Mobile Suit Gundam I

In the year Universal Century 0079, humanity has spread across space colonies between Earth and the Moon. The colonies furthest from Earth, grouped as the Principality of Zeon under the Zabi family, have gone to war against the Earth Federation. When the fighting reaches the neutral colony Side 7, young Amuro Ray is drawn into the conflict and ends up at the controls of a prototype humanoid weapon, the Gundam. Alongside a handful of civilians and the crew of the Federation warship White Base, he must fight to survive as Zeon forces try to capture or destroy the new machine.

This film is a compilation of the opening arc of the Mobile Suit Gundam television series, retelling that first story for cinemas. It was directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, working from a screenplay by Yū Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Hoshiyama and Kenichi Matsuzaki, and produced by Sunrise. Toru Furuya voices Amuro, with Shuichi Ikeda as Char Aznable, Hirotaka Suzuoki as Bright Noa, Rumiko Ukai as Fraw Bow and Yo Inoue among the supporting cast. Tomino had previously made other Gundam works; this is one of several Gundam films he directed, and it sits alongside two further compilation films covering later parts of the series.

The film took about 12 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7 out of 10 from around 2,800 votes; on TMDB it stands at 6.7 out of 10 from roughly 100 votes, a smaller but similar audience verdict on a release whose reputation rests largely on the television series it condenses.