Episode 43: Gundam Unicorn Review

Topic: Gundam Unicorn Review

This week, we discussed Gundam Unicorn, an ‘approachable’ entry in to the Gundam franchise.  Now granted, there is quite a bit of previous knowledge that would be helpful coming in to this, but it’s possible to follow along without knowing all the details.  I know because I only intended for Mom to watch a little bit of it, but instead, she watched it all.



Fan Wiki

Before getting started, we wanted to talk about fan wiki’s.  Wiki themselves are large knowledge bases on a website that is user created and managed.  The largest, best known Wiki being Wikipedia.  Fan wiki’s are no different, but rather than focus on a broad topic, they often only focus on one fandom or topic at a time, covering all the details of it to the best of their ability.  Some great Fan Wiki include:

• Wookieepedia – Star Wars
• Alpha Memory – Star Trek
• MTG Wiki – Magic: the Gathering
• Marvel Wiki – Marvel
• Gundam Wiki - Gundam

Highly recommend visiting the Gundam Wiki, particularly the article on Gundam Unicorn to follow along with the characters as best as possible.

Gundam Unicorn

Takes place in 0096 UC, 3 years after the events of the movie: Char’s Counter Attack.

Char’s Counter Attack
An event where Char Aznable, AKA the Red Comet, attempted to launch a colony in to earth.  He is stopped by Arumo Ray and his Nu Gundam.


Characters

Banager Links 

As a student of the Anaheim Engineer Academy, he is roped in to a series of events that that finds him in command of the Unicorn Gundam.  Well mannered, he cares too much about others and would prefer her never received the Gundam.  In actuality, he is the son of the Vist Foundation’s chairman, and is gifted the Gundam Unicorn as his father knew he was a good person and would use the Gundam for good reasons.



Audrey Burne (Mineva Lao Zabi) 

Going by Audrey Burne when first introduced to Banager Links, she is reality the granddaughter of DegwinZabi, leader of the Principality of Zeon. Born during the one year war, her entire family legacy has been killed save for her, as the lone heir to the leadership of the Principality of Zeon.  She a pacifist by nature and does not actively pursue her family’s legacy, nor that of her people, but takes action when she realizes she has the opportunity to save as many lives as possible through her actions.  She seeks to convenience the Vist Foundation in to not giving the Gundam to Neo Zeon forces.



Full Frontal 

A mysterious leader of the Neo Zeon Forces, he is described as the Second coming of the Red Comet.  His charming, intelligent, and highly skilled mobile suit pilot.  In reality, he is a cyber newtype, genetic clone of Char, and inherited the ‘Will’ of Char from space.  He believes his purpose is to be the leader the Neo Zeon forces need and continue on in Char’s capacity in his absence. 


Newtype
A type of human that have evolved in space.  The belief is that they have expanded mental awareness, allowing special abilities including: High degree of Focus, spatial awareness to a 6^th sense level, communication with other Newtypes, and even communicate/direct actions of machines through Pyscho-frame material.  Newtypes are similar to Mutants in X-men, little is truly known about them, and are greatly feared by segments of the population.Newtypes and other individuals born in space are treated similar to second class citizens and can’t partake in the government.


RX-0 Gundam Unicorn

The title Gundam, it is a suit that hold many different abilities and purposes.  The suit can be classified as an experimental/prototype unit, as the main core of the Gundam’s entire frame is created using Psycho-frame material, increasing reaction time of the pilot, and even making it like an extension of their own body.  

The Gundam is also unique in that it hosts two different modes.  The first is a default unicorn mode, appearing as a standard GM(General Model) Mobile suit with a unicorn horn.  When in the presence of a Newtype, and later by the pilots will, the systems NT-D system kicks in.  NT-D stands for Newtype Destroyer, with the intent on the machine being used to hunt Newtypes.  When in this mode, the suit’s limiters are turned off, exposing several new thrusters and various armor pieces expand to reveal the glowing pink Psycho-frame underneath.  The main head switches faces to a more typical Gundam Face and its horn opens to reveal the typical Gundam Fins.  The other key element is that the Gundam’s Operating system contains the map/key to discovering the Laplace Box.

Laplace Box
A mysterious object held in trust by the Vist Foundation.  The object has allowed the Vist Foundation to command respect, funds, and power within the Earth Federation, since revealing the object to the world would cause the Earth Federation to lose a great deal of its power.  Vist Foundation is in the process revealing the box’s contents, but is thwarted by all side by Zeon, Earth Federation, and people in the foundation.

Because it was cute.