MSN-02 Zeong

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MSN-02 Zeong
This incomplete, but still space-ready, Zeong appears in Mobile Suit Gundam, piloted by Char Aznable in defense of A Baoa Qu.
Fast Facts
Appears in Mobile Suit Gundam
First Appearance MSG episode 42,
"Space Fortress A Baoa Qu"
Designed by Kunio Okawara
Faction Principality of Zeon
Pilot Char Aznable
General Specifications
Class prototype mobile suit
Height 17.3 m
Weight 231.9 t
Armaments
  • 2 x 5-barrel wire-guided mega particle cannons, mounted in arms
  • 3 x mega particle cannon, 2 mounted in torso, 1 mounted in head
Special Equipments and Features
MSN-02 Perfect Zeong
Never seen in the original series, this is the complete form of the Zeong.
General Characteristics
Height 30.1 m
Weight 421.2 t

The MSN-02 Zeong (sometimes Ziong or Jiong, see here) is a fictional mobile suit designed by Kunio Okawara for the anime Mobile Suit Gundam. It has also appeared in many video games and other media, including, but not limited to, the Playstation 2 titles Federation vs. Zeon,[1] Encounters in Space[2] and Climax U.C.,[3] the Gundam Battle Assault[4] series of fighting games, Super Robot Wars,[5], the motion simulator attraction Gundam the Ride: A Baoa Qu,[6] and in its Perfect form, the PSP title Gundam Battle Royale.[7]

Contents

[edit] In Mobile Suit Gundam

The Zeong is the last mobile suit piloted by primary antagonist Char Aznable in Mobile Suit Gundam, appearing at the end of One Year War at to defend the A Baoa Qu space fortress. It was portrayed as the first combat-ready mobile suit intended specifically for Newtype pilots. Previously, Psycommu systems had only been installed in large mobile armors due to bulky size.[8] While the Psycommu system had been scaled down somewhat, a very large mobile suit was still required, and normal-sized mobile suits would not be equipped with Psycommu technology until the events of Zeta Gundam, set 8 years later.[8].

To help make up for its large size, the Zeong is exceptionally heavily armed, mounting nearly a battleship's worth of mega particle cannons. Each of the mobile suit's digits mounts the barrel of one cannon, and a pair are installed in its torso. A final cannon is mounted in the mobile suit's face directly under its mono-eye track. The Psycommu system allows the Zeong's forearms to detach and operate independently of the main body, enabling it to perform "all range attacks", the Gundam franchise's term for a multi-directional attack. A wire connects the arms to the mobile suit's main body, presumably to provide power and/or commands from the Psycommu system, somewhat limiting its maximum range when compared to a completely wireless bit. Unlike most mobile suits, the Zeong's cockpit is positioned in its head. If the main body is destroyed or otherwise rendered inoperative, the head can be ejected to escape, or continue fighting.[9]

Three MSN-02 units are confirmed to be built, though only one appeared in the animation. At Kycilia Zabi's behest, Captain Char Aznable requisitoned a Zeong to help defend A Baoa Qu against a large-scale attack by the Earth Federation Space Force in episode 42 of Mobile Suit Gundam.[10] This Zeong was only "80% complete" as its legs had yet to be installed; otherwise, it was fully combat capable (in zero gravity, at any rate). Char made a single sortie with the Zeong, sinking a Federation warship in the process, before it and Amuro Ray's RX-78 Gundam were mutually destroyed within A Baoa Qu during the final episode of the anime. Both Char and Amuro escaped their crippled mobile suits to continue their battle in hand to hand combat.[11]

[edit] Elsewhere and Miscellany

Gundam Battle Royale's cover prominently features the towering Perfect Zeong. This marks one of the first appearances of the Zeong's legged complete form in video media.
Gundam Battle Royale's cover prominently features the towering Perfect Zeong. This marks one of the first appearances of the Zeong's legged complete form in video media.

Chronologically, Kunio Okawara designed the Zeong as a legless mobile suit (some sources, such as the Gundam War card game, have erroneously referred to it as a mobile armor) for the 1979 animation. The legged version, known as the "Perfect" Zeong and sharing the same model number, appeared in Mobile Suit Variations in 1983, entering canon as the "completed" design. Of the three Zeongs built, two of them were completed to Perfect form (the remainder was sortied against the Gundam by Char Aznable in the incomplete state near the end of Mobile Suit Gundam). Aside from the Perfect version's greatly increased height from its legs, it also features additional armor plating on its limbs and a new setup of head-mounted thrusters. The enormous Master Grade Perfect Zeong model kit[12] is also furnished with an extremely long solid-state sword. According to the manual's historical section, this is purely an aesthetic accessory for the model, and was not used in the canon universe.[13] It is speculated that this is a throwback to the 1982 manga Plamo Kyoshiro, where the Perfect Zeong appeared with a prodigiously-sized melee weapon, but this is unsubstantiated by any official source.

