Some common terms used on this blog and their definitions.
Gundam-specific Terms/Timeline
UC: Universal Century (宇宙世紀), the primary timeline of Gundam. This includes the original anime from 1979 and related prequels/sequels.
1970s and 1980s
1979–1980: Mobile Suit Gundam (TV Series); also referred to here as Original anime/First
1981: Mobile Suit Gundam The Movie (Movie)
1982: Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (Movie)
1982: Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (Movie)
1985–1986: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (TV Series)
1986–1987: Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (TV Series)
1988: Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (Movie); abbreviated here as CCA
1989: Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (OVA)
1990s
1991: Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (Movie)
1991–1992: Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (OVA)
1993–1994: Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (TV Series)
1996–1999: Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (OVA)
2000s
2004: Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War (OVA)
2005: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation – Heir to the Stars (Movie)
2006: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation II – Lovers (Movie)
2006: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation III – Love Is the Pulse of the Stars (Movie)
2006: Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: Apocalypse 0079 (OVA)
2008: Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 2: The Gravity Front (OVA)
2010s and beyond
2010–2014: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (OVA)
2017: Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight Axis (ONA)
2018: Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (Movie)
2021: Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’s Flash (Movie)
SD Gundam: Super-Deformed Gundam (機動戦士SDガンダム). A series of animated shorts released in movie theaters in Japan alongside CCA.
1988: Mobile Suit SD Gundam
1989: Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk II
1989: Mobile Suit SD Gundam’s Counterattack
Knowing what shows were airing or had aired by the time a work was published can help us understand the context and perspective of the authors.
Magazines
Summary of popular anime magazines of the 1970s and 1980s.
Monthly OUT (月刊OUT): One of the first anime magazines, published by Minori Shobo (みのり書房) on the 27th of every month from 1977 to 1995
Animage (アニメージュ): Published Tokuma Shoten on the 10th of every month, beginning in 1978 through today. It is the oldest anime magazine still in publication
Animedia (アニメディア): Published by Gakken on the 10th of every month, beginning in 1981 through today.
Newtype (ニュータイプ): Published Kadokawa Shoten on the 10th of every month, beginning in 1985 through today.
Animec (アニメック): Published by Rapport (ラポート) from 1978 to 1987.
My Anime (マイアニメ): Published by Akita Shoten (秋田書店) from 1981 to 1986
The Anime (ジ・アニメ): Published by Kindai Eigasha (近代映画社) from 1979 to 1986
Doujinshi-related Terms
Doujinshi (同人誌): Self-published works, such as manga or novels, created by fans
Doujin (同人): A group of people who share an interest, activity, or hobby. Sometimes English speakers use this term to refer to doujinshi
Circle (サークル): A group that releases doujinshi. Can be one or multiple people
Reprint Collection (再録集): Sometimes circles will release a collection of their old work in a single book
Anthology (アンソロジー): A collection of doujinshi by various authors
Copybook (コピー本): Doujinshi not printed by a publishing company
Comiket (コミケット): Short for Comic Market, the largest doujinshi convention in Japan, held twice a year at the Tokyo Big Sight
BL (ビーエル): Abbreviation for Boys’ Love. Also referred to as Yaoi (やおい), although BL is the more common term now in Japan.
For Adult vs General (18禁 vs. 一般): Used to distinguish if a work has adult content or is for general audiences