Anime fans might recognize legends like Junji Ito or Akira Toriyama as the pioneers in their genres but the mecha anime genre has Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of the Mobile Suit Gundam series and Space Runaway Ideon. He’s a prominent rival of Hayao Miyazaki, often quite candid about his opinions on his works. However, what the anime community has noticed is Tomino tends to stick solely to the mecha genre, rarely steering away from it.

Mobile Suit Gundam. [Credit: Nippon Sunrise]

The director has begrudgingly admitted that his rivalry with Miyazaki has hindered his creativity and any hopes of progress in the industry. Within the mecha genre, he has few rivals that can compete against Mobile Suit Gundam but Tomino gets raw about not having it in him to explore other genres. This sentiment stems from insecurity that is unusual for such a great director but his explanation exposes how much he relies on the mecha genre to survive the anime industry.

Yoshiyuki Tomino never got offers from other studios nor feels he’s creative enough

Mobile Suit Gundam 00. [Credit: Sunrise]

Yoshiyuki Tomino and the Gundam franchise travel across decades of hard work and creativity that rivals no one else in the mecha genre, other than the famed series, Evangelion. From the original Mobile Suit Gundam, dating back to 1979, to several sequels, movies, and spin-offs, his work pushed the boundaries of what the mecha anime can achieve and in turn, completely defined the genre.

Despite his long-running series and creativity with Gundam, the director has never explored other genres. He has stayed with his studio, Sunrise, for ages due to the familiarity and reliability it gives him. However, he gets honest and open about how sticking with Sunrise comes from a place of insecurity as well.

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In a recent interview held at the Niigata International Animation Film Festival 2024, he speaks about his abilities as a director and how his rivalry with Hayao Miyazaki has affected his career:

I’ve always been aware that I basically don’t have what it takes to be an auteur. There’s this thing called the giant robot genre, and I thought it might serve as a good platform to create stories – and so I ended up joining a place that specializes in that kind of works. It’s not really what I aspired to initially, but considering my own abilities, there was no other way to go. That’s why the director Hayao Miyazaki has always been my enemy: being in the same era as someone I’d never been able to surpass has become my incentive.

He’s certainly one of Miyazaki’s biggest critics, outspoken about not liking some of his films, and yet doesn’t believe he can surpass him. Tomino displays a deep vulnerability by talking about his skills in such a humble manner.

The legacy of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s Mobile Suit Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam 00. [Credit: Sunrise]

While Yoshiyuki Tomino might not believe in his abilities, the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise and how influential it is speaks for him. The mecha genre is already hard to swallow but Tomino’s brilliance allowed a generation of appreciation for it. The commentary on warfare and philosophy of life is ahead of its time.

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Sticking with one genre and studio isn’t necessarily a terrible move or proving that a director has no potential for anything else. The Gundam franchise was a gift to the anime community itself. Moreover, his honesty and the way he doesn’t hold back from speaking his mind show great artistic integrity and influence in the industry.

Mobile Suit Gundam is available on Crunchyroll.
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