Gundam School Part 23

"What is 'Gundam', anyway?" This simple (?) question is answered in our twenty-third casual weekly column just for new fans!


　Has Bigfoot been spotted? No, just a similarly-rare super-simple intro column for new Gundam fans! We're back with Part 23 of what makes Gundam Gundam.

　 You can see our previous coverage of what makes Gundam Gundam here, and this week we're back with another Gundam standard!

　Gundam series are packed with "troublemakers" who are every inch as entertaining as the protagonists (if also just as annoying as they are entertaining.)

　In part 23, "Gundam series troublemakers, part 2 (AU)", let's look at a few more of these unique characters!


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[Part 1]
What makes a Gundam troublemaker? Idiosyncrasy. A little too much idiosyncrasy.


　Leading off the lineup is " Corin Nander" (of ∀ Gundam), a veteran soldier of the Moonrace's Dianna Counter (he holds the rank of Sergeant.)

　 The man's wrestlerish, big-brotherly (maybe favorite uncle?) looks already mark him as just a little bit of a loose cannon, don't they? Sentenced to cold sleep for the slaughter of soldiers plotting the assassination of Queen of the Moon Dianna Soriel, he laid in rest for eons in a military facility until shortly after Dianna began her return to Earth. Agrippa Maintainer, who seized power on the Moon, pardoned and freed him (although how much was left of his original self is up for debate.) Corin is assigned an "odd couple" duo of subordinates, Bruno and Jacop, and the trio are deployed to Earth as an independent unit.

　Notorious for a wild tongue and wilder moods, perhaps as a result of something going wrong during his awakening, he has a tendency to fly into a berserk rage when triggered by certain sights—such as the white Gundam.

　His deep-rooted reaction to Gundams (in fact, he's the first to recognize the ∀ for what it is rather than as the 'White Doll' or simply 'the mustachioed MS') could come from a traumatic memory, or perhaps from imprinting during his long sleep, but in any case manifests itself as (nonsensical) battle cries as he pursue the Gundam.

　 Later, left for dead after a battle, his memories are lost and he reappears as a wandering monk. The picture of monastic serenity, he carries on peaceful conversations and soothes children by crafting dolls, until he happens upon a village that has raised a statue to commemorate the ∀ Gundam and his trauma again rises to the surface. After decapitating (!) the (papier-mâché) ∀ Gundam in a burst of rage exceptional even by his own standards, he disappears again. It's not until he sees the "Moonlight Butterfly" nanomachine weapons of the Gundams (∀ and Turn X) that his memories return and he swears loyalty to Dianna. As the Turn X invades Earth, he goes to war against Ghingham's army in a bright-red custom Kapool.

　If we're to speculate which Gundam character or rival he resembles, in personality and deeds he could be a massively changed Zechs (and maybe he was once slimmer and fairer?), or perhaps his grudge against the Gundam resembles that of a certain Mobile Fighter G Gundam cast member? 　There are simply so many ways to envision his true history.

　His passion, his feats, and his words certainly mark Corin Nander as a troublemaker.




　" Muruta Azrael" ( Mobile Suit Gundam SEED) is the leader of the Blue Cosmos organization, which calls for the persecution and eventual extermination of genetically-modified Coordinators. Director of the Atlantic National Defense Conglomerate, the Alliance's main source of armaments, he's an extremely powerful businessman (merchant of death) and a man of many talents (none of which, of course, are used for good.) His contacts within military procurement give him both the pull and the bankroll to hold sway over Alliance military actions, even as a private citizen.

　As the Earth Alliance battles ZAFT, an armed organization effectively acting as a national military, he takes command of his own personal three-Gundam squad from the front, arrogating a position on the bridge of a battleship (much to its crew's consternation.) Perhaps this abnormal loathing can be blamed on a deep-seated complex formed by childhood memories of being outcompeted and outfought by Coordinators—but in any case, a gentlemanly, almost hunkish facade is shattered by the iciness of his glare and his utter lack of composure when caught aback.

　This sneering, arrogant, almost childish unrivaled egotist seems to have no goal but to fan the flames of war (he certainly doesn't have any redeeming qualities!)

