I _adore_ MSB! Every week they give us a thoughtful, funny, loving commentary on an episode of Gundam, as well as deep-dive research into cultural and historical concepts that are referenced in that episode. At first, I thought that second part, the research, was the real benefit of the show - certainly it’s made me a much more informed person and given me tons and tons of really interesting trivia that I can talk in my daily life, and helped me to understand the anime industry and narrative language of anime in general much better. But I’ve recently come to appreciate their commentary on the show itself more and more - they love these characters and stories so much, and it’s so satisfying to watch two really well educated people break down the artistic, acting, writing, directing, and production decisions behind every episode - it’s taught me to consume media more deliberately and helped me to find a vocabulary to describe what I love most about my favorite shows and books. It’s just really, really good, and you should really listen to it <3

If you want to learn more about international nuclear testing, the history of Japanese economic downfall, or the science of space colonization, you could either read dozens of books, analyze the heck out of them, or you could learn it listening to this podcast and count on the fantastic research Thom and Nina do, while enjoying the review of one of the longest running anime franchise at the same time. This show is well researched and both hosts bring in their own unique insights. Being a 40 year Gundam veteran myself I really enjoy listening to their unique and fresh insights to the show. And the quality of their research on each topics could easily make some PhD candidates blush! As I only learned about this podcast last year I’m still catching up with the show’s older episodes, but ain’t it fun to listen how Nina reacts to the ups and downs of each shows. In case you call me a bot as I sound nothing but praise to the show, I don’t always agrees on how they and their guests interpret the characters… but hearing different POV is what makes things real and fun!

I was watching through Gundam in production order as well and I love learning about the historical context of my favorite things. I found this podcast and new from the first episode it would be perfect for me and it hasn’t disappointed!

I’ve been listening to Mobile Suit Breakdown for two or three weeks at work now, and as a fan of Gundam who has, shamefully, yet to fully watch all of First Gundam, I’ve deeply enjoyed Thom and Nina’s analysis and insights into Gundam. I feel like I’ve gained a whole new perspective on something I already loved, and that’s to say nothing of how fun it is to listen to the hosts enjoy themselves joking about Fraw Bow and the Orphans, or Kai’s journey from “Nyehhh” and snark to more a fully explored character. In short, Mobile Suit Breakdown is a blast!

Ostensibly a podcast about Gundam, but like the show itself, about much, much more than giant robots. Thom and Nina put so much effort into making the show the best they possibly can, and if you’ve never listened, you’ll be surprised to find out it’s all at once a podcast on deconstructing art, history, literature and literary analysis, film, music, parody, cultural studies, and so many other things that I couldn’t list them all. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the show itself transcends the medium enough that it could be considered art in its own right. It’s impressive and important to me, and I can honestly say that my life is better, or at least more enjoyable, due to it existing.

Lovely podcast, and the producers/hosts are always working hard to make each episode better than the last.

This podcast sets a high bar with the thoughtful reviews and criticism, well researched historical context (and a fun patron community!) I’ve learned a lot about the Gundam shows I love and also some really interesting history along the way. I’ve been listening since the pandemic and I expect to stick with it for as long as they keep going. Hats off!

If you’ve only just started watching Mobile Suit Gundam and want two charming people to follow along with you who offer deeper insights, context, and perspectives, this is the podcast for you! Nina and Thom have made watching Gundam a more incredible experience, and I’m so glad I found them!

You guys are so much fun to listen to and it makes watching the shows better! Can’t wait to you guys get to more modern series!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. A pair of folks decide they want to make an income from being Content Creators. So they come up with a premise that should take years to cover (and this lead to years of Patreon money). At no point do they ask themselves whether it’s a good idea to commit themselves to a weekly podcast covering the same topic for so long. Like every other podcaster, they think themselves immune to burnout, or that the topic in question will never not be engaging. But eventually reality kicks in. They get burnt out, or in this case, they find a Gundam film that they don’t particularly care for (while also sounding a little burnt out). The quality takes a nosedive, but since they’ve captured an audience (and possibly established parasocial relationships with their Patrons), they’ll continue to coast along for years despite no one really being happy with the output of the show. The only saving grace is that this time I was able to cut bait and walk away before it got worse. (Ps - I also find that Tom is way too overbearing, and too often speaks for himself and Nina. I find her observations much more interesting)

I have enjoyed so many hours re-watching Gundam along with this podcast. So much love, passion, dedication, and research clearly has gone into this. It's given me a new appreciation of the franchise. Nina and Thom come off as clever, kind, creative, and funny. I love MSB!

