is a 13-episode anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 OVA series set in the Gundam

Gundam

The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....

 universe. The first volume containing two 30-minute episodes was released in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 on May 23, 1991. Subsequent volumes, containing one 30-minute episode each, followed every one or two months; the final volume went on sale on September 24, 1992. The series was directed by Mitsuko Kase (Episodes 1–7) and Takashi Imanishi (Eps 8–13). The characters were designed by Toshihiro Kawamoto

Toshihiro Kawamoto

is a Japanese animator. He is co-founder and director of the anime studio Bones. He was character designer and animation director of Cowboy Bebop.-Early period:...

. Mechanical designs were by Shoji Kawamori

Shoji Kawamori

is a Japanese anime creator, screenwriter and mechanical designer, having created or co-created such notable series as The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, The Vision of Escaflowne, Earth Maiden Arjuna, Genesis of Aquarion, Macross 7, and Macross Frontier. He is currently executive director at the...

 (of Macross

Macross

is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...

fame) and Hajime Katoki

Hajime Katoki

is a popular Japanese mecha designer. A member of the studio Sunrise, he is highly noted for his work on the Gundam series as well as his work on video games, such as the Virtual On series and Policenauts.-Biography:...

. Gundam 0083 is licensed in North America by Bandai Entertainment and is available on VHS and DVD.

Premise

Set during October and November UC 0083, the series focuses on the crew of the Earth Federation Space Force assault carrier Albion as they try to recover a nuclear-armed Gundam mobile suit stolen by a Zeon group at a base in Australia. Little do they know that the theft is part of a greater plan to destabilize the Earth Federation by dropping a colony on North America to damage the Earth's food supply. At the same time, the Zeon forces stationed on the Axis asteroid base send a small force to prepare for the main body's arrival.

In the larger Universal Century storyline, 0083 depicts the transition of the Earth Federation between the events of Mobile Suit Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam

is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...

 and Zeta Gundam, providing a backstory for the rise of the Titans organization.

Episode list

#	Title

Compilation Movie

Just before the completion of the Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory OVA in September 1992, the series was reformatted into a compilation movie which was released under the title Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: The Last Blitz of Zeon (ジオンの残光|Jion no Zankō). This feature opened in Japanese theaters on August 29, 1992.

To date, Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: The Last Blitz of Zeon has not been released in America (apparently due to the lack of original footage), however it has been released in France, Italy, Benelux, Germany, and received a UK DVD release in May 2006 as Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: The Afterglow Of Zeon. Bandai Visual announced the Blu-ray release of the movie in 2011.

Home Media

A special VHS sneak peek of the first episode titled GxG Unit was given to advance ticket purchasers of Gundam F91.

The series was reissued in DVD format in Japan on four volumes; the first R2 disc went on sale on January 25, 2000.

Bandai Entertainment licensed the series for the US market. The series was released on VHS in dubbed and subtitled versions in 1999 to coincide with the Gundam Big Bang Project. It spanned 7 VHS volumes and was also available in a box set. Volume 1 of the R1 DVD went on sale in January 2002. Cartoon Network premiered the series on U.S. television a month later on its Adult Swim Action block, where it remained until November 2002.

Bandai is scheduled to release a DVD boxed set in Japan on May 27, 2011, as part of the series' 20th anniversary.

Models

With the release of the original series in 1991, Bandai produced 1/144 kits of the GP-01 and GP-01-Fb Zephyranthes, GP-02 Physalis, GP-03 Dendrobium Stamen, and AGX-04 Gerbera Tetra. All but the AGX-04 were later released under the HGUC line, with the GP-02A also available in another kit with an MLRS launcher. Stardust Memory's HGUC line also has the GP-03 Dendrobium in 1/144 scale, not to mention it being available in 1/550 scale alongside the Val-Varo and the Neue Ziel. At least six mobile suits from the series have been released under Bandai's Master Grade line.

