ZGD Volume 1, End Of Volume Interview With Hiroyuki Kitazume And Shuichi Ikeda

"At some point, Char's eyes came to hate the light"

If you kitbash the canons, Char messed up his own eyes by dilating them so he could wear his stupid helmet, and I think that's beautiful.

Please let me take you on this journey with me. (lol)

My friend, who had watched every non-parody Gundam involving Char Aznable before inviting me into the Universal Century fandom pit, introduced his character to me originally, explaining that he was hiding his face from his political enemies underneath that iconic helmet.

"Sure, but how does he justify just... wearing that? What's his excuse?"

"He tells people he's got some kind of eye problem. Really, it's that the guy whose identity he stole had brown eyes, and his are blue."

"There are no colored contacts in the space future?"

"IDK, maybe they'd adhere to your eyes weirdly in space."

...And I just accepted that. I occasionally wondered how much of his peripheral vision is cut off from the rather small size of his mask's eye-holes, but whatever, man, it's aesthetic. I didn't think too much more about it until, in the Zeta novelization (which I'm not finished reading), the narration in one of Char's POV chapters describes the Earth as seen from space as "too bright."

"What if he actually has an eye problem?"

As someone who has been told by my own eye doctor to make certain to wear sunglasses outdoors because "people with light-colored eyes are prone to long-term problems from UV exposure," I could see it if he actually had some sort of issue. Anecdotally, a lot of people with lighter-colored eyes suffer from light sensitivity, as well.

When I started reading The Origin, I became more convinced of this interpretation. For instance, during the "beach episode" segment, before we see Amuro reunite with his mom, Mirai and Sayla are lounging on the sand, and only Sayla, who has the same light blue eyes as her brother, is wearing sunglasses. She's been listening to her optometrist!

However, several more books in, there's a panel I cannot find at the moment where we see Char putting in eyedrops. With no actual proof that this is what he's doing—there are all sorts of reasons he might be using eyedrops; he could have seasonal allergies, for instance—I decide that he is just straight up dilating his eyes.

"...Is he... is he doing that so he can see out of his dumb visor?? Does he have to do that every day?? From the time he enters the military academy to the end of First Gundam??"

Although I reached this interpretation with very little supporting evidence, I don't need to be a medical student to figure out that, should I be correct in my assumptions, this is the definition of "play stupid games, win stupid prizes."

When I once again went back to reading the Zeta novelization, I was blessed with the great line, "at some point, Char's eyes came to hate the light."

"'At some point,' huh? Maybe from dilating his eyes every day for like three years...??"

Char Aznable is a doofus who messed up his own eyes and then did not put two and two together to figure out why "at some point" he happened to become hypersensitive to light. The combined narratives of Tomino and Yasuhiko have come together to give me this glorious gift. (lol)

When I suggested as much to that same friend who introduced me to Gundam, she theorized, "What if he suffers from migraines?"

"It'd be impressive that he ever gets anything done at all, if he's that prone to migraines. Let alone piloting murder-death-machines in space."

Whether he gets migraines or not, it's enough of an issue for him that he employs technology to help him avoid intense light sources. According to the Zeta novels, the sunvisors in normal suits' helmets can apparently dampen the light of the stars completely, allowing the wearer to only focus on the brighter, man-made structures. (I believe there are several times he's got his sunglasses on inside of his helmet in the TV anime, as well.)

At another point, we're told that the displays inside of the mobile suits have an automatic filter applied to the camera feed that, in real time, tones down the brightness of intense lights, such as those from explosions. In addition to keeping this filter in place, Char also manually dims the monitors' overall brightness. (Overriding a safety feature, if I'm reading that part properly, lol.)

Later, I got to thinking about Char's Counterattack. We see him occasionally slip on a pair of shades, but he spends the majority of the movie without anything covering his face. After all, Tomino goes out of his way in the Zeta novels to let us know that "his blue eyes were beautiful," and, as the charismatic leader of a rebel dictatorship, why not flaunt what you've got? (lol) Who cares if it means you keep getting migraines? I'm sure being in constant pain wouldn't inspire you to make any questionable policy decisions or anything…

Besides which, showing off his good looks helps differentiate him from the last space dictator, who was a bit of a potato. (Although Degwin also wore red and covered his eyes... Hm...)

Anyway, this has been my rant on Char Aznable's ocular health. A very important matter for Universal Century scholars, brought under the examining glass for the first time. May I never think of it again, lol.

Hi! I just started reading your recaps of the Zeta Define manga, and thank you so much for writing them! They are super interesting, and for a person who doesn’t speak Japanese (like me) your posts are invaluable. I really appreciate what you are doing!

This is very nice of you to say! I'm glad someone is reading them! 😊

I don't know if I love Zeta on its own merits or if I'm just a huge Kamille fan, but when I couldn't find information on ZGD's contents online, I thought it was a real shame. I recently moved to a neighborhood where there's a Japanese bookstore, and when I saw that they stocked ZGD, I thought that it must be destiny. (lol)

I'm not sure how frequently I'll be posting, but I hope to read all of it at some point!

(By the by, I enjoyed your impressions on the Beltorchika's Children manga a lot! They're very funny and insightful! The manga itself looks fun, too. I can only aspire to Zeonic Scanslations' level... I'm so glad they're out there doing full translation work like that.

Someone on Twitter named @/char_aznabirb is summarizing the novel version of High-Streamer as well... It's such a good time to be a Gundam fan!)

Digital Privacy for 🇺🇸 Protests

This isn’t my normal content, but I was once a CS student, and am still obnoxiously tech-aware. I understand, to some extent, how data-harvesting works and what it’s used for. I am aware of instances where subpoenas of data from commercially available tech products have been used to convict people in court. Each of us has a large data trail following us around, and, to my knowledge, some of that data has been used in recent years against citizens who fully believed they "weren’t doing anything wrong" or that they "had nothing to hide" in cases where basic rights were ignored.

