Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
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The anime series Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (the ZZ is read "Double Zeta") was the third Gundam series. It was originally conceived of as a second season of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, but it was ultimately decided that the show should feature an all-new cast. Of the major Zeta Gundam characters, only recurring captain Bright Noa and Axis leader Haman Karn make more than cameo appearances; Char Aznable's planned appearance was canceled when Yoshiyuki Tomino was given the go-ahead to do the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack movie.
As the continuation of Zeta Gundam, this series follows the story of the Anti Earth Union Group (AEUG) battleship Argama after Zeta's final episode. To fight off the Axis Zeon, now called the Neo Zeon, Captain Bright Noa recruits a group of teenage junk collectors led by the loudmouthed but powerful Newtype Judau Ashta to pilot the Argama's mobile suits. Now sporting a line up of the behemoth MSZ-010 Double Zeta Gundam and the returning MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam, RX-178 Gundam Mk. II and Gundam-like MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki, the group is nicknamed the Gundam Team, and this became the first Gundam series where a team of Gundam mobile suits fight alongside each other regularly.
To balance Zeta Gundam's melancholy melodrama, this nominal sequel struck a much lighter, often comical, tone. For example, in the first episode, Captain Bright is reduced to defending the Argama by throwing oranges. The whimsical opening theme song Anime Ja Nai (This isn't animation!) reflected the campiness of the first half of the series. The second half of the series does return to a more serious tone while sporting a more somber opening theme song. It enjoys a poor reputation among the serious-minded ranks of Gundam fandom, but scored high ratings with the younger, more casual audiences.
See also
Preceded by (in timeline): Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Followed by (in timeline): Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Variation models: Gundam ZZ Mobile Suit Variations (ZZ-MSV)