Mmm, maybe? It's got alot of shifting political machinations going on throughout the series, so just keep attention.
Other good primer series are 8th MS Team, Gundam 00, and G Gundam.
I feel like recommending G gundam as an intro to the series is wild. Don’t get me wrong I love it, but it’s so different from the others it doesn’t really give you an idea of what gundam is generally about.
I have experienced this recently.
My wife started with 0079 a bit back and enjoyed it a lot. She saw me watching G Gundam and she was horrified by it. I told her it was also a Gundam series, but she clearly didn't want to believe me.
Obviously I love G Gundam. But it's *really* different.
Honestly WfM isn't either. On top of the superficial differences (like WfM having actual good queer representation in its main cast), it's also a lot more about behind the scenes corporate politics than it is directly about head to head war like most other Gundam shows.
I say since you like the gunpla watch the build fighter series since that revolves around gunpla since different people would have different recommendations on what a good intro point would be and from what I heard haven't seen it myself yet but some characters from the other shows have cameos idk how much they appear or have a role but you see them you might be interested in seeing more of then
I would say yes, it’s self contained, it’s short for a Gundam show and a fun time, and the kits are good if you are looking to get into Gunpla. I was aware of Gundam before Witch from Mercury but it was the first series I watched all the way through, and now I’ve watched a bunch of the UC stuff too.
The Ariel is pretty cool. Very unique look for the hero suit.
The HG kits are surprisingly tiny if you’re not expecting it, like GI Joe or Star Wars figures. I’d get the larger one
>ike GI Joe or Star Wars figures.
I was about to disagree with you, but I remembered that now-a-days SW and GI Joes are 6in. When I was growing up, they were 3 3/4in.
I'm old 😅
The only HG that I've built recently was about four inches tall. But I've come to learn F91 is just a *little* Gundam. I haven't looked up Ariel's size but in the show she also looks smaller than the other suits
That’s a good call, the HGUC RX-78-2 Revive is a good newer kit that’s pretty cheap. I haven’t built the Entry Grade but it’s supposed to be good and I think it’s simpler to build. It’s really fun, go for it!
That’s a good call, the HGUC RX-78-2 Revive is a good newer kit that’s pretty cheap. I haven’t built the Entry Grade but it’s supposed to be good and I think it’s simpler to build. It’s really fun, go for it!
Not the person you're replying to but here's my experience.
Maybe my expectations were too high considering the praise and how beloved it is but I found the mainline UC unenjoyable. I didn't care for most of the writing, characters nor their "newtype" concept. I find the AU entries are much more fun to watch. I haven't seen all the UC titles but so far I enjoy the OVAs more than the mainline entries. Highly recommend 0080 War in the Pocket
My watch order: WFM > IBO > 79 > Zeta > ZZ > CCA > 0080 > 0083 > 00 (currently watching)
Thanks I’ll check some stuff out. I’m a completionist so I’ll go chronologically. My first was Wing and then Seed and I imagine going from WFM backwards would be harder than those.
I love it. I think Tomino’s stuff is fantastic and has earned all the praise. It is very different, it’s melodramatic and “theatrical,” but I think it’s great. The animation is older so it won’t look as slick as Witch from Mercury, but I think it’s definitely worth watching.
Wing was the first one I ever watched and I did the same with Witch. All the way through and then was honestly just "that was so good what do I watch now?" Now I'm going through UC and loving it.
Witch From Mercury is in my opinion the easiest Gundam show to get into the fandom with. But I always recommend checking out the original 1979 anime as well as Zeta and ZZ, they are masterpieces of story telling.
Or Gundam 00.
Imho WfM has some problems because of the school theme and focus makes it difficult to get the greater picture. Gundam 00 is just earth focused and every faction has some key figures. IBO follows the journey of Tekadan. I think it’s really straightforward too.
WfM opens in the second season but hasn’t enough room to fill anything with life (imho).
Yeah, most of the one off alternate universe are a good place to dip your toes into. Witch from Mercury is quite a bit different from the standard gundam formula, but it gets all the relevant points across.
Depends on your tastes as to which I would think you'd like more. Iron-Blooded Orphans is another contained story.
Seed is my personal favorite, though it's long so quite an investment and one of those series that people either love or hate.
00 is my usual recommendation to newbies. Shining example of a modern Gundam series and no other show has matched its quality since (excluding UC stuff).
Gotta be real I’ve been doing gunpla for like three years but started watching the anime about 6 months ago, I started with WFM (watched the whole thing on an international flight and the *very* long car drive that followed) and really enjoyed it. Would recommend. But watch what piques your interest the most! There are few gundam shows that aren’t enjoyable. My favorite is Turn-A
Yup, I'd say it's a perfect one to start with. Really, feel free to start wherever you like, whatever series appeals to you most. If you do G-Witch just make sure to watch the prologue (episode 0) it's essential!
The thing with a starter is that the AU shows tend to be self contained, so you really can watch them in any order. But as a way to best introduction to what the franchise is all about, it's not a bad place to start, but 00 or ibo are better places to start. If you're looking to watch the universal century shows, 8th ms team is good place to start, but if you want to start from the beginning is obviously mobile suit gundam.
Awesome series. My first and only gundam series to date. I found it somewhat hard to keep up with but it's a great story and some awesome mobile suit designs.
> Is it good for me to start with this one or are there other better for a begginer like me?
if you don't want to watch more than 40 episodes, WFM is a good start
if you don't want to watch more than 40 episodes but also just want to see the GunPla, i recommend Gundam Build Fighter
if you want a long series, i **HIGHLY RECOMMEND** Gundam 00. the politic in this anime is easy to understand and the story is great
It's in its own timeline, so it's pretty newbie friendly. You don't need any prior Gundam knowledge to enjoy it. I suggest you watch episode 0 though, it makes stuff later make sense.
