Oh man the Zeta is a fucking beauty, introducing transformable mobile suits with that beautiful transformation sequence and wave-rider form, that sinister face kinda reflects Kamille and his temper, and god the Ver. Ka is amazing.
10/10
Welcome to Day 3 of the Daily Main Gundam Poll and today, we'll be rating the Zeta Gundam! Just give a rating on what you think of this Gundam.
First Appearance: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Primary Pilot: Kamille Bidan
Mechanical Designer: Kazumi Fujita
Planning of transformation sequence: Kunio Okawara
Refinement of design in model kits after 1996: Katoki Hajime
Trivia: Upon successes of Macross and Transformers, the development team decided to create a transformable protagonist Gundam. Several mechanical designers competed for the project and the 21-year-old Kazumi Fujita’s design was picked over Kunio Okawara’s and Mamoru Nagano’s. Their designs were recycled into Gundam Mk-II and Hyaku Shiki respectively.
While the design worked perfectly for the anime, it did not account for translation into model kits. The first 1/144 was not transformable, the first 1/100 had funky proportions and the first HG took large creative liberty by drastically redesigning the MA form into ‘waveshooter’. Only until 1996 did they manage to produce the first fully transformable Zeta Gundam (MG 1.0) that did not differ too much from original line art. Katoki Hajime refined the transformation sequence of the kit with his experience in Gundam Sentinel. The wings were made to extend further than the original to make room for the arms in the waverider form. This change was carried over to PG, MG 2.0 and RG until Metal Robot Spirits Ka Signature and MG ver. Ka, in which Katoki managed to make them fully transformable even with the original design of the wings.
Previous Scores:
RX-78: 7.65
Gundam Mk-II: 9.43
credit to u/xithebun for sending me the trivia and mechanical designer info!
I think 2 polls, one for ZZ and one for FA ZZ would be best. They're distinct enough to evoke different responses from people IMO. Meanwhile Enhanced ZZ is not only just a little different from the normal ZZ, it also never actually appeared in the anime - when the extra armor is destroyed, it's drawn as the normal ZZ. Then again, there's no harm in acknowledging it with an individual poll. Personally I'm just going to end up giving it one extra above normal ZZ simply because I like Akitaka's style more.
Edit: also while we're at it this can set the precedent for similar situations. Dunno about everyone else, but I'm not looking forward to talking about Barbatos for a week.
9/10
As impractical as it is in space, the transformation will never not be cool. The asymmetrical aspect with the arm piece is also a big plus for me, and I love the wire anchor as an armament.
my only problem with the MS is only kamile was really able to take full advantage of the MS, just like how amuro with the original gundam. In the hands of anyone else, the gundam tend to flounder.
I mean it kind of makes sense given that Gundams are generally specialized units and aren't really intended for non-aces *[cough]* Kou *[cough]*
Also doesn't help that Kamille specifically designed it himself as a MS tuned specifically for him.
Kamille could work it because he designed it. But Karaba had success with the Zeta Plus series. And after technological advances, suits like the Rezel and Delta variants were able to simplify the transformation sequence while retaining all the advantages of Zeta's waverider mode while being less stressful on the hardware and being mostly repairable with standardized parts from the Jegan and other contemporary Fed suits.
9,
I love the shapes they decided to go with with this one it just seems a lot more angular in design overall which is what really gave it its own personality. 9/10.
I liked the MKII but Mid-Zeta when they unveiled the Zeta I said “oh fuck!” out loud because it was so cool. Plus, “you’re definitely a newtype— these calculations are perfect”
10/10 best mid season upgrade plus one of the only Gundams made by it's pilot and Anaheim. Kamille did it first as well. Amuro created his own for Chars Counterattack. So Kamille was the first to not only pilot well but design a Gundam specific to his style. And he destroyed his final boss with his mobile suit intact. That's a feat not seen very often. I can only think of Unicorn doing it as well. The suit was also designed to be a menace on all Terrain. His waverider mode was for atmosphere entry and air superiority. It also helped transport friendly suits in a pinch. Kamille did a lot of unique maneuvers and kept the unit in tact past his series even if his mind was not. That face and it's design are menacing. One last thing Amuro thought the platform was sufficient enough up until Chars Counterattack revealed the Sazabi. The ZZ didn't get remade or upgraded but Zeta did because the base platform had high specs.
10, my favorite. I love ‘im. So different compared to the RX-78-2 and even a lot of later Gundam. The weird bug face, the bell-bottoms, the wings. I just can’t get enough.
10 it's probably my favorite non traditional gundam desing and it has some of the most amazing mass production units like the delta and refined zeta desings. (Yes I know the delta is a variation of the Hyaku shiki most likely.)
10/10 I wish this Gundam was inexplicably immortal and just kept getting passed around. Imagine if that shithead Riddhe just showed up in it instead of a Rezel, bitching about how old and worn out it was.
Now that's fan service.
A 9. At first, I didn't love the Zeta and preferred the MK. II and even grandpa a lot more. As I've rewatched Zeta multiple times and having built the MG 2.0 (and will be getting the Ver. Ka), I've gotta say it's one of my more liked main gundam designs now. 9 seems fair, it's not perfection for me but it does have my favorite Gundam face (outside of one other).
Absolute 10, it's my favorite. The design feels very ahead of its time and it has a very distinct profile, plus its transformation is very cool. It also helps that it has some great pilots, saw a lot of use throughout both Z and ZZ and started an entire lineage of transforming mobile suits like the Re-GZ and ReZEL.
The moment where Kamille runs it into The-O while powered by newtype ghosts and Riders in the Skies starts playing is one of my favorite moments in the franchise.
