Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
Encyclopedia
Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN (機動戦士ガンダム：THE ORIGIN in Japanese) is a manga
adaptation of the television anime
series Mobile Suit Gundam
written and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
, the original series' character designer. This is the third direct manga adaptation of the TV series.
The series was first serialized in the magazine Gundam Ace
in Japan beginning in 2002 and has since been collected in 22 tankōbon
volumes. Both are published by Kadokawa Shoten
under their Kadokawa Comics A imprint. Viz Comics attempted to translate the series and publish it in America in a quarterly, perfect-bound magazine-sized format, although low sales very quickly ended the American run.
Although there were 12 volumes of the English translation released, they do not correspond with the Japanese volumes. The English volumes, with an average length between 100-130 pages were about half of that of the equivalent Japanese tankōbon, which ran anywhere between 200-270. The length varied as some contained just four chapters, some contained an additional "special" shorter side story, and others contained a full five chapters. The reason for this could be that the Japanese serialization focused on keeping distinct chapters. As a result, the English serialization ended up having a higher price point than its Japanese equivalent with only roughly half of the content. The English translation stops near the end of volume six in the Japanese version.
The popularity of the manga in Japan has led to the release of aizōban or Collector's Edition versions. Each collector's edition combines two tankōbon volumes (combining the beginning and end sections into one), creating large, leather bound, hardback editions with over 100 pages printed in full color, as opposed to about 5 pages per tankōbon.
It has recently been announced that the manga will itself garner an anime adaptation.
1. 始動編 ACTIVATION - Release Date: [2002年 05月 29日] 588円
2. 激闘編 FIERCE FIGHTING - Release Date: [2002年 07月 23日] 588円
3. ガルマ編・前 GARMA (Beginning) - Release Date: [2002年 11月 22日] 588円
4. ガルマ編・後 GARMA (End) - Release Date: [2003年 03月 20日] 588円
5. ランバ・ラル編・前 RAMBA RAL (Beginning) - Release Date: [2003年 07月 25日] 588円
6. ランバ・ラル編・後 RAMBA RAL (End) - Release Date: [2004年 03月 24日] 588円
7. ジャブロー編・前 JABURO (Beginning) - Release Date: [2004年 07月 23日] 588円
8. ジャブロー編・後 JABURO (End) - Release Date: [2004年 11月 22日] 588円
9. シャア・セイラ編・前 CHAR & SAYLA (Beginning) - Release Date: [2005年 04月 22日] 609円
10. シャア・セイラ編・後 CHAR & SAYLA (End) - Release Date: [2005年 08月 26日] 588円
11. 開戦編・前 STARTING A WAR (Beginning) - Release Date: [2005年 12月 26日] 588円
12. 開戦編・後 STARTING A WAR (End) - Release Date: [2006年 04月 26日] 588円
13. ルウム編・前 LOUM (Beginning) - Release Date: [2006年 07月 26日] 588円
14. ルウム編・後 LOUM (End) - Release Date: [2006年 12月 26日] 588円
15. オデッサ編・前 ODESSA (Beginning) - Release Date: [2007年 05月 26日] 588円
16. オデッサ編・後 ODESSA (End) - Release Date: [2007年 11月 26日] 588円
17. ララァ編・前 LALAH (Beginning) - Release Date: [2008年 06月 26日] 588円
18. ララァ編・後 LALAH (End) - Release Date: [2008年 12月 24日] 588円
19. ソロモン編・前 SOLOMON (Beginning) - Release Date: [2009年 06月 26日] 588円
20. ソロモン編・後 SOLOMON (End) - Release Date: [2010年 01月 26日] 588円
21. ひかる宇宙編・前 A COSMIC GLOW (Beginning) - Release Date: [2010年 07月 26日] 588円
22. ひかる宇宙編・後 A COSMIC GLOW (End) - Release Date: [2011年 02月 26日] 588円
23. めぐりあい宇宙編 ENCOUNTERS IN SPACE - Release Date: [2011年 11月 26日] 588円
公式ガイドブック GUIDE BOOK - Release Date: [2004年 08月 23日] 777円
公式ガイドブック2 GUIDE BOOK 2 - Release Date: [2010年 01月 26日] 777円
Aizōban
I. 始動編 ACTIVATION - Release Date: [2005年 05月 23日] 2625円
II. ガルマ編 GARMA - Release Date: [2006年 06月 21日] 2625円
III. ランバ・ラル編 RAMBA RAL - Release Date: [2007年 05月 26日] 2835円
IV. ジャブロー編 JABURO - Release Date: [2008年 06月 23日] 2835円
V. シャア・セイラ編 CHAR & SAYLA - Release Date: [2009年 06月 26日] 2835円
VI. 開戦編 STARTING A WAR - Release Date: [2010年 07月 26日] 2825円
VII. ルウム編 LOUM - Release Date: [2011年 02月 26日] 2940円
VIII. オデッサ編 ODESSA - Release Date: [2011年 08月 26日] 3045円
Issue #01-02: Activation
Issue #03-04: Combat
Issue #05-08: Garma
Issue #09-12: Ramba Ral
0079, and the eighth month of a vicious war
between the Earth Federation and a breakaway nation of space colonists, the Principality of Zeon. The story follows the crew of the ship White Base
, as they fight to ferry the experimental RX-78 Gundam
mobile suit to the Federation base at Jaburo.