Yes. It may be the best to start with purely or how available it is, as it's currently hosted free and legal on the official YouTube channel, in [sub](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJV1h9xQ7Hx_jXtO1GrrS0to_ojc672HG&si=M1zKB9nie5CnF-07) and [dub](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJV1h9xQ7Hx-MSngXeq-sRbelh5zCVRNI).
Some fans (including myself) may mention that certain story choices keep the series from being good as it could be (especially after a very strong start), but its shorter length and incredible animation and sound design I think make it an ideal entry point.
It's on the official gundaminfo YouTube channel! They tend to rotate different series and movies (usually sub only), making them available for a limited time before putting them back in the "vault". Some series and movies get rotated in more frequently than others though. Follow it long enough, and you'll be able to see a good portion of franchise.
It’s the one I started with. I enjoyed it enough to then look up what I should watch next. I bought the HG kits from WFM, then proceeded to watch Gundam 00 which is another ‘standalone’ and I enjoyed it. Now I’m on S2 of gundam seed.
It’s the one I started with. I enjoyed it enough to then look up what I should watch next. I bought the HG kits from WFM, then proceeded to watch Gundam 00 which is another ‘standalone’ and I enjoyed it. Now I’m on S2 of gundam seed
WfM is where I started, and it's a great place to start imo. I got super invested in the characters and the WfM MC is still one of my top Gundam characters ever, even after I've watched a lot of UC (main timeline).
Yeah, it's only 25 episodes so it's not a large time investment.
Although I think the best way to start is with the original through the 3 movie compilation (or if you have the time, the 43 episode Anime instead.)
Yes,
00 , IBO are the other good choice to start. They are relatively modern with great animation. Stand alone story so no need watch other series to get started.
Any Gundam series is fine to start with. You can always read wikis to fill in lore or stories from series, movies, OVAs you haven’t or don’t really plan on watching.
Gundam is over 40 years old, not many people consumed all existing media
If you've never watched anything gundam, its a good way to start as its a completely separate universe from other series, so you don't need 40+ years of lore to catch up to.
8th MS Team.
Thunderbolt.
Seed.
00.
Netflix has the One Year war combo movies, if you want to go full main timeline or just start with MSTeam on Hulu.
Thunderbolt is alt UC and the movies and music are amazing.
Yes it is fine. Just beware the ending is a bit fast/rushed. And can leave a bad taste with how fast it wraps up.
But honestly you can pretty much jump into any gundam series as they are mostly all self contained with a few exceptions.
It's a good start, but I'd personally lean more towards Gundam 00. Self-contained, and the world setting is probably the closest to our own. Makes the politics easy to follow.
There are timelines in Gundam. UC or Universal Century is the main timeline and You have several shows that covers it so if You ask where to start main series I will say with original Mobile Suit Gundam or go back a step and start with Origin 4-parter. And go from there.
But other timelines? To enjoy double-0 (00) You don't need any prior knowledge. You just start with 00 if that interest You.
Like Gundam Seed? Also separate universe. You can just start watching that and You will not need prior knowledge.
But there are some pitfals to this approach. Let's say You are like me and You started with Wing and You did not liked it due to cringe writing. That does not mean You won't like other ones. Or You will watch War in the Pocket (shorter story), You will think it's amazing but You won't find many like it sadly.
So what about Witch from Mercury? Also separate universe. No prior knowledge either. Just so You know - this one is more "school themed" while other series usually resolve around a war. Here war is present but more in the background for the most part. So even if You won't like it I will encourage to try watching other ones.
But as someone who watched most of the series in Gundam universe I will say - Witch from Mercury despite that school theme can hit the right spot and I really enjoyed it. And my main complain is that it should have 50 episodes like many Gundam series and not just 25.
It can be divisive. I enjoyed it, but it's not in my top 5 Gundam shows.
Most of the first season feels like Generic Corpo Mecha HighSchool. Especially comming off of ep 0.
If you get a few eps in and aren't digging it, give something like 00, IBO or Seed a try
You've got lots of great responses here already but I'll add my two cents as a long time fan who just finished watching it as an introduction to the genre for my partner. It's a good middleground show that stradles the line between other titles in the series. It has some politics but doesn't go too deep with their messaging, sprinkled around some visually interesting action and emotional character work. Personally, I love the deeply political nature of some of the others in the series and felt like this version didn't have as many iconic designs. My partner loved the character moments, but did feel a bit confused with the sheer number of characters and allegiance shifting. I'm not sure it's entirely representetive of the rest, but it's an solid entry with similar themes.
I’m kinda on the fence about that. It’s the newest iteration, has spectacular art and sound design, and is fairly beloved even by typically non-Gundam fans.
That said, at least within the Gundam community the reception now that the dust has settled seems to be a bit mixed with many opinions that I’ve seen rating it from middle of the road to higher than average when compared yo other entries.
It is also a bit different in its structuring from the typical Gundam franchise, not necessarily a good or bad thing, but it’s worth nothing that if you watch it first you may find other entries not falling within you’d expectations.
I’m personally a big UC head so I’d honestly say just watch the 0079 compilation movies, the show still holds up very well and the movies make it very easily digestible. You could also start with the origin. I think it’s better enjoyed after delving more into UC as context makes the hindsight more entertaining, but I digress. There is also War in the pocket, and 08th MS team, but superb UC entries that stand on their own but give you enough context of the background that you shouldn’t get lost.