This is so much more than a Gundam podcast; the research pieces are worth the price of admission alone! Honestly the best.

Recently / randomly stumbled across Mobile Suit Breakdown, a little over 35 episodes in now and re-watching the original MSG alongside each. I’m…beyond obsessed. Mobile Suit Breakdown goes through the Gundam franchise in the order things were created (I’m finishing the episodes covering the original Mobile Suit Gundam from 1979, while I believe they just wrapped CCA), with each podcast episode being dedicated to a single episode of the anime. Hosts Nina and Thom are incredibly likable, funny, intelligent, light-hearted, and pull off one heck of a show with each and every episode. While Gundam can be absolutely ridiculous (and, they have no problem acknowledging that / poking fun at things - as we all should), good lord do they take their research SO seriously and turn it all into an immensely entertaining and informative listen. Everything from behind the scenes info, fan theories, researching past interviews from the creators, looking at the directors and/or teams of animators and their own personal backgrounds, correlating events of each episode to moments across history and the state of Japan at the time, in addition to just chatting and going in-depth about the base plot of every episode…it’s all there. …and more. They represent the best of any fandom I’ve ever seen, give great insight from the viewpoint of one longtime fan vs one brand new to everything Gundam, are both so genuine in their own passion and enthusiasm for discussion / breaking things down, and are able to keep things super inclusive with zero gatekeeping…all while still being crazily detailed. I originally found Gundam via Toonami and Gundam Wing like many others during the early 2000’s, been a big fan ever since but was terrible about keeping up with all the various series over the years - that is, until the 40th anniversary not too long ago. Since then, I’ve tracked down every blu-ray and caught up on so many good entries I had never seen before, replayed a ton of the games, bought and built gunpla of all my favorite suits…and it’s been a huge wonderful nerdy resurgence in my life. This podcast is quite possibly my favorite “find” and experience across all my recent Gundam-ing, a phenomenal companion piece to the shows, and I truly can’t say enough great things about it. If you have ANY interest whatsoever in Gundam, anime, Japanese history, pop culture, how all those things relate to / tie into each other, or just insanely well-researched and fun podcasts in general…don’t hesitate to give this a shot. All the best, looking forward to catching up over maaaany more episodes.

I have been watching anime for decades but I’m absolutely new to Gundam. After finishing the original series and Zeta Gundam, I looked for a podcast to support my burgeoning fandom. After listen to a quite a few different pods, I have found this one to be both funny, revelatory and interesting in each episode. Nina an Thom do grounded research that points out some interesting things about the time and place of Gundam’s creation for each episode. This is fun and the hosts are endearing. Check it out for sure.

I grew up watching Gundam Wing on Toonami and now here I am finally starting from the very beginning with this podcast. Can’t wait to get caught up on all things Gundam.

Nina and Tom are awesome!! I’ve been watching along and listening to the podcast. It’s nice to get filling information that you would miss with subtitles. It’s been a few day and still in the early episodes but I’m hooked. Thanks guys for the great podcast and the insight I need on one of my favorite shows. Thanks again

I discovered the podcast just a few days ago and listened to the first six episodes. The depth and breadth of analysis in each episode really fleshes out the world of Gundam and puts its production into a real-world context. For any fans of Gundam, anime, science fiction, or pop culture history, this is a must-listen.

I started my own journey in 2021 to watch all of the Gundam properties (not in any particular order) and discovered this podcast out of curiosity. I too have binged through S1 and am now halfway through S2 and thoroughly enjoy this podcast. Thom and Nina are excellent writers and thoughtful in their analysis and opinions, as well as excellent researchers. I only wish I found this podcast sooner but later is better than never. As an aside, TNN is such a great bit, it’s “New York” not “New Yark” and SEED is best Gundam don’t @ me.

