Ever since its first appearance on October 9, 2011, Mobile Suit Gundam Advanced Generation Technology (AGE) anime has created its niche and become a fan favorite.
A successor to the iconic Mobile Suit Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE is the 12th iteration of the series that follows grand and epic mecha suits piloted by protagonists to defend a futuristic Earth from interplanetary wars.
The anime has amassed a huge fan following that is versed with deep knowledge of the series. However, there are also novice fans who are now discovering the series and want to learn more about Mobile Suit Gundam’s lore.
Therefore, this comprehensive guide is going to explore some fun and fascinating facts about Mobile Suit Gundam AGE for young explorers.
1. Increased Builds Sale
With the release of Mobile Suit Gundam AGE, the sales of the model build also increased in 2011. Different grades of builds, including high grade, master grade, and real grade models, have seen a surge in popularity.
Many enthusiasts document their building progress on social media and connect with like-mind fans of Mobile Suit Gundam through Discord or other platforms. Master grade Wing Gundam Zero is a popular build that often serves as an entry point for fans of the series.
2. Legacy Remake
Mobile Suit Gundam Age was created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Gundam franchise. The anime was divided into three arches, each with a different protagonist in a different generation. The creator of the series, Akihiro Hino, is best known for his work in the series Ni no Kuni.
3. Musical Marvel
The music in the series was composed by Kei Yoshikawa, who is most famous for composing musical scores for the anime Basquash!
Minami Kuribayashi composed the first opening music, “Asu e” by Galileo Galilei and the closing, “Kimi no Naka no Eiy” (“The Hero Within You”), which were used from episodes 1 to 15. Later, in episodes 16 to 28, “Sharp#” by Negoto and “My World” by Spyair served as the opening and closing themes, respectively.
From episodes 29 to 39, the opening theme was “Real” by Vivid, while the closing theme was “White Justice” by Faylan. “Aurora” by Aoi Eir opens the episode, and “Forget-me-not (Wasurenagusa)” by Flower closes it.
4. Innovative AGE System
The AGE System is based on a program that researches the evolution of living beings, collects data through combat, and evolves. To grow with the pilot, it became a unique system for that registered pilot.
In this iteration, this system was only installed on the Gundam that was piloted by the main characters, Flit, Asemu, and Kio. It comprises three parts: the Gundam AGE, the AGE Device, and the AGE Builder.
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5. Invisible Umbrella
This technology is an expandable stealth system that can hide objects both from visible sight and electronic equipment. It is a research derivative based on an electromagnetic field system used to diminish the hazardous effects of solar winds on Mars.
The system was effective at preventing the Federation from detecting any Vagan ship or mobile suit equipped with the system. Due to its effectiveness, the Federation (specifically Flit Asuno) secretly created a well-funded committee tasked with finding ways to curb the Vagans’ stealth abilities.
While several anti-stealth situational techniques were developed, they were only effective under certain optimal conditions. As a result, the Earth Federation could not effectively counter the Invisible Umbrella until the war ended.
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6. X-Rounder
X-Rounder is a new ability introduced in Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. Humans with this evolution are classified as superhuman and can access the X-Region in their brains.
When a Gundam pilot evolves into an X-Rounder, the individual becomes more sensitive to what’s around him, like predicting the enemy’s location by directly seeing them. Aside from that, the pilot can predict all incoming attacks.
7. Newtype
The concept of human evolution in the Gundam universe starts with Newtype. The Newtype is a result of human adaptation when living in outer space. Thanks to this evolution, these humans are mentally enhanced, almost attaining a sixth sense.
Newtypes can sense the presence of other Newtypes around them and sense the bad intentions of others directed at them. Some Newtypes can be telepath or pyrokinetic.
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8. The Story Continues
While the Gundam AGE timeline was only represented in a single animated series, the story was continued in a series of Manga releases that explored the future of the Advanced Generation Timeline.
Most Gundam series are continued in Manga releases with sequels and spin-offs. Some are even manga-only releases, leaving a lot of history undiscovered for many Western fans. Mobile Suit Gundam Advanced Generation Timeline spans a total of around one hundred years and follows multiple scenarios involving the Asuno family.
The entire conflict between the Earth Federation colonies and the Vagan opposition is fully fleshed out all the way up until the climax, where both sides meet each other in peace and embrace each other for the better.
Conclusion
While on the surface, the extended lore and history of Mobile Suit Gundam may seem overcomplicated, the linear structuring of the series with high-paced action can easily hook novice viewers.
Moreover, avid fans of the series still participate in the community through Gundam builds and have active discussions about the continued story in the form of Manga.