Outdoors of occasional YouTube availability, the incapacity to persistently stream the primary three sequence of the iconic Gundam franchise—Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ—has been a supply of frustration for followers. However, in the end, that’s modified.
Though in recent times the primary three exhibits that make up the huge Gundam franchise have made their approach to streaming within the U.S. in fits and begins, this week Crunchyroll—as a part of the ongoing merger of its streaming library with that of Funimation, because of the company’s acquisition by Sony in 2021—confirmed that Zeta Gundam, the 1985 sequel sequence to the unique Gundam, is now streaming on the platform. It makes the primary time within the west that the first story of the “Common Century”—the first and main timeline in Gundam’s huge continuity—from the unique 1979 present all the best way up and together with its climax within the 1988 film Char’s Counterattack, is available on a singular streaming platform. All three sequence and CCA have lengthy been out there on Blu-ray, however even then, it’s nonetheless notable that they’re accessible on streaming in a single place.
As a result of now it means I can say that one of many grandest trilogies in sci-fi animation is now simpler to observe than ever earlier than, and may you end up with the time to take a seat down with almost 150 episodes of basic anime after which a two-hour film, you must. Every of the primary three Gundam exhibits, for various causes, are effectively value experiencing in isolation, and for probably the most half are largely designed to take action, rotating out casts of characters and advancing the world and timeline to concentrate on totally different factions and views. However watching the broader story that connects the trio of sequence collectively—a narrative of the cycle of conflict across multiple generations, a declining liberal state grappling with the specter of fascism, the trauma of conflict’s influence on even its poster pin-up heroes, whether or not or not Char Aznable and Amuro Ray will simply shut up and psychically kiss one another—is a uncommon pattern of long-form animated sci-fi storytelling that has few parallels in up to date tv.
Throughout a number of tones—from Gundam’s traumatic however clear-cut conflict story; to Zeta’s harder-edge, extra difficult examination of the rise of fascism and a corrupt ruling elite; to ZZ’s personal tonal evolution by the lens of a younger, disenfranchised protagonist—the unique saga of the Common Century is much from good, however nonetheless a deeply compelling journey to tackle, and a basic of sci-fi anime. Whether or not you’re a Gundam neophyte or extra acquainted with its various mainstream success icons like Gundam Wing or the newest present, Witch From Mercury, seeing the place it began, and the affect that Gundam has had on generations of anime that got here after it, is effectively value it—and now simpler than it has been in years.
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