Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) is a 1988 Japanese anime science fiction film directed and written by Yoshiyuki Tomino. It is set in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam franchise. Featuring the talents of Shūichi Ikeda, Toru Furuya, Hirotaka Suzuoki, Maria Kawamura, Nozomu Sasaki, Kōichi Yamadera, among others, it focuses on Char Aznable's attempt of genocide on the planet Earth by pushing the asteroid called Axis into a collision with the planet. As a result, Char's rival from the Earth Federation Amuro Ray tries to defeat him in combat and avoid a slaughter in the process.
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 the Sweetwater colony rotating in space, being made at Toyo Links. Char's Counterattack was released in America on DVD on August 20, 2002, and was broadcast on January 4, 2003, on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block.
Upon release, the film made a gross of ¥1.16 billion in Japan. The film was praised for its production values though the rivalry between the two leads even earned mixed responses for being recycled from the original 1979 television series. Director Yoshiyuki Tomino also expressed doubts about the film he directed in retrospective. Nevertheless, Tomino wrote another novel known as Beltorchika's Children which focuses more on Amuro's personal life and was adapted into a manga series.
Plot
In UC 0093, Char Aznable returns to prominence and leads Neo Zeon in battle against the Earth Federation, aiming to plunge Earth into a nuclear winter by dropping asteroids to progress humanity's evolution as Newtypes. A Federation task force called Londo Bell, which includes Bright Noa and Char's rival Amuro Ray, engages Neo Zeon during an asteroid drop operation at Fifth Luna. Amuro fights Char but is forced to withdraw due to Char's superior abilities in his MSN-04 Sazabi mobile suit, as Fifth Luna successfully collides with Lhasa.
On Earth, Federation Vice Minister Adenauer Paraya and his rebellious daughter Quess narrowly escape Fifth Luna's collision on a shuttle, bringing along Bright's son Hathaway who develops a crush on Quess. They rendezvous with Londo Bell's command ship, the Ra Cailum, and head for the space colony Londenion per Adenauer's request. During the journey, Amuro works with close friend and engineer Chan Agi to fine-tune the psycoframe of his custom mobile suit, the RX-93 v Gundam (pronounced "Nu Gundam"). Hathaway and Quess discuss Char's willingness to destroy Earth despite having allied with the Federation in the past, and Quess resonates with his motives, leaving Hathaway skeptical.
Arriving in Londenion, Adenauer and the Federation secretly negotiate a peace treaty with Char, granting him the former mining asteroid Axis. While relaxing in the colony with Quess and Hathaway, Amuro recognizes Char and attacks him. Quess betrays Amuro and leaves with Char, much to Hathaway's distress. Sensing her potential, Char begins manipulating Quess, learning that she is a powerful Newtype. Char announces to Neo Zeon that the treaty is a ruse to gain control of Axis and sets its trajectory for a collision with Earth. Neo Zeon ambushes and cripples a Federation fleet, which Quess participates in and kills Adenauer as her mental state further deteriorates.
With Londo Bell left to fend themselves, Bright leads the task force to stop Axis by any means necessary. Hathaway begs to join to save Quess, but Amuro stops him out of fear for his safety as he deploys in the hastily developed Gundam.
Production and development
After the production of Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, the movie was planned in response to fan desire for a conclusion to the rivalry between Amuro Ray and Char Aznable.[1] The film was originally planned to be released in January 1988.[2]
The movie was directed and written by Yoshiyuki Tomino. The first draft of the script was over two hours long and featured Beltorchika Irma, Amuro's partner from Zeta Gundam, now married to him. Concerns were raised over whether it was appropriate for a robot anime to have a married main character. In subsequent drafts, Beltorchika was removed and her role was filled by two new characters, Chan Agi and Quess Paraya.[3] The character Mineva Lao Zabi, who had appeared in Zeta Gundam and Gundam ZZ, was also omitted as her presence would have made the story overly complicated.[4] The original draft of the story was adapted by Tomino into a 1988 novelization entitled Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack - Beltorchika's Children (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア―ベルトーチカ・チルドレン). Notably, this novelization featured a new revision of the v Gundam design later dubbed the Hi-v Gundam (read "Hi-Nu" Gundam), and replaced Char's Sazabi with a new Mobile Suit named the Nightingale.
Release
At the Japanese box office, the film sold 1.3million tickets[66] and grossed ¥1.16 billion.[67]
The film made its American debut on August 20, 2002, on DVD and was later re-released during Sunrise's release of its One Year War properties (specifically Mobile Suit Gundam, 08th MS Team, 0080, and 0083).
As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Gundam franchise, Char's Counterattack played in select theaters in the U.S. on December 5, 2019.[68]
Home media
Legacy
Novels
Two publishers each printed a different Char's Counterattack book version by writer and director Yoshiyuki Tomino before the release of the movie.[82][83] The first was prepublished as Hi-Streamer in Animage starting its May 1987 issue, with Tomino initially attempting to separate it from the Gundam intellectual property, and later reedited as High-Streamer.[84] The second one, published with the Beltorchika's Children subtitle, was based on the first draft of the movie.[82]
Game
Bandai produced a Char's Counterattack 3D fighting game for the PlayStation
External links
- Official Website: Anime
- Animerica review