Fans Pay Tribute To 'Mobile Suit Gundam' On Its 39th Anniversary

It is hard to imagine what the mecha genre would be like if Mobile Suit Gundam hadn’t been [...]

By Megan Peters

It is hard to imagine what the mecha genre would be like if Mobile Suit Gundam hadn't been created. The classic series was made way back in 1979, but its futuristic take on massive sci-fi robots didn't find its legion of fans until much later. Mobile Suit Gundam may not have stuck at first, but the franchise it prompted has since become one of Japan's most famous series to date.

So, it is time all you anime and mecha fans took a moment to reflect on its legacy. After all, Mobile Suit Gundam did just turn 39.

Yes, the classic anime anime is just a short year away from being 40. Mobile Suit Gundam made its premiere on April 7, 1979 in Japan, and fans are still paying homage to the groundbreaking series on social media. With nearly four decades under its belt, the Gundam franchise has seen a lot, and netizens want the world to know how instrumental Mobile Suit Gundam has been in shaping the sci-fi genre.

Created by Sunrise, Mobile Suit Gundam got its start under director Yoshiyuki Tomino. The anime suffered from low ratings during its run which prompted it to be cancelled at just 43 episodes. Still, Gundam managed to claw its way into pop culture as its Gunpla build sets gained popularity in Japan, and Mobile Suit Gundam's following reruns turned the anime into a full-on legend.

These days, Mobile Suit Gundam is respected as a forefather of the mecha genre and the sci-fi field as a whole. Its interwoven stories about young pilots, colonized oppression, and militarized mobile suits revolutionized the way anime approached sci-fi. To date, the Gundam series has spawned more than 15 TV shows and plenty of films. Fans from all around the world have come to champion the mecha-centric franchise, and as you can see below, scores of them have turned to social media to pay tribute to Mobile Suit Gundam for founding the series nearly 40 years ago. So, isn't it about time you wrote your own love letter to RX-78-2?

Are you a fan of Mobile Suit Gundam? When did you get into the mecha anime? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!

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