| Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack | |
2001 Japanese DVD cover |
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| 機動戦士ガンダム：逆襲のシャア (Kidō Senshi Gandamu: Gyakushū no Shā) |
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| Genre | Military science fiction |
| Anime film | |
| Directed by | Yoshiyuki Tomino |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Released | March 12, 1988 |
| Runtime | 124 minutes |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Yoshiyuki Tomino |
| Illustrated by | Kōichi Tokita |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Magazine | Comic Bom Bom |
| Original run | September 1998 – January 1999 |
| Volumes | 1 |
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア Kidō Senshi Gandamu: Gyakushū no Shā) is a 1988 anime film set in Gundam's Universal Century timeline of Gundam, specifically U.C. 0093.
Making its theatrical debut on March 12, 1988, Char's Counterattack is the culmination of the original saga begun in Mobile Suit Gundam and continued through Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam Double Zeta, marking the final conflict of the fourteen-year rivalry between Char Aznable and Amuro Ray. Based on a novel by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino, the movie supposedly marked the end of tensions between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon (until Gundam Unicorn was released in 2010).
In addition to being the first original Gundam theatrical release, Char's Counterattack was also the first Gundam production to make use of computer graphics during a five-second shot of the Sweetwater colony rotating in space. Char's Counterattack was released in America on DVD on August 20, 2002 and was shown on January 4, 2003 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. This airing marked the end of the first incarnation of the Adult Swim Action Saturday night block.
Contents |
Set in March UC 0093, the film features the return of main antagonist Char Aznable, who has emerged after five years in hiding to lead the Neo-Zeon once more in the fight for independence from the Earth Federation. Still determined to make humankind fully colonize in space, he mobilizes Neo-Zeon forces to drop the asteroid 4th Luna on the Federation headquarters in Lhasa, Tibet. Under the guise of surrendering the entire Neo-Zeon forces, he plans to drop the Axis asteroid base on Earth as well.
However, the Federation has assigned its own anti-insurgent task force, the Londo Bell, to take him down. Among the Londo Bell's members are One Year War veterans Bright Noa and Amuro Ray, whom Char wants to kill in revenge for the death of Lalah Sune. A major battle around Axis breaks out as the Londo Bell struggle to stop Char before the asteroid enters Earth's atmosphere. A Londo Bell demolitions team blows up Axis from the inside but one half is still on course to strike Earth, In the midst of the battle, Amuro catches Char and tries to push Axis from reentry, with Federation and Neo Zeon mobile suits coming to help. As the group tries to carry out the impossible, Amuro's RX-93 Nu Gundam resonates and creates a psyco-wave around the asteroid, pushing it away from Earth while shoving all the other mobile suits from the area. Both Federation and Neo-Zeon forces look on as Axis veers off from reentry.
Yoshiyuki Tomino adapted Char's Counterattack from the novel Hi-Streamer, and later wrote Beltorchika's Children as an alternate version. Tomino had planned previously to feature Char's return in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, however when he got the green light to do Char's Counterattack, he dropped the planned appearance. Tomino does not recall his plans to bring back Char in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ. The novels' differences from the movie include Amuro and Char piloting advanced versions of the ν-Gundam and the Sazabi: the Hi-ν-Gundam and the MSN-04-II Nightingale, Z Gundam character Beltorchika Irma being pregnant with Amuro's child, Hathaway accidentally killing Quess instead of Chan, and the confirmed deaths of Amuro and Char.
Three of the four mecha designers credited on Char's Counterattack went on to direct their own anime series: Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Yutaka Izubuchi (RahXephon) and Koichi Ohata (Burst Angel along with several other OVAs). Yoshinori Sayama continued designing on shows such as Patlabor, Cowboy Bebop and Izubuchi's RahXephon.
Ending:
The film made its American debut on August 20, 2002 on DVD and was later re-released during Sunrise's release of its One Year War properties (specifically Mobile Suit Gundam, 08th MS Team, 0080, and 0083). This left North American audiences without exposure to Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, despite their important role in setting up the film's plot and the fact that some events are mentioned by characters. Zeta Gundam has since been released in America as a six volume DVD set in 2004 as well as a trilogy of movies in 2010, but as of 2011 Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ has still not been dubbed for western audiences, although at the 2011 Anime Expo, Sunrise said it will be possible that it will be released.[1]
Bandai released a limited-edition DVD of the movie in 2001. The product was a maroon slipcase edition embossed with the gold Neo Zeon logo. The DVD was later reissued as part of the Anime Legends line in 2006.
Bandai produced a Char's Counterattack 3D fighting game for the PlayStation in 1998 as part of the Big Bang Project for Gundam's 20th anniversary. The game featured scenes from the film that were remade with updated animation and CGI. The game also has stages featuring Amuro and Char's classic encounters in the original Mobile Suit Gundam series.
A line of Gunpla models based on the movie's mobile suits was released, along with a Hobby Japan special. The model line had 1/144 kits of the Jegan, the Geara Doga, the Sazabi, Gyunei Guss and Quess Paraya's Jagd Dogas, and the ν-Gundam (with or without Fin Funnel), a 1/550 α-Azieru, and a 1/100 ν-Gundam. Bandai would re-release them plus the Hi-ν-Gundam, years later as part of the HGUC and Master Grade lines, the latter being featured in Bandai's Gundam Weapons line of mooks (modelling books). Many of them are also available as part of the B-Club resin line.
| Preceded by Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ |
Gundam metaseries (production order) 1988 |
Succeeded by Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket |
| Preceded by Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ |
Gundam Universal Century timeline U.C. 0093 |
Succeeded by Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash (novels) |
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