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機動戦士ガンダムTHE ORIGIN 愛蔵版 [Kidō Senshi Gundam: The Origin aizōban] #1
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 1: Activation
It is the year Universal Century 0079, in a space colony the Earth Federation is storing and testing a new piloted robot for use in the battle against the Principality of Zeon. The experimental RX-78 Gundam mobile suit is scheduled to be transported to Federation command in Jaburo, deep within the Brazilian jungles. Unfortunatley, before the transporter would arrive, the Federation would come under attack from Zeon. With few resources available against the Zeon's most mobile mechs, Federation forces strike back using their new weapon, the mobile suit Gundam.
Caught in the crossfire is a young teen named Amuro Ray. Not willing to see innocent people die like this, Amuro crawls into the cockpit of the closest machine around him. Whether it be a tank, jeep or jet, he was going to use it to help stop this slaughter. And what he happened to slide into was another Gundam. Having never operated a machine like this, what are the chances he can do anything to repel an experienced squad of mech-piloting invaders?
Volume 1 includes an essay from Hideaki Anno, director of the hit anime Neon Genesis Evengelion.
Color pages from Yas.
And an essay from Kadokawa Publishing Executive Shinichiro Inoue.
Caught in the crossfire is a young teen named Amuro Ray. Not willing to see innocent people die like this, Amuro crawls into the cockpit of the closest machine around him. Whether it be a tank, jeep or jet, he was going to use it to help stop this slaughter. And what he happened to slide into was another Gundam. Having never operated a machine like this, what are the chances he can do anything to repel an experienced squad of mech-piloting invaders?
Volume 1 includes an essay from Hideaki Anno, director of the hit anime Neon Genesis Evengelion.
Color pages from Yas.
And an essay from Kadokawa Publishing Executive Shinichiro Inoue.
456 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2005
107 people are currently reading
1678 people want to read
About the author
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
371 books36 followersYoshikazu Yasuhiko (安彦良和) is a Japanese manga artist, animator, character designer, anime director, illustrator, and novelist. He was born in Engaru Town, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido, and currently resides in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
May 16, 2021
This was my first manga. I read this originally in 2015 and was not impressed. I reread it now and my thoughts have changed some. Overall I felt this was a decent story. The target audience is teenager boys therefore making this a 'shōnen' manga. From what I've read this was the start of the mecha 'real robot' series for both the anime and the manga. These giant robots are operated by a human in a small cockpit. From there they engage in military operations and battle other opposing force robots. The Japanese word for these giant mobile suits is 'gundam'.
I liked the militaristic setting and the concept of a war between the Principality of Zeon (the bad guys) and the Earth Federation (the good guys). As the story progressed a new gundam (a giant robot piloted by a teenage mechanic with no military training) RX-78-2 is activated and became the main subject of the story. The front cover of this book has the RX-78-2 on it.
The art was somewhat washy and not super detailed. However the few color pages were really great. My only wish was the whole thing was colored. I would recommend this for science fiction/graphic novel fans. Thanks!
I liked the militaristic setting and the concept of a war between the Principality of Zeon (the bad guys) and the Earth Federation (the good guys). As the story progressed a new gundam (a giant robot piloted by a teenage mechanic with no military training) RX-78-2 is activated and became the main subject of the story. The front cover of this book has the RX-78-2 on it.
The art was somewhat washy and not super detailed. However the few color pages were really great. My only wish was the whole thing was colored. I would recommend this for science fiction/graphic novel fans. Thanks!
December 29, 2015
If you’ve never experienced any of the massive Gundam franchise, it might not be a bad idea to just start with Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, the manga by the original character designer, Yasuhiko Yoshikazu. A retelling of the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime series, it provides those with no knowledge of the franchise a way to learn the important names, places, and technologies.
As someone who does not have a lot of experience with space operas, particularly not in manga form, there is little I can say about how this manga compares to others (or the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime series). However, without worrying about comparison, Yasuhiko’s manga is a pleasant surprise. Starting off, the art is quite lovely. While its publication began in 2002, the art reflects both modern technicalities with a classic vintage feel. This allows the reader to feel like they’re reading something from an earlier time, but doesn’t have some of the jarring elements of 70s manga that could turn off newer fans. As lovely as the art is, as someone who doesn’t read much action manga, I sometimes had trouble figuring out what was happening. I tend to focus more on dialogue, and there weren’t always enough clues for me to realize I was looking at Zeon versus Federation ships/mobile suits/characters. This is probably more of a fault of my reading style than the art, but it is worth noting.