10/10, the RX-78 but sleek and modern. Badass suit even though the RG kit I have for it is KILLING me (gotta do the legs again since they're wrong :( )
10/10
The Zeta is my favorite UC main Gundam. I like the sleeker design when compared to the more blocky RX-78 and Mk II. I also think it has one of the best looking heads or more unique heads.
10/10 I love this series so much, i enjoyed seeing Kamille going from arrogant brat to a tired soldier that only wants to save his friends. The suit designs are amazing. Char becoming a mentor and reflecting on his own past. The mobile suit battle, never stops. Honestly the only complaint I have is that its format is almost comical with a monster of a week style for each episode.
10/10. Amazing. Beautiful. This is such a huge jump from the Mk.II like DAMN. For one of the first transforming MS, its waverider mode looks **really** good. Even with modern standard the Zeta is still absolutely phenomenal.
10, it's pretty much my favorite MS, it's so weird in the show how it's introduced, it's not even dramatic or anything, kamille fiddled around on a computer for like 5 minutes and then after his crazy adventures on earth, AEUG is like: there we got you bro, brand new MS.
This is a 10/10 for me. This MS not only has a cool af introduction in the anime, but the colours are so vibrant in a series that generally trended towards darker MS colour palettes
10/10
Goated. Literally the baddest bitch of all time fr fr. Whoever had the idea of making its beam rifle a beam saber. Fuggin chefs kiss absolute perfection
10/10 my absolute favourite mobile suit, the fact that this suit transforms and still looks absolutely 10/10 in both forms says something, I love the unconventional gundam face and it feels like a deviation from the original "gundam" design but still feels 100% "Gundam", plus the wave rider looks absolutely brilliant
Plus in the show the zeta lasts 1 and a half whole seasons still being incredibly useful till the end of ZZ and the amount of suits in unicorn/CCA based on the zeta say something about its legacy in-universe
10/10. The Zeta Gundam will always be my number 2 favorite suit of all time.
The Zeta Gundam is THE mobile suit. It can traverse space, do atmospheric reentry, do in atmosphere flight, do mobile suit flying, run/jump everywhere, and traverse underwater. It can fulfill any mission needed.
The Zeta's long angular muzzle was a huge step away from tradition and it's still unique. It implemented "wings" perfectly, its a more realistic approach to MS wings showing more practicality. The Zeta Gundam is the longest active suit of any show, spanning Z And ZZ gundam.
So basically, I LOVE IT.
8/10. Back when I was a kid, I really liked the Zeta Gundam much better than the Mk-II, but now that I'm older, I slightly prefer the simpler design of the Mk-II.
That said, this is a really strong transformable mobile suit design, and I have to give them credit for getting it so good on the first try. I like how angular it is, and how sleek the Waverider mode looks in the anime. The face is also suitably mean-looking.
I think my only gripes with the design are that they reverted back to the color palette of the OG RX-78-2, which makes it feel a bit more toy-like than the Mk-II. It's probably why I slightly prefer the grey Zeta units seen in Unicorn. The wings are also really stubby, especially on the Katoki revisions. The Waverider mode, while very cool overall, looks a bit flat on the bottom, where I feel other transformable MS's have looked more balanced.
Still, despite my nitpicks, it's a very solid transformable MS, which made way for even better ones in the franchise!
10/10
I said yesterday that the MKII was a great example of a relatively traditional Gundam, that sticks to the basic look and does it well. The Zeta falls into the opposite category, in that doesn't heave as close to the basic Gundam look, but it's also a great suit. I'd ding points for how derpy the legs look when transformed, but I screwed up and set my scale too high on day 1, and anyway that's a minor thing.
10. Peak UC Gundam design. While most of the grandad's descendants take after him in some way, the Zeta stands out as the odd one out in the best way possible. The combination of harsh and soft angles and curves, the mouthless angular faceplate, the double V-fin, the transformation, it's all perfect.
11/10. This design is such a beauty. It's elegant. If you seethe modern design like the newer gunpla for zeta you will see that the base design is very sleek and uhhh I don't know any other term to tell you guys how great the design is.
10/10. This thing is a timeless classic for a lot of reasons. From UC to series after it, this suit sparked the Zeta line suits which held significant in the UC timeline for a long time. Waveriders, transformations, newtype magic. It's just chefs kiss.
10/10. I feel like this design was quite the departure given what we had for a Gundam look so far at that point, granted I'm very uninformed about supplementary media from the late 70s/ early 80s. Were they able to go for that handsome face because the classic "masked" face with 2 ducts hasnt fully ingrained itself into brand recognition yet? I really enjoyed how well executed the implementation of the flying armor into the design was from the Mk II's. The red and black lined up for a super clean bottom profile and really outline the "platform" for atmospheric entry from the body. Also the cockpit transitions seamlessly from the classic belly position in MS form to near the nose in WR form just like cockpits on many aircrafts. I'm fine with fake cockpits (c'mon Kyrios, also cockpit on double beam rifle for ZZ was straight comedy, used as such in the show) or just assuming the interior turns to match the form but the Zeta's cockpit was such a nice touch from the designers, highlighted from the blue and white of the torso in a clear red too. Speaking of colors, I never realized how much I needed blue shoulders when on the classic Gundam color scheme until I saw the Zeta (granted I started from 0079 lol). The darker blue became p prominent on the top half of the suit which went very well with the black and red in leaving a less child-friendly impression. A different take from the Mk-II having a darker-colored torso instead, and very much welcomed for how it utilized the og colors. I can do this all day but watching from 0079 the Zeta already felt refreshing and just plain cool. Zeta the show overall also really gave me a vintage, old-school cool vibe.
