So as someone who HAS watched all of the original UC Gundam stuff, and am knowledgeable in almost anything OYW, Gryps, Neo Zeon, etc., I'd say this is a SOLID show that has so much potential, the only thing AT THE MOMENT stopping it is the overall episode count, which is supposed to be 12. I feel as though the story only really started in 6 and is now snowballing into something bigger, with a rush to develop the characters in a limited time. Despite this, I feel as though this show is a love letter to Gundam fans, and Mecha fans alike. Is this goodfor people who are clueless to Gundam, and don't have someone to let them in on the references, characters and the like? Not exactly. Watch a summary of the UC timeline, really simple. Or watch the show, watch the 1979 tv or compilation movies.

If this is your first Gundam, unfortunately I think you're just not going to have the same experience as the person who's a Gundam veteran, but it's still enjoyable, with the beautiful visuals, cool character designs, and the soundtrack is INCREDIBLE.