Top 20 Gundam Series and Movies You Must Watch Now

In terms of mecha anime, it’s hard to find a more renowned or superior franchise than Gundam. This series has been a staple for nearly half a century, constructing an extensive and captivating universe that ranks among the most globally recognized in the genre.

We’re preparing a list that showcases 20 top-notch Mobile Suit Gundam series and films, spanning from the inception of the franchise to some recent adaptations. These titles will be arranged in descending order, with the least impressive at number 20 and the best earning the top spot at number 1. Alongside each selection, you’ll find essential production details and a concise summary of the plot.

This way, readers can easily understand the list’s organization and content without getting lost in complex terminology or confusing phrasing.

20. Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

Original Release: March 1, 1986 – January 31, 1987
Episodes: 47

The narrative continues from where the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam series ended, specifically in the year UC 0088. After the Gryps War, both AEUGN 1 and the Federation have suffered significant damage, leaving only Haman Karn in a powerful position. She established Neo Zeon, an organization on asteroid Axis that serves as a successor to the Duchy of Zeon, the original adversary of the Federation from the first series.

In the absence or incapacity of the primary characters from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, such as Kamille Bidan, the narrative unfolds around a band of orphaned kids, with Judau Ashta serving as the protagonist. He’s a “newtype,” living on the Shangri-La Space Colony. At the outset of the series, an EGU accidentally lands in this colony. Finding opportunity amidst chaos, Judau and his friends plan to seize the Zeta Gundam and subsequently sell it off.

19. After War Gundam X

Original Release: April 5, 1996 – December 28, 1996
Episodes: 39

In a galaxy not so far away, I found myself immersed in the seventh interstellar conflict – a war that had been raging for months. The rebellious colonies, driven by an unyielding desire for independence, held Earth hostage with the imminent threat of total annihilation unless their demands were met.

the mighty Gundam X. As the Revolutionary Forces pressed on, it was the Gundam X that stood between them and humanity’s survival. The ensuing battle, however, left a devastating impact that would forever change the course of history.

Unfortunately, the consequences were catastrophic – 99% of our species ceased to exist, marking one of the saddest chapters in human history. In retrospect, the war and its aftermath serve as a stark reminder of the power that lies within our hands, and the responsibility we bear for our actions.

Fifteen years post the catastrophic event now known as the Holocaust, the world limps along resiliently. In the absence of the once-powerful Federation, micro-nations have emerged. Among these newcomers, a notorious group of scavengers and thieves – the Vultures – burrow through the remnants of our ancient civilization in search of priceless artifacts from eras long past, which they later peddle to the wealthiest bidders. As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but wonder what secrets these relics hold and how they might change the course of history once more.

18. Gundam Build Fighters

Original Release: October 7, 2013 – March 31, 2014
Episodes: 25

The narrative of Gundam Build Fighters unfolds in the years following the 1980s. Sei Iori, an enthusiast of Gunpla – miniature replicas of the iconic Gundam toy figures – is a high school student. Remarkably, these miniatures are now used in competitive Gunpla battles. This form of entertainment has garnered immense popularity, particularly among the youth.

One day, Sei, who was new to such battles, encountered Reiji, a young foreigner, and received an unusual gem from him. Not long after, Reiji stepped in to help Sei with his troubles by showing him that he was the Gunpla player he desperately needed. The two of them teamed up to participate in the Gunpla World Championship, both aiming to defeat stronger opponents as they supported each other.

17. Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

Original Release: April 3, 2016 – September 11, 2016
Episodes: 22

Year 0001 of the Universal Century: Space colonization commences, ushering in a new epoch for mankind. At the formal event hosted by the Federation’s Prime Minister onboard the Laplace space station to mark the transition to the Universal Century calendar system, a militant group carries out an act of sabotage within the colony, resulting in a devastating explosion that destroys the structure.

Syam is a young man who belongs to a group asserting that their poor living conditions are caused by immigrants from space. When an explosion forces him out of their damaged spaceship, he uncovers in the debris of Laplace a mysterious object known as the “Laplace Box.” This enigmatic box has been untouched throughout history, and its hidden secrets will remain with Syam.

16. Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

Original Release: May 23, 1991 – September 24, 1992
Episodes: 13 (OVA)

The story unfolds four years following the end of Zeon’s War of Independence, as depicted in MSG, a conflict that concluded with the Federation defeating the Duchy of Zeon. Despite their defeat, remnants of Zeon secretly persisted in their fight. In U.C. 0083, survivors from Zeon discovered the existence of two experimental Gundam units armed with nuclear weapons.

In the sequence of events, they assign their experienced pilot, Gatō, who goes by the title of an elite flyer, to covertly penetrate the federal installation and pilfer one of the two technological marvels – the aim being none other than the revival of the duchy. Remarkably, Gatō executes this mission flawlessly, despite being pursued by a reckless young soldier in charge of the second Gundam: Kō Uraki. However, Uraki proves no competition for the battle-hardened pilot like Gatō.

15. Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

Original Release: March 25, 1989 – August 25, 1989
Episodes: 6 (OVA)

The narrative unfolds at the close of the year 0079 within the Universal Century. Upon learning about a Federation facility on Side 6 colony that appears to be manufacturing a second version of the Gundam (an advanced mobile suit prototype), the Duchy of Zeon sends their top-tier special forces, codenamed Cyclops team, to sabotage this project. Regrettably, this mission fails and a young Zeon pilot named Bernie Wiseman, who sustained damage to his Zaku during the operation, escapes into a nearby woodland on his own.

Subsequently, he encounters Alfred Izuruha, a boy of eleven, often engrossed in mobile devices and technology. In this backdrop of conflict, they forge a bond, supporting one another to locate their team members and conceive a plan to challenge the Gundam. Simultaneously, Al is acquainted with Christina MacKenzie, a young woman who assumes a maternal role towards him; unbeknownst to him, she was once a mobile pilot during her federation training.

14. Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

Original Release: January 25, 1997 – July 25, 1997
Episodes: 25 (OVA)

In the post-colonial year 196, I find myself reflecting on a world still reeling from the aftermath of the Earth-Colony War. The charismatic leader His Excellency Treize Kushrenada has met his end, and the once formidable OZ alliance has been disbanded permanently. This shift ushers in the Union of Nations of the Terrestrial Sphere, a beacon of unity, and the Prevent, an elite preventive defense force under the shrewd guidance of Lady Une.

In this review, I delve into the complexities of this post-war landscape and the role that these two entities play in shaping its future. The Union of Nations seeks to bring stability to a fractured world, while the Prevent stands as a bulwark against potential threats. This is a story about unity, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of humanity in the face of adversity.

After concluding that the Gundams will no longer serve military functions, their pilots, with the exception of Wufei who distances himself from them, opt to guide the robots towards the Sun, aboard a massive waste disposal satellite, for destruction. Yet, it appears that tranquility may not endure as, on the first anniversary marking the end of the conflict, a fresh uprising ignites in the L3 colony.

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Guided by a seven-year-old child named MarieMaia, who later reveals herself as Treize’s daughter, the revolutionists seize Relena Darlian, the current Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, during a challenging diplomatic assignment.

13. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

Original Release: April 7, 1995 – March 29, 1996
Episodes: 49

Space has been inhabited by mankind, with groups of colonies established at each of the five Lagrange points around Earth and the Moon. On Earth, nations have formed a coalition known as the Alliance, which governs these settlements firmly in their pursuit of tranquility under the leadership of Heero Yuy. In the 175th year since colonization, Yuy was assassinated (likely by Odin Lowe), an event that prompted the colonies to explore alternative methods for maintaining peace.

The murder of these scientists leads to their resignation from the Organization of Oz, immediately following the completion of the initial Tallgeese mobile armor model.

12. Turn A Gundam

Original Release: April 9, 1999 – April 14, 2000
Episodes: 50

The narrative unfolds in the year 2345, often referred to as the Renewed Century. Following a catastrophic event reminiscent of an apocalypse that reduced human civilization to a level of technology similar to our twentieth century (often called the “dark era”, details of which have been lost to time), humanity now thrives in harmony.

It’s unknown to them that they had colonized the Moon at one point and descendants, known as Moonraces, continue to reside there with advanced technology. However, this changes when the Moon dwellers choose to dispatch three individuals to Earth to explore the feasibility of returning to their original planet.

11. Mobile Suit Gundam F91

Original Release: March 16, 1991
Running Time: 115 minutes

In the year U.C. 0123, over three decades since the epic conclusion of the initial saga depicted in “Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack,” I find myself drawn into a new space odyssey. The Federation believed it had vanquished insurgent factions and secessionists, but they were sorely mistaken. The once peaceful Space Colony Side 4, now known as the Frontier Side, was brutally assaulted by a group claiming allegiance to none other than Zeon: Crossbone Vanguard.