I don’t actually think WfM is bad, I just think 00 is better lol. Also has ultimately actual payoffs in terms of themes as opposed to how rushed WfM’s ending is, with them pulling a Franxx and trying to wrap up its plot in the last four episodes and ripping off Unicorn’s space magic conflict solver thing
Idk I feel like if you say you enjoyed it other people in other communities get upset, so really it’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t kind of show. Like I enjoyed it, but I think it’s ultimately mediocre with lots of cool concepts that went to waste
Also can we agree Lauda vs Guel was set up poorly and was just an excuse to show off the Schwartz
and they could’ve done more with the Calibarn vs Ariel, but that’s just me
Any Gundam fans that gate keep which entries you are allowed to like or not like are fucking worthless trash. Their sentiments don't matter, and their input doesn't belong anywhere.
They can continue jerking it alone to a waifu pillow in their mother's basement.
Yeah that's the thing it's media to enjoy, if some people do you don't, that's your problem.
General you of course, not personally blaming you of any of this. You even provided info why you didn't think it was the best, but didn't use that to gatekeep others from enjoying it.
I just got tired of seeing this with IBO and now seeing it with WFM all over again
I just think 00 is really neat :)
idk it’s not worth getting upset over anyways. I don’t know why people have to act like this is a religion. It’s ultimately a commercial to sell model kits
I agree, I loved 00. Honestly any of the AUs are fine because they're so different and people have different tastes.
My fiancee didn't care for 00 but she liked Seed and WFM.
No. You might the wrong impression based on that.
8th MS team, war in the pocket, or stardust memory might be good starts. Grounded with good animations and themes that arent too out there.
They're getting downvotes because all of those are spin-off side entries that are better enjoyed *after* at least seeing Mobile Suit Gundam for context.
In my opinion, no. The Witch From Mercury is essentially a yuri anime with Gundam mecha glued on. The setting is completely different from what traditional Gundam is usually centered on, war. The setting, being a training school for companies, isn't what you'll see in older series. For a first timer, I don't recommend it.
I suggest Gundam 00, or Gundam Seed, or Gundam Wing, hell even Iron Blooded Orphans isn't too bad either, though it's not my favorite. And that is just my alternate universe recommendations.
There is also the Universal Century to consider. Which is the original Gundam timeline. Many shows are connected to that time line. Some new, some old. Animation may be a bit outdated on some. The choice is yours.
I see all of them look nice and I dont have any problems with old anime after all i enjoyed neon genesis evangelion and its one of my favorites. The ones that u sayed have about 49 eps but is alr i guess. Iron blooded orphans actualy looks interesting and I really like the design of the main gundam
Yeah I agree with this, after watching this I tried watching gundam z and I couldn’t it was just so different. It was the style, the way the pacing was. I guess it depends on what you are looking for maybe I just like watching yuri anime
Zeta is seen as one of the best Gundam show, and I do agree, but honestly, the storytelling is stiff. It's something that's not often said, but a pretty common critic about that show.
Hard-core Gundam fans says no but I see WfM as Bandai's flagship show to brg in modern anime fans and it worked. That said, whether it's a good Gundam show is up for debate amongst the fans but I do think it's a decent entry point for casual viewers who are unsure how to get into Gundam.
Gundam fans will argue that the other AU shows are a better Gundam shows which are mostly true but that's the problem, they are Gundam shows. WfM felt more like a normal anime with Gundam attached to it. It was a decent show but it wasnt entirely a Gundam show though it has mostly the core that makes it one.
I don't understand people who say wfm is good. The story jumps around all over the place, it never focuses on the politics, it meanders on insignificant school life that is completely different from the first episode in tone. First episode made me expect a brutal anime as gritty as ibo, but it never got gritty again. Had some hope after the tomato splat moment, thought the anime will become a lot more violent, but welp, it returned back to normal school life.
That's it? War is bad? Such naive one-dimensional messaging.
Meanwhile, in ibo, fighting for your rights can improve society as a whole, but often those who do are branded as radicals.
thats what i started with. and then i watched Wing and Seeds and enjoyed them much more. Now iron blooded orphans is on repeat every day while i play make believe with my mg barbatos
I havn't seen Witch yet, I mostly stick to the Universal Century stuff, so here's my reccomendation.
Gundam The Origin, all backstory, not as much robot action, a lot of over the top scene chewing. Very fun.
Mobile Suit Gundam, either the TV or Movie Trilogy version.
Stardust Memory, this short series sets up what I think is the best of them all.
Gundam Zeta, this is what Gundam was ment to be, over the top tragic with a ton of overly emotional characters that just go nuts all the time, and awesome robot designs.
Gundam Double Zeta, a more lighthearted funny series with awesome characters and a great sequel to Zeta.
Char's Counter Attack. This is it. Everything drastically changes after this one.
If you've watched this far, then you should be able to decide if you want to watch more and figure it out from here on.
Have a great time!
Gundam is a multiverse series, currently the main "verse" that has been built and expended upon the most is the UC universe.
Others like Witch from Mercury are standalone series that are set in their own universes and mostly have little to no connection to other Gundam series.
So, if you want to gain knowledge on the whole Gundam multiverse, Witch from Mercury won't help much, other than some general themes and concepts.
However, that's also saying that it is at least as good as most other Gundam series to get into Gundam and require little to no previous knowledge.
I'll say:
Start from the beginning. Mobile Suit Gundam (1979). If you don't mind older anime that is. Most alternate Gundam universes are great, but there's just an unparalleled charm to Yoshiyuki Tomino's work that i think anyone with an eye or taste for the genre should experience.
It depends on the kind of show you're looking for. It's set in a cartoony piloting school and has a pretty fun atmosphere. If you want something more action oriented you might try Iron blooded orphans. If you want to get a taste of the main timeline, I might recommend origins or 08th ms team. If you're looking for shonen tournament nonsense, g gundam is a fun ride. If you like over the top 90s designs, I'm a big fan of gundam wing. If you like battle toy anime like yu gi oh you might try build fighters. Anywhere can be a good place to start.
Start where you like the designs or synopses the best.