That said, if you’re planning to protest and want to minimize your chances of harassment from powers-that-be, I urge you to consider making plans to increase your digital privacy. Some of these methods are more complicated and costly than others, but I want to present them in the hopes that even one of the suggestions can improve your chances of not being unduly punished for exercising your legal right to peaceful protest.

If this is too much information for you to read, concise suggestions are available in this Boston Magazine article. (They don't have information on burner phones, though. Still, DO please read their section on locking your phone with a secure PIN.) I just want to thoroughly go through the "what" and "why."

This is not legal advice, it is not guaranteed to be accurate or comprehensive, and it furthermore represents only one person's understanding of digital security, as compiled from multiple sources over multiple years. It may not be up to date, especially if it is viewed after any length of time from its original posting. Please use this as a jumping-off point to do your own research. No matter how strongly I word something, assume it is an opinion and not a fact. Do not use any information in this guide to break or circumvent any laws or in the service of breaking or circumventing any laws.

Leave your phone at home

Pros

Costs no money*, requires little setup.

Completely eliminates being digitally tracked (as long as you're not carrying other tech gadgets).

Cons

*People who rely on phones for basic utilities may have to acquire additional analogue devices, which will cost money and time. (For instance, a (non-bluetooth enabled) wristwatch, a medical ID bracelet, a paper map, etc.)

People who have never lived in their current city without a smartphone may not have practice navigating physical spaces without GPS.

People who normally rely on digital payment methods and don't have credit/debit cards may have to make plans to carry cash instead, which may be difficult for people who don't have regular access to banking.

People who need to contact others for a ride may need to ask a stranger or a store clerk if they can borrow their phone. (Believe it or not, this was a common question asked of cashiers before the early 2000s. Many stores had no problem allowing customers to make short phone calls on the company phone, but it might be a strange request nowadays.)

Turn your phone off at protests

Pros

Costs no money, requires the least setup.

The VAST MAJORITY of tracking methods are blocked when a cell phone is turned off. (Unless you are a person-of-interest to a major player like the NSA, this is probably sufficient to stop you from being tracked.)

Cons

Same as for "leave your phone at home," but on a temporary basis.

In order for this to be a useful privacy measure, one must take great care to keep the phone off until one is physically far away from the site of the protest. This means that people who need to contact others for a ride, but don't want to do as suggested above, may need to walk a considerable distance away from the protest before turning their phone back on.

Put your phone in a "Faraday Bag"

Pros

Equally secure to not carrying your phone, theoretically.

Cons

One must find and purchase this item, making it a non-zero cost solution.

Some online listings for speciality items like this misrepresent their capabilities. It is up to the purchaser to test the item thoroughly before relying on its use. (It could be counterfeit or just poorly made, in other words.)

Once more, in order for this to be a useful privacy measure, the need to physically remove oneself from the protest before taking the phone out of the bag and returning to normal use may prove challenging for those requiring a phone to contact a ride home.

Turn on "Airplane Mode"

Pros

Costs no money, ties for requiring the least setup.

Cons

I have been informed that Apple phones do not disable Wifi when Airplane Mode is engaged. If one forgets to also disable Wifi, phones may connect to available public Wifi hotspots, which may include honeypots set up by malicious actors.

I will freely admit that I am, perhaps, overly-cautious, but I am suspicious of trusting Airplane Mode to work properly on all phones. Computers are ultimately programmed by human beings, who are certainly fallible. I think it is far wiser to simply turn one's phone off.

If one uses their phone to take photos or videos at the protest, but hasn't turned off auto-sync with cloud services (Google Photos, iCloud, etc.), those photos may be accessible by companies who can be subpoenaed to provide them to a court.

DON'T DO THIS: Turn off wireless communications, such as Wifi, GPS/location services, bluetooth, etc.

Pros

None. This is security theater.

To be clearer, this will prevent apps from tracking users, but the operating system will still know their location, etc. Apple and Google can be subpoenaed and don't have spotless records at protecting the privacy of their user-base in cases like this.

Cons

See "Pros."

Additionally, the note about photos and videos from the "Airplane Mode" section also applies.

Keep using one's phone as normal, but at least use encrypted messaging

Pros

Pictures and videos sent to others using the same encrypted messaging service (which may include protestors' faces) will be encrypted, and will be more difficult for others to obtain via digital sniffing.

Messages sent and calls made through these services will similarly be encrypted and therefore more difficult for others to intercept.

Cons

The location of the phone will be known to the user's cell service provider as well as to any data-gathering apps (including social media, etc.) they have installed. This information can be subpoenaed in court.

Additionally, the note about photos and videos from the "Airplane Mode" section also applies.

Get a burner phone

Pros

Allows a person to leave their usual phone at home, while still having the ability to call others in case of an emergency.

Cons

Costs a not-insignificant amount of money and time, and requires research and tech knowledge.

If the person with the burner phone calls another person in the case of an emergency, the recipient of that call will have a record of having received the call from that burner phone, and the burner phone will have a record of having been at the protest, if it was in use at the time. This implicates your emergency contact as an accomplice to a protestor.

Doing this properly involves a number of steps. One must feel comfortable:

Navigating, without one's primary phone, to a place where pay-as-you-go, no-contract phones are sold. For instance, Walmart carries these sorts of phones through Straight Talk Wireless.

Purchasing a phone and a card representing "minutes" in cash.

Activating the phone using a payphone or courtesy phone (these exist at some airports reliably and at some gas stations unreliably) or at an internet cafe, college, or library with courtesy computers (even more rare than payphones).

