Question about GundamSEED

[Xanadu]

Is Gundam SEED like Gundam 00 completly on its own thang/a sorta stand alone story with just the same characters like Ghost in the shell or do I have to like watch the other 9 or so seasons that came before it to understand a thing?

[Folken Fanel]

No, you can watch Seed and Destiny without watching anything else. Most of the Gundam shows are disconnected. You really only have to watch the old Universal Century shows in any specific order, and even then you can probably get through one series without seeing any of the others. The only series you absolutely have to watch back to back are the original Gundam and Zeta Gundam, and that's because Zeta is basically Gundam's second season.

[Areku]

Is Gundam SEED like Gundam 00 completly on its own thang/a sorta stand alone story with just the same characters like Ghost in the shell or do I have to like watch the other 9 or so seasons that came before it to understand a thing?

No. Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED DESTINY and Stargazer are all in the same universe (Cosmic Era, CE), with Seed coming before Destiny, and Stargazer takes place in the early parts of Destiny. You do not have to watch anything else to understand what's going on. In fact, from what I can gather, having not seen MSG and Zeta first will make them more enjoyable because they will seem fresher. I enjoyed Seed, Destiny... not nearly as much. I've yet to see Stargazer.

[Xanadu]

Ok thanks because I watched an intro for seed and thought it looked interesting but I haven't seen any Gundam series other then 00
Thanks ^^

[mcred23]

The only series you absolutely have to watch back to back are the original Gundam and Zeta Gundam, and that's because Zeta is basically Gundam's second season.

Me thinks you ment Zeta and ZZ, because ZZ picks up just a few days after the end of Zeta (Unlike Zeta, which is obviously set years after MSG).

[HalfDemonInuyasha]

Zeta would only seem like MSG's "2nd season" simply because it was the 2nd Gundam series to come out; same type of animation, a lot of the same characters (albeit older), and a lot of MSG familiarity in terms of MS. (At least until mid-series and on, when newer, less "connected" MS/MA make appearances.)

[Fritz Ashlyn]

In fact, from what I can gather, having not seen MSG and Zeta first will make them more enjoyable because they will seem fresher.

In my experience that is incredibly true. To clarify, I meant that having seen MSG and Zeta multiple times beforehand made SEED strike me as a retread more often than I would have liked.

And SEED was a lot better compared with Destiny in my opinion.

[HalfDemonInuyasha]

Yeah, same case for me. Seeing Universal Century Gundam series(') will usually cause one to have a more negative view on most of the newer alternate universe stuff (00 is spared at the moment) given the focus for the series' also is given to characters and other development and not just MS blowing eachother up in fantastic, overpowered ways. (And UC is fair with MS battles too.)

In terms of SEED and SEED Destiny, the first of a series is usually better because it is more original. Depending on how the sequel is, it can end up as a better follow-up or just some varied "repeat" of the original with slight differences. Sadly, for a UC-er starter like me, it's the latter and more. Now, I'm not ANTI-CE or anything, but just my personal opinion that SEED Destiny ended up as nothing more than a SEED v1.5 rather than its own series like it started out as. And even then, the beginning just seemed like a "Gundam SEED: ZAFT version".

Ones like Wing, SEED, SEED Destiny, etc are a lot more popular outside of Japan primarily because Wing came out first; thus people were fed the more "super robot" version of Gundam, so SEED and SEED Destiny are just further extensions of it. Trying to put in "calmer" series after that, it's understandable why UC-era stuff doesn't last too long in the US and such. Probably another reason why other UC stuff hasn't come out.

[skyknight]

Ones like Wing, SEED, SEED Destiny, etc are a lot more popular outside of Japan primarily because Wing came out first; thus people were fed the more "super robot" version of Gundam, so SEED and SEED Destiny are just further extensions of it. Trying to put in "calmer" series after that, it's understandable why UC-era stuff doesn't last too long in the US and such. Probably another reason why other UC stuff hasn't come out.

I would agree to that, but might also add about merchandising, SEED+Destiny will have toy supplies ready right after being broadcast in Japan, while UC-era will have wait for a period (original Gundam did have plenty, but not so for Zeta, ZZ series and on...)