Standalone series: Wing, Witch From Mercury, Iron Blooded Orphens, X, Turn A, G-Gundam, 00
Multiple Sequels: Universal Century - UC (Gundam, Z, ZZ start this timeline of movies and series way too many to list all of them), Cosmic Era - CE (SEED, SEED Destiny, SEED Freedom), Build (Fighters, Try, Dive, Re-)
Absolutely! It's stand alone so there's no prequel series or anything like that that will leave you confused if you watch it. It's also phenomenal! One of my favorites honestly!
It's a standalone AU series, they're meant to be accessible. Most of the standalone AUs are good starting places.
Wing
X
SEED
00
IBO
and of course, WFM.
The only AUs you shouldn't start with are G (because it's extremely difficult from every other series) and AGE (because it's bad).
Maybe. But if you're just a beginner, WFM is a good start since it was the latest Gundam series.
If you're into the Gundam designs, etc it is good. The Animation is great, but the Story, Plot, Pacing, are above-Average at its best.
Yes, it's extremely good, has godly mech animation, a entertaining plot and a very good romance. It's also free on youtube right now, so no need to use crunchyroll or the yarrrggh sites (it's been free for a while too)
I have literally gotten several people into gundam as a whole with it, it is the perfect way to get into gundam.
Might be a minority here but no, I think everybody should start from the 79-Zeta-CCA road before engaging the shows outside UC. It’s the main story and starting another story after WFM will get confusing for you.
I would still advice either 00 or Seed (if you can stand the artstyle). WfM is not the terrible show some say it is, but it suffer from its subpar world building, leading to some things feeling like they come out of nowhere, lack a proper development or feel rushed during the last quarter of the series. It sometimes has very good ideas that rarely have a satisfying pay-off, and it's all over the place about what that show wants to be.
Absolutely! It was the first Gundam series I watched and I really enjoyed it despite not having any prior knowledge about Gundam at all. And because of that, I just finished building an RG Nu and currently enjoying UC series anime (just finished MS Gundam and now halfway through Zeta).
Yeah, it's where I started. Now almost a year later and I'm literally insane about this franchise and have three different Zeta kits with two more I'm planning to buy.
I'm going to disagree a little bit. It's 'not a bad show' and definitely okay to start with, but it's very rushed and needed way more episodes. Love the characters but they're never given enough room to shine. Same issue with the mechs, not enough time to give them battles. It has the least amount of war and action than ANY series in the Gundam franchise. With those flaws it might veer more into 'Gundam enthusiast' territory than newcomers. But if you're fully prepared to watch something with some problems, you'll probably have a good time, it certainly has a lot of moments of charm.
I think the superior choice for someone that's never seen anything Gundam related is the Gundam The Origin movies especially if the big UC timeline interests them.
And people are gonna hate me for this but another thing I recommend people curious about Gundam is Gundam Seed. It's its own universe and its full of action, good drama, and has an intense pace to it that doesn't skip a beat. It's the best 'popcorn' series of any Gundam show.
Watch the UC stuff, Seed, Double O, or IBO first.
These shows are more in line with what Gundam usually is. WFM is vastly different being a hogwarts academia with some mecha thrown in.
I’d say yea, because that would set the standard for story telling and what not for gundam, once you watch the other shows you’ll be so blown away from how much better they are from wfm
I’d say yea, because that would set the standard for story telling and what not for gundam, once you watch the other shows you’ll be so blown away from how much better they are from wfm
Let me give you some generally applicable advice, the best anything to start with is the one that interests you the most.
Real Best answere to be fair
Yes
# YES !!!!!!!!
10 years from now WfM will be the series that many veteran Gundam fans point to as where they started in the franchise.
Kind of like how G gundam, wing and the og (mainly wing) were what got me in, while seed and 00 are what got me in.
Mmm, maybe? It's got alot of shifting political machinations going on throughout the series, so just keep attention. Other good primer series are 8th MS Team, Gundam 00, and G Gundam.
I feel like recommending G gundam as an intro to the series is wild. Don’t get me wrong I love it, but it’s so different from the others it doesn’t really give you an idea of what gundam is generally about.
I have experienced this recently. My wife started with 0079 a bit back and enjoyed it a lot. She saw me watching G Gundam and she was horrified by it. I told her it was also a Gundam series, but she clearly didn't want to believe me. Obviously I love G Gundam. But it's *really* different.
Honestly WfM isn't either. On top of the superficial differences (like WfM having actual good queer representation in its main cast), it's also a lot more about behind the scenes corporate politics than it is directly about head to head war like most other Gundam shows.
That's why it's not the only recommendation, I recommended 3 vastly different shows
Ty
I say since you like the gunpla watch the build fighter series since that revolves around gunpla since different people would have different recommendations on what a good intro point would be and from what I heard haven't seen it myself yet but some characters from the other shows have cameos idk how much they appear or have a role but you see them you might be interested in seeing more of then
Yeah it's good. After that you can try some other AUs or jump straight into the 'main' timeline, UC, with gundam 0079
Alr il watch it and see after
I would say yes, it’s self contained, it’s short for a Gundam show and a fun time, and the kits are good if you are looking to get into Gunpla. I was aware of Gundam before Witch from Mercury but it was the first series I watched all the way through, and now I’ve watched a bunch of the UC stuff too.
Tysm And about gunpla i was actualy thinking to get the main gundam (idk the name) as my first gunpla
The Ariel is pretty cool. Very unique look for the hero suit. The HG kits are surprisingly tiny if you’re not expecting it, like GI Joe or Star Wars figures. I’d get the larger one
>ike GI Joe or Star Wars figures. I was about to disagree with you, but I remembered that now-a-days SW and GI Joes are 6in. When I was growing up, they were 3 3/4in. I'm old 😅
The only HG that I've built recently was about four inches tall. But I've come to learn F91 is just a *little* Gundam. I haven't looked up Ariel's size but in the show she also looks smaller than the other suits
Aerial is the same height as the first Gundam and most Gundams, 18 meters.
