Gundam | |
---|---|
Created by |
Yoshiyuki Tomino Sunrise |
Original work | Mobile Suit Gundam |
Print publications | |
Novel(s) | See list |
Comics | See list |
Films and television | |
Film(s) | See below |
Television series | See below |
Games | |
Traditional | Gundam War Collectible Card Game |
Video game(s) | See list |
Miscellaneous | |
Toys |
Gundam models The Robot Spirits S. H. Figuarts |
Gundam (Japanese: ガンダム Hepburn: Gandamu), also known as the Gundam Series (ガンダムシリーズ Gandamu Shirīzu), is a science fiction media franchise created by Sunrise which features giant robots (mecha) with mobile suits bearing the name Gundam. It began on April 7, 1979 as Mobile Suit Gundam, a TV series which defined the real robot anime genre by featuring giant robots in a militaristic setting. The popularity of the first TV series and its merchandise spawned a franchise which includes television series, OVAs, films, manga, novels and video games.
In 2014 the Gundam franchise generated ¥80 billion per year, ¥18.4 billion of which was retail sales of toys and hobby items. In the 2008 ranking of sales figures for anime sold in Japan (1970–2008 total sales figures, averaged by episode), Gundam series were in four of the top five places: Mobile Suit Gundam was second, with Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny third, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED fourth and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam fifth. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ranked 18th, and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ 20th. Gunpla (plastic Gundam models) make up 90 percent of the Japanese character plastic-model market. Academics in Japan have viewed the series as inspiration; in 2008, the virtual Gundam Academy was planned as the first academic institution based on an animated TV series.