The Ratings Failure That Launched an Empire: The Story of Mobile Suit Gundam 

True story: the Gundam show and original movies were so important to my Japanese wife, our daughter’s middle name is Sayla, as in Sayla Mass, her favorite character.

"War. War is hell. But giant fighting robots are cool!" - Gundam in a nutshell

Me, a diehard Gundam fan: *heavy breathing* “Finally!!!”

I always found it interesting how Gundam and Star Trek shared a similar production history (cancellation, got big in syndication, fans essentially brought the show back to life, leading to many spin offs), all within a decade of each other.

When you already know the Entire History of Gundam but still watched the whole video Because Gundam

Remember when Peter Cullen narrated the first commercial for Gundam Wing on Toonami? "Suit up." That commercial launched me into the gundam fan I am today.

Just mentioning Minovsky Particle effects and how they justify the setting's need for Mobile Suits is really appreciated; when other people try to do a UC Gundam explainer they miss on important details like that. Nice work.

One of the .. maybe lesser known series?.. 08th MS Team had some great moments to show the 'real robot' aspects which I loved. Digging into the gears of the ankles to clear out clogging due to sand. Altering the beam saber power so that it could melt ice rather than cut through metal. Stuff like that made it one of the more interesting flavors for me

Gundam is essentially WW2 in space, with honorable enemies, mass death of civilians and traumatized youth pressed into being soldiers, having to kill or be killed. One of the best scifi narratives ever made. It made sense older teens making ww2 panzer and allied tank models would be into and drive the whole model aspect of the series! Great vid man!

One of the truly great franchises out there. Not every story lands for me, but it’s awesome to see it thriving even today.

I knew Syd Mead was the designer on Turn A Gundam. I had no idea that he was tapped for a western Gundam movie well before that. It kinda makes sense now and seems less arbitrary that Tomino would all the sudden turn the reigns over to him.

"I don't even have time to finish the list of things I don't have time to cover!" One of THE MOST accurate things you've ever said on this channel. LMAO

Bright slap to BBC: “ Watch this video and learn”

Toy Galaxy finally covering Gundam: The question "It. Is. CANON?" will never be the same...

Big robots are so cool. Everyone should have one.

Tomino came to Chicago a while back when the novel was rereleased and I got a my copy signed.

"and still have enough material for the next two years easily" 🥺 please make a third, Gundam-centric channel 🙏

There is a movie poster for "Char's Counterattack" hanging in my bedroom. This episode really warms my heart. "Char's Counterattack" was my entry into Gundam; first saw it in 1990. Back then, a lot of anime stateside was bootleg, often lacked subtitled translations, never mind dubbing in English. The movie got me interested in exploring the rest of the Gundam universe. Decades later, I got "Char's Counterattack" on Blu-ray and other official releases of some other Gundam series and movies. It's been quite a journey to see Gundam be made available in the US through official channels.

Gundam has been my all time favorite franchise since watching the original 0079 Gundam movies on those subtitled vhs with my uncle. Now I'm 30 and have over 100 gunpla and build them with my son. It is truly the greatest franchise I have ever experienced. I am honestly glad it's finally getting the recognition it deserves here in the US.

Sergeant Keroro appreciates your reminding the people of just how awesome and influential Gundam was to not only anime, but to the giant robot brand.

Weird. I'm 47 and definitely remember watching Gundam as a kid. maybe it was a local broadcast in the 80s. It was on along with StarBlazers, G-Force, Tranzor Z, Ultraman and so on. Maybe whoever ran Saturday cartoons at the local network was a fan and had gotten tapes or reels.

Coming off of Gundam Wing, I watched the original on Toonami and ended up liking it even more. It had head into it's final arc, getting REALLY good, when Amuro had to go against Char's Gelgoog custom, when 9/11 happened and we got an episode of dragon ball in it's place. Then, on 9/12 we got gundam back in that time slot one more time, having skipped the episode that would have aired before it. But that would be the last time it would ever air on toonami. It was double dragon ball reruns after that. I was so saddened...

Thank you for bringing up the Minovsky particle physics of the franchise.

The scripts for every single video and the delivery by Dan are just... Flawless. Sublime. Holy craptatiousness

Didn’t know Gundam was an early fail. Had the original series Gun Tank toy as a kid. Guess Gundam’s the Star Trek of anime, an initial failure that proved its critics dead wrong in the long run.

Toonami put this on the radar for me as a teenager. So glad to have you cover it.

