Mobile Suit Gundam Watching Guide by ANN.

[Zeino]

Just want to share with you all this article that ANN put out today that tells people what are and aren't worth watching: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature ... ing/.94461

Should Watch: MSG, MS 08th Team, 0080, Zeta, Unicorn, Turn-A, Build Fighters and Build Fighters Try.

Maybe: 0083, CCA, G, X, SEED.

Shouldn't Watch: ZZ, F91, Victory, Wing+Endless Waltz, Seed Destiny, 00, Age, G-Reco.

[Destiny_Gundam]

I did a series by series break down here.

I suppose the thing I'd disagree with most is skipping 00. It's one of the best Gundam has to offer, and that goes for both seasons and the movie.

If I were to try and get some one into Gundam, the starter series I'd probably suggest are X, 00, and IBO.

[Kuruni]

I call it BS just for not including SD Gundam OVA.

[Deacon Blues]

What it is: Focuses on the frontier colonies as they rise up against invaders from Jupiter.

I can't even... seriously? Did this author even watch Gundam F91?

[AmuroNT1]

The main problem with a list like this is, what one considers "required viewing" for Gundam is entirely subjective. Like, she says "maybe" to G Gundam because people might consider it offensive, but my attitude is that unless you're the type of person who takes that sort of thing way too seriously, you should definitely give it a watch.

[Hyakushiki]

ANN? Into the trash it goes. Personally, I'd ignore that list altogether and just watch this guy's videos, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCht6ZW ... LCXmZK9Rpg he knows what's up.

[Dark Duel]

Should Watch: MSG, MS 08th Team, 0080, Zeta, Unicorn, Turn-A, Build Fighters and Build Fighters Try.

Maybe: 0083, CCA, G, X, SEED.

Shouldn't Watch: ZZ, F91, Victory, Wing+Endless Waltz, Seed Destiny, 00, Age, G-Reco.

As has already been mentioned, this kind of list is entirely subjective.
That said, I strongly disagree with the above on several points. Anyway, this is my opinion:

MUST-SEE: MSG; Z; UC; 0080; X; 08th MST
RECOMMENDED: Turn-A; 00; Seed: GBF & Try; CCA; F91; Wing+EW
MAYBE: G; 0083
DEFINITELY NOT: AGE, Seed Destiny+Stargazer;

I am excluding V, ZZ and G-Reco because I have not seen them, and Iron-Blooded Orphans because it is still incomplete.

[ShadowCell]

Victory takes some masochism to watch. it seems like it was written out of spite. anytime someone seems to start feeling good or getting some hope for the future, Tomino lunges from the shadows and eviscerates them. and Uso and his friends are generally pretty inoffensive and likable, especially compared to the Evil For Evil's Sake Zanscares, so watching them be constantly beset by tragedy and suffering gets pretty exhausting.

[AmuroNT1]

I wouldn't say Victory was written out of spite, but Tomino was definitely not in his happy place when he wrote it.

The main problem with the list is, what really qualifies as "essential" viewing? I mean, of course you'll have the old UC die-hards who say you shouldn't watch any AUs at all, you'll have the fans of grimdark who dismiss anything with a sense of humor, and so forth. It's just as subjective as asking "Which Gundam series is the best overall?"

Rather than having one person do an absolute "Yes/No/Maybe" list, it probably would have been better to have a roundtable where people with differing opinions can discuss the shows, go over their strong and weak points, and leave it open to the reader to decide what to watch.

[battletech]

A prime example of why I try to stay away from ANN.

Thank you Deacon Blues for pointing out in the comments the main reason to dismiss the whole article. If the writer doesn't even know what F91 was about how can they recommend what Gundam series to watch? What other facts about the series mentioned in the article does the writer not know?

[zetatype]

Rather than having one person do an absolute "Yes/No/Maybe" list, it probably would have been better to have a roundtable where people with differing opinions can discuss the shows, go over their strong and weak points, and leave it open to the reader to decide what to watch.

True but that kind of depends on whether or not they had enough writers that have seen the majority of the Gundam franchise. Mike Toole is really the only other writer on the ANN staff that gives me the impression of having seen most of the Gundam franchise.

Anyway, not much to say about the article just a writer giving their opinion about the multiple entries in the franchise. Though they really should correct that error in F91's description.

[Kuruni]

I think if I have to pick what's really "essential viewing", it would be MSG. Not in sense that it "is the best", but watch it will help you understand various gag and referrence used in later series. Kind of like how reading myth will help you enjoy many works derived from it more.

