Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket is a 1989 OVA series that marked the first time anyone other than Tomino Yoshiyuki directed a Gundam production.
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket is a six-episode 1989 Japanese science fiction original video animation series. It is the first OVA series in the Gundam franchise and was created to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the series. Directed by Fumihiko Takayama and written by Hiroyuki Yamaga, it marked the first time anyone other than franchise creator Tomino Yoshiyuki was given a chance to direct a Gundam production.
As suggested by its subtitle “War in the Pocket”, it is a small, personal story focusing on the experiences of an eleven-year-old boy during the One Year War and his learning of the real meaning of war. A significant departure for the Gundam franchise at the time, War in the Pocket has received wide acclaim from critics for its emotionally powerful anti-war message and departure from the typical “giant robot” formula.
Synopsis
Set in December Universal Century 0079 during the final days of the One Year War, the series follows Alfred “Al” Izuruha, an eleven-year-old boy living in the neutral Side 6 space colony. When Zeon intelligence identifies a prototype Federation Gundam under development, the elite Cyclops Team is dispatched to destroy it. However, their mission fails and only rookie pilot Bernard “Bernie” Wiseman survives.
After crashing his mobile suit, Bernie befriends Al, who is fascinated by mobile suits and excited by Bernie’s status as a pilot regardless of his allegiance. Bernie also develops a friendship with Al’s neighbour Christina “Chris” MacKenzie, unaware that she is secretly the test pilot of the prototype RX-78NT-1 Gundam Alex—the very machine he has been sent to destroy.
When Bernie discovers that Zeon will destroy Side 6 with nuclear weapons if he cannot eliminate the Gundam, he takes his mobile suit to engage the prototype. Chris is ordered to pilot the Alex in the colony’s defence, leading to a destructive battle within the station. Al discovers that the Zeon nuclear strike has been called off, meaning Bernie no longer has reason to fight, but arrives too late to prevent the tragic confrontation that costs Bernie his life.
The series concludes with Al’s profound grief at an assembly where his classmates, misunderstanding his sorrow, reassure him that another “cool” war is bound to happen soon.
Development
Conception
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket was produced by animation studio Sunrise in association with toy company Bandai. The series was created to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Gundam franchise, which Tomino Yoshiyuki had established in 1979.
The project marked a significant milestone as the first time anyone other than Tomino was allowed to direct a Gundam production. The screenplay was written by Hiroyuki Yamaga, co-founder of Gainax and director of Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, with scenario contributions by Kyosuke Yuki.
Director Fumihiko Takayama revealed in interviews that early prototypes included concepts ranging from Amuro’s perspective on mass casualties to an online chat story between pilots, but these were deemed too experimental for the anniversary project. The final concept of a story centred on a young boy witnessing a failed mission was developed to create a more intimate war story.
Production
The character designer for the series was Haruhiko Mikimoto, known for his work on Macross and later Gunbuster. Mechanical designs were handled by Izubuchi Yutaka, who updated the original Mobile Suit Gundam’s mechanical designs and costumes. This began an enduring tradition of retroactive redesigns, with every subsequent creative team offering their own interpretation of classic Gundam designs.
Although a Sunrise production, the series featured significant Gainax influence through Yamaga’s involvement and connections to other Gainax staff members. This collaboration brought a different sensibility to the Gundam universe, focusing on character drama over action sequences.
Music
The musical score was composed by Tetsurō Kashibuchi. Two pieces of music performed by Megumi Shiina served as the series’ themes: “Reach Out to the Sky Someday” (いつか空に届いて, Itsuka Sora ni Todoite) as the opening theme, and “Distant Memory” (遠い記憶, Tooi Kioku) as the ending theme.
Two soundtrack albums containing the instrumental and vocal music were released under the titles Sound Sketch I and II by King Records on 5 March 1999. Most of the vocal songs were performed by Shiina and Megumi Hayashibara.
Release
Original release
War in the Pocket was originally released in Japan as a six-part original video animation series between 25 March 1989 and 25 August 1989, with one episode released each month. The series was initially distributed on VHS and LaserDisc.
International release
The first North American home media release was handled by Bandai Entertainment with English dubbing produced by Animaze. First announced in 1998, Bandai originally released it in a VHS box set alongside Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory on 9 March 1999.
The anime aired on Cartoon Network’s Toonami Midnight Run block starting from 5 November 2001. Due to its mature content, it was exclusive to the late-night block and never aired during daytime Toonami. It later aired on the network’s Adult Swim block from November 2002 until April 2003.
Bandai released the series in two DVD volumes between 19 February 2002 and 23 April 2002, followed by complete collection re-releases in 2005 and 2009. Following Bandai Entertainment’s closure in 2012, the series went out of print until Right Stuf announced in July 2016 that it would re-release the anime on DVD in partnership with Sunrise. The Right Stuf release was published on 3 January 2017.
Home media
Bandai Visual re-released the series in Japan three times: first as two three-episode DVD volumes on 18 December 1999, then as a DVD box set on 22 April 2011 as part of the “G-Selection” series, and later on Blu-ray Disc on 29 August 2017.
