Publication Date

2026

Abstract

Music within anime is a topic that has only recently gained traction in terms of academic study in the west. Consequently, there is not a particularly great body of literature yet. Much work has been done regarding the music that introduces the anime and accompanies the closing credits of the show, as these songs often become very popular, sometimes even outside of the anime sphere. But the soundtrack to the show itself is also very important. Within the show there is a large amount of music that connects to the plot, themes, characters, moods and more which greatly affect the viewing experience, just like in movies. This is certainly the case with the anime Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. The music within this anime explores the previously mentioned plot, themes, etc, in a way that is very striking. It also holds interest in terms of the way it showcases the influence of western classical music over Japanese music, in that the soundtrack uses the classical, jazz, and rock musical mediums to its advantage. Oftentimes, the soundtrack also finds commercial success outside of the show, in the form of separately sold albums and use in online videos. In this paper, I explore the anime music medium in the specific context of the soundtrack of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. I survey the already existing literature, and do some cataloguing and analysis of the music within specific episodes of the anime, which have been chosen for their importance to the plot and because they represent themes found throughout the show. In doing this, I discover some important connections between the music and the anime itself, its relationship to film and western music, and its importance beyond anime and into the wider study of music and the image.

Disciplines

Music

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