RX-178 Gundam Mk-II
Encyclopedia
| RX-178 Gundam Mk. II | |
|---|---|
| The modular Gundam Mk. II (in RX-78 RX-78 Gundam The RX-78 Gundam is a fictional manned robot, introduced in 1979 in Yoshiyuki Tomino's and Sunrise's anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. In the series, it is a testbed weapon for the Earth Federation when it falls into the hands of Amuro Ray, the son of a weapons designer, who goes on to pilot it in... -esque AEUG colors) is a conservative, no-frills design in Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita... . |
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| Fast Facts | |
| Appears in | Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita... ; Double Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ is a TV series aired on Japanese TV from 1986–1987, was the third Gundam series, and a direct follow up to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Director Yoshiyuki Tomino returned to lead the series, and he assembled a new team consisting of character designer Hiroyuki Kitazume, who had been one of Zeta... |
| First Appearance | Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita... episode 1, "The Black Gundam" |
| Designed by | Kunio Okawara Kunio Okawara is a mechanical designer in the Japanese anime industry. A mechanical designer is similar to a character designer, but the design is for robots, ships, and other mechanical items found in a particular show. Okawara was the first in the industry to be specifically credited as a mechanical designer... , Mamoru Nagano, Kazumi Fujita Kazumi Fujita is a Japanese mecha designer, who has worked on several noted anime series and video games, notably Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Gaogaigar Final, and Quo Vadis 2. He designed the Zeta Gundam, winning heated competition between Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano and himself to design a finalized Zeta Gundam... |
| Faction | Titans; AEUG |
| Pilot | Kamille Bidan; Char Aznable Char Aznable , born is a fictional character from the Gundam franchise. He is originally one of the main antagonists in Mobile Suit Gundam and later becomes one of the protagonists of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. In his final appearance in Char's Counterattack, he assumes leadership of the Neo Zeon movement,... (alias Quattro Bajeena); Emma Sheen; Jerid Messa and others |
| General Specifications | |
| Class | prototype Mobile suit |
| Height | 18.5 m |
| Weight | 54.1 t |
| Armaments | |
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| RX-178+FXA-05D "Super Gundam" | |
| The FXA-05D G-Defenser provides the Super Gundam with much needed upgrades to offense and defense. | |
| General Specifications | |
| Weight | 94.0 t |
| Additional Armaments | |
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The RX-178 Gundam Mark-II is a fictional mobile suit from the Universal Century
Universal Century
is the original timeline of the Gundam anime metaseries. The official English name U.C. is often used instead in recent production like MS Igloo and Master Grade model instructions and official pages is the original timeline of the Gundam anime metaseries. The official English name U.C....
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....
anime series. A collaborative design created by Kunio Okawara
Kunio Okawara
is a mechanical designer in the Japanese anime industry. A mechanical designer is similar to a character designer, but the design is for robots, ships, and other mechanical items found in a particular show. Okawara was the first in the industry to be specifically credited as a mechanical designer...
, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita
Kazumi Fujita
is a Japanese mecha designer, who has worked on several noted anime series and video games, notably Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Gaogaigar Final, and Quo Vadis 2. He designed the Zeta Gundam, winning heated competition between Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano and himself to design a finalized Zeta Gundam...
, it is featured prominently as protagonist Kamille Bidan's mobile suit in the first half of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita...
, and used by various secondary characters throughout the rest of that series and its sequel, Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
is a TV series aired on Japanese TV from 1986–1987, was the third Gundam series, and a direct follow up to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Director Yoshiyuki Tomino returned to lead the series, and he assembled a new team consisting of character designer Hiroyuki Kitazume, who had been one of Zeta...
. It has appeared in a number of other media, including 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...
title AEUG vs. Titans, the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
title Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
On the first day of its release, Gundam Musou sold over a 100,000 copies, making it the first PS3 title to do so on its first day. Also, the game sold about 70 percent of its 170,000 -180,000 launch day shipments, making it rank third in overall sales — after Ridge Racer 7 and Mobile Suit Gundam:...
, the Super Robot Wars
Super Robot Wars
is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
series, and PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
title Gundam Battle Royale, among many others.
In Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
The RX-178 Gundam Mk-II are three prototype mobile suits developed by the Titans, an elite special unit of the Earth Federation forces, in UC 0087 - the first Gundam units seen in Mobile Suit Zeta GundamMobile Suit Zeta Gundam
is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita...
. Aside from a new paint job of dark blue and black with red and yellow highlights, the Gundam Mk. II bears great aesthetic similarities to its 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...
-era predecessor, the original RX-78-2 Gundam from 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...