Not allowing the sales representative to make an account with your identifying information. (To my knowledge, it is possible to opt out of making an account with Straight Talk Wireless, but they will almost certainly suggest it to you if you set up via phone call. I have no experience, so I could be wrong in either case.)

Setting up the phone in a way that is consistent with privacy practices (see this Reddit post for details, although note that its author uses somewhat rough language).

Turning the burner phone off and removing the battery and/or placing it in a Faraday bag before returning home, to work, or to any other location that is tied to your identity. (The Nokia 2760 Flip, available at Walmart as of this posting, seems to allow the user to remove the battery, which I would ultimately recommend. Its utility for anything other than calls and texting seems questionable, however.)

Feel free to reblog with any additional information I've missed, or corrections for incomplete or incorrect information represented herein. I'm not an expert amongst experts; I'm just someone with a passing interest in technological security.

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I've decided to read the Zeta Gundam Define manga and do a very quick and dirty summary. It's not comprehensive and the "quotes" might not be accurate, but if you don't mind that, let's have fun reading!

This manga is an adaptation of the Zeta anime. Various changes have been made. The anime is from the mid-80s and Define is from the early 2010s, so they're bound to be pretty different.

Something really cute in the first few pages is that "Quattro" tells Apolly and Roberto not to go off on their own and start a fight by themselves, to which Roberto replies something along the lines of, "Do we look like rookies to you? We'll be fine." And "Quattro" responds, "Sorry, Roberto-chuui, I happened to remember an old mistake of mine," which is a reference to the "mistakes made due to youth" line, lol.

Kamille's intro is pretty different in two big ways. Firstly, Bright was already going to be signing autographs at the port where Kamille goes to meet him. Secondly, Jerid throws the first punch between the two of them, making Kamille look far less impulsive and entitled right away. (lol)

During the initial scouting mission, where "Quattro" takes pictures of the Titans base, he mentions that things look very much as expected from the information Reccoa had gathered. I like this mention of Reccoa; it often feels, in the anime, like the women barely contribute outside of piloting, which isn't fair.

The face of someone who very much wants to be somewhere else lol

The manga also does not have Kamille start a fight with the MP as he's getting discharged. Come on! I want my favorite terrible boy, Kamille Bidan!! Who is this kid who thinks before he starts throwing punches, lol??

"Quattro" sees Jerid's spectacularly bad performance in the Mk II, where he crashes into the detention center, and is like, "Well, I guess we can't go back empty-handed." This is my favorite kind of Japanese, where the rest of the sentence is missing. "I guess we can't go back empty-handed, seeing as they're this incompetent. We can probably steal some Gundams no problem."

I think because Kamille isn't meant to be super close to Fa at the start, and because it's not the 80s, they changed to having Kamille refer to her by her last name in the beginning. This also will allow for a bigger emotional impact if he starts calling her "Fa," later. (They still don't use honorifics with each other, and she still calls him by his first name, though, lol)

UH. Okay, I guess Fa got interrogated, too, but she's in her underwear, so what kind of interrogation, exactly?? This is Uncomfortable; Do Not Want. Kamille steals one of the unconscious MP's jackets for her before noting that he was discharged because his parents are with the military, but who knows what would have happened to her. “This is the way Titans does things!”

The first fight is set up very cleverly, with plenty of time to introduce both Reccoa and Emma, and characterize them a bit. There's a spy within the AEUG who gives away "Quattro" and the others' locations, instead of them kind of just running into the Titans on accident, lol.

There's also a lot of characterization of Jerid as a dumbass, which I appreciate as the fandom's top Jerid hater.

It’s so funny to me how much the manga tries to make Kamille a more sympathetic person. He's not ignoring his mom who's concerned her son might've been crushed in a building cave-in; he just doesn't notice she's there!

I think Tomino remembered being a teenager and wrote a teenager. I think this manga has instead decided to have a Shounen Protagonist.

I'm not on his side, but I do think it's funny that Kakricorn is like, "Look, Bright, dude, I don't like you because everyone acts as if the White Base and the Gundam won the OYW on their own. That's not how war works, man." Bad guy, good argument, lol.

Instead of Kamille threatening to step on the MP in the Gundam, we have Kakricorn damn near stepping on Bright, instead. I will not mourn Kettle Corn when he dies.

So far, I don't like Fa's characterization, which mostly just consists of her yelling someone's name with a look of concern on her face.

Kamille: Thanks for your help earlier (stopping Jerid from beating me too severely), but I'm gonna commandeer this Gundam now, okay?

Emma: No, that's not okay! That's not okay at all!!

(That’s not exactly how it went, lol)

Both Kamille and Amuro, in subsequent adaptations, have been changed to have hacked into their fathers' computers and looked over the Gundam's inner workings in detail.

Bright: If that's Kamille in there, he's the second Amuro!

Kamille does just fine, as to be expected. Meanwhile, Char’s Newtype senses are tingling.

Char: Oh, so the feeling I've been getting is from that pilot! Then, rather than the Gundam, we should focus on taking him back with us!

Okay, well, you're lucky he's amenable to that. AU where Char just straight up kidnaps Newtype children...

Char: We just want your mobile suits! If you surrender them, we guarantee your lives will be spared!

Kakricorn: Who'd believe the words of a terrorist!?

Kamille: I believe you!

(lol)

So, Kamille is on team Char (or rather, team anti-Titans) right away, which is similar to the plot in the anime. However, we also get a few other additions to the AEUG right away.

Kamille: I'll come with you, but I'm also bringing Yuiri.

He didn't discuss this with Fa beforehand. She seems okay with it, but again, I'd like more actual character development for her lol. She feels like a prop at the moment.

He also asks Bright to join, and there’s a little dialogue where he gets convinced. So we've already got Bright and Fa on the AEUG's side from the equivalent of episode 1.

Emma remains unconvinced for now and stays with the Titans for the time being.