Of interesting note, the Zeong is the first mobile suit in the Gundam franchise to feature a detachable arm-based attack; it has since appeared sporadically in a handful of animations (including, but not limited to, ZZ Gundam's Hamma Hamma, Char's Counterattack's Alpha Azieru and Gundam 0083's Neue Ziel). While certainly not uncommon at the time (1979) in the giant robot genre (Go Nagai's Mazinger Z and Getter Robo come to mind), it did put a new "spin" on the concept: the Zeong's arms utilize beam cannons to perform a ranged attack, as opposed to the commonly-seen melee attack, often in the vein of Mazinger Z's famous "Rocket Punch" or Getter-2's "Drill Missile".[14]

Excel Saga's Puchuu Zeong and RX-78, emulating a scene from Mobile Suit Gundam
Excel Saga's Puchuu Zeong and RX-78, emulating a scene from Mobile Suit Gundam

Despite its brief appearance in the animation, limited to a single sortie, the Zeong has enjoyed considerable coverage in the merchandise area. As with most mobile suits from the series, the Zeong received a 1/144th-scale model kit in 1981.[15] It was featured in the 1/250th scale A Baoa Qu diorama, along with the RX-78 Gundam and an MS-09R Rick Dom, released in the same year.[16] A 1/250th-scale Perfect Zeong was released along with other MSV kits in 1983.[17] More recently, a 1/144-scale High Grade Universal Century kit was released in 2001,[18] a Mobile Suit in Action (MSiA) figure in 2004,[19] a 1/100th-scale Master Grade kit in 2002,[20] and again in its enormous "Perfect" legged form in 2004.[12] This kit is the largest, heaviest, and most expensive 1/100th-scale Master Grade kit to date. Expensive, high-detail resin kits have been released by B-Club.[21][22] In addition to model kits and figures, the Zeong's likeness, specifically its unique mono-eye track, has appeared on Gundam-themed clothing items.[21]

Perhaps the most bizarre iteration, a "Puchuu-ified" Zeong appeared in a Gundam/Leiji Matsumoto-themed episode of Excel Saga, along with a similarly Puchuu-ified RX-78.[23][24]

[edit] References

  1. ^ (Japanese) Encounters in Space official page. Bandai. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  2. ^ (Japanese) Federation vs. Zeon official page. Bandai. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  3. ^ (Japanese) Climax UC Official Website. Bandai. Retrieved on February 22, 2007.
  4. ^ Gundam: The Battle Master review. EX: Online World of Anime & Manga. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  5. ^ Super Robot Wars: Robot Series Guide. GameFAQs. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  6. ^ EX Special Report: Gundam The Ride. EX: Online World of Anime & Manga. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  7. ^ Gundam Battle Royale for PSP. GameSpot PSP. Retrieved on October 28, 2007.
  8. ^ a b Newtypes and Newtype Weapons. Gundam Project (courtesy of the Wayback Machine). Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  9. ^ Simmons, Mark (2002-05-06). Gundam: The Official Guide. Bandai. ISBN 1569317399. .
  10. ^ Episode 42: Space Fortress A Baoa Qu episode review. MAHQ. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  11. ^ Episode 43: Escape episode review. MAHQ. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  12. ^ a b 1/100th Master Grade Perfect Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  13. ^ Master Grade Perfect Zeong kit manual, Bandai, 2005
  14. ^ (1998-05-15) MS Encyclopedia "Kidō Senshi Gundam MS Daizenshū 98". Mediaworks. ISBN 4-07-308519-0. 
  15. ^ (Japanese) 1/144th Zeong (1981). Gundam Perfect Web. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  16. ^ 1/250th Diorama: A Baoa Qu (1981). GundamShop.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  17. ^ 1/250th Perfect Zeong (1983). GundamShop.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  18. ^ 1/144th HGUC Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  19. ^ MSiA Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  20. ^ 1/100th Master Grade Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  21. ^ a b Zeong products. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  22. ^ Zeong products (alternate spelling). HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  23. ^ Excel Saga episode guide. TelevisionWiki. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
  24. ^ Excel Saga episode guide. Newtype USA, July 2004 issue. Retrieved on October 28, 2007.

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