Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Cover for the 2nd Original Remastered Blu-ray Box Set, depicting the titular MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam.
機動戦士Ζガンダム
(Kidō Senshi Zēta Gandamu)
GenreMecha, military science fiction, space opera
Anime television series
Directed byYoshiyuki Tomino
Produced byKenji Uchida
Kuniaki Ohnishi
Toru Moriyama
Written byYoshiyuki Tomino
Music byShigeaki Saegusa
StudioNippon Sunrise
Licensed by
Original networkNagoya TV, TV Asahi, Animax
English network
Original run March 2, 1985 February 22, 1986
Episodes50
Manga
Written byKazuhisa Kondo
Published byKodansha
MagazineComic BonBon
DemographicChildren, Shōnen
Original runMarch 1985February 1986
Volumes3
Anime film series
Zeta Gundam: A New Translation
Directed byYoshiyuki Tomino
Produced byKeiichi Matsumura
Satoshi Kubo
Written byYoshiyuki Tomino
Music byShigeaki Saegusa
Gackt
StudioSunrise
Licensed by
Released May 28, 2005 March 4, 2006
Runtime95 minutes (each)
Films3
Manga
Mobile Suit Z Gundam Define
Written byHiroyuki Kitazume
Published byKadokawa Shoten
MagazineGundam Ace
DemographicShōnen
Original runJune 25, 2011 – present
Volumes19

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (Japanese: 機動戦士Ζガンダム, Hepburn: Kidō Senshi Zēta Gandamu) is a 1985 Japanese television anime series, the second installment in the Gundam franchise, and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs are split among Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita. The series was originally aired on Nagoya Broadcasting Network and its sister ANN stations between 1985 and 1986.

The plot is set in the futuristic "Universal Century" timeline and takes place eight years after the events of the original series. Zeta centers on a new conflict that is formed between two new factions - the Titans, a corrupt task force formed by the Earth Federation, and the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG), a rebel group that seeks to end the Titans. The show is told through the perspective of Kamille Bidan, a teenage member of the AEUG and pilot of the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II, and later the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam. Several main characters from the previous Gundam series return in supporting roles, including Amuro Ray and his rival Char Aznable, the latter of which returns as a pilot for the AEUG under the new identity of Quattro Bajeena.

Often regarded as one of the best shows in the franchise, the series is praised for its dark themes, characters, and its improvements over its predecessor.[1][2][3][4][5] Between 2005 and 2006, the series was reproduced and compiled into a film trilogy, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation. Though still directed by Tomino, it involved many changes in the original storyline. The films were considered to be a success in Japan.[6]

  1. ^ "NHK Reveals Full Results of Ultimate Gundam Poll". Anime News Network. 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-06-28. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "'Zeta Gundam' Blu-Ray Review: Possibly The Greatest 'Gundam' Series Ever Made". Forbes. 31 August 2016. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  3. ^ "The 15 Best Gundam Series According To IMDb". Comic Book Resources. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  4. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Top 10 Best Anime Series of The Pre-90s". WatchMojo YouTube Channel. 22 March 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Top 5 Gundam Series to Watch". Bluefin Brands. 22 March 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  6. ^ Camp, Brian; Davis, Julie (2007). Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-see Japanese Animation Masterpieces. Stone Bridge Press. p. 222. ISBN 9781933330228.