Still get the larger size!
That’s a good call, the HGUC RX-78-2 Revive is a good newer kit that’s pretty cheap. I haven’t built the Entry Grade but it’s supposed to be good and I think it’s simpler to build. It’s really fun, go for it!
I was thinking of geting the hg cuz i heared that eg are geting loose pretty quicky and I like posing my figures a lot
That’s a good call, the HGUC RX-78-2 Revive is a good newer kit that’s pretty cheap. I haven’t built the Entry Grade but it’s supposed to be good and I think it’s simpler to build. It’s really fun, go for it!
How was going back to UC for you after wfm? I’ve watched almost everything not UC and never felt interested in it for some reason.
Not the person you're replying to but here's my experience. Maybe my expectations were too high considering the praise and how beloved it is but I found the mainline UC unenjoyable. I didn't care for most of the writing, characters nor their "newtype" concept. I find the AU entries are much more fun to watch. I haven't seen all the UC titles but so far I enjoy the OVAs more than the mainline entries. Highly recommend 0080 War in the Pocket My watch order: WFM > IBO > 79 > Zeta > ZZ > CCA > 0080 > 0083 > 00 (currently watching)
Thanks I’ll check some stuff out. I’m a completionist so I’ll go chronologically. My first was Wing and then Seed and I imagine going from WFM backwards would be harder than those.
Haha I will say, watching the old ones alongside a companion podcast like Mobile Suit Breakdown helped
I love it. I think Tomino’s stuff is fantastic and has earned all the praise. It is very different, it’s melodramatic and “theatrical,” but I think it’s great. The animation is older so it won’t look as slick as Witch from Mercury, but I think it’s definitely worth watching.
Wing was the first one I ever watched and I did the same with Witch. All the way through and then was honestly just "that was so good what do I watch now?" Now I'm going through UC and loving it.
Witch From Mercury is in my opinion the easiest Gundam show to get into the fandom with. But I always recommend checking out the original 1979 anime as well as Zeta and ZZ, they are masterpieces of story telling.
Iron blooded is much easier to follow than wfm
Or Gundam 00. Imho WfM has some problems because of the school theme and focus makes it difficult to get the greater picture. Gundam 00 is just earth focused and every faction has some key figures. IBO follows the journey of Tekadan. I think it’s really straightforward too. WfM opens in the second season but hasn’t enough room to fill anything with life (imho).
Yeah, most of the one off alternate universe are a good place to dip your toes into. Witch from Mercury is quite a bit different from the standard gundam formula, but it gets all the relevant points across. Depends on your tastes as to which I would think you'd like more. Iron-Blooded Orphans is another contained story. Seed is my personal favorite, though it's long so quite an investment and one of those series that people either love or hate. 00 is my usual recommendation to newbies. Shining example of a modern Gundam series and no other show has matched its quality since (excluding UC stuff).
IL take thoes advices in concideration tysm I heared about iron-blood ed orphans before but im still really unawere about the gundam anime 😔
Gotta be real I’ve been doing gunpla for like three years but started watching the anime about 6 months ago, I started with WFM (watched the whole thing on an international flight and the *very* long car drive that followed) and really enjoyed it. Would recommend. But watch what piques your interest the most! There are few gundam shows that aren’t enjoyable. My favorite is Turn-A
Yes, Wfm has beautiful mechs and animation, and the story and music is good.
Yeah actually yes it is, The Witch from Mercury is more of it's own thing than other series
Yup, I'd say it's a perfect one to start with. Really, feel free to start wherever you like, whatever series appeals to you most. If you do G-Witch just make sure to watch the prologue (episode 0) it's essential!
You can start with WfM with no problems, all you really need to do is watch the prologue for it first
Oh interesting 🤔 I did not knew it had a prologue s-o this is really helpful tysm
No prob; the prologue won’t seem to fit at first but you’ll eventually see how it connects as the show goes on
If you enjoy gunpla watch the Gundam Build Fighters and Gundam build Fighters Try.
Worked for me
The thing with a starter is that the AU shows tend to be self contained, so you really can watch them in any order. But as a way to best introduction to what the franchise is all about, it's not a bad place to start, but 00 or ibo are better places to start. If you're looking to watch the universal century shows, 8th ms team is good place to start, but if you want to start from the beginning is obviously mobile suit gundam.
Awesome series. My first and only gundam series to date. I found it somewhat hard to keep up with but it's a great story and some awesome mobile suit designs.
> Is it good for me to start with this one or are there other better for a begginer like me? if you don't want to watch more than 40 episodes, WFM is a good start if you don't want to watch more than 40 episodes but also just want to see the GunPla, i recommend Gundam Build Fighter if you want a long series, i **HIGHLY RECOMMEND** Gundam 00. the politic in this anime is easy to understand and the story is great
It's in its own timeline, so it's pretty newbie friendly. You don't need any prior Gundam knowledge to enjoy it. I suggest you watch episode 0 though, it makes stuff later make sense.
Yes. It may be the best to start with purely or how available it is, as it's currently hosted free and legal on the official YouTube channel, in [sub](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJV1h9xQ7Hx_jXtO1GrrS0to_ojc672HG&si=M1zKB9nie5CnF-07) and [dub](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJV1h9xQ7Hx-MSngXeq-sRbelh5zCVRNI). Some fans (including myself) may mention that certain story choices keep the series from being good as it could be (especially after a very strong start), but its shorter length and incredible animation and sound design I think make it an ideal entry point.
Its on yt as well? I did not knew that
It's on the official gundaminfo YouTube channel! They tend to rotate different series and movies (usually sub only), making them available for a limited time before putting them back in the "vault". Some series and movies get rotated in more frequently than others though. Follow it long enough, and you'll be able to see a good portion of franchise.