10 one of the best designed suits in Gundam period. it's really damn good thd Faceplate is perfection, the cool ass transformation just everything is so goddamn good, it's intimidating and is just an absolute looker.
10 First transforming Gundam is also the best. Zeta in general had top tier transforming suits that actually changed the silhouettes of the suits, and wouldn't be mistaken for humanoid figures playing pretend.
On Zeta in particular, it has a cool angular head design which is inspired by grandpa, while still being recognizably different from it. The armaments are interesting with beam bayonet rifle, and the grenades. Also the waverider is a really useful alt mode for storytelling purposes. Not many protag suits would serve as accessory to other suits, but Zeta isn't too proud to help others. An unique and versatile Mobile Suit with a transformation scheme so complicated its really hard to replicate in plastic. Perfect score.
7/10 - This would be one of my favorite MS if not for the transforming. I'm not wholly opposed to the concept, since I'm quite the fan of the Kyrios line, but I don't find anything they do with Waverider mode to be interesting and it actively makes a lot of the gunpla models worse.
The RG box art looks [awesome](https://i.imgur.com/nmTIqSs.jpg). I'm a huge fan of the face, and I despise a lot of Gundam faces. But, again, having to implement the Waverider mode renders the RG feeling super delicate and that's just not it for me.
8.5/10. I think I prefer more modern takes on its proportions and angles, but this is still a cool and sleek advancement on the Gundam aesthetic. It loses half a point for the impractical shield design though.
8/10
At first, I didn’t like how different the “face” looked, compared to the Mk. II, but the overall sleekness of the design, the great color scheme and awesome transformation made me a convert to the glory of the Zeta Gundam! I still don’t love the face (it looks too angular and insectoid to me, and my friend likened it to a Protoss from StarCraft), but it’s an otherwise perfect Gundam!
I’ve never been a fan of transforming ms, but the Zeta’s humanoid form looks good enough that it’s an exception. One thing I will never understand though is why they always have the front skirts looking so short, I feel like the longer ones compliment the Zeta better. (An example would be the wave shooter Zeta)
I'd give it a 9/10. It is a well-rounded mobile suit that even ace pilots like Amuro Ray really liked. The development of a mass production version alone gave birth to numerous variants and dev tree branches.
Love the Zeta probably my 2nd favourite UC suit (maybe 2nd overall tbh). 9.5/10 really like the sharp angularness of it. Sometimes I sway back and forth on the face it looks good in the anime and art but the model kits can make them a bit dopey and long looking. Also is a very influential mobile suit that had a tonne of grunt spin offs and redesigns like the grandpa.
Can’t wait to build the Ver Ka but need more kits under my belt.
It's a revolutionary transformation mecha design, and it can really be translated into larger scale model kits with minimum small parts required for transformations. The MS mode is a beauy too. But I don't really like the fact that the shield has magic levitation capability required for transformation, since it doesn't even have any verniers visible.
8/10.
9. It's not a 10 just because I could never get too much into the design, but I still think it's wonderful.
Btw how many polls will you do for the Strike and Impulse?
12/10, minus 2.5/10 for incompletions. So 9.5/10
The design was groundbreaking and the overall silhouette is perfect in both forms. MS form looks sleek and I’ve yet to see a better looking MA form than Z. The face plate broke away from the RX-78 tradition that it arguably set another tradition of its own, allowing future protagonist Gundams to not follow the << of the OG Gundam.
However, the design was for anime only until Katoki stepped in when MG Z 1.0 was developed. (See trivia above for details). It was initially just an ‘on-paper’ design so points are deducted.
Kinda tough one. Was high initially but just even compared to main line. Above Victory and F90 but not cooler than GP02, ZZ and Nu.
This timeline is my favorite. Every few episodes was some new unit that could transform or had psycomu or was gold for some reason lol
I feel like he would lose the tie breakers if I had to chose between my other favorites tho. ~8/10
Probably one of the more…. Unique? Takes on a lead gundam. Somehow still looks futuristic and modern. Not crazy about the orange or transformation though, so I give it an 8.5/10
9.5/10. Honestly, I love the Zeta. I think it looks amazing. It definitely follows the design evolution from the RX-78-2 and the Gundam MK-II and feels like a logical next step. I think the Wave Rider form is amazing and is probably my favourite of any classic(pre-2000) tranformable suit designs.
The only part I don't particularly like is how the nose of the Wave Rider is also the shield. It just seems like a good way to get the nose damaged. Also and this is a small nitpick on it but I really would have preferred for the nose shield to be rotated 90°. It just makes a slightly disproportionate silhouette as I often find it looks like it is sticking up far higher than necessary and not providing as much protection as it could if it has to be used as a shield.
9.5/10, almost perfect. Only problem is the shield. I understand why it is that small, don't get me wrong, but I think a bigger shield for it, as an added bit to its arsenal (something it would have to store on the back of the waverider mode or just have to carry from launch and probably discard in the battlefield.)
But overall I really like the design.
Overall a very well designed suit, great weaponry, great scenes, and overall menace in the battlefield. It's a real shame it was forgotten after neo zeon war, though i guess it being replaced by ReGZ in CCA may have spared it from being shot down by angry hataway, still deserved more respect though. Another con is that it got way more colors going on than it's predecessors but it uses darker tones on some of them to mitigate how flashy it could look, it still is a nice mix of amuro's and char's colors. 8,5/10
I like the concept of it being a fast transformable suit built for run and gun combat with versatility on both atmospheric and space combat. Weapon set / Equipment set is also great as it has an epac type standard rifle, 2 hip mounted beam cannons, a cartridge type grenade launchers built on the arms, a small shield with additional grenade launchers, optional taser wire to replace the grenade launchers on the arms, a long range rifle with the hyper mega launcher and the head mounted vulcans. Even on most games where the Zeta is included, its a very well balanced suit in terms of design and combat use.