Gundam Wing was the entry point of this series for me and it will never leave. Great job on condensing all that history into 25 mins video.

I was REALLY hoping for an "Is it Guncannon" joke, and I wasn't disappointed. Can't wait to see what your next video will be. And can't wait for the inevitable Zoids video. :)

I would be all for a Toy Galaxy multi-part retrospective of all things Gundam if you're up for doing it Dan! I would love to hear about your unique experience as an American transplant who was exposed to Gundam earlier than most of the rest of us in the West. For my money it doesn't get any better than 08th MS Squad. I LOVE the gritty realism of that particular show.

"For all the people who might say "I don't know where to start with Gundam", I want to create this film and give them an access point where you can say "This is where you start. This is your entry point"." To me, that sounds like he's going to try to mash bits of all the Gundams together into one thing that can be for fans of all the other things, which is exactly where they went so very, very wrong with the first G.I. Joe movie.

My father was a big model builder, so we spent a lot of time in the Hungates hobby shop at our local mall. They had a selection of SD Gundam models that drew my 7 years old attention like nothing else. It took a lot of work on my part, but I eventually convinced my parents to let me get a Gundam Nise, and I've loved Gundam since.

Little bit of a nitpick @4:44 The creators of Gundam have specifically stated that Newtypes are not simply ESPers (a catch all term for which japanese people use to reference those whom posses what we in the west call Extra Sensory Perception [which is where the term originated]) so while saying their senses are hightend and their means to percieve things are altered and superior to that of Old Types, saying Newtypes poses "extra sensory perception" walks a thin line. Generally speaking it is obviously true, but as being the next stage in a continually growing human evolution a conscious effort was made to separate them from the concept we Old Types are so familiar with. Also, hearing you say "history of Gundam " gave me chills. I have been waiting for this for a while.

I’m in the age range that started with Gundam Wing in 2000 and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. U.C. Is my favorite timeline and I’m not a huge fan of Wing anymore but man I’m grateful that it came to the states 21 years ago.

Let’s all hope that the live-action Netflix Gundam movie goes perfectly and doesn’t ruin anything.

As a gunpla builder, I've waited so long for this. Thanks so much.

One of my absolute favorite franchises. Almost always dealing with darker and complex topics and themes despite its early trappings as a "kids" show. I love it enough that I got a Gundam Unicorn tattoo. So many great suit designs - The Ez8, Kampfer, Sinanju, Sazabi... not to mention the fantastic grunt suits! My absolute fav is the ECOAS Jegan.

The final two minutes of this video reminded me... There's an actual 1:1-scale model kit of Cup Noodles. :3

I was actually painting a Zaku model kit as this auto-played. Great job guys!

It doesn't matter that I already knew all of what was presented, that was a great video. Gundam is probably my all time favorite franchise. I've seen most of the shows and movies, I've started to dig into some of the manga, and I really enjoy building gunpla.

It hasn't even been 25 minutes but this is a great episode.

I was working at Right Stuf in 2003-4. I have so many fond memories of that time and even forged a couple dear, still strong friendships. Its founder Shawne Kleckner is kind of a toolshed but he established a legit anime company right in the heart of my beloved Shire (you big folk call it Iowa), so I can't throw too much shade.

I have been waiting for you to make a Gundam video 😁 super stoked!

I'm proud to say I knew about Gundam a full decade before Wing premiered on Toonami. I had seen 0080, 0083, Chars Counterattack, and F91 all with no subs thanks to a college friend in the early 90s. I had no idea what was going on , but it was awesome. nearly 30 years later I have pretty much every series dubbed or subbed thanks to Bandai America, and later Sunrise for picking up the slack after the former stopped making DVDs.

I'm old (like old enough to remember the original Gundam launch in grade school), Gundam is an obsession for me these days, l freaking love everything about the franchise and its various iterations

Thank you for making this video about my favorite franchise. I know you're a big Gundam fan as well. Always love to see Americans give some love for this property

8th MS Team was one of my favorite series. Showing a more “on the ground” setting with minimal overpowered gundam protagonist

So does this have anything to do with Unicorn's Olympic cameos, and the BBC not knowing what it is? The timing just matches up so well.

