Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (or Mobile Suit Gundam Double Zeta) was a forty-seven-episode anime series (aired 1986–1987), and a direct follow-up sequel to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Gundam ZZ was the third series in the Gundam franchise, yet another work in the Universal Century timeline.

Overview
Gundam ZZ was originally conceived of as a second season of Zeta Gundam, but it was ultimately decided that the show should feature an all-new cast, Tomino originally wanted Char as the main character, but he received the "okay" on Char's Counterattack. Nevertheless, its broadcast immediately followed that of Zeta Gundam and manages to tie up a major plotline from Zeta that was left unfinished.

As part of Tomino's tendencies to follow up a tragedy with a comedy, this nominal sequel to Zeta Gundam struck a much lighter, often comical, tone, in contrast to its predecessor's brooding melodrama. For example, in the second episode, Captain Bright is reduced to defending the Argama from thrown oranges. Judau Ashta's first battle clearly lampoons the previous Gundam pilot's instant piloting ability by having Judau be incredibly poor at combat in his first battle, however his opponent is still quite afraid of him. The whimsical opening theme song Anime Ja Nai (It's Not Anime) 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. Because of its lighter tone and its slapstick humor, the series suffers a poor reputation among the serious-minded ranks of Gundam fandom, some of which even accuse Tomino of deliberately trying to sabotage the Gundam franchise. Despite this, it scored high ratings with the younger, more casual audiences, and the show's first opening theme Anime Ja Nai became extremely popular with anime fans and is sometimes mentioned as one of the most memorable anime songs of all time.

Story
As the continuation of Zeta Gundam, this series once again 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. As such, this became the first of a number of Gundam series where a team of Gundam mobile suits fight alongside each other regularly. The climax takes place at Side 3 in the Battle of Axis.

Out of the major Zeta Gundam characters, only recurring captain Bright Noa and Axis leader Haman Karn make more than cameo appearances in ZZ; Char Aznable's planned appearance was canceled when Tomino was given the go-ahead to do the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack movie. Yoshiyuki Tomino's original plan for the show which involved Char's return was neither revealed [though Glemy's sudden change in motivation seems to give a hint that he fills in for him at the end], nor does Tomino himself remember it. Aside from the openings, Amuro Ray does not make an appearance in the series either.

Earth Federation/AEUG & Karaba

 * Prototype Mobile Suits

Neo Zeon

 * Prototype Mobile Suits

Notes and Trivia

 * Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ won the second place in Animage's Anime Grand Prix Award in 1986. In the same year, one of its character, Elpeo Ple was selected as the favorite female anime character of the year.

Openings, Endings And Insert Songs
Openings: Insert: Endings:
 * Anime Ja Nai (It's Not Anime) by Masato Arai (eps 1-25)
 * Silent Voice by Jun Hiroe (eps 26-47)
 * Hoshizora no Believe (Believe; Believe in the Starry Sky) by Mami Ayukawa (episode 20)
 * Jidai ga Naiteiru (The Era is Crying) by Masato Arai (eps 1-25)
 * Issenman-Nen Ginga (Ten Million Years Galaxy) by Jun Hiroe (eps 26-47)