The storyline is a fairly tried and true standard: two sides facing off in a war and civilians being drawn into it. The civilians, including Amuro, give the series a bit more of a personal touch that it needs in order to counteract the mecha elements. Through the first volume, the plot stays pretty simplistic, perhaps even a little bit to be desired. However, it serves as a good introduction to the world, so I cannot hold the simplicity against it too much for now.
Where the series really excels is in the characters. Amuro is the prototypical teen boy thrown into a mecha to save his side in the war, but he’s a bit more than the archetype that he spawned. His personality is fickle, and his decisions aren’t always expected. Other characters are introduced and given moments of intrigue (I’m particularly curious about Sayla), but the reader is only given enough of a taste to want more. That is, except for one character. All of the Gundam fangirls of the world will chime in with me here: Char Aznable is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve come across in a long time. I can’t decide if it’s his enigmatic smirk, the strange mask, the good looks, the skill set, his way of talking…whatever it is, I understand why women (and men) have been fascinated by the Red Comet of the Zeon military. If there’s one thing that will keep me reading this series, it will be to see more of Char.
Another key element of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is the quality of the release. Vertical, Inc. has published the English translation in a beautiful hardcover book with numerous color plates. The paper is high-quality and glossy, and it really makes for a classy final product. The essays included at the end of the volume provide a great view on the importance of the Gundam franchise, particularly for novices like myself. The translation work for the entire volume is suitable—it didn’t stand out as an amazing work of translation, but it also wasn’t too frequently clunky or unnatural sounding. Vertical really seems to have gone all-in on this release, and I hope it has proven profitable.
Overall, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin provides a good starting point for novice fans, but also a nice chance to reminisce for established members of the Gundam fandom. The quality of the release, accessibility of the story, and the fact that no prior knowledge of Gundam is necessary makes it something I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in one of the biggest anime franchises in the world.
As someone who does not have a lot of experience with space operas, particularly not in manga form, there is little I can say about how this manga compares to others (or the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime series). However, without worrying about comparison, Yasuhiko’s manga is a pleasant surprise. Starting off, the art is quite lovely. While its publication began in 2002, the art reflects both modern technicalities with a classic vintage feel. This allows the reader to feel like they’re reading something from an earlier time, but doesn’t have some of the jarring elements of 70s manga that could turn off newer fans. As lovely as the art is, as someone who doesn’t read much action manga, I sometimes had trouble figuring out what was happening. I tend to focus more on dialogue, and there weren’t always enough clues for me to realize I was looking at Zeon versus Federation ships/mobile suits/characters. This is probably more of a fault of my reading style than the art, but it is worth noting.
The storyline is a fairly tried and true standard: two sides facing off in a war and civilians being drawn into it. The civilians, including Amuro, give the series a bit more of a personal touch that it needs in order to counteract the mecha elements. Through the first volume, the plot stays pretty simplistic, perhaps even a little bit to be desired. However, it serves as a good introduction to the world, so I cannot hold the simplicity against it too much for now.
Where the series really excels is in the characters. Amuro is the prototypical teen boy thrown into a mecha to save his side in the war, but he’s a bit more than the archetype that he spawned. His personality is fickle, and his decisions aren’t always expected. Other characters are introduced and given moments of intrigue (I’m particularly curious about Sayla), but the reader is only given enough of a taste to want more. That is, except for one character. All of the Gundam fangirls of the world will chime in with me here: Char Aznable is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve come across in a long time. I can’t decide if it’s his enigmatic smirk, the strange mask, the good looks, the skill set, his way of talking…whatever it is, I understand why women (and men) have been fascinated by the Red Comet of the Zeon military. If there’s one thing that will keep me reading this series, it will be to see more of Char.
