Mobile Suit Gundam is a franchise that goes back all the way to the 1970s, and it completely changed the game in the anime industry. Beyond resulting in a line of highly successful model kits, it also gave rise to the "Real Robot" subgenre of mecha anime. With so much coming out from that original series, it can be a pretty intimidating franchise to get into.
Now the newest entry, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, is about to begin hitting the airwaves. While longtime fans are likely excited, those wishing to finally start with Gundam might be confused or kept back. Before the new series comes out, here's a look at its story, and whether those unfamiliar with Gundam can jump into it without issue.
What Is Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury About?
Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch from Mercury is set in a futuristic world where powerful corporations control many aspects of life. This includes things such as space travel and intergalactic commerce, with interstellar communications being the norm of the day. Also a commonalty is the presence of mobile suits, which are gigantic robotic armors used in combat setting. The Beneritt Group is one of the companies that has a stranglehold on mobile suit production, with their Asticassia School of Technology being used to train the next generation of mobile suit pilots.
The protagonist is Suletta Mercury, who once lived on the planet Mercury under a different name: Ericht Samaya. Transferring to the Asticassia School, she aims to tackle her new existence head on, eventually becoming the pilot of the Gundam Aerial mobile suit. Suletta will be the first Gundam series with a female protagonist who pilots the series' main Gundam, with its school setting also shaking things up a bit. With how changed things are from the franchise's norm, outsiders might wonder if it's still inclusive enough for them to watch.
Newcomers Will Have No Problem Getting Into the Newest Gundam Anime
Thankfully for first-time viewers and even longtime fans who've grown weary of the franchise's exhausting history, the new Gundam is a completely fresh start. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is set in the A.S. (Ad Stella) timeline, completely separate from the classic Universal Century, Cosmic Era or other continuities in previous Gundam shows. Cut off from all those shows' events, this allows The Witch from Mercury to tell a story completely its own. The decades of continuity going back to the 'late '70s can be ignored, as they won't factor into this show's events. Terms such as Newtype and Coordinator likely won't show up in this series, so those just starting out can add them to their lexicon later.
Perhaps in line with this new continuity, the new Gundam show even looks different when compared to many of its predecessors. Having a slightly more flowery and colorful aesthetic, it's a world away from shows such as 008th MS Team and Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt. If anything, it does make it somewhat similar to the iconic standalone show Mobile Report Gundam Wing, which had a litany of "pretty" characters.
Newcomers can see this as the red carpet being laid out for them, with The Witch from Mercury being the perfect opportunity to finally give Gundam a chance. From there, fans can work their way back to see how the franchise got its start, with the path being made easier by a modern show that acts as a mecha gateway drug.