Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack

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Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
2001 Japanese DVD cover
機動戦士ガンダム：逆襲のシャア (Kidō Senshi Gandamu: Gyakushū no Shā)
Genre	Military science fiction
Anime film
Director	Yoshiyuki Tomino
Studio	Sunrise
Released	March 12, 1988
Runtime	124 minutes
Manga
Author	Yoshiyuki Tomino
Illustrator	Koichi Tokita
Publisher	Kodansha
Magazine	Comic Bom Bom
Original run	September 1998 – January 1999
Volumes	1
Anime and Manga Portal

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア, Kidō Senshi Gandamu: Gyakushū no Shā^?) is a 1988 anime film set in the primary Universal Century timeline of Gundam, taking place in U.C. 0093.

Making its theatrical debut on March 12, 1988, Char's Counterattack is the final culmination of the original saga begun in Mobile Suit Gundam and continued through Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam Double Zeta, marking the final conflict of the fourteen-year rivalry between Char Aznable and Amuro Ray, and the end of the EF/Zeon conflicts. The movie is based on the novel by Yoshiyuki Tomino.

In addition to being the first original Gundam theatrical release, Char's Counterattack was also the first Gundam production to make use of computer graphics during a five-second shot of a colony rotating serenely in space. Char's Counterattack made its American debut on January 4, 2003 at 11 p.m. on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

[edit] Plot summary

The year is Universal Century 0093. Five years have passed since the first Neo Zeon movement. The Federation has recovered from its defeat and has created a new anti-colonial special forces unit to deal with rebel forces: Londo Bell. Elsewhere in space Char Aznable re-appears out of self imposed hiding with a declaration that he now commands his own Neo Zeon movement. Unlike movements of the past, Char intends to force the emigration of Earth's inhabitants to space by bringing about an apocalypse. Faced with a renewed space war the Earth Federation tasks Londo Bell to suppress Char’s uprising before it can gain momentum. When Neo Zeon forces agree to surrender in exchange for the abandoned mining colony Axis the Federation believes that the crisis has been averted; however Londo Bell forces think otherwise, and when the asteroid unexpectedly begins moving toward earth Londo Bell’s worst fears are realised. With Neo Zeon forces poised to win, and the Federation unable to reinforce Londo Bell the fate of Earth once more rests with Amuro Ray and his RX-93 Nu Gundam.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Protagonists

Amuro Ray

The Famous pilot of the RX-78-2 Gundam during the One Year War. During the second Neo-Zeon movement, Amuro is assigned to the battleship Ra Cailum, Londo Bell's flagship, as the leader of the ship's mobile suit squads. Amuro initially pilots the RGZ-91 Re-GZ, but despite managing to hold his fight against the funnel-equipped Char and Gyunei altogether (and critically damaging Gyunei's Jagd Doga), Amuro was unable to stop Neo-Zeon dropping Luna V on the Federation's Lhasa headquarter. Traveling to the Moon, Anaheim Electronics soon delivers to him the RX-93 Nu Gundam, a highly advanced mobile suit largely designed by Amuro himself. Still not having been promoted past the rank of Lieutenant, it is widely believed that his relatively low status in the Earth Federation is a sign of the government's continued mistrust in Newtypes.

At Battle of Axis, after defeating Char's MSN-04 Sazabi in the duel and capturing Char's escape pod, Amuro attempted to single-handedly stop the asteroid from colliding with Earth by pushing it with his Nu Gundam. His action inspired other mobile suits to join in, even Neo-Zeon soldiers. Although he eventually succeeded, the act overloaded Nu Gundam's psychoframe construct. The fates of both Amuro and Char were never revealed in the film, though the novelization of Char's Counterattack confirms both as KIA.

Amuro Ray is voiced by Tōru Furuya in Japanese and Brad Swaile in English.

Bright Noa

The commanding officer of Londo Bell Task Force. He was rejoined by his former subordinate Amuro Ray. They played critical roles during the events in Char's Counterattack when they encountered and fought Char Aznable's Neo Zeon rising faction for the last time.

Bright Noa is voiced by Hirotaka Suzuoki in Japanese and Chris Kalhoon in English.

Chan Agi

Chan Agi is voiced by Mitsuki Yayoi in Japanese and Nicole Leroux in English.

Hathaway Noa

Hathaway Noa is voiced by Nozomu Sasaki in Japanese and Bill Switzer in English.

Kayra Su

Kayra Su is voiced by Shinobu Adachi in Japanese and Angela Hendricks in English.

[edit] Antagonists

Char Aznable

Char Aznable is voiced by Shūichi Ikeda in Japanese and Michael Kopsa in English.

Quess Paraya

Quess Paraya is voiced by Maria Kawamura in Japanese and Jocelyne Loewen in English.

Nanai Miguel

Nanai Miguel is voiced by Yoshiko Sakakibara in Japanese and Jenn Forgie in English.

Gyunei Guss

Gyunei Guss is voiced by Kōichi Yamadera in Japanese and Kirby Morrow in English.

Rezin Schnyder

Rezin Schnyder is voiced by Kazue Ikura.

[edit] Others

Adenaur Paraya

Adenaur Paraya is voiced by Shunsuke Shima in Japanese and Trevor Devall in English.

Mirai Yashima

Mirai Yashima is voiced by Fuyumi Shiraishi in Japanese and Cathy Weseluck in English.

Cheimin Noa

Cheimin Noa is voiced by Mayumi Shou in Japanese and Alaina Burnett in English.

[edit] Production and development

This section requires expansion.

Yoshiyuki Tomino adapted Char's Counterattack from the novel Beltorchika's Children, although most think it vice versa. Tomino had planned previously to feature Char's return in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, however when he got the green light to do Char's Counterattack, he dropped the planned appearance. Tomino does not recall his plans to bring back Char in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ.

Three of the four mecha designers credited on Char's Counterattack went on to direct their own anime series: Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Yutaka Izubuchi (RahXephon) and Koichi Ohata (Burst Angel along with several other OVAs). Yoshinori Sayama continued designing on shows such as Patlabor, Cowboy Bebop and Izubuchi's RahXephon.

[edit] Staff

• Director/Screenplay: Yoshiyuki Tomino
• Character Designer: Hiroyuki Kitazume
• Mobile Suit Designer: Yutaka Izubuchi
• Mecha Designs: Gainax, Yoshinori Sayama
• Art Director: Shigemi Ikeda

[edit] Theme music

Ending:

• "Beyond the Time ~Beyond the Möbius Universe~" (BEYOND THE TIME ～メビウスの宇宙を越えて～, Mebiusu no Sora wo Koete^?)

Performed by TM Network (Tetsuya Komuro, Takashi Utsunomiya and Naoto Kine)

Music and arrangement by Tetsuya Komuro

Lyrics by Mitsuko Komuro

[edit] Reception

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Website (GundamOfficial)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack at the Internet Movie Database
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (film) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia