Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the classic anime franchises ever. Yoshiyuki Tomino’s masterpiece was adapted into an anime in 1979. The children were attracted to the flying mecha-battle suits and humanoids and how they fought each other. The anime was later adapted into a popular video game series and also has several movies under its banner.
While Mobile Suit Gundam earned worldwide fame and inspired several mangakas, Yoshiyuki Tomino never wanted the series viewed as a commercial anime. There is a hidden meaning to the story, yet the viewers are only attracted to it because of the mecha-humanoids. It was more of an obsession rather than liking the plot.
Fans’ Obsession Over Mobile Suit Gundam Led Them To Overlook Its Inner Meaning
Mobile Suit Gundam is based on a different timeline and calendar from Earth. The anime earned worldwide popularity for reinventing the mecha genre. Apart from consisting of a great plot, the story had mecha/humanoid battles, with lasers emitting from the battle suits. It was a visual treat for the fans, considering it was made in 1979. Even after its worldwide popularity, Yoshiyuki Tomino was unhappy since the viewers failed to understand the deeper meaning.
During an interview with Toyo Keizai, Tomino said,
“But to tell the truth, I feel that the fundamental messages I put into the work “Gundam,” such as social and war theories, are hindered by the design of the giant robot Gundam, and are not conveyed as well as I intended. Children love dinosaurs, and they also love giant robots. The popularity of “Gundam” is an extension of these preferences. Unfortunately, part of it has been supported by narrow-minded mecha fans. If you look at the work as a single piece, it can’t compete with the popularity of “Chibi Maruko-chan” or “One Piece.””
The mangaka implemented social messages at every corner of his manga. Through the constant wars in Gundam, Tomino was trying to say that a war can only bring destruction. It can only destroy human life and societies, and there is no joy even after victory. But the fans were never much inclined to the social messages when giant robots were flying and shooting lasers.
Gundam Is One Of The Largest Anime Franchises
Gundam began on April 7, 1979, and since then has set up an empire. The franchise is worth more than the Dragon Ball franchise, with a net worth of $26 Billion. Apart from multiple anime series, it has several movies and video games. The latest movie of the franchise Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM was released on January 26, 2024.
Yoshiyuki Tomino is 82 years old and spent more than half his life with the Gundam franchise. His dedication to the series has made it one of the wealthiest franchises in the world. Gundam has several projects lined up in both television and video game categories. The mangaka may have hidden a secret message within his masterpiece, but fans’ obsession with giant robots made it one of the greatest anime ever.
Mobile Suit Gundam can be streamed on Crunchyroll as of August 18, 2024.