While the fight’s been going on inside the colony, Reccoa and Saegusa have been sabotaging Green Oasis' docking bay, where the GMs are stored. That's why Titans can't get assistance during that first fight. Good detail!

We switch over to the Titans’ perspective and... I feel like two things are happening. I find the Titans boring and am glossing over their dialogue, and also a lot of it goes over my head at my current reading level (and I don’t feel like poking around in a dictionary for their sake). The worst of both worlds. Anyway, we should actually spend time with them if we want them to be compelling enemies, but I just can't find them compelling no matter how much time we spend with them. A conundrum.

When we move back to the fight, we get this cool Kamille POV panel. We never get straight shots from the pilots' POV in the series. I felt a slight excitement or nervousness looking at this panel, so I think the manga did a good job of getting me in the characters' headspace!

"Quattro" thinks to himself that he never thought he would meet the captain of the White Base under these conditions... Yeah, it's a bit strange, "Quattro"...

Bright being like, "My wife is totes a Newtype," is refreshing, since everyone is usually like, "she's a bit Newtype-ish" instead of fully admitting to it. I mean, I guess he says "NTのよう/NT no you" instead of just "Newtype," but that's still as close as we've ever gotten in a Gundam thing to admitting the obvious here.

Mirai Yashima: stealth Newtype.

Bright: (Why does Quattro-taii think Kamille is like Amuro? If he has firsthand experience of knowing about Amuro's powers, when exactly and where exactly did he gain that experience?)

Gee, I wonder, Bright. That "Quattro" guy is pretty suspicious...

...And that's the first volume! Basically covers just one episode of the anime. I'm sure it picks up the pace from here; there are 18 volumes, I think? I had plenty of fun; I’ll probably keep reading and summarizing it. 🌟

This is my second post in the "jakka-ningen reads Zeta Define" series, covering volume 2. I have a lot more to say this volume, as there are lots of divergences from the anime from this point out.

Right from the beginning of volume 2, we have Char showing off in the Gundam Mk-II. Bright is impressed with his ability to adapt to a new suit right away, to which one of the bridge crew responds...

Guy: He's just the showy sort, that Red-- (realizes what he's saying, to whom) re, re...

Bright: ...?

"Quattro" is a master of disguise, truly.

While convincing Bright to captain the Argama, he just takes more and more stabs at trying to figure out the secrets of Quattro Bajeena, and the crew is like, "iono, it's a mystery."

Fa's parents apparently work for the colony construction company. This is a little interesting, because that was the cover Amuro's dad was using while working on the Gundam.

Henken: Hey, Bright is real curious about you.

Char: Yeah, he knows me. I'll figure out something or other to do about it.

Henken: See that you do. I'll leave it to you, then!

...Does literally everyone know? I figured everyone kind of knew, and were just humoring Char, but it seems that Char himself is aware that everyone knows. I thought Char believed that he was being Very Sneaky. The idea that everyone knows behind his back is immensely funnier. But, oh well.

Char: [...], Kamille-kun.

Kamille: Why not just call me by my full name? You've already researched me and found out who my parents are, I'm sure.

Roberto: As expected from a Newtype, what good intuition!

Kamille: Don't call me that, either!

We get some cuteness from angry Kamille here after all. I was wondering if his personality would be completely docile now. I'm pleased. You still have to punch Char in the face later, so keep up being angry, kid!

After telling Fa that he can't find out about her parents’ whereabouts or well-being because the security of their workplace is too tough to crack, Char asks Kamille if he wants to know about his parents.

"I'm fine without knowing. Parents like those can end up however they end up..." Kamille's discomfort with his parents survived, anyhow.

Awkward flirting is awkward here with Reccoa and "Quattro."

Char: Kamille seems like the type to get nervous easily. Could you keep an eye on him?

Reccoa: Sure. But, you know, it's been half a year since we met. You should keep an eye on me, too, Taii.

Char: *flicks her forehead*

Reccoa: Geez!

You might just want to give up on him right now, Reccoa, lol.

This Reccoa is such a good big sister to Kamille. I can't imagine this Reccoa going off with Scirocco later. This Reccoa seems cool. I'm gonna feel doubly betrayed when she switches sides.

Char, alone, thinking: I took down six battleships at Loum, but couldn't sink the White Base. Its crew were also said to just be a bunch of conscripts. ... It's only natural that Bright Noa is suspicious of the Red Comet.

What I really want, and what no adaptation will give me, is Char actually considering the fact that he was fighting children the whole time lol. This is as close as we've gotten to that.

Me, browsing Twitter all month last month: Why are so many people shipping Char and Bright?? What in the text even supports that??

Zeta Define: Yo.

After all, they get riveting dialogue, like...

Char: Yes, Bright. I am a CHAR.

Bright: Wat.

(That's not how it went. lol)

Char: Did my sister tell you anything?

Bright: She said you're a demon child (literal).

(Context: it's a phrase that means "a child not resembling their parents")

I forget how that line was officially translated. I think they went with "disgrace."

Char: (in uncharacteristically fancy Japanese, probably because he's literally thinking about when he was a political bouya) She may be my own sister, but that's difficult to hear. (Back to normal Japanese) But it's true that the person I was back then was someone she could think about that way.

Without being able to ignore the question of whether Degwin Zabi had assassinated our father before, under the pretense of acting accordance with my father's ideals, establishing a dictatorship, there was no way I could have forgiven the Zabi family.

However, when I encountered the White Base and Gundam, I was forced to change my plans.

After the war, thanks to remaining away from the Earth Sphere for a bit, I was able to clear my head and reassess myself. I realized how petty I had been up to that point.

Bright: So what is it you're trying to do now?

Char: The Zabi family, which, rather than being destroyed, is being bound by an armistice agreement, and the Earth Federation, who were forced into war by the Zabi family... Between that Federation and all Spacenoids, a feeling of distrust has been born.

