Gundam: Order To Watch All The Anime In The Universal Century Timeline

Anyone who’s ever watched a Gundam series would remember that the “original” Gundam series takes place within the Universal Century timeline, where space colonies under the Principality of Zeon have declared war against the Earth Federation. And with the Earth Federation on the losing side, they unleash their secret weapon: a prototype piloted robot named the RX-78 Gundam to fight back.

The Universal Century timeline popularly depicts the rivalry between Earth Federation’s Amuro Ray and the mysterious masked Char Aznable, and how their separate ideals create an indelible impact to the future of the war. However, the Universal Century timeline also spawned multiple series, movies, and miniseries to accompany its setting. It also doesn’t help that the upcoming Gundam: The Witch From Mercury still doesn’t have an established premise, meaning it may also occur within the same timeline. For newcomers to the franchise, what is the best viewing order for the Universal Century?

Updated on November 26, 2023 by Rhenn Taguiam: With Gundam Build Metaverse celebrating the 45th Anniversary of the highly acclaimed mecha franchise, newcomers to the Gundam series and Gunpla culture might be wondering why the likes of the transforming Zeta Gundam, a custom Red Zaku, and the RX-78 Gundam remain iconic staples across celebratory media. However, in order to fully grasp these mecha’s importance in the franchise, Gundam viewers need to go not just as far back as 1979’s original Mobile Suit Gundam, but its sequels in the Universal Century Timeline.

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17 Mobile Suit Gundam (TV Series, 1979)

UC 0079

While there are arguably other media that occurred prior to the events of the original Gundam series, the best way to start the Universal Century timeline is with the anime that started it all. Events of the anime take place during the historic One-Year War between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon.

While the space colonies are gaining the upper hand, the Earth Federation unveils its experimental RX-78 Gundam mobile suit that ends up in the hands of a civilian pilot. This young pilot, Amuro Ray, would become instrumental in the Earth Federation’s war efforts, and would pique the interest of Char Aznable, ace pilot of the Principality.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

Perhaps the “core” story in the Universal Century Timeline, Mobile Suit Gundam encapsulates the sheer gravity of the One Year War to its inhabitants. The initial rivalry between youngster Amuro Ray and Char Aznable as “aces” of their respective factions eventually reveal their motivations in the conflict, and the escalation of the War’s events culminate into revelations of both the Earth Federation and Principality of Zeon’s true stakes and motivations in the conflict.

16 The Origin (OVA, 2015)

UC 0068 - UC 0079

With the backdrop of the original Gundam series serving as important contextual material, fans could begin understanding the inner workings of the Principality of Zeon through its origins. Viewers can deep dive into these developments primarily through Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, which adapts Volumes 9 to 12 of the manga of the same name.

Its story gives a visual take on the transformation of the Autonomous Republic of Munzo into the Principality of Zeon after the deaths of influential historical figures. The OVA also highlights the development of the first mobile suits and the initial battles of the One Year War.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

Despite The Origin being the story of Char Aznable’s origins as Casval Rem Deikun, the prequel becomes a significant part of the Universal Century Timeline in its revelation of events that would eventually become the One Year War. Thanks to The Origin, the shocking reveal of Char as the son of the original Zeon Republic’s founder in Mobile Suit Gundam has become impactful after watching the initial series.

15 Advent Of The Red Comet (Anime, 2019)

UC 0068 - UC 0079

It’s thanks to Char Aznable that the Gundam franchise developed one of its most iconic tropes: the masked antagonist. However, his transformation into a trope isn’t just because of his iconic look but also because of his tragic story.

This is something highlighted by Mobile Suit Gundam: Advent Of The Red Comet, which narrates not just Char’s transformation into the Red Comet, but also his perspective on the formation of the Principality of Zeon and his exposure to other famous aces.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

While Advent of the Red Comet is essentially The Origin recompiled to fit a television series format, Gundam fans may want to view Advent as a “prequel anime” from a production standpoint and not as mere events in the past of Mobile Suit Gundam. This active change of perspective gives an episodic profile-esque format to Char’s past as Casval before continuing into the war documentation of the One Year War as depicted in Mobile Suit Gundam.

14 The 08th MS Team (OVA, 1996-1999)

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While the original Gundam series largely narrated the events of the One-Year War, some of its “smaller” skirmishes were the “biggest” battles in the lives of some people. Such was the case of Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team.

Set in Southeast Asia during the One-Year War, two star-crossed lovers end up in the middle of the crossfire, as Zeon banks on Aina Sahalin and the Apsaras Project to secure victory for the region while the Earth Federation relies on Ensign Shiro Amada to succeed in the area’s capture. The two must choose between themselves and their respective sides.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

While the events of the 08th MS Team is smaller in scale from Amuro’s participation in the One Year War, the anime’s events encapsulate the little details in the sidelines that contribute to the overall war effort. The OVA depicting the Principality of Zeon testing its new Asparas Project to create new mobile armors is similar to the Earth Federation’s Project V that gave rise to the Gundams.

13 MS IGLOO (OVA Series, 2004-2008)

UC 0079

It’s perhaps wartime that could force various parties to start developing weapons and become desperate to gain the upper hand, and exactly the same thing happened during Gundam’s One-Year War. As narrated in the MS IGLOO OVA series, both the Principality of Zeon and Earth Federation approached the War from differing points of view. In the first two films (The Hidden One Year War, Apocalypse 0079), the former civilian cargo ship Jotunheim was commissioned by the Principality to test new weapons.