I discovered this podcast a month ago and have binged halfway through to the zeta season so far. I am so addicted I cannot do a chore or task without a bud in my ear to listen to Nina and Tom break down my eternal favorite franchise in increasing depth. As a “UC or die” fan, I cannot wait for the future. Cheers guys, y’all are doing the newtype God’s work.

Nina and Thom are unparalleled in the depth of their reading and the breadth of their research, plus they’re extremely cool and funny. As I write this, I’m finishing up the Zeta coverage, and I have learned so much in two seasons. I’m very excited to keep learning as the show continues.

This podcast easily caters to my love of Gundam, History, Psychology, early animation and its influences, world culture, Mythology and more! I greatly appreciate the recap, discussion, and in-depth research of the various real life influences that may have helped shape what is GUNDAM. Both podcasters have wonderful humor but handle every subject with respect and understanding to their best and exhausted knowledge. Thank you, to you and your guests!

I have had the fortune of paying attention to Adam @ USA GUNDAM, on one of the streams he mentioned this podcast. I have not listened to anything else on my apple podcast app since. So now I have YouTube gundam and podcasting to keep me entertained while building Gunpla. Plus the real world parallels are very enlightening making it more than just a show about the anime which would be great for just that, but really breaking down episodes in such a way truly makes it a real podcast that happens to include Gundam and it’s real world implications.

I've never had a podcast so thoroughly surpass my expectations. Ran across this and, having dipped my toe in the franchise, I thought it'd be nice to finally sit down and watch it with a companion show to get a little review of the episodes as I went. Not only are they sharp insightful viewers, always highlighting things I missed from short bits to overarching themes, they knock it out of the park with their research! I've learned so many amazing things, from details behind the show's production to the cultural context of the content to the obscure inspirations for what's come up, like moving lakes and ballutes. Nina & Thom are also just all-around good people with good takes, giving the show great energy and co-hosting chemistry. On a technical level, it's consistently strong and keeps raising its own bar for quality. I'd never have guessed they were two new podcasters making it all on their own. Seriously, I can't praise or recommend this podcast enough. I'm looking forward to exploring the rest of the franchise with the show over the coming years.

The most thoughtful, well considered, knowledgeable, entertaining and educational analysis based companion podcast to the Gundam franchise I know of. This is the gold standard for media analysis in podcasting as far as I’m concerned.

Are you a new gundam fan ? An old one ? you have no interest at all in gundam but would like to listen to two people dissect and discuss an anime and its relation to Japanese/world historical events +\- astrophysics in almost ASMR fashion ? Are you just looking for something VERY GOOD to listen to ? Well you’re in the right place ! Big fan all the way from Kuwait !

This podcast is for the gundam fan that wants an informative but simultaneously entertaining experience. This podcast is akin to a high quality vegetarian entree at a fancy restaurant. Filling but not too heavy and has you leaving the table feeling energized and ready for dessert instead of feeling full and bloated. Highly recommended.

This is not a people giggling with their friend podcast. Each episode has background research put into it and Nina and the guy really care about giving a high quality podcast. Even like the audio engineering is top notch. They are New York City liberals so they focus a lot of the podcast on like a feminist critique of the show. Which is ok but gets a bit repetitive. Also especially in the later season the guy has this obsession with who wrote every episode. Which is very inside baseball and pretty irrelevant but for some reason he goes over the writer every episode. They also give a long episode recap, which like I saw the show so why do I need to listen to a 10 minute recap of a 22 minute show? I get a short recap, but to long. They have been doing these skits. That are like what if Kate McKinnon had to make skits based off zeta Gundam. I wouldn’t say they are bangers but I appreciate the effort. They also have a heavy research segment at the end of the episode which without fail they seem To pick a topic that is completely uninteresting that I stopped listening to a long time ago. For like npr listeners who also like Gundam I think you would like it. For real America, like the section in the middle of the podcast where they actually give their hot takes is ok.

This is one of the best podcasts I ever listened to. Come for the Gundam episode review but stay for the well researched cultural, historical or political events that helped shape the show. Never dry, always breezy and thoughtful, just an increadible podcast production.

mobile suit breakdown podcast is amazing, if you do a watch though of the classic gundam series’ highly highly recommend. Historical and cultural context galore. Super insightful and great commentary.

