Underplayed Gems

Mobile Suit Gundam I (1981)

Mobile Suit Gundam I poster
Original title
機動戦士ガンダム
Directed by
Yoshiyuki Tomino
Genre
military science fiction, mecha, Action, Adventure, Drama, Mecha
Country
Japan
Runtime
2h 19m
Rated
NR
Rating
6.8 of 10 from 101 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A teenage civilian, Amuro Ray, is forced to pilot a new experimental mecha for the Earth Federation in a war against the Principality of Zeon. The film follows his struggle to survive and grow amidst the chaos of space battles and military conflict.

earnestwartimesoberaction-packeddramaticcoming-of-agefuturisticbittersweet

What happens

Mobile Suit Gundam (Japanese: 機動戦士ガンダム, Hepburn: Kidō Senshi Gandamu) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Nippon Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network and its affiliated ANN stations on April 7, 1979, airing 43 episodes until its cancellation on January 26, 1980. It was the first Gundam series, which has subsequently been adapted into numerous sequels and spin-offs. Set in the futuristic calendar year "Universal Century" 0079, the plot focuses on the war between the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation, with the latter unveiling a new giant robot known as the RX-78-2 Gundam, piloted by the 15 year old civilian Amuro Ray. The character designs were done by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, and Kunio Okawara was responsible for the robot designs, including the eponymous RX-78-2 Gundam. The first film was released on February 22, 1981. Tomino himself also wrote a trilogy of novels that retell the events of the series. Three manga adaptations of the series have also been produced. Despite initial low ratings that caused the series' cancellation, the popularity of Gundam saw a boost from the introduction of Bandai's Gunpla models in 1980 from reruns and the release of a trilogy of compilation films. The series is considered notable for pioneering a depiction of mechs as mass-produced weapons of war. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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