The actual situation and the goals of the AEUG are exactly as you discussed with [Blex]. (In other words, he's assuring Bright that the AEUG isn't a cover operation for his personal agenda.)

I want to act on behalf of the Spacenoids, who have come to be despised, not in order to gain power or set up a dictatorship, but in service of my father's ideals, realizing political autonomy for all Spacenoids.

Bright: Are those your true feelings on the matter?

Char: If they weren't, I wouldn't be talking to you like this. *DRAMATICALLY REMOVES SUNGLASSES* (lol)

As the rival who formerly caused the White Base so much distress, I believe I understand your competence better than anyone else. Right now I'm not fighting for my personal grudges, but for all Spacenoids. It's my hope that we can both throw away our differences in the past and fully cooperate.

Bright: I'll believe in you, based on those words.

Char: *surprised Pikachu face*

Char: If you agree that easily, I'm the one who will have a hard time believing you.

At this point, Bright is like, "It's not like we didn't have our own circumstances behind the scenes of the OYW. ... Hearing you talk like this reminds me of how hard-headed I was back then."

Somewhere, Amuro gets a sudden chill down his spine.

"Char probably rethought his whole life while at Axis" is one of the conclusions I had come to, but which wasn't spelled out anywhere. The manga seems to agree with me.

Meanwhile, at the docking bay, Astionage calls out Kamille as having stolen his dad's files on the Gundam for his own reading pleasure (explaining how he was able to pilot it), and he denies it, flustered.

Kamille, why are you denying it? You didn't want them calling you "Newtype" in the last chapter. Just tell them you had prior knowledge; they don't care if you stole from your dad, lol.

AAAAAH! So cute!! They're taking about specs and how they feel about the handling of the various suits, and we get this scene:

Char: <something or other about the Mk-II>

Kamille: In that way, as well, you're saying the Rick Dias is the better machine?

Char: You're actually pretty proud of the Mk-II, aren't you? You said that you hate your parents, but really, you respect them in your own way.

Kamille: (uncomfortable) That's not really what I meant...

Char: It's not a bad thing, to be proud of your parents. You should be more honest about your feelings.

Kamille: 😕

Honestly, there's a lot more "time" felt between Kamille coming aboard the Argama and when his parents are held captive. He's already being treated as a member of the crew. He's accepted that position emotionally, as well. The adults treat him as a peer. It's a very different vibe from the anime.

Char: <discussing tactics> ...But I only ever faced one pilot who could pull that off.

Kamille: Did you defeat him?

Char: If I had been shot down by him wouldn't be alive. However, I wasn't able to win against him.

[...]

Kamille: I don't even believe there *was* such a pilot.

Char: There are many unimaginable things in this world that actually exist.

(lol)

[...]

Char: Do you think you can utilize 100% of the Mk-II's capabilities?

Kamille: Quattro-taii, I'm not... I'm not even a pilot, so...

Char: Oh... That's right...

(He forgot.)

Although I said that it felt like more time had passed aboard the Argama, it feels just as fast as it did in the anime on the Titans' side. Kamille's parents are called in by Bask. He tells them that Kamille is the AEUG's hostage, which, regardless of the actual facts, considering he's a minor, is kind of true. It's not not true.

Freaking, his mom is like, "sorry our son caused all that trouble the other day." His dad seems concerned about getting in trouble, himself. What are your priorities here?? Are you just going to defer to Bask because he's your superior without considering what's going on with your kid?? Franklin and Hilda Bidan might not be able to do a lot directly to help their son, but I feel like they should be doing something. Aaaaaaah

Aaaaah, I hate it. I hate it here. I agree with Kamille. About them in general. 🙃

Bask is being pretty clever here. He's telling Kamille's parents that Bright, who had been working with the AEUG all along in secret, stole their son as a hostage. The AEUG's goal in this scenario would be to try and get the Bidans, who designed the Mk-II, to supply them with information on how to develop and manufacture more Mk-II units.

After this discussion with the Bidans, Bask calls up Jamitov, and they discuss how they had lured the AEUG over by leaking information on the Mk-II tests. They intended to sortie against them and then follow them back to their warship. However, they seem to have underestimated the ability of Reccoa & co's sabotage, as well as the pilots' skill.

Still, the fact that they got the AEUG to show up and instigate a fight inside a "civilian" colony is enough to use as propaganda against the AEUG as terrorists. (Remember that Green Oasis is still crawling with civilians, which is why the citizens hated the Titans to begin with, for overrunning a civilian colony with dangerous test sites.)

(Around that time, on Earth, at an airport)

Mirai, to her children: Here you go! These are your tickets!

Hathaway: Mom, our names are wrong on these.

Mirai: Quiet down now. It's fine.

Hathaway: We can't go back to our old house anymore?

Mirai: That's right... I had a really bad feeling about it, so...

MIRAI YASHIMA: STEALTH NEWTYPE

Mirai gets the actually useful powers. Amuro gets OP beastmode, but only when he's paying attention to what's around him, Char gets tactical genius and the ability to sense hostility, Sayla gets a headache whenever her brother is nearby, and Mirai can sense her husband in space and tell when danger is on the horizon.

I know which one I'd choose, as a non-combatant, lol.

We're back on the Argama, and I think Kitazume must have really liked when both Amuro and Kamille had those moments of yelling at people to use their own words instead of someone else's, lol.

"Quattro" is like, "Reccoa, thanks for looking after Kamille, he's calmed down a lot! Could you also convince him of something for me?"

So, Reccoa goes to see Kamille, who's trying to do something requiring security clearance he doesn't have, and is like, "well, if your status aboard the Argama was a little higher, you'd have access to that." Kamille asks what she means, and she says that he could, for instance, become a pilot for them.