Gundam was introduced to me via a Japanese-American friend that I met in 4th grade. His dad was in the American navy and had moved from Okinawa to the naval base where I was born and raised in Tennessee. His dad had recorded episodes of the TV show on VHS tape back in 1982. Kaji showed me the episodes when I stayed the night over at his house and my Scooby-do raised mind was shattered. This “cartoon” had actual stakes. In the first 10 mins of the program many people had been killed during an attack on a colony. The pilots of the Mobile Suits didn’t safely eject when their robot was destroyed, they exploded along with it. I was instantly hooked. I couldn’t go back to watching silly, childish American cartoons. I wanted more Anime, as he called it. This was 1984. Anime was in its infancy in America. Servicemen stationed in Japan would bring shows they taped on VHS back with them and copies of those tapes were made and passed around to friends and this evolved into pen-pal like trading and small clubs on college campuses, military bases and comic books shops getting together and trading VHS tapes. They were all in Japanese with no subtitles. By 1987 I had watched almost all of the Gundam TV series with many gaps in episodes. I was hooked on this new art-form and I owe it all to Gundam.

I would watch a miniseries covering Gundam

OG Gundam is still great, even watching it now.

I shared an elevator with Tomino in New York 2002. I was shook and wanted to say something to him but couldn't. He was there for the one shot Anime Expo New York.

25 minutes passed by unnoticed. That's how interesting and informative the video was. Been a fan of the Gundam franchise for over 25 years.

This franchise means so much to me, I say as I look at my 90+ Gundam models on my shelf. I absolutely loved this video, and want to share it with my friends who may finally get a little taste of my personal passion for Gundam. Thank you Dan, this was wonderful!

Outstanding job crunching 40+ years of Gundam history down into a 25-minute episode guys! 😎👍🏼 Give yourselves a pat on the back… but watch out for your beam saber hilts back there 😉

I was not sure that Tomino had been influenced by Starship Troopers, but always had that feeling!

Universal Century is the best gundam timeline. War in the pocket is my favorite as it embodies Tomino's message the most.

Gundam basically changed Japan forever, in a good way of course, I wish I could ever create something as timeless as this, great episode.

The original MSG on toonami was the first show I can remember watching that wasn't blue's clues or sesame street that shit grew me up FAST 😭

I knew "Is it Gun Canon?" was coming. I saw it coming a mile away. But i still giggled like at idiot when it came.

About time Gundam gets the recognition it deserves

Okay but for real can we get more Gundam content, especially with your personal experiences? A few of my favorite episodes have been ones where we learn more about your personal experience with the topic!

I feel like Toy Galaxy is stalking my internet history. Scary right? I’m starting to get into Gundam and have been watching historical videos for the different timelines and now you drop this?

I still remember the boom period for The Gundam series in early 2000s after it debuted on Toonami on the Cartoon Network. I also worked at Toys R Us around the same time, and we couldn't keep the Gundam toys on the shelves. From action figures, to models, video games, DVDs, etc. It was Insane!

Considering that the RX-78 is a prototype, it being colorful isn't an surprise - it would have to show off to the military brass, full of pomp. It is a toy...for those who pilot desks and wield the pen like a sword.

Gundam is the obvious basis for ExoSquad, one of my favorite shows ever and one that was never done the justice of having its story finished. While I loved the Gundam franchise once it did finally make it over here years later, ExoSquad was first in my life and had a profound impact on my early teen mind. Also, the theme from Iron Blooded Orphans is such an earworm.

Great recap - grew up a big Gundam head!

Finally, my favorite toy channel discussing my favorite Japanese robot franchise.🙂

"Is it Guncannon?" You warm my heart, good sir!

How did 25 minutes fly by so fast?!

In the big Gundam timelines, there is both "Hathaway" and "Stargazer." Coincidentally, those are both names of Constellation class starships in Star Trek.

Its 2021, I’m walking into my local target store to buy a Gundam model kit, going home to watch a English Dub of the newest Gundam Sequel movie, while playing Gundam mobile games on my phone. Life is good.

I've been waiting to see if you'd tackle this, I wish I could have been a part of it. Gundam has been a part of my life for 21 years.

Sadly, because of the pandemic, travel to japan is extremely limited. Basically only people that live there can travel away and come back in. Normal tourism is not allowed:,( I pray I can see the Yokohama Gundam before it gets taken down.

I really would have liked to see what the show's finale would have been, had it been successful right out of the gate and had a full episode number.

I got into Gundam this summer. One of the best genre franchises of all time. Love Unicorn, Thunderbolt and the 8th MS Team.

Actually, when the 3 Gundam movies were dubbed on VHS, Bandai also released 2 other series; Gundam 0080 War in the Pocket, and Gundam 0083 Stardust Memories. Also, Mobile Suit Gundams final episode did debut on Toonami's New Years Evil marathon.

