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Super Deformed Gundam or SD Gundam originated from a contributed illustration of a junior high school student from Nagoya by the name of Koji Yokoi to the "Model News" magazine that Bandai was issuing in the 1980s. The illustration is of a Gundam but with the weird proportion where the overall height of the Gundam is equal to 2 of its heads. This illustration interested the chief editor and so leading to Koji Yokoi serializing SD Gundam in 4 frame comics in "Model News".

The super deformed designs were suitable for capsule toys and so they were first merchandised as small SD Gundam-shaped erasers as part of the Gashapon series SD Gundam World in 1985. Built with a hole so they could be skewered into a pencil, the series was a hit with Japanese schoolchildren and the concept soon expanded to other forms of merchandising and media, including gunpla, manga, trading cards, anime and video games.

The popularity of SD Gundam was such that between the late '80s and early '90s, sales from the SD Gundam franchise far exceeded those of the rest of Gundam, and whereas Gundam pioneered the real robot branch of mecha anime, SD Gundam's more comical and exaggerated approach to the genre served to move it away from the ultra-realism that it was shifting towards in the '80s and inspired a new flood of super-deformed robot shows the late '80s and early '90s such as Sunrise's Mashin Hero Wataru and Haō Taikei Ryū Knight, as well as video games such as the Super Robot Wars franchise.

Although the SD Gundam franchise initially started out featuring characters and mecha from the mainstream Gundam series, by the 1990s SD Gundam spawned numerous spin-off series, SD Gundam Sengokuden (Musha Gundam) which has a Japanese Warring States setting, SD Gundam Gaiden (Knight Gundam) which has a fantasy medieval setting and SD Command Chronicles which has a modern military style and Superior Defender Gundam Force which combines elements from the former three, to name a few.

Recent depictions of SD Gundams now use a 3-head scale as opposed to the classic 2-head scale.

The SD Gundam designs were also used throughout the earlier Super Robot Wars games (up through SRW F and F Final, stopping at SRW Alpha for the PS1), as well as other similar crossover games, as can be seen by the pupils present in the eyes of the various Mobile Suits that appeared. From SRW Alpha and beyond, however, the eyes of Mobile Suits remain blank, though the robots themselves are still super-deformed (just as all mechs represented in typical SRW games are) and they also adhere to the new 3-head scale.

Musha Gundam[]

Musha Gundam first appeared from a toy model comic titled Plamo-Kyoshiro. The popularity of the Musha Gundam series has led to the domination of Musha style Gundam dominating BB Senshi line.

Model kits[]

Although the stories themselves are parody, SD Gundam models is a serious business. While regular Gundam model lines strive for realism by introducing High Grade, Master Grade and Perfect Grade models, SD Gundam models are designed for (and sometimes by) the customization crowd. Many SD Gundam models are designed such that variations of the stock models, as seen by SD Gundam comics, can be made by using parts from other SD Gundam kits. Modifying SD models is very popular in Japan, more so than the full-sized counterparts. In addition to made-up robots contributed to SD Gundam comics, Bandai also held monthly contests for custom Gundam (usually Musha-based) models.

Some SD Gundam models can be combined into a non-SD unit, either by design or via customization. Alongside SD kits of standard Gundam mecha, each year usually offers a stand alone line (usually supported by a separate manga) with each of the kits sharing a common gimmick. As of early 2006, the current line are designed as combiners. Whilst each kit can build a Gundam with at least two forms, all of the kits are designed to double as part of a combined form in various ways.

Animation works[]

Manga works[]

In Japan, SD Gundam comics, titled 'Comic World' are included in Bandai's BB Senshi plastic model kits. The popularity of SD series lead to stand-alone publications of SD Gundam comics, initially serialized in Comic Bom Bom by Kodansha. Comic World stories may contain different continuity from the expanded counterparts. G Vehicle is only shown in Comic World format. In later BB Senshi kits, especially the musha-themed kits, contain side story for the separately published series.