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Meanwhile, the third film (IGLOO 2: The Gravity Front) shows the Earth Federation’s attempt in forcing Zeon soldiers back to their territory. All three films showcased numerous smaller battles as depicted in the original anime, this time from the perspective of other soldiers.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

Zeon researching mobile armors in 08th MS Team establishes further R&D efforts on both sides to gain the upper hand, with more of the war’s hidden tragedies revealed further in the MS IGLOO OVA series. MS IGLOO also showed attempts of both sides to create game-changing war technologies such as the Hidolfr tank, the Jormungand Cannon, and prototype mobile suits (the Ze’Gok, Oggo, Big Rang, and Zudah).

12 0080: War In The Pocket (OVA, 1989)

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While OVAs are not new to the Gundam series, it’s Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket that is a first for the franchise. In the context of the story, War In The Pocket takes place in December UC0079, where an experimental Earth Federation Gundam has escaped the clutches of the elite Zeon MS Cyclops Team and Zeon Intelligence.

And when the Gundam appears and seems to have “converted” neutral space colony Side 6 to Federation side, Zeon threatens a nuclear strike unless their commando destroys the Gundam. What’s perhaps harsh about this series is that the OVA happens from the perspective of a 10-year-old boy.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

While War in the Pocket showcases a smaller and more personal story in the One Year War, the OVA is perhaps one of the few Gundam anime to show the horrific reality of the Universal Century’s grandest conflict from the eyes of not just its 10-year-old protagonist but also the people around him. Before viewers venture further into the aftermath of the One Year War, seeing an alternate point of view from the eyes of both non-combatants and personnel on the sidelines adds much-needed weight to the conflict.

11 Thunderbolt (Anime, 2015)

UC 0079 (Non-Canonical)

Set once more in the One-Year War, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt depicts the effects of the War at the “Thunderbolt Sector” in the former Side 4 Colony. It stars Io Fleming, ace Federation pilot and jazz enthusiast, as he becomes the face behind Gundam prototypes that the Earth Federation hopes could change the tides of battle.

Its second season occurs just eight months after the One-Year War, where post-war turmoil and Zeon remnants begin shattering the peace.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

Although non-canonical to the original story, Thunderbolt remains an integral look into the perspective of space conflicts in the early days of Gundam anime. Its story depicts the efforts of warring forces to secure supply routes, this time in the form of the Thunderbolt Sector of destroyed colonies. Seeing separate divisions from both the Earth Federation (Moore Brotherhood) and the Principality of Zeon (Living Dead Division) wrestle control over this area while the One Year War rages on is symbolic to how even the “smallest” areas can affect the greater war effort.

10 0083: Stardust Memory (OVA, 1991)

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Set as both a sequel to Gundam and prequel to Zeta Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory takes place in UC0083 when Zeon intelligence discovers a prototype Gundam capable of nuclear attack being developed in Anaheim Electronics. After Zeon captures the unit as a part of Operation Stardust, the Earth Federation deploys the MS carrier Albion to pursue the said Gundam.

Starring young test pilot Kou Uraki, he gets embroiled in the events of Operation Stardust, and it’s through his involvement that its true objective is revealed. The OVA ends in the creation of the Titans, the Federation-sanctioned anti-Zeon forces, who will also become the main antagonists of Zeta Gundam.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

Fans looking for the immediate aftermath of the One Year War can watch 0083: Stardust Memory for a glimpse of the clandestine “Operation Stardust” that pit the increasingly-tyrannical Earth Federation against the Delaz Fleet of the Zeon Remnants. Records would eventually call this the Delaz Conflict, beginning with the theft of an experimental Gundam belonging to Anaheim Electronics’ secret Gundam Development Project (GP Project) and ending with a colony drop that devastated North America. Beyond this horrific incident, a portion of the data about the GP Project were revealed to the public in UC 0099, explaining the “gap” between the first-gen mobile suits of Mobile Suit Gundam and the next generation in Zeta Gundam.

9 Zeta Gundam (Anime, 1985)

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When the Earth Federation’s Titans become overzealous in their hunt of Zeon remnants, Kamille Bidan becomes orphaned after his parents are killed in a Titan attack. He’s taken in and trained by Quattro Bajeena to become a pilot for the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG), a resistance movement specifically against the Titans.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam begins as Quattro and the AEUG infiltrate a Titans base and procure the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II, which becomes Kamille’s primary machine. Thanks to his intelligence and engineering expertise, he designs the Mk-II’s successor, the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam.

Impact on The Universal Century Timeline

The Gryps War slowly unveiled the hidden corruption within the Earth Federation, particularly inside its Titans faction that the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) vehemently opposed. They were eventually joined by Earth-based Karaba who also hated the Titans, and met an enemy in the Zeon remnants of Axis Zeon. Events in the Gryps War were crucial in the eventual revelation of the Titans’ oppressive nature, and the slow rise of Axis Zeon as a world power despite internal politicking.

8 Gundam ZZ (Anime, 1986)

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By the end of Zeta Gundam, the AEUG and the battleship Argama’s work isn’t done yet as they have to stop the forces of Neo Zeon from starting another war all over again. To make this happen, Captain Bright Noa recruits a group of teenage junk collectors to pilot the Argama’s mobile suits.

Led by the arrogant Newtype Judau Ashta, this “Gundam Team” is comprised of iconic mobile suits such as the MSZ-010 Double Zeta Gundam, and returning suits such as the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam, the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II, and the MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki.

Impact In The Universal Century Timeline

When Haman Karn led Axis Zeon in their “reclamation” of Earth, she renamed the group Neo Zeon in the hopes of restoring glory to the Principality. This resulted in the First Neo Zeon War, where the few numbers of Neo Zeon used their technologically-advanced Newtype-empowered Psycommu mobile suits against the inferior but numerous mass-production suits of the Earth Federation. Stuck on a dangerous corner is the remnants of the AEUG, as they only had the MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam as their ace in the hole.