Radio Drama

Gundam 0083s canon includes two radio dramas on CD format billed as Cinema CDs. Both drama CDs were directed by series director Takashi with dialogue by Asahide Ōkuma (writer for 5 of the 0083 episodes).

Runga Offing narrates events between Episodes 7 and 8, when the Albion engages a Chivvay-class Zeon warship. It introduces a new character, Aristide Hughes, the Albion's Gunnery Lieutenant.

Mayfly reveals Cima's backstory in flashbacks as she reflects on her past prior to the events of Episode 13. It reveals that Cima and her unit poisoned a Side 5 colony using G-3 nerve gas, under orders, but were treated as pariahs afterwards by their own countrymen for committing such an atrocity. At the end of the war her superior refused to let her retreat to Axis

Space Colony (Gundam)

In the fictional Gundam anime metaseries, space colonies play a pivotal role in ever-changing stories. Below is an explanation of the colonies in each of the Gundam timelines.-Universal Century:...

. Because their home colony Mahal

Space Colony (Gundam)

In the fictional Gundam anime metaseries, space colonies play a pivotal role in ever-changing stories. Below is an explanation of the colonies in each of the Gundam timelines.-Universal Century:...

 had been converted into a weapon, Cima and her men were left stranded and homeless.

Both of these stories appear in the PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 game Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space

Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space

Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space is a Third-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 2 released in 2003. The game is centered on space based mobile suit combat...

.

Novelization and Comic Book

The story of 0083 was retold in prose form by Hiroshi Yamaguchi in three volumes. The books were published by Kadokawa Shoten and contain illustrations by Toshihiro Kawamoto

Toshihiro Kawamoto

is a Japanese animator. He is co-founder and director of the anime studio Bones. He was character designer and animation director of Cowboy Bebop.-Early period:...

, Hirotoshi Sano and Hajime Katoki

Hajime Katoki

is a popular Japanese mecha designer. A member of the studio Sunrise, he is highly noted for his work on the Gundam series as well as his work on video games, such as the Virtual On series and Policenauts.-Biography:...

.

Viz Communications also released all episodes in a comic book format from 1994 to 1995. However, instead of a manga, they used screenshots from each episode for the panels. Line art and descriptions of all units were inserted as well.

Earth Federation

Kou Uraki

Ensign Kou Uraki is a 19-year-old Federation test pilot stationed at the Torrington base in Australia. When Anavel Gato steals the Gundam GP02A, Kou goes after him in the GP01. He is later assigned to the Albion's mobile suit team under the command of Lieutenant South Burning with orders to either recapture or destroy the GP02A.

Nina Purpleton

Head engineer of the project that developed the two Gundams, which she is extremely protective over. She reluctantly allows Kou to pilot GP01 in order to recapture GP02A and the two of them slowly begin a romantic relationship. She is later revealed to have a romantic past with Anavel Gato.

Eiphar Synapse

Captain Eiphar Synapse is the commanding officer of the ship Albion, which is given the tall order of recapturing the stolen Gundam GP02A.

South Burning

A senior pilot at the Federation's Torrington base, Lieutenant South Burning serves as mobile suit company commander for the Albion. He pilots a RGM-79C GM and later a RGM-79N GM Custom. He dies in the eighth episode when his GM suddenly malfunctions, but not before picking up a briefcase carrying details of what is known as "Operation Stardust."

Chuck Keith

Kou's wingman at the Torrington Base, he is likewise reassigned to the Albion as part of its mobile suit team. He is initially seen piloting a Zeon Zaku II captured by the Earth Federation but later pilots a GM Cannon II. Over the course of the series, he has a romantic connection with Albion chief mechanic Mora Bascht.

Bernard Monsha

Lieutenant Junior Grade Bernard Monsha is one of three mobile suit pilots assigned to the Albion after the theft at Torrington. He takes an immediate dislike to Kou and Keith, especially Kou for being chosen to pilot the Gundam GP01 despite a lack of experience. When he is not on duty, Monsha likes to drink, gamble, and chase women.

