How to Watch Gundam in Order: Movies and TV Shows

Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Gundam is an internationally renowned franchise with 83 animated series and films. Its toy and retail business is huge, with the Gundam franchise generating more than $600 million annually.

The original franchise launched with the 1979 anime series Mobile suit Gundamand is considered the pioneer of the giant robot mecha genre. The series is set in the Universal Century, a future in which humanity has colonized space. A rebellion breaks out between Earth and its colonies, with the conflict being fought by pilots in giant, mechanized suits known as mobile suits.

A live-action adaptation of the series is in the works, with Jim Mickle attached to write and direct. Production will begin in early 2025, but plot details remain under wraps.

The order for watching the Gundam franchise follows the Universal Century timeline.

1. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE ORIGIN (2015-2018)

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The Origin story takes place in the Universal Century, a timeline that plays host to the Mobile Suit Gundam saga. The series covers the rise of the conflict between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, culminating in the start of the One Year War
2. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE ORIGIN – ARRIVAL OF THE RED COMET (2019)

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The tragic story of Char Aznable, the ace pilot known as the Red Comet, and his sister Sayla Mass is set against the backdrop of the events that led to the One Year War. The rise of the Zabi family, the birth of the Principality of Zeon, the early days of famous aces like Ramba Ral and the Black Tri-Stars, the development of the revolutionary new weapon known as the Mobile Suit, and the road to war against the Earth Federation are all shown on screen for the first time
3. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM (1979-80)

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In the war between the Earth Federation and Zeon, a young and inexperienced crew finds themselves on a new spaceship. Their best hope to survive the conflict is the Gundam, a giant humanoid robot, and its gifted teenage pilot
4. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THE MOVIE (1981) – MOVIE

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A teenage boy must fight in an interplanetary war as the only available pilot of a revolutionary new giant battle robot
5. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM II: SOLDIERS OF SORROW (1982) – FILM

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After attacks from Char and Garma, the White Base crew battles Zeon forces across Asia, Europe, and the Atlantic Ocean on their way to Federation headquarters. Crew members like Amuro, Bright, Kai, Sayla, Mirai, Fraw and Hayato overcome fears and losses to survive
6. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM MS IGLOO (2004-2008)

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Jotunheim, a space freighter of the Principality of Zeon, is tasked to test and evaluate various prototype weapons during the One Year War in the year 0079 UC
7. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE 08TH MS TEAM (1996-1999)

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During a year-long war, a young lieutenant leads a mobile pack team against a secret Zeon weapon and encounters the pilot who questions the morality of the war.
8: MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 0080: WAR IN THE BAG (1989)

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In a space colony, a young boy discovers a group of terrorists and innocently decides to help them
9. GUNDAM: REQUIEM FOR VENGEANCE (2024)

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In the year 0079, the Principality of Zeon rebels against the Earth Federation, causing a war. After eleven months, the Federation seizes a Zeon base in Eastern Europe while a mixed battalion tries to reclaim it
10. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THUNDERBOLT (2015-2017)

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During UC 0079’s One Year War, the Earth Federation and Zeon’s Living Dead Division clash fiercely in the Thunderbolt Sector. Top pilot Lo Flemming takes control of the latest Gundam prototype
11: MOBILE SUIT ZETA GUNDAM (1985-86)

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Eight years after the One Year War, the Earth Federation creates an elite force called the Titans to hunt Zeon remnants. When Titans proves to be no better than Zeon, the Anti Earth Union Group (AEUG) is formed to restore peace to space
12: MOBILE SUIT ZETA GUNDAM: A NEW TRANSLATION (2005-2006)

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Ten years after the One Year War, Camille Bidan becomes involved in the conflict against the Titans as a Zeta Gundam pilot.

This can be seen as an alternative to Mobile suit Zeta Gundam
13. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM ZZ (1986)

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After the climactic battle against the Titans, AEUG’s Argama crew (along with a new group of kids) has little time to regroup as a new threat looms on the horizon: Haman’s Neo Zeon
14. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: CHAR’S COUNTERATTACK 1988 – MOVIE

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Amuro Ray and Char Aznable settle their rivalry once and for all during the Second Neo Zeon War
15. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN (2010-2014)

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A conspiracy surrounding Laplace’s Box may spark a new war between the Earth Federation and Neo Zeon. Chosen by fate, Banagher Links is given the key to the box and must follow his heart to decide what to do with it
16. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM STORY (2018) – MOVIE

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The Federation and Neo-Zeon team up to capture a villain suit
17. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM TWILIGHT AXIS

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Set months after the events of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, the story focuses on two former Principality of Zeon Remnants: former weapons developer Arlette Almage and former test pilot Danton Hyleg. Both are hired by the Earth Federation Forces research team to investigate the remains of the Axis asteroid base. But upon their arrival, they encounter a Cyber Newtype, Quentin Fermo, who pilots the mysterious mobile suit, the RX-78AN-01 Gundam AN-01.
18. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: HATHAWAY (2021) – MOVIE

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Hathaway Noa, still haunted by his past actions, joins a terrorist organization called Mufti and adopts the alias “Mufti Nabiyy Erin”. Mufti wages a terrorist campaign against the Earth Federation government
19. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: F91 (1991) MOVIE

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After a generation of peace, the Earth Federation’s new space colonies become a battlefield. To save his friends and family, reluctant warrior Seabook Arno becomes the pilot of a new Gundam codenamed F91.
20. MOBILE SUIT VICTORY GUNDAM (1993-1994)

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Uso Ewin becomes entangled in a battle between the Yellow Jacket and the guerrilla resistance League Militaire. Following his heart, Uso pilots the Resistance’s mobile suit and goes against the Zanscare Empire of space
BONUS: MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE WITCH OF MERCURY (2022-2023)

A compassionate girl enrolls herself in the Asticassia School of Technology in Planet Mercury, run by the Beneritt Group, which makes mobile robot suits.

The series is standalone and not separate from the Gundam timeline.