Ranking the Strongest Gundam Mecha: Top Gundams Explained

The Gundam franchise has consistently been a leader in the mecha genre for more than three decades. Originating as a focused narrative on the grim realities of warfare and the experiences of pilots operating advanced weaponry across various domains—land, air, and space—it has now blossomed into an extensive universe filled with multiple series, timelines, and galaxies.

Over the years, Gundam has evolved into a global sensation, moving beyond its manga and anime roots into diverse realms like video gaming, exemplified by titles such as Gundam Breaker 4, and even live-action adaptations. Each new chapter of Gundam has showcased exquisitely designed mechs created by talented artists and animators. Each Gundam universe is rich with powerful machines, equipped with world-altering capabilities. Below is a ranking of some of the mightiest mechas within the Gundam domain.

9 Gundam Aerial

The Ideal Synergy Between Machine and Pilot

Mobile Suit Gundam The Witch from Mercury Season 2 aerial gundam

The Gundam Aerial is among the latest models to emerge, first appearing in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, which debuted recently. This series introduced the Ad Stella timeline, a narrative governed by a council of corporations focusing on peacekeeping and global governance. The Aerial serves as the primary mech in this narrative, harnessing advanced artificial intelligence to assist its pilot, Suletta Mercury. Armed with a formidable range of weaponry, including beam sabers and rifles, the Aerial excels in combat through its unique Gund-Bit system, which allows for defensive shielding and offensive capabilities like funnel lasers. This collaboration between pilot and AI gives the Aerial a significant tactical edge in battles.

8 Hashmal

A Catastrophic Self-aware Weapon

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans is populated with ancient weapons that shaped the dystopian future depicted. Mobile Armors, pivotal in wreaking havoc, include the Hashmal, a forgotten relic that, upon reawakening, posed an existential threat to Tekkadon and its members. With nearly indestructible armor and an array of formidable weaponry—everything from talons to missiles—the Hashmal emerged as a chaotic force capable of annihilating enemies before they even had a chance to react.

7 Big Zamm

A Genuine Weapon of Mass Eradication

Official Art Showcasing the big battle against Big Zam

Big Zamm is an iconic mobile armor crafted by the Principality of Zeon during the original Mobile Suit Gundam series set in the Chaotic Century timeline. This colossal machine was a pioneering creation, designed over several years as an ultimate weapon intended to propel Zeon into a militaristic future. Fueled with an astonishing arsenal, including mega laser cannons and beam missiles, Big Zamm’s thick armor made it impervious to attacks. Its mobile and aerial capabilities rendered it a tremendous threat during the One-Year War, requiring a collaborative effort from Earth Forces to dismantle it from within.

6 Mighty Strike Freedom

An Indomitable Machine With Boundless Energy

mighty strike freedom gundam seed freedom

The Mighty Strike Freedom, developed for Kira Yamato, is a fifth-generation mobile suit that made its debut in the film Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom. In the climactic battle of the movie, Kira and his ally Lacus Clyne unveiled a newly enhanced version of Freedom, which dramatically escalated its offensive and defensive strengths. Known as the Proud Defender, this enhancement utilizes electro-magnification technology to create an unbreachable force field against ranged attacks while emitting disruptive waves capable of obliterating fleets of enemy units instantaneously. Among its kin in the Cosmic Era, the Mighty Strike Freedom stands as the fiercest combatant.

5 No Gundam

A Tailor-Made Weapon Intended for Peace

As the One-Year War drew to a close, Amuro Ray took to the battlefield in the recently designed Nu Gundam in the movie Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack. This innovative mech was uniquely crafted by Amuro himself, showcasing groundbreaking Funnel technology and a Psychoframe cockpit optimized for Newtype abilities. Utilizing Fin Funnels, capable of operating from a distance while shielding the core unit with an energy barrier, the Nu Gundam emerged as Char Aznable’s formidable adversary. While powerful in the hands of anyone, under Amuro’s control, the Nu Gundam became an even more lethal force on the battlefield.

4 Sazabi

The Ultimate Machine for the Red Comet

The Sazabi serves as a counterpart to Nu Gundam, piloted by Char Aznable. Following his revival, Char led the subsequent conflict between Earth and Neo Zeon, with Sazabi serving as his flagship. Designed exclusively by Anaheim Electronics for Char, this imposing unit is armed with powerful beam weaponry, including scatter funnels. Thanks to its Psycho Cockpit and Psycommu system, Char can operate the Sazabi with unmatched precision, making it a nearly perfect machine suited for the heat of battle.

3 Gundam Unicorn

A Menace That Crosses Galaxies

Mobile Suit Gundam: How Powerful is the Unicorn Gundam?

The Unicorn Gundam arguably stands as the most formidable machine ever conceived within the Gundam canon. The lore surrounding its creation and its extraordinary capabilities imbue it with an almost mystical presence, surpassing all machines in performance. Its efficacy, however, heavily relies on the pilot’s connection to the unit. With the right operator, the Unicorn can achieve incredible feats, including light-speed travel, temporal manipulation, and advanced clairvoyance. Despite varying levels of proficiency depending on the pilot, the Unicorn Gundam is acknowledged as a threat at a cosmic scale.

2 Neo Zeong

A Cataclysmic Weapon of Enormous Scale

The Neo Zeong is a mobile armor crafted for Full Frontal, the primary antagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. This terrifying creation is capable of causing extinction-level havoc, equipped with weaponry and abilities that seem to break the laws of physics. Designed to fully harness the psychic powers of Newtypes, the Neo Zeong can manipulate adversary machines, distort both time and space, and devastate entire civilizations within moments. With a loadout of high-energy beam weapons and numerous funnels, even the esteemed Unicorn Gundam falls short against the sheer magnitude of power contained within this unit.

1 Turn A

The Most Technologically Sophisticated Gundam in Existence

Categorically, Turn A is recognized as the most advanced Gundam ever engineered within the central timeline of Gundam known as the Chaotic Century. Initially conceived for interstellar combat, this mech was built using technology that faded into obscurity due to time and catastrophic events. Nevertheless, the Turn A transcended eras, serving as the pivotal unit in Mobile Suit Gundam: Turn A. Unlike any predecessor, Turn A’s energy source is derived from a dead star, endowing it with unparalleled power output. Moreover, the Turn A interfaces with its pilot’s neural impulses, granting a level of control that allows it to act as an extension of the pilot, capable of wielding a vast array of weaponry and enhancing its offensive capabilities. It stands as a potential harbinger of a new age or the instrument of universal destruction.

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