‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ films now available on Netflix
Prepare to feel nostalgia as fans can now rewatch Japanese animation studio Sunrise’s most popular mech franchise.
The series premiered in Japan on the Nagoya Broadcasting Network and its affiliated ANN stations on April 7, 1979, and spanned 40 episodes.
In 1981, the series was re-edited and split into three movies which are the original Mobile Suit Gundam I film, Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow, and Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space.
The three movies from the first Mobile Suit Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam I, Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow and Mobile Suit Gundman III: Encounters in Space, as well as Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack will arrive on Netflix in over 190 countries on 6/18! pic.twitter.com/KUdSL9kQWZ
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Mobile Suit Gundam takes place during the fictional Universal Century year 0079 when the Principality of Zeon declared independence from the Earth Federation, a global government that was formed by wealthy nations.
As part of their declaration of independence, the Principality of Zeon declared war against the Earth Federation called the One Year War.
The series follows the story of Amuro Ray during his journey as a civilian recruit of the White Base while he pilots the RX-78 Gundam during the war.
Also available is the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack film, the culmination of the original saga plot and is considered as the final conflict of the fourteen-year rivalry between the characters Amuro Ray and Char Aznable.
Char Azanable is one of the main antagonists in Mobile Suit Gundam working for the Principality of Zeon and shortly became an ally before the Char’s Counterattack plot.
The 4 movies are not the only Gundam media available on Netflix as Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Iron-Blooded Orphans: Mobile Suit Gundam, and Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway are also watchable.
Despite low ratings that caused the series' initial cancellation, the popularity of Gundam saw a boost from the introduction of Bandai's Gunpla models in 1980, reruns of the anime, and the theatrical release of the compilation movies, eventually leading to the creation of a prolific and lucrative media and toy franchise.
(Images from Sunrise/Netflix)