Best Animated Movies Of 2024 So Far

«Mobile Suit Gundam» has been a beloved anime franchise for more than four decades, amassing fans around the globe since premiering in 1979. Slotting into the mecha (or robot anime) subgenre alongside series like «Neon Genesis Evangelion» and «Ghost in the Shell,» the expansive franchise extends into TV series, movies, manga, and video games.

Trying to work out the correct order to watch the «Gundam» franchise is a bit of a minefield, but brushing up on the «Mobile Suit Gundam SEED» spin-offs should put you in a good position to enjoy the latest big-screen adventure, «Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom.» Further exploring events in the Cosmic Era timeline, «Freedom» is a direct sequel to the previous series and picks up where «Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny» left off. Lacus Clyne (Rie Tanaka) is now the president of the peacekeeping organization, Compass, working alongside friend and pilot Kira Yamato (Sōichirō Hoshi), as they negotiate new threats and the ongoing tensions between the Naturals and the Coordinators.

Even for those unfamiliar with the overarching franchise, «Freedom» is a thrilling and beautifully animated movie. It effortlessly blends its exploration of the inhumanity of war and the frustration of negotiating through bureaucracy with really cool space fights and deliberately melodramatic relationship theatrics, meaning it has something for everyone. Of course, this long-awaited movie (it has been in development since 2006) will resonate even more with hardcore fans, but there is still fun to be had for more casual viewers.