I haven’t seen all the series, but currently my favorite is 08thMS Team.

Cautiously excited for the Netflix Gundam adaptation they're working on... while obviously Netflix has a _ahem_ less than stellar track record in this area, the director is legitimately a huge Gundam fan - possible it could be good, and I would love me some live-action, Americanized Gundam.

Thank you for honoring a franchise I spent 20+ years of my life studying. I am very moved by the show's research and you really brought out what people needed to know. Again, my most sincere thanks, Dan.

First of all, love the channel. Second of all, thank you for this video. In a moment of stupendous serendipity this got posted on my birthday and covers some of my absolute favorite toy franchises. Props for the excellent callback to the super robot shows of the 70s, and the admirable effort pronouncing all those titles (the only goof: it's Voltes Five, not Voltes Vee). Keep it up.

This is the only series I’ve actually watched 😅 love my bootleg dvd set lol

Grew up on seeing Mobile Suit Gundam with the super robots and Macross before Toonami picked it up. The original is always my favorite next to F-91, the most powerful and one of the most popular variants of Gundam. Have to catch up to see Zeta. Thank you for this episode Dan 😊 .

Sir, you get a thumbs up on this just for the Ad. I have never laughed so hard during an advertisement. Thank you, you have restored my faith that marketing can be enjoyable as well as informative and still convince me to purchase a product.

the Gundam with "realistic colors" that Tomino originally envisioned did return with the RX-78-3 Gundam "G-3" while the RX-78-2 Gundam's predecessor the RX-78-1 "Prototype Gundam" color scheme is said to be a homage to Mazinger Z.

Been waiting/hoping for this ep for years! I'm an original UC Gundam fan from like '95. Got the chance to see Char's Counterattack theatrical with a live Q&A from Tomino, and introduced my kid brother & his friends to Gunpla back in the day. Y'all did a great job touching on everything important - it was a monumental series, a perfect blend of meaningful storytelling and the backers/market to support it. For so many of us, Gundam is right up there with the likes of Transformers & Voltron, and this knocked it out of the park.

Thank you all for an awesome video on one of my favorite fandoms!

I know he said that the material for the ENTIRE Gundam Franchise could fill his episode roster for years to come, but I would still love to see episodes detailing the MAJOR highlights of the franchise. Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (Double Zeta) After War Gundam X Mobile Report Gundam Wing Mobile Fighter G Gundam Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Honestly, if we could get episodes highlighting even just some of the different series out there, I would be happy as can be.

Any chance you could look at the other giant robots, especially Getter Robo?

I just got done watching one of Mobile Suit Gundam movies(I’m actually not done with it, I’m gonna finish the rest later tonight) and then I see this. Coincidence?! Probably.

Gundam showed me the consequences of war through War in the Pocket. That shit hit me right into my heart, and made me not eat hamburger for a week.

I was already smiling as you were building up to the “Is it Guncannon?”

Tomino 1979: you destroyed my vision adding childish colors to my robot. Tomino 2021: I see those colors as a beacon of hope for new generations * jumps into his pool of dollars (not yens, dollars) *

Special note: The mecha designer behind RX-78 also contributed to the designs behind the original Optimus Prime and Escaflowne from the series, Vision of Escaflowne.

Thank you! I have been watching TG for quite a while and was patiently waiting for Grandpa's time to shine! Well done, boys! Started with 08th MS years ago and have been building Gunpla for years. This gave me the fire to start working on my RX-78-2 Perfect Unleashed!

Sunrise and Bandai's flagship, its been 50 years and these company are dropping great shows and merchandises including GUNPLA!.

And the original suit made its first theatrical movie appearance in the United States in the movie ready player One

Sheath Underwear feels comfortable while piloting a Gundum.

I remember when Gundam Wing came out. I had been exposed to giant robots via the Transformers, but because it seemed to lack the "human element" I had wondered to myself what it would be like to pilot such a large machine instead. Imagine my surprise when this new show about teenagers around my age climbing into these sleek, large war machines and wrecking havoc on a corrupt government's military-industrial complex (something that has definitely become even more relevant and, dare I say necessary, in the past year). Needless to say, I was hooked; I even took up the title of a certain happy-go-lucky pilot as my own, and continue to do so to this day...

Wow.....Toy Galaxy would do a Deep brief history of the Gundam franchise. All Gundam fans around the WORLD should be proud. Great Job from 🇵🇭 ✌🏻

So glad to see Gundam make it here, been watching it since the 90's and enjoyed most every series and game. SEIG ZEON!!!