Kamille: That's crazy!

Reccoa: You can keep a secret, right?

Kamille: Y-- yeah...

Reccoa: Quattro-taii said that, "Kamille has such a good intuition for piloting mobile suits that he could even become a pilot who surpasses Amuro Ray."

Kamille: He must've been joking. He didn't say anything like that to me directly.

Reccoa: He seems not to have told you because you need to grow a bit first. I'm also hopeful that I can see your actual performance with my own eyes.

Kamille: 😳

Reccoa: You seem to have piloted the Mk-II on Green Noa 1 to protect Bright-taisa, but were you really satisfied (just piloting to that extent)?

Kamille: Huh?

Reccoa: Even while we're sitting here, there are people out there being targeted by the Titans. Just because those people aren't in front of you right now, can you say that you don't feel anything for them?

Kamille: Well, I've never even tried thinking about it from that angle...

Reccoa: Kamille! You have the strength to protect others the way you protected Bright-taisa! I wouldn't say this to someone who doesn't have that sort of ability.

This is so manipulative. Kamille is going to be so pissed at both Reccoa and "Quattro" if he finds out about it.

This is an interesting potential method for the manga to rile up the protagonist, who started off a lot more docile in the beginning. I also think it's a different take on Char, who, for all of his manipulativeness in First, felt like a straightforward guy in the Zeta anime.

It's funny that he's going this far to convince a teenager, but Kamille is a strong Newtype, so... Anyway, a bunch of adults manipulating a kid like this is a very direct way to criticize our "good guys."

We're back with the Titans, and... I really don't care about them. I'm sorry. Jerid gets told off by Raira Raira. It goes about the same way it did in the anime, as far as I can tell while skimming.

As an aside, I fully realize that Raira’s name has a different, standard romanization. I just don't care. Tomino named a character "Raira Raira," and I will never recover. All I can think of is this song, every time: YOUTUBE LINK, BECAUSE THE RIGHTSHOLDERS HAVE DECIDED NOT TO LET ME EMBED THE VIDEO LIKE A REASONABLE PERSON. ANYWAY, THE BLUE HEARTS ARE GREAT AND YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THEM.

Reccoa and Char discuss their mental manipulation of a 17 year old kid.

Reccoa: I don't mind going on dangerous infiltration missions, but I don't like the idea of swaying the heart of an innocent boy, dragging him into a war.

Char: We can't let Titans do whatever they want to the Earth. You should be aware that we can't afford to lose. Don't cling to to your personal feelings on the matter, Reccoa.

Reccoa: Yes sir...

Well, Reccoa feels bad about it. Char is a pragmatist. But, based on an earlier discussion between them, it's obvious Reccoa is doing this for him, not for the AEUG.

There's an incoming fleet of enemy MS immediately after this scene. Char stops Blex in the middle of giving sortie orders, and Blex is like, "sure, you're good at war; let's hear your opinion," to which Char is like, "let's send the kid (who still hasn't agreed to be a pilot) out to fight them." Everyone else is like, "what the hell, man, that's one hell of an interview process," to which Char responds, "It's to see if he really is a Newtype."

Char. WTH. If he's not...?

I know you know he is, but. Seriously.

Bright: I agree with Quattro.

DO YOU NOW!?

Bright: I sense something in Kamille that points to Amuro Ray.

...Bright... Your judgment is both good and terrible...

While the adults are fighting, Kamille barges in and tells them to stop arguing.

Kamille: I've never thought that I might be a Newtype. But I can't forgive the Titans. I'm not saying I'm capable of piloting it well, but please lend me the Mk-II!

Compared to Amuro, whose line was something like, "I'm not saying I'm capable of it, but I'll do it," while spitefully looking at 19 year-old Bright, Kamille is very shounen protagonist here. I think the parallel in lines is intentional.

Still, I prefer "repeatedly steals the Gundam; insists he isn't interested in the politics of war; just kind of fell into his position as pilot" Kamille. As a former terrible kid, I love terrible kids, lol.

Either way, my opinion isn’t important. What’s important is that older brother Char looks proud. (lol)

There's a minor kerfuffle where the bridge crew is like, "this kid won't fit into an adult size normal suit. We can't, in good faith, send him out without one." (I imagine Char is wondering, "why not; I did that all the time when I was only a little older...")

It turns out, Reccoa has a suit that "a certain person" ordered for her, but she was mistakenly sent a men's suit, made for her height, instead of a woman's one.

Kamille is momentarily... jealous? of whoever "a certain person" is, but Reccoa bulldozes past that point and warns him that the enemy won't go easy on him because he's a kid. Kamille is like, "I'm no longer a child!" (I suppose we all feel that way at 17...)

Reccoa tells him to come back safely with her suit, which is cute. She may be trying to charm a kid using femininity, but I can't actually hate her.

We go over to the Titans again, and I'm gonna go off-topic for a hot moment here and talk about the Zeta anime, because this dialogue between Jerid and Raira Raira has reminded me of something.

Raira is set up as a member of the regular EFSF (as opposed to Titans), and, at least in the TV version, as she died, she talked about the difference between Oldtypes and Newtypes. She described the antipathy felt by Oldtypes towards Newtypes as being a subconscious and automatic response to realizing that your way of thinking is outdated.

This is interesting specifically because she was in a position where she was mentoring Jerid the whole time. "There's a difference between compensating and coping." She was someone who was portrayed as flexible in her thinking, which a trait Tomino generally reserved for Spacenoids, meanwhile having most Earthnoids be more rigid and likely to play things safe.

So for her to think this, to my mind, sets apart Newtypes on another level even from Spacenoids in general, in terms of their way of thinking (not just their space psychic powers). And (if I'm allowed to think metatextually about Tomino's goals as a writer) also might be a warning to progressively-minded adults that the future really does belong to the next generation.