Although for the most part faithful to the original series' plot (all of the major events unfold in mostly the same manner as the TV series, though often in different locales), Yasuhiko has taken the liberty of changing certain elements in the series universe, giving a different character to the series and the struggle that unfolds. Primary among these is the presence of mobile suits in both militaries well before the conflict begins—in fact, in the flashback sequences, both the Federation and Zeon militaries use Guntanks in 0068, and they and the Guncannon mobile suit are described as "obsolete" and fit for target practice in the first volume (in the TV series proper, both units were as new as the Gundam itself, designed to serve as long and mid-range fire support units).
Other differences concern the breadth of the Gundam's journey to Jaburo. Where it's implied that the White Base's journey to Jaburo in the series was pretty much a circumnavigation of the globe unconnected to many real-world locations, Yasuhiko's journey places the White Base's landfall near Los Angeles
, the headquarters of Garma Zabi (in the series, Garma was based out of a generic "New Yark"
—Origin in fact states the Zeon occupation HQ as Los Angeles City Hall
, with Garma residing in Hollywood/Beverly Hills) and moves the craft steadily to the southeast, and down the South America
n coast—past Caracas, Venezuela and through Macchu Picchu and into Brazil
, where Jaburo
is located. This retelling cuts out some of the more trivial encounters seen in the original series, while keeping and expanding on important characters like Garma, Ramba Ral, and the Black Tri-Stars. As a direct result the events of Operation Odessa which takes place around the Ukrainian city of the same name, occur after the events of Jaburo, as opposed to the anime where they occur before.
Yasuhiko further finally tells the entire back story of the Gundam universe in the manga. After the successful defense of Jaburo, the story diverts into a very in-depth flashback, told primarily from the viewpoints of Sayla
and Char
(with a secondary thread being told from Amuro's
POV) recounting the downfall of Zeon Zum Deikun
, the rise of the Zabi family, the construction of Side 7 and the research into Mobile Suits, and leading up through a decade until the launching of the One Year War. It also goes into detail answering many previously unanswered questions such the appearance of heretofore unseen Zeon mobile suits prior to the MS-05 Zaku I, how Dozle Zabi
received his trademark scars and even the origin of Casval Deikun/Edward Mass' "Char Aznable" identity. The canon status of these revelations is still a matter of debate. Volume fourteen, deals with the Battle of Loum at the beginning of the One Year War
, and is the last piece of the in-depth flashback.
The story has since shifted back on track to the original anime's storyline, featuring the White Base's involvement in the Federation's Operation Odessa. As well as including Kai Shiden
's encounter with Miharu. The most recent tankoubon serialization deals with the end of the Odessa campaign and (in another departure from the series) takes Ma Quve and his Gyan out of the picture before he has a chance to confront the Gundam.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation of the television 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....
series 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...
written and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
is a Japanese animator and manga artist in the anime industry.Yasuhiko dropped out of Hirosaki University and was hired by Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions in 1970 as an animator. He later went freelance and worked on various animation productions for film and television. In 1981 he won the Seiun...
, the original series' character designer. This is the third direct manga adaptation of the TV series.
The series was first serialized in the magazine Gundam Ace
Gundam Ace
is a monthly Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten, it largely focus on the Gundam franchise. There is a Chinese version published by Kadokawa Media Co., Ltd.-Overview:...
in Japan beginning in 2002 and has since been collected in 22 tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes. Both are published by Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
under their Kadokawa Comics A imprint. Viz Comics attempted to translate the series and publish it in America in a quarterly, perfect-bound magazine-sized format, although low sales very quickly ended the American run.