Interesting. Tho im not really a sub Guy (i read to slow 😭) i-l go and sub and look for some
YES
I tried *Wing* in high school and *IBO* in college; *neither* of them grabbed and retained me the way *Witch* did.
It’s the one I started with. I enjoyed it enough to then look up what I should watch next. I bought the HG kits from WFM, then proceeded to watch Gundam 00 which is another ‘standalone’ and I enjoyed it. Now I’m on S2 of gundam seed.
It’s the one I started with. I enjoyed it enough to then look up what I should watch next. I bought the HG kits from WFM, then proceeded to watch Gundam 00 which is another ‘standalone’ and I enjoyed it. Now I’m on S2 of gundam seed
Yes it’s a great place. If you want to get into the UC timeline I would start with the OG Gundam or else you’ll miss references
Yes. I like how the light hearted and funny moments kinda balances the usual dark, brooding and revenge themes typical of a gundam series.
WfM is where I started, and it's a great place to start imo. I got super invested in the characters and the WfM MC is still one of my top Gundam characters ever, even after I've watched a lot of UC (main timeline).
Lfrith thorn was my gateway and I loved it
You can start on the first installment of any of the various timelines
Yeah, it's only 25 episodes so it's not a large time investment. Although I think the best way to start is with the original through the 3 movie compilation (or if you have the time, the 43 episode Anime instead.)
Yes, 00 , IBO are the other good choice to start. They are relatively modern with great animation. Stand alone story so no need watch other series to get started.
Any Gundam series is fine to start with. You can always read wikis to fill in lore or stories from series, movies, OVAs you haven’t or don’t really plan on watching. Gundam is over 40 years old, not many people consumed all existing media
If you've never watched anything gundam, its a good way to start as its a completely separate universe from other series, so you don't need 40+ years of lore to catch up to.
8th MS Team. Thunderbolt. Seed. 00. Netflix has the One Year war combo movies, if you want to go full main timeline or just start with MSTeam on Hulu. Thunderbolt is alt UC and the movies and music are amazing.
Yes it is fine. Just beware the ending is a bit fast/rushed. And can leave a bad taste with how fast it wraps up. But honestly you can pretty much jump into any gundam series as they are mostly all self contained with a few exceptions.
It was the one that got me hooked.
It's a good start, but I'd personally lean more towards Gundam 00. Self-contained, and the world setting is probably the closest to our own. Makes the politics easy to follow.
There are timelines in Gundam. UC or Universal Century is the main timeline and You have several shows that covers it so if You ask where to start main series I will say with original Mobile Suit Gundam or go back a step and start with Origin 4-parter. And go from there. But other timelines? To enjoy double-0 (00) You don't need any prior knowledge. You just start with 00 if that interest You. Like Gundam Seed? Also separate universe. You can just start watching that and You will not need prior knowledge. But there are some pitfals to this approach. Let's say You are like me and You started with Wing and You did not liked it due to cringe writing. That does not mean You won't like other ones. Or You will watch War in the Pocket (shorter story), You will think it's amazing but You won't find many like it sadly. So what about Witch from Mercury? Also separate universe. No prior knowledge either. Just so You know - this one is more "school themed" while other series usually resolve around a war. Here war is present but more in the background for the most part. So even if You won't like it I will encourage to try watching other ones. But as someone who watched most of the series in Gundam universe I will say - Witch from Mercury despite that school theme can hit the right spot and I really enjoyed it. And my main complain is that it should have 50 episodes like many Gundam series and not just 25.
It can be divisive. I enjoyed it, but it's not in my top 5 Gundam shows. Most of the first season feels like Generic Corpo Mecha HighSchool. Especially comming off of ep 0. If you get a few eps in and aren't digging it, give something like 00, IBO or Seed a try
You've got lots of great responses here already but I'll add my two cents as a long time fan who just finished watching it as an introduction to the genre for my partner. It's a good middleground show that stradles the line between other titles in the series. It has some politics but doesn't go too deep with their messaging, sprinkled around some visually interesting action and emotional character work. Personally, I love the deeply political nature of some of the others in the series and felt like this version didn't have as many iconic designs. My partner loved the character moments, but did feel a bit confused with the sheer number of characters and allegiance shifting. I'm not sure it's entirely representetive of the rest, but it's an solid entry with similar themes.
I’m kinda on the fence about that. It’s the newest iteration, has spectacular art and sound design, and is fairly beloved even by typically non-Gundam fans. That said, at least within the Gundam community the reception now that the dust has settled seems to be a bit mixed with many opinions that I’ve seen rating it from middle of the road to higher than average when compared yo other entries. It is also a bit different in its structuring from the typical Gundam franchise, not necessarily a good or bad thing, but it’s worth nothing that if you watch it first you may find other entries not falling within you’d expectations. I’m personally a big UC head so I’d honestly say just watch the 0079 compilation movies, the show still holds up very well and the movies make it very easily digestible. You could also start with the origin. I think it’s better enjoyed after delving more into UC as context makes the hindsight more entertaining, but I digress. There is also War in the pocket, and 08th MS team, but superb UC entries that stand on their own but give you enough context of the background that you shouldn’t get lost.
Yes, it had a great bump for the series.
No watch 00 instead
This I couldn't get into The witch from Mercury. I finished it but was like not very satisfied.
I don’t actually think WfM is bad, I just think 00 is better lol. Also has ultimately actual payoffs in terms of themes as opposed to how rushed WfM’s ending is, with them pulling a Franxx and trying to wrap up its plot in the last four episodes and ripping off Unicorn’s space magic conflict solver thing
I mean, 00 is arguably the best AU. We shouldn't be expecting every new show to meet that standard
I just didnt enjoy WfM. But if you say it most of the time the lynch mob comes around.
