Original Mobile Suit Gundam Manga Will Be Reissued Across 6 Deluxe Edition Hardcovers

Yoshiyuki Tomino’s Mobile Suit Gundam stands as a seminal anime series in the annals of time, pioneering the “real robot” mecha genre and giving birth to the extensive Gundam franchise that continues to captivate viewers globally today. Although the original 1979 anime series and its abridged film trilogy adaptation are still must-watch experiences, an outstanding method to immerse oneself in the narrative is through the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Manga series. This manga was penned and illustrated by the anime’s character artist and animation director, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, and spanned from 2001-2011. In August of this year, the manga will receive a new six-volume Deluxe Edition reprint, beginning with Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Deluxe 1 on August 12, and preorders are available now on Amazon.

In a future where humanity has expanded its presence beyond Earth into the solar system, Mobile Suit Gundam is set. The majority of humans now inhabit enormous space stations orbiting Earth, but political strife between these colonies and the Earth Federation government escalates, giving rise to the totalitarian regime of Zeon. They seize control over several space stations and initiate war against Earth, employing deadly tactics involving massive humanoid machines known as mobile suits.

In the story, when a group of Zeon mobile suits assault Space Colony Side 7, allied with Earth Federation, an unassuming student named Amuro Ray accidentally enters the Federation’s innovative prototype mobile suit – the renowned RX-78 Gundam – to protect the colony. Subsequently, he is enlisted by the Earth Federation and discovers that he possesses a unique trait – Newtype abilities, characterized by heightened sensitivity and the capacity to perceive other Newtypes. Although this advantage benefits him in combat, being a Newtype also intensifies his emotional connections, causing Amuro considerable internal conflict regarding his part in the war. Throughout the saga, Amuro forges an enduring rivalry with Char Aznable, Zeon’s top mobile suit pilot, which serves as a significant theme within the heart of the Gundam franchise, even echoing beyond the initial series.

The deluxe edition of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin appears to offer a top-tier experience for the renowned version of the Mobile Suit Gundam tale, but even the standard editions aren’t lacking. In fact, the entire 12-volume series is currently available in high-quality hardcover versions that surpass typical manga releases in quality. Although smaller than the deluxe editions, these versions are more convenient for carrying around and contain additional essays from notable contributors like Hideaki Anno, creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which aren’t found in the deluxe editions. Plus, all 12 volumes are currently available at a discounted price on Amazon.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Manga – Standard Edition Hardcovers

• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 1 – Activation — $24.25 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 2 – Garma — $19.79 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 3 – Ramba Ral — $23.21 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 4 – Jaburo — $22.13 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 5 – Char & Sayla — $24 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 6 – To War — $19.18 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 7 – Battle of Loum — $23.30 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 8 – Operation Odessa — $24.25 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 9 – Lalah — $23.31 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 10 – Solomon — $20.39 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 11 – A Cosmic Glow — $23 ($30)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 12 – Encounters — $20.32 ($30)

If you’d like to explore the foundation of the manga you’re reading, you can find the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime series on Crunchyroll for streaming. The film trilogy, which condenses the anime episodes into three full-length movies, is accessible on Netflix. But that’s just a start, as there’s a wealth of Gundam content beyond that. After the original anime, various sequels and spin-offs were produced, not only in the form of anime and manga, but also movies, novels, and more.

If you prefer staying true to the source material, you can purchase the latest Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island movie on Blu-ray for $25.12 (previously priced at $40) from Amazon. This animated film was launched in September 2024 under Yasuhiko’s direction and revisits one of the original anime’s most criticized episodes, known for its poor animation quality and production flaws. The remastered version boasts improved animation, a more detailed narrative, and a new English voice cast. Interestingly, Touru Furuya will once again lend his voice to Amuro Ray, delighting fans of the original anime’s Japanese dub.

The manga version of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin was transformed into an OVA series, focusing on the events leading up to the One Year War as seen through the eyes of the main villain, Char Aznable. The first four episodes have been compiled in a Blu-ray collection titled “Mobile Suit Gundam the Origin: Chronicle of Char and Sayla,” which is available for purchase at Amazon for $53 (originally $65). Unfortunately, the remaining episodes 5-7 from the series “Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin: Chronicle Of The Loum Battlefield” Blu-ray are temporarily out of stock.

The Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Anime Blu-rays

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island — $25.12 ($40)
• Mobile Suit Gundam the Origin: Chronicle of Char and Sayla — $60 ($65)
• Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin: Chronicle Of The Loum Battlefield — Sold Out

Among various sequels and spin-offs set within the same fictional world as Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack stands out as the most significant one. This 1988 movie revisits Amuro and Char as central figures, offering a resolution to their prolonged conflict that began in the initial anime series. You can purchase the Blu-ray edition for $35 on Amazon.

The film “Char’s Counterattack” is an adaptation of Tomino’s novel, “Mobile Suit Gundam: High-Streamer.” Tomino also wrote another version of this novel called “Beltorchika’s Children,” which is based on a discarded screenplay draft and has been adapted into a seven-volume manga. Both Char’s Counterattack and Beltorchika’s Children share similar plotlines, but the latter provides a more accurate and detailed portrayal of Tomino’s intended storyline compared to Char’s Counterattack. Some appealing mobile suit designs, such as the Zeon Nightengale Mobile Armor and Amuro’s Hi-Nu Gundam, that were absent from the movie version, are featured in Beltorchika’s Children.

2024 marked the English translation debut of the first three volumes of Beltorchika’s Children manga, with more volumes set to follow over the next few months! I’ve already grabbed the paperback version of Volume 1 from Crunchyroll, and you can find Volumes 2 and 3 on Amazon. If you’re as excited as I am for the next installment, don’t forget to preorder Volume 4 before it hits shelves on May 27!

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack and Beltorchika’s Children

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (Blu-ray) — $35
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack – Beltorchika’s Children Volume 1 (manga) — $10.36 ($13)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack – Beltorchika’s Children Volume 2 (manga) — $12 ($13)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack – Beltorchika’s Children Volume 3 (manga) — $12 ($13)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack – Beltorchika’s Children Volume 4 (manga) — $14 | Releases May 27

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2025-04-08 23:12