[AmuroNT1]

Come to that, yeah, the original series is probably the only "required reading" as such because the franchise still does homages and borrows plot points from it going on 40 years later.

[Outlaw]

Yeah, this is just an editorial disguised as a helpful guide. As stated watching original Gundam is very useful but in my mind, MSG -> Zeta -> ZZ -> CCA -> Unicorn, is as close to a necessary sequence as you can get in Gundam. Unicorn especially is rife with references and call backs.

00 -> AotT is also in there but that's a bit more obvious.

[Hyakushiki]

A prime example of why I try to stay away from ANN.

Thank you Deacon Blues for pointing out in the comments the main reason to dismiss the whole article. If the writer doesn't even know what F91 was about how can they recommend what Gundam series to watch? What other facts about the series mentioned in the article does the writer not know?

The entry on G Savior claimed that it wasn't released in the west when it did indeed have a DVD release in the US, you would think that someone claiming to be a Gundam fan since the Gundam Wing days on Toonami would have known that. Or that they claim that the Gundam Astray OVAs cannot be seen in the US legally when they are on Gundam.info's YouTube page.

The whole thing smells of a poser trying to fake their cred with those that don't know any better.

[Chris]

The entry on G Savior claimed that it wasn't released in the west when it did indeed have a DVD release in the US, you would think that someone claiming to be a Gundam fan since the Gundam Wing days on Toonami would have known that. Or that they claim that the Gundam Astray OVAs cannot be seen in the US legally when they are on Gundam.info's YouTube page.

The whole thing smells of a poser trying to fake their cred with those that don't know any better.

Jesus you people are vindictively nitpicky and the worst example of elitist gatekeeper fans. If you're going to criticize someone on their facts, at least get that right.

This isn't available in the West anyway (even though it was filmed in Canada) and that's for the best.

This statement is completely true, as G-Saviour has been out of print for many years and thus is not available. Try not to be such jerks proclaiming that someone isn't enough of a fan because of some minor errors. What makes you all think you're so special and such great "fans" of Gundam?

[Hyakushiki]

Being an elitist gatekeeper was never my intention, so I will apologize for giving that impression I have no more love for that type of fan than you do. I was speaking out of emotion rather than reason otherwise I would have been more diplomatic, that's what I get for posting first thing on the morning. Upon reflection, my real issue is the impression the article gives that you should be watching these shows and not those rather than to suggest where do I start? I think anyone who has an interest in the franchise they'll what they choose to and make their own minds as to what they like or not. I just think it best not to bias someone before they decide. I also think there was some misinformation in there unintended as it may be so it is easy to fall into the trap and nit pick the details, that is something you have to admit we are all guilty of at one time or another.

Since I have said my peace on this issue I'll simply leave it at that.

[battletech]

Whoa! Whoa! I was just pointing out that facts in the article were wrong. I'm sorry. I can't take someone seriously on an opinion piece if they don't even know what their giving there opinion on. I'm no gatekeeper. I'm a gate blower upper. Gundam is awesome. All of it is worth watching in my opinion. If anyone doesn't like a series that's fine with me. I say welcome to the Gundam family even if you only like one series.

[Chris]

Whoa! Whoa! I was just pointing out that facts in the article were wrong. I'm sorry. I can't take someone seriously on an opinion piece if they don't even know what their giving there opinion on. I'm no gatekeeper. I'm a gate blower upper. Gundam is awesome. All of it is worth watching in my opinion. If anyone doesn't like a series that's fine with me. I say welcome to the Gundam family even if you only like one series.

The error about F91 is completely inconsequential in the larger scheme of the article, but people in multiple forums are rushing to use that as a basis to discredit the whole thing. If a relatively minor error is reason enough for you to not take someone's opinion seriously, you must not be able to take much seriously.

[ShadowCell]

i think she was conflating F91 with Crossbone Gundam--which i suppose isn't that much of a stretch, because they share some cast and one version of F91 has the Crossbone Vanguard making an alliance with the Jupiter Energy Fleet, so i can see how you might come out of F91 thinking the Crossbones came from Jupiter. either way i agree that F91 is totally skippable, especially since it is currently disconnected from any other animated story in the Universal Century.

but this sort of article is ripe for people to discount the entire thing and the person who wrote it because they don't agree with one thing or another in it.

anyway meh. i agree that Mobile Suit Gundam is required viewing if you're to get the most out of the rest of the Gundam franchise, and to that i would add Zeta. together they supply most of the tropes that the rest of the franchise relies on.