Want to Get Into Gundam? – The Best Way to Watch The Gundam Franchise

Have you ever wanted to delve deep into the world of Gundam, but soon realized there are so many different anime series, OVAs, and movies to watch that you don’t know where to start? You’re not alone. Much like watching Detective Conan or One Piece, there is so much in the Gundam culture that it can act like a bar to less motivated anime fans. I, too, put off Gundam for a long while because there was just so much of it.

In all honesty, Gundam looks complex, but getting into it is actually easier than you might think. You just need to keep really one thing in mind when picking a series.

What Makes Gundam So Complex?

The major difficulty in watching Gundam is the fact that it is a multiverse series. This means that some Gundam series are related to each other, either as sequels, or through history in that specific universe.

Other Gundam series are completely unrelated, existing only in their own different universe that also has Gundam mechs in it usually.

The Universal Century is considered the “main timeline,” but other universes are equally as interesting. All you need to know about picking a Gundam is which “Century,” or timeline, the series is in. Anything outside of the Universal Timeline is a standalone watch usually.

What is the Best Way to Watch Gundam?

Does watching Gundam in chronological order mean you will enjoy it more? No. Does it make you a cooler Gundam fan? Maybe, but also probably no.

If you are new to Gundam, the best way to watch Gundam is to usually pick the series that intrigues you and to just watch that one. Many enjoy the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Other’s prefer SEED because it mirrors the original story with newer animation. Some like standalone series like Iron-Blooded Orphans or Witch from mercury that was specifically made to appeal to younger anime fans. All of that is fine.

Watch what appeals to you.

That said, our watch order will make sure you aren’t starting with some sequel that leaves you super confused.

How to Watch Every Gundam Anime Ever in Chronological Order

As a multiverse, chronology in Gundam is different than in other series. So, the chronology here is separated into the Centuries. The Universal Century is first, but the other centuries can be watched in any order so long as you stick to the series within that century while working through the list.

Every other Gundam “Century” branch outside of the Universal Century can be watched as a standalone series. Only the Universal Century has a more strict watch order if you want to be a hardcore Gundam person.

Universal Century

This is the main Gundam timeline where a large bulk of the franchise takes place.

The Universal Century follows the conflict between the Earth Federation – a unified government on Earth, a planet presently ravaged by climate change, wealth disparity, and overpopulation – and the various interstellar colonies of Earth that rapidly call for succession. The Century itself is shaped by the infamous One Year War in which Earth fought with the Principality of Zeon, a group of rebelling space colonies.

It featured the introduction of Mobile Suits as weapons of war and cost humanity about half its population. It is a conflict that had rippling ramifications throughout the next generations as well.

Gundam Series Set in The Universal Century:

• Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin (Theatrical OVA) / Advent of the Red Comet (OVA TV) (They are the same thing, Red Comet is just longer) (While it chronologically happens first, I’d recommend just watching at least the original Mobile Suit Gundam first if you are new)
• Mobile Suit Gundam (TV)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Movie / Soldiers of Sorrow / Encounters in Space (Compilation movies, Optional)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08^th MS Team (OVA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08^th MS Team – Miller’s Report (Compilation movie, optional)
• Mobile Suit Gundam MS Igloo: The Hidden One Year War (OVA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam MS Igloo: Apocalypse 0079 (OVA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam MS Igloo 2: The Gravity Front (OVA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (OVA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt (ONA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt – December Sky / Bandit Flower (Compilation movies, optional)
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (OVA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory – The Afterglow of Zeon (Compilation movie, optional)
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (TV)
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam – Heir to the Star / Lovers / Love is the Pulse of Stars (Compilation movies, optional)
• Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (TV)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (Movie)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (OVA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn – RE:0096 (compilation TV, recommended)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Twilight Axis (ONA)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Twilight Axis – Red Blur ( Compilation movie, optional)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (Movie)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’s Flash (Movie)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’s Flash 2 (Movie)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’s Flash 3 (Movie)
• Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (Movie)
• Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (TV)

Future Century

This century features humanity who has abandoned ruined Earth in lieu of living in space colonies. Instead of war, conflicts are now solved through Gundam Fight, an interstellar tournament where Gundams fight Gundams one-on-one.

Gundam Series Set in The Future Century:

• G Gundam (TV)

After Colony Century

The After Colony Century takes place during the ongoing struggle for the space colony independence from the United Earth Sphere Alliance. This time, the colonies develop Mobile Suit technology and send these prototypes, as well as their pilots, to Earth in order to infiltrate Earth and win the colonies’ freedom.

Gundam Series Set in The After Colony Century:

• Gundam Wing (TV)
• Gundam Wing – Operation Meteor (Compilation OVA, optional)
• Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (OVA)

After War Century

While not being related to the Universal Century, the After War Century parallels it closely. It follows yet another conflict between the Earth government and succession-minded space colonies that results in almost 99% of humanity being wiped out. Some say it is an alternate version of the One Year War from the Universal Century that had an even worse conclusion.

