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[[caption-width:200:[[TheBreakfastClub What we found out is that every one of us is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, a criminal]] and a half-crazed psychic ten-year-old.]]
->'''Anime Ja Nai!'''

''Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ'' (''Kidou Senshi Gundam Double Zeta''), is the third series in the highly successful Franchise/{{Gundam}} anime franchise. A direct sequel to the vastly popular ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'', ''Gundam ZZ'' marks a major departure from the tone of its predecessor, despite being (unusually for a Franchise/{{Gundam}} series) a direct sequel. Picking up days after the conclusion of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'', ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]]'''s first half is rather light-hearted and generally upbeat, especially after Zeta's DarkerAndEdgier story. According to reliable reports, it was an attempt to restore Gundam's reputation as a children's series and family entertainment, and its director YoshiyukiTomino is said to have made it as a reaction against the incredibly bleak ending of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]''. Unfortunately, this resulted in MoodWhiplash, and the entire series is generally frowned upon by the [[TrueArtIsAngsty more serious fans]] who enjoyed ''Zeta'' and [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks were expecting more of the same]].

Remember, people, that [[MoodWhiplash this is]] what usually happens if you let Tomino do two shows back-to-back.

However, the series eventually undergoes CerebusSyndrome and becomes much more serious; this is generally considered to have [[GrowingTheBeard improved the quality]]. This is at least in part due to the fact that, partway through the production of ZZ, Tomino recieved permission to make [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Char's Counterattack]], thus necessitating major changes in the plotline of ''ZZ''. The series eventually ends in typical Franchise/{{Gundam}} style, though without repeating the ending of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]''.

''Gundam ZZ'' was also one of the mainstay titles of the UC Gundams when it comes to ''SuperRobotWars'' though it's starting to fall behind, as it hasn't been in a game since ''[[SuperRobotWarsAlpha Alpha 3]]''. During the announcement of ''SuperRobotWarsZ 2'', Terada let it slip that Bandai and Sunrise have something big in mind for ZZ, but what exactly this is is not known.

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!!This contains examples of:

* AcePilot: Somewhat less common than in most Gundam shows (few of the [=AEUG=]'s aces survived to appear in ''ZZ'', while Neo-Zeon never had many aces in the first place), but by the end of the series a new crop of them has risen up so that they can [[KilledOffForReal wipe each other out]] in the final battle again. Also amusingly played with somewhat with Judau and his buddies. While they grow to be aces in the end, the first time any of them pilot a mobile suit, they can do little but flail around.
* AlmostKiss: In Episode 22, Haman was about to give Judau a kiss when her soldiers [[MomentKiller interrupted]].
* AnimeFirst: As with most Franchise/{{Gundam}} shows.
* AntiVillain: Mashymre Cello and Kyara Soon.
* AwesomeButImpractical: Gundam ZZ itself has a built in WaveMotionGun with a tremendous energy demand. After firing it, Judau's lucky if he can squeeze another minute of life out of his beam sabers. After that, he's kaput.
** Even more AwesomeButImpractical, in that said WaveMotionGun is mounted in the head, which is usually one of the first parts to be shot/cut off, unless a Mobile Suit is completely destroyed. Whoever thought of mounting such a powerful weapon in the most exposed part of the machine clearly didn't think it through properly...
* AxCrazy: [[spoiler: Ple]] is repeatedly proven to be a psychopath as are several other previously harmless villains.
* TheBaroness: Haman Karn.
* BaitAndSwitchCredits: Amuro and Char show up in the credits but never appear in the show itself.
* BeginnersLuck: Hilariously played with when Judau [[FallingIntoTheCockpit first pilots Z Gundam]]. The first battle between him and Mashmyre is basically the latter getting so confused with Judau's flailing around that he let down his guard and got his mobile suit's arm cut off. The second fight's almost the same.
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: [[spoiler: Haman and Mashmyre]].
* {{BFG}}: The ZZ's double-barreled suit-powered beam rifle certainly counts.
** Then there's also its Hi-Mega Cannon, which is arguably the most powerful suit-mounted beam weapon ever used by a Gundam (or possibly any mobile suit period) in the Universal Century. Its power is about the same as the ones carried by battleships, or more.
