is a media franchise that spawned from the Gundam franchise. SD Gundam takes the mecha (and characters) from Gundam and expresses them in a super deformed and anthropomorphic style.
Overview
SD Gundam began when a student, , submitted super-deformed Gundam illustrations to Bandai's in-house hobby magazine ("Model Information"). The magazine's editor-in-chief, Satoshi Katō, invited Yokoi to serialize SD 4-panel comics, and through the editor's introduction Yokoi met Bandai's capsule-toy staff, an encounter that catalyzed the "super deformed" product concept and early SD character designs.
The super-deformed format proved ideal for capsule toys: in 1985 Bandai launched the PVC capsule-figure line (popularly ""). Contemporary official guides describe the line's one-color PVC figures, of which consumers can obtain typically one or two per ¥100 capsule, an ideal price point for the school-age target, and the pencil-mounting leg holes that made them easy to play with. These features helped drive a late-'80s boom sometimes said to rival the "mainline" Gundam brand in popularity. The SD banner then expanded rapidly across model kits (BB Senshi from 1987), manga, Carddass trading cards, anime, and video games.
By the early 1990s SD had also spun off distinct sub-series with their own settings: with a Sengoku motif, in a fantasy milieu, and with modern-military styling.
Animated works Animated works based on SD Gundam are generally adapted from existing toy lines or manga and are animated by Sunrise. (movies, OVAs & TV series, 1988 to 1993) A series of animated short and feature-length films released during the height of SD Gundam's popularity in Asia. Initially feature characters and mecha from the Gundam franchise, before spinning off to a regularly appearing set of SD Gundam characters, notably from the Command Gundam, Knight Gundam, and Musha Gundam sub-franchises. Doozy Bots (promo short, 1989) A proposed animated series intended for the North American market, based on SD Gundam designs. The series was scrapped after only the trailer was released. (promo short, 2001) A short music video produced by Sunrise D.I.D. (Digital Imaging Department?) that first appeared in Tokyo Hobby Show in 2001/10/13. The video uses cel-shaded versions of SD Gundam Mushamaruden characters. The video is bundled with the limited special color clear version of BB Senshi #178. (promo short, 2003) Debuted in 42nd Shizuoka Hobby show 2003 on 2003/5/17, this video uses SD Gundam Mushamaruden 2 and 3 characters. (TV series, 2004) A TV series entirely animated in 3DCG and initially targeted at the North American audience. Based on the settings from SD Command Chronicles, Knight Gundam, and Musha Gundam. (promo short, 2004) Part of the Gundam Evolve series of 3DCG promotional shorts. Featurings Rekka Musha Gundam fighting against evil Zaku bandits. (movie & TV series, 2010) An animated addition to the BB Senshi Sangokuden manga and model series. The series is an adaptation of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel with slightly altered plot and names. (webseries, 2019) A reboot of the BB Senshi Sangokuden concept released for Gundam's 40th anniversary. The series retains the Romance of the Three Kingdoms theme while having new Gundams in the roles of the characters and the addition of a zombie plague. (webseries, 2021)A sequel to Sangoku Soketsuden with additional characters. It incorporates historical and fictional elements from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, RoboCop/SD Command Chronicles, Journey to the West, King Kong, Arsène Lupin, the King Arthur mythos and Robin Hood/Knight Gundam, Sanada Ten Braves, the Golden Age of Piracy, Japan's Sengoku period/Musha Gundam and the reign of Cleopatra VII Philopator.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
Manga works
Musha Gundam series
are Gundam units modelled after samurai, ninja, or other forms of feudal Japanese warriors. Musha Gundam first appeared in "Plamo-Kyoshiro"<プラモ狂四郎> (Story by Craft dan and art by Koichi Yamato). In the story, the SD Gundam is an original Gundam created by Kyoshiro (protagonist) for a showdown with Shigeru (antagonist). The original design of the SD form Musha Gundam is credited to Koichi Yamato, and Yasui Hisashi. The story of Musha Gundam, SD Sengokuden, originated from the manga "Seven Gundams" of the "Comic World" series by MARSHI (a.k.a. Susumu Imaishi). The Musha Gundam series is the longest running SD Gundam series, since the series is set in the Warring States period the use of katakana is avoided, and kanji is used heavily.