　As if concealing his access to plans for the N-Jammer Canceler, a device which cancels the effect of the "N-Jammer" and allows use of nuclear weapons, in favor of pushing forward with the Operation Peacemaker nuclear attacks wasn't bad enough, this decision also nearly lead to the nightmarish scenario of a full nuclear exchange as ZAFT fired their nuclear-powered GENESIS super-laser during the battle at the space fortress Jachin Due.

　During the failed final raid on the PLANTs, he again took to the front lines aboard the Dominion. Again choked with rage at the failure of his plans, he presses on, unleashing a nuclear salvo at the PLANTs, until abandoned by even his allies...... 　Playing the unbalanced villain to the very end, Azrael is the very picture of an egregious troublemaker.


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[Part 2]
What makes a Gundam troublemaker? When they snap, they snap.


　" Yuna Roma Seiran" ( Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY) is the heir to the Seiran family, one of five powerful houses. (I suppose he thinks those looooong sideburns are charming?)

　 Alongside his father, Orb Prime Minister Unato Ema Seiran, he attempts to manipulate Chief Representative Cagalli Yula Athha of the Orb Union (one of the few neutral nations on Earth which shelters Coordinators.) Constantly pressuring her from the sidelines, signing a security treaty with the Atlantic Federation-dominated Earth Alliance, and even forcing her into an elaborate arranged marriage ceremony, he's nonetheless foiled due to her rescue by an unidentified Freedom Gundam (piloted by protagonist Kira Yamato.)

　Later, taking to the skies in the carrier Takemikazuchi, he leads Orb into battle alongside the Earth Alliance, only for his poor tactical planning to result in the obliteration of the Orb fleet. After that, when confronted by a ZAFT invasion of Orb in response to his sheltering of the new Blue Cosmos leader Lord Djibril, his failure to plan and prepare for counteractions or even civilian evacuation leads to severe losses.

　Outnumbered and surrounded, his relief at the arrival of reinforcements lead by Cagalli is short-lived as he is taken prisoner as a traitor. While being transported to a shelter, he manages to elude his guards, only to...
Yuna lived his life neither blessed with an inborn knack for command nor able to improve his tactical aptitude, bumbling from one disastrous decision to the next even as supreme commander.

　 While that title may sound impressive, selfish and resentful (to the point of gnawing on a handkerchief in rage!) spoiled rich boy (that pajama ensemble!) Yuna can't stand the implication that it's completely unearned. However, try as he may to take responsibility early by lecturing Cagalli that Orb does not belong to her alone, an unbroken string of strategic failures as the series progresses leave him a sort of troublemaker whose plans never come to fruition.




　Last is " Nena Trinity" ( Mobile Suit Gundam 00). A member of the armed organization Celestial Being's backup Trinity Team, she's a Gundam Meister (Gundam pilot) alongside her brothers Johann and Michael.
　The freckled redhead Nena is enthusiastic, showy (especially her outfits!), and carefree. A bit too carefree, in fact, as she's more than happy to kill on a whim.

　A designer baby engineered to fit the role of a Gundam Meister, she can even access Veda, Celestial Being's super-AI, using a quantum brainwave connection (complete with signature rainbow glow.)

　One of her hobbies, perhaps as a form of stress relief, is to crash wedding parties with a cheerful laugh and several tons of heavy ordnance. The body count incurred by this unique type of relaxation is reputed to be quite high. (. . . . . . .)

　 However, after her brothers Johann and Michael were killed by Ali al-Saachez for a momentary tactical advantage, her focus turned to revenge. She sought the patronage of heiress and celebrity Wang Liu Mei, and took up a role as Liu Mei's personal spy. However, Nena's growing maturity and resentment of her lot in life lead to a deep loathing of Liu Mei and her own obliviousness to her privilege.

　In the end, even after this leads her to betray Liu Mei and destroy the colony with her Gundam Throne Drei, it is not enough to grant her escape from her karmic retribution.
　 As a designer baby whose youth and upbringing left her unable to tell right from wrong, with predictable results, poor Nena—who could never quite let go of her own misfortune—is quite the example of a troublemaker.

　And there we have "Gundam series troublemakers, part 2 (AU)"!

　Oh, isn't Gundam just so fascinating?

　Well, well, well, well, well well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, that's it for this week. Next week we'll be taking another laid-back look at what makes Gundam Gundam!