Giant Robot Sagas of Gundam Series: Tales of Freedom Fights
Taking a Stroll Through Gundam's Galactic Playground
Crash! Boom! The thunderous footsteps of a humungous Gundam-style mobile suit echo as it struts onto the battlefield. At 18 meters tall, this badass machine just escalated the war game to a whole new level. But let's peel back the armor and delve into the rich history of this cosmic titan – the legendary Gundam.
The Roots of Gundam
Gundam, a capricious creation of Yoshizuki Tomino, sprung from the elaborate mind of an animator. Decked out with gigantic robots, also known as mobile suits, it all took off with the 1979 series, Mobile Suit Gundam. This OG Gundam, the RX-78-2, exhibited a keen resemblance to the titular units from a hydroelectric dam, ready to staunch the tides of adversaries like a dam holding back a flood.
This iconic show birthed a mothership of TV series, movies, OVAs, mangas, novels, and even video games. However, Gunpla, the adorable plastic model kits, has been the driving force behind Gundam’s cha-chinging success in the industry. Past the present, these models seem to be earning about ¥44.2 billion ($436.5 million) annually.
Gundam was unleashed upon the world by the creative pseudonym "Hajime Yatate," a team of animators from Sunrise. Originally christened "Freedom Fighter Gunboy" for its notorious gun arm, the Yatate team cross-fertilized "gun" with the last syllable of "freedom" and dubbed it "Gundom," and the rest is history. Tomino eventually slipped in the modification to "Gundam," suggesting the unyielding might of a gun that could stem the barrage of enemies, like a dam.
Most of the Gundam units, channeling the dam's inflexible spirit, are either prototypes or shot in limited quantities, boasting extravagant abilities exceeding the capabilities of the standard mobile suits. These puppeteered juggernauts are usually operated from a cockpit by a pilot, usually a superhuman being with acute sensory perception and exceptional talent that rivals other pilots.
Gunpla – PLA-pping Your Curiosity
Gundam has infiltrated multiple facets of mainstream pop culture. With a plethora of TV shows, movies, mangas, novels, and the phenomenon of Gunpla, these plastic models have emerged as a major cash cow of the franchise. And yep, you guessed it, Gunpla is freaking insane popular! Ditties like the Entry Grade (children’s toys) all the way up to the Museum-grade models flex their diversity. Moving up the ranks, you’ve got the High Grade, Real Grade, Master Grade, and Perfect Grade. Each escalating rank reflects a growth in size and detail, providing a playground for both beginners and experienced builders - so bust out those tools and get ready to tinker!
The stunningly dynamic Gunpla community is the biggest ‘gang' of gunpla enthusiasts, with members worldwide building, sculpting, painting, and personalizing their ideal Gundam models. Tools of the trade range from nippers to tweezer-like contraptions and even sandpaper to fashion your beloved Mobile Suits just the way you want them! Mark your toolkit with the Godhand Ultimate Nipper, a highly sought-after brand for its craftsmanship and quality.
Going above and beyond the typical model building norms, some insanely dedicated folks twist the Gunpla experience into a full-blown art form. Customizing their kits with bespoke color palettes, intricate dioramas, or affixing bespoke components, these individuals give the Gunpla hobby a unique touch that sets them apart from the crowd. Crafting a personalized Gundam model may cost a hefty sum of dough and hundreds of hours but there's no other plastic kit that lets you unleash your creative musings like this one!
The Sights and Sounds of Gundam
For its 30th anniversary, a full-scale RX-78-2 Gundam was erected at Gundam Front Tokyo, shaking up the Odaiba district. Alas, it was dismantled on March 5th, 2017, with the Unicorn Gundam taking its place at The Gundam Base Tokyo. In honor of the 40th Gundam anniversary, the Gundam Factory Yokohama was launched, welcoming tourists to revel in the anime magic. Originally slated to close in 2022, it got an extension to March 31st, 2024, due to its popularity. 🎈🎉
The legendary RX-78-2 Gundam will strut its stuff again at the Osaka Expo 2025, assuming the position of a kneeling warrior, pointing its hand to the sky in a spectacular showcase of dominance and power. 🤺🤙
Brace yourself for the 45th Gundam series anniversary, where the "Next Future - Road to 2025" expo will pepper all 47 prefectures of Japan.
One of the recent additions to this tycoon of a franchise is the colossal life-sized v Gundam, standing tall at 24.8 meters, making it the mightiest Gundam statue ever manufactured! This enormous statue, adorning the picturesque Fukuoka landscape, features the RX-93ff ν Gundam, inspired by the original RX-93 ν Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack. Love this piece? Check out the dynamic light projections on the LaLaport Fukuoka walls as the RX-93ff ν Gundam and the rival MSN-04FF Sazabi duke it out! 💥💥
The Saga of Gundam – Tales of Freedom
Glad you asked because we're about to go on a fabulous odyssey through the enthralling narratives Gundam offers, exploring the turmoil and triumphs of war. The main theme in this animated series, a struggle for freedom and liberation, forms the core cornerstone of this fantastic franchise. The utterly captivating stories tap into the heart of teenagers and young adults cast into the violent, chaotic world of war.
In the original Mobile Suit Gundam, the 15-year-old prodigy Ray Amuro pilots the revolutionary RX-78-2 Mobile Suit. Ray, a Newtype, develops supernatural abilities that grant him an edge over the opposition, soon becoming the White Devil, White Shooting Star, and the White Unicorn. He'd continue to fight until the age of 29, meeting his untimely demise in a fierce clash with his arch-nemesis, Char Aznable.
Over in the alternate universe of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Mikazuki Augus, piloting the protagonist's mobile suit, the ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos, is implanted with three Alaya-Vijnana Systems, a prosthetic that integrates with the pilot's spine. These nano-machines grant the pilot superhuman abilities, but failing the surgery would render the volunteer paralyzed. The gravity-defying Mikazuki, the Devil of Tekkadan, eventually succumbs to the consequences of pushing his Mobile Suit, Barbatos, to its limits, paralyzing him from the waist down.
Mikazuki's unwavering commitment to giving his family and comrades a better life forces him to sacrifice his body's functions to manifest freedom for others. More often than not, the message of sacrifice in service of others reverberates as a prominent theme across Gundam series. As Bryan Le-Phan '25 so eloquently put it, "Gundam allows you to build the world you seek to escape the prison you are confined in." It's a raucous, rebellious ride bursting with action, philosophy, and political intricacies that have forever revolutionized the mecha genre. 💪💪💪
- While Gundam's roots trace back to Yoshizuki Tomino's creative mind, the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam, reminiscent of a hydroelectric dam, marked the beginning of a sprawling franchise that includes TV series, movies, anime, manga, novels, OVAs, and video games.
- The Gunpla phenomenon, consisting of adorable plastic model kits, has been the driving force behind Gundam’s success in the industry, with annual earnings amounting to ¥44.2 billion ($436.5 million).
- Beyond pop culture dominance, Gunpla has become a significant part of the entertainment industry, catering to builders from novice to experienced thanks to a variety of models like Entry Grade, High Grade, Real Grade, Master Grade, and Perfect Grade.
- The Gunpla community, a worldwide network of enthusiasts, participates in building, sculpting, painting, and personalizing their ideal Gundam models, using tools ranging from high-quality nippers to sandpaper.
- Gundam continues to evolve, with upcoming exhibitions such as the RX-93ff ν Gundam life-sized statue in Fukuoka, dynamic light projections, and the "Next Future - Road to 2025" expoin Japan, ensuring the history and culture of this captivating franchise remain in the spotlight of entertainment, technology, and pop-culture news.
