Gundam (mobile suit)

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Gundam
RX-78-2 Gundam
Unit Type	Prototype Close-Combat Mobile Suit
Manufacturer	Earth Federation
Main pilot:	Amuro Ray
Height	18 meters
Empty weight	43.2 metric tons
Full weight	60 metric tons
Sensor range	5,700 meters
Generator output	1,380 kW
Armor material:	Luna Titanium alloy
Armaments
2 x 60mm Vulcan gun, 2 x beam saber, beam rifle, hyper bazooka, Gundam hammer, hyper hammer, beam javelin

The RX-78 Gundam is a series of fictional testbed mobile suits in the Gundam Universal Century developed by the Earth Federation. The titular mobile suit of the series, the RX-78-2 Gundam, is a member of this series. The RX-78-2 Gundam serves as the iconic symbol of the Gundam universe and sparked the creation of its multiple sequels and spinoffs.

[edit] Concepts and development

The original design of the three primary mobile suits, "Gundam" (left), "Guncannon" (center) and "Guntank" (right)

The RX-78's initial concept was that of a powered armor, the primary design for Yoshiyuki Tomino's proposed series Freedom Fighter Gunboy. The series later changed its name to Mobile Suit Gundam and Kunio Okawara was given Tomino's concept to shape into a finalized design for the anime. Okawara created multiple designs before settling on the current, samurai-styled design for the anime in 1979.

One of the common questions asked is why did the enemies in the series keep referring to the RX-78-2 as White while it is a mix of blue, red, and white. Tomino's response in the novel version of Gundam is that the original design was to be a grayscale machine, made up of mostly white and light gray coloring. However, Sunrise disapproved of the coloring and insisted the unit to be painted in brighter colors to attract attention, like other Super Robot anime at that time. As a side note, Katoki Hajime stated in the Gundam Sentinel special edition that, the MSA-0011 S Gundam also went through a similar recolouring process, because Bandai authorities thought the S Gundam did not give a Gundam-ish look until he painted it in the colour scheme of RX-78-2.

Current design of RX-78-2 Gundam

Although the 'original' Gundam, the RX-78-2 design was expanded to be the second in a line of 8 Gundams; preceding model RX-78-1 and later models RX-78-3~8. These were designed by Okawara between 1980 and 1983 for Mobile Suit Variations. Other mechnical designers later added further design variations; including Yutaka Izubuchi's RX-78-NT-1, designed in 1989 for Mobile Suit Gundam 0080, and Shoji Kawamori's and Katoki Hajime's Gundam Development Project designs in 1992 for Gundam 0083. The RX-78-2 has also been redesigned several times by other artists. In particular, the Katoki Hajime version of the Gundam (referred to by Gundam fans and Bandai themselves as Ver. Ka) has become popular enough to be made into both injection plastic model kits sold by Bandai and resin-based garage kits sold by their B-Club subsidiary.

The continuing popularity in Japan of this mobile suit has led Bandai to create a 1.5m tall model version, which will go on sale in Japan in 2007.^[1]

Gundam Expo (Hong Kong) uses the RX-78's last shooting scene in its logo's X.^[2]

[edit] Role in plot

The deployment of the Principality of Zeon's mobile suits, the MS-05B Zaku I and the MS-06F Zaku II, in the One Year War had given the small nation a major tactical edge over the much larger Earth Federation. Capable of propellant-less manoeuvring thanks to their AMBAC systems, and able to be retrofitted to suit a variety of missions and environments, they easily outclassed the Federation's arsenal of fighters and ground vehicles. Realizing that the gap needed to be closed, the Federation instituted Project V (the Vinson Plan in the English translation), a development program that would produce a Federation mobile suit design, with the ability for mass-production a requirement. While the ultimate result of the program was the RGM-79 GM, the engineers in the project tested several design concepts for the mass-production units in the RX-78 series. Some of the developments in the RX-78 models were later incorporated into the GM line, but many were scrapped due to cost and/or complexity.

Only 8 RX-78 suits were produced during the One Year War, although continual remodelling and upgrading created the impression that there were more than eight units. Although the RX-78 suits are designated RX-78-1~8, the final digit indicated the design version of the unit, and not the unit's actual number.

In addition, the EFAF (Earth Federation Air Force) created their own RX-78E (GT FOUR/Gundam Transformer/Flight & Operations Unifications Reactors), which is different from the 8 RX-78s produced. Another extra unit is the RX-78XX, which uses scrap parts of the RX-78s, and again is not considered to be one of the original line. The NT-1 is actually RX-78 unit 4 remodelled (original model unknown). After the One Year War, the GP series are numbered after the RX-78 convention, despite being newly produced units.

The variation among the Gundams was originally indicated by differences in coloration, indicating upgrades to completely internal equipment and technology, although later variants displayed externally-visible upgrades. For example, Unit 4's NT-1 configuration have extra thrusters, additional armor, and a 360 degree panoramic cockpit, while Unit 4 and Unit 5, which exist mainly in games and as model kits, provide additional mounting points and weaponry.