A really thorough and entertaining show!

Found out about this show a few months back and kinda ignored it. But I recently decided to rewatch Mobile Suit Gundam and have to say that listening to your show afterwards has been a delight. The fact that you two not only breakdown each episode but give interesting historical context and real world details to add to each episode. Really loving the show and keep up the amazing work.

This is a fantastic podcast, full of interesting research and deep, thoughtful explorations of the show’s themes. It’s also incredibly funny. I highly recommend it.

Do you like Gundam? Do you like behind the scenes history of important pieces of genre-defining entertainment? Are you interested in the surprisingly complex history of the socio-political ramifications of repatriated coffee farmers? Then do I have a podcast for you! This show is fantastic, and as a long-time Gundam fan it has me seeing and appreciating the franchise in a whole new light. Lots of deep dives into historical and cultural touchstones that either shaped Gundam or have come to reflect it. Tremendous fun, it’s just a shame I’ll probably have to wait like 6 years before they get to 08th MS Team.

A really great podcast for new and established fans of the series. Funny, insightful, and informative. I especially love the research segment which covers a fascinating range of topics from geography to psychology and everything in between. I thorough look forward to new episodes

A Gundam oriented podcast with and educational focus of the times it was created. Amazing group with interesting guests and a very well organized telling of the series and the world around it.

This is NOT just a talk-back. First off... Gundam is basically the Star Wars of Japan... with over 40 years of strong and brilliant sci-fi content created and is a long time favorite of mine. Something I hold dear to my heart and would be devastated if it was misrepresented or tainted. Luckily this podcast has “never once betrayed anyone” so don’t let “earth’s gravity weigh you down” and read on: So, I don’t know how to express just how great this podcast is. Thom is the veteran Gundam fan, and the effort he puts into this podcast is a testament to his love for the series. From audio quality to magnificent skits and research pieces, Thom has brought my favorite anime series to another level. Nina is new to the series and has knowledge of the Japanese language and culture that enhances the depth of the research and provides listeners with insight into experiencing the series for the first time. Questions they may have if they are watching for the first time along with this podcast only serves to improve the experience. The podcast is structured with a recap, a summary of the current episode, a talk back, a research segment, and some discussion. The hosts never burn you out with their opinions, but share them respectfully and truly honor each other’s intelligence through their engagement. They cleverly use the recaps in an entertaining way to keep you engaged, and sometimes the summary of the episode is even more fun than the actual show. BUT the meat of each episode is the research. The hosts use their research segments to provide background on the creators’ inspirations and the political and social climates that were present when the episodes were created. This helps the listener to better understand the media itself, but even more so... I have honestly learned more about Japan, World War 2, military history, Eastern Religion and Philosophy, and even the birth of language than I ever imagined possible. I’m a better person because of each episode I listen to. This is a podcast that you start from episode 1, or at least at the beginning of a season. It’s recommended that you watch the corresponding anime, but honestly not necessary. (I still think you should). If you’re still reading this, then this podcast is going to light up your world... because the amount of knowledge that pours out of Thom and Nina’s mouth is going to enhance your understanding of the world we live in and the possibilities of the future. I ended up joining the gundampodcast Patreon, but not because they asked... but because they honestly deserve it for all the effort they put into this. I didn’t know at the time, but the community of patrons that I unlocked has been another gift to me in my life as well, and I highly recommend checking it out for further discussions on anime, history, gunpla, art and more with intelligent, interesting and creative people. Good luck trying not to binge through these episodes and I hope to see you in the discord soon!

As someone who identifies as a post-European neo-imperialist, I really appreciate positive representation in media. Thank you to all the great people at TNN. Keep making Earth great!

This podcast is great and is definitely adding A LOT to my rewatch of MSG 0079

Boyfriend and fellow Kamille and Kai defender sent me here.

This show makes my weekend. I look forward to Saturday mornings in my shop listening to this. Exceptional breakdown of a show that is a lot deeper than people may realize. Keep up the awesome work. You are Chartastic!

It makes me appreciate Gundam 0079 a lot more due to the little details they explain that shows what made the first Gundam what it is. Other people's perspective on first Gundam don't go as deep as this podcast does.

