In the late 1970s, the acclaimed Gundam series revolutionized the Mecha genre. Newbies and die-hard fans still adore the franchise after more than 40 years. So, if you are someone who’s looking to explore the Gundam series but is intimidated by the sheer amount of anime involved, I have got you covered. Here is the complete guide to watch the Mobile Suit Gundam shows that have come out so far in order.
Mobile Suit Gundam Watch Order (Based on Release)
Like all the other franchises, many newbies like to start their Gundam experience with the release order. If you are also one, here is how to watch Gundam in release order:
- Mobile Suit Gundam (1979–1980, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985–1986, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (1986–1987, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988, Movie)
- Mobile Suit SD Gundam (1988-1993, Animated Shorts)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (1989, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991, Movie)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (1991–1992, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (1993–1994, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Fighter G Gundam (1994–1995, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995–1996, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996–1999, OVA)
- After War Gundam X (1996, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (1997, OVA)
- Gundam: Mission to the Rise (1998, Animated Short)
- Turn A Gundam (1999–2000, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Neo Experience 0087: Green Diver (2001, Animated Short)
- Gundam Evolve (2001-2007, OVA)
- Superior Defender Gundam Force (2003-2004, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (2002–2003, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: The Hidden One-Year War (2004, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (2004–2005, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: Apocalypse 0079 (2006, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer (2006, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (2007–2009, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 2: Gravity Front (2008, OVA)
- Ring of Gundam (2009, Animated Short)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (2010–2014, OVA and TV series)
- SD Gundam Sangokuden Brave Battle Warriors (2010, Movie)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2010, Movie)
- Mobile Suit Gundam AGE (2011–2012, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Build Fighters (2013-2014, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam-san (2014, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Reconguista in G (2014-2015, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Build Fighters Try (2014-2015, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (2015–2018, Anime TV Show and OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (2015–2017, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt (2015–present, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Twilight AXIS (2017, ONA)
- Gundam Build Fighters Battlogue (2017, ONA)
- Gundam Build Fighters: GM’s Counterattack (2017, ONA)
- Gundam Build Divers (2017, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (2018, Movie)
- SD Gundam World Sangoku Soketsuden (2019–2020, ONA)
- Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise (2019-2020, ONA)
- Gundam Build Divers: Battlogue (2020, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam G40 (2020, ONA)
- SD Gundam World Heroes (2021, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway (2021– TBD, Movies)
- Gundam Breaker Battlogue (2022, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island (2022, Movie)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (2022–2023, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Build Metaverse (2023, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom (2024, Movie)
- Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance (2024, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans: Urðr-Hunt (TBA)
Mobile Suit Gundam Chronological Watch Order
Before we get into the chronological order, you should remember that there are two timelines in the Gundam series. The first is the Universal Century (UC) timeline, which forms the main part of the series and the other is the Alternative Timeline (AU). They are as follows:
Universal Century (UC) Timeline
- Mobile Suit Gundam (1979–1980, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (2015–2018, Anime TV Show and OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996–1999, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (1989, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (1991–1992, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985–1986, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (1986–1987, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988, Movie)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (2010–2014, OVA and TV series)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Twilight AXIS (2017, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (2018, Movie)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway Trilogy (2021– TBD, Movies)
- Turn A Gundam (1999–2000, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island (2022, Movie)
After you finish watching the anime covering the UC timeline, you should watch the anime below in the Late UC timeline:
- Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991, Movie)
- Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (1993–1994, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Reconguista in G (2014-2015, Anime TV Show)
Alternative Universe (AU) Timeline
By completing the anime taking place in the UC timeline, you have already covered the main parts of the franchise. Thus, if you wish to explore more works in the Alternative Universe (AU) timeline, plenty exist. Fortunately, you can watch them in any order and it won’t affect your experience. But, we’ve listed them in the best watching order here:
Future Colony
- Mobile Fighter G Gundam (1994–1995, Anime TV Show)
After Colony
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995–1996, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (1997, OVA)
After War
- After War Gundam X (1996, Anime TV Show)
Cosmic Era
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (2002–2003, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: After-Phase Between the Stars (2004, OVA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (2004–2005, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer (2006, ONA)
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom (2024, Movie)
Anno Domini
- Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (2007–2009, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2010, Movie)
Advanced Generation
- Mobile Suit Gundam AGE (2011–2012, Anime TV Show)
SD Gundam
- Mobile Suit SD Gundam (1988-1993, Animated Shorts)
- Superior Defender Gundam Force (2003-2004, Anime TV Show)
Present Day
- Gundam Build Fighters (2013-2014, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Build Fighters: GM’s Counterattack (2017, ONA)
- Gundam Build Fighters Try (2014-2015, Anime TV Show)
- Gundam Build Fighters Try: Island Wars (2016, OVA)
- Gundam Build Fighters Battlogue (2017, ONA)
- Gundam Build Divers: Prologue (2017, ONA)
- Gundam Build Divers (2017, ONA)
- Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise (2019-2020, ONA)
- Gundam Build Divers: Battlogue (2020, ONA)
- Gundam Build Metaverse (2023, ONA)
Post-Disaster
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (2015–2017, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans: Urðr-Hunt (TBA)
Ad Stella
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury: Prologue (2022–2023, Anime TV Show)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (2022–2023, Anime TV Show)
Parody
- Mobile Suit Gundam-san (2014, Anime TV Show)
What is the Best Order to Watch the Gundam Series?
Alright, now you know the two different watch orders for the Mobile Suit Gundam Series. However, if you are still wondering which order to go with, here are my two cents. If you prefer to go with the flow of how the franchise evolved, go with the release order. Otherwise, if you want a detailed and interconnected timeline experience, choose the chronological order.
It is entirely up to you to choose your watching experience of the Gundam series. Besides the two regular watch orders, there are also tons of different watch order guides to get the best experience out of the Gundam series, so you could consider them as well. That said, let us know your thoughts on Gundam in the comments below.