Super Deformed Gundam

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Super Deformed Gundam or SD Gundam originated from a contributed illustration of a junior high school student from Nagoya by the name of Koji Yokoi to the "Model News" magazine that Bandai was issuing in the 1980's. The illustration is of a Gundam but with the weird proportion where the overall height of the Gundam is equal to 2 of its head. This illustration interested the chief editor and so leading to Koji Yokoi serializing SD Gundam in 4 frame comics in "Model News". The super deformed design was suitable for capsule toys and so SD Gundam started merchandising with the Gashapon series "SD Gundam World" in 1985. By the 90s SD Gundam spawned many spin-off series, SD Sengokuden (SD Warring States, Musha Style), SD Gundam Gaiden (Knight Style) and SD Commando Chronicles (Military Style) to name a few.

With its popularity, SD Gundam merchandise expanded to include manga, trading cards, anime and video games.

Several games based on the SD series were also made ranging on consoles from the SNES to the GBA. The SD Gundam G Generation game series features the SD Gundams in a turn-based strategy game.

The SD Gundam designs were also used throughout the earlier Super Robot Wars games (up through SRW F and F Final, stopping at SRW Alpha for the PS1), as can be seen by the pupils present in the eyes of the various Mobile Suits that appeared. From SRW Alpha and beyond, however, the eyes of Mobile Suits remain blank, though the robots themselves are still super-deformed (just as all mechs represented in typical SRW games are).

Contents 1 Musha Gundam 2 Model kits 3 Animation works 4 Manga works 4.1 Musha Gundam series 4.2 Others 5 Game works 6 External links 6.1 Information sites 6.2 Plastic Model links 6.3 Publisher links

[edit] Musha Gundam

Musha Gundam first appeared from a toy model comic titled Plamo-Kyoshiro. The popularity of the Musha Gundam series has led to the domination of Musha style Gundam dominating BB Senshi line.

[edit] Model kits

Although the stories themselves are parody, SD Gundam models is a serious business. While regular Gundam model lines strive for realism by introducing High Grade, Master Grade, and Perfect Grade models, SD Gundam models are designed for (and sometimes by) customization crowd. Many SD Gundam models are designed such that variations of the stock models, as seen by SD Gundam comics, can be made by using parts from other SD Gundam kits. Modifying SD models is very popular in Japan, more so than the full-sized counterparts. In addition to made-up robots contributed to SD Gundam comics, Bandai also held monthly contests for custom Gundam (usually Musha-based) models.

Some SD Gundam models can be combined into a non-SD unit, either by design or via customization. Alongside SD kits of standard Gundam mecha, each year usually offers a stand alone line (usually supported by a separate manga) with each of the kits sharing a common gimmick. As of early 2006, the current line are designed as combiners. Whilst each kit can build a Gundam with at least two forms, all of the kits are designed to double as part of a combined form in various ways.

[edit] Animation works

Some of the SD Gundam animation works, a more complete list is available at the Japanese wiki entry.

• Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk I (1989)
• Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk II (1989)
• SD Gundam's Counterattack (1989)
• Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk III (1990)
• Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk IV (1990)
• Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk V (1990)
• Doozy Bots (1991) An attempt to market SD Gundam in North America, but wasn't picked up. A rarity among Gundam fans.
• SD Gundam Side Story (1990)
• SD Gundam Scramble (1991)
• SD Gundam: Dawn Of Paparu (1991)
• SD Gundam Festival (1993)
• SD Gundam Mushaparaku (2001): A short music video produced by Sunrise D.I.D. (Digital Imaging Department?) that first appeared in Tokyo Hobby Show in 2001/10/13. The video uses cel-shaded versions of SD Gundam Mushamaruden characters. The video is bundled with the limited special color clear version of BB Senshi #178.
• SD Gundam Mushaparaku 2 (2003): Debuted in 42nd Shizuoka Hobby show 2003 on 2003/5/17, this video uses SD Gundam Mushamaruden 2 and 3 characters.
• SD Gundam Force (2003)

[edit] Manga works

In Japan, SD Gundam comics was included in Bandai's BB Senshi plastic model kits, titled 'Comic World'. The popularity of SD series lead to stand-alone publications of SD Gundam comics, initially serialized in Comic Bom Bom by Kodansha. Comic World stories may contain different continuity from the expanded counterparts. G Beagle is only shown in Comic World format. In later BB Senshi kits, especially the musha-themed kits, contain side story for the separately published series.

Most of the SD Gundam manga were serialized in Kodansha's Comic Bom Bom with the exception of Musharetsuden ZERO which was serialized in Hobby Japan.

Some of the SD Gundam books are translated into Chinese and published by Rightman Publishing Ltd. in Hong Kong.

Below is a rough list of manga works, a more accurate and complete list is available at the Japanese wiki entry.

[edit] Musha Gundam series

Musha Gundam series is the longest running SD Gundam series, lasting over 15 years. With exception of Musha senki, characters, items, and places are named with excessive use of kanji, which usually makes no literal sense unless you read it, similar to the Mad Gab. For example, '頑駄無' is pronounced 'Gan Da Mu', or 'Gundam'.

• SD Sengokuden (1988-1992)
• Shin SD Sengokuden (1992-1996)
• Chō SD Sengokuden (1997-1999)
• Musha senki (1999)
• SD Gundam Musha Generation (2000)
• SD Gundam Mushamaruden (2001-2004)
• SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden (2004-2005)
• SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden Zero
• SD Gundam Musha Banchō Fūunroku (2006-)

[edit] Others

• SD Gundam Fullcolor Gekijou (Ongoing)
  • Produced by Azuma Yuki (あずま 勇輝), this series is based on the SD Gundam Fullcolor Gashapon toy line, which are capsule toys for SD Gundam figures.

[edit] Game works

In the past most of the SD Gundam games are turn-based strategy games but recent SD Gundam games started appearing in other genres.

Below is a rough list of game works, a more accurate and complete list is available at the Japanese wiki entry.

• SD Gundam Gachapon Senshi series
• SD Sengokuden series
• SD Gundam Side Story series
• SD Gundam Eiyūden series
• SD Gundam G Generation series
• SD Gundam Force
• SD Gundam Force: Showdown!
• Gundam: True Odyssey (MS Saga: A New Dawn) (2005)

[edit] External links

[edit] Information sites

• Red Basara's homepage - detailed information on Musha Gundam timelines (Japanese)
• Inugoya's homepage - information on all SD Gundam timelines (Japanese)
• SD Gundam history page (Japanese)
• STRIPE's home page (Japanese)
• Bandai Hobby Site (Japanese)
• SD Sengokuden history (Chinese)
• ToYaMeI's homepage (Chinese)
• SD Gundam Mushaparaku press release (Japanese)
• SD Gundam Mushaparaku 2 news release (Japanese)

[edit] Plastic Model links

• Bandai Hobby Site (Japanese)

[edit] Publisher links

• Comic Bom Bom official site (Japanese)
• Comic Bom Bom's list of Gundam titles (Japanese)
• Hobby JAPAN magazine official site (Japanese)
• Rightman Publishing Ltd. official site (Chinese)
• Sunrise SD Gundam Mushamaruden site (Japanese)