Another key element of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is the quality of the release. Vertical, Inc. has published the English translation in a beautiful hardcover book with numerous color plates. The paper is high-quality and glossy, and it really makes for a classy final product. The essays included at the end of the volume provide a great view on the importance of the Gundam franchise, particularly for novices like myself. The translation work for the entire volume is suitable—it didn’t stand out as an amazing work of translation, but it also wasn’t too frequently clunky or unnatural sounding. Vertical really seems to have gone all-in on this release, and I hope it has proven profitable.
Overall, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin provides a good starting point for novice fans, but also a nice chance to reminisce for established members of the Gundam fandom. The quality of the release, accessibility of the story, and the fact that no prior knowledge of Gundam is necessary makes it something I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in one of the biggest anime franchises in the world.
March 1, 2022
This is going to be a quick one. I liked the designs of the characters and especially the Gundam. The art was good but was also a chaotic mess at times. The story wasn't the easiest to keep track of. I expect the intended audience was people who were already Gundam fans instead of someone dipping their toe in the pool for the first time. I liked it but I wanted to like it more than I did.
December 21, 2024
Commenting on the horrors of war while also offering us mechanised suits and space battles, this part very much serves as a start to more complex storytelling
Perhaps the only thing that can change this world of ours is the untried energy of youth
Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN, Volume 1: Activation scratched my nostalgia vibes since I grew up watching Gundam Wing. The story itself is not super original, as a reinterpretation of the original anime, with quirky characters like Sayla a.k.a. Artesia, and Amuro Ray, 15 year old son of a scientist and a hacker and the fundamental Gundam pilot.
Then we have generic girl Fraw Bow, who is a bit of a generic youth love interest, uptight Bright Noa (Didn’t we just agree that people shouldn’t moan so much, sir?) and aristocratic Mirai Yashima.
Strangely enough Char, the red comet, is probably the most interesting character, even though he seems a psychopath from the mysterious principality of Zeon.
The story in this instalment is a rather tiring chase, but the horrors of war are not glossed over and necessity, more than ideal and heroism, is what drives the Federation characters further: I’m only doing this because I don’t want to die.
Amuro having spider senses is a bit overly convenient, but I would agree that this story has a lot of potential (although I would have loved every panel to be coloured) and depth, even though we learn little about the motivations of the two powers fighting each other.
This is eloquently captured in the essay at the end of this book, and I look forward to reading the other instalments:
Plain death, beyond good and evil, right and wrong, as inevitable phenomena in war, is ubiquitously depicted and sets the tone of the story.
Perhaps the only thing that can change this world of ours is the untried energy of youth
Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN, Volume 1: Activation scratched my nostalgia vibes since I grew up watching Gundam Wing. The story itself is not super original, as a reinterpretation of the original anime, with quirky characters like Sayla a.k.a. Artesia, and Amuro Ray, 15 year old son of a scientist and a hacker and the fundamental Gundam pilot.
Then we have generic girl Fraw Bow, who is a bit of a generic youth love interest, uptight Bright Noa (Didn’t we just agree that people shouldn’t moan so much, sir?) and aristocratic Mirai Yashima.
Strangely enough Char, the red comet, is probably the most interesting character, even though he seems a psychopath from the mysterious principality of Zeon.
The story in this instalment is a rather tiring chase, but the horrors of war are not glossed over and necessity, more than ideal and heroism, is what drives the Federation characters further: I’m only doing this because I don’t want to die.
Amuro having spider senses is a bit overly convenient, but I would agree that this story has a lot of potential (although I would have loved every panel to be coloured) and depth, even though we learn little about the motivations of the two powers fighting each other.
This is eloquently captured in the essay at the end of this book, and I look forward to reading the other instalments:
Plain death, beyond good and evil, right and wrong, as inevitable phenomena in war, is ubiquitously depicted and sets the tone of the story.
November 16, 2019
I really wanted to like this, but as a over-40-year-old that is a newcomer to the Gundam franchise, I feel I am not the target audience for this book. I believe I needed one of two essential traits to enjoy this run: either youth or nostalgia. As this is my first exposure to Gundam Wing, I lack any kind of nostalgia that may have helped me overlook the books flaws. I am also too old to enjoy a book that is clearly written for a much younger audience.