Most of the SD Gundam manga were serialized in Kodansha's Comic Bom Bom with the exceptions of Musharetsuden ZERO (which was serialized in Hobby Japan), Senjin Kettou Hen (which was serialized in Kerokero Ace) and Brave Battle Warriors Genesis (which was serialized in Gundam Ace).

Some of the SD Gundam books are translated into Chinese and published by Rightman Publishing Ltd. in Hong Kong.

Below is a rough list of manga works, a more accurate and complete list is available at the Japanese wiki entry.

  • SD Gundam Force Gaiden
  • SD Gundam Force Musha Retsuden

Musha Gundam series[]

The Musha Gundam series is the longest running SD Gundam series, lasting over 15 years. With exception of Musha Senki, characters, items and places are named with excessive use of ateji, the use of kanji phonetically to represent native words without concern of the actual meaning. For example, '頑駄無' is pronounced 'Gan Da Mu', or 'Gundam'.

  • SD Sengokuden (1988-1992)
    • SD Musha Gundam Fuunroku by Koichi Yamato (9 Volumes)
The first Musha Gundam manga series, which covers SD Sengokuden Musha Shichinin Shuu Hen, SD Sengokuden Fuurinkazan Hen and SD Sengokuden Tenka Toitsu Hen in its first 5 volumes. The remaining 4 cover Chijou Saikyou and Densetsu no Daishogun from Shin SD Sengokuden.
  • Shin SD Sengokuden (1992-1996)
    • Shin SD Sengokuden Chijou Saikyou Hen
    • Shin SD Sengokuden Densetsu no Daishogun Hen
    • Shin SD Sengokuden Shichinin no Choushougun Hen by Masahiro Kanda (2 Volumes)
    • Shin SD Sengokuden Chou Kidou Daishogun Hen by Masahiro Kanda (3 Volumes)
  • Chō SD Sengokuden (1997-1999)
    • Chou SD Sengokuden Bushin Kirahagane Hen by Masahiro Kanda (2 Volumes)
    • Chou SD Sengokuden Touba Daishogun Hen by Masahiro Kanda (2 Volumes)
    • Shin SD Sengokuden Tensei Shichinin Shuu by Masahiro Kanda (2 volumes)
  • Musha Senki (1999-2000)
    • Musha Senki Hikari no Hengen Hen by Masahiro Kanda (2 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Musha Generation  (2000) by Masahiro Kanda
  • SD Gundam Musha Maruden (2001-2004) by Masato Ichishiki (2 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Musha Maruden 2 by Masato Ichishiki (2 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Musha Maruden 3 by Masato Ichishiki (3 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Force Emaki Musha Retsuden Bukabuka-hen (2004-2005) by Masato Ichishiki (3 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden Zero by MARSHI a.k.a. Susumu Imaishi
  • SD Gundam Musha Banchou Fuuunroku (2006) by Masato Ichishiki (4 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Sangokuden Fuuun Gouketsu Hen (2007) by Tokita Koichi (2 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Sangokuden Eiyuu Gekitotsu Hen (2008-2009) by Kentarō Yano (3 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Sangokuden Senjin Kettou Hen (2009-2010) by Naoto Tsushima (3 Volumes)
  • SD Gundam Sangokuden Brave Battle Warriors Genesis (2009-2010) (2 Volumes) by Yukio Iwamoto
  • SD Gundam World Sangoku Soketsuden Soushouki (2019) by Luk Mo Shek
  • SD Gundam World Sangoku Soketsuden Enkoutan (2019) by Naoto Tsushima

Knight Gundam series[]

The Knight Gundam series is another fairly popular SD Gundam series based on the medieval fantasy setting of Japanese RPGs. The series was at first not as popular as its Musha Gundam counterpart but has gained a surge in popularity in recent years. Almost all of its manga works are based on the Carddass series of the same name. For the official names of these series, see the Carddass section of this article.

