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.
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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!
G1_BARI
ใๆฉๅๆฆๅฃซใฌใณใใ ใๆพ้้ๅง่จๅฟตๆฅ
โ ๅคงๅผตๆญฃๅทฑ MASAMI OBARI (@G1_BARI) April 7, 2018
1979ๅนดใฎไปๆฅใใฌใณใใ ใๅคงๅฐใซ็ซใฃใใใงใใญโฆ#ไปๆฅใฏไฝใฎๆฅ pic.twitter.com/Mg5KokffWo
e_lehnsherr
ใๆฉๅๆฆๅฃซใฌใณใใ ใๆพ้่จๅฟตๆฅ
โ ใจใชใใฏ (@e_lehnsherr) April 7, 2018
ๅ้บ็79ๅนด5ๆๅท็ดนไป่จไบ
ๆฌ็ทจใจ็ฐใชใๅใกใซใฎๆญฆ่ฃ ใซๆณจ็ฎใ
ใใคใใผใใบใผใซใฏ่ฉใซๆใฟ่พผใไปๆง๏ผ
ใใคใญใใใๅฐใ ้ใใใปใคใฉใใใฏใฌใณใญใฃใใณใฎ็ ฒๆๆโ๏ธ
ใใใใฆ5ไบบไธฆใถใจไธปๅฝนใปใญใถใปใใใปใใญใคใณใปใใใฎไผ็ตฑ็5ไบบ็ตใงใใญใใ#ไปๆฅใฏไฝใฎๆฅ pic.twitter.com/7tUiAc7i9d
JacobDavison_
Happy 39th birthday to the one of the most essential #mecha #anine of all time, #Gundam! #Toonami #ReadyPlayerOne#PacificRimUprising https://t.co/6LzyPQCtNk
โ Jacob Davison (@JacobDavison_) April 7, 2018
gshadow007
39 years ago, Mobile Suit Gundam Aired in Japan.
โ Gshadow (@gshadow007) April 7, 2018
Still crazy to think that this show would go on to be an industry giant despite being unpopular among viewers in it’s intial run. pic.twitter.com/xHryKATphN
bk2128
7 April 2018. The first episode of Mobile Suit #Gundam was aired 39 years ago today (1979).
โ ้ปๅง BlackKite (@bk2128) April 7, 2018
Reminder that next year, 2019, will be the 40th anniversary! pic.twitter.com/MiAlbrX4MM
hironox_
1979.4.7ใๆฉๅๆฆๅฃซใฌใณใใ ใๆพ้้ๅง่จๅฟตๆฅ๏ผ #ไปๆฅใฏไฝใฎๆฅ
โ HIRONOX (@hironox_) April 7, 2018
้ๅป็ตตใใ pic.twitter.com/oe5fPhCBAu
kevinbvsto
39 years ago today, Mobile Suit Gundam aired. Happy 39th Anniversary to a iconic show. Iโm crossing my fingers for a remake announcement on its 40th anniversary next year! pic.twitter.com/mrX72kXgsu
โ War-torn SMT Veteran (@kevinbvsto) April 7, 2018
sousai_h
#ไปๆฅใฏไฝใฎๆฅใ1994/4/9ใใคใใใฟใฑใซใๆพ้้ๅง่จๅฟตๆฅ๏ผ
โ ใฉใฏใกใญใขใใผใใ๏ผๆฐไบๅไนๅฉ (@sousai_h) April 8, 2018
ใฆใใณใใ1994ๅนด8ๆๅทใใใใใ ใฃ็ฎใใงใใฏใผใขใใใ ๏ผ๏ฝ pic.twitter.com/RnliKadW8D
PlanOrdo
Happy Birthday to Mobile Suit Gundam! pic.twitter.com/iTGa0btLic
โ โ ORDO (@PlanOrdo) April 7, 2018
GWOtaku
Even after nearly 40 years the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Rose of Versailles are two 1979 anime with narratives that can stand aside the very best animated output from any era. It’s really quite remarkable. Watch these amazing things when you can
โ Todd DuBois (@GWOtaku) April 5, 2018