* {{BFS}}: The ZZ's hyper beam sabers; both in size (as long as the Gundam itself) and in power.
** Suffice to say, the ZZ is rather [[IncrediblyLamePun big]] on lots of things...
* BigBulkyBomb: When the ZZ [[spoiler:is strapped with bombs because Beecha thought it would be a good idea to try to humiliate Judau so that he could look better.]]
* BirdRun: Ple does this.
* CallBack: The Tigerbaum arc retreads many of the goofier aspects of the first half of the series, complete with the dreaded Moon-Moon people, a gang of kids trying to steal the Gundams, Mashymre's return to prominence and even classic mobile suits from the original series to underscore the theme of revisiting the past. This is all in aid of showing off Judau's CharacterDevelopment, underscored by Haman and Sarasa's comments about maturity and loss of innocence.
* CargoCult: The Moon-Moon people and their Gaza-D worship (or at least a reasonable facsimile of one).
* CerebusSyndrome: Most people consider it a case of GrowingTheBeard, though.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Beecha and Mondo go through a phase where they have this.
* ClingyJealousGirl: Emily Ounce, when off-duty. She drops it off later. Also, Ple.
* CloningBlues: Ple-Two, who is ''much'' less of a GenkiGirl than her original.
* TheCloudcuckoolanderWasRight: At one point, when the location of the Argama is fortuitously revealed to him, the WrongGenreSavvy fruit-bat Mashmyre deduces that there's a traitor aboard the Argama. He's RightForTheWrongReasons; he thinks that it's because his chivalry and nobility on Shangrila Colony won someone over, but actually it's because some of the kids dragged along on the Argama want to get the hell out.
* ColonyDrop: The Dublin drop is the first one, chronologically speaking, since [[StardustMemory Operation Stardust]]; production-wise, it's the first one witnessed in its entirety. It ''is'' a Franchise/{{Gundam}} series, after all.
* ComingOfAgeStory: For the Shangri-La kids. Despite the show's light-heartedness, it's [[GrowingUpSucks not always terribly optimistic]].
* CharClone: ZZ is the only UC Gundam series to not have a dude with a mask running around, due to Char's absence. Elements of your standard Char Clone can be found in Glemy and Mashymyre, though.
* CoolShip: The Argama, a holdover from ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]''.
** And then its successor, the Nahel Argama, which is, by design, a [[CallBack]] in itself to White Base.
* CombiningMecha: The titular ZZ Gundam.
* CyberCyclops: As usual, most Zeon mobile suits.
* DeathOrGloryAttack: The head mounted High Mega Cannon.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Haman Karn]] chooses this over the alternative, despite Judau begging her not to. She actually seems ''offended'' by his reaction.
* EasterEgg: So blatantly obvious it borders on a ShoutOut. The first resupply crates the ''Argama'' receives all have the Bandai logo prominently stamped on them.
* EmpathicWeapon: The Zeta Gundam picked up a few quirks from having a powerful Newtype flying it for so long - among other things, it reacts... poorly when a pilot it deems unworthy gets in.
* [[spoiler:EnemyCivilWar: Glemy Toto's coup against Haman.]]
* {{Ephebophile}} Canonically 14-year-old Judau is pursued by 22 year old Haman and has grown to be a sort of MemeticMutation. Extremely hilarious when you consider the fact that Char is a [[MemeticMolester Memetic]] {{lolicon}}.
** Oh, and Judau also ends up with Roux, who is 17 years old.
* EvilChancellor: Haman Karn serves as the dubious regent of the Axis Zeon.
* EvolutionaryLevels: A shot in the OP shows a series of beings from primordial slime to [[PsychicPowers Amuro Ray, Kamille Bidan and Judau Ashta]].
* ExecutiveMeddling: The second half of the series had to be retooled after Tomino received the green light for [[TheMovie Char's Counterattack]], and canned Amuro and Char's appearances in ZZ as a result.
** Though both did receive passing mentions by Hayato and [[spoiler:Sayla]], respectively.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Whilst the Earth Federation was already a bit iffy in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'' (they did, after all, create the Titans), this is the show where they finally stop giving a damn about their citizens, leaving the AEUG and Karaba to fight Neo Zeon alone.]]
* FallingIntoTheCockpit: Actually closer to Trying To Steal The Cockpit And Sell It For Scrap, but the end result is the same. Also happens literally sometimes.
* FamousLastWords:
** "I'm glad I came back... and got to meet you." [[spoiler:Haman Kahn, to Judau.]]
* FashionsNeverChange: Totally TheEighties.
* FiveManBand: The Gundam Team! They even call ''themselves'' as much in-universe.
** TheHero: Judau (Z and ZZ Gundam)
** TheLancer: Beecha (Hyaku Shiki, ZZ's core top/base, and the Nahel Argama's captain eventually)
** TheBigGuy: Mondo (Gunner, BridgeBunny, and Hyaku Shiki)
** TheSmartGuy: Iino (Core base/top, the "Gundam hoverbike")
** TheChick --> ActionGirl: Elle (Gundam Mk.2)
** SixthRanger: Roux and Ple (Z Gundam. Ple also gets Qubeley)
** TeamPet: Haro, as always
* FutureSpandex: Ple Two, although not too noticeable since [[TokenMiniMoe she doesn't have a figure]] to begin with. If she did, it would likely be similar to a Plugsuit.
* GambitPileup: Judau's infiltration of Axis to rescue Leina becomes an outright circus once Ple, Beecher and Mondo, and Glemmy all set off their own plans in complete ignorance of each other. [[HilarityEnsues In complete ignorance of sanity, too.]]
* GenkiGirl: Elpeo Ple.
* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: While this series isn't big on [[CorporalPunishment "correcting"]] people as a part of military discipline, the Gundam Team and others often try to slap some sense into each other.
* GlassCannon: The ZZ Gundam, which combines enormous firepower with structural weaknesses that the AEUG spent pretty much the entire Neo Zeon War trying to fix.
* GoGoEnslavement: Leina Ashta gets this treatment from Glemmy. Considerably creepier since she's ''ten''.
** Note that he wasn't dressing her up in fetish clothing, just fancy dresses of the sort a high-class girl would be expected to wear, so not ''quite'' as creepy as it sounds.
* GrowingUpSucks: A major theme, thanks to combining a ComingOfAgeStory with a generous does of WarIsHell. Sarasa Moon says it best:
-->"In becoming mature we take on a kind of darkness and lose something beautiful within ourselves."
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Beecha and Mondo
* HonorBeforeReason: Judau starts acting like this in the second part of the series, to not have to kill people when he could help it.
* HumanShield: An unorthodox heroic version. Beecher captures the Core Fighter, with Roux in it, and uses it as a shield against Glemmy, knowing that Glemmy won't have the will to shoot Roux. Roux is [[WhatTheHellHero not amused]].
* HumongousMecha: Mandatory in a ''Gundam'' series.
** TransformingMecha
* IKnowMortalKombat: [[InvokedTrope Even invoked]]: If a character is a noob at piloting a mobile suit, fear not: undergoing simulation training will turn them into aces afterwards (see Beecha, Mondo and Iino for one).
* ImprobableAge: Judau Ashta is officially 14 during the story. To put this in perspective, he's already living without adult supervision, and working full-time to support his little sister. ''Before'' he gets embroiled in a war and becomes a Gundam pilot.
* InfoDrop: ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0080WarInThePocket Gundam 0080]]'' and ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]]'' provide {{Info Drop}}s for fans trying to figure out when exactly the Universal Century takes place. The former has a newspaper that reads "Monday, 14 January 0080", while the latter has Axis proclaim itself Neo Zeon on February 29th 0088, which means 0080 is a leap year in which January 14th falls on a Monday. [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam The original series]] and ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'' both suggested that the calendar changeover happened in 2000, but these pieces of information were quietly {{retcon}}ned out in the CompilationMovie versions.
* {{Joisey}}: Shangri-La is basically Joisey InSPACE!
* TheJuggernaut: The Quin-Mantha, an unholy, perfected union of the Titans' [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever Psyco Gundam]] and Neo Zeon's [[AttackDrone Qubeley]]. To make matters worse, [[LightningBruiser it's fast, too]]. [[spoiler:Fortunately for the heroes, the pilots are considerably more fragile.]]
* KnightOfCerebus: A weird case with Cecilia. She herself is a fairly good person at heart, but the story arc dealing with her is the point when the series stops fooling around and starts to be a serious tale [[AlasPoorScrappy by killing her off]] along with the series' GoldfishPoopGang. The worst thing? ''None'' of the main characters know about it.
** Actually Judau does know after watching the whole thing ''and'' trying to stop her from doing so -- but apparently, he keeps quiet about it afterward. (Considering that Cecilia was a sort-of love interest for Torres, though, can you blame him?)
* LaResistance: The AEUG, sorta. After ''Zeta'' they had the full support of the [[TheFederation Earth Federation]], but by that point the Federation didn't have much support to ''give'', so they're still largely on their own against [[TheEmpire Neo Zeon]].
** The same Federation that tries to confiscate the Argama and locks up Judau and Bright? That's full support?
* LatexSpaceSuit: The pilot suits, as normal for a Franchise/{{Gundam}} series. It should be noted, though, that UC Gundam Normal Suits prior to F91 are a lot bulkier than what most people are used to in fiction. The thickness of the material is probably about 1/4 or 1/3rd of the space suits NASA uses today, and it's definitely not latex.
* LesCollaborateurs: When Neo-Zeon arrives on Earth, the Federation's top leaders bend over and join them at a party, trying to cut the best deal they can with their new spacenoid overlords. Leina [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls them out on this]].
* LighterAndSofter: The first half, especially when compared to [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam its predecessor]]. Despite what the FanDumb wants to believe, Tomino was responsible (as [[WordOfGod he put it in later interviews]], he saw that ''Zeta'' was dark and depressing and felt that anime should be happy and uplifting, so he deliberately made the start of ''ZZ'' silly to counteract ''Zeta'''s dark ending). The latter half is more serious, but there's still some campy moments.
** Wait...are you saying that '''TOMINO''' thinks that anime should be happy and uplifting? The ''TropeNamer'' for KillEmAll? I can't help but ask for the source of this...
*** This is ''also'' the guy who made OvermanKingGainer and {{Xabungle}} y'know.
** It's a known fact that Tomino zigzags between DarkerAndEdgier and LighterAndSofter. Once he makes a series that's noticeably dark, he tends to follow it with a considerably lighter one to try dispelling the angst.
* LightningBruiser: Plenty, though the gold medal goes to Glemmy's final superweapon, the Quin-Mantha. It's basically a super-Qubeley, a towering, NighInvulnerable behemoth with the firepower of a battleship and the manoeuvrability of a suit half its size. The heroes only manage to beat it by [[spoiler:convincing one of its pilots to switch sides and sniping the other one while he's outside the cockpit]].
* KilledOffForReal: Friggin' ''[[spoiler:Hayato!]]''
* MacrossMissileMassacre: Gundam ZZ can accomplish this, as can certain Neo-Zeon mecha (especially the Zssa, which is badically a walking block of missile launchers).
** Taken UpToEleven with [[spoiler:ZZ's MechaExpansionPack, the Full Armor mode, where ''each plate of armor'' hides additional missiles.]]
* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: Judau & ZZ, as well as a handfull of other characters and mechs have appeared in licensed games released in English. Though ''DynastyWarriorsGundam'' is the best known, Judau's actual stateside debut was the beautifully rendered but otherwise forgettable ''Gundam Battle Assault'' FightingGame.
* MeleeATrois: The last story arc combines this with EnemyCivilWar.
* MoodWhiplash: ''Twice'', once when compared with ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'', and once when its CerebusSyndrome kicks in.
** The minor ones are ''all over the place''.
* MythologyGag: As with the two shows before it, ZZ has an episode named "Reentry to Earth". However, unlike the first two shows, ZZ's "Reentry to Earth" actually only ''leads up'' to the ''actual'' "Reentry to Earth"-episode. It seems like Bandai got the titles swapped around a bit...
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: One very obvious example in Episode 25 - a skilled Zeon desert commander named Rommel. Pretty much the only thing he doesn't have in common with Erwin is [[BadBoss his callousness towards his subordinates]].
* NoDelaysForTheWicked: Neo Zeon's efficiency (or, at least, outward appearance thereof) is what gets [[spoiler:the Earth Federation's leadership to side with them]].
* NoExportForYou: Bandai has no plans for releasing the TV series for Region 1, although characters and mobile suits in this series have been featured in games that eventually got a North American release.
* NoSympathy: Roux starts yelling at Judau when he's in the middle of a HeroicBSOD over [[spoiler: his sister's apparent death]] and just wants to sit alone in the Core Fighter's cockpit. Even [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Beecher]] thinks she's going overboard.
* PoorCommunicationKills: [[spoiler: If Judau and Glemmy had been able to communicate about Leina's injury, they might have been able to cooperate and get her to a doctor instead of fighting each other and dropping a mobile suit on her house. She survives either way, but man, Judau, talking would have helped.]]
* PsychicPowers: Newtypes, naturally.
* RunningGag: Hatches always getting stuck open in the middle of a fight.
* ScunthorpeProblem: Judau's surname is "Ashita", which has created some problems on forums such as [=GameFAQs=]. Apparently Bandai got around this by removing the I from the official translation.
* ShipperOnDeck: A darker-than-average example. Later in the series, the Argama crew began to seriously consider the pros of a Judau/Haman relationship... because they were quite aware that she was a ruthless and exceptionally dangerous dictator, and would happily take any weapon they could get to stop her.
* ShrinkingViolet: Torres' old friend Cecilia.
* ShoutOut: Judau's outfit in the latter half of the series looks surprisingly like a [[FistOfTheNorthStar popular Shonen Hero]] of that time...and his haircut doesn't help. If you hadn't guessed, he looks like a young Kenshiro.A Back To The Future Delorean can been seen in the background of the streets of Tigerbaum.
* ShutUpHannibal: Haman tries to get Judau to join her. He refuses even though "she smells nice".
* SpaceAmish: For a period of a few episodes, the heroes found themselves on a colony that had suppressed all technology -- despite being a ''space station''. If you're wondering how that worked, they had a small, trusted council run basic maintenance, whilst otherwise trying to keep their lifestyle as low-tech as possible. Despite the obvious drawbacks, it worked out pretty well for them.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Worse than most Franchise/{{Gundam}} series, due to its lack of official English translation. The worst offender is Elpeo/Elpie Ple/Puru. Supposedly, her official Japanese-English rendition of Elpeo Ple is a play on the name of a magazine featuring small girls called L People (ie., [[DontExplainTheJoke change the spacing in her name and it becomes El People]]), but some people don't consider this enough of a counterbalance to the fact that that name looks wrong in English. And just try ''saying'' Ple.
** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn Gundam Unicorn]]'' seems to have cleared this up: her name is pronounced "Elpie Pull" in English. Fitting, as it retains the pun.
*** [[MeaningfulName It's also fitting]], in that "Pull" is what they shout when they launch targets in front of skeet shooters, reflecting how utterly expendable the poor girls are.
* StealthPun: Double Zeta's upper body is formed from a space fighter called the Core [[ZZTop Top]].
* StrategySchmategy: In Judau's first fight with Mashmyre, he's literally just hitting buttons and trying to make the Zeta go. Accordingly, through BeginnersLuck, he pulls off moves that make Mashmyre [[RuleOfFunny think that he is a formidable veteran fighter]].
* SuperRobot in a RealRobot world: As with most Franchise/{{Gundam}} series, though ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]]'' leans more toward SuperRobot than most UC series do.
* SuperRobotWars: Another mainstay of the series which has appeared in a lot of the games.
* SuperWeaponSurprise: The aforementioned SpaceAmish station happened to have a leftover mobile suit that was later used in battle. It's ''humongous''.
* TheRemnant: Lots of 'em! The most clear-cut example is the group of Zeon soldiers on Earth (who have been hiding out in the desert for ''eight years'' after their side lost way back in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam''[!]), but Axis/Neo-Zeon were originally Zeon soldiers who fled to the asteroid belt rather than surrender. In a rare heroic version, the Argama and crew are the remnant of the [=AEUG=] as a whole, who suffered a PyrrhicVictory at the end of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'' but continue to fight against Neo-Zeon.
* SerialEscalation: The [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Gundam]] was a HumongousMecha. The [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]] was a HumongousMecha that [[TransformingMecha turned into a plane]]. The ZZ Gundam is a HumongousMecha that turns into ''[[CombiningMecha three]]'' planes. Luckily, the madness stopped here, unless you count the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Nu Gundam]]'s [[AttackDrone fin funnels]].
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler: Glemmy Toto]]
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler:Saegusa]] manages to survive all of Zeta where most of his compatriots [[KillEmAll didn't]]. And then is promptly killed by [[spoiler:Yazan]] in the very first episode.
** The weird thing is, you can see someone who looks just like him in [[spoiler: the background of the last scene when everyone's saying goodbye to Judau.]]
* {{Terraforming}}: The ecological situation on Earth has become bad enough that humanity is now having to do this to its own home planet. For instance, Europe is now covered in artificial rainforests to compensate for rampant desertification.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: Averted. When it becomes obvious that even with her PsychicPowers, Ple is so unstable that she's more trouble than she's worth, the first thing the Argama crew do when they get back to civilization following the Africa arc is to get her into therapy.
* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: A couple of examples:
** How Judau kills [[spoiler:Rakan]]. It involves a dozen or so missiles, a beam rifle to the face, and finally slicing his suit into little pieces with the ZZ's beam sabre. Given how hard to kill the guy had been in their previous encounters, it was probably necessary.
** Obliterating [[spoiler:Glemmy]] with the Zeta's beam rifle, meanwhile, was definitely ''not'' necessary (he was on foot at the time), but it was the closest weapon to hand.
* ThisIsReality: The ''opening theme song'' is "Anime Ja Nai!", meaning "It's Not a Cartoon".
** Probably meant to be ironic, since ZZ was, prior to the creation of ''[[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam G Gundam]]'', the absolute cartooniest entry in the Gundam saga.
*** Probably a bit of LampshadeHanging too.
*** It was actually, according to Tomino, a shot at Zeta Gundam which he felt was over the top serious. That's going to cause a shitstorm in the fandom.
* TooDumbToLive: Emily again... firing on an enemy that was retreating is a good way to convince them they should kill you.
* TookALevelInBadass: A non-character example - the AMX-011 Zaku III, one of the deadliest mass-produced suits of the Neo Zeon War. Yes, really.
* TransformingMecha: And plenty of them, from the lowly [[MechaMooks Gaza series]] to the ZZ Gundam itself (which is both this and a CombiningMecha - it can turn into between one and three planes, depending on the pilot's choice).
* TroubledButCute: Both Ple's.
* {{Tsundere}}: Elle Vianno.
* TykeBomb: The Ple's again.
* UnstoppableRage: After [[spoiler:Leina gets shot]], Judau's sheer fury is enough that every vaguely Newtype-sensitive person in the city feels it, and [[IronLady Haman]] (who's at ground zero) ''runs for her life''.
* VillainSong: The second opening doesn't bother hiding the fact it's being sung from the perspective of Haman about Judau.
* WarIsHell: As usual for a Gundam series. ZZ makes it part of its CerebusSyndrome - things get less and less fun and silly as the Neo Zeon War takes its physical and psychological toll on the characters, and despite a happy(ish) ending, it's clear that the survivors are going to have some lasting scars.
* WeakButSkilled: On the one hand, Rommel's unit are Oldtypes who are fighting Judau in the Zeta with outdated Zaku mobile suits. On the other hand, Rommel's unit are veterans of the One Year War who know how to fight intelligently; even as outdated as they are, the unit ''still'' manage to put up more of a fight than any previous opponent. (It helps that Judau has never fought in a desert before.)
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Judau and Iino have to do this in an attempt to infiltrate Tigerbaum. Results in a CrowningMomentOfFunny when Judau is turned away because he's "ugly," and subsequently pretends to cry about it.
** Iino, [[AttractiveBentGender on the other hand...]]
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Cyber Newtypes -- particularly noticeable in this series, where we see a few characters both before and after their "enhancement".
* {{Zeerust}}: The bizarre 80's clothing.
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