Gundam Series Set in The After War Century:

• Gundam X(TV)

Correct Century

The Correct Century is actually in the far, far future of the Universal Century, but it is so distant that it is still considered a timeline of its own. In this century, humanity has abandoned ruined Earth after a dark period of history not explicitly stated to be the One Year War. They instead took up refuge on the moon and have been rebuilding Earth. The series in this century features those from the moon trying to integrate themselves, sometimes forcefully, with those who remained on Earth.

Gundam Series Set in The Correct Century:

• Turn A Gundam (TV)
• Turn A Gundam Earth Light / Moonlight Butterfly (Compilation movies, optional)

Cosmic Era Century

In the Cosmic Era Century, humanity saw nuclear conflict break out on Earth. As humanity on Earth struggles to rebuild, another conflict is brewing between the humans of Earth and the genetically enhanced Coordinators who has taken up space colonies as their home. This growing divide between Naturals and Coordinators further fuels the rift between nations.

Gundam Series Set in The Cosmic Era Century:

• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (TV)
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (TV)
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer (ONA)

Anno Domini Century

In the Anno Domini Century, humanity has abandoned fossil fuels for a limitless source of solar power. However, as the major national powers control this power source, smaller nations are forced into resource wars with each other to survive. As such, a paramilitary group known as the Celestial Beings use four powerful Gundams in an idealistic campaign to eliminate all conflict.

Gundam Series Set in The Anno Domini Century:

• Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (TV)
• Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie – Awakening of the Trailblazer (Movie)

Advanced Generation Century

In the Advanced Generation Century, humanity has migrated into space and those who remain on Earth live conflict-free. However, that long-lasting peace is shattered when a faction of colonists abandoned by Earth attack the planet and other colonies. This causes Earth to scramble to develop Mobile Suits as a means for defense in what will be a One Hundred Year conflict.

Gundam Series Set in The Advanced Generation Century:

• Mobile Suit Gundam AGE (TV)
• Mobile Suit Gundam AGE: Memory of Eden (Recompilation movie, recommended)

Regild Century

Technically set 500 years after Turn A Gundam, Reconguista still gets its own timeline. This century documents an era of peace where Earth prospers as it rebuilds society around a space elevator that brings resources from space to the planet. This also gives rise to a religious faction that strictly controls the advancement of technology to prevent further conflict from breaking out again.

Gundam Series Set in The Regild Century:

Gundam Reconguista in G is considered one of the less liked Gundam series. However, that’s mostly because the TV series was pretty bad. The Recompliation movies do a better job at telling the story.

• Gundam Reconguista in G (TV)
• Gundam: G no Reconguista Movie 1 – Go! Core Fighter (Recompilation movie, recommended)
• Gundam: G no Reconguista Movie 2 – Bellri Advances (Recompilation movie, recommended)
• Gundam G no Reconguista Movie 3 – Heritage From Space (Recompilation movie, recommended)
• Gundam G no Reconguista Movie 4 – Shouting Love Into a Fierce Fight (Recompilation movie, recommended)
• Gundam G no Reconguista Movie 5 – Crossing the Line Between Life and Death (Recompilation movie, recommended)

Post-Disaster Century

This century is set 300 years after an event known as the Calamity War, the rebuilding Earth has also colonized Mars. however, Mars is now seeking independence. This leads to a conflict between Earth’s military and a private military company made up of child soldiers.

Gundam Series Set in The Post-Disaster Century:

• Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans (TV)

Ad Stella Century

In the Ad Stella Century, humanity was propelled to the stars by a series of megacorporations. These space citizens have learned to adapt to the stress of living in space through prosthetics and enhancements known as the Gund Format. However, when this technology is use to integrate humans with Mobile Suits, the technological research is brought to a halt after learning that it harms the pilots.

Gundam Series Set in The Ad Stella Century:

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch from Mercury (TV)

Present Day

These Gundam series take place on our earth since they are about Gunpla, the hobby of building Gundam models.

Gundam Series Set in The Present Day:

• Gundam Build Fighters (TV)
• Gundam Build Fighters Try (TV)
• Gundam Build Fighters Battlogue (ONA)
• Gundam Build Fighters GM’s Counterattack (ONA)
• Gundam Build Divers (TV)

So, What’s Recommended?

I get it. This is an organized list, but still a damned mighty one for the beginning Gundam watcher. As recommendations are kind of what I do here, I recommend starting with:

• Gundam SEED (Most accessible in plot and quality of animation)
• Mobile Suit Gundam (Always best to start at the beginning. It also opens pathways to better quality and similarly interesting series like 08th MS Team, Unicorn, and the Hathaway movies)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans (The least “mecha-y” story with good animation and hard hitting moments. Many pick up Gundam because they want to watch Iron-Blooded Orphans not knowing it can be a standalone series)

They others are fine too, but not all Gundam is created equal. Some may also say Gundam Wing, but guys, that series has not aged as well as you think it has.