Where to Start with Gundam: A Beginner’s Guide to the Original Heroes, Rivals, and the War That Started It All
If you know nothing about Gundam and want to begin at the very start, the best place to jump in is Mobile Suit Gundam from 1979. This is the series that launched one of the most influential science fiction franchises in anime history. While later Gundam shows introduce new timelines, new heroes, and new machines, the original story is still the foundation. It gives you the central conflict, the tone, and the characters that shaped everything that came after.
At its heart, Gundam is not just about giant robots. It is a war drama. The story takes place in the Universal Century, a future where humanity has spread into space colonies. Tensions explode into war between the Earth Federation and the space-based Principality of Zeon. In the middle of that conflict is a teenage boy named Amuro Ray, the most important male character for any newcomer to know.
Amuro begins as an ordinary, awkward civilian with a talent for mechanics. When war suddenly reaches his home colony, he climbs into the experimental RX-78-2 Gundam and becomes its pilot almost by accident. What makes Amuro compelling is that he does not start as a bold action hero. He is scared, stubborn, emotionally overwhelmed, and slowly forced to grow up. Gundam helped change anime because it portrayed war as stressful, traumatic, and deeply human, and Amuro carries much of that weight.
Amuro’s great rival is Char Aznable, one of the most iconic characters in anime. Char is a brilliant Zeon pilot known as the “Red Comet” because of his custom red mobile suits and extraordinary skill in battle. He is cool, intelligent, mysterious, and dangerous. But he is more than a villain. Char has personal motives, hidden history, and complex feelings about power, family, and revenge. The conflict between Amuro and Char becomes one of the defining relationships in Gundam.
For female characters, the most important place to start is Sayla Mass. She is strong, intelligent, calm under pressure, and far more important than a typical supporting character. Sayla serves aboard the warship White Base, helps hold the crew together, and has a surprising connection to Char that adds emotional depth to the story. She represents how Gundam gives its women real narrative importance instead of leaving them in the background.
Another key female character is Mirai Yashima, who becomes essential to White Base’s survival. She is responsible, composed, and often acts as a stabilizing force for the crew. Fraw Bow is also important early on, especially as Amuro’s childhood friend and emotional link to normal life. Then there is Lalah Sune, one of the most unforgettable women in the original series. She plays a major role in the emotional and philosophical side of Gundam and becomes central to both Amuro and Char.
Starting with the original Gundam means meeting the characters who matter most first. You get the first great hero, the first great rival, and the emotional core of the franchise. If you want to understand Gundam from the ground up, this is where the journey begins.
