Every Series And Where To Watch Them

Highlights

• Gundam, created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, has been a dominant force in the mecha genre for over forty years, with an extensive catalog of series.
• SD Gundam World Heroes offers a light-hearted view of mecha with chibi animation and a unique universe perfect for children and streaming.
• Explore the Gundam universe through numerous series like Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, each offering action, depth, and unique perspectives.

Among the genres in anime, mecha is one of the most popular, with an overwhelming fanbase consisting of thousands of fans from all over the world. There is nothing quite like robot vs. robot action where metal and fire clash on war-torn battlefields or the vast reaches of space. One of the most prominent mecha anime series is the Gundam franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Gundam has stood at the apex of mecha for over forty years, having a plethora of media for fans to enjoy.

The original series, Mobile Suit Gundam, debuted in 1979 and has since spawned multiple universes and timelines composed of dozens of characters, scenarios, and designs. With over thirty original works in animation, live-action, and manga, Gundam has the most significant catalog of series in the mecha genre, having created over twenty anime. Here is every Gundam series and where to watch them.

Updated on May 5, 2024, by C.M. Edwards:Gundam continues to be a dominating force in the mecha anime genre. The exciting universe created by Yoshiyuki Tomino has stood the test of time and explored unimaginable heights, such as Video games, collectible figures, and even approaching live-action films. Bandai Namco continues to push out more Gundam content for fans all over the world and consistently expands the universe itself with new anime, manga, and light novels by some of the most skilled authors in the franchise. The Gundam franchise has ramped up the creation of more content in the past year, announcing a string of new properties and media such as mobile games, spin-off series, and new anime feature films. New additions to the video game catalog come in the form of the Metaverse, a virtual reality collaboration with Facebook’s sister company, Meta, and SD Gundam Battle Alliance, an RPG multiplayer game that lets players pilot their favorite Mobile Suit in hopes of repairing Gundam’s fractured timelines. With the recent release of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch Of Mercury, additional Gundam anime have also been made available for streaming. Here are all Mobile Suit Gundam anime available for streaming and personal viewing.

This list will only name series that can be streamed legally in the U.S.

22 SD Gundam World Heroes

Strong Characters And Chibi Animation Style

The SD line of Gundam media is a more light-hearted universe directed at children, similar to Western shows like Bionacle and Transformers. Although several Gundam Series have been released over the years, not many have been made available for streaming.

However, SD Gundam World Heroes is available to stream and has many positive reviews for its animation, unique Gundam designs, and light-hearted fun. In a universe where dozens of worlds exist, Neo World’s fate hangs in the balance when a mysterious being crashes on the planet. It is up to the protectors of Neo World to combat this impending apocalypse and maintain the balance throughout the universe.

The First Expansion Of The Gundam Metaverse

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of the original Gundam Build Fighter anime, Gundam Build Fighters Metaverse tells a new story with fresh and returning characters from the previous Gundam Build anime series.

The series’ first episode introduces a new main character: a growing pilot who steps into the spotlight of the Gunpla metaverse with ambition and courage. The series features modified designs of classic suits from Gundam Seed Destiny and previous Gundam Build anime. The animation is also high quality, delivering breathtaking Gundam vs. Gundam battles. This comes just before an announcement of a new Gundam Breaker game, Gundam Breaker 4 that will be released later this year and has already begun to be praised for returning to the prior game’s style of play, excluding New Gundam Breaker.

20 Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway

Action-Packed Feature From A Unique Perspective

Gundam fans all over the world await the continuation of the Universal Series storyline, the main timeline of the Gundam universe. One of the most recent releases is the first part of a trilogy that brings a character from the past into the present center stage. Noa Hathaway, the son of former commander Hathaway is now a man and finds himself tangled in a web of lies, terrorism, and the horrors of the war plaguing his mind.

