It is the year Universal Century 0079. Over 90 million humans populate the Earth, and many have been forced to live in space. People now live in large cylinder-like colony clusters called Sides, all ruled over by the "Earth Federation Space Force" (E.F.S.F.). Around this time, a group of colonies called Side 3, located near the dark side of the moon, proclaimed themselves independent from the Earth Federation and made themselves known as the "Principality of Zeon".

Now the war has gone on for eight months and doesn't seem to be ending any time soon. Both factions are at a stalemate. As a last resort, the Federation attempts to produce a new, stronger force to fight against the Zeonic armies. They create the White Base and a powerful Mobile Suit called the "Gundam". However, these suits are piloted by youths...