Gundam: Where do I start?!

[Death Carr]

I really, really want to start watching Gundam as it ooks like a genuinely interesting series, but whenever I look for it online, there appears to be atleast a dozen series to choose from and I dont know where to start.

So, could someone please tell me which Gundam series comes first, and then second, third, etc, etc.

 

[chaosyoshimage]

Gundam 00 was the one I started with. Most of the newer ones are each in their own continuity, G, Wing, Seed, and 00 are these. The rest are on a continuity together that starts with Mobile Suit Gundam. I think Victory and X are in their own as well, but I'm not sure. Turn A Gundam is weird in that it assumes a bunch of Gundam shows are on continuity even though they aren't. Personally, I've only seen 00 in its entirety. The first series bored me because.of how simple it was. I'm currently watching Seed and it's alright.

 

[tofulove]

start with the first series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_Gundam . work your way up in chronological order.

 

[tofulove]

i started with wing back when it was on cartoon network, although i prefer the original and its successors in the same universe as the original. wing was good to thou.

 

[Archangel768]

Gundam is like Final Fantasy, Each main series is "usually" (not always) set in an alternate universe where events that happened in the other series have no meaning. They start off with a complete new set of characters and a different version of Earth. Some main series are direct sequels to previous series.

Some series set in different universes are as follows

Universal Century (UC) timeline. 0079, 8th mobile suit team, Zeta

Cosmic Era timeline. Gundam Seed, Seed Destiny,

Anno Domini timeline. Gundam 00

After Colony timeline. Gundam Wing.

While each timeline seems as though they are set in their own seperate universes there is a series called Turn A which attempts to explain that all the gundam timelines eventually meet at one point indicating they are all in the same universe. However Gundam Seed, Seed Destiny and Gundam 00 were made after Turn A so as I haven't watched Turn A myself I don't know if the explanation that Turn A gives for all the timelines eventually meeting has any bearing on Gundam Seed, Destiny and 00.

Basically, you can start with Gundam 00 (the latest one fully released) and not have to watch any of the others made before it as they are all (seemingly) set on a completely different earth with a complete new cast of characters. Similar to Final Fantasy. Just make sure though that the series you watch isn't actually a direct sequel to a previous series as there are some for example. Gundam Seed comes before Gundam Seed Destiny etc. I hope this all made some sense.