Ultimately, this story requires too much suspension of disbelief for me to enjoy. The fate of humanity turned over to a bunch of 15 year olds? Nope, that would never happen. The adults are present briefly, but quickly step out of the way to make room for a plot entirely centered on a group of teenagers saving the human race, which is basically the plot of every 80's cartoon made for kids. I couldn't buy into the premise of a bunch of untrained and inexperienced teenagers given complete control of humanities defenses.
Also, I found the black and white art to be too muddled for effective storytelling. Without color, the art is so busy you can't comprehend what is happening in most panels. The few sporadic pages with color fix this issue, but they are few and far between. This is an instance when the art REALLY needed to be colorized.
I did like the build quality of the small hardcovers, although the binding was a bit tight and appears to be glued rather than sewn.
In any case, if you are a newbie to the Gundam franchise, and are over the ago of around 20 or so, I imagine you'll have issues similar to my own. Not bad, but not really good either. I read through the second hardcover volume and gave up out of disinterest.
Ultimately, this is a series aimed at kids that are already into anime & manga, or adults that are here for nostalgia. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else.
Ultimately, this story requires too much suspension of disbelief for me to enjoy. The fate of humanity turned over to a bunch of 15 year olds? Nope, that would never happen. The adults are present briefly, but quickly step out of the way to make room for a plot entirely centered on a group of teenagers saving the human race, which is basically the plot of every 80's cartoon made for kids. I couldn't buy into the premise of a bunch of untrained and inexperienced teenagers given complete control of humanities defenses.
Also, I found the black and white art to be too muddled for effective storytelling. Without color, the art is so busy you can't comprehend what is happening in most panels. The few sporadic pages with color fix this issue, but they are few and far between. This is an instance when the art REALLY needed to be colorized.
I did like the build quality of the small hardcovers, although the binding was a bit tight and appears to be glued rather than sewn.
In any case, if you are a newbie to the Gundam franchise, and are over the ago of around 20 or so, I imagine you'll have issues similar to my own. Not bad, but not really good either. I read through the second hardcover volume and gave up out of disinterest.
Ultimately, this is a series aimed at kids that are already into anime & manga, or adults that are here for nostalgia. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else.
February 27, 2021
Growing up in the 90's Gundam was mostly "Gundam Wing" and then later "G Gundam" and then much later Seed Gundam and so on. I never got into Gundam the original series because by then it was very outdated and it was a lot darker/political than I was looking for. Especially coming from the over the top ridiculous G Gundam. But now that they released these Manga which are a retelling of the original series I had to give it a go. I AM SO GLAD I DID.
This series takes no time getting to the exciting and fucked up world of Gundam. You're introduced to Amuro, a 15 year old teenager just living his normal peaceful life but soon as the Zeon scum (Basically the empire if thinking star wars) comes down and attacks he is forced to man up and get inside "The Gundam" which at that time there is only one. Will he survive?
And that's what works so well. The fact it feels like a race against time with so much happening so quick without feeling like we're skipping things. War is messy and screwed up and the fight between the Federation is dirty and exciting. Amuro fight against Zeon, especially Char (One of the major figures in the Zeon army) is exciting and fun. Mostly due to how charming and strong Char is.
The fights are great. The scenery is wonderful. This is all due to the AMAZING art. This is some of the BEST I've ever seen in manga or comics. Easy to follow, brutal, and the scale is SO good. I can't get over how good this looks. Helps the style they release these in are hardcover and so wonderful to hold.
So yeah I can gush about this series for a long time but this left me with a very strong first impression. Will be picking up more.
This series takes no time getting to the exciting and fucked up world of Gundam. You're introduced to Amuro, a 15 year old teenager just living his normal peaceful life but soon as the Zeon scum (Basically the empire if thinking star wars) comes down and attacks he is forced to man up and get inside "The Gundam" which at that time there is only one. Will he survive?
And that's what works so well. The fact it feels like a race against time with so much happening so quick without feeling like we're skipping things. War is messy and screwed up and the fight between the Federation is dirty and exciting. Amuro fight against Zeon, especially Char (One of the major figures in the Zeon army) is exciting and fun. Mostly due to how charming and strong Char is.
