ZZ Gundam: Review + All you Need to Know

Title	Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam
Director	Yoshiyuki Tomino
Year	1986
Episodes	47
Rating	★★★☆☆ (3/5 stars)

ZZ Gundam is the third Gundam anime in the franchise. It is somehow overlooked because of its comedic nature.

However, it has many good points and is a solid entry in the Gundam Franchise. Today, you’ll know everything about it:

ZZ Gundam Sinopsis

The events of ZZ Gundam occur shortly after the Zeta Gundam ending, working as a direct sequel to it:

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ follows the story of the Argama, a battleship of the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) and their struggle against Neo Zeon, a new faction that emerged after the defeat of the Titans.

Along the way, they encounter new allies and enemies, and the story explores themes of war and politics.

The series is known for its more light-hearted and comedic tone compared to the previous series, Zeta Gundam, which makes it less beloved than other entries in the Gundam franchise.

Review of ZZ Gundam

I’ll look at each point and give a final rating on the matter:

Plot

The plot is very straightforward compared to Zeta Gundam. Basically it’s a conflict between Neo Zeon and the Argama battleship. Of course, it gets a little more complicated than that in the end, but it’s not that deep. Rating: 3/5.

Characters

The characters stand out for me. Judau is a pretty nice main character and Bright gets a little cooler here, but I can’t stand the other teens for the most part (especially those two who wanted to betray the Argama). However, the show has a lot of nice (and funny villains): Yazan, Chara, Haman and, of course, Glemy Toto. Rating: 4/5.

Music

What should you expect from a Universal Century Gundam show? Of course, it has an amazing soundtrack. Rating: 5/5.

Animation

Ok, this was the 80’s, but the animation was pretty high quality for its time. Some scenes lack a little quality here and there, but it’s perfectly reasonable for an anime with more than 40 episodes. Rating: 5/5.

Overall

I don’t hate ZZ Gundam as many people do, and I think you should definitely give it a try, especially if you’re a fan of UC Gundam. However, it is a little worse than the previous shows. Because of this, I’ll give it a lower score. Rating: 3/5.

Characters from ZZ Gundam

I didn’t add the teen side characters from the Argama since they are pretty boring, to be honest. I think Tomino tried to do something like Power Rangers or Super Sentai, but ultimately failed.

Some characters from the show are the following:

Judau Ashta

The main protagonist of the series, Judau is a young orphan who becomes a member of the AEUG and pilots the ZZ Gundam mobile suit. He’s very proactive and extroverted, completely different from Amuro and Kamille, which is a breath of fresh air.

Bright Noa

The leader of the Argama and a skilled mobile suit commander. He reappears in ZZ Gundam and has a mentor role for Judau and the crew. He gets much less harsh than in previous installments, probably because of the shock of what happened at the end of Zeta.

Glemy Toto

A prominent figure of the Neo Zeon and one of the main antagonists of the series. He begins as a spoiled soldier, but matures as time passes by and turns into a very solid character.

Yazan Gable

A member of the Titans and a skilled mobile suit pilot which survives the Gyps conflict and turns into a major rival of Judau. It’s cool to have a character such as him, who was not that important in Zeta Gundam, have more screen time.

Haman Karn

A powerful and mysterious woman who is an antagonist in the series. She gets a major role in the series and develops somehow what seems to be a love interest for Judau.

Mashymre Cello

A member of the Neo Zeon faction and a skilled mobile suit pilot. He gets very funny moments in the series.

Chara Soon

A member of the Neo Zeon faction and a skilled mobile suit mechanic. She’s one of the most funny characters in all the Gundam installments (which means a lot).

Elpeo Ple

A young girl who is a member of the Neo Zeon and is subject to a lot of tests

Ple Two

A cyber newtype who is one of Elpeo Ple clones.

Negative Points of Gundam ZZ

Here are some negative points of Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ:

Pacing issues

Some viewers may find the pacing of the series to be slow or uneven, particularly in the early episodes, which are devoted to more comical situations – a very different proposal than Zeta Gundam.