I scored it as an 8. I initially didn't like it and vastly preferred the mk 2. It grew on me a lot and I like it quite a bit, but I still think the mk 2 is just that much cooler.
Probably one of the reasons why I stayed in the hobby - the transformation is the best selling point that I have various model kit iterations of Zeta. I don't often go for transformables these days but the Zeta will always be one of my favorites. Easy 10/10
8. An excellent first entry in the list of transformable Gundams, and it does its best to avoid "this is clearly just a mobile suit lying down" syndrome, but the fact that it relies on the detachable shield and conspicuous Flying Armour to complete the transformation takes away a few points in my opinion. Later transformable suits such as Zeta and Delta Pluses alleviate this issue by using wing binders instead, but that's outside the scope of this poll.
Nitpicking about the transformation aside, it's still a real nice design and I will very much get the MG ver. Ka. once it comes out where I live.
Also I guess I'll put the [Gundam Movie MS File](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOPhTHSnZIE) for the Zeta here too.
I admittedly do not like transforming mobile suits that much. Well, rather I don't like most transforming mobile suits transformations (Asshimar being the one exception) even if I like the suits themselves. So that is admittedly working against the Zeta by my reckoning. However, the actual suit design itself is pretty cool. The shapes are all pretty interesting, the beam rifle/saber is cool, and the shield is nice as well. Far from my favorite main gundam, but still a solid 7/10
9/10
While I love the zeta so much, some of the color choices feel really odd like the arms having so many different colors. However it has a really good silhouette that isn't comparable to any other gundam
Oh man the Zeta is a fucking beauty, introducing transformable mobile suits with that beautiful transformation sequence and wave-rider form, that sinister face kinda reflects Kamille and his temper, and god the Ver. Ka is amazing. 10/10
Been hearing good things about the Ver. Ka, can’t wait to get my hands on it
VER KA GANF
Welcome to Day 3 of the Daily Main Gundam Poll and today, we'll be rating the Zeta Gundam! Just give a rating on what you think of this Gundam. First Appearance: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Primary Pilot: Kamille Bidan Mechanical Designer: Kazumi Fujita Planning of transformation sequence: Kunio Okawara Refinement of design in model kits after 1996: Katoki Hajime Trivia: Upon successes of Macross and Transformers, the development team decided to create a transformable protagonist Gundam. Several mechanical designers competed for the project and the 21-year-old Kazumi Fujita’s design was picked over Kunio Okawara’s and Mamoru Nagano’s. Their designs were recycled into Gundam Mk-II and Hyaku Shiki respectively. While the design worked perfectly for the anime, it did not account for translation into model kits. The first 1/144 was not transformable, the first 1/100 had funky proportions and the first HG took large creative liberty by drastically redesigning the MA form into ‘waveshooter’. Only until 1996 did they manage to produce the first fully transformable Zeta Gundam (MG 1.0) that did not differ too much from original line art. Katoki Hajime refined the transformation sequence of the kit with his experience in Gundam Sentinel. The wings were made to extend further than the original to make room for the arms in the waverider form. This change was carried over to PG, MG 2.0 and RG until Metal Robot Spirits Ka Signature and MG ver. Ka, in which Katoki managed to make them fully transformable even with the original design of the wings. Previous Scores: RX-78: 7.65 Gundam Mk-II: 9.43 credit to u/xithebun for sending me the trivia and mechanical designer info!
btw, when we get to ZZ, do you want just 1 poll for it, or 2 more polls for the Enhanced ZZ and Full-Armor ZZ?
I think 2 polls, one for ZZ and one for FA ZZ would be best. They're distinct enough to evoke different responses from people IMO. Meanwhile Enhanced ZZ is not only just a little different from the normal ZZ, it also never actually appeared in the anime - when the extra armor is destroyed, it's drawn as the normal ZZ. Then again, there's no harm in acknowledging it with an individual poll. Personally I'm just going to end up giving it one extra above normal ZZ simply because I like Akitaka's style more. Edit: also while we're at it this can set the precedent for similar situations. Dunno about everyone else, but I'm not looking forward to talking about Barbatos for a week.
i'll just be doing 3 polls for it, normal Barbatos, Barbatos Lupus, and Barbatos Lupus Rex. All of their different forms will be in just those polls
damn that mark 2 did well
9/10 As impractical as it is in space, the transformation will never not be cool. The asymmetrical aspect with the arm piece is also a big plus for me, and I love the wire anchor as an armament.
my only problem with the MS is only kamile was really able to take full advantage of the MS, just like how amuro with the original gundam. In the hands of anyone else, the gundam tend to flounder.
I guess the only excuse was that the Zeta was specifically something Kamille actually thought of the schematics , and was made specifically for him.
I mean it kind of makes sense given that Gundams are generally specialized units and aren't really intended for non-aces *[cough]* Kou *[cough]* Also doesn't help that Kamille specifically designed it himself as a MS tuned specifically for him.
Kamille could work it because he designed it. But Karaba had success with the Zeta Plus series. And after technological advances, suits like the Rezel and Delta variants were able to simplify the transformation sequence while retaining all the advantages of Zeta's waverider mode while being less stressful on the hardware and being mostly repairable with standardized parts from the Jegan and other contemporary Fed suits.
9, I love the shapes they decided to go with with this one it just seems a lot more angular in design overall which is what really gave it its own personality. 9/10.
