Summary
Mobile Suit Gundamstarted as a single series that told a masterful story about the horrors of war and how there is no victory, only more pain, when peace is not an option. Since then,Gundamhas evolved over the years and expanded into multiple timelines, and even branched out into different mediums apart from manga and anime. In addition, countlessnew series and animated movies have been releasedthat tell new stories and introduce new conflicts.
Each series brings more to the table, with elevated visuals and enhanced mobile suit concepts. With every iteration, the action intensifies, with Mobile-suit-on-Mobile-suit combat being more thought out and better animated. The emotional weight also matches the visual prowess of encounters, making for more memorable moments. Here are some ofthe best fights inGundamanime, ranked.
10Build Strike Vs. Zaku Amazing, First Battle
The Long Awaited Match Of The Series
TheBuilduniverse and the series that came from it bring Gundam fighting to the forefront of the franchise without the loss of life and terror of war-torn civilizations. InMobile Suit Gundam Build Fighters, the focus is on the popular hobby of thousands who build their favorite model kits based on the machines in their favoriteGundamanime.
In the first series, Sei Iori and Reiji team up to take on Tatsuya Yuki using theirBuild Strike Gundam against his Zaku Amazing.The entire series had been building up to this moment, as all three young men share a passion for Gunpla. The animation and setup of the battle was perfect, as both units went through their entire arsenal before a victor emerged. The vibrant colors and emotional banter between Reiji, Iori, and Tatsuya added a fair amount of weight to their first encounter as well.
9Gundam Astray No-Name Vs. Gundam 00 Diver
Heroes In Their Own Story Clash Beam Sabers And Ideals
Mobile Suit Gundam Build Diversis another spin-off series that explores the Gunpla side ofGundamwithout the heavy themes of war and conflict. Gunpla Battle has evolved into an online game where millions of players can build their machines and play along with fans all around the world. As a cyber threat begins to exploit the online game, Riku Mikami must face off against the source in a head-on battle.
Utilizing his00 Diver Gundam, Yuki must go all out against theAstray No-Namebuilt by Tsukjasa Shiba, with the fate of the Gundam Build universe on the line. Both pilots are skilled, but the time and attention to detail that Tsukasa has given his machine shows, and the fight seems to be on his side. However, Yuki’s determination and constant growth pull through. The animation in this episode in particular shines, and both mecha designs parallel their pilots perfectly.
8Gundam 00 Raiser Vs. Reborns Gundam, Final Battle
The Fate Of The Future Comes To A Close
Mobile Suit Gundam 00is one of the most popular anime series in the franchise and is filled to the brim with action-packed encounters between multiple different mobile suit designs. The ongoing conflict between Celestial Being and the facilitators of war slowly climbs to its peak as once rivaled forces now join together to put an end to Celestial Being’s goal of ensuring peace by using the threat of force.
Ribbons Almark, a narcissistic warmonger with delusions of becoming the god of humanity, stands waiting for Setsuna so that he may strike him down and prove his divinity. Chaos ensues as multiple pieces scatter across the board, and an all-out battle kicks off. The climactic result of this battle emboldens the moments that occurred in the series up to this point and serves as a well-deserved ending to the story.
Mobile Suit Gundam Wingwon over the hearts of fans in the Westfor its dark and gritty story, where several Gundam pilots sought to end the conflict between warring nations and open a pathway for a peaceful future. Each pilot did things their own way, and when it came to Heero Yuy, he was a dedicated tool who obeyed his orders no matter the cost.
Utilizing theWing Zero, Heero was nearly unstoppable on the battlefield, sporting firepower that outgunned all modern technology. It wasn’t until the masked man, Zechs Merquise, rose to face him in a newly modified mobile suit called theEpyonthat he encountered his first real challenge. The bitter rivalry between Zechs and Heero echoed throughout the entire series, with each desperate character seeking to wipe out the other. In one of their final clashes, the battle took to the stars and was a prominent moment in the series.
6Grassley House Vs. Earth House
Against All Odds, The Oddball Pulls Through
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercurywas a controversial release that blew away all expectations with its detailed story, marvelous animation, and unique characters. While bait and switching with a somewhat carefree opening, the series quickly revealed its adult themes and heavy tones of war, corruption, and discrimination. Suletta Mercury, the show’s main protagonist, begins attending a private school based around piloting and engineering mobile suits.
In an Era where Gundams are outlawed, she sticks out like a sore thumb, so much so that she earns the attention of those who wish to steal the power of the Gundam for themselves. A duel is held between Sulletta and her new friends and a rival faction with secret motives. Suletta is ambushed and outnumbered, which pushes her to elevate her skills and utilize the full power of her Gundam Aerial. This animation sequence is a masterful dance from start to finish, with a climax fitting for the stakes on the line.
