Universal Century

Universal Century (Japanese: 宇宙世紀, Hepburn: Uchū Seiki, literal meaning: "Universe (or 'Space') Century") is the main setting of the Gundam anime metaseries. Universal Century makes up the dominating majority of the entire franchise. While many new Gundam stories are told in their own parallel universe with independent timelines, giving them a greater degree of creative freedom, the original U.C. storyline continues to be extremely popular for a variety of reasons. It established the series, and delivered many of its best moments, as well as setting the standard for realistic hard science fiction in anime; the original Gundam marked the maturing of the Giant Robot genre. Also, nostalgia for the oldest of the Gundam shows (and Gundam's resulting status as a pop-culture icon in Japan) is still a major factor in its continuing success.^[1]

Universal Century Gundam Animated/Live-Action Works

*Except Episodes 3, 6, 7, 8 and 14

Universal Century Manga and Novels

Manga

Novels

• Look for Avenir (Avenir wo Sagasite, 1995) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. Set before the adoption of the Universal Century timeline.
• Mobile Suit Gundam (Kidou Senshi Gundam, 1979–1980) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. An alternate version of the original series.
• Mobile Suit Gundam (Kidou Senshi Gundam, 1980) - by Masaaki Nakane. The novel adaptation of the original series and movies.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Secret Rendezvous (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Mikkai - Amuro to Lalah, 1997) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino.
• For the Barrel (2000) - by Otsuka Gichi. An alternate version of MSG with different characters and mecha borrowing the story from Yoshiyuki Tomino's novel.
• Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story 0079 (Kidou Senshi Gundam Gaiden: Colony no Ochita Chi de..., 1999–2000) - by Joji Hayashi. The novel adaptation of the TV game.
• Zeonic Front: Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 (Zeonic Front: Kidou Senshi Gundam 0079, 2001) - by Joji Hayashi. The novel adaptation of the TV game.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Lost War Chronicles (Kidou Senshi Gundam Senki: Last War Chronicles, 2002) - by Joji Hayashi. The novel adaptation of the TV games
• Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Space, To the End of a Flash (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Utyu, Senkou no Hate ni, 2003) - by Ikki Miyamoto.
• Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO (Kidou Senshi Gundam MS IGLOO: Ichinen Sensou Hiroku, 2005) - by Joji Hayashi. The novel adaptation of the CGI series;
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (Kidou Senshi Gundam 0080: Pocket no Naka no Sensou, 1989) - by Kyosuke Yuki. The novel adaptation of the original OVA series.
• Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny (Kidou Senshi Gundam Gaiden: The Blue Destiny, 1997) - by Yuka Minagawa. The novel adaptation of the TV game.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Dai 08 MS Shoutai, 1999) - by Ichiro Okochi. The novel adaptation of the original series.
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (Kidou Senshi Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, 1992) - by Hiroshi Yamaguchi. The novel adaptation of the original OVA series.
• Advance Of Zeta: The Flag Of Titans (Advanced of Z: Titans no Hata no Moto ni, 2002—) - by Bin Konno.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Ecole du Ciel (Kidou Senshi Gundam Ecole du Ciel: Tenku no Gakko, 2002—) - by Kenichi Nakahara. The novel adaptation of the original manga.
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: Four Story - And to a soldier… (Kidou Senshi Zeta Gundam: Four Story - Soshite Senshi ni…, 1986) - by Akinori Endo.
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (Kidou Senshi Zeta Gundam, 1985–1986) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. The novel adaptation of the original series.
• Gundam Sentinel (Gundam Sentinel: Alice no Zange, 1988–1990) - by Masaya Takahashi.
• Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (Kidou Senshi Gundam ZZ, 1986–1987) - by Akinori Endo. The novel adaptation of the original series.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Hi Streamer (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Hi Streamer, 1987–1988) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. The novel adaptation of the original movie.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack - Beltorchika's Children (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gyakushu no Char - Beltorchika's Children, 1988) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. An original novel about Char's Counterattack, but with alternate events, like the appearance of Beltorchika Irma, and the appearance of a Sazabi upgrade, Nightingale, and the originally intended (in-universe) Nu Gundam, known as Hi-Nu.
• Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (Kidou Senshi Gundam Yunikōn, 2007) - by Harutoshi Fukui. In U.C. 0096, a student Banagher Links, son of the head of the Vist Foundation, acquires the psycho-frame heavy Gundam Unicorn, and meets Audrey Burne, a girl from a noble family, who is actually Mineva Lao Zabi under a pseudonym. He becomes embroiled in the conflict between the Neo-Zeon group known as "the Sleeves", led by a mysterious Char-like figure under the name of Full Frontal, and the Earth Federation, over a "secret" event which occurred 95 years earlier that plays an important role in the history of the Universal Century and the artefact that holds that secret, known as "Laplace's Box". This novel is now made into an OVA spanning six one-hour episodes.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Senkou no Hathaway, 1989) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. The story of Hathaway, Bright Noah's son, after the events of Char's Counterattack, that follows the canon of Beltorchika's Children.
• Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (Kidou Senshi Gundam F91, 1991) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. The novel adaptation of the original movie.
• Mobile Suit Gundam Silhouette Formula 91 (Kidou Senshi Gundam Silhouette Formula 91, 1992–1993) - by Sunrise.
• Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (Kidou Senshi V Gundam, 1993–1994) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. The novel adaptation of the original series.
• Gaia Gear (1987–1989) - by Yoshiyuki Tomino. A non-canonical side story, set in the U.C. 0200s, where an anti-Federation group creates a clone of Char to battle Manhunter.
• G-Saviour (2000–2001) - by Yoshie Kawahara. The novel adaptation of the original movie.
• The Most Irresponsible Man in Space (1989-1996) - by Hitoshi Yoshioka. A humorous Space Opera set in the year U.C. 6998, where the United Planets Space Force is in War against the Holy Raalgon Empire.

