If you want to learn more about Gundam I would also recommend Gundam's first full length sequal 'Zeta Gundam' (1985) which is broadly agreed to be the best Gundam series, or at least the benchmark from which all subsequent Gundam series are measured. A word of warning however: both the original Gundam and Zeta Gundam are very different in style, execution and overall tone than what you may be used to from Gundam Wing. A more familiar Gundam I will kick in your direction is 'Gundam 00' (2007), an (in my opinion) excellent series that whilst to call it a 'spiritual successor' to Gundam Wing would be going too far, certainly had aspects of Wing in mind during conception and it might be a good place else to look in the Gundam franchise if you want more familiar footing.
Appreciate the in-depth post.
I
know quite a bit about Gundam, but I have
watched very little Gundam. I know a ton about most of the UC series by secondary exposure from games, fans, gunpla, etc. While Wing is the one from my youth, so I gravitate back to that due to familiarity and love it for that reason, I'm very familiar with all its numerous flaws and why it compares poorly to most other Gundam runs. (It's part of what drove me to abridging it, as it's much more fun to make fun of something you know and love but
also kinda sucks.)
I know the general plot, suits and character development for G Gundam, the OG MSG, and spots of knowledge about Z, X, & V. 00, TurnA, and Iron-Blooded Orphans are the most interesting to me from what I generally know of them, and I have relatively no interest in Seed. And I watched Unicorn on late night Toonami a couple years ago; loved it. I know absolutely nothing about Thunderbolt, and while the more grounded point of view for 0080, 0083 and 08th MS Team are very appealing, I've been told explicitly not to watch those until I've watched the OG and Zeta.
I'll be watching a ton of Gundam and mecha in general this year to catch up on the fandom and rely less on second-hand knowledge, but I don't want to burn out on it, so I'm mixing in various other anime along the way.
