The RX-78-2 Gundam (Japanese: RX-78-2 ガンダム, Hepburn: Āru Ekkusu Nanajū Hachi no Ni Gandamu) is a fictional manned robot (mecha), introduced in 1979 in Yoshiyuki Tomino's and Sunrise's anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. In the series, it is a prototype weapon for the Earth Federation when it falls into the hands of Amuro Ray, the son of its designer in story (Tem Ray), who goes on to pilot it in the Earth Federation's war against the Principality of Zeon.
As the success of the series began the Gundam franchise, the robot's design was the first of many variations in subsequent works. The design appearing in Mobile Suit Gundam serves as the symbol of the Gundam franchise and sparked the creation of its multiple sequels and spinoffs; most future Gundams featured use the RX-78-2's color scheme and shape.
Conception and design
The RX-78's initial concept was that of a powered armor, the primary design for Yoshiyuki Tomino's proposed series Freedom Fighter Gunboy. The series later changed its name to Mobile Suit Gundam and Kunio Okawara was given Tomino's concept to shape into a finalized design for the anime. Okawara created multiple designs before settling on the current, samurai-styled design for the anime in 1979.
Enemies in the series regularly refer to the RX-78-2 as the white suit or the White Devil (due to the suit's formidable battle performance) while it is a mix of blue, red, and white. Tomino's response in the novel version of Gundam is that the original design was to be a grayscale machine, made up of mostly white and light gray colouring. However, Sunrise disapproved of the colouring and insisted the unit to be painted in brighter colours like other super robot anime at that time.[2]
The RGM-79 GM was a mass-produced mobile suit based on the RX-78-2's combat data and design, and spun off into its own line of mobile suits.
The RX-78-2 Gundam is part of the RX-78 series of high-performance mobile suits, which are primarily featured in spinoff media. They were originally designed by Kunio Okawara for the Mobile Suit Variation and Missing Mobile Suit Variation series. 8 units were created, with Units 7 and 8 remaining a mystery.
The RX-78-1 Prototype Gundam was the first mobile suit designed to combat the Zaku and led to the creation of the RX-78-2.
The RX-78-3 G-3 Gundam donned a gray color scheme and used as a testbed for the magnet coating technology later used by the main unit. It makes an appearance in the novel adaption of the show.[2]
Units "G04" and "G05" were featured in the video game Encounters in Space, and are sister units that eliminate the Core Block system for increased weaponry and better performance. Unit G04 was equipped with a Mega Beam Launcher, which was unstable and destroyed the unit by overloading its energy output.
The RX-78-6 Mudrock Gundam, featured in Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Missing Link, was a Zeonic unit utilizing built-in weaponry as opposed to external ones such as the beam rifle.
The FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam was an unbuilt schematic for modular weaponry and armor meant for the RX-78-2.
The PF-78-1 Perfect Gundam was first featured in the manga Plamo-Kyoshiro and was an RX-78-2 model kit modified with over-the-top armor and a shoulder-mounted water cannon.
The RX-78-NT1 Gundam NT-1 (nicknamed the Alex), was featured in the OVA War in the Pocket. Initially meant to be sent to Amuro as a replacement for the aging RX-78-2, it was test piloted by Christina Mackenzie and destroyed in the Side 6 space colony.
The RX-178 Gundam MK-II is featured as a key mobile suit in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, being piloted by protagonist Kamille Bidan in its first half and continuing to be used throughout it and Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam. Three units were produced by the Titans faction, improving on aspects of the original with technology such as a moving inner frame and a panoramic cockpit. All three units were later stolen by the Anti Earth Union Group (A.E.U.G) and one of them was given a new paint scheme while the other 2 were dismantled and studied.
Alternate designs
A redesigned iteration of the RX-78-2 by Hajime Katoki, referred to as Ver.Ka, is featured in merchandise such as the Master Grade line of model kits and the Gundam Fix Figuration line of figures.
Another iteration with a sleeker design is featured in the shorts series Gundam Evolve.
A version designed by mechanical engineer Ken Okuyama is featured in a short film and model kit to celebrate the franchise's 40th anniversary. The design was meant to mimic realistic human movement similar to the original series.
Gunboy-Wilbur is a "Machining Skin" featured in For the Barrel, a novel reinterpretation of the original series serialized in Newtype Magazine.[4]
Other media and merchandise
Pop culture
The RX-78-2 Gundam is one of the basic units that appear in the Super Robot Wars series, representing the Gundam franchise alongside series mainstays Mazinger and Getter Robo. [5]
The RX-78-2 also makes multiple cameo appearances in the anime Sgt. Frog.