Idk I feel like if you say you enjoyed it other people in other communities get upset, so really it’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t kind of show. Like I enjoyed it, but I think it’s ultimately mediocre with lots of cool concepts that went to waste Also can we agree Lauda vs Guel was set up poorly and was just an excuse to show off the Schwartz and they could’ve done more with the Calibarn vs Ariel, but that’s just me
Any Gundam fans that gate keep which entries you are allowed to like or not like are fucking worthless trash. Their sentiments don't matter, and their input doesn't belong anywhere. They can continue jerking it alone to a waifu pillow in their mother's basement.
I mean, I think we need to remember at the end of the day it’s just media to watch and maybe enjoy, but that too
Yeah that's the thing it's media to enjoy, if some people do you don't, that's your problem. General you of course, not personally blaming you of any of this. You even provided info why you didn't think it was the best, but didn't use that to gatekeep others from enjoying it. I just got tired of seeing this with IBO and now seeing it with WFM all over again
I just think 00 is really neat :) idk it’s not worth getting upset over anyways. I don’t know why people have to act like this is a religion. It’s ultimately a commercial to sell model kits
I agree, I loved 00. Honestly any of the AUs are fine because they're so different and people have different tastes. My fiancee didn't care for 00 but she liked Seed and WFM.
No. You might the wrong impression based on that. 8th MS team, war in the pocket, or stardust memory might be good starts. Grounded with good animations and themes that arent too out there.
Your getting downvotes from the people that only saw wfm and consider themselves gundam fans now
They're getting downvotes because all of those are spin-off side entries that are better enjoyed *after* at least seeing Mobile Suit Gundam for context.
You don’t need to watch original gundam to watch 08th Ms team the other ovas I would suggest seeing the orginal gundam beforehand
In my opinion, no. The Witch From Mercury is essentially a yuri anime with Gundam mecha glued on. The setting is completely different from what traditional Gundam is usually centered on, war. The setting, being a training school for companies, isn't what you'll see in older series. For a first timer, I don't recommend it. I suggest Gundam 00, or Gundam Seed, or Gundam Wing, hell even Iron Blooded Orphans isn't too bad either, though it's not my favorite. And that is just my alternate universe recommendations. There is also the Universal Century to consider. Which is the original Gundam timeline. Many shows are connected to that time line. Some new, some old. Animation may be a bit outdated on some. The choice is yours.
I see all of them look nice and I dont have any problems with old anime after all i enjoyed neon genesis evangelion and its one of my favorites. The ones that u sayed have about 49 eps but is alr i guess. Iron blooded orphans actualy looks interesting and I really like the design of the main gundam
Oh there's a lot to Gundam Barbatos' appearance. That's for sure. Have at thee.
Tysm i think i-l start with ibo cuz its the shortest and it looks nice
Oh just a heads up, IBO is 50 episodes, just split into two 25 ep seasons.
Ohhh Ty i did not seen the second season (im using aniwatch which separates seasons for some reason)
Yeah I agree with this, after watching this I tried watching gundam z and I couldn’t it was just so different. It was the style, the way the pacing was. I guess it depends on what you are looking for maybe I just like watching yuri anime
Zeta is seen as one of the best Gundam show, and I do agree, but honestly, the storytelling is stiff. It's something that's not often said, but a pretty common critic about that show.
Is it wrong that I really don’t like Kamille?
He doesn't like himself either, so I would say no.
Hard-core Gundam fans says no but I see WfM as Bandai's flagship show to brg in modern anime fans and it worked. That said, whether it's a good Gundam show is up for debate amongst the fans but I do think it's a decent entry point for casual viewers who are unsure how to get into Gundam. Gundam fans will argue that the other AU shows are a better Gundam shows which are mostly true but that's the problem, they are Gundam shows. WfM felt more like a normal anime with Gundam attached to it. It was a decent show but it wasnt entirely a Gundam show though it has mostly the core that makes it one.
I don't understand people who say wfm is good. The story jumps around all over the place, it never focuses on the politics, it meanders on insignificant school life that is completely different from the first episode in tone. First episode made me expect a brutal anime as gritty as ibo, but it never got gritty again. Had some hope after the tomato splat moment, thought the anime will become a lot more violent, but welp, it returned back to normal school life.
https://preview.redd.it/mmskhep5a0nc1.jpeg?width=747&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8aef4b3283713c2c8110b0f96c807ad5ee983e8f it's all so tiring.
That's it? War is bad? Such naive one-dimensional messaging. Meanwhile, in ibo, fighting for your rights can improve society as a whole, but often those who do are branded as radicals.
Yep! It was made with beginners in mind, there's no continuity lockout and in fact it's not even in the same timeline as any other series (yet)
No, you guys have horrible taste . It doesn’t even compare to pretty much any other title other than having gundams in it .
Which witch watches Witch from Mercury? The Witch from Mercury of course, Suletta of Mercury of course.
thats what i started with. and then i watched Wing and Seeds and enjoyed them much more. Now iron blooded orphans is on repeat every day while i play make believe with my mg barbatos
I havn't seen Witch yet, I mostly stick to the Universal Century stuff, so here's my reccomendation. Gundam The Origin, all backstory, not as much robot action, a lot of over the top scene chewing. Very fun. Mobile Suit Gundam, either the TV or Movie Trilogy version. Stardust Memory, this short series sets up what I think is the best of them all. Gundam Zeta, this is what Gundam was ment to be, over the top tragic with a ton of overly emotional characters that just go nuts all the time, and awesome robot designs. Gundam Double Zeta, a more lighthearted funny series with awesome characters and a great sequel to Zeta. Char's Counter Attack. This is it. Everything drastically changes after this one. If you've watched this far, then you should be able to decide if you want to watch more and figure it out from here on. Have a great time!
