Skip guide · Gundam

What can you skip in Gundam?

Updated October 21, 2026

You can skip 4 of the 27 titles in the Gundam franchise and still follow the main story: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, and Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island. The essentials (23 titles) take about 307 hours instead of 322 hours.

Skippable

4

Essentials

23

Time saved

15 hours

Safe to skip

• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin2015 · Series · 5h 25m · optionalChar and Sayla's past, before the One Year War; best after the original.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team1996 · Series · 5h 3m · optionalA side story in the jungles of the One Year War.
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket1989 · Series · 2h 40m · optionalThe war seen through a child's eyes; a side story.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island2022 · Film · 1h 49m · optionalA film retelling a single episode of the original; optional.

Why each one is optional

What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.

No. 01 · 1989 · Series · 2h 40m · optional

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

In the final days of the One Year War, a Zeon special forces group infiltrates a colony to gather information on a new Gundam unit. Alfred Izuhara, a 10-year-old student, befriends Zeon rookie pilot Bernie Wiseman during a brief mobile suit combat. Meanwhile, Al meets up with Christina MacKenzie, his former neighbor and babysitter. Little does he know that not only is Christina a member of the Earth Federation, she's the test pilot of the new Gundam NT-4 prototype.

Why it matters: The war seen through a child's eyes; a side story.

Starring

Daisuke Namikawa, Megumi Hayashibara, and Koji Tsujitani

Scores

IMDb 8

Episodes

6

No. 02 · 1996 · Series · 5h 3m · optional

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

Ensign Shiro Amada is transferred to Southeast Asia to take command of the 08th MS Team. In their first guerilla operation, Shiro's team is tasked with distracting the Zeon forces while Federation ground troops locate a mysterious new Zeon weapon.

Why it matters: A side story in the jungles of the One Year War.

Starring

Nobuyuki Hiyama, Mami Koyama, and Osamu Ichikawa

Scores

IMDb 7.9

Episodes

12

No. 03 · 2015 · Series · 5h 25m · optional

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin

This is the story of how Char Aznable, the Red Comet, came to be. Zeon Zum Deikun suddenly dies, in the middle of declaring the Autonomous Republic of Munzo’s independence, and the republic falls into turmoil. His children, Casval and Artesia, escape to Earth while the House of Zabi rises to power. Living in secret, the siblings must find their place in a world preparing for war.

Why it matters: Char and Sayla's past, before the One Year War; best after the original.

Starring

Shuichi Ikeda, Toru Furuya, and Megumi Han

Scores

IMDb 7.8

Episodes

13

No. 04 · 2022 · Film · 1h 49m · optional

Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island

After a covert mission goes wrong, Mobile Suit pilot Amuro Ray and his comrades are stranded on a remote island. The battalion was sent to a land called the Island of No Return to clear off any enemy forces, only to find a group of children and an enemy mecha attack. Now Amuro must find a way for them all to escape this mysterious land, but not before meeting a strange man—Cucuruz Doan.

Why it matters: A film retelling a single episode of the original; optional.

Starring

Toru Furuya, Shunsuke Takeuchi, and Ken Narita

Director

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko

Scores

IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 100%

The essentials, in release order

1. Mobile Suit Gundam1979 · Series · 17h 55mAmuro Ray and the One Year War; where Gundam starts.
2. Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam1985 · Series · 20hSeven years later; the Titans rise.
3. Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ1986 · Series · 19h 35mPicks up right after Zeta.
4. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack1988 · Film · 2hAmuro and Char's final battle.
5. Mobile Suit Gundam F911991 · Film · 1h 55mThirty years after Char's Counterattack.
6. Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory1991 · Series · 6h 30mBridges the original and Zeta.
7. Mobile Suit Victory Gundam1993 · Series · 20h 24mThe late Universal Century.
8. Mobile Fighter G Gundam1994 · Series · 19h 36mGundam Fights between nations; its own universe.
9. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing1995 · Series · 20h 3mFive teenage pilots; a classic entry point.
10. After War Gundam X1996 · Series · 16h 15mAfter a war that dropped colonies on Earth.
11. Turn A Gundam1999 · Series · 20h 50mThe far future, tying all timelines together.
12. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED2002 · Series · 40hNaturals versus Coordinators; includes SEED Destiny.
13. Mobile Suit Gundam 002007 · Series · 20h 50mCelestial Being fights to end war.
14. Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn2010 · Series · 7h 19mThe secret of Laplace's Box.
15. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer2010 · Film · 2h 3mConcludes Gundam 00.
16. Mobile Suit Gundam AGE2011 · Series · 19h 36mA war across three generations.
17. Gundam Reconguista in G2014 · Series · 10h 50mYoshiyuki Tomino's far-future story.
18. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans2015 · Series · 20h 50mChild soldiers on Mars.
19. Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative2018 · Film · 1h 29mA sequel to Unicorn.
20. Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway2021 · Film · 1h 36mBright Noa's son as a revolutionary.
21. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury2022 · Series · 9h 53mA school drama with duels; a modern entry point.
22. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom2024 · Film · 2h 5mThe SEED film sequel.
23. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX2025 · Series · 5h 4mAn alternate history of the One Year War.

Common questions

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