G Gundam Has Aged In the Best Ways Possible (Except for One Major Issue)

All the classic Gundam shows have shown their age in various ways. Zeta Gundam and Gundam ZZ feature some of the most outrageous ’80s fashion ever put on animation. The original Mobile Suit Gundam has rough-looking ’70s animation, and Gundam 00 is filled with 2000s edginess. In most cases, this outdatedness adds to the charm of their respective shows. It’s enduring to see what shows were like in the past and how things change. Mobile Fighter G Gundam, the first Gundam show made in an alternate timeline, has shown its age just as much as the other series in the franchise.

All the ways that G Gundam has aged only enhanced the series rather than detracted from it. The show, from the get-go, was a campy action series filled with over-the-top fight scenes and heightened character personalities. The writing, art direction, voice acting, and animation are drenched with ’90s overdrive. It’s very evidently a product of the ’90s, amplifying its campy charm to new heights. G Gundam is an anime that could only exist in the ’90s, making it an entertaining time capsule. The show has aged gracefully in all aspects except for one major issue. The racial stereotypes featured in G Gundam are borderline offensive, slightly deluding a wonderful anime series that has aged better than it had any right to.

G Gundam Never Takes Itself Seriously

G Gundam has always hinged on its charm since its inception. Sunrise Studios purposely chose to go in a different direction after spending over a decade in the same timeline with the same themes. It was time for the franchise to move away from the Universal Century timeline and the military hierarchal messaging that has been a cornerstone of the franchise since the beginning. Rather than continue the dreary anti-war message and cynical viewpoint on governmental organizations, G Gundam chose to go in a more bombastic direction. Instead of focusing on military personnel and war crimes, G Gundam went full battle shonen.

The series centered around an organized giant robot tournament created by all the nations’ governments. The winning machine’s country will then be placed in charge of the world for the next few years. Whereas classic Gundam shows highlighted the overall gray-ness of war, showcasing that both sides in a conflict aren’t fully good, G Gundam decided to forsake nuance for spectacle. Even though the show has pathos and the action can get intense, audiences are never meant to take G Gundam as seriously as the previous Gundam anime series. It was always camp, making its outdatedness less of an issue as the series hits its 30th anniversary. Older anime typically shows its age when it tries to convince audiences how serious it is. It’s sometimes hard to take an older animated show seriously if the animation quality or writing does not match the quality audiences are used to in modern media.

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You’re Laughing With G Gundam, Not at It

Every piece of media will show its age, that is inevitable. There’s no point in fighting it, people will always find ways to mock things from the past, including fashion and slang. Animation will continue to improve and the writing standards will change as the generations grow up. The animation in G Gundam and the older series will never look as good as something with high quality released now, and how anime is written has evolved since the ’90s. Viewers should never expect something released decades ago should meet the same standards as something released now. Nonetheless, what makes G Gundam age better than other shows at the time is that it was never afraid to be silly.

G Gundam may be extremely ’90s, but it proudly wears its aesthetics and themes on its sleeves. Rather than elevate the giant mecha media, G Gundam fully embraces the genre at its heart. There are things to mock in the show, some of it is not intentional, but the series openly invites viewers to laugh at it. You don’t create something like the Windmill Gundam and the Tequila Gundam, and not expect watchers to laugh a little bit. G Gundam’s full embrace of all the wacky things is what makes it an easy anime to watch decades later. Rather than the audience laughing at G Gundam, the show makes it seem as if you’re laughing alongside it.

Unfortunately, G Gundam Can Be Culturally Insensitive

Anime didn’t really have a good track record when it came to portraying people of other cultures. G Gundam‘s absurd premise makes it fun to watch, yet its portrayal of other contestants in the Gundam tournament feels borderline offensive. Because each contestant represents a different country, each fighter matches a cultural stereotype. The stereotypes match G Gundam’s campy tone but also verges on insensitive territory, especially if they are a villain. Some of the contestants and Gundams are silly and fun, like the Neo Greek robot and pilot being based on the ancient Greek God Zeus. Chibodee Crocket, the representative of Neo America, is a walking, talking American stereotype, but he’s still a fan-favorite.

However, other contestants can be a hard time to watch, especially with current sensibilities. One of the more offensive stereotypes is Neo India’s pilot, who is a green-skinned snake charmer who controls a snake-theme Gundam. Fortunately, G Gundam’s morals and intentions are always in the right place. The show is ultimately about the world’s nations coming together to face a greater evil and find common ground. Even though some of the depictions can be off-putting for some viewers, G Gundam overcomes it by having a sincere moral message about humanity advancing together.

There’s a lot that doesn’t hold up with G Gundam, from the animation to its writing, and its lack of cultural foresight. But underneath it all is a goofy action anime pushing the theme of the world coming together. The series has always been fully aware of what it is and doesn’t attempt to elevate the mecha genre. It fully gives in to its absurd nature, and as long there is an audience out there that can stomach the corniness, G Gundam will always age like a fine wine with an extra serving of cheese. Simply ignore that weirdly shaped stain in your wine glass that feels oddly culturally insensitive and enjoy your G Gundam meal.