The RX-78 series introduced Minovsky particle weaponry to mobile suits, developing and deploying the first successful beam rifle and beam saber. These would form the primary component of mobile suit weaponry for at least the next hundred and fifty years. The core block system was also introduced in the RX-78, as well as the RX-75 Guntank and RX-77 Guncannon. This system allowed the pilot to escape the destruction of his mobile suit in a functional aerospace fighter, as well as housing a learning computer that can gather performance data from the suit's combat sorties. This however had to be dropped from subsequent units due to cost issues. However, it was reused on occasion (most notably in the Anaheim Electronics MSZ-010 Double Zeta Gundam during the First Neo-Zeon War), and later resurrected by the League Militaire in the UC 0150s on the LM312V04 Victory Gundam.

After the cessation of the One Year War, the Federation opened up a black-ops mobile suit development program, the Gundam Development Project, in order to develop mobile suits to fill roles that had appeared in analysis of combat operations from the One Year War. The major reason that the project was designated black-op was because of the RX-78GP02A Gundam Physalis, which was armed with an atomic bazooka, in violation of the Antarctic Treaty. After the events of Gundam 0083, the records of the Gundam Development Project were stricken from the official record.

The RX-78 line was finally superseded in UC 0087 by the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II, developed by the Titans.

[edit] Variations

RX-78-1 Prototype Gundam 

First appeared as part of Mobile Suit Variations model kit series, designed by Kunio Okawara. Used to test basic armaments and function.

RX-78-3 G-3 Gundam 

First appeared as part of Mobile Suit Variations model kit series, designed by Kunio Okawara. Built using wrecked parts of destroyed RX-78 to test magnet coating technology. This variant fulfilled the role of the RX-78-2 in the novel version of Mobile Suit Gundam.

RX-78-4 Gundam G04 

First appeared as part of Kunio Okawara's MS Collection original design series. The design was updated to be used in the Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters In Space video games by Hajime Katoki. Equipped with a mega beam launcher, with firepower equivalent to a capital ship.

RX-78-5 Gundam G05 

First appeared as part of Kunio Okawara's MS Collection original design series. The design was updated to be used in the Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters In Space video games by Hajime Katoki. Sister unit to G04, G05 has a Gatling gun instead of the mega beam launcher.

RX-78-6 Mudrock Gundam 

First appeared as part of Kunio Okawara's MS Collection original design series. The design was updated to be use as a boss in the Mobile Suit Gundam 0079: Zeonic Front video games by Hajime Katoki. A hybrid of the RX-78 series and RX-77 Guncannon, mounting two 300 mm cannons on the shoulders.

RX-78-7 7th Gundam 

First appeared as part of Kunio Okawara's MS Collection original design series. This unit was not completed within the One Year War.

RX-78NT-1 Gundam NT-1 "Alex" 

Primary Mobile Suit featured in the Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket OVA, designed by Yutaka Izubuchi. Developed to replace the RX-78-2, optimized for increased reaction time of Newtypes.

RX-78NT-1FA Full Armor Gundam "Alex" 

The Gundam Alex equipped with optional Chobham armour to increase protection.

RX-78XX Gundam Pixie 

Secondary Mobile Suit of the Mobile Suit Gundam: Cross Dimension 0079 video game, designed by Kunio Okawara. A light weight close combat variant, armed with beam knives and a sub-machine gun.

[edit] Pop culture

The appearance of the unit is not limited to Gundam series. RX-78-2 Gundam is one of the basic units that appear in the Super Robot Wars series, ever since the first game for the Game Boy. ^[3] The RX-78-2 also receives multiple cameo appearances in the anime Sgt. Frog. ^[4] The current Bandai models' label classification also uses the head of the Gundam as its icon.

Later anime series keep referencing the RX-78's proficiency in combat, by having a white Mobile Suit appearing in the middle of the battle field, and anything white is mistaken as a Gundam type Mobile Suit along with the famous cry of "It's a Gundam!". This also appears in other anime; for example, in episode 9 of The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, the phrase is overheard while Tsuruya is searching for Mikuru.

[edit] Pepsi campaign

The RX-78 is a pop culture icon in Japan, to the point where Pepsi released several series of Pepsi bottles with special-edition bottle caps featuring miniature statues of various Mobile Suits from the many Gundam anime released over the years. ^[5][6] The RX-78 was one of three of these designs (the other two being both the normal Zaku and Char's red Zaku) to have multiple miniatures released during the first promotional campaign, including both a full-body sculpture and a sculpture of its bust.

[edit] Japanese stamps

The RX-78 mobile suit was recognized as a culturally significant subject by the nation of Japan on October 23, 2000, with the inclusion of the suit and of the main pilot on two stamps in the 20th Century Stamp Series. ^[7]

Additionally, this Mobile Suit and other notable mecha from various Gundam series were recognized in the second set of "Anime Heroes and Heroines" stamps, released in 2005. It was one of only four franchises to be given the honor; the others were Pocket Monsters, Galaxy Express 999, and Detective Conan. ^[8]

[edit] Mitsubishi seminars

As part of MHI Jobcon 2005 (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Job convention 2005), a recruiting event of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, seminars were held in six Japanese cities. The topic of these seminars was "Mobile Suit Gundam Development Story"; which indicated the requirements and processes that Mitsubishi would have to implement if the company had been required to build an RX-78 mobile suit. ^[9]

[edit] See also

• RX-79 Gundam
• Gundam Development Project

[edit] Notes and references