As tensions once again rise between tyrannical governments and desperate citizens, history once again repeats itself as war looms over the horizon. Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway is the first installment of a trilogy that will all be animated feature-length films. Based on the original light novels, the complete story of Noa Hathaway dives deep into the war machine and the true definition of peace. Very little has been said about the second film, and no release date has been given. However, fans are still clamoring for more universal timeline content.

19 Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan’s Island

Gives More Depth To The Original Series

Set during the One-Year War, Mobile Suit Gundam: Doans Island is a peek into the history of the bitter war between Zeon and the Earth Federation. The story follows a matured Amuro Ray during a covert mission that leads to chaos.

When an attack erupts, Amuro and his allies are forced into a dire situation, and Amuro must think fast before he and his friends suffer a perilous fate. Originally, the Doan’s Island story was a single episode of the original anime. However, it was re-made into a feature-length animated film that expands on the episode. The film was directed by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, who helped spearhead the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime. The touch of a long-time fan can be felt in the film with its crisp visuals and strong pacing.

18 Mobile Suit Gundam

The Series That Birthed An Entire Universe

The original Mobile Suit Gundam anime follows the journey of Amuro Ray as he is dragged into a cataclysmic war between the Earth and the Principality of Zeon. Mobile Suit Gundam is the first series that encompasses the Gundam franchise, introducing the concept of interstellar war and gigantic weapons of war called Gundams.

The original Mobile Suit Gundam anime is highly praised for its story and in-depth take on the characters. Aside from focusing on the main cast, many side characters are explored and fleshed out. Mobile Suit Gundam is available for streaming on Netflix with a subscription.

17 Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta

A New Generation Takes On The War Machine

Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta is a direct sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. In the Zeta series, the war between Earth Forces and Zeon is on its last legs, and Amuro takes a secondary role to Kamile Bidan, the new protagonist ace pilot of the Zeta Gundam.

Kamile and the Earth forces are in the process of wiping out the remainder of the Zeon forces scattered after the loss of Char Aznable. But lines become blurry as the war takes its toll on everyone. Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta is available to stream on Crunchyroll with a subscription.

16 Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

Explores The Heart Of Both Sides In A War

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 is also available to stream on Funimation. Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory is a thirteen-episode series that follows Kou Uraki, a test pilot caught in the middle of an attack by a small faction of Zeon soldiers.

Zeon seeks to steal one of the Gundam prototypes being developed at the base, but during the heist, Kou pilots another Gundam to stop them. While Zeon succeeds, it is a race to stop the terrorist from shooting off into space with the prototype. Kou’s responsibility and mettle are tested as he goes from test pilot to ace pilot in a matter of days.

15 Mobile Fighter G Gundam

Intergalactic Mecha Fighting For Peace

Mobile Fighter G Gundam, or “G Gundam” for short, is a series that takes place outside of the Universal Century Gundam continuity. G Gundam is the first series within the Future Century, a timeline that has evolved past the conflict of war and settles disputes with a tournament using highly advanced mobile suits. The G Gundam series follows Domon Kashu, a martial artist and ace pilot for the Neo Japan space colony who originally pilots Shining Gundam in the Anime. Domon is on the hunt for his brother, who disappeared along with a Gundam of unimaginable power. Domon seeks revenge on his brother for causing the death of their father and betraying everything he stood for. Along the way, Domon encounters many trials and mighty foes as he battles in the Gundam Fight Tournament, searching for clues.

G Gundam is available to stream on YouTube via the GundamInfo YouTube channel free of charge. Just recently, the 30th anniversary of Mobile Fighter G Gundam was celebrated with the lead Director of the series, Yasuhiro Imagawa, let slip a possible new series for the franchise. Fans all over the world were static at the possibility of continuing Domon Kashu’s story or perhaps taking another perspective of the Gundam fight tournament in the beloved Future Century TImeline. Not much more has been said about the announcement other than Imagawa’s frustration in leaving so much of the series on the table.

14 Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

An Iconic Story Of Neverending Conflict

Few series in the Gundam franchise have as much notoriety as Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. While many Gundam anime consists of a main character/pilot accompanied by several side characters, Gundam Wing follows several Gundam pilots caught amid an interstellar civil war between the Earth Federation, space colonies, and secret shadow corporations.

