How a manga retelling reshaped the history of the Gundam universe
In short: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin does more than just repeat the 1979 classic. By altering key details and expanding character backstories, this manga provides a comprehensive look at the rise of the Zabi family and the origins of the legendary Char Aznable.
Originally serialized in Gundam Ace between 2001 and 2011, Yasuhiko's manga serves as a detailed retelling of the 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam television series. While it remains largely faithful to the original plot, Yasuhiko introduces significant changes to the series' established lore. For instance, the manga reveals that mobile suits like Guntanks were already in use by both the Earth Federation Forces and Zeon as early as 0068, whereas the original series depicted the RX-75 and RX-77 as new support units.
The manga also provides a more expansive geographic journey for the White Base. Instead of traveling through Central Asia and Northern Ireland, the ship's path is redirected through locations such as Lake Mead, Los Angeles, Caracas, Machu Picchu, and the Guiana Highlands to reach the Federation headquarters at Jaburo. These shifts in setting, alongside the removal of certain minor encounters, allow for a more focused narrative on pivotal characters like Garma Zabi and Ramba Ral.
Beyond mere plot adjustments, the series functions as a massive prequel. It utilizes extensive flashback sequences to explain the downfall of Zeon Zum Deikun and the subsequent rise of the Zabi family. It also clarifies long-standing mysteries, such as the identity of Casval Deikun (Char Aznable) and the appearance of Zeon mobile suits that preceded the MS-05 Zaku I. This comprehensive retelling was later adapted into a multi-part original video animation (OVA) produced by Sunrise between 2015 and 2018.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
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