Alpha Bate

Lieutenant Junior Grade Alpha Bate is another reinforcement pilot who served under Lieutenant Burning along with Monsha and Adel during the One-Year War. Although he is calmer and less obnoxious than Monsha, he has a tendency to encourage his friend's misbehavior, but that does not prevent him from being promoted to deputy commander of the mobile suit team. He and Monsha, plus the rest of the Albion's bridge crew are eventually drafted into the Titans.

Chap Adel

Lieutenant Junior Grade Chap Adel is the third reinforcement pilot assigned to the Albion and the most mild-mannered of the three.

Mora Bascht

Lieutenant Junior Grade Mora Bascht is a tall, big-boned female mechanic who serves as chief of maintenance on board the Albion and friend to Nina. She takes a liking to Chuck ever since she met him.

Principality of Zeon

Anavel Gato

Lieutenant Commander Anavel Gato is a former member of the Principality of Zeon's elite palace guard unit. During the One Year War

One Year War

The is a fictional conflict from the Universal Century timeline of the anime Mobile Suit Gundam metaseries. The One Year War is very similar to World War II, the major difference being that The One Year War is in a science fiction setting and some major battles occurred in space...

, at the Battle of Solomon, Gato earns the nickname "Nightmare of Solomon". He joins Aiguille Delaz's fleet late in the war, and departs with them when the war ends. He returns to Earth in October UC 0083 to seize the Gundam GP02A, and later uses this mobile suit's nuclear weapon against the Earth Federation

Earth Federation

The is a fictional organization in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam anime series. The name also made a reappearance outside of the Gundam series in following media.* Godzilla vs...

's Naval Review in Episode 9. He dies in Episode 13 leading a suicide charge against the Earth Federation fleet after inputting the Island East colony's final impact point.

Aiguille Delaz

A die-hard supporter of Gihren Zabi's ideals, self-promoted Vice-Admiral Aiguille Delaz was a colonel of a Zeon flotilla during the One Year War. He refuses to join the survivors retreating to Axis and spends the next three years in a secret colony base called Thorn Garden. He dies at Cima Garahau's hands in Episode 12 after encouraging Gato to push ahead with the colony drop.

Cima Garahau

Cima Garahau is a commander of a group of former Zeon marines who are called upon by Delaz to help him execute Operation Stardust. It is later revealed that she is playing both sides. She pilots an MS-14Fs Gelgoog Marine and later the AGX-04 Gerbera Tetra.

Kelly Layzner

Appearing in the sixth episode, Kelly Layzner is a former Zeon lieutenant who fought alongside Gato during the One Year War, ultimately losing his left arm. When Kou is beaten up by hoodlums in Von Braun City, Kelly helps him recover his mental faculties and the two become friends. However, the two of them are well aware that if they meet in battle, they will have no choice but to fight each other. He pilots the Val Varo mobile armor.

Openings, Endings and Insert Songs

Opening/Insert:

• Back to Paradise by Miki Matsubara
  Miki Matsubara
  was a Japanese singer, lyricist and composer from Nishi-ku, Sakai, Japan.She is known mainly as a pop singer by some hit songs like "Mayonaka no door", "Neat na gogo san-ji", "The Winner", among others. During her career, she has released 16 singles, 9 albums. Despite her work being mainly...
  
   (Episode 1)

Openings:

• The Winner by Miki Matsubara (Episodes 2 to 7)
• Men of Destiny by MIO
  MIQ
  , also previously known as MIO, is a Japanese pop singer and vocal trainer from Minato, Tokyo. She is known for her performances on the soundtracks of various anime, notably the theme songs of Sunrise's Aura Battler Dunbine and Heavy Metal L-Gaim...
  
   (Episodes 8 to 12)

Endings:

• Magic by Jacob Wheeler (Episodes 1 to 7)
• Evergreen by MIO (Episodes 8 to 13 ~ In its full version in episode 13's ending)
• True Shining by Rumiko Wada (Compilation movie ending)

External links

• Official Websites: Anime, GundamOfficial