T5W#296-Top 5 Classic Mobile Suit Gundam Eras (1979-2000)

One of the best aspects of the Gundam Franchise is the multiverse it’s created over the course of 40+ years.  At first, Gundam was contained to one universe, one timeline.  But as years passed and there was need to keep things fresh, new worlds were made with new ideas while still sticking to what makes Gundam, Gundam.  Each new setting is a prime starting point for any newcomer and some veterans might even find something to enjoy too (or not, purists will be purists and stubborn to a fault).  I’ll be looking at these varying eras of Gundam and ranking them in my own way over the next few weeks.  Today, we’re looking at the first half of Gundams lifespan, the first twenty years and the world they birthed along the way.  These are the Top 5 Classic Mobile Suit Gundam Eras (1979-2000). 

 #5-After War (After War Gundam X) 

Oh man, this world has so much potential.  The After War Era is answer to one of the many “What If” scenarios surrounding the One Year War: What if Zeon took it one step further with its colony drops and what if no one won the war and everyone lost?  The answer is a very Trigun/Mad Max style apocalyptic wasteland where survival is everything and hope is in very short supply.  Still, Garrod Ran works with what he is given and we did get to see a fair bit of this new world order through his travels on the Freeden.  It’s just a shame Gundam X met the same unfortunate fate as the original Mobile Suit Gundam and was cancelled before the end of its run.  I feel like looking at more of this world and how it might have a good chance to live again is worth revisiting.

 

#4-After Colony (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz)

“The year is After Colony 195.”  Long before I even knew about a Gundam Multiverse, this date changed my life forever.  This is the era where I met Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Zechs Merquise, Relena Darlin and their many friends and allies and enemies and, most importantly, their bad ass Mobile Suits.  While Gundam Wing is science fiction, there’s a heavy emphasis on internal politics, world crisis’ and tons of backstabbing and betrayal.  In short: it feels like I’m watching the real world play out in Anime form.  And it’s because of this that I felt like I was watching a new kind of Anime for the first time when I first saw this on Toonami when it debuted. 

 

#3-Correct Century (Turn A Gundam)

The world of Turn A Gundam is proof that hope is worth believing in and life can spring from the ashes.  The Victorian like setting where most of Turn A takes place is a major change of pace for the more modern or futuristic locales of other Gundam series.  It’s almost like I’m watching Downton Abbey unfolding in a 90s Anime fashion.  Then you get to throw in invading mecha from the moon and watch War of the Worlds, if the Martians were invading the Victorian Country side…and that actually sounds a lot more exciting than you might think.  While the resistance forces do find Mobile Suits of their own to fight back against the Moonrace, it’s even cooler watching old school bi planes try their hand at tackling these behemoths.  And above all else, the Correct Century is simply gorgeous to look at, not surprising since this was meant to celebrate Gundams 20^th Anniversary.

 

#2-Future Century (Mobile Fighter G Gundam)

The Future Century is the first ever Alternate Universe for Gundam and its one of the most fun you’ll ever visit.  Gone are the political backdrops and colony drops and instead you have Gundams from around the world beating the mess out of each other to decide who rules the world for four years.  If you think about it, this is as close to world peace as Earth has ever gotten in any Gundam universe.  Ok..yeah the Earth is kind of messed up as a result of the Gundam Fight and there are those looking to use tech that could heal the Earth to destroy it.  But the concept of the Gundam Fight Tournament itself is a good one.  Hell it beats genocide and colony lasers.  And come on, who hasn’t wanted to make their Gundam do Kung Fu?

 

#1-Universal Century (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08^th MS Team, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative, Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, Mobile Suit Gundam F91, Mobile Suit Victory Gundam, G-Saviour)

This is where it all began and it still remains one of the richest universes in all of Anime.  From it’s inception in 1979, the Universal Century has remained the rock of the Gundam Multiverse and one that has grown with sequels, prequels and side stories galore.  Amuro Ray and Char Aznable are some of the most fleshed out character in the franchise with all the stories they’ve appeared in.  There’s also great care taken when working around already established material to make sure the timeline fits near seemlesly.  Gundam may have a very thrilling life as a multiverse, but it’s the Universal Century that will forever be its first and most beloved home.