Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ is a 1986 anime television series and the third installment in the Universal Century timeline.
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ, Kidō Senshi Gandamu Daburu Zēta), with the ZZ pronounced Double Zeta, is a 1986 anime television series animated by Sunrise and directed by Tomino Yoshiyuki. It is the third instalment in the Universal Century timeline and serves as a direct sequel to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam.
The series aired from 1 March 1986 to 31 January 1987 on Nagoya Broadcasting Network and featured a significantly different tone from its predecessor, particularly in its first half. With character designs by Kitazume Hiroyuki and mechanical designs by Kobayashi Makoto, Izubuchi Yutaka, and Akitaka Mika, the series introduced the concept of a “Gundam Team” fighting together regularly.
Synopsis
Main article: Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ episodes
Set in Universal Century 0088, the series picks up immediately after the conclusion of Zeta Gundam. The Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) battleship Argama docks at the run-down Side 1 colony of Shangri-La for repairs following the devastating Gryps War. Having lost many of its key members, including ace Newtype pilot Kamille Bidan, who suffered severe psychological damage in the final battle against Paptimus Scirocco, the AEUG finds itself ill-equipped to face the emerging threat of Haman Karn’s Neo Zeon.
Enter Judau Ashta, a brash 14-year-old junk dealer from Shangri-La who initially attempts to steal the Zeta Gundam to sell it for money to help his sister Leina. Instead, he and his friends—including Beecha Oleg, Mondo Agake, Iino Abbav, and Elle Vianno—are reluctantly recruited by Captain Bright Noa to pilot the AEUG’s mobile suits against Neo Zeon forces.
The series follows the journey of these unlikely pilots as they mature from selfish teenagers into capable warriors, eventually operating the powerful MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam alongside returning units like the Zeta Gundam, RX-178 Gundam Mk-II, and MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki. This marked the first time in the Gundam franchise that multiple Gundam-type mobile suits fought together as a coordinated team.
The conflict escalates as Haman’s Neo Zeon launches operations on Earth, including the devastating colony drop on Dublin, while internal strife within Neo Zeon itself emerges through the ambitious Glemy Toto, who challenges Haman’s authority. The series culminates in the Battle of Axis, where the fate of both the Earth Sphere and the Zeon remnants is decided.
Development
Conception
Director Tomino Yoshiyuki began planning for a Gundam sequel during the production of Zeta Gundam in summer 1985. According to an interview in the November 1986 issue of Newtype magazine, Tomino started planning the sequel in July 1985, though the project was officially launched in October 1985.
The series was originally conceived as “Z Gundam Part 2,” intended as a direct continuation of the Zeta Gundam storyline. The enemy would be Axis Zeon, the group of Zeon remnants led by Haman Karn, who had debuted in Zeta Gundam episode 32, “Mysterious Mobile Suits.”
Bandai’s merchandising concerns significantly influenced the series’ direction. According to Great Mechanics Vol.6, Bandai requested a lighter tone to attract younger viewers and boost merchandise sales, as Zeta Gundam had experienced a merchandising decline during its autumn broadcast period.
Production
Tomino assembled a largely new creative team for the series. Kitazume Hiroyuki, who had served as an animation director on Zeta Gundam, was promoted to character designer, replacing Yasuhiko Yoshikazu. For mechanical design, the series initially planned to use Nagano Mamoru exclusively, but he departed the project in January 1986, necessitating a hasty reorganisation.
A design competition was held, with submissions from various designers including Akitaka Mika, Kobayashi Makoto, and Izubuchi Yutaka. Kobayashi was ultimately selected to design the titular ZZ Gundam, whilst other designers handled various Neo Zeon mobile suits.
The series saw significant changes in tone and direction partway through production. Originally planned with a consistently lighter approach, the decision to produce Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack as a separate film necessitated major story revisions. Char Aznable’s planned return to the series was cancelled, allowing the film project to proceed.
A third scriptwriter, Kamata Hidemi, joined the writing team from episode 29 onwards to handle the series’ darker second half. Meanwhile, Takamatsu Shinji, who had served as setting manager on Zeta Gundam, made his directorial debut with episode 24.
Music
Saegusa Shigeaki returned as composer from Zeta Gundam, providing musical continuity between the series. Four pieces of theme music were used: two opening themes and two closing themes. For episodes 1-25, the opening theme was “Anime Ja Nai” (It’s Not an Anime) and the closing theme was “Jidai ga Naiteiru” (The Era is Crying), both by Arai Masahito. For episodes 26-47, the opening theme was “Silent Voice” and the closing theme was “Issenman-nen Ginga” (Ten Million Years Galaxy), both by Hiroe Jun.