I’m a long time Gundam and gunpla fan, I was jonesing for a Gundam fix and my friend recommended this podcast back in January since there hasn’t been any new Gundam shows since Divers release. I’m not really into podcasts (I’ll admit I buy into the generalizations that podcasts are mostly pretentious) this is has also been the very first podcast I’ve sincerely followed since I’ve started listening. The show’s premise is a straightforward one, one host is an long time fan and the other is a newcomer. The first season is phenomenal. Great detail in each episode’s analysis, great research topics, and fun themes to help relate with the hosts and their occasional guests. All around it helped that fixation and their research topics helped me remember Gundam content and cultural topics that I had forgotten since graduating college. I completed a Bachelors in Asian Religions and Cultures so whenever the hosts talk anything related to Gundam and Buddhism they have me at the edge of my seat. My absolute favorite parts have been those tie-ins of historic/cultural events to the show’s unfolding storyline. However, the second season has been a little weak for me. The Titan News thing that’s happening during the start of the episodes is just too gimmicky and adds fluff to some already beefy episodes. The episodes average around an hour each (perfect for rush hour commutes and traffic jams) so I don’t know if the “news” thing is a really necessary to introduce to the podcast, it seems like time better spent on the recaps for Zeta. I do miss them having guests, whether that’s a subject matter expert or a friend it was a nice to have an extra opinion or voice to their discussions. Not to belittle the efforts and work of the two hosts but as discussions in season two have been narrowed to them riffing back and forth you can pick up a sense of smugness in their chuckling and retorts. Nevertheless, this is what an analysis of an anime series should be like! These two are breaking the mold. When I was in college, professors and academic types always wrote off anime as not being an art form. Taking these very academically rooted approaches of analyzing and studying Gundam as a context of its time and art is much needed. I truly wish them the best. Its absolutely worth a listen if you are a Gundam or anime fan!! I wish the podcast continues and really picks up the momentum to get all the way to Divers’ ups and downs (and hopefully the hosts agree G No Reconguista is one of the most underrated and best themed Gundam narratives ever).

I thoroughly enjoyed the analysis of each episode, and the empathy exercised when dissecting the actions of the characters. As much as I love Gundam and this show’s take on the storyline; by far my favorite part of the show, were the enriching tales that were shared about Japanese history, and culture. In particular how the show tied Japanese history and current events of the late 1970s into what the producers were putting on the screen for all of us to enjoy. If you like Gundam I recommend. If you would like to hear two entertaining people add layers of thought provoking detail to a show that has captured the imagination of people across the world for decades; then this is a must listen.

Really happy with the podcast from Episode 1 and on! Learning more about Japan and Gundam than anything I have read or watched on my own. Great to listen to if you are an old or recent Gundam fan, and if you haven't seen any Gundam yet this podcast will convince you!

I was introduced to Gundam in 1993, from borrowed VHS fansub. Gundam movie, MS 0080 and 0083. Before that was Space Cruiser Yamato and Macross (Robotech) among many others. Great insight and details I have never considered. Highly Recommended

I’ve been a gundam fan for years, introduced to the franchise by Gundam Wing and fell in love with SEED ( which is not as bad as people thing 😂😅) butnive wanted to be more acquainted with UC and have wanted a podcast just like this for a while now. So glad to be able to listen to this on my commute to work, thanks guys!

I mean what can I say. I discovered Gundam years ago and this podcast is a dream come true. Thank you so much.

Mobile Suit Breakdown is a fantastic review podcast for the Gundam franchise. Thom and Nina bring both the perspective of a veteran and a newbie to the series as well as top-notch research and dedication to reviewing and analyzing. Funny and informative, this podcast should be a must for anyone who listens to podcasts and has an interest in Gundam. This is no average podcast. No average podcast!

This podcast does a fantastic job exploring and explaining the influences that helped Shape Mobile Suit Gundam and it’s sequels. Follow along as they break down each episode weekly. Great for anyone just starting Gundam or long time Fans.

I only recently started watching Mobile Suit Gundam. These two break down everything so finely with an extreme amount of detail. Great listen and fills in a lot of detail that would not be acknowledged if you are like me and just getting into it. Awesome show