Ask John: How & Why Did Gundam Become a Cultural Phenomenon?

Question:
How did Mobile Suit Gundam end up becoming such a cultural phenomenon in Japan. With numerous sequels, spin-offs, games, models and references in other anime (Keroro Gunso for example where the title character’s main hobby is building Gundam models (or Gunpla). Did Yoshiyuki Tomino ever believe that that series he created back in 1979, would become a long running franchise that almost unmatched by other anime series.

Answer:
Despite him making a number of international appearances, I’ve personally never met Mr. Yoshiyuki Tomino nor heard him speak. So I don’t know how much he ever expected Mobile Suit Gundam to become the global phenomena that it has evolved into. I imagine that creators rarely ever expect or predict that particular creations will become historical landmarks and cultural icons. Gundam is sometimes referred to as the Star Trek of Japan for very appropriate reason. Star Trek and Mobile Suit Gundam were both initially failures; their TV broadcasts canceled prematurely. Intense fan support, word of mouth, and feature films helped resurrect both franchises and move both into their relative cultural consciousness. Furthermore, both franchises sparked imagination by introducing new, groundbreaking ideas and philosophy into their respective cultures.

While Star Trek contributed to the American recognition of racial integration, advanced technology put to practical daily use, and the socio-political vision of a unified and peaceful future global society – all ideas revolutionary to the mass market American viewing audience of the 1960s, 1979’s Mobile Suit Gundam introduced a nuanced and practical political world view to anime and, more importantly, impressionable young viewers. The giant robot anime of the 1960s and 70s was strictly either children’s entertainment like Tetsujin 28-gou and Chojin Sentai Barattack, or clearly delineated heroic anime like Mazinger Z and Getter Robo that depicted admirable teens defending the world against villainous monsters or aliens. Gundam was the first robot anime to depict a story in which the motivations of the antagonists were not simply villainous, and the actions of the “heroes” ethically debatable. Furthermore, although prior anime like 1976’s UFO Robot Grendizer tai Great Mazinger movie did depict the chivalrous Mazinger robot used by evil aliens, the fundamental identity of heroic vintage robots was always righteous and moral. 1979’s Gundam was the first anime to depict giant robots as merely machines absent of any inherent morality. Like any other tool, they could be equally used for good or harm.

The robot anime of the 60s and 70s was fanciful entertainment, much of it designed to sell toys. Mobile Suit Gundam depicted, for the first time, a plausible speculative future in which science and technology were applied to military might, creating autonomy and strength. Rather than just tell a story, Gundam introduced a world setting, a vision of a world future not tied to individual characters but concepts, technological and social advances, new ways of life. 1963’s Astro Boy depicted a future world that integrated robots and advanced technology and, as a result, captured the collective imagination of Japanese society. Throughout the remainder of the 1960s and 70s, no other anime depicted such a world. The typical robot anime of the 60s and 70s depicted robots and advanced technology tied to specific privileged individuals – heroes or the children of scientists. Gundam tapped in to the existing Japanese fascination with technology and depicted futuristic technology accessible to all. But unlike the largely peaceful, hopeful, and idyllic Tetsuwan Atom, Gundam painted a darker, more conflicted and politically tumultuous image that felt like a believable extension of present day reality.

Since the 1979 debut of Mobile Suit Gundam, very few other robot anime have even attempted to similarly create an accessible, plausible vision of future society. Although modern robot anime have gotten more realistic, Votoms, SPT Layzner, Dancougar, Dangaioh, Dragonar, Iczer-One, Exkaiser, Goldran, Rahxephon, Gasaraki, Godannar, and countless other contemporary robot anime have told stories revolving around protagonists with robots. These shows have been successful among otaku but haven’t captured the imagination of a broader, mainstream audience. Particularly robot anime including Patlabor and Evangelion, however, that begin with and primarily revolve around their setting and the concept of robots and technology being integrated into society and everyday use have proven more accessible to a wider audience and become more iconic outside of the insulated otaku community. Gundam was the first anime to let viewers – not just children or otaku viewers, all viewers – envision a plausible future that involves giant robots affecting ordinary people’s, ordinary everyday life. The extensive franchising and marketing of the Gundam property has been allowed by the core concept’s ability to relate to and involve ordinary people outside of the otaku sphere. While typical robot anime has revolved around “him,” the hero, Gundam has revolved around “us.” The most successful Gundam anime have been the ones that most depict a universal, accessible scenario that viewers can imagine themselves in as themselves, not as a fictional heroic protagonist. Similarly, while Americans frequently adore Star Wars because we envision ourselves as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, or Leia Organa, we respect and adore Star Trek because we envision ourselves as literally ourselves walking a starship hallway or having a friendly drink with a loquacious alien.