Lunar Gear: 10 Thing you might not know about Gundam

• The series was originally set to run for 52 episodes and was cut down to 39 by the shows sponsors due to the fact that the show rating were so low that according to the survey of that time very few people tune in to watch the show. Luckily, the staff was able to negotiate a one month extension to end the series with 43 episodes.

Original Title screen from Original Mobile suit Gundam

• In both American TV showings, and on the American DVD release, Episode 15: Cucuruz Doan's Island was cut out. It was felt, even by Tomino (The Director) , that this episode was not up to par with the rest of the series and so it was never dubbed, making it into a "lost episode" of sort. And this might be origin of the Sunrise's "Stuck on the island" plot which were used so many time in Gundam series and Other Sunrise's series. The scene worth mention is the Episode in Gundam Seed where Arthrun and Cagalli was struck in an island together. While in Code Geass Zero and Yuffie end up struck on the island as well as Kallen and Suzaku.

Above few scene from Ep. 15 Cucuruz Doan's Island

• First Gunpla that is produced by Bandai. It was 1/144 Gundam, the first Gunpla is totally white and don't have much detail but cost 300 yen. It was released back in 1980, and the sale were so bad Bandai never thought they would profit from this new line of plastic model kit. But when the series ended and were about to be rerun, the sale of Gunpla sky rocket to the point that Gunpla become one of Bandai most profit toy line.

The Box Art(left) and Assemble guide featuring the painted version of the kit(right)

• G-Armor the bulky armor that enable RX78-2 to fly, were not intend to be include in the original show. It were insert into the show to boost the toy sale. The Clover DX Gundam Gatai Set is the first major toy for Gundam Franchise, it include gundam and the G-Armor with Gatai(combine) gimmick. The G-Armor were replaced by Core-Booster on the Gundam the movie. In Gundam Origin (Manga series) the Core-Booster was redesign as gundam Sub-Flight system instead so that Gundam can ride on it.

G-armor

FF-X7-Bst Core-Booster

• Most Weapon feature in SGT. Keroro, were design base on Weapon feature in Gundam Series. For Example Kerone-Ball are design base on Zaku II cracker grenade. and Giroro weapon arsenal are the redesign version of many iconic weapon from gundam universe. In the show they are going as far as having an armor that resemble to Gogg and Z'gog

Giroro(Red ) holding Gundam Beam rifle and Garuru (Black) holding shield GP02A Gundam

SD version of Gp02a Gundam with it unique shield

Gundam wielding it 4 main weapon from the top left Gundam Hammer, Beam rifle, Beam saber and Hyper Bazooka

• Most Gundam TV Series, their will be an Character that wear mask or sunglasses to disguise themselves. Like Char who wear mask to disguise himself from Zeon family, or When he join AEUG wearing only sunglasses and call himself Quartro Bajena. The First Character to ever wear the mask is Char Aznable, the mask he wear is actually the eye protection mask given by his friend at military academy before he start the student riot.

All masked character from tv series

• Most main protagonist will upgrade "gundam" during the course of the show, like Kira Yamato's Strike Gundam to Freedom in Seed. The first main protagonist who the first to ever upgrade to another gundam is Kamille Bidan from Gundam Z, By first piloting Gundam MkII to Zeta Gundam. However Tomino (director of Gundam) planned for Amuro to Upgrade from RX78-2 to RX78-3 which was waiting for Amuro at Jaburo. The plan were scrapped because Gundam unit 3 might be 1.5time faster but it is basically gundam with grey color, the toy company think grey color gundam will not popular as a toy. But in order to keep the original storyline Amuro were given magnetic coating which speed up gundam unit 2 by 1.5 time.

On the left is Gundam Unit2 on the right is Gundam Unit 3

• For Asian Viewer back in the 80 might get to watch Gundam on their local channel. For Thailand it was aired on channel 7 back in 1981. Ironically for the real robot theme anime receive a very Thai super robot name "อภินิหารกันดั้ม" which roughly translate as "the mystical Gundam". While In US first gundam ever-air is Gundam W on CatoonNetwork in year 2000, under the toonami time slot which feature only Japanese animation. after the premier of Gundam W, it became the most popular show in Toonami time slot and last almost the full year, only to be push down the rank by the legendary Dragonball Z

Gundam W logo which originally used in CartoonNetwork channel

• Censorship is the most mortal enemy of TV-Show. Back in year 2001 the original gundam tv series were aired halfway through the series, but after the 9/11 the show banned due to censorship under unknown reason. while other show with similar theme were able to be air but not Gundam. In US many gundam from G gundam and Gundam W series were rename so that the name is not referencing any thing religious or racist and appropriate for young audience. To name a few God Gundam was turn to Burning Gundam, devil gundam to Dark gundam, or Gundam Heaven Sword to Raven Gundam.

Devil Gundam/Dark Gundam

• Haro is the mascot for Gundam series, Haro have appear in many gundam series since the first series. Haro was originally a toy robot owned by Amuro Ray since he was a kid. The original haro cant accomplish much since it practically a toy. While in the later series even small haro in Gundam seed have a useful function like hacking and unlock military war-shipped prisoner bay lock, while in Gundam 00 it could be used Gundam meister personal mechanic and even nurse during surgical procedure.

Haro as appear in original Gundam doing nothing

Lockon's Haro use in Gundam 00 as co-pilot for Dynames Gundam

Thai Plastic Model Kit Review