Although there were 12 volumes of the English translation released, they do not correspond with the Japanese volumes. The English volumes, with an average length between 100-130 pages were about half of that of the equivalent Japanese tankōbon, which ran anywhere between 200-270. The length varied as some contained just four chapters, some contained an additional "special" shorter side story, and others contained a full five chapters. The reason for this could be that the Japanese serialization focused on keeping distinct chapters. As a result, the English serialization ended up having a higher price point than its Japanese equivalent with only roughly half of the content. The English translation stops near the end of volume six in the Japanese version.
The popularity of the manga in Japan has led to the release of aizōban or Collector's Edition versions. Each collector's edition combines two tankōbon volumes (combining the beginning and end sections into one), creating large, leather bound, hardback editions with over 100 pages printed in full color, as opposed to about 5 pages per tankōbon.
It has recently been announced that the manga will itself garner an anime adaptation.
Volumes (Japanese Release)
Tankōbon1. 始動編 ACTIVATION - Release Date: [2002年 05月 29日] 588円
2. 激闘編 FIERCE FIGHTING - Release Date: [2002年 07月 23日] 588円
3. ガルマ編・前 GARMA (Beginning) - Release Date: [2002年 11月 22日] 588円
4. ガルマ編・後 GARMA (End) - Release Date: [2003年 03月 20日] 588円
5. ランバ・ラル編・前 RAMBA RAL (Beginning) - Release Date: [2003年 07月 25日] 588円
6. ランバ・ラル編・後 RAMBA RAL (End) - Release Date: [2004年 03月 24日] 588円
7. ジャブロー編・前 JABURO (Beginning) - Release Date: [2004年 07月 23日] 588円
8. ジャブロー編・後 JABURO (End) - Release Date: [2004年 11月 22日] 588円
9. シャア・セイラ編・前 CHAR & SAYLA (Beginning) - Release Date: [2005年 04月 22日] 609円
10. シャア・セイラ編・後 CHAR & SAYLA (End) - Release Date: [2005年 08月 26日] 588円
11. 開戦編・前 STARTING A WAR (Beginning) - Release Date: [2005年 12月 26日] 588円
12. 開戦編・後 STARTING A WAR (End) - Release Date: [2006年 04月 26日] 588円
13. ルウム編・前 LOUM (Beginning) - Release Date: [2006年 07月 26日] 588円
14. ルウム編・後 LOUM (End) - Release Date: [2006年 12月 26日] 588円
15. オデッサ編・前 ODESSA (Beginning) - Release Date: [2007年 05月 26日] 588円
16. オデッサ編・後 ODESSA (End) - Release Date: [2007年 11月 26日] 588円
17. ララァ編・前 LALAH (Beginning) - Release Date: [2008年 06月 26日] 588円
18. ララァ編・後 LALAH (End) - Release Date: [2008年 12月 24日] 588円
19. ソロモン編・前 SOLOMON (Beginning) - Release Date: [2009年 06月 26日] 588円
20. ソロモン編・後 SOLOMON (End) - Release Date: [2010年 01月 26日] 588円
21. ひかる宇宙編・前 A COSMIC GLOW (Beginning) - Release Date: [2010年 07月 26日] 588円
22. ひかる宇宙編・後 A COSMIC GLOW (End) - Release Date: [2011年 02月 26日] 588円
23. めぐりあい宇宙編 ENCOUNTERS IN SPACE - Release Date: [2011年 11月 26日] 588円
公式ガイドブック GUIDE BOOK - Release Date: [2004年 08月 23日] 777円
公式ガイドブック2 GUIDE BOOK 2 - Release Date: [2010年 01月 26日] 777円
Aizōban
I. 始動編 ACTIVATION - Release Date: [2005年 05月 23日] 2625円
II. ガルマ編 GARMA - Release Date: [2006年 06月 21日] 2625円
III. ランバ・ラル編 RAMBA RAL - Release Date: [2007年 05月 26日] 2835円
IV. ジャブロー編 JABURO - Release Date: [2008年 06月 23日] 2835円
V. シャア・セイラ編 CHAR & SAYLA - Release Date: [2009年 06月 26日] 2835円
VI. 開戦編 STARTING A WAR - Release Date: [2010年 07月 26日] 2825円
VII. ルウム編 LOUM - Release Date: [2011年 02月 26日] 2940円
VIII. オデッサ編 ODESSA - Release Date: [2011年 08月 26日] 3045円
Volumes (US Release)
Viz ComicsIssue #01-02: Activation
Issue #03-04: Combat
Issue #05-08: Garma
Issue #09-12: Ramba Ral
Story
The plot of the manga follows somewhat closely the plot of the original series. It is the year Universal CenturyUniversal 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....
