Mobile Suit Gundam books, set 2
Zeta Gundam (TV series, 1985-86)
MS Z Gundam, a Book to Enjoy it
10 Times More
機動戦士 Zガンダム を10倍楽しむ本
Color and B&W, 152 pages
Kodansha, 1985
The first Zeta Gundam publication on record; stills from the first five episodes with descriptions up to 13. Character, mecha, and world guide with a catalog of mobile suits and variants leading up to Zeta. Also contains a few unique illustrations.
MS Z Gundam Fantastic Collection Special
機動戦士Zガンダム ファンタスティック コレクション スペシャル
Color, 28 pages
Asahi Sonorama, 1985
Early mook (magazine-style book) covering episodes 1-14.
MS Z Gundam Graffiti
機動戦士 Zガンダム グラフィティ
Color, 112 pages
Akita Shoten, 1985
Coverage of the first 13 episodes with a large number of unique illustrations seen nowhere else.
MS Z Gundam Gals Graffiti Book
機動戦士Zガンダム ギャルズグラフィティ
Color and B&W, 32 pages
Gakken, 1985
Bonus item with Animedia magazine (April ’85), a booklet highlighting the female characters of the series. Includes a complete script for the final episode.
MS Z Gundam Mechanic Setting Collection & Example Collection
機動戦士Zガンダム メカニック設定集＆作例集
Color and B&W, 68 pages
Bandai, 1985
Vol. 4 in the Making Journal Material series, an early compendium of mecha design art and scratch-built model kits.
MS Z Gundam Character Setting
Figures & Famous Scenes Collection
機動戦士Zガンダム キャラクター設定フィギュア＆名場面集
Color and B&W, 84 pages
Bandai, 1985
Vol. 6 in the MJ Material series, early compendium of character design art and custom-made character figures.
MS Z Gundam Character Edition Vol. 1
Newtype 100% Collection
機動戦士Zガンダム キャラクター編 NEWTYPE 100%
Color, 98 pages
Kadokawa Shoten, 1985
Large-format collection of character art and data. There was no Vol. 2.
MS Z Gundam Mechanical Edition Vol. 1
Newtype 100% Collection
機動戦士Zガンダム メカニカル編 1 NEWTYPE 100%
Color, 98 pages
Kadokawa Shoten, 1985
Large-format collection of mobile suits and vechicles from the first half of the series.
MS Z Gundam Mechanical Edition Vol. 2
Newtype 100% Collection
機動戦士Zガンダム メカニカル編 2 NEWTYPE 100%
Color, 98 pages
Kadokawa Shoten, 1986
Large-format collection of mobile suits and vehicles from the second half.
MS Z Gundam, The Anime Special Edition
機動戦士Zガンダム ジ・アニメ特別編集
Color and B&W, 136 pages
Kindaieiga-sha, 1985
Covers episodes 1-17 with story digest and world guide/design works. Many original illustrations.
MS Z Gundam Part 2
The Anime Special Edition
機動戦士Zガンダム パート 2 ジ・アニメ特別編集
Color and B&W, 136 pages
Kindaieiga-sha, 1986
Covers episodes 18-34 with story digest and world guide/design works. Many original illustrations.
MS Z Gundam Part 3
The Anime Special Edition
機動戦士Zガンダム パート 3 ジ・アニメ特別編集
Color and B&W, 136 pages
Kindaieiga-sha, 1986
Covers episodes 35-50 with story digest and world guide/design works. Many original illustrations, ZZ Gundam teaser.
MS Z Gundam, The Anime film comics 1-10
機動戦士 Zガンダム ジ・アニメ フイルムコミックス
Color, 160 pages each
Kindaieiga-sha, 1985-86
One of the innovations of 1980s anime magazine was to turn stills from an anime series into a comic book format with word balloons and call them “anime comics” or “film comics.” Zeta Gundam was one of the few series to be presented in full this way, ten volumes containing five episodes apiece. They were published in batches of two and three over a four month period.
MS Z Gundam manga, Comic BonBon
機動戦士Zガンダム コミックボンボン
B&W paperbacks
Kodansha, 1985-86
3-volume adaptation by Kazuhisa Kondo, who did the same for First Gundam. His passion for drawing the mobile suits is unequaled, but his rendering of human characters is always stiff by comparison.
MS Z Gundam Four Story
“And, the Soldier…”
機動戦士Zガンダムフォウ・ストーリー そして、戦士に…
Color and B&W, 134 pages
Tokuma Shoten, 1986
A paperback novel published as a bonus item with Animage magazine (Feb ’86). Reprinted as a standalone novel in 2001.
Official description: During the One Year War, there was a girl who lost her family and even her memory due to Zeon’s dropping of colonies on the Far East. After the war, she survived alone in the scorched earth, but one day she was taken in by the Murasame Institute for Newtype studies. Named “Four” (test subject number 004), the girl has a harsh training and fate ahead of her in order to become an enhanced human. The legendary story of Four’s life before she met Camille.