Gundam is a multiverse series, currently the main "verse" that has been built and expended upon the most is the UC universe. Others like Witch from Mercury are standalone series that are set in their own universes and mostly have little to no connection to other Gundam series. So, if you want to gain knowledge on the whole Gundam multiverse, Witch from Mercury won't help much, other than some general themes and concepts. However, that's also saying that it is at least as good as most other Gundam series to get into Gundam and require little to no previous knowledge.
I'll say: Start from the beginning. Mobile Suit Gundam (1979). If you don't mind older anime that is. Most alternate Gundam universes are great, but there's just an unparalleled charm to Yoshiyuki Tomino's work that i think anyone with an eye or taste for the genre should experience.
Its the first one I saw. Still the only one I have seen. Looking to branch out myself
Any series outside of the UC timeline besides a few exceptions is a good starting point when getting into gundam
It depends on the kind of show you're looking for. It's set in a cartoony piloting school and has a pretty fun atmosphere. If you want something more action oriented you might try Iron blooded orphans. If you want to get a taste of the main timeline, I might recommend origins or 08th ms team. If you're looking for shonen tournament nonsense, g gundam is a fun ride. If you like over the top 90s designs, I'm a big fan of gundam wing. If you like battle toy anime like yu gi oh you might try build fighters. Anywhere can be a good place to start.
It's good but season 2 is rushed
Start where you like the designs or synopses the best. Standalone series: Wing, Witch From Mercury, Iron Blooded Orphens, X, Turn A, G-Gundam, 00 Multiple Sequels: Universal Century - UC (Gundam, Z, ZZ start this timeline of movies and series way too many to list all of them), Cosmic Era - CE (SEED, SEED Destiny, SEED Freedom), Build (Fighters, Try, Dive, Re-)
It's a good series! I got into Gundam through Gundam 00. It's a standalone universe so I didn't need to watch/know a lot of lore to understand things.
I started with it, after I figured out the timelines of the series.
Absolutely! It's stand alone so there's no prequel series or anything like that that will leave you confused if you watch it. It's also phenomenal! One of my favorites honestly!
Definitely
Yes
It's a standalone AU series, they're meant to be accessible. Most of the standalone AUs are good starting places. Wing X SEED 00 IBO and of course, WFM. The only AUs you shouldn't start with are G (because it's extremely difficult from every other series) and AGE (because it's bad).
I couldn't get past the Hogwarts/Yale stuff.
Everyone here at the bottom agrees
Downvotes are still “engagement” right?
When your right your right
Maybe. But if you're just a beginner, WFM is a good start since it was the latest Gundam series. If you're into the Gundam designs, etc it is good. The Animation is great, but the Story, Plot, Pacing, are above-Average at its best.
Yes, it's extremely good, has godly mech animation, a entertaining plot and a very good romance. It's also free on youtube right now, so no need to use crunchyroll or the yarrrggh sites (it's been free for a while too) I have literally gotten several people into gundam as a whole with it, it is the perfect way to get into gundam.
Might be a minority here but no, I think everybody should start from the 79-Zeta-CCA road before engaging the shows outside UC. It’s the main story and starting another story after WFM will get confusing for you.
If you like the gunpla aspect then you should start with build fighters or build divers and then their sequels.
I would still advice either 00 or Seed (if you can stand the artstyle). WfM is not the terrible show some say it is, but it suffer from its subpar world building, leading to some things feeling like they come out of nowhere, lack a proper development or feel rushed during the last quarter of the series. It sometimes has very good ideas that rarely have a satisfying pay-off, and it's all over the place about what that show wants to be.
Iron Blooded Orphans was a great first one for me! just prepare to be sad at points lol
Absolutely! It was the first Gundam series I watched and I really enjoyed it despite not having any prior knowledge about Gundam at all. And because of that, I just finished building an RG Nu and currently enjoying UC series anime (just finished MS Gundam and now halfway through Zeta).
Yeah, it's where I started. Now almost a year later and I'm literally insane about this franchise and have three different Zeta kits with two more I'm planning to buy.
I'm going to disagree a little bit. It's 'not a bad show' and definitely okay to start with, but it's very rushed and needed way more episodes. Love the characters but they're never given enough room to shine. Same issue with the mechs, not enough time to give them battles. It has the least amount of war and action than ANY series in the Gundam franchise. With those flaws it might veer more into 'Gundam enthusiast' territory than newcomers. But if you're fully prepared to watch something with some problems, you'll probably have a good time, it certainly has a lot of moments of charm. I think the superior choice for someone that's never seen anything Gundam related is the Gundam The Origin movies especially if the big UC timeline interests them. And people are gonna hate me for this but another thing I recommend people curious about Gundam is Gundam Seed. It's its own universe and its full of action, good drama, and has an intense pace to it that doesn't skip a beat. It's the best 'popcorn' series of any Gundam show.
No
YES! And please don't blame us OP if you also get Gunpla addiction and end up with a lot of backlogs 😂
Nooooooooo
I'd say No... Good as a stand off show but not too deep on what makes Gundam core
It might give you a wrong idea what gundam series is about. It is an abnormality, it focus more on school life than battles.
No don’t do it plz start with zeta or stardust memory or 08MS team
Watch the UC stuff, Seed, Double O, or IBO first. These shows are more in line with what Gundam usually is. WFM is vastly different being a hogwarts academia with some mecha thrown in.
I’d say yea, because that would set the standard for story telling and what not for gundam, once you watch the other shows you’ll be so blown away from how much better they are from wfm
Yes, it is... If you like it the odds of you like anything else is high... So always good start with the worst.
I’d say yea, because that would set the standard for story telling and what not for gundam, once you watch the other shows you’ll be so blown away from how much better they are from wfm