SEED G.U.N.D.A.M.S.

[J-Lead]

Honestly, after the RX-78-2, the name Gundam is just that, a name. All in all, a Gundam is still a mobile suit, just that it bears some remote resemblance to another famous mobile suit from years past. It's true that they are usually equipped with new and/or advanced technology. Just look at the Zeta Project; the Zeta Gundam and the Prototypes leading up to it could have simply have gone by the name of "Zeta unit (X)" but most were built with the Gundam type head or something similar (or not, in some cases) and given the name "Zeta Gundam" because of Anaheim's faith in the project and resulting Mobile suit. In my opinion, after the One Year War, the Gundam moniker and appearance is usually just an instrument of the developer's pride and faith in the mobile suit's individual abilities over other opposing mobile suits. (Though they typically have some connection in one way or another to the Federation or an organization that has connections to the Federation.) There are some cases, however, where the Gundam appearance and name is given to a Mobile suit by the corporation responsible for it's development in order to help make a better impression on Military bigwigs or a potential buyer (just look at the Zeta Plus, which has been debated to death over it's "Gundam" status.)