What are your favorites aspects of the Gundam series?

[pd771]

I'm going to be doing a panel for an anime convention in about six months on Gundam, covering both UC and AU, and it's impact on pop culture in Japan. Obviously I want to make this interesting for the people at the convention, so I was hoping to get some feedback on what people's favorite parts of Gundam are, so I don't simply focus on my own loves.

[kmagryffindor]

For me the big appeal with most of the Gundam series (and I believe U.C. and 00 did this the best.) Is, and laugh if you will, the realism. There is just such an over whelming sense that we as the human race can, someday, actually achieve these great technological feats, from space colonies to mobilesuits and solar towers or cybernetic humans. Gundam to me is the embodiment of humanities potential. The best part though is it isn't sugar coated, are problems today are multiplies by ten in Gundam's portrayal of the future but they have a spine. Example is the energy crisis of Gundam 00, today it's oil, "Do we have enough?", by the 2300's it's solar energy, "who do we let have access to it?" Man still fights among himself and unity is only achieved when a common enemy is found. Also, the world is not black and white and no side is void of corruption and self serving ideology. Gundam feels real because it's relatable and universal and that's what appeals to me.

[TheGundamMKII]

I like the rich universes that Gundam has spawned. The Universal Century is probably my favorite fictional place & time, next to Terry Prachett's Discworld.

[Brave Fencer Kirby]

The biggest draw of Gundam for me is the fact that it's an entirely human story. So much of science fiction is about fighting something inherently "other" -- whether it's aliens, or evil robots, or whatever. Gundam, on the other hand, is a human story about human conflict. Ultimately, it's about people -- people who aren't any different from us today, despite living in futuristic space colonies and occasionally having psychic powers. The fact that they take an exotic backdrop and use it to tell familiar stories is what I appreciate most.

Of course, the Gundam 00 movie screwed that right up, and the new Gundam AGE series supposedly has aliens as well. Oh well.

[kayone73]

Angsty teenage accidental teenage pilots.



No i'm kidding, I just like the concept of mecha as mass produced war machines but with a little more visual flair than something like Votoms or Gasaraki.

[zerogradius]

The biggest draw of Gundam for me is the fact that it's an entirely human story. So much of science fiction is about fighting something inherently "other" -- whether it's aliens, or evil robots, or whatever. Gundam, on the other hand, is a human story about human conflict. Ultimately, it's about people -- people who aren't any different from us today, despite living in futuristic space colonies and occasionally having psychic powers. The fact that they take an exotic backdrop and use it to tell familiar stories is what I appreciate most.

Of course, the Gundam 00 movie screwed that right up, and the new Gundam AGE series supposedly has aliens as well. Oh well.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Except that I think with Gundam AGE I think that they will pull a Nadesico on us with the aliens.

I like the fact that although Gundam has teenage protagonists like a lot of other anime, there are serious consequences for all of the characters, including the main one. It's not like so many anime where only the bad guys face death. Coworkers, friends, family and love interests can also die at the drop of a hat. Being the parent or girlfriend of a Gundam pilot is as lethal as being the pilot of a Leo (except when it comes to Wing, ironically).

[acsam]

In the 08Th MS Team no matter what your enemy is still a Human, Shiro and Aina, fighting for what they think is right at the end they meet and fall in love and are torn by what their side says, but no matter what the human inside them still made them find each other, get married and start a family.

that's why I always tell myself if I ever do join the military, I will never look at a dead enemy solder's wallet, seeing pictures of him/her with there love ones will break me to pieces.