Original design series/variations

Several original design series were published. These series are drawings and precise specifications for additional mobile suit units not found in the original animated material.

• Mobile Suit Variations (1983) - also known as MSV, the variations from the One Year War, considered to be official and canonical
• Mobile Suit X (1984) - also known as MSX, new models for a proposed but never produced new animation series, considered to be official and canonical
• Z-MSV - variations from the Zeta Gundam series
• ZZ-MSV - variations from the Gundam ZZ series
• CCA-MSV - variations from the Char's Counterattack movie
• Kunio Okawara's MS Collection (M-MSV) - Kunio Okawara's personal reinterpretations
• F91-MSV - variations from the F91 movie
• V-MSV - variations from the Victory Gundam series
• UC-MSV - variations from the Gundam Unicorn series, also featured in various spin-off manga and video games

Video games

Arcade

• Mobile Suit Gundam
• Mobile Suit Gundam: EX Revue
• Mobile Suit Gundam: the Card Builder
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Bonds of the Battlefield
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Spirits of Zeon Dual Stars of Carnage
• Mobile Suit Gundam VS Series
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon DX
  • Mobile Suit Z Gundam: A.E.U.G. vs. Titans
  • Mobile Suit Z Gundam: A.E.U.G. vs. Titans DX
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam
• Quiz Mobile Suit Gundam: Monsenshi

Microsoft Windows

• Universal Century Gundam Online
• Mobile Suit Gundam Network Battle
• Mobile Suit Gundam

Nintendo Entertainment System

• Mobile Suit Z-Gundam: Hot Scramble

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Cross Dimension 0079
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: Away to the Newtype
• Mobile Suit Gundam F91: Formula Wars 0122
• Mobile Suit Victory Gundam

Nintendo GameCube

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Ace Pilot

Wii

• Mobile Suit Gundam: MS Sensen 0079

PlayStation

• Mobile Suit Gundam
• Mobile Suit Gundam v.2.0
• Gundam Battle Assault
• Gundam Battle Assault 2
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Giren's Greed, Blood of Zeon