5Gundam Xi Vs. Gundam Penelope
Hathaway Noa Takes Off The Kid Gloves
One of the Gundam franchise’s most recent feature-length film releases isMobile Suit Gundam Hathaway. The series takes place in the Universal Century timeline, where twelve years have passed since the events of Char’s Counterattack. Hathaway Noa is now a grown man and has been bathed in the injustices of the world. While charading as a bodyguard to a socialite, Hathaway is secretly the leader of a rebel group fighting against the Earth Federation. Having turned against the once great organization his father fought for, Hathaway now seeks to tear it down.
In the final act of the film, Hathaway emerges from the shadows and must face off against a member of an elite unit. The battle is fierce with two state-of-the-art mobile suits, theGundam Xi, piloted by Noa, and theGundam Penelope, piloted by Laim Aim. The artistic direction throughout the entire film is spectacular, but the shifting paths of the massive machines prove how much time and effort went into animating this climactic fight.
4Gundam Barbatos Vs. Hahsmal
Mikzuki Puts His Body On The Line To Defeat A Monster From The Past
TheMobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphansseries is arguably one of the best shows released in the modern age ofGundam. Set in a new universe where an interstellar war with Gundams and Mobile weapons has left the Earth barren and nearly uninhabitable, a small portion of the human race remains to survive however they can.
Mikazuki Augus is a child soldier who becomes the ace pilot of Tekadon, a group of child soldiers who break away from their captors to earn their freedom. Mikasuki pilots theGundam Barbatos, an extremely powerful machine that he controls like an instrument. In the later half of the second season, Mikasuki and his friends are put at risk when a WMD mobile weapon awakens and threatens to wipe out their compound. Mikazuki must face the machine alone, and either push his body to the limit or lose everything. The pressure of watching Mikazuki barely doge lethal blow after lethal bow leaves all viewers on the edge of their seats.
3Gundam Ez8 Vs. Gouf Custom
Shiuro Gives It His All For Love
Perhaps the most celebrated animated film by diehard Gundam fans,Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Teamis one of the best offshoot stories in the franchise, and tells a perfect story of survival. Shiro Amada is a fledgling commander who must lead his squad through treacherous terrain and accomplish his mission. While still a bit green behind the ears, Shiro seems ill-prepared for his first encounter against a seasoned veteran who appears to be piloting a blueGouf Custom.
At first glance, Shiro is outmatched in hisEz8model Gundam, but with his life on the line, he throws caution to the wind. The battle is tactical and savage, as both Shiro and Norris Packard have one of the most memorable duels inGundamhistory and immortalize the phrase “This is no Zaku, Boy!”
2Gundam Gp01 Vs. Gundam Gp02
Soldiers Leave It All On The Battlefield
No other timeline has as much weight as theUniversal Century timeline, home of the One-Year War. The spark that ignited the entireGundamfranchise was the declaration of war by the Principality of Zeon, and the rise of the underdog, Amuro Ray. However, there are many encounters throughout the bloody conflict between Zeon and Earth.Gundam 0083 Stardust Memoryis one such side story that has some of the best writing and fights in the entire timeline.
Anavel Gato, a Zeon ace pilot, pulls off the heist of the century when he infiltrates an Earth forces base and steals the modelGp02Gundam. This sparks a series of events where Kau Uraki must step into big shoes and fight Gato halfway across the universe to prevent him from using the Gundam to influence the course of the war. Gato and Uraki’s rivalry is red-hot in every clash, but the final battle is one of the best-choreographed battle animations inGundam’slong history.
1Full Armor Gundam Vs. Psycho Zaku, Final Battle
The Most Visceral Mobile Suit Combat To Date
Lo Flemming was a hot-shot ace for the Earth Federation during the One-Year War. He was gifted theFull Armor Gundamdue to his exceptional piloting ability. For months, Flemming terrorized enemy forces, leaving nothing behind but scrap metal and the slight hint of Jazz over the radio. On one mission, a sniper pilot survived his attack, and Flemming gained a permanent rival who sought vengeance for the death of his comrade, Daryl Lorenz.
Vowing to meet each other on the battlefield again, Flemming and Lorenz would get their wish in an abandoned colony where they went all out, with no worry for their own lives. This fight inMobile Suit Gundam Thunderboltis a permanent fixture among the top fight discussions, as these two pilots showed their skill and determination to destroy one another no matter the cost. The animation and graphic quality were on an entirely different level compared mostGundaminstallments.
