagship titles, SEED was cleverly marketed to appeal to a wide young audience (even to the extent of having a character switch sides because the sales for his Gundam models were low) who had never seen a Gundam show before. The Special Editions are essentially SEED's version of the movie trilogy, compressing the whole story into three DVD releases, with a some extra footage.
Chances of getting it here: The first volumes are out, and seem to be doing well. Recommended.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (50-ep TV, 2004)
The first direct TV sequel to an AU series, Destiny has already proven to be wildly popular. Long term fans will probably recognise many bits and pieces from older series, as Destiny pays a number of subtle - and not-so-subtle - homages to its heritage.
Chances of getting it here: Very good. Should SEED prove to be popular enough, I don't see why Bandai wouldn't release this too.

There are a few other bits and pieces, which will probably never see the light of day over here:

• SD Gundam - A parody of the original Gundam, it's very funny for those who know the subject matter, and complete gibberish to everyone else. Probably a bit *too* niche.
  
• Mobile Suit Gundam: EVOLVE - A series of impressive CG shorts promoting various model kits.
  
• G-Saviour - By all accounts an abysmal American-produced live-action production. The less said about this the better.
• Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO - A six-part, entirely CG production that was first shown at the Bandai Museum in Japan, as part of Gundam's 25th anniversary.
  
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED MSV Astray - Based on the manga side stories, both of these five-minute promotional shorts have been fansubbed. There is a chance that they may find their way onto a SEED SE DVD, but it's highly unlikely.
• Superior Defender Gundam Force - Another American-led production, the SD Gundam Force TV series was a return to the wackiness of the earlier parodies. It had the lowest ratings ever for a Gundam show. It's not very popular in either Japan or the US, and I doubt Cartoon Network will be airing it here any time soon.
  

There is also a metric ton of canon manga, model kits, side stories and video games, some of which can be found in specialist stores around the country. If we're lucky, perhaps Toonami will pick up Gundam SEED, as it has been enjoying a good run stateside. Hell, maybe Bandai will even be good enough to release a few more games now.

For more information, I recommend the following:

• GundamOfficial - the official US site, with information on all the series released there
  
• MAHQ - your one and only stop for technical information on virtually every mobile suit ever featured in Gundam. Ever.
• Gunota Headlines - a blog that features the most up-to-date Gundam news around
• Wikipedia's Gundam article - Gundam in more depth than I could cover here
  
• Mobile Suit Gundam: High Frontier - if you need to know more about the UC universe, this site has detailed desriptions on pretty much everything
• Gundam Mad - this is one of the few UK-based companies that sells Gunpla model kits and imported DVDs
• Anime News Network - details cast and crew for all Gundam series
  
• Google - when all else fails
  

If you are new to Gundam, I hope this has cleared some of the confusion up. If it's only confounded matters, or if I have made a mistake, drop a line and let me know