This month marks the end of one of the best manga releases in recent memory.
It’s safe to say that most anime fans are familiar with the Gundam series. It defined the giant mecha genre in anime and the franchise is still going strong today. But one of the best releases in the franchise so far has been Vertical’s release of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin.
Created by the original character designer of the 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam anime, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is a retelling of the original series detailing Amuro Ray’s battle alongside the Earth Federation against the Principality of Zeon! However, Yasuhiko has gone well beyond a simple retelling as he delves into the origins of the Gundam universe including a detailed look at series antagonist Char Aznable. The series has been a joy to behold due to Yasuhiko’s great storytelling and amazingly detailed art along with Vertical’s outstanding presentation of the series – these are some of the nicest looking manga editions you will ever see and are jam-packed with extra materials featuring contributions from big names in the manga and anime industry.
This volume brings this series to a suitably epic conclusion including a final deep space battle between Amuro and Char and an ending that goes beyond the original TV series. The bonus content of this final volume includes conversations with Japanese philosopher Tatsuru Uchida and legendary animator and director Makoto Shinkai (The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 5 Centimeters Per Second, Garden of Words).
With the original TV series along with the OVA adaptations of the prequel parts of Origin along with other entries in the Gundam franchise now seeing a release in the UK courtesy of the good people at All The Anime, now has never been a better time to check this series out. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is required reading for any Gundam fan and any fans of the mecha genre, and anyone looking for top quality sci-fi action will find plenty to enjoy.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Volume 12 is published 17 December by Vertical
Post by Leo Sutherland
Check out the whole Gundam: The Origin series here
Browse more manga from Vertical here