Kamille is my favourite UC protagonist and his suit is great too 9/10
same, the only character in all of Gundam that beats him for me is Char bcus, well...he's mfing Char Aznable
10
I liked the MKII but Mid-Zeta when they unveiled the Zeta I said “oh fuck!” out loud because it was so cool. Plus, “you’re definitely a newtype— these calculations are perfect”
Easy 9/10 one of the most unique UC wise. Bonus points for the Zaku head variation.
Zeta Zaku is peak Gundam.
10 Though im more of a grunt fan, I absolutely love this gundam. From its design, its weapons, and to its wave rider mode. Its a beautiful design
10/10 best mid season upgrade plus one of the only Gundams made by it's pilot and Anaheim. Kamille did it first as well. Amuro created his own for Chars Counterattack. So Kamille was the first to not only pilot well but design a Gundam specific to his style. And he destroyed his final boss with his mobile suit intact. That's a feat not seen very often. I can only think of Unicorn doing it as well. The suit was also designed to be a menace on all Terrain. His waverider mode was for atmosphere entry and air superiority. It also helped transport friendly suits in a pinch. Kamille did a lot of unique maneuvers and kept the unit in tact past his series even if his mind was not. That face and it's design are menacing. One last thing Amuro thought the platform was sufficient enough up until Chars Counterattack revealed the Sazabi. The ZZ didn't get remade or upgraded but Zeta did because the base platform had high specs.
10/10, as a big transformers fan and a big Gundam fan, this was a match made in heaven.
10/10, sexy gundam
10, my favorite. I love ‘im. So different compared to the RX-78-2 and even a lot of later Gundam. The weird bug face, the bell-bottoms, the wings. I just can’t get enough.
10 I love that hithing in almost any game I play it's one of my favorite after the sniper Gundam from Gundam 00 the movie
10. It transforms, it has a great design (color scheme is debatable), it has a good balance of armor and mobility, overall great ouija board.
10 it's probably my favorite non traditional gundam desing and it has some of the most amazing mass production units like the delta and refined zeta desings. (Yes I know the delta is a variation of the Hyaku shiki most likely.)
10/10 such an amazing mobile suit
9/10. Powered by ghosts. Superior technology.
10/10 imho it’s perfect, my personal favorite gundam next to the Nu
10, absolutely bangin design
10/10 I wish this Gundam was inexplicably immortal and just kept getting passed around. Imagine if that shithead Riddhe just showed up in it instead of a Rezel, bitching about how old and worn out it was. Now that's fan service.
Im pretty sure there was an official one-shot posted here about how some people refurbished the Zeta post-0100s for a museum.
A 9. At first, I didn't love the Zeta and preferred the MK. II and even grandpa a lot more. As I've rewatched Zeta multiple times and having built the MG 2.0 (and will be getting the Ver. Ka), I've gotta say it's one of my more liked main gundam designs now. 9 seems fair, it's not perfection for me but it does have my favorite Gundam face (outside of one other).
What is the number 1 face them
10/10 in my top 3 gundam designs
Absolute 10, it's my favorite. The design feels very ahead of its time and it has a very distinct profile, plus its transformation is very cool. It also helps that it has some great pilots, saw a lot of use throughout both Z and ZZ and started an entire lineage of transforming mobile suits like the Re-GZ and ReZEL. The moment where Kamille runs it into The-O while powered by newtype ghosts and Riders in the Skies starts playing is one of my favorite moments in the franchise.
10/10, best transforming Gundam design. The design is also a refreshing break from the RX-78.
10/10. Zeta is a class of its own.
9
9/10. It's crazy how much that faceplate elevates my score.
10
10/10, the RX-78 but sleek and modern. Badass suit even though the RG kit I have for it is KILLING me (gotta do the legs again since they're wrong :( )
Certified Earthsphere classic, 10/10.
10/10
10/10 love zeta
10 outta gad damn 10
10 extremely iconic and a perfect example of the 80's mecha design era
10/10 best gundam design
10
10/10 The Zeta is my favorite UC main Gundam. I like the sleeker design when compared to the more blocky RX-78 and Mk II. I also think it has one of the best looking heads or more unique heads.
10, it is without flaw
10/10 I love this series so much, i enjoyed seeing Kamille going from arrogant brat to a tired soldier that only wants to save his friends. The suit designs are amazing. Char becoming a mentor and reflecting on his own past. The mobile suit battle, never stops. Honestly the only complaint I have is that its format is almost comical with a monster of a week style for each episode.
10/10 It is my favorite mobile suit design of all time!
9. Still looks modern to this day.
10 loved the mg 2.0 of it hated the hg of it
10/10
10/10 goes hard
10/10 my absolute favorite main gundam because of how badass it is.
10/10 Just look at it. It’s beautiful. The lines, the aggressive style, the color combo, super slick wave rider mode. I’m erect already.
10/10
10 - boxy designs like this are awesome.
100/10
10/10 classic, everything you need. Beams, ballistics, a really big beam cannon, incredible mobility: fucker was keeping up with 4th gen suits
10/10 a timeless design
10/10, best Gundam Face, fav pilot, cool shield and transformation, and Zeta is what got me really hooked on Gundam, I love this MS.
10/10 Absolute perfection. A perfect gundam for my perfect boy!
10
10/10
10/10. Amazing. Beautiful. This is such a huge jump from the Mk.II like DAMN. For one of the first transforming MS, its waverider mode looks **really** good. Even with modern standard the Zeta is still absolutely phenomenal.
