MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM I: A Historic First Step in Real Robot Anime

Story by Mark McPherson

Image from Film Inquiry

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The iconic 'Mobile Suit Gundam' franchise overcame a rocky start to become a quintessential force in the mecha anime genre.

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The 1979 Gundam TV series was originally forced into a premature ending, putting the franchise's future in jeopardy, until the 1981 movie trilogy revived interest and cemented its lasting success.
While sharing visual and narrative similarities with 'Star Wars', the 'Gundam' franchise's legacy is more akin to 'Star Trek', playing a crucial role in mecha anime becoming more grounded in realism than superhero tropes.

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Hirotaka Suzuoki, Rumiko Ukai, Tôru Furuya, Nippon Sunrise, Mobile Suit Gundam I, Mobile Suit Gundam