Each pilot has their morals and motivations that are explored during the show, which sometimes land them on the wrong side. Gundam Wing follows each protagonist’s story elegantly and is a unique tell that focuses less on war and more on the causality of choices made. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is an expanding series that continues past the anime with an animated film and a sequel manga that follows the main characters years after the conclusion of the series after they have immigrated to Mars. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is available to stream on Crunchyroll with a subscription.

13 Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team

One Battle Can Decide An Entire War

Hulu has the entirety of the Gundam OVA Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team. The story is set alongside the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, occurring only a month after the series starts but spans up until a few weeks before the One-Year War ends. Shiro Amada leads a small group of soldiers on the Earth’s surface. They encounter heavy opposition from rival Zeon forces that are determined to advance their cause.

In times of war, decision-making should be simple, but a thick shade of gray clouds Shiro’s judgment as he and a Zeon princess become entwined while they are still deadly enemies. Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team is highly celebrated as one of the best Gundam anime to be produced and the most realistic series to come out of the franchise.

12 Mobile Suit Gundam Seed

Children Try To Save The World

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed is another highly popular series in the franchise that ran during the Adult Swim block of Cartoon Network. The show follows a group of students who take up arms after being caught in a battle between Earth and Zaft forces. Kira Yamato is the main character of the show, a child soldier who is throttled and has to engage in real combat.

The series dives into the pressures that challenge such a young mind that is thrown into battle, having to kill to survive, and excels at it. Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and the Cosmic Era timeline are some of the most popular outside of the main timelines and continue to gain more fans even after the series has finished.

11 Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny

War Shapes Children Into Adults

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny is the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, set two years after the Latter events. The original cast takes drastically different roles as the main characters of the previous series are replaced, given a much minor role. The story in Gundam Seed Destiny is told from the opposite point of view of members of Zaft, a military group run by Plant, the enemy faction from the previous series. The new main protagonist, Shin Aska, is a product of the war, having lost his entire family to the chaos. Shinn holds a deep hatred for Orb and the Earth Alliance, his rage causes his mental state to deteriorate, and he becomes a very fragile individual. Gundam Seed Destiny is argued as a better successor to the previous series.

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny is available on Crunchyroll for free or with a premium subscription. The Seed series continues as the beloved cast of characters returns in the recently released animated film, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom. The movie was released in Japan and has received a large amount of praise for its animation and striking continuation of one of the Gundam series with the largest cult following.

10 Mobile Suit Gundam 00

A Few Versus The Entire World

The founding member of the A.D century timeline in the Gundam franchise, Mobile SuitGundam 00 is another unique series that follows several main protagonists. The story follows the Gundam pilots of a rebel faction whose goal is to upset the established order and wipe out the corruption that has taken root. A string of corporations have a dictator’s control over the now completely solar-powered economy, causing significant disparities among the people.

The Gundam pilots sue for disorder and chaos and launch a full-scale war against the corporations and their owners. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is a fifty-episode long series that spans years during the journey of the Gundam pilots that seek to liberate humanity as the faction celestial being. It is available to stream on Crunchyroll via a subscription.

9 Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

A Boy Tries To Fight Destiny

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn was written by Harutoshi Fukui, the same author involved with the Turn A Gundam series and Gundam Narrative film. The Gundam Unicorn story takes place in the Universal Century timeline set three years after Char’s Counter Attack. Banagher Links is the main character of the series and pilots the Unicorn Gundam through a series of unfortunate events and must take on the resurgence of Zeon.

The story follows Banagher’s introduction to all-out war, having been born after the great conflicts of the One-Year War and the countless battles that followed. The Gundam Unicorn story is continued in the feature animated film, Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative, which takes place years later and shifts perspectives drastically. The entirety of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn is available to stream on Netflix with a subscription.