The RX-78-2 Gundam appeared in the film Ready Player One (2018),[6] where one of the protagonists controls the RX-78-2 to battle Mechagodzilla.
On October 23, 2000, Japan included the RX-78 Gundam and Amuro Ray in the 20th Century Stamp Series.[7] This mobile suit and other notable machines from various Gundam series were also recognized in the second set of "Anime Heroes and Heroines" stamps, released in 2005. Other franchises and series included were Pokémon, Galaxy Express 999, and Detective Conan.[8]
Promotions
The RX-78-2 Gundam & 2 Medea transport planes were featured in a fire fighting poster in Japan. The RX-78-2 was equipped with water spraying equipment.[9]
On July 16, 2010 to June 30, 2011, ANA launched a series of flights as part of the 30th anniversary of Gunpla. Called the "ANA x GUNDAM Sky Project," the promotion used specially painted Boeing 777s on domestic and international flights. The initial flight was from Tokyo to Osaka. Promotional model kits include 1/144 scale versions of the RX-78-2, Gundam 00 Raiser, and Unicorn Gundam, as well as a 1/48 scale RX-78-2, all molded in ANA colors.[10][11]
Promotional food based on the Gundam include Pocky, Pepsi,[12][13] McDonalds, and Cup Noodles. Food promotions usually tie into merchandise, including exclusive model kits or miniature statues.
Statues
A life-sized statue of the Freedom Gundam from Gundam SEED in Shanghai
On March 23, 2008, a bronze statue of the Gundam was erected at the south entrance of Kami-Igusa Station in Suginami, Tokyo to honor the hometown animation studio Sunrise.[14]
As part of the 30th Anniversary of the Gundam series, the company officially announced a project on March 11, 2009, called Real-G planning to build a 1:1 real size scale Gundam in Japan. It was completed on June 9, 2009, and displayed in a Tokyo park.[15][16] The 18-meter tall statue was later moved and reconstructed in Shizuoka City, where it stayed from July 2010 to March 2011.[17][18] This design became the basis for the Real Grade model in 2010 and the Master Grade Ver.3.0 model in 2013 and makes an appearance in Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G. In August it was dismantled and reconstructed in Odaiba, Tokyo on April 19, 2012.[19][20] Until March 5, 2017, it stood in Odaiba along with a gift shop called "Gundam Front Tokyo".[21] On March 5, it was announced that the life size RX 78-2 Gundam will be replaced by a statue of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.[22]
A second statue based on the original Gundam was announced in late 2018 as part of the "Gundam Global Challenge" made to receive concepts for an animatronic version.[23] The statue, known as the RX-78F00 Yokohama Gundam, finished construction in 2020 and opened to the public on December 19, 2020 as part of the Gundam Factory Yokohama attraciton.[24][25] The statue was dismantled in 2024. A rebuilt version called the F00/E will be featured in the Gundam Next Future Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka.[26] This statue will be in a fixed pose, kneeling and reaching for the sky.
Gundam the Ride: A Baoa Qu was a theme park attraction from Fuji-Q Highland which ran from 2000 to 2007. Visitors are escorted in a battlship by 2 GM suits during the titular battle. The ride was replaced by Gundam Crisis, where visitors explore a hangar in order to collect data to access the RX-78-2's cockpit. If successful, an exclusive video will be shown inside the cockpit.[29]
The statue stood in Odaiba, Tokyo, outside the shopping mall Diver City Tokyo, where it was a centerpiece of the "Gundam Front Tokyo" attraction until March 5, 2017. Visitors could visit the statue and also see the Gundam Front Tokyo attraction on the sixth floor of the mall, which featured a 360 degree panoramic movie theater, a room dedicated to Gundam models throughout the years, concept artwork, and a life-size 1/1 scale bust of the Strike Freedom Gundam from the show Mobile SuitGundam SEED.[21] The nearby hotel, Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba (formerly Grand Pacific le Daiba) had a Gundam themed hotel room during this time.[30]
Toys and Model Kits
The original line of toys produced by the show's original sponsor Clover, diecast figures with more super robot aestethics, clashed with the show's themes and audience and was not a success. To capture the teenage and adult demographics, Bandai produced a line of model kits based on the Gundam and other mobile suits, which became immensely popular. the RX-78-2 Gundam has releases in virtually every model line and scale and is often used to commemorate a new model line or an anniversary.
The current Bandai Universal Century models' label copyright classification also uses the head of the Gundam as its icon.[31]
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