The fights are great. The scenery is wonderful. This is all due to the AMAZING art. This is some of the BEST I've ever seen in manga or comics. Easy to follow, brutal, and the scale is SO good. I can't get over how good this looks. Helps the style they release these in are hardcover and so wonderful to hold.
So yeah I can gush about this series for a long time but this left me with a very strong first impression. Will be picking up more.
January 1, 2020
Didn’t expect to polish this off in one afternoon but I was hooked in. I’m a newbie to Manga and was steered towards this series after watching iron blooded orphans. And yeah... I’m off to get the second book tomorrow!
Loved it more than I thought I would
Loved it more than I thought I would
January 30, 2022
Dull plot, uninteresting characters, weak lettering, poor translation. The art is serviceable for the most part and the Gundam fights are alright but overall this was quite the slog.
January 6, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed this as my first Manga. The art was awesome
December 26, 2019
There is nothing special about this manga. It’s got a boring and predictable plot (the get attacked, attacked, attacked and the set up for the next book? That’s right, another boring attack!). The plot is incredibly bare bones and just serves to get the main character into another stale fight. The blows lack all impact and the fight has no stakes when the Gundam predictably blows everything apart. The action is actually worse than a transformers film, if such a thing is even possible. The main character is annoyingly whiney for no reason and treats the main female lead (fraw) like trash for no actual reason. She gets shoved around so much it’s comical. If I cared about the book I’d talk about the bizarre gender aspects of it, but the book doesn’t deserve it. Nice art though.
June 3, 2024
Finally got around to reading this. It’s been on my shelf for ages, and several friends who are Gundam enthusiasts had shared enough of the series with me that I decided it was time to finally take the plunge. The first of its kind, a classic tale of war, heroism and a few scrappy civilians ready to take on the dreaded Red Comet and his forces. An oldie, but a goodie.
September 4, 2024
I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did. There are so many cool moments, but also a fair share of chaotic mess.
August 22, 2023
An incredibly vivid read. The illustrations were intense, dramatic, and immaculate. To add onto that, the story was captivating, a space drama/opera with giant robot mechs. I’ve always been a fan of Gundam suits, never did I know think the story would make me that much more obsessed! Must read for anyone who likes sci-fi graphic novels or manga with a focus on illustration and story.
March 31, 2013
After the original Gundam 0079 went off the air, Yoshiyuki Tomino wrote a series of novels to showcase how he would've written the series if not for studio interference. Now, more than a quarter century later the other half of the Gundam creative team, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, is finally giving us his version of the story with a manga reimagining of the One Year War.
The two authors approach the material in very different ways. Tomino did away with elements of the story dictated by the series being marketed towards children, so for example in the novels Amura, Kai and Hayato are already members of the military fully trained in the operation of Mobile Suits rather than civvies who take up the machines because the military's short handed and turn out to be miraculously skillful. Tomino also streamlined the story, cutting out a lot of material that was full of cool action but didn't add to the overall plot -- there are two full story arcs after the escape from Side7 that are reduced to about two scenes in the novel.
Yasuhiko's approach, by contrast, hews more close to the original, though he adds material to explain the iffier plot points of the original -- Amuro is now a hacker who's been breaking into his dad's computer to read the Gundam specs, which explains some of his ability to operate the machine, though it's still far weaker than Tomino's version. But these changes mostly focus on technical aspects, making the logistics of the war clearer without affecting the overall plot very much.
There is one element where Yasuhiko and Tomino are in agreement -- both retellings are much darker than the original Gundam. Tomino's novel is particularly famous for killing off characters who survived in the anime, but while Yasuhiko doesn't go that far, he puts in plenty of gritty moments, such as Sayla ditching a couple lowlifes on Side7 where they're sure to die.
Altogether, I think Tomino's novels are the definitive version of the One Year War, however The Origin is still a fine reworking of the original material and well worth reading, especially in Vertical's beautiful hardcover edition.
The two authors approach the material in very different ways. Tomino did away with elements of the story dictated by the series being marketed towards children, so for example in the novels Amura, Kai and Hayato are already members of the military fully trained in the operation of Mobile Suits rather than civvies who take up the machines because the military's short handed and turn out to be miraculously skillful. Tomino also streamlined the story, cutting out a lot of material that was full of cool action but didn't add to the overall plot -- there are two full story arcs after the escape from Side7 that are reduced to about two scenes in the novel.
