A world filled with giant robots sounds either terrifying or awesome, depending on what their motives are. In the world of Gundam, giant robot vessels called mobile suits are used by regular humans to engage in warfare between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, an amateur crew who find themselves on a new spaceship and demand independence. In such a crisis, the government’s secret weapon, a gargantuan humanoid robot piloted by a gifted teenager, Amuro Ray, is the last resort to save the planet in the One Year War.
The original series “Mobile Suit Gundam,” written by Yoshiyuki Tomino in 1979, takes place in the year 0079 of the Universal Century. Before the series, animations in the mecha anime genre depicted sentient robots powered by mystical, supernatural sources, but “Mobile Suit Gundam” was the first TV series that defined the “real robot” subgenre, where robots are governed by realistic physics and technological limitations. Here, humans interact with advanced weaponry by pressing pedals, pulling levers and flipping switches to launch the machines into action. Across the Gundam multiverse, the sentiments are prevailingly anti-war, and often highlight how average civilians are used as a tool for the greed of powerful people.
The show in its early stages was not well received. What ended up popularizing the franchise was the release of its toys—mini versions of Gundams that could be built like puzzles. These kits, called Gunpla (a portmanteau of “Gundam” and “plastic”), make up 90 percent of the Japanese character plastic-model market. The popularity of the series as a whole has evolved through its merchandise, 50 television series, films and OVAs, manga, novels and video games, in addition to Gunpla. These days, the franchise is so prominent in Japan that it can be likened to Star Wars here in the U.S. Just this April, a Gundam Theme Park and life-sized RX-93 v Gundam opened alongside Mitsui Shopping Park Lalaport Fukuoka, the world’s largest and tallest Gundam statue.
The Gundam universe continues to expand as a new series, “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury,” premiered this October. On top of the show’s critiques on war and capitalism, it also introduces the series’ first queer female protagonist. The Gundam realm’s newest video game, “Gundam Evolution” is also set to release at the end of 2022, and is an immersive, team-based first-person shooter that allows you to pilot iconic Mobile Suits from the anime. If all of this wasn’t already enough to get you excited about Gundam, it’s only a matter of time before the franchise reels you in with its newest inventions. Many dedicated fans show their appreciation through an absurdly extensive figurine collection, while others don tattoos of the glorious robots. Take a look at some of our favorite ones below.
Source: www.inkedmag.com