8 Gundam Build Fighters

Fast-Paced Fun

As of late, the Gundam franchise has gone leaps and bounds to create more innovative and unique content. Gundam Build Fighters is the first series that focuses on the real-life aspects of Gundam as model kits that fans of the franchise build for fun. This series is set in a world where an augmented reality game allows players to build their custom Gundam models, also known as “Gunpla,” scan them into the game, and fight against other players.

Iori is a talented builder but lacks confidence in his fighting skills until he meets Reiji, a mysterious newcomer who takes the controls and makes Iori’s creations shine on the digital battlefield. The animation of the series makes it among one of the best put-together Gundam series to date and has left a lasting impression that spawned an entire universe around the Gunpla aspect of the Gundam universe. Gundam Build Fighters is available to watch on Crunchyroll with a premium subscription.

7 Gundam Build Fighters Try

The World Of Gunpla Takes Off

Gundam Build Fighters Try is the continuation of Gundam Build Fighters. However, the series involves an entirely new cast of characters. Sekai Kamiki takes the spotlight seven years after the events of Gundam Build Fighters and joins Yuuma Kousaka as the new underdog team to take on the Gundam battle tournament.

While the theme is the same, Build Fighters Try takes on new concepts in battle and explores more than just in-game life but the lives of the players as well. Mobile Suit GundamBuild Fighters Try is also available to stream on Crunchyroll with a premium subscription.

6 Gundam Build Divers

Gunpla Takes To The World Of MMOs

The popularity of Mobile Suit Gundam Build Fighters birthed multiple spinoffs, one of which is Mobile Suit Gundam Build Divers. The world of Gunpla battle has evolved, and instead of augmented reality terminals, the world of Gundam has entered into the online MMO genre.

A new cast of characters that call themselves the Build Divers take on the massively popular online game Gundam Battle Nexus Online and fight other factions of players for notoriety and bragging rights. Along the way, the Build Divers must get to the bottom of the mysterious instability with Gundam Battle Nexus servers before the entire world is lost. Mobile Suit Gundam Build Divers is available on Crunchyroll to stream via a subscription.

5 Gundam Build Divers Re: Rise

Players Must Protect The Game World They Love

The second spinoff of the Build Fighters series and the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam Build Divers, Gundam Build Divers Re: Rise tells a new story with new characters who have all had bittersweet experiences with Gundam Battle Nexus or GBN for short.

Several new characters who meet for the first time become enthralled in a quest that both walks them through their past trauma and revitalizes their love for the game world. Mobile Suit GundamBuild Divers re: rise has heavy influences from past series such as Gundam Age, Gundam Seed, and SD Gundam. Mobile Suit Gundam Build Diver Re: Rise was released exclusively on the GundamInfo YouTube channel or on Crunchyroll and consists of thirteen episodes.

4 Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin

How The Best Became The Best

On very rare occasions, alternate perspectives on the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime are produced. Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin centers around the leading antagonist of the Gundam franchise, Char Aznable. Starting when the megalomaniac was a child, the series follows Char’s rise to power and provides a deeper insight into his motivations and reasoning as he takes up arms against the Earth and joins Zeon, becoming the red comet.

To this day, Char remains one of the greatest antagonists in anime history and an immortalized character within all Gundam anime. Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin consists of thirteen episodes and is currently available on Crunchyroll to stream for free or with a premium subscription.

3 Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans

Loyalty Built By Blood, Sweat, And Tears

In the realm of the Gundam anime series, Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans is a more mature take on story and concept. The series follows a band of child soldiers deemed disposable who rise against their enslavers and attempt to carve a place for themselves.

Iron-Blooded Orphans is beautifully animated, home to some of the best fight sequences in anime, and a special series among some of the best Gundam Anime series in the franchise. While Iron-Blooded Orphans has completed airing, it was announced that the spin-off mobile game Iron Blood Orphans G would be receiving an animation later on in the year. This series is said to take place in the middle of the first and final seasons of the original series and introduce the game’s characters in the universe. All twenty-five episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans are available to be streamed on Crunchyroll with a premium subscription.