Yasuhiko's approach, by contrast, hews more close to the original, though he adds material to explain the iffier plot points of the original -- Amuro is now a hacker who's been breaking into his dad's computer to read the Gundam specs, which explains some of his ability to operate the machine, though it's still far weaker than Tomino's version. But these changes mostly focus on technical aspects, making the logistics of the war clearer without affecting the overall plot very much.
There is one element where Yasuhiko and Tomino are in agreement -- both retellings are much darker than the original Gundam. Tomino's novel is particularly famous for killing off characters who survived in the anime, but while Yasuhiko doesn't go that far, he puts in plenty of gritty moments, such as Sayla ditching a couple lowlifes on Side7 where they're sure to die.
Altogether, I think Tomino's novels are the definitive version of the One Year War, however The Origin is still a fine reworking of the original material and well worth reading, especially in Vertical's beautiful hardcover edition.
July 5, 2016
I picked this up because I'm a huge fan of the original Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 and this book looked like an excellent way to revisit the series.
I wasn't wrong about that. The story still has everything I loved about 0079 to begin with, except Yoshikazu Yasuhiko changed a few things that really add a whole new element to the story that I really liked. We get a bit more information to flesh out some of the story line while he also tweaked some of the character interactions to give them a bit more depth.
The art is also absolutely gorgeous, particularly the color pages that are encountered throughout. While it already looks fantastic in black and white, the colors chosen are perfect and are really a pleasure to look at.
The book itself is also lovely. The binding is nice and solid and the cover design is fantastic, displaying some of the wonderful color art from inside. They also added a few short essays at the end from some of the people involved about the evolution of the series and how the changes made were received that were a nice touch.
Overall, I loved it and will be buying the others as they come out for sure.
I wasn't wrong about that. The story still has everything I loved about 0079 to begin with, except Yoshikazu Yasuhiko changed a few things that really add a whole new element to the story that I really liked. We get a bit more information to flesh out some of the story line while he also tweaked some of the character interactions to give them a bit more depth.
The art is also absolutely gorgeous, particularly the color pages that are encountered throughout. While it already looks fantastic in black and white, the colors chosen are perfect and are really a pleasure to look at.
The book itself is also lovely. The binding is nice and solid and the cover design is fantastic, displaying some of the wonderful color art from inside. They also added a few short essays at the end from some of the people involved about the evolution of the series and how the changes made were received that were a nice touch.
Overall, I loved it and will be buying the others as they come out for sure.
April 16, 2021
After 42 years, countless sequels and spinoffs, and an endless amount of plastic model kits, it is fair to ask: What could a manga adaptation possibly provide of value?
The answer? The true potential of the brilliant story Tomino created in 1979. Gone is corporate interference, toy marketing, tv restrictions, etc. Here is Gundam in it's purest form: A powerful science fiction tale that has the guts to show the horror of war, and the magnitude of the impact on those involved.
This is great for both existing Gundam fans who will find a very similar, but not exact story to the one they know, as well as new fans who are curious as to what the franchise has to offer.
The answer? The true potential of the brilliant story Tomino created in 1979. Gone is corporate interference, toy marketing, tv restrictions, etc. Here is Gundam in it's purest form: A powerful science fiction tale that has the guts to show the horror of war, and the magnitude of the impact on those involved.
This is great for both existing Gundam fans who will find a very similar, but not exact story to the one they know, as well as new fans who are curious as to what the franchise has to offer.
September 23, 2025
El autor me encanta desde hace muchísimos años y Gundam es una serie mítica por la que tenía curiosidad.
El tomo tiene muchas páginas a color (que son una maravilla) y la historia está llena de acción desde las primeras páginas.
El tomo tiene muchas páginas a color (que son una maravilla) y la historia está llena de acción desde las primeras páginas.
June 20, 2024
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Volume1: Activation:
I was recently surprised to find that Gundam is one of the largest media franchises in the world. It is up there with Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Marvel and also been around since 1979! That being said, I knew almost nothing about it. I knew that it is something like a combination of Star Wars and Transformers (I mean, just look at the cover of this book). I remembered as a kid there was something called Gundam Wing on TV. All in all, I knew very little about the series.
