Introduction
Collecting manga can be an expensive hobby – each volume tends to cost around £7, and for long series such as Claymore and Rosario + Vampire, this can add up very quickly. That’s where box sets come in handy! At first glance they can seem like a massive investment, but if you’re planning to collect an entire series anyway, the cost should be well worth it in the long run.
Gundam is one of the most iconic anime franchises, and I think every otaku should watch at least one Gundam series – but there are so many and it can be difficult to know where to start. You might be wondering whether they’re all connected, or whether they hold up as standalone entries, but fear not – all will be explained in this post.
While some Gundam series are connected to each other, there are several different timelines and most of them hold up as standalone watches. Don’t worry, there’s no need to watch all 900+ episodes that have aired since the 1970’s!
That said, the original Mobile Suit Gundam series from 1979 isn’t a bad place to start. Its 43 episodes long, the budget was clearly low and the pacing can be a little slow, but you’ll learn the basics and get to see what Gundam is all about. If you don’t want to commit to watching too many episodes, there are three movies that cut out all the filler.
I’ve been reading a lot of manga as of late, and I was really chuffed to see Humble Bundle partner with Kodansha Comics to release a package full of fabulous fantasy manga at the end of January. I was quick to purchase the bundle myself, and after digging into some of the stories I cannot recommend it highly enough!
The full bundle is available for $20 and its in support of the Comic Book Legal Defense fund, which is an American non-profit organisation taking a stand against censorship and protecting the freedom to read comics.