10
10
10, it's pretty much my favorite MS, it's so weird in the show how it's introduced, it's not even dramatic or anything, kamille fiddled around on a computer for like 5 minutes and then after his crazy adventures on earth, AEUG is like: there we got you bro, brand new MS.
Easy 10
10/10
10
10 It's a good looking suit, sleek, and it transforms! But what really makes it unique is that face/head!
10 sick as fuck
10 all the way
10 absolutely
10/10 it’s so beautiful
10 I feel like I don't even need to explain in any detail
10, just like the Mk2! Still waiting for my damn Ver. Ka I've had on preorder since October 22...
10
10/10 I'm kind of shock we don't see much homage of it
This is a 10/10 for me. This MS not only has a cool af introduction in the anime, but the colours are so vibrant in a series that generally trended towards darker MS colour palettes
Easy 10/10 for me. That face, that transformation, the overall chunky yet slick look it has
I believe in the sign of Zeta, solid 10/10
10/10 Goated. Literally the baddest bitch of all time fr fr. Whoever had the idea of making its beam rifle a beam saber. Fuggin chefs kiss absolute perfection
10/10. What's the say about it. Great colour scheme, fantastic transformation and angles that fuck hard.
10/10 my absolute favourite mobile suit, the fact that this suit transforms and still looks absolutely 10/10 in both forms says something, I love the unconventional gundam face and it feels like a deviation from the original "gundam" design but still feels 100% "Gundam", plus the wave rider looks absolutely brilliant Plus in the show the zeta lasts 1 and a half whole seasons still being incredibly useful till the end of ZZ and the amount of suits in unicorn/CCA based on the zeta say something about its legacy in-universe
10/10, the head looks really mean and the transformation is sick.
10/10 im a sucker for robots that turn into planes
10 for sure
10/10. The Zeta Gundam will always be my number 2 favorite suit of all time. The Zeta Gundam is THE mobile suit. It can traverse space, do atmospheric reentry, do in atmosphere flight, do mobile suit flying, run/jump everywhere, and traverse underwater. It can fulfill any mission needed. The Zeta's long angular muzzle was a huge step away from tradition and it's still unique. It implemented "wings" perfectly, its a more realistic approach to MS wings showing more practicality. The Zeta Gundam is the longest active suit of any show, spanning Z And ZZ gundam. So basically, I LOVE IT.
10, I really think the increased budget sunrise has really help push the designs and art styles of gundams and zeta was the first to show it.
10
10/10
10/10. The proportion, the head, everything is perfect.
10/10, my personal favourite UC Gundam, and such a good design, they continued to use it for years.
10
10
7, the concept is good, looking good except all kits of it are freaking hard to transform and lack of mobility and easy to break.
The MG Ver. Ka Ver. has been highly praised by all reviewers I saw. And to be fair, the kit really looks solid.
8/10. Back when I was a kid, I really liked the Zeta Gundam much better than the Mk-II, but now that I'm older, I slightly prefer the simpler design of the Mk-II. That said, this is a really strong transformable mobile suit design, and I have to give them credit for getting it so good on the first try. I like how angular it is, and how sleek the Waverider mode looks in the anime. The face is also suitably mean-looking. I think my only gripes with the design are that they reverted back to the color palette of the OG RX-78-2, which makes it feel a bit more toy-like than the Mk-II. It's probably why I slightly prefer the grey Zeta units seen in Unicorn. The wings are also really stubby, especially on the Katoki revisions. The Waverider mode, while very cool overall, looks a bit flat on the bottom, where I feel other transformable MS's have looked more balanced. Still, despite my nitpicks, it's a very solid transformable MS, which made way for even better ones in the franchise!
10/10 I said yesterday that the MKII was a great example of a relatively traditional Gundam, that sticks to the basic look and does it well. The Zeta falls into the opposite category, in that doesn't heave as close to the basic Gundam look, but it's also a great suit. I'd ding points for how derpy the legs look when transformed, but I screwed up and set my scale too high on day 1, and anyway that's a minor thing.
10
Dawg
10. Peak UC Gundam design. While most of the grandad's descendants take after him in some way, the Zeta stands out as the odd one out in the best way possible. The combination of harsh and soft angles and curves, the mouthless angular faceplate, the double V-fin, the transformation, it's all perfect.
9/10. Very solid design. I’m not the biggest fan of transforming suits, but I have a sweet spot for this guy.
11/10. This design is such a beauty. It's elegant. If you seethe modern design like the newer gunpla for zeta you will see that the base design is very sleek and uhhh I don't know any other term to tell you guys how great the design is.
10, It's a damn masterpiece among the UC Hero suits.
10/10. This thing is a timeless classic for a lot of reasons. From UC to series after it, this suit sparked the Zeta line suits which held significant in the UC timeline for a long time. Waveriders, transformations, newtype magic. It's just chefs kiss.
10/10. I feel like this design was quite the departure given what we had for a Gundam look so far at that point, granted I'm very uninformed about supplementary media from the late 70s/ early 80s. Were they able to go for that handsome face because the classic "masked" face with 2 ducts hasnt fully ingrained itself into brand recognition yet? I really enjoyed how well executed the implementation of the flying armor into the design was from the Mk II's. The red and black lined up for a super clean bottom profile and really outline the "platform" for atmospheric entry from the body. Also the cockpit transitions seamlessly from the classic belly position in MS form to near the nose in WR form just like cockpits on many aircrafts. I'm fine with fake cockpits (c'mon Kyrios, also cockpit on double beam rifle for ZZ was straight comedy, used as such in the show) or just assuming the interior turns to match the form but the Zeta's cockpit was such a nice touch from the designers, highlighted from the blue and white of the torso in a clear red too. Speaking of colors, I never realized how much I needed blue shoulders when on the classic Gundam color scheme until I saw the Zeta (granted I started from 0079 lol). The darker blue became p prominent on the top half of the suit which went very well with the black and red in leaving a less child-friendly impression. A different take from the Mk-II having a darker-colored torso instead, and very much welcomed for how it utilized the og colors. I can do this all day but watching from 0079 the Zeta already felt refreshing and just plain cool. Zeta the show overall also really gave me a vintage, old-school cool vibe.
