Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
| Mobile Suit Gundam ΖΖ | |
 Cover for the First DVD Boxset. | |
| 機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ (Kidō Senshi Gandamu Daburu Zēta) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mecha, military science fiction, space opera |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Nagoya TV, TV Asahi |
| English network | |
| Original run | March 1, 1986 – January 31, 1987 |
| Episodes | 47 |
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (Right Stuf Inc. to North America in 2015.[2] On June 24, 2022, the series was made available for streaming on Crunchyroll.[3]
Overview
Gundam ZZ was conceived as a sequel to Zeta Gundam, featuring a mostly all-new cast. Its broadcast immediately followed that of Zeta Gundam and continues to follow a major plotline from Zeta involving
Judau Ashta
.
This sequel to Zeta Gundam sometimes struck a much lighter, often comical, tone, in contrast to its predecessor's brooding drama. For example, in the second episode, the protagonist Judau Ashta attempts to help
Zeta Gundam
to go after Yazan but is incredibly poor at combat in his first battle. The whimsical first opening theme song Anime Ja Nai (lit. "It's Not Anime") set the tone for the first half of the series. The second half of the series sports a more somber opening theme song Silent Voice to accompany a change in tone to the more serious.
Plot summary
As the continuation of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, this series once again follows the story of the Anti Earth Union Group (AEUG) battleship Argama after Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam's final episode. To fight off the Axis Zeon, now called the Neo Zeon, Captain Bright Noa recruits a group of teenage junk collectors led by the loudmouthed but powerful Newtype
Gundam Mk-II
and the Hyaku Shiki, the group is nicknamed the Gundam Team. As such, this became the first of a number of Gundam series where a team of Gundam mobile suits fight alongside each other regularly. The climax takes place at Side 3 in the Battle of Axis.
Out of the major Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam characters, Captain
Sayla Mass, who had appeared in the first series but had no speaking role in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, also appeared in several episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ; Char Aznable's planned appearance was canceled when Tomino was given the go-ahead to do the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack film. Yoshiyuki Tomino's original plan for the show which involved Char's return was never revealed, nor does Tomino himself remember it. Also, aside from the openings and story recap/preview episode, Amuro Ray
does not make an appearance in the series either.
Reception
The series remains one of the more polarizing series in the franchise due to the lighthearted and campy tone of the first half of the series when compared to Zeta Gundam's grittier tone. In 2016, to coincide with the show's Blu-Ray release, Ollie Barder of Forbes referred to Gundam ZZ as a "misunderstood and underappreciated classic."[4] James Whitbrook of Gizmodo called Gundam ZZ "the black sheep of early Gundam", citing the show's early comedic tone in comparison to the dark ending of its predecessor.[5]
References
- ^ "Daisuki to Stream Gundam ZZ TV Anime". Anime News Network. 2013-07-06. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
- ^ "Sunrise, Right Stuf Offers Gundam ZZ In N. America for the 1st Time". Anime News Network. 2014-10-11. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
- ^ "Crunchyroll Adds Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, Char's Counterattack and Gundam 00 Awakening of the Trailblazer to the Catalog". Crunchyroll. June 24, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ^ Barder, Ollie (September 28, 2016). "'Gundam ZZ' Blu-Ray Review: A Misunderstood And Underappreciated Classic". Forbes. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ^ Whitbrook, James (June 27, 2022). "ZZ Gundam Makes Streaming Debut on Crunchyroll". Gizmodo. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
External links
- Official Website
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ at IMDb
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