Sources & inspirations
The series’ lighter first half drew inspiration from slapstick comedy and adventure serials, representing a deliberate departure from Zeta Gundam’s darker themes. The character dynamics between Judau and his friends were influenced by juvenile adventure stories, whilst the mobile suit battles retained the realistic military tactics established in previous series.
Release
International release
The series originally aired every Saturday from 1 March 1986 to 31 January 1987 on Nagoya Broadcasting Network. It was later broadcast by Animax across Japan and its international networks, including Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and South Asia.
An English dub by Omni Productions aired on Animax Asia, premiering in the Philippines on 2 May 2005 and in the rest of Southeast Asia on 25 May 2005. The dub also aired on Animax India.
Home media
The series had no official English-language home video release for nearly thirty years. Bandai Entertainment USA had announced a US release prior to the company’s closure in 2012.
Following the partnership announcement between Sunrise and Right Stuf Inc at New York Comic Con 2014, Nozomi Entertainment announced the first-ever North American release on 2 March 2016. Collection 1 was released on Blu-ray on 7 June 2016, with Collection 2 following on 5 July 2016. Both releases featured Japanese audio with English subtitles.
The series became available for streaming on Crunchyroll on 24 June 2022, marking its first legal streaming availability in North America.
Re-releases
Sunrise uploaded HD remastered episodes to their YouTube channel, providing viewers with an opportunity to sample the series before purchasing physical media. The series was also distributed via the now-defunct DAISUKI streaming service from August 2013 to June 2014.
Reception
Critical reception
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ won second place in Animage’s Anime Grand Prix Award in 1986, losing only to Miyazaki Hayao’s Castle in the Sky. In the same year, character Elpeo Ple was selected as the favourite female anime character of the year.
The series remains one of the more polarising entries in the Gundam franchise due to its dramatically different tone from Zeta Gundam. Critics and fans were initially divided by the lighthearted and comedic approach of the first half, which contrasted sharply with Zeta’s gritty realism.
In 2016, Ollie Barder of Forbes described Gundam ZZ as a “misunderstood and underappreciated classic,” whilst James Whitbrook of Gizmodo called it “the black sheep of early Gundam” due to its tonal inconsistencies.
Contemporary reviews have been more favourable, with many critics appreciating the series’ character development and its exploration of Newtype themes. The series’ second half, in particular, has been praised for its mature handling of war and its consequences.
Legacy
Television
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ established several important precedents for the Gundam franchise. It was the first series to feature multiple Gundam-type mobile suits fighting together as a coordinated team, a concept that would become standard in later entries. The series also introduced the idea of younger, initially reluctant protagonists who mature through the course of their involvement in conflict.
The series marked the end of Tomino’s initial Universal Century trilogy, concluding the storylines begun in the original Mobile Suit Gundam and continued in Zeta Gundam. It was the final Gundam television series to air during Japan’s Shōwa period, ending just over a year before Emperor Shōwa’s death in January 1989.
Novel
No official novelisation of Gundam ZZ was produced by Tomino Yoshiyuki, unlike the previous two Universal Century series.
Manga
A manga adaptation was produced, though it received limited distribution compared to other Gundam manga series. The series has also spawned side story manga, including Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ Side Story: Mirage of Zeon.
Video games
Gundam ZZ became a mainstay of the Super Robot Wars series and other Gundam crossover games. However, its representation in games diminished over time compared to other Universal Century series. Notable appearances include:
- SD Gundam G Generation series
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. series
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Bonds of the Battlefield
Credits
Cast
| Character | Japanese Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Judau Ashta | Yao Kazuki |
| Bright Noa | Suzuoki Hirotaka |
| Haman Karn | Sakakibara Yoshiko |
| Leina Ashta | Matsuoka Miyuki |
| Roux Louka | Okamoto Maya |
| Elle Vianno | Hara Eriko |
| Beecha Oleg | Hirata Hiroaki |
| Mondo Agake | Shioya Kōzō |
| Glemy Toto | Horiuchi Kenyū |
| Mashymre Cello | Horiuchi Kenyū |
| Elpeo Ple | Honma Chieko |
Crew
- Directed by Tomino Yoshiyuki
- Character design by Kitazume Hiroyuki
- Mechanical design by Kobayashi Makoto, Izubuchi Yutaka, Akitaka Mika, Katoki Hajime, Sayama Yoshinori, Asano Masahiko, Okamoto Hideo
- Music by Saegusa Shigeaki
- Produced by Uchida Kenji
- Production management by Takamori Kōtarō
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Characters
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Events
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Locations
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Mobile weapons
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Organisations
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Vehicles and vessels
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Weapons and technology
External links
- Official Gundam portal
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ on Wikipedia
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ on Anime News Network
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ on Crunchyroll