  • SD Gundam Gaiden (1989-1993)
    • SD Gundam Gaiden Knight Gundam Story by Ryūichi Hoshino (10 volumes)
The first Knight Gundam manga series, which covers SD Gundam Gaiden: Sieg Zeon Hen, SD Gundam Gaiden: Knights of the Round Table and SD Gundam Gaiden: Seikihei Monogatari.
    • Knight Gundam Kikoushin Densetsu by Ryūichi Hoshino (3 Volumes)
  • Shin SD Gundam Gaiden
    • Knight Gundam Maryuu Zero no Kishidan by Ryūichi Hoshino (2 Volumes)
    • Knight Gundam Gold Saga by Ryūichi Hoshino (2 Volumes)
    • Knight Gaitoshin Senki by Ryūichi Hoshino (2 Volumes)
  • Other
    • Knight Gundam Seiden by Ryūichi Hoshino (3 Volumes)
    • SD Gundam Eiyuden by Kōichi Tokita (5 volumes)

Other[]

  • SD Gundam Fullcolor Gekijou (1997-2009)
    • Produced by Azuma Yuki (あずま 勇輝), this series is based on the SD Gundam Fullcolor Gashapon toy line, which are capsule toys for SD Gundam figures.

Board Game works[]

  • Gundlander series
    • Family Joy W - Gundlander: Revelations of Darkness[1]
    • Family Joy W - Gundlander: Darkness Apocalypse [2]

Video Game works[]

In the past, most of the SD Gundam games are turn-based strategy games but recently SD Gundam games have started appearing in other genres.

Below is a rough list of game works, a more accurate and complete list is available at the シリーズゲー 作品一覧#SDガンダ 関連 Japanese wiki entry.

  • SD Gundam Gachapon Senshi series
  • SD Sengokuden series
    • Kuni Tori Monogatari (1990)
    • Tenka Toitsu Hen (1992)
    • Chijou Saikyou Hen (1992)
    • Daishogun Retsuden (1995)
    • Kidou Musha Taisen (1996)
  • SD Gundam Gaiden series
    • Knight Gundam Monogatari (1990)
    • SD Gundam Gaiden Lacroian Heroes (1990)
    • Knight Gundam Monogatari 2: Hikari no Kishi (1991)
    • SD Gundam Gaiden: The Great Prophecy (1991)
    • Knight Gundam Monogatari 3: Densetsu no Kishi Dan (1992)
    • SD Gundam Gaiden 2: Entaku no Kishi (1992)
    • Shin SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari (1994)
    • SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari Seikihei to Kikoshin (2010)
  • SD Gundam Eiyūden series
  • SD Gundam G Generation series
  • SD Gundam Force
  • SD Gundam Force: Showdown!
  • SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online

Carddass works[]

Carddass is the name of Bandai's line of collectible trading cards. These cards originally came from vending machines but are now released in complete box sets. Many of the SD Gundam related releases for Carddass are related to the Knight Gundam series, with the exception of the SD Gundam Battle series.

Knight Gundam series[]

The most well known of the SD Gundam Carddass series. Each entry in this series is split into 4 arcs, the stories of which are told via the text on the back of the cards.

Gaitoshin Senki did not have a fourth arc until the release of its complete box set in 2010.
Seidan was discontinued after the second arc but the story was completed in the manga.
    • Superior Chronicle (2010)

Other[]

  • SD Gundam Ultimate Battle (2011)
  • SD Gundam Ultimate Battle 2 (2011)
  • SD Gundam Ultimate Battle 3 (2012)
  • SD Gundam Legend Battle (2015)

Notes[]

While set in the Three Kingdoms period of China, BB Senshi Sangokuden is officially considered the 18th work of Musha Gundam.

External links[]

Information sites[]

Plastic Model links[]

Publisher links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ http://www.mechatalk.net/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13253
  2. ↑ http://one-jp.com/lot/t481046322
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