PlayStation 2

• G-Saviour
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Lost War Chronicles
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The One Year War
• Mobile Suit Gundam Z: AEUG vs. Titans
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam
• Gundam: Battle Assault 3 featuring Gundam SEED
• MS Saga: A New Dawn
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Climax U.C.
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2

PlayStation 3

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3
• Mobile Suit Gundam Battlefield Record U.C. 0081
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn

PlayStation Portable

• Gundam Battle (series)
  • Gundam Battle Tactics
  • Gundam Battle Royale
  • Gundam Battle Chronicle
  • Gundam Battle Universe
• Gundam: Senjou no Kizuna

Sega Saturn

• Mobile Suit Gundam
• Mobile Suit Z Gundam: Kouhen
• Mobile Suit Z Gundam: Zenpen
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Gihren's Greed
• Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny Vol. 1
• Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny Vol. 2
• Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny Vol. 3

Dreamcast

• Gundam Battle Online
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs. Zeon DX
• Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise From the Ashes
• Mobile Suit Gundam Gihren's Greed - Blood of Zeon

Xbox 360

• Mobile Ops: The One Year War
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3

Chronology

In a pre-production memo, Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino wrote that the first series takes place in 2066 AD,^[2] which would have the Universal Century calendar starting in 1988 AD. However, a "2079" date stamp in the first Gundam series' episode 26 and a "2087" date stamp in Zeta Gundam's episode 8 indicated a 2001 starting date (but not necessarily AD). The date stamps were not included in the subsequent movie versions of these series, and these dates have since been contradicted by later works.

Based on a dated newspaper shown in the last episode of the Gundam 0080 OVA series written by Gainax's Hiroyuki Yamaga (Monday, January 14, 0080) and in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, Axis Zeon became Neo Zeon on 29th Feb, 0088, the Universal Century can be pinpointed to begin in several specific years, including 2053, 2081, 2109, and 2149. In the Universal Century chronology, the last dated entry of the AD system was 2045 AD, leading to the common misconception that U.C. 0001 followed immediately afterwards. A few early unofficial sources even listed U.C. 0001 as 2046 AD (or even 2045), but current official materials indicate the presence of a gap of years between the AD and U.C. calendar systems. Therefore, the first year of the Universal Century calendar is deduced on the official Gundam website in North America as being 2053, 2081, 2109, or possibly later, meaning U.C. 0079 would correspond to 2131, 2159, 2187, or later. It is still unknown the total duration of the UC era, but in Gundam Reconguista in G, it is revealed that it is eventually succeeded by another calendar era, known as the Regild Century (RC), which extends for at least 1000 years.

Analysis of Possibility

Although the concept of Space Colonization was not introduced by Gundam shows, the Universal Century series did spark academic research on the possibilities of different colonization methods.^[3] Writers also make their own estimations about the realism of human colonization under a united Government like the Earth Federation. Author Ichigaya made a rough estimation of the cost of building a colony that can house 60 million residents and the relative tax requirement for building it, and deemed it to be quite implausible for a single country (Japan as an example) to support the project since it will at least raise the income tax rate up to 50~70%.^[4]

References

1. ↑ 機動戦士ガンダムは、同じくバンダイグループの（株）サンライズが制作し、1979年4月～1980年1月にテレビシリーズ第１作が放映されて以来、テレビシリーズ8作品、劇場用映画9作品などが公開され、20年以上にわたり人気を保っています。米国をはじめ、ヨーロッパ、アジアでも作品が放映され、各地で高い人気を得ています。
2. ↑ Quoted in Gundam Century
3. ↑ The Times, 1 November 2008
4. ↑ MS戰略分析 (MS Strategy Analysis), Hajime Ichigaya, 2007, Futabasha, ISBN 978-4-575-29993-9 C0076