Gundam School Part 20

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

　IS this a 20th super-simple column for new Gundam fans, or just a coyote with mange?

　 Part 1 was Gundam faces and coloring, and then part 2 was masked men and Haro. Part 3 was all about the Universal Century, part 4 was mobile suits, part 5 took on MSVs, and part 6 covered the "Zaku" and "GM", part 7 took on parts swapping, part 8 was an example of mobile suit R&D, part 9 was all about the women of the first Mobile Suit Gundam series, part 10 focused on Gundam's "big brothers", part 11 touched on amphibious mobile suits, part 12 introduced some middle-aged men, and parts 13 and 14 were the first and second parts of our look at Gundam TV themes, parts 15 and 16 took on Gundam's 'Gunpla' plastic models, and parts 17, 18, and 19 were our first SD Gundam feature; this week we've got one more really iconic piece of Gundam.

　Gundam is packed full of individuals who're characters in every sense of the word. If Gundam is a dish, then the fiercely fighting men may be its pepper, but there's some terrifying women who are straight-up wasabi.

　This week, we cool off at the end of summer vacation with some Gundam ice queens!

Part 1
What makes a terrifying woman of Gundam? They're scary, they're powerful, they're scary-powerful!


　First, let's look at Kycillia Zabi, of Mobile Suit Gundam.
　 Eldest daughter of Principality of Zeon founder Degwin Sodo Zabi, and younger sister of its de facto dictator Gihren, this fierce woman is well-suited for her position as commander of Zeon's Mobile Assault Force. Her trademark mask sends a chill down your spine as soon as you lay eyes on her. (But she's surprisingly young!)
　Her birth and upbringing instilled an interest in methods of government. It was her who established the Flanagan Institute to research the political potential of Newtype powers, and her who sent M'quve to Earth to secure Zeon's supply lines. As Zeon's fourth in command, she pursues her goals and ambitions energetically.
　Her chilling determination, casually ordering the destruction of an operational Zeon base (to protect state secrets) or personally executing her brother Gihren when she learns he had deliberately assassinated their father with the "Solar Ray" colony laser, is her main appeal. (!?)
　However, shortly after assuming control of Zeon, she is killed by her subordinate Char (the two have a... complicated history) while evacuating A Baoa Qu. Kycillia, a dedicated soldier to the end, is definitely one of Gundam's most terrifying women.


　Next up is Haman Karn, of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ.
　 With strangely-familiar pink hair and a proud (or haughty, if you're not a fan) bearing, this noble, beautiful, and resolute woman may play the villain, but she's easily one of Gundam's strongest leading ladies.
　Second daughter of Zeon commander Maharajah Karn, her latent Newtype talents led her to training at Zeon military labs before the painful experiments caused her to quit. Later, after learning of fellow Newtype Char Aznable, she resumes participation in the experiments. (And after that, they become lovers...)
　After the death of her father, she assumes power as regent for Mineva Lao Zabi, the last surviving Zabi, and leads a faction of Zeon remnants on the asteroid base Axis who seek to restore the Zabis to power. After the Gryps Conflict, she recruits both former Zeon soldiers and Titans members for her program of colony conquest, renames her movement from Axis to Neo Zeon, and wrests control of Side 3's Republic of Zeon from the Federation. That the subsequent First Neo Zeon War is also known as "Haman's War" should tell you just how scary she can be.
　She even orders the drop of a colony on the Federation's Dublin headquarters!
　 During the First Neo Zeon War, she comes to know Judau Ashta ( Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ's protagonist) and, attracted to his Newtype powers as she was to Char's, makes several efforts to put the moves on him. (!?) In the final clash with the AEUG, she personally battles the ZZ Gundam in her Qubeley, putting up a tough fight and ultimately refusing quarter from Judau.
　Whether as the powerful ruler of Neo Zeon, or a brave pilot, Haman's beauty, nobility, and charisma mark her as a rare (if terrifying) type of woman indeed. Only a tinge of loneliness casts a shadow over her.

Part 2
What makes a terrifying woman of Gundam? Pride and vengeance!


　 Next we come to Reccoa Londe of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Reccoa, a former anti-Zeon guerrilla, entered the Federation forces and soon aligned with the AEUG. As a lieutenant, she's tasked with information gathering, and is later sent to infiltrate Jaburo (the Federation's headquarters) and is captured alongside journalist Kai Shiden. The incident is suggested to have left deep physical and emotional scars.
　 While she falls for her commanding officer Quattro Bajeena (actually Char!), he's too busy with political machinations to return her advances, and this rejection leads to a seemingly-inexplicable decision to align herself with Titans officer Paptimus Scirocco when she meets him while infiltrating his freighter Jupitris.
　To show her loyalty to Scirocco, she unquestioningly gasses a colony in Side 2. (See? Terrifying!) 　While this may seem like a simple betrayal, it also could be Reccoa's personal feelings overpowering her professional goals and seeking revenge after being jilted by Char even though she realizes Scirocco's true motive.
　Rejected by her beloved and holding a grudge that shows even in her speech, Reccoa is truly to be feared and pitied.


　 And last, there's Ennil El of After War Gundam X. The most-exposed (!?) young lady of Gundam, she's the daughter of former Space Revolutionary Army Rear Admiral Nada El and an Earth woman. Already famed as a Gundam pilot, she encounters Garrod Ran (the hero of After War Gundam X) and, taking an interest in not only him but his Gundam X, lures him to a bar where she attempts to seduce him only to be shot down (nearly literally, a huge blow to her pride!) Afterward, she continues her assault on the Freeden, (the ship carrying Garrod) reaching almost stalkerish levels of obsession. (Yep. Scary.)
　Later on, after a lot happens (what happens? Watch After War Gundam X to find out!) she reconciles with Garrod. I guess she's only terrifying if you hurt her pride.

　And that's it for our summer special on the terrifying women of Gundam! No, wait, it isn't.

　We'll be back next week for another chilling part!

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