Some might find the comedic tone detracts from the series overall serious themes and the impact of the war.

Because of this, the series may not appeal to fans of more serious or darker anime series, as it has a more light-hearted and comedic tone.

Lack of character development for some characters

While the main characters in the series are well-developed, some of the secondary characters may be less fleshed-out and may not get as much screen time. One clear example are the many friends of Judau, which gets almost no development at all.

Positive Points of Gundam ZZ

Here are some positive points of Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ:

Interesting  story

The story of Gundam ZZ follows the AEUG as they struggle against the Titans, and explores themes of war and politics. It also has a lot of plot twists that got many people excited. As I said, it may not be your cup of tea, but it is very nice in general.

Unique characters

At least the characters in Gundam ZZ are well-developed and have distinct personalities. They also have their own personal struggles and motivations, which adds complexity to the story.

ZZ Gundam also has many bizarre characters, like Chara Soon and Cello. They are super exaggerated and made the show fun for me.

It’s very funny to see serious figures like Bright and Yazan get a little softer as time passes by too.

Action-packed

The series features intense mobile suit battles that are visually impressive (for its time, at least). Every episode has a lot of action, so for the ones that like mecha combats, It’s a solid pick.

Light-hearted tone

Compared to the previous series, Gundam ZZ has a more light-hearted and comedic tone which makes it more accessible and enjoyable for the ones who don’t like too much violence and things like that.

I know that, in general, this isn’t the Gundam fanbase, but I bet many people will enjoy the silly comedy in the show.

Solid Soundtrack

The Soundtrack of the series is also memorable and fitting with the action and emotions displayed in the series. This is to be expected from a Gundam series, since many of them have amazing soundtracks.

Should I watch ZZ Gundam?

Whether you should watch Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ ultimately depends on your personal preferences and interests.

If you’re a fan of the Gundam franchise, it’s worth watching ZZ as it’s a continuation of the story and it’s good to understand the full picture of the universe. If you’re looking for an action-packed anime with mecha intense battles and a light-hearted tone, then you might enjoy Gundam ZZ.

If you’re looking for a serious anime series with a lot of world-building, it might not be for you.

Ultimately, you should watch a couple episodes to see if it’s something you’ll enjoy, as everyone’s taste is different.

Questions about ZZ Gundam

There are many questions related to this anime, so I’ll try to answer all of them:

Does Kamille appear in ZZ Gundam?

Kamille and Fa appear in the beginning of the show and in a scene at the ending, indicating that he got better from this previous mental condition.

Does Char appear in ZZ Gundam?

Char does not appear in Gundam ZZ. He only appears in the next installment: Char’s Counterattack. However, Glemy Toto acts as a Char look-a-like.

Does Amuro appear in ZZ Gundam?

Amuro doesn’t make an appearance in ZZ Gundam, only in the next installment: Char’s Counterattack.

Is ZZ Gundam a comedy anime?

ZZ Gundam begins with a very light-hearted tone, which makes people think it’s a comedy anime. However, as the show progresses, it gets more serious and a little darker too.

Why do people say Gundam ZZ is not an anime?

Since the first opening of ZZ Gundam is called “Anime ja nai” (it’s not anime), people like to joke about it saying ZZ Gundam is not anime and that it’s real life (as the lyrics of the song imply).

Is Gundam ZZ hated?

Many Gundam fans don’t like ZZ as much as other Universal Century Gundam shows, such as Zeta or 0079. However, many people think it’s a very welcoming change in the series tone.

Should I skip Gundam ZZ?

You should not skip ZZ Gundam since there are some references to it in other UC Gundam shows, such as Gundam Unicorn.

Is ZZ Gundam cannon?

ZZ Gundam is cannon, as it’s made by the series creator, Tomino. It ties the events between Zeta Gundam and Char’s Counterattack.

Did Judau and Roux marry in the end?

It’s not said if Judau and Roux married at the end of Zeta Gundam. However, they went together to Jupiter, which made many people think they were in a relationship. But there isn’t any evidence of a relationship between the two.