Over the past few weeks, I've discovered that it is indeed massive and totally worthy of its place as one of the largest media franchises in history. Gundam has a multitude of tv shows, movies, action figures, and a manga. Let me state quite frankly, I'm not one who reads manga. I read the first Dragonball book a while back and that would be the extent of my manga reading. It is just not something I'm not normally into.
Yet, I was intrigued by Gundam and wanted to try it out. I am forever trying to expand my interests and learn new things, especially by reading. When I discovered that there was an entire series of books (twelve total...sheesh) I bought the first one and read it in a day. I was not too disappointed.
Gundam is a space opera and pretty typical as far as stories go in the realm of science fiction. It's good vs. evil, machines and spaceships, lots of destruction, and the setting is in the distant future of Earth. The hero is a teenage boy who gets thrusted into the role as operator of the Gundam (the thing on the cover) to fight the baddies. Boom. Then the story sort of ends on a cliff hangar.
I liked this, even if the story was rather Mickey Mouse. The artwork was impressive when colored, but felt extraordinarily muddled and confusing when in black and white. The dialogue and story were simple, but in a functional way. The characters were archetypal but not badly written or uninteresting.
I don't know when I will read the other eleven, but I am interested in this story enough to say that one I day I probably will get through them all. If this is your thing, give it a try.
I was recently surprised to find that Gundam is one of the largest media franchises in the world. It is up there with Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Marvel and also been around since 1979! That being said, I knew almost nothing about it. I knew that it is something like a combination of Star Wars and Transformers (I mean, just look at the cover of this book). I remembered as a kid there was something called Gundam Wing on TV. All in all, I knew very little about the series.
Over the past few weeks, I've discovered that it is indeed massive and totally worthy of its place as one of the largest media franchises in history. Gundam has a multitude of tv shows, movies, action figures, and a manga. Let me state quite frankly, I'm not one who reads manga. I read the first Dragonball book a while back and that would be the extent of my manga reading. It is just not something I'm not normally into.
Yet, I was intrigued by Gundam and wanted to try it out. I am forever trying to expand my interests and learn new things, especially by reading. When I discovered that there was an entire series of books (twelve total...sheesh) I bought the first one and read it in a day. I was not too disappointed.
Gundam is a space opera and pretty typical as far as stories go in the realm of science fiction. It's good vs. evil, machines and spaceships, lots of destruction, and the setting is in the distant future of Earth. The hero is a teenage boy who gets thrusted into the role as operator of the Gundam (the thing on the cover) to fight the baddies. Boom. Then the story sort of ends on a cliff hangar.
I liked this, even if the story was rather Mickey Mouse. The artwork was impressive when colored, but felt extraordinarily muddled and confusing when in black and white. The dialogue and story were simple, but in a functional way. The characters were archetypal but not badly written or uninteresting.
I don't know when I will read the other eleven, but I am interested in this story enough to say that one I day I probably will get through them all. If this is your thing, give it a try.
May 21, 2017
In 1979, the first episode of "Mobile Suit Gundam" aired in Japan, launching an incredible lore for mechanical science fiction animation. This manga is an enhanced revisit to the original anime and paired manga, carefully drawn and written by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko; an individual who was involved in those beginning years.
In the Universal Year 0079, space colony Side 3 decided to separate itself from the Earth Federation and declared war, the One Year War. Amuro Ray, a geek and civilian of Side 7, suddenly finds himself piloting the secret new mobile suit Gundam RX-78-2, despite his inexperience, after Side 7 gets attacked by the Principality of Zeon (formerly Side 3). He then gains a rivalry against Zeon's Lieutenant Commander Char, who leads the attack through his ship, the Musai, although his personal objectives are unclear. Amuro's neighbor and friend Fraw Bow also finds herself helping with saving the civilians and refugees through the help of Sayla, who mysteriously seemed to have a past connection to Char. This launches the ultimate showdown between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, but also between Amuro and Char.
While confusing to a first timer, it really is a fascinating story about the beginnings of what made mecha anime and Gundam so great. All the characters are personalized, likable, and have great emotional depth. The creation of the mechanics is fascinating, it is clear that the passion for the lore has never burned out nearly 40 years later.
