Mobile Suit Gundam SEED

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (機動戦士ガンダムSEED (シード), Kidō Senshi Gandamu Shīdo?) is an anime television series, developed by Sunrise and directed by Mitsuo Fukuda. The plot follows Kira Yamato's involvement in the war between Naturals and Coordinators; humans who are genetically modified before birth to possess enhanced traits.

The series spans fifty episodes, which broadcasted in Japan from October 5, 2002 to September 27, 2003 on the JNN TV stations TBS and MBS. It was adapted into a manga published by Kodansha on February 17, 2003. The sequel of the original series titled Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (機動戦士ガンダムSEED DESTINY, Kidō Senshi Gandamu Shīdo Desutinī?) was aired in Japan between October 9, 2004 and October 1, 2005. It spanned fifty episodes, and it was aired on the same stations as its predecessor. Gundam SEED Destiny takes place two years after the original series and follows Shinn Asuka, focusing mainly on his involvement in the war.

Bandai Entertainment licensed the animation of Gundam SEED on February 15, 2004, and it began airing in the United States and Canada in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Bandai announced its license of Gundam SEED Destiny on July 2, 2005 and it began airing in the United States in 2007 and in Canada in 2008.

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 2002.

Plot

Mankind is divided, partially over the issue of genetic engineering administered to human test subjects. Normal humans are now known as "Naturals" and the genetically altered humans are known as "Coordinators". The series is the first of the Gundam franchise set in the Cosmic Era. This series begins with the Bloody Valentine War between the Naturals, who reside on Earth, and the Coordinators who reside in the space colonies. The Naturals’ army is called the Earth Alliance, while the military force of the Coordinators is called ZAFT.

The story begins when the neutral space colony, Heliopolis, is invaded by ZAFT because the colony had been secretly developing Mobile Suits for the war. During the invasion Kira Yamato sees his friends in danger and pilots the Mobile Suit GAT-X105 Strike in order to ward off the invaders. As Heliopolis begins to fall apart, local survivors board the Archangel and they begin their journey to the Earth Alliance's base in Alaska. Kira continues to pilot the Strike to ward off attacks by ZAFT but is seemingly killed by his childhood friend Athrun Zala during their battle. The Archangel then arrives in Alaska, and ZAFT launches a full scale attack on the Alaskan base, overpowering the Earth alliance. Kira arrives in Alaska with the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam, given to him by Lacus Clyne, and ends the battle between the two armies. Hoping to end the war between the Naturals and Coordinators, Kira and the Archangel join the Orb Union. Athrun decides to search for Kira to find his reason for fighting in the war. After listening to Lacus and Kira, he joins them in their cause to end the war. In the Second Battle of Jachin Due they stop the Earth Alliance's Nuclear Weapons and ZAFT's GENESIS (super weapons built on genocide) to prevent both sides from destroying each other, and a peace treaty is eventually signed.