The finding that over half of Japanese young men quizzed about their favourite Gundams had never even heard of Gundam has thrown the popularity of these cultural titans amongst the younger generations into question – with plenty reluctant believe it can be possible.
A Japanese magazine hoping to hack together a ranking celebrating the 35th anniversary of Gundam based on actual data undertook a survey of young men (women not even being worthy of even being asked when it comes to mecha matters it would seem) with the assistance of a market research firm.
They quizzed 200 young men in their twenties on such pressing matters as “what is your favourite mobile suit?” and “which mobile suit would you most like to pilot?”
This effort rapidly ran into a rather fundamental problem (aside from the pathetic sample size) – they were shocked to discover that 51% of respondents had never even heard of Gundam to start with.
Some of the results they did gather by way of an omake – the favourite mobile suits from those who had actually encountered the original series:
1. Gundam
2. Char’s MS-06 Zaku II
3. Char’s MS-14 Gelgoog
4. ZEONG
5. DOM
This finding was greeted with disbelief by the online masses, although whether this can be blamed on the woeful ignorance of the younger generations with respect to the all-important world of fictional giant robots or their own insular outlook is another matter:
“They must have heard of it.”
“There are new shows every few years so it is amazing they haven’t heard of it.”
“Next it will be kids not knowing Macross, and after that Eva!”
“Why do they have to know about Gundam again?”
“They know, they are just ashamed to admit it.”
“Come on, even the Chinese know their Gundams!”
“I’m 38 but I’m a bit troubled by this belief that you are some kind of philistine traitor if you don’t know about Gundam.”
“We should be amazed 49% know about it.”
“I think it is a lot. They asked commoners and not anime fans so amongst them there are sure to be lots who never watch TV or the like at all.”
“Why is it so shocking that someone doesn’t know?”
“Macross embraced moe and is even now popular with the young. Why did it come to this…”
“AGE…”
this used to be a fun site for fun news. all those russian women that cut mens weiners.
now its just going downhill. pls sancom, put the interesting news back. its simple but it works, not this hentai fap material.
In other news 51% of young Japanese men were found to be liars.
YEAH! DOM is number 5! In your face other Gundam and Mobile Suits!
gundam don’t look moe enough for this generation
> “Next it will be kids not knowing Macross, and after that Eva!”
“Even after the Earth, the Moon, and even the Sun have disappeared, Evangelion fandom will remain…”
macross has actually already been forgotten in japan even before gundam, though you’re right about eva