In the Universal Year 0079, space colony Side 3 decided to separate itself from the Earth Federation and declared war, the One Year War. Amuro Ray, a geek and civilian of Side 7, suddenly finds himself piloting the secret new mobile suit Gundam RX-78-2, despite his inexperience, after Side 7 gets attacked by the Principality of Zeon (formerly Side 3). He then gains a rivalry against Zeon's Lieutenant Commander Char, who leads the attack through his ship, the Musai, although his personal objectives are unclear. Amuro's neighbor and friend Fraw Bow also finds herself helping with saving the civilians and refugees through the help of Sayla, who mysteriously seemed to have a past connection to Char. This launches the ultimate showdown between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, but also between Amuro and Char.
While confusing to a first timer, it really is a fascinating story about the beginnings of what made mecha anime and Gundam so great. All the characters are personalized, likable, and have great emotional depth. The creation of the mechanics is fascinating, it is clear that the passion for the lore has never burned out nearly 40 years later.
January 19, 2023
The origin story to probably one of the most popular things within any sort of culture in the last 40 years is really awesome to read. This volume is super nice quality from the cover to the line work in every page. Some sections of chapters featured a few color pages which I found to be extremely refreshing and fun from the usual black and white. Getting to meet all the characters and slowly learn about the world around them and why they are doing what they are doing is pretty awesome. This is definitely another Gundam story however it’s the first Gundam story so it’s extra special. Throughout there’s this 90s vibe to the whole book like you’re watching an old anime and it’s honestly really nice and makes reading through that much more exciting.
November 29, 2024
I have been fascinated by the visual style of Gundam since first seeing Gundam Wing in TV as a child. Sadly, I never was able to catch many episodes but have held that affection towards mobile suits ever since which lead me to finally pick this volume up and give it a go!
First off I really dig the style, shocker, and the color pages are truly beautiful but… sometimes it’s a bit messy and hard to follow. I feel like everyone says this is a good place to start but I found myself confused a good bit. Also, I’m not sure if it’s translation or my newness to the series but I found the plot a bit confusing at times.
All that said, I still am interested and will not be giving up. I am determined to understand this franchise damnit! The fact I want to build a model RX78-02 as well plays a big role I think
First off I really dig the style, shocker, and the color pages are truly beautiful but… sometimes it’s a bit messy and hard to follow. I feel like everyone says this is a good place to start but I found myself confused a good bit. Also, I’m not sure if it’s translation or my newness to the series but I found the plot a bit confusing at times.
All that said, I still am interested and will not be giving up. I am determined to understand this franchise damnit! The fact I want to build a model RX78-02 as well plays a big role I think
February 28, 2021
This manga is a spectacular retelling of 0079. The color pages are used with purpose and are absolutely gorgeous, and the writing is on point if clunky at times due to translation. Ultimately this manga does a perfect job of translating the epic space opera of the original anime to the page in a way that previously only existed in my rose tinted memories.
November 29, 2020
I thought this was more of a prequel to the series, like the Origin mini animated series. Instead, its a much better adaptation to the original show that I would really recommend for beginners. The show is dated, drags and get pretty dull.
October 7, 2022
Recommendation: A fairly good manga adaptation that diverges from the original anime series about a bunch of refugees trying to survive in the midst of a war between Earth and its orbital colonies.
October 4, 2025
This was really neat to read and the art is delightful. The full color pages are fantastic and just super rad. I had a hard time following and enjoying the story though. I loved Wing growing up, but this might not be my cuppa.
April 23, 2024
The classic tale begin for Amuro! I’ve forgotten how action-driven anime reads in manga form. It takes a bit and the translation feels stilted, but it’s a good read.
June 4, 2024
Vol 1 of the epic retelling of the 1979 classic anime
June 4, 2024
Some of the English translations were a bit awkward, to the point where I second guessed myself that I was reading the book properly a few times. Other than that, this is an absolute classic.
July 26, 2024
I loved it! It was practically cover to cover action without sacrificing any of the key story beats. It captured everything that made me fall in love with Gundam as a series and a story!
January 30, 2026
this series has been very influential in games, books, etc. pretty good too how about that
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