In October 2019, Right Stuf released the series on Blu-ray in North America, featuring both Japanese and English audio with English subtitles, along with special features including clean openings and endings, Japanese trailer collection, music videos, and “All That Gundam” video content.
Reception
Critical reception
War in the Pocket has received widespread critical acclaim for its mature themes and emotional depth. Justin Sevakis of Anime News Network called it “one of the most emotionally powerful war stories ever animated.” Lauren Orsini, also of Anime News Network, gave it an A rating for the subtitled version and a B− for the English dub, praising its “powerful message” and describing it as “as human as Gundam gets.”
Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post awarded it an A− rating, stating that “this show stands the test of time with its story and its animation” and concluding it is “Highly recommended.” Evan Minto of Otaku USA gave it a “Recommended” rating, calling it “Gundam as it was meant to be” and “a short, poignant story of lost innocence in a world torn in two.”
Ollie Barder of Forbes described it as “A Heartbreaking Masterpiece” and “a good introduction to the captivating world of Gundam,” noting its effectiveness as both a standalone story and entry point for newcomers to the franchise.
Creator response
Tomino Yoshiyuki, who was not involved in the show’s production, was interviewed for Newtype magazine’s April 1989 issue after the release of the first episode. He praised the director’s effort to make the show realistic and focused on elements other than mobile suit battles, though he noted some technical inconsistencies such as the portrayal of a blue sky in the colony environment.
Commercial performance
The 2011 DVD box re-release ranked third on Oricon’s best-selling animation DVDs for the week of 18–24 April, selling 3,739 copies. The 2017 Blu-ray release sold 6,352 copies and ranked third on Oricon’s animation Blu-ray Disc chart, demonstrating the series’ enduring popularity.
Legacy
Influence on the franchise
Gundam 0080 marked a significant departure from the constant background theme of Newtypes that had featured prominently in Universal Century productions from the original Mobile Suit Gundam through Char’s Counterattack. This absence broadened the series’ appeal to audiences without particular attachment to Gundam or Tomino’s previous work, establishing a template for focusing on ordinary soldiers and civilians caught in larger conflicts.
The series established important precedents for the franchise, demonstrating that Gundam stories could successfully explore intimate, character-driven narratives rather than epic space operas. This approach would influence numerous subsequent productions, including The 08th MS Team and other “ground-level” war stories.
Design legacy
War in the Pocket began the tradition of retroactive redesigns within the Gundam franchise. Izubuchi Yutaka’s updated versions of classic mobile suits and Federation uniforms established a pattern where each new creative team would offer fresh interpretations of established designs. This practice has continued throughout the franchise’s history, allowing for visual evolution whilst maintaining continuity.
Cultural impact
The series has been recognised beyond anime circles for its anti-war message and emotional maturity. Micah Wright ranked War in the Pocket as his fifth favourite animated series in 2002, highlighting its crossover appeal to general audiences.
The series has been referenced in other media and cited as an influence on subsequent war-themed anime that focus on civilian perspectives and the human cost of conflict.
Related media
Manga
A large amount of printed fiction related to War in the Pocket has been produced. Shigeto Ikehara created a manga version serialised in Kodansha’s Comic BomBom between April 1989 and August 1989. Kodansha published it in tankōbon format on 17 July 1989, with subsequent republications in 2003 and 2006.
A new manga adaptation by Hiroyuki Tamakoshi began serialisation in Kadokawa Shoten’s Gundam Ace on 26 June 2021, though it went on hiatus in September 2022 due to the artist’s chemotherapy treatment.
Novels
A novelisation of the OVA series written by Kyosuke Yuki and illustrated by Haruhiko Mikimoto was published by Kadokawa Shoten in October 1989. Additionally, a novel based on the anime titled “The Dreams Chris Sees” (クリスが見る夢, Kurisu ga Mieru Yume), written by Hiroyuki Yamaga, was published as a bonus item for the April 1989 issue of Tokuma Shoten’s Animage magazine.
Other adaptations
Various other media include a gamebook written by Yūtarō Mochizuki and illustrated by Studio Hard, released by Bandai on 20 March 1989, and several “film comics” and visual comic adaptations published throughout the 1990s.
Credits
Cast
| Character | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred “Al” Izuruha | Daisuke Namikawa | Brianne Brozey |
| Bernard “Bernie” Wiseman | Kōji Tsujitani | David Hayter |
| Christina “Chris” MacKenzie | Megumi Hayashibara | Wendee Lee |
| Steiner Hardy | Yōsuke Akimoto | Beau Billingslea |
| García | Bin Shimada | Steve Blum |
| Mikhail Kaminsky | Paul St Peter | Paul St Peter |
Crew
- Directed by Fumihiko Takayama
- Written by Hiroyuki Yamaga and Kyosuke Yuki
- Character design by Haruhiko Mikimoto
- Mechanical design by Izubuchi Yutaka
- Music by Tetsurō Kashibuchi
- Producer: Kenji Uchida (Sunrise), Minoru Takanashi (Bandai)
- Animation production: Sunrise
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket characters
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket episodes
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket mecha
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket factions
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket vehicles
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket vessels
External links
- Official website (Japanese)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket on Anime News Network
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket on MAHQ