MS Z Gundam Encyclopedia
Rapport Deluxe
機動戦士Zガンダム 大辞典 ラポートデラックス
Color and B&W, 188 pages
Rapport KK, 1986
Published by the makers of Animec magazine, a complete episode guide with extensive design works and background material.
Gundam Wars Project Z
Model Graphix special edition
GUNDAM WARS PROJECT Z モデル グラフィックス 別冊
Color and B&W, 160 pages
Art Japan Publishing, 1986
Original modeling and illustration works, special edition of Model Graphix magazine.
MS Z Gundam Hobby Japan
special edition
機動戦士Zガンダム ホビージャパン別冊
Color and B&W, 166 pages
Hobby Japan, 1986
Collected articles from Hobby Japan magazine extensive model photography with supplemental material.
The Art of Z Gundam
ジ・アート・オブ Zガンダム
Color, 128 pages
Tokuma Shoten, 1986
An outstanding collection of animation stills chosen for their artistry (mecha and characters) with some original illustrations.
MS Z Gundam Nostalgia
機動戦士Zガンダム ノスタルジア
Color, 192 pages
Softbank Creative, 2005
20th anniversary overview of the series with most of the book dedicated to an episode guide.
MS Z Gundam Historica
機動戦士Zガンダム ヒストリカ
Vol. 00
Background material on stories leading up to Z Gundam, introduction to the movies with a Tomino interview.
As a tie-in to the release of the three Zeta Gundam compilation films, Kodansha published a bi-weekly “file magazine” series that covered both the TV series and movies from 2005-06. Each volume consisted of 36 full-color pages, and the starter volume (00) came with a gold binder to hold the entire set. Every issue covered specific parts of the story with new art, support articles and background pieces to provide context.
Vol. 01
Coverage of the first compilation movie.
Vol. 02
Coverage of TV episodes 1-5 and relevant content.
Vol. 03
Coverage of TV episodes 6-10 and relevant content.
Vol. 04
Coverage of TV episodes 11-14 and relevant content.
Vol. 05
Coverage of TV episodes 15-20 and relevant content.
Vol. 06
Coverage of TV episodes 21-28 and relevant content.
Vol. 07
Coverage of TV episodes 29-36 and relevant content.
Vol. 08
Coverage of the second compilation movie.
Vol. 09
Coverage of TV episodes 37-40 and relevant content.
Vol. 10
Coverage of TV episodes 41-45 and relevant content.
Vol. 11
Coverage of TV episodes 46-50 and relevant content.
Vol. 12
Coverage of the third and final compilation movie.
MS Z Gundam A New Translation
Heir to the Stars • movie program
機動戦士Zガンダム -星を継ぐ者-
Color, 28 pages
Sold in theaters with the first Z Gundam compilation film, 2005.
MS Z Gundam II A New Translation
Lovers • movie program
機動戦士ＺガンダムⅡ‐恋人たち‐
Color, 28 pages
Sold in theaters with the second Z Gundam compilation film, 2005.
MS Z Gundam III A New Translation, Love is the Pulse of the Stars • movie program
機動戦士ZガンダムⅢ-星の鼓動は愛-
Color, 28 pages
Sold in theaters with the third Z Gundam compilation film, 2006.
MS Z Gundam A New Translation
Legend of Z
機動戦士Zガンダム A NEW TRANSLATION -Legend of Z-
Color, 144 pages
Hobby Japan, 2006
Substantial overview of Z Gundam and the making of its compilation film trilogy.
Gundam MS Graphica
ガンダム MS グラフィカ
Color, 3-volume set
Softbank Creative, 2006
A set of three “in-universe” 32-page mooks detailing the creation and capabilities of the Gundam Mark II, the Hyuku-shiki, and the Zeta Gundam entirely in sophisticated CG imagery. Designed in the style of high-end automotive pamphlets.
MS Z Gundam Define
機動戦士Zガンダム Define
Color and B&W, ~196 pages per volume
Kadokawa, 2011 to present
One of the many manga titles that launched from the pages of Gundam Ace magazine. As Yoshikazu Yasuhiko was working on The Origin, another manga was created Hiroyuki Kitazume, a veteran of design and production since Zeta Gundam. That story, Char’s Deleted Affair, provided a prehistory to Zeta Gundam, and Kitazume’s own version of Zeta Gundam began in its wake. Called Z Gundam Define, it only loosely follows the anime storyline, taking it in unanticipated directions and altering many key plot points. The paperback collections contain four to five chapters apiece with support material, and are still ongoing as of summer 2021. Volume 18 has reached the Kilimanjaro section.
Project File Z Gundam
プロジェクトファイルＺガンダム
Color, 127 pages
SB Creative, 2016
Overview of the Z Gundam world with all-new, very high-quality mecha illustrations.
HJ Mechanics 7
HJ メカニクス 07 (ホビージャパン MOOK 1044)
Color, 130 pages
Hobby Japan, 2020
Up-to-date modeling of the mobile suits from Z Gundam. Order it here.