. The Mk. II represented a small increase in mobility compared to the original, and with the deletion of the cumbersome and expensive core block system, room was freed upon for a more modern panoramic cockpit setup (a more or less standard accoutrement for mobile suits in the same series and time period), which is designed to offer increased situational awareness to the pilot. Armaments are fairly standard Gundam fare, including a beam rifle (chronologically speaking, the Mk. II's beam rifle was the first of such weapons to be powered by a replaceable e-pac device; this was later retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned with Gundam 0083
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
is a 13-episode anime OVA series set in the Gundam universe. The first volume containing two 30-minute episodes was released in Japan 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...
) and twin beam sabers. Vulcan guns are not installed in the Mk. II by default, unlike previous models; however, an optional set can be added as an ejectable pod. The Mk. II may also arm a "clay bazooka" weapon, which is capable of disabling a mobile suit's mobility via an adhesive warhead (though it can equip normal explosive shells if desired). Aside from the aforementioned mundane enhancements, the Mk. II's most substantial contribution to mobile suit technology and largest upgrade over its predecessor is the then-revolutionary movable frame construction, which later inspired the designs in the novel Gundam Sentinel
Gundam Sentinel
is a novel set in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam universe, originally serialized in Model Graphix magazine between September 1987 and August 1988. Gundam Sentinel became a cult hit, due to its super-detailed mechanical designs and an intricate story by veteran writer Masaya Takahashi...
. Paradoxically, the Gundam Mk. II is not armored with the wonderfully durable Gundarium alloy material, first introduced in the series on the original RX-78 Gundam, making it no more or less physically durable than mass-production mobile suits of the era (the term Gundarium is a creation of the Zeta Gundam series; formerly, the same material was known as "Lunar Titanium" in Mobile Suit Gundam, and was renamed (or retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned from a meta standpoint) in honor of the original Gundam).
Further development by the Titans was delayed indefinitely following a raid by AEUG operatives (led by the incognito Zeon One Year War ace Char Aznable
Char Aznable
, born is a fictional character from the Gundam franchise. He is originally one of the main antagonists in Mobile Suit Gundam and later becomes one of the protagonists of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. In his final appearance in Char's Counterattack, he assumes leadership of the Neo Zeon movement,...
, alias Quattro Bajeena) where all three units were stolen from the Titans' headquarters at Green Noa II (effectively kicking off the Gryps Conflict that forms the background plot of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam). Launched from the carrier warship Argama, this "Gundam Heist" also netted the AEUG the powerful Newtype
Newtype
A Newtype is theorized to be the next stage of human evolution in the fictional Gundam universe. This minor but groundbreaking metamorphosis is usually expressed as a heightened mental awareness, the result of an evolutionary adaptation to life in space....
Kamille Bidan, who would become the Mk. II's chief operator, as well as initiating the series-long conflict between Kamille and Titans pilot Jerid Messa. Of note, this act marked the first "Stolen Gundam" plot event in the franchise, which has become more common in recent years (e.g. the RX-78GP-02A in Gundam 0083
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
is a 13-episode anime OVA series set in the Gundam universe. The first volume containing two 30-minute episodes was released in Japan 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...
or nearly the entire starting Gundam cast in Gundam SEED
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
is an anime series developed by Sunrise and directed by Mitsuo Fukuda. As with other series from the Gundam franchise, Gundam SEED takes place in a parallel timeline, in this case the Cosmic Era, the first to do so...
series).
Though an initial boon against Titans mobile suits (as well as even more outdated Earth Federation designs, some of which were One Year War-era Zeon models confiscated after the war), the Mk. II's limited capabilities become quite apparent by the time the plot develops to the Jaburo drop operation (starting in episode 11, Entering the Atmosphere), where even the Titans' new mass-produced RMS-108 Marasai mobile suits featured Gundarium alloy armoring. The Mk. II's shortcomings are mitigated, to an extent, by the attachment of the G-Defenser armor booster, constructed by Anaheim Electronics
Anaheim Electronics
Anaheim Electronics is a fictional civilian company that appeared in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam anime metaseries. The company appeared first in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam as the main financier, supplier, and manufacturer of the faction AEUG...
. When combined with the G-Defenser, the Mk. II's mobility is increased via numerous additional thrusters, its vulnerabilities are somewhat reduced with additional armor plating, and its offensive capabilities are boosted significantly - new weapons include a heavy beam rifle and a battery of missile launchers, among others. Additionally, the G-Defenser itself is constructed with Gundarium alloy armor, boosting the protective value of the areas covered on the Mk. II's body. This configuration, known as the "Super Gundam", enables the Mk. II to remain relatively competitive against all but the highest-performing Titans mobile suits, such as the RX-193 Hambrabi.
Kamille would eventually abandon the Mk. II (episode 21, A Sign of Zeta) when the titular MSZ-006 Z Gundam
Z Gundam
The MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam, designed by Kazumi Fujita, is a fictional weapon of the anime Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam from the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam metaseries. Its popularity has led to many variations, upgrades, redesigns and influenced later design works such as the Zeta Plus and the...