0079, and the eighth month of a vicious 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...
between the Earth Federation and a breakaway nation of space colonists, the Principality of Zeon. The story follows the crew of the ship White Base
White Base
The White Base is a fictional spaceship from the Japanese science fiction anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. It serves as the mothership of the protagonist crew members and the famous mobile suit Gundam...
, as they fight to ferry the experimental RX-78 Gundam
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...
mobile suit to the Federation base at Jaburo.
Although for the most part faithful to the original series' plot (all of the major events unfold in mostly the same manner as the TV series, though often in different locales), Yasuhiko has taken the liberty of changing certain elements in the series universe, giving a different character to the series and the struggle that unfolds. Primary among these is the presence of mobile suits in both militaries well before the conflict begins—in fact, in the flashback sequences, both the Federation and Zeon militaries use Guntanks in 0068, and they and the Guncannon mobile suit are described as "obsolete" and fit for target practice in the first volume (in the TV series proper, both units were as new as the Gundam itself, designed to serve as long and mid-range fire support units).
Other differences concern the breadth of the Gundam's journey to Jaburo. Where it's implied that the White Base's journey to Jaburo in the series was pretty much a circumnavigation of the globe unconnected to many real-world locations, Yasuhiko's journey places the White Base's landfall near Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the headquarters of Garma Zabi (in the series, Garma was based out of a generic "New Yark"
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
—Origin in fact states the Zeon occupation HQ as Los Angeles City Hall
Los Angeles City Hall
Los Angeles City Hall, completed 1928, is the center of the government of the city of Los Angeles, California, and houses the mayor's office and the meeting chambers and offices of the Los Angeles City Council...
, with Garma residing in Hollywood/Beverly Hills) and moves the craft steadily to the southeast, and down the South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n coast—past Caracas, Venezuela and through Macchu Picchu and into Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, where Jaburo
Jaburo
In the fictional Mobile Suit Gundam metaverse, Jaburo is the headquarters of the Earth Federal Forces during the One Year War and the years after. It is a massive underground complex in the heart of Brazil, which according to Tomino, is roughly the size that Tokyo was in 1979, when the first Gundam...
is located. This retelling cuts out some of the more trivial encounters seen in the original series, while keeping and expanding on important characters like Garma, Ramba Ral, and the Black Tri-Stars. As a direct result the events of Operation Odessa which takes place around the Ukrainian city of the same name, occur after the events of Jaburo, as opposed to the anime where they occur before.
Yasuhiko further finally tells the entire back story of the Gundam universe in the manga. After the successful defense of Jaburo, the story diverts into a very in-depth flashback, told primarily from the viewpoints of Sayla
Sayla Mass
, is a fictional character from the Universal Century Gundam universe, first appearing in the groundbreaking 1979 43-episode anime series Mobile Suit Gundam...
and Char
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,...
(with a secondary thread being told from Amuro's
Amuro Ray
is a fictional character from the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam and its sequels, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Char's Counterattack, voiced by Tōru Furuya , Brad Swaile , Michael Lindsay and Matthew Erickson is a fictional character from the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam and its sequels, Mobile...
POV) recounting the downfall of Zeon Zum Deikun
Zeon Zum Deikun
is a philosopher and politician in the fictional Gundam stories, in which he developed Contolism, which was both about Ere-ism and Side-ism . This philosophy was welcomed by Side 3 , which made him leader of the Side...
, the rise of the Zabi family, the construction of Side 7 and the research into Mobile Suits, and leading up through a decade until the launching of the One Year War. It also goes into detail answering many previously unanswered questions such the appearance of heretofore unseen Zeon mobile suits prior to the MS-05 Zaku I, how Dozle Zabi
Dozle Zabi
In the fictional Mobile Suit Gundam series, is the second oldest son of Degwin Sodo Zabi and the Principality of Zeon's Space Attack Force Commander...
received his trademark scars and even the origin of Casval Deikun/Edward Mass' "Char Aznable" identity. The canon status of these revelations is still a matter of debate. Volume fourteen, deals with the Battle of Loum at the beginning of 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...
, and is the last piece of the in-depth flashback.
The story has since shifted back on track to the original anime's storyline, featuring the White Base's involvement in the Federation's Operation Odessa. As well as including Kai Shiden
Kai Shiden
was one of the supporting characters in the classic anime TV series Mobile Suit Gundam.Kai's name is derived from the name of a World War II era Japanese fighter plane, the Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai.-History:...
's encounter with Miharu. The most recent tankoubon serialization deals with the end of the Odessa campaign and (in another departure from the series) takes Ma Quve and his Gyan out of the picture before he has a chance to confront the Gundam.