In the film, the protagonist, Seabook Arno, and his friend Cecily Fairchild – both young residents of this settlement – share a home. Swiftly, as disorder unfolds, Cecily is kidnapped by assailants. Taken to Meitza Ronah, she uncovers her lineage as the heir to the influential Ronah family, who secretly control Crossbone Vanguard from behind the scenes.

10. Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

Original Release: March 2, 1985 – February 22, 1986
Episodes: 50

In U.C. 0083, the Federation establishes an elite military unit known as the Titans. Their primary function is to track down remnants of the Zeon Forces and preserve peace. However, these Titans increasingly assert their independence, eventually using military force to suppress any political dissent against the government. This suppression often involves extreme and hastily implemented methods.

In the year U.C 0085, a tragic event occurred at Colony No. 30 belonging to Side-1. This is where the Titans brutally wiped out approximately 10 million residents following a massive protest by political adversaries, which ultimately led to an explosion of tensions.

9. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin

Original Release: February 28, 2015 – November 19, 2016
Episodes: 4 (OVA)

The comic book tells the story that unfolds in Mobile Suit Gundam (the initial series): by UC 0079, most of humanity had moved into space colonies, but Earth’s control weakened over time. A colony known as Side 3 or Zeon eventually declares its autonomy, triggering the Zeon Independence War.

On the colony of Side 7, where war had been unknown until then, lived a young boy named Amuro Ray. Tragically, news of a classified military project on this very colony reached the Zeon forces, prompting a small squadron of mobile suits to be deployed and clash with the Federation’s troops. In the chaos that ensued, Amuro stumbles upon an experimental mecha called Gundam. With a knack for operating machinery, he swiftly takes control of it to fend off the invaders.

8. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack

Original Release: March 12, 1988
Running Time: 125 minutes

The movie unfolds in the year U.C. 0093, five years following Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ and the Neo Zeon incidents. In this interval, the EGU has been disbanded and taken over by Londo Bell. Remnants from the prior series like Bright Noa (the commander) and Amuro Ray are present. Meanwhile, Char Aznable, Amuro’s past adversary, operates covertly and at the story’s start reestablishes Neo Zeon on Side 3 space colony.

This time around, his objective is to annihilate Earth, driving humanity toward space colonization; he firmly believes that this is the key to transforming humans into “newtypes”. Conflict doesn’t take long to ignite between him and the Federation, prompting them to summon Londo Bell. However, the situation swiftly favors Char, leading the government to covertly negotiate Neo Zeon’s surrender for the asteroid Axis.

7. Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

Original Release: January 25, 1996 – July 25, 1999
Episodes: 12 (OVA)

The tale unfolds in the year U.C. 0079 amidst the Zeon War of Independence. Away from the grand battles that dominate the headlines, we delve into the lives of Shiro Amada, a young Earth Federation officer, and his team as they operate mobile suits assigned to counter Zeon forces in South Asia. During their journey, they encounter an enemy robot unexpectedly and Shiro is drawn into combat.

Following the demolition of their apparatus, the duo pilots discover themselves in solitude. Upon spotting that his adversary is a young lady named Aina Sahalin, Shiro experiences a peculiar draw towards her. As a result, he attends to her injuries and stays with her until the wee hours of the dawn.

6. Mobile Suit Gundam

Original Release: April 7, 1979 – January 26, 1980
Episodes: 43

In the Year 0079 of the Universal Calendar, the self-governing space colony known as Zeon, home to approximately 150 million inhabitants, proclaims independence and launches a war against the central government on Earth. This conflict between Earth-dwellers and Space colonists, often referred to as “Earthnoids” and “Spacenoids,” results in a devastating battle that claims the lives of nearly half of the world’s population (11 billion individuals).

The struggle subsequently stagnates for eight months, until Colonel Char Aznable discovers the Federal Project V, a plan focused on creating innovative weaponry to counteract the Zeon Mobile Suits. This revelation eventually moves things forward in the conflict.

After a surprise assault by Char’s commandos at the colony housing the -V- project, the Gundam – a formidable prototype Mobile Suit belonging to the Federation – suddenly activates and swiftly eliminates the attackers within moments. Unbeknownst to these events, Amuro Ray, a young teenager, finds himself unwittingly entangled in this chaos as he’s on board the Gundam at the time of its activation.

As a result of a lethal assault on Char, Amuro and various civilians are recruited onto a Federation vessel named White Base, led by a young commander called Bright Noa. This team later emerges as the vanguard of the Federal Army against Zeon, owing to Gundam and Amuro’s unique “newtype” powers that start to manifest.

5. Mobile Suit Gundam AGE

Original Release: October 9, 2011 – September 23, 2012
Episodes: 49

In the uncharted timeframe known as the “Advanced Generation” calendar, Gundam AGE is set. Over countless wars, the world has been shattered, but eventually, a sense of unity was discovered among humans, bringing an end to the conflicts and ushering in a century of peace. However, tranquility is abruptly disrupted when AG 101, the Angel Space Colony, is mysteriously attacked and destroyed by an unknown enemy.

The disaster shall be known as “The Day of the Banished Celestial Beings,” and the assaults from our unidentified adversaries, referred to as UEs, will once more thrust humankind on Earth into turmoil.

4. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans

Original Release: October 4, 2015 – April 2, 2017
Episodes: 50

The narrative unfolds in the year 323, post-disaster (323PD), approximately 300 years following a massive war – famously known as the “War of Catastrophes” – between Earth and the extraterrestrial colonies situated within the orbiting sphere, including Mars, which was transformed and inhabited by humans.

Currently, the world’s economy is managed by four major groups: the African Union, the Federation of Oceania, SAU (Strategic Alliance Union), and Arbrau. The security of these economic blocs is ensured by a military entity, Gjallarhorn, whose primary role is to preserve peace.

On Mars, it was partitioned into various districts and administered economically by the four earthly blocs. Over time, however, three out of the four economic blocs have granted autonomy to their Martian territories. As a result, despite these concessions, the economy on Mars remains heavily reliant on Earth’s, leading to severe poverty and distress for the overwhelming majority living on Mars, the red planet.

3. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

Original Release: October 9, 2004 – October 1, 2005
Episodes: 50

It’s been two years since the war ended and a delicate truce exists between the Plant and Earth Alliances. However, things take a turn when Zaft’s remaining Gundams are swiped by unknown individuals. This daring heist leads to a skirmish, prompting Zaft’s latest vessel, the Minerva, to embark on a mission to recover the three stolen Gundams. Shinn Asuka, one of the few Gundam pilots aboard the Impulse (ZGMF-X56S), managed to evade the theft and is now along for the ride.

A short while later, Athrun Zala, the pilot of the Savior Gundam (ZGMF-X23S), who was once a soldier for Zaft but then reenlisted along with Durandal, the leader of the Plant colonies, joined him. However, the Blue Cosmos organization, which had initiated the previous conflict, decided to interfere and sparked a war between the Terrestrial Alliance and Zaft.

2. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED

Original Release: October 5, 2002 – September 27, 2003
Episodes: 50

In this series set within the Gundam universe, we find a familiar tale of conflict between space colonies and Earth, complete with stolen Gundams and an attitude of superiority among the space dwellers. The narrative unfolds during the Cosmic Era (CE), a period marked by a fresh calendar system that signifies the conclusion of the Reconstruction War and the commencement of the Space Colonization program.

In this narrative, what stands out most is the pervasive dread instilled by the powerful beings known as Coordinators. Unlike many other Gundam series’ New-types, Coordinators aren’t an advanced stage of human evolution, but rather genetically modified lifeforms created from the fusion of egg and sperm. Unlike regular humans, they are immune to illness, physically stronger, mentally more mature, and faster.

1. Mobile Suit Victory Gundam

Original Release: April 2, 1993 – March 25, 1994
Episodes: 51

30 years have passed since Mobile Suit Gundam F91, and during this time, the Federation has been gradually weakening. In the year UC 0153, the Space Colony Side 2 announces its separation from the Federation, establishing itself as the Zanscare Empire.

Rapidly overwhelming Earth in both military strength and strategic prowess, this new power swiftly launches an attack with no opposition encountered, instilling fear and oppression as its policy. Consequently, a coalition known as the Military League emerged among scholars and soldiers, standing united against this autocratic rule.

2025-06-04 15:16