As Gundam celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1998, it’s worth reflecting on its revolutionary impact. From its intricate universe and realistic depiction of mobile suits as weapons to its relatable protagonist and the concept of Newtypes as human evolution, Gundam resonated with audiences on various levels. It transcended mere entertainment to become a cultural phenomenon, challenging the good-vs-evil paradigm prevalent in animation at the time.

Gundam’s war narrative, where “the enemy is also human,” significantly influenced subsequent anime productions—an impact that persists to this day.

While Gundam’s groundbreaking nature has been extensively discussed, let’s consider a different question: How has Gundam maintained its commercial appeal for two decades?

Interestingly, the mobile suit that truly epitomizes the Gundam universe isn’t the titular Gundam, but the Zeon’s MS-06 Zaku. The Zaku introduced the concept of “mass production” to anime, lending unprecedented realism to the portrayal of warfare and weaponry. Its distinctive cyclops design, initially alien to viewers, became iconic precisely because of its grounding in realism.

The Zaku’s influence extended beyond the screen. Its model number (MS-06) set a precedent, with subsequent Zeon mobile suits following a logical numbering system that hinted at their developmental progression (MS-07, MS-09, etc.).

We shouldn’t forget that the plastic models, originally intended as affordable toys, were remarkably well-made for their time. The “One Year War” setting, reminiscent of Nazi Germany in World War II, captivated military enthusiasts and children alike, leading to the Gunpla boom. This achievement alone cements the Zaku’s status as the representative mobile suit of the Gundam world. The Zaku effectively triggered 20 years of continuous Gundam productions. The concept of “mass production” became a crucial element in building the realism of the Universal Century timeline.

However, the Zaku was merely the catalyst. Its brilliance was short-lived, shining only at the beginning of the Gundam universe.

To discuss the One Year War, it would suffice to speak of the Zaku as an epoch-making entity, the first to bear the weight of “mass production” in the narrative.

Yet, the Gundam world was so well-crafted that it expanded beyond the One Year War (a term itself indicative of the Gundam world’s breadth), leading to 20 years of Gundam productions.

The Universal Century calendar system served as the thread tying this universe together, enabling the creation of subsequent works bearing the “Gundam” name.

But this alone would result in mere “fictional history.” Enter “RGM”—the designation given to the Federation’s mass-produced MS series, including the GM. This quietly played a crucial role in lending realism to the idea that “history and the era (the works) are progressing simultaneously.”

Why RGM? To understand this, we must first consider the Gundam—the “eternal protagonist mecha.”

As the Universal Century progressed, various weapons manufacturers produced Gundams, continually evolving their designs. In essence, a Gundam is “the white, strongest mobile suit piloted by the protagonist,” regardless of its origin. However, the RGM-series mass-produced mobile suits based on the Gundam consistently inherited their role across different works.

As you may know, the original Gundam was a prototype for the Federation’s mass-produced mobile suits. Thus, the history of Gundam prototypes is also the history of the Federation’s mass-produced mobile suit development. Some sources suggest that the name “GM” is an abbreviation of “Gundam Mass Production Model.”

This pattern repeated throughout Federation mobile suit history: a new Gundam would be developed as a prototype for the next mass-production model, followed by an upgraded RGM version. While new Gundams spawned new works, the GM’s development history provided a backdrop of technological continuity.

In essence, the GM and its descendants took up the mantle of the “other pillar of the story” in subsequent Universal Century narratives – a role the Zaku had played in the original series.