Mobile Fighter G Gundam
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| Mobile Fighter G Gundam | |
|---|---|
 G Gundam title screen |
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| 機動武闘伝Ｇガンダム (Kidō Butōden Jī Gandamu) |
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| Genre | Mecha, Martial arts |
| TV anime | |
| Director | Yasuhiro Imagawa |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Network |  TV Asahi GMA 7 |
| Original run | April 1, 1994 – March 31, 1995 |
| Episodes | 49 |
| Manga | |
| Author | Koichi Tokita (art) |
| Publisher | Kodansha |
| Serialized in | Comic Bom Bom |
| Original run | April 1994 – April 1995 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Manga: Kidou Botouden G Gundam Gaiden: Shouryuu Densetsu | |
| Author | Toshiya Murakami (art) |
| Publisher | Kodansha |
| Serialized in | Deluxe Bom Bom |
| Volumes | 1 |
| Manga: Kidou Botouden Gaiden: Gundam Fight 7th | |
| Author | Ototoi Kitarou (art) |
| Publisher | Kodansha |
| Serialized in | Comic Bom Bom Special Edition |
| Original run | 1996 |
| Volumes | 1 |
Mobile Fighter G Gundam (機動武闘伝Gガンダム Kidō Butōden Jī Gandamu?, "Mobile Fighting Legend G Gundam") is a Japanese animated television series directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa (Giant Robo, Getter Robo Armageddon).
G Gundam is the first of three Gundam series created to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the franchise in 1994.[1] The series takes place in an alternate continuity ("Future Century"), where every four years a fighting tournament between the space colonies is held. Each country sends its representative Gundam Fighter to fight on Earth until one is left and the winning nation has earned the right to govern over the colonies.
The events takes place in year 60 of the Future Century, during the 13th Gundam Fight. G Gundam follows Neo Japan's representative Domon Kasshu, who is in the fight as much to win as well as fulfill his own mission of tracking down his brother who had stolen a mysterious Gundam; the Devil Gundam (Dark Gundam in the American version) from the Neo-Japan government.
Mobile Fighter G Gundam aired on TV Asahi from April 1, 1994 to March 31, 1995, totaling 49 episodes. The English language version aired on the American Cartoon Network from August 5, 2002 to October 16 of the same year.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
In F.C. 60, the 13th Gundam Fight begins. Domon Kasshu pilots the Shining Gundam as the representative of Neo-Japan, the Japanese space colony. Along with his crew member Rain Mikamura, he battles the other countries' representatives in order to earn the right to rule Earth and the colonies for four years for Neo-Japan. However, Domon seems to be more concerned with finding his brother and the stolen Devil Gundam.
- Rules and Regulations of the Gundam Fight
The following are the seven articles of the Gundam Fight International Regulations:
- A unit whose head section has been destroyed is disqualified.
- A Gundam Fighter must never aim at the cockpit of an opponent's Gundam. Supplement: Accidental harm inflicted on a Gundam Fighter during a match is acceptable.
- A Gundam Fighter may repair damage to his Gundam as often as he desires and move on to the championship league, as long as the head section has not been destroyed.
- A Gundam Fighter must take responsibility for protecting his own Gundam.
- A match shall only be held on a one-on-one basis.
- A Gundam Fighter shall not taint the honor and dignity of the nation he is representing.
- The Earth is the ring! Supplement: Destruction of property on Earth due to the Gundam Fight is not considered a crime.
- Final Tournament Additional Rules
Upon the start of the Finals of the 13th Gundam Fight, Wong Yunfat debuted some controversial new rules:
- Unlimited repairs, improvements, and substitutions are acceptable during the final tournament.
- Victory may be obtained through any means (including targeting the cockpit).
- The final winner of the Battle Royale will be awarded the title "Gundam of Gundams."
[edit] Characters
The main character of the series. The Pilot of the Shining Gundam and later the God Gundam (Burning Gundam in the American versions). He spent ten years training under Master Asia (Pilot of Master Gundam) aka Touho Fuhai (Undefeated of the East or Invincible East). He is also the new King of Hearts and leader of the Shuffle Alliance. He is on a mission to find his evil brother Kyoji who has stolen the JDG-009X Devil Gundam and to free his father who was placed in cryogenic suspension (Due to his involvement with the Devil Gundam). This is why he agreed to represent Neo-Japan in the Thirteenth Gundam fight. Rash and impulsive, Domon is willing to do what it takes to complete his mission and sometimes he is so hotheaded he takes it out on his partner Rain Mikamura; however, he's also very psychologically dependent of her, proven by the fact that the mere possibility of losing Rain makes him go either ballistic or become lost. He had trouble accepting the fact that his martial arts teacher, Master Asia, was on the side of the Devil Gundam but got over it. His anger and rage released the power within his Gundam, the Burning Gundam. With the help of his surrogate teacher Schwarz Bruder, he became a much better fighter. At the end of the series he learns the truth about both the Devil Gundam incident and why Master Asia sided with the JDG-009X Devil Gundam.
