This June, Netflix is set to bring some classic anime to us, releasing four of the Mobile Suit Gundam movies across multiple regions, including the UK and US. The long-running 1981 anime and its movies are a must-watch for any sci-fi and giant mech fan, and now their addition to Netflix’s library marks exciting developments for anime’s place on the streaming service as a whole.
Although its original series notoriously flopped after one season, the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise has turned into an anime giant and has impacted popular culture massively. It’s the franchise known ffor revolutionising ‘mecha anime’ and creating the ‘real robot’ genre, making it the ideal pick for Netflix to add to its growing list of top-quality anime.
Mobile Suit Gundam I (1981), Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (1981), Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (1982), and Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988) are the movies set to arrive on the streaming service on June 18. So there’s no excuse not to watch them now.
All four make a perfect introduction to the colossal story and are the ideal pick for any newcomers to the series in general. The films cover the majority of the primary timeline (Universal Century) seen in the Mobile Suit Gundam anime and fully hook you into the giant robot, and explosion-filled world without leaving your brain too much of a befuddled mess.
The Mobile Suit Gundam collection is the latest in Netflix’s anime additions and confirms the streaming services increased focus on the genre. After the recent Sailor Moon remake, the Netflix original series Eden, and the newest Pokémon season releasing later this year, it’s pretty safe to say that Netflix appears to be on an anime kick.
As Netflix’s library continues to expand with more new and old animation magic, we can sit and hope that the addition of Gundam will be the first of many classics to be added to its library in the near future.