it is the 79th year of the universal century (uc 0079) and man has expanded into space. colonies orbiting the world hold more than half the human race. a distant cluster of colonies declares itself to be the principality of Zeon and declares war on the earth. it was assumed early on that the Earth Federation Space Forces would quickly crush this uprising, but zeon's newest weapon, giant robots known as mobile suits, turns the uprising into a long, drawn out war. Meanwhile on a neutral colony, amuro ray is heading home from school to see his dad, but on the way two of zeon's mobile suits, known as Zakus. break into the colony. amuro is thrust into the battle when he accidentally stumbles upon his father's masterpiece, a powerful mobile suit known as the Gundam. Amuro and his friends board the giant space cruiser white base, commanded by captain Bright Noa, and must bring the gundam to earth in order to turn the tide of the war.