Domon's partner, she secretly and gradually falls in love with Domon, as she was his childhood friend. She is his crew member for the Thirteenth Gundam Fight, and boasts many talents. She is a renowned engineer and tactician, a decent sharpshooter and a skilled medic/doctor. In some ways, she can even pilot a Gundam herself (she's one of the few non-Gundam Fighters able to put on a fighting suit despite the huge pain that the process brings to a non-trained body) and manage to use the Mobile trace system. Determined, she manages to put up with a brash Domon throughout the series enough so they accomplish their mission and fall in love, in a sense. However, things start to change between them when she learns the truth from Schwarz about her father's involvement in the Devil Gundam incident. After that, however, she decides to go back to Neo Japan, and ends up kidnapped and forcefully placed in the cockpit of the Devil Gundam by her former boss, Major Ulube. Only by the joint efforts of Domon, the other Shuffle Alliance members and their crew, as well as Allenby, and many other Gundam Fighters, was she freed; mainly because of Domon finally admitting his love to her, which allowed Rain to break her self-imposed emotional barriers and control of the Devil Gundam over her body. She also piloted the Shining Gundam on two occasions and later piloted the Rising Gundam during the Battle Royale.
[edit] Production
[edit] Music
- Openings
- "Flying in the Sky" by Hitofumi Ushima
- "Trust You Forever" by Hitofumi Ushima
- Endings
- "Umi Yori Mo Fukaku [Deeper Than The Ocean]" by Etsuko Sai
- "Kimi No Naka No Eien [The Eternity in You]" by Inoue Takehide
[edit] International broadcast
G Gundam aired on Cartoon Network starting in August 2002; however, many of the Gundams' actual names were changed for different reasons. Three of them were changed for religious references, one for an alcohol reference, and the rest for unknown reasons.
Original names go first followed by English adaptation names.
- God Gundam => Burning Gundam
- Devil Gundam => Dark Gundam'
- Scud Gundam => Desert Gundam
- Tequila Gundam => Spike Gundam
- Lumber Gundam => Grizzly Gundam
- John Bull Gundam => Royal Gundam
- Pharaoh Gundam IV => Mummy Gundam IV
- Minaret Gundam => Scythe Gundam
- Kowloon Gundam => Haow Gundam
- Gundam Spiegel => Shadow Gundam
- Nether Gundam => Hurricane Gundam
- Matador Gundam => Toro Gundam
- Nobel Gundam => Noble Gundam
- Gundam Heaven's Sword => Raven Gundam
The subtitled version on the R1 DVD release keeps the original names.
[edit] Design
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (April 2008) |
[edit] Influences
Like Imagawa's Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still, G Gundam is influenced by Hong Kong action cinema, specifically the new school of wuxia and the 1970s kung fu wave.[2]
In a series of interviews for the official Region 1 American DVDs, Imagawa explains that Tohofuhai martial arts (the style practiced by Domon Kasshu and his mentor Master Asia) is so successful because rather than sticking to one particular fighting style it is constantly evolving and accepts successful elements from any and all known fighting styles.
[edit] Cameos
The final battle of G Gundam includes numerous cameo appearances by prominent mobile suits from previous Gundam series such as the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta Gundam, Gundam 0083, Gundam F91, Victory Gundam and the manga Crossbone Gundam. In addition, this battle also featured appearances by Gundam Wing's XXXG-01W Wing Gundam (the first on-screen appearance of the Wing Gundam, as Gundam Wing did not actually air until after G Gundam was completed) and the title robots of Daitarn 3 and Zambot 3. None of these machines played any significant role in the battle other than being destroyed, and were likely included as an inside joke to long-time fans of Gundam.
[edit] Media
[edit] Drama CD
The show's second soundtrack CD (although it is titled Round 3, as Rounds 1 & 2 were released as a two-disc album) contains an audio drama. In this brand new story, Domon and the others attend the premier of a Hong Kong action film based on their adventures. The story of both the film itself and the audio drama is mostly comedic in nature. One running joke involves Sai's annoyance that the film had cast him as a female and given Rain his place as Neo-China's fighter. The drama segments are interspersed with the Cantonese songs which were used to define the show's second half, set in Neo-Hong Kong. A new one created for the album is a Cantonese version of the show's first opening song Flying in the Sky, used as the opening song for the fictional movie. Domon is shown to quite enjoy the song.
[edit] Manga
A three volume manga was produced serialising the show, as authored by Koichi Tokita.
[edit] Appearances in other media
Characters from G Gundam appear in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam. Domon Kasshu is initially playable, and Master Asia is unlocked upon completing Domon's Original Mode story. Rain Mikamura also makes an appearance piloting a support ship.
The Characters in G Gundam are also Main Characters in various versions of the game series "Super Robot Wars" where they team up with many other Gundams and Mecha shows where each series has their plots intertwined.
[edit] References
- ^ Oppliger, John (2007-10-12). Ask John: Which Gundam Series Have Had the Most Impact on Anime?. AnimeNation. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Toole, Mike (October 16, 2003). Mobile Fighter G-Gundam review. Anime Jump. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
[edit] External links
- GundamOfficial's G Gundam website
- Mobile Fighter G Gundam (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
| Preceded by Mobile Suit Victory Gundam |
Gundam metaseries (production order) 1994 — 1995 |
Succeeded by Mobile Suit Gundam Wing |
| Preceded by none |
Gundam Future Century timeline F.C. 0060 |
Succeeded by none |
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