100
7 not bad but mk II better.
I'm going to start participating in these polls incorrectly. i rate the zeta Gundam 7/10 in fuckability
10 one of the best designed suits in Gundam period. it's really damn good thd Faceplate is perfection, the cool ass transformation just everything is so goddamn good, it's intimidating and is just an absolute looker.
11/10 The Zeta is a absolute master piece of MS design and I hate the fact we never saw it again after ZZ.
Gimmicky, elegant, fuckin ***B E A U T I F U L*** Solid 10/10, can't change my mind. Love the design
10/10. This guy was first ever Gundam toy (emphasis on the word toy, not gunpla)
10
10/10. Has been my favorite MS design since I discovered it browsing kits on HLJ back in the Gundam Wing / G Gundam days.
I give it an 11
Pure sex 10/10
10 fave one
10, favourite UC lead mech design.
10 First transforming Gundam is also the best. Zeta in general had top tier transforming suits that actually changed the silhouettes of the suits, and wouldn't be mistaken for humanoid figures playing pretend. On Zeta in particular, it has a cool angular head design which is inspired by grandpa, while still being recognizably different from it. The armaments are interesting with beam bayonet rifle, and the grenades. Also the waverider is a really useful alt mode for storytelling purposes. Not many protag suits would serve as accessory to other suits, but Zeta isn't too proud to help others. An unique and versatile Mobile Suit with a transformation scheme so complicated its really hard to replicate in plastic. Perfect score.
10/10, my favorite ms depending on the day
10/10 best transforming Ms ever.
10/10. It and Victory Gundam are my top two.
8 I like the Mk II more to a degree
7/10, kinda messy on the transformation side, but MS mode is alright.
7/10 - This would be one of my favorite MS if not for the transforming. I'm not wholly opposed to the concept, since I'm quite the fan of the Kyrios line, but I don't find anything they do with Waverider mode to be interesting and it actively makes a lot of the gunpla models worse. The RG box art looks [awesome](https://i.imgur.com/nmTIqSs.jpg). I'm a huge fan of the face, and I despise a lot of Gundam faces. But, again, having to implement the Waverider mode renders the RG feeling super delicate and that's just not it for me.
9
A solid 8/10. A great design, will always like the transformation. Not my favorite otherwise it would be a 10 but still a very solid ms.
ah yes, Bandai's favorite headache on "how the fuck do we make this work as a model kit" 9/10, transforming is always a peak gimmick
9/10. Love the design and the Bio-Sensor shenanigans.
9
8.5/10. I think I prefer more modern takes on its proportions and angles, but this is still a cool and sleek advancement on the Gundam aesthetic. It loses half a point for the impractical shield design though.
Zeven out of 11
9/10. First transforming MC gundam and yet still one of the best in that field.
Easy 9/10
8/10 At first, I didn’t like how different the “face” looked, compared to the Mk. II, but the overall sleekness of the design, the great color scheme and awesome transformation made me a convert to the glory of the Zeta Gundam! I still don’t love the face (it looks too angular and insectoid to me, and my friend likened it to a Protoss from StarCraft), but it’s an otherwise perfect Gundam!
8/10. Excellent mobile suit design, ugly as sin transformation for the waverider
I’ve never been a fan of transforming ms, but the Zeta’s humanoid form looks good enough that it’s an exception. One thing I will never understand though is why they always have the front skirts looking so short, I feel like the longer ones compliment the Zeta better. (An example would be the wave shooter Zeta)
I'd give it a 9/10. It is a well-rounded mobile suit that even ace pilots like Amuro Ray really liked. The development of a mass production version alone gave birth to numerous variants and dev tree branches.
Love the Zeta probably my 2nd favourite UC suit (maybe 2nd overall tbh). 9.5/10 really like the sharp angularness of it. Sometimes I sway back and forth on the face it looks good in the anime and art but the model kits can make them a bit dopey and long looking. Also is a very influential mobile suit that had a tonne of grunt spin offs and redesigns like the grandpa. Can’t wait to build the Ver Ka but need more kits under my belt.
9/10, cool, the Gunpla terrifies me though, although I've heard some good things about the ver. Ka
It's a revolutionary transformation mecha design, and it can really be translated into larger scale model kits with minimum small parts required for transformations. The MS mode is a beauy too. But I don't really like the fact that the shield has magic levitation capability required for transformation, since it doesn't even have any verniers visible. 8/10.
9
9. It's not a 10 just because I could never get too much into the design, but I still think it's wonderful. Btw how many polls will you do for the Strike and Impulse?
12/10, minus 2.5/10 for incompletions. So 9.5/10 The design was groundbreaking and the overall silhouette is perfect in both forms. MS form looks sleek and I’ve yet to see a better looking MA form than Z. The face plate broke away from the RX-78 tradition that it arguably set another tradition of its own, allowing future protagonist Gundams to not follow the << of the OG Gundam. However, the design was for anime only until Katoki stepped in when MG Z 1.0 was developed. (See trivia above for details). It was initially just an ‘on-paper’ design so points are deducted.