...I really can't tell if I'm analyzing Gundam from a neutral(ish) perspective or just making things up that agree with my own sensibilities sometimes. It may just be that Tomino is good at writing lines that get people thinking, but don't commit to actually explaining anything.

...But anyway, that long aside is over. Let's get back to summarizing this manga! (lol)

Things are looking bad for the Mont Blanc, which, if you recall, gets blown up during a fight much later in the plot of the anime. The captain erases the main databanks in the ship's computers so the enemy won't get specs on their suits if they're captured. He has the crew evacuate and starts a countdown to self-destruct the ship. As he’s doing this, Raira manages to infiltrate the bridge and holds them at gunpoint.

The Mont Blanc captain gets in a good line against Raira here: "Without even knowing the true nature of the Titans, dogs like you who wag their tails obediently could never understand (the value of the AEUG)!"

As an adult, hearing that kind of thing makes me think they have both swallowed propoganda, however. Maybe I'm too jaded for shounen stories, in general, actually, lol.

Kamille shows up with his own gun and holds up Raira. For her part, Raira is surprised the AEUG would go so far as to employ children. As she throws away her gun, Kamille is distracted by the fact that her normal suit is from the EFSF and not Titans, and she takes advantage of his momentary confusion to kick the gun out of his hands.

While Kamille is sent floating around by his inertia in zero-gravity, Raira retreats, saying, "Kid! Next time we meet, you'd better shoot me quickly without hesitating!"

Kamille thinks, "She could have shot me then. What's she doing letting me go!?"

Meanwhile, Raira's inner dialogue: "Shooting a kid would leave a bad taste in my mouth."

Anyway, the crew of the Mont Blanc continues evacuating. Char grabs Kamille and they're probably headed back into MS fights.

After regrouping, Raira and Jerid have a chat, where instead of Jerid being like, "I must kill that teenager and avenge my pride," we get "I must recapture the Mk-II and avenge my pride," which is slightly less unsavory, lol.

As they get back to the battle, Char's like, "Kamille, you deliberately disobeyed me," and Kamille is like, "I have no memory of joining the military. Or are you going to hold a civilian to military standards?"

You should really have a long chat with Amuro when we get to that part of the plot, Kamille, lol.

I like that anime Kamille was like, "I don't care about this war, Titans, the AEUG, or any of that! Char Aznable can suck it; our situations with our parents are totally different; I just wanted a normal, loving family!" And he was sort of half-willingly made a pilot because what else is he good at and where else is he gonna go? And then got slapped around for not following military protocol.

Meanwhile, manga Kamille is smiling, being like, "golly gee willikers, you're not going to hold me to military regulations, are you, Lt. Quattro?" (lol)

We move over to the Titans' side, where Raira Raira is taking a shower, with that little face syphon thing protecting her from inhaling water. I'm guessing it also supplies oxygen when the water is sucked out of the shower.

As the fanservice continues, we get her inner monologue on the unfair tactics used by the Titans. She specifically notes that war necessitates a divorce from morals to some extent, and that soldiers just do what the "erai-san-tachi" tell them to do. (That's like, "bigwigs," but the phrasing here in Japanese is odd. It makes it obvious that she doesn't respect them, or that she thinks they're full of themselves.)

Apparently Raira joined the EFSF specifically because she couldn't forgive Zeon for the OYW. We don't get to see Earthnoids who are upset about that very often in the anime, which I feel is a bit of an oversight. After all, from the average Earthling's perspective, there was vague unrest in space, then suddenly colonies started falling out of the sky. I'd be pretty upset, too.

Jerid comes in, and he and Raira have the same discussion they did in the anime, where Jerid asks for mentoring and says he wants to be in charge of Titans one day. The only difference here seems to be that Raira trusts him not to turn around enough to take off her robe and go about getting dressed with him in the room. That, and she also brings up the fact that they've most likely been fighting the toughest members of the AEUG. ("That red MS is definitely their ace.") Jerid has done well just to stay alive, by that reasoning.

Blex, Bright, Char, and the Mont Blanc's captain (whose name I have forgotten, lol) sit around discussing whether Kamille is a Newtype. Despite the kid not actually engaging in combat, the Mont Blanc captain thinks he qualifies because he knew to go rescue the MB's crew from Raira.

Honestly, this makes me think that any number of coincidences could stand as proof of psychic space powers to these people.

While they move on to discussing tactics, Kamille is in his room considering his own mortality and whether or not he could shoot another living person. Fa walks in, and apparently she's decided to take the Fraw Bow approach to wartime fashion by grabbing an oversized uniform and turning it into a dress.

Fa: Why didn't you tell me you were going out to fight?! I was worried for you!!

Kamille: Do I have to tell you every time I do anything?

Fa: You're not even a soldier! There's no reason for you to be in a MS fight! You're going out of your way to endanger yourself...!

Kamille: Did you forget what they did to you at their headquarters?!

Fa: !!

Kamille joined the AEUG to protect Fa's honor. That's... This is a very different Kamille Bidan, lol.

Of course, he immediately says, "even if it wasn't you and Capt. Bright," but I'm not sure I believe him. If he really is that easily moved to help others, then this truly isn't even close to the same character.

Manga Kamille is very much a "hero" type. Comparatively, anime Kamille had to come around to hating the Titans enough to want to keep fighting them. He was very human, and he was very much a kid.

He learned about their punitive measures against Fa's family, he witnessed a failed colony drop, he learned about the Colony 30 incident, he saw them firsthand try to gas a colony, he saw what they did to Jaburo, to Hong Kong, to Four, to Rosammy... He went through a lot, and each incremental step convinced him a little more that he had to keep fighting. It also ate away at him, that there's not much he could do other than fight.

I love Kamille. I'm worried that the version in this manga will be less fully realized in favor of focusing on the adults.

