The Mobile Suit Gundam Complete Collection 1 DVD box set includes four DVDs with 21 episodes of the first Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. The episodes in this set have Japanese dialogue with English subtitles and English dialogue.

When I heard about this series being released in Japan in 1979, I had wondered why there hadn't been an attempt to dub the series into English and broadcast it in America in the early 1980s to capitalize on the success that Space Battleship Yamato had achieved when it was dubbed into English and renamed Star Blazers.

After watching this set, I understood why this had been the case. It turns out that there is some very noticeable death and pathos in some of the episodes, and it would have been too difficult to cover it up by saying these people were still alive and would be sent to the hospital planet. And since the anime that was being dubbed into English at the time was being aimed at the children's market, there was no way to make this series work for that market without destroying it.

As I watched the set, I realized that Mobile Suit Gundam was a missing "bridge" between Space Battleship Yamato and Macross and Southern Cross. There were some elements that I could clearly identify as having been inspired by Yamato, yet I could also see elements in this Gundam series that could be seen as having inspired some ideas that would later appear in the first Macross anime series as well as Southern Cross.

The story of Mobile Suit Gundam is set in the Universal Century year 0079. Space colonies have been built, and one of the colonies (the Principality of Zeon) has declared independence from the Earth Federation. Zeon has launched a war against the Earth Federation, and has developed a new type of weapon called a mobile suit.

At the beginning of the series, the Earth Federation has developed a new ship called the White Base, as well as its own mobile suit (which is called a Gundam). When the White Base goes to one of the colonies to pick up the mobile suit, the colony is attacked by Zeon.

Through a series of events, a young man named Amuro Ray finds the mobile suit and its manual. Amuro is able to pilot the Gundam and neutralize the situation. Amuro, his friend Fraw Bow, as well as several others, end up aboard the White Base. Those who end up on board are either civilians who are put into action or are refugees. The series follows the White Base as it returns to Earth and tries to get into Earth Federation territory.

Admittedly, this Gundam series does take a little while to get going; however, after you get past the initial episodes, the series really does improve. By the end of the final disc, I found myself wanting to watch more of the series to find out how the story progresses.

When it comes to the DVDs included in this box, each disc contains the following extras: English Credits, Trailers, and DVD Credits. In this set, trailers for Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie, K-ON!, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Tales of the Abyss, The Girl Who Leapt Through Space, Turn A Gundam, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and My-Otome 0~S.ifr~ are included. When I saw the trailer for Turn A Gundam, I literally groaned out loud due to the fact that Bandai had cancelled the release of the title after this DVD set was released.

If you're a die-hard Gundam fan, then this release should be in your anime collection if it isn't already. If you're not already familiar with the Gundam franchise or with this particular Gundam series but have an interest in mecha anime, then it would be worth it to find a way to watch the episodes on this set. Not only would it be a good way to get a feel for the Gundam universe, but it would also expose you to a piece of anime history.

I wrote this review after checking out a copy of this DVD box set through the King County Library System.

Disc 1	Disc 2
Gundam Rising Destroy Gundam! Vote To Attack Escape From Luna II Re-Entry To Earth Garma Strikes Bonus Features	The Core Fighter's Escape Winds Of War Fly, Gundam! Garma's Fate Icelina – Love's Remains Bonus Features

Disc 3	Disc 4
The Threat of Zeon Coming Home Time, Be Still Sayla's Agony Amuro Deserts Bonus Features	Zeon's Secret Mine Ramba Ral's Attack Hand-to-Hand Combat Sorrow And Hatred The Trap of M'Quve Bonus Features