MSN-02 Zeong
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Zeong | |
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| MSN-02 Zeong, "80%" complete | |
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| Fast Facts | |
| Model Number | MSN-02 |
| Ship Type | Prototype Newtype use mobile suit |
| Manufacturer | Principality of Zeon |
| Known Pilot | Char Aznable |
| General Characteristics | |
| Overall Height | 17.3 meters |
| Weight | empty 151.2 metric tons; max gross 231.9 metric tons |
| Generator output | 9,400 kW |
| Armaments | |
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| Special Equipments and Features | |
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| Perfect Zeong | |
| MSN-02 Perfect Zeong | |
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| General Characteristics | |
| Overall Height | 30.1 meters |
| Weight | empty 234.2 metric tons; max gross 421.2 metric tons |
The MSN-02 Zeong (sometimes Ziong or Jiong, see here) is a fictional mobile suit designed by Kunio Okawara for the anime Mobile Suit Gundam. It has also appeared in a slew of video games and other media, including, but not limited to, the Playstation 2 titles Federation vs. Zeon,[1] Encounters in Space[2] and Climax U.C.,[3] the Gundam Battle Assault[4] series of fighting games, Super Robot Wars,[5] and the motion simulator attraction Gundam the Ride: A Baoa Qu.[6]
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[edit] In Mobile Suit Gundam
Rolled out in the last days of the One Year War at the A Baoa Qu space fortress, the Zeong was the first combat-ready mobile suit intended for Newtype pilots. Previously, Psycommu systems had only been installed in large mobile armors due to bulky size.[7] By December UC 0079, the system had been refined to be small enough to fit into a scaled-up mobile suit; while significantly larger than contemporary mobile suits of the time, the Zeong represented a leap forward in Newtype mobile weapon design (the Psycommu system would still be too large to fit into a normal-sized mobile suit until the events of Zeta Gundam[7]).
To help make up for its large size, the Zeong is exceptionally heavily armed, mounting nearly a battleship's worth of mega particle cannons. Each of the mobile suit's digits mounts the barrel of one cannon, and a pair are installed in its torso. A final cannon is mounted in the mobile suit's face directly under its mono-eye track. The Psycommu system allows the Zeong's forearms to detach and operate independently of the main body, enabling it to perform all range attacks. A wire connects the arms to the mobile suit's main body, presumably to provide power and/or commands from the Psycommu system, somewhat limiting its maximum range when compared to a completely wireless bit. Unlike contemporary mobile suits, the Zeong's cockpit is positioned in its head. If the main body is destroyed or otherwise rendered inoperative, the head can be ejected to escape, or continue fighting.
Three MSN-02 units are confirmed to be built, though only one appeared in the animation. At Kishiria Zabi's behest, Captain Char Aznable requisitoned a Zeong to help defend A Baoa Qu against a large-scale attack by the Earth Federation Space Force on 31 December (episode 42[8]). This Zeong was only "80% complete" as its legs had yet to be installed; otherwise, it was fully combat capable (in zero gravity, at any rate). Char made a single sortie with the Zeong, sinking a Federation warship in the process, before it and Amuro Ray's RX-78 Gundam were mutually destroyed by each other within A Baoa Qu. Both Char and Amuro escaped their crippled mobile suits to continue their battle in hand to hand combat (episode 43[9]).
[edit] Elsewhere and Miscellany
Chronologically, Kunio Okawara designed the Zeong as a legless mobile suit for the 1979 animation. The legged version, known as the "Perfect" Zeong and sharing the same model number, appeared in Mobile Suit Variations in 1983, entering canon as the "completed" design.
Of interesting note, the Zeong is the first mobile suit in the Gundam franchise to feature a detachable arm-based attack; it has since appeared sporadically in a handful of animations (including, but not limited to, ZZ Gundam's Hamma Hamma, Char's Counterattack's Alpha Azieru and Gundam 0083's Neue Ziel). While certainly not uncommon at the time (1979) in the giant robot genre (Go Nagai's Mazinger Z and Getter Robo come to mind), it did put a new "spin" on the concept: the Zeong's arms utilize beam-based ranged attacks, as opposed to commonly-seen melee attacks, often in the vein of Mazinger Z's famous "Rocket Punch" or Getter-2's "Drill Missile".
Despite its brief appearance in the animation, limited to a single sortie, the Zeong has enjoyed considerable coverage in the merchandise area. As with most mobile suits from the series, the Zeong received a 1/144th-scale model kit in 1981.[10] It was featured in the 1/250th scale A Baoa Qu diorama, along with the RX-78 Gundam and an MS-09R Rick Dom, released in the same year.[11] A 1/250th-scale Perfect Zeong was released along with other MSV kits in 1983.[12] More recently, a 1/144-scale High Grade Universal Century kit was released in 2001,[13] a Mobile Suit in Action (MSiA) figure in 2004,[14] a 1/100th-scale Master Grade kit in 2002,[15] and again in its enormous "Perfect" legged form in 2004.[16] This kit is the largest, heaviest, and most expensive 1/100th-scale Master Grade kit to date. Expensive, high-detail resin kits have been released by B-Club.[17][18] In addition to model kits and figures, the Zeong's likeness, specifically its unique mono-eye track, has appeared on Gundam-themed clothing items.[17]
Perhaps the most bizarre iteration, a "Puchuu-ified" Zeong appeared in a Gundam/Leiji Matsumoto-themed episode of Excel Saga, along with a similarly Puchuu-ified RX-78.[19].
[edit] References
- ^ (Japanese) Encounters in Space official page. Bandai. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- ^ (Japanese) Federation vs. Zeon official page. Bandai. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- ^ (Japanese) Climax UC Official Website. Bandai. Retrieved on February 22, 2007.
- ^ Gundam: The Battle Master review. EX: Online World of Anime & Manga. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- ^ Super Robot Wars: Robot Series Guide. GameFAQs. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- ^ EX Special Report: Gundam The Ride. EX: Online World of Anime & Manga. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- ^ a b Newtypes and Newtype Weapons. Gundam Project (courtesy of the Wayback Machine). Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
- ^ Space Fortress A Baoa Qu episode review. MAHQ. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ Escape episode review. MAHQ. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ (Japanese) 1/144th Zeong (1981). Gundam Perfect Web. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ 1/250th Diorama: A Baoa Qu (1981). GundamShop.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ 1/250th Perfect Zeong (1983). GundamShop.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ 1/144th HGUC Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ MSiA Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ 1/100th Master Grade Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ 1/100th Master Grade Perfect Zeong. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 11, 2007.
- ^ a b Zeong products. HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- ^ Zeong products (alternate spelling). HobbyLink Japan. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- ^ Excel Saga episode guide. TelevisionWiki. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Zeong at GundamOfficial.com
- Zeong at MAHQ
- Perfect Zeong at MAHQ
- Mobile Suit Gundam at the Gundam Project (courtesy of the Wayback Machine)
- Mobile Suit Gundam plot synopsis at GundamOfficial.com
- (2002-5-6) Gundam: The Official Guide. Mark Simmons. ISBN 1569317399
- Zeong products at Hobby Search (English)