English name Japanese name Author Volumes Reference(s) Chou Musha Gundam Bushin Kirahagane 超SD戦国伝 武神輝羅鋼 Masahiro Kanda Chou Musha Gundam Touba Daishougun Masahiro Kanda Musha Banchō Fūunroku SDガンダム武者番長風雲録 Masato Ichishiki SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden Bukabuka Hen SDガンダムフォース絵巻 武者烈伝 武化舞可編 Masato Ichishiki SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden Zero Susumu Imaishi (MARSHI) SD Gundam Musha Generation SDガンダム ムシャジェネレーション Masahiro Kanda SD Gundam Mushamaruden SD頑駄無 武者○伝 Masato Ichishiki SD Gundam Mushamaruden 2 SD頑駄無 武者○伝 Masato Ichishiki SD Gundam Mushamaruden 3 SD頑駄無 武者○伝 Masato Ichishiki SD Gundam Sangokuden Eiyuu Gekitotsu Hen BB戦士 三国伝 Kentarō Yano SD Gundam Sangokuden Fuuun Gouketsu Hen BB戦士 三国伝 Tokita Koichi SD Musha Gundam Fuunroku Masahiro Kanda SD Sengokuden Fuurinkazan Hen SD戦国伝 風林火山編 Masahiro Kanda SD Sengokuden Musha Shichinin Shuu Hen SD戦国伝 武者七人衆編 Masahiro Kanda SD Sengokuden Tenka Touitsu Hen SD戦国伝 天下統一編 Masahiro Kanda Shin Musha Gundam Chou Kidou Daishougun 新SD戦国伝 超機動大将軍 Masahiro Kanda Shin Musha Gundam Musha Senki Hakari no Hengen Hen ムシャ戦記 光の変幻編 Masahiro Kanda Shin Musha Gundam Shichinin no Choushougun Masahiro Kanda Shin SD Sengokuden Densetsu no Daishougun Hen 新SD戦国伝 伝説の大将軍編 Masahiro Kanda Shin SD Sengokuden Tensei Shichinin Shuu Masahiro Kanda SD Gundam World Sangoku Sōketsuden: Enkotan Takuya Yamanaka SD Gundam World Sangoku Sōketsuden: Sōshōki Takuya Yamanaka
Knight Gundam series
is part of the SD Gundam franchise, a sub-franchise of the popular Gundam anime. In Knight Gundam, Gundam mecha and characters are reimagined as knights, sorcerers and other fantasy and medieval European character types. Knight Gundam is a series that took elements from Japanese role playing games, such as the Dragon Quest series, into SD Gundam. The knight style SD Gundam designs are devised by Koji Yokoi and soon Knight Gundam became an independent series like Musha Gundam.
The series first started on Carddas trading cards with the story set in the "Saddarc World" (Carddas spelt backwards). Soon after it expanded to Gashapons, plastic models, manga and games. The Gundams in the Knight Gundam series are portrayed as living beings just like in the Musha Gundam series. But later on in the series giant robots known as "Kihei"(機兵) were introduced thus creating a weird picture of a Gundam piloting a Gundam. Also different from Musha Gundam, Knight Gundam has important human characters like Knight Amuro and Princess Frau throughout the whole series.
English name Japanese name Author Volumes Reference(s) SD Gundam Gaiden Knight Gundam Monogatari Ryuuichi Hoshino SD Gundam Gaiden Knight Gundam Monogatari Special Ryuuichi Hoshino Knight Gundam Kikoushin Densetsu Ryuuichi Hoshino Knight Gundam Maryuu Zero no Kishiden Ryuuichi Hoshino Knight Gundam Gold Saga Ryuuichi Hoshino Knight Gundam Gaitoushin Senki Ryuuichi Hoshino Knight Gundam Seiden Ryuuichi Hoshino SD Gundam Eiyuden Kōichi Tokita
Others SD Gundam Daibokan G Vehicle (serialized in Comic World and Comic Bom Bom Special Edition) SD Gundam Fullcolor Gekijou by Azuma Yuki <あずま 勇輝> (9 volumes, ongoing) this series is based on the SD Gundam Fullcolor Gashapon toy line, which are capsule toys for SD Gundam figures.
Game works In the past most of the SD Gundam games are turn-based strategy video games and brawling-type games with shooting. However, the recent SD Gundam games started appearing in other genres.
Below is a rough list of game works, a more accurate and complete list is available at the Japanese wiki entry.
SD Gundam Gachapon Senshi series SD Sengokuden series SD Gundam Side Story series SD Gundam Eiyūden series SD Gundam Arcade series SD Gundam G Generation series SD Gundam Force SD Gundam Force: Showdown! SD Gundam Dimension War - a turn-based strategy game for the Virtual Boy. It is one of the console's rarest games. Along with Virtual Bowling this game was the last video game officially released for the Virtual Boy in Japan. Dimension War is notable for the video game debut of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.
Through not treated as a title from the SD Gundam series, the RPG Gundam True Odyssey (MS Saga: A New Dawn in the US) also used super-deformed graphics for the mobile weapons that were found in the game.
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 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). The only exceptions are in Shin Super Robot Wars and the Scramble Commander series, where all series featured in these games used real-sized designs instead of the traditional SD-sized ones.
A real-sized Musha Gundam has been placed as a hidden, unlockable unit in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series. Particular SD Gundams that has been converted to normal sizes are confirmed to participate in the Gundam War trading card game.
Model kits
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.
The model kit series is called . The "BB" in the title comes from the fact that, initially, BB Senshi models came with airguns that shot BB gun pellets. Due to product liability and safety regulations, the feature was soon removed. 2007 saw the release of the 300th kit in the series. Forming the bulk of the series are Musha Gundam kits; the Musha kits have standard gimmicks like detachable armour and others, such as combination and compatibility of parts between kits. In recent years the G Generation kits have introduced a new proportion and enhanced poseability.
Scale is often inconsistent, especially in older kits where many characters from the same storyline are out of scale with one another. However, as the line continued these issues have mostly been addressed and sometimes been intentional. Dai-Shogun characters have often seen their final form released as a much larger figure (in some cases, this is included in the storyline by the character growing to giant size to combat an equally large foe).
Another model kit series called , though discontinued in the 1990s, covered all the SD Gundam series but mainly focus on Knight Gundam kits. These kits are made from more durable plastic and are bigger than the BB Senshi kits. They can currently be found at auction sites, usually with high prices.