, which Kamille helped design, is completed and delivered to the Argama (this also marks the first "mid-season upgrade" in the protagonist's mobile suit selection, which has since become a staple of the Gundam franchise). The Mk. II is then used by former Titans pilot Emma Sheen, who defected episodes earlier, before the Jaburo drop operation. Katz Kobayashi
Katz Kobayashi
Katz Hawin Kobayashi is a fictional character from the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam and its sequel Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. In the first series, he was one of three children on board the White Base. Seven years later in Zeta Gundam, he joined the AEUG in their fight against the Titans...
takes up operating the G-Defenser, and the two form a competent and effective team in utilizing the "Super Gundam".
In movie trilogy's trailer , it shows the Gundam Mk. II launched with a Long Beam Rifle, but flies separately with G-Defenser, which shows Gundam Mk. II has an ability to use Long Beam Rifle on its own, though Emma did not fire a single shot in Mk. II mode.
In Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Early in the sequel series Mobile Suit Gundam ZZMobile Suit Gundam ZZ
is a TV series aired on Japanese TV from 1986–1987, was the third Gundam series, and a direct follow up to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Director Yoshiyuki Tomino returned to lead the series, and he assembled a new team consisting of character designer Hiroyuki Kitazume, who had been one of Zeta...
(episode 12), the AEUG independent task force (also known as the Gundam Team) brought the wrecked Mk. II back into service. The suit was used throughout much of the series against the technologically superior Axis/Neo Zeon forces. At the end of the second Neo Zeon movement, it was once again critically damaged. The unit was assigned to Elle Viano who served as its primary pilot.
Other appearances and beyond
The concept of Isuzu VX 2 official link is inspired by RX-178 Gundam Mk-II as concept design arts released in the Jan/Feb 1998, as seen in issue no. 71 of the magazine Axis published in Japan.The Mk. II appeared years before the official North American release of Z Gundam on the talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
in a commercial bumper
Commercial bumper
In broadcasting, a commercial bumper, ident bumper or break-bumper is a brief announcement, usually two to 15 seconds that can contain a voice over, placed between a pause in the program and its commercial break, and vice versa...
. Featured on an episode originally aired on September 30, 1998, the "Conan Mk. II" was formed from a Mk. II model kit altered with O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
's face, and a cartoon-like head on the shield, as typical of Late Night bumpers of the period. Zeta Gundam was not officially released in the North American market by Bandai until 2004. Late Night graphical designer Pierre Bernard is a self-stated 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....
enthusiast, though if he specifically created the "Conan Mk. II" bumper has not been confirmed by any official source.
As with most mobile suits from Zeta Gundam, the Gundam Mk. II (and its Super form) received 1:144th and 1/100th scale model kits in 1987, along with a 1:220th scale "pocket model" (scaled to match large Z Gundam mobile suit kits, such as the MRX-009 Psyco Gundam. In 1994, the Mk. II was featured in the limited-run 1:144th High Grade series (not to be confused with the later HGUC, or High Grade Universal Century, series), along with the original RX-78 Gundam and the Mk-II's successor MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam. With the 1:144th-scale HGUC lineup, launched in 2000, the Mk. II has seen very heavy coverage. The Mk. II was released as a stand-alone model in May 2002 (in AEUG and Titans colors), with the G-Defenser in "Super Gundam" configuration in November 2002, a limited production (now discontinued) collector's "extra finish" version in May 2005, with the Flying Armor re-entry vehicle later that month, and as part of the "Gryphios War" 3-pack with the Zeta Gundam and MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki in March 2006. The Mk. II joined the 1/100th-scale Master Grade lineup in August 1998, in both AEUG and Titans colors. A Master Grade "Super Gundam" kit with the G-Defenser was issued in January 1999, Totally re-designed versions of the Master Grade Mk. IIs were released in October 2005 (AEUG version) and March 2006 (Titans version), concurrent with the releases of the second and third Zeta Gundam movie compilations respectively. Finally, the Gundam Mk. II was inducted into the enormous 1:60th-scale Perfect Grade line in November 2001, and again in Titans colors in July 2002.
External links
- Gundam Mk. II at GundamOfficial.com
- Super Gundam at GundamOfficial.com
- Gundam Mk. II at MAHQ
- Super Gundam at MAHQ
- Zeta Gundam episode guide at MAHQ
- Zeta Gundam plot synopsis at GundamOfficial.com
- Zeta Gundam at the Gundam Project (archive courtesy of the Wayback Machine).
- (2002-5-6) Gundam: The Official Guide. Mark Simmons. ISBN 1569317399
- (2002-5-10) Gundam Technical Manual #3: Stardust Memories. Yoshiyuki Tomino. ISBN 1931514062