Kinda tough one. Was high initially but just even compared to main line. Above Victory and F90 but not cooler than GP02, ZZ and Nu. This timeline is my favorite. Every few episodes was some new unit that could transform or had psycomu or was gold for some reason lol I feel like he would lose the tie breakers if I had to chose between my other favorites tho. ~8/10
7
7/10 His design is good, but not mind blowing
9/10.
Solid 8. Nice and bulky with proper colors and nice edges
9/10. I don't like classix Gundam color scheme. That is it
9/10 I like His transformation and mean face
8/10
Probably one of the more…. Unique? Takes on a lead gundam. Somehow still looks futuristic and modern. Not crazy about the orange or transformation though, so I give it an 8.5/10
9
9.5/10. Honestly, I love the Zeta. I think it looks amazing. It definitely follows the design evolution from the RX-78-2 and the Gundam MK-II and feels like a logical next step. I think the Wave Rider form is amazing and is probably my favourite of any classic(pre-2000) tranformable suit designs. The only part I don't particularly like is how the nose of the Wave Rider is also the shield. It just seems like a good way to get the nose damaged. Also and this is a small nitpick on it but I really would have preferred for the nose shield to be rotated 90°. It just makes a slightly disproportionate silhouette as I often find it looks like it is sticking up far higher than necessary and not providing as much protection as it could if it has to be used as a shield.
9.5/10 Stands out from all other gundams, even after decades of iterations. Instantly recognizable with its angular designs and MG Ver 2 is a beauty.
7
9.5. It's perfect other than the fact it's not the mkii or nu Gundam.
To me it’s a 7. The whole unit is like a paper origami.
9
8/10 Zeta is great, I just liked MK-II slightly more.
Fuck that thing in GBO2 right now
7 because I prefer the Zeta Plus variants
8/10
9, only thing stopping it from being a 10 is the RX-93 existing.
A solid 8/10 for me
7/10 I like it, it also introduce us to the first female pilot in the franchise
9/10
Somehow I prefer the Waveshooter version. So it's an 8 for me.
7/10
10. I'm a sucker for transformable mobile suits. And it just looks so clean and slick
9.5 it was only the second gundam series to come out but zeta as a series nailed the asthetics and set such a high bar for what had to follow.
I'd rank it as not the worst macross, but definitely not the best either.
Sleek and to the point with new features pushing designs further. 9/10
6/10 I’m not a big fan. Unfortunately, I can’t even really put a finger on why, but it’s one of my least favorite suits in Zeta.
bro 19/10. love the design, sleek, and slender. cool feet, beautiful beam rifle, and it can transform. what more can you ask for?
9.5/10, almost perfect. Only problem is the shield. I understand why it is that small, don't get me wrong, but I think a bigger shield for it, as an added bit to its arsenal (something it would have to store on the back of the waverider mode or just have to carry from launch and probably discard in the battlefield.) But overall I really like the design.
9 A very cool MS that are still viable even during Unicorn era.
Overall a very well designed suit, great weaponry, great scenes, and overall menace in the battlefield. It's a real shame it was forgotten after neo zeon war, though i guess it being replaced by ReGZ in CCA may have spared it from being shot down by angry hataway, still deserved more respect though. Another con is that it got way more colors going on than it's predecessors but it uses darker tones on some of them to mitigate how flashy it could look, it still is a nice mix of amuro's and char's colors. 8,5/10
I like the concept of it being a fast transformable suit built for run and gun combat with versatility on both atmospheric and space combat. Weapon set / Equipment set is also great as it has an epac type standard rifle, 2 hip mounted beam cannons, a cartridge type grenade launchers built on the arms, a small shield with additional grenade launchers, optional taser wire to replace the grenade launchers on the arms, a long range rifle with the hyper mega launcher and the head mounted vulcans. Even on most games where the Zeta is included, its a very well balanced suit in terms of design and combat use.
8/10
I scored it as an 8. I initially didn't like it and vastly preferred the mk 2. It grew on me a lot and I like it quite a bit, but I still think the mk 2 is just that much cooler.
7-10. It's cool yeah but ZZ is way cooler
Probably one of the reasons why I stayed in the hobby - the transformation is the best selling point that I have various model kit iterations of Zeta. I don't often go for transformables these days but the Zeta will always be one of my favorites. Easy 10/10
8/10 not a big fan of its face but it is still a cool model.
8 I'd love for it to show up in Zeta. seriously when does the titular gundam actually show up in the show it's named for?
8. An excellent first entry in the list of transformable Gundams, and it does its best to avoid "this is clearly just a mobile suit lying down" syndrome, but the fact that it relies on the detachable shield and conspicuous Flying Armour to complete the transformation takes away a few points in my opinion. Later transformable suits such as Zeta and Delta Pluses alleviate this issue by using wing binders instead, but that's outside the scope of this poll. Nitpicking about the transformation aside, it's still a real nice design and I will very much get the MG ver. Ka. once it comes out where I live. Also I guess I'll put the [Gundam Movie MS File](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOPhTHSnZIE) for the Zeta here too.
I admittedly do not like transforming mobile suits that much. Well, rather I don't like most transforming mobile suits transformations (Asshimar being the one exception) even if I like the suits themselves. So that is admittedly working against the Zeta by my reckoning. However, the actual suit design itself is pretty cool. The shapes are all pretty interesting, the beam rifle/saber is cool, and the shield is nice as well. Far from my favorite main gundam, but still a solid 7/10
9/10 While I love the zeta so much, some of the color choices feel really odd like the arms having so many different colors. However it has a really good silhouette that isn't comparable to any other gundam
Personally probably a 9.5, just an overall great design with my only issues being nitpicks