Anyway, we move on to a scene where two said adults, Bright and Char, discuss Kamille, Newtypes, and the disappearance of Amuro Ray.

Bright: Why are you so particular about recruiting Kamille, Quattro-taii?

Char: Because I can feel the limits of my own abilities.

Bright: Limits... You mean, as a Newtype?

Char: I don't mind if you think of it in that sense. To be honest, with the way Amuro Ray was fighting at the end of the OYW, there wasn't much I could do against him. If the Titans were to have a powerful Newtype like Amuro Ray amongst them...

Bright: That's why you're trying to convince Kamille.

Char: That's right. For the AEUG, which has less overall battle strength than the Titans, to win, we need pilots with strong Newtype abilities... (Note that this might not be plural, but... I think he might already be thinking of convincing Amuro later.)

Bright: Still, the Federation military is outwardly denying the existence of Newtypes. So, hopefully your fears are unfounded.

Char: I hope so, but... I've also received intelligence that there's been ongoing research in artificially creating Newtypes (within the Federation).

Bright: I didn't know anything about that.

Char: Since they've gone to the trouble to hide the existence of the Newtype, Amuro Ray, we can't assume they're actually denying the existence of Newtypes (internally within the organization). As the former commander of the White Base, do you know anything about what happened to Amuro after that, Bright-taisa?

Bright: I wasn't made aware of anything. If only we were able to get Amuro to join the AEUG...

Char: Gaining his cooperation after he finds out I've joined is another matter entirely, though.

Bright: Is there some issue between you and Amuro (which would get in the way of that?)

Char: Well, I mean...

BRIGHT! Just because you're inexplicably cool with him, why are you assuming any other WB member would feel the same?? Especially Amuro, even if you don't consider the situation with Lalah.

Bright: Was there something between you two, other than what happened on the battleground?

So, my knowledge of kanji is quite poor, and I often have to look words up. I just. Let me stress the importance of using multiple dictionaries. Not only do you get more accurate results, you also get more hilarious results.

The word Bright uses, asking if there's "something" between Char and Amuro... Google thinks this is a good guess at what it could mean...

それは、それは、ごちそうさまでした。

(Thank you for the feast.)

...Anyway, even the English word has an innocuous meaning, so let's set that aside for now (lol).

Char: That's a personal matter.

Yes, especially depending on which reading of that word we're using here.

Bright makes a suspicious face. Char's like, "I'm saying we can't count on his involvement." Bright says that there is one thing he's aware of, and the scene cuts out to the Titans' side of the plot.

Kakricorn has Emma hold the elevator for him. They discuss an upcoming deployment, which Kakricorn is excited about. "I'll finally be able to bury that eyesore, Bright."

Emma asks him why he's acting like this, and Kakricorn replies that it's normal to be fired up during an all-out war. Emma insists that they're not past the point where the two sides could talk things out.

Kakricorn: Someone like you, recommended to this unit by the upper branches, could never understand how I feel.

Emma: What do you mean?

Kakricorn: I'm being made to take the blame for the theft of the Mk-II. There's nothing left for me after that. If I don't prove myself during this operation, I may even be demoted from Titans. That's why, no matter what I'm ordered to do, I'll prove that I can do it.

These kinds of worries didn't make sense to me as a child. "Why not get another job, then?" But in specializations like military work, or in civilian sectors where everyone knows everyone else, reputation is more important than ability.

...This is the second time I've sympathized with Kakricorn while reading this manga. Am I going to end up being a Kakricorn fan??

Franklin Bidan shows up, demanding to know why he's being forcibly taken aboard the Alexandria. He asks to speak with Bask immediately, but is told that Bask will inform him of the details later.

Overhearing this, Emma asks Kakricorn about what's going on. Kakricorn informs her about Franklin's status as an MS engineer and that he's the father of the "brat who stole the Mk-II."

A grunt reports to Bask that Kamille's dad is aboard the Alexandria and his mom is on the Sichuan. Emma, noticing that Bask is nearby, anyway, decides to ask him for a heart-to-heart.

Emma: There are those amongst the Titans who misunderstand the way we should be doing things. We've been exercising excessive authority since the other day. I thought I might ask you if you could to stop them directly (from continuing in this way).

Bask: You're the one who's got the wrong idea about the Titans, Emma-chuui. Titans is an organization where anything is permitted as long as it doesn't go against direct orders. That's why we've been given certain privileges (within the EFF).

Bask asks if this is about Kakricorn, and Emma reluctantly admits that yes, it is. Bask defends Kakricorn's actions, stating that Kakricorn saw through Bright's lack of loyalty. "If he'd just killed him, the AEUG wouldn't have gotten him!!"

Bask declares that "In order to save something much larger, sometimes smaller sacrifices are necessary," and states that they're trying to protect none other than the Earth itself. Emma is forced to agree to this, as Bask's underling. But she's definitely not happy about it.

Meanwhile, the Titans say they're protecting the Earth, the AEUG say they're protecting the Earth... One means "the government/citizens" and the other means "the planet," I suppose.

This adaptation actually hasn't gotten into the whole "the AEUG think everyone should emigrate to space" thing, though. So far we've only heard about their objectives with regards to protecting the rights of current Spacenoids.

Onboard the Bosnia, Jamaican explains their next mission, and Jerid suggests Raira be in charge of the MS squadron. When asked why he thinks so, as she's not Titans, Jerid points out that she's more qualified than him by far.

Later, one of her peers from the normal EFSF asks her how she managed to get "that greenhorn" (Jerid) under her thumb, and she responds with what I think is a double-entendre. (lol)

The volume ends with Paptimus Scirocco, of all people, looking out over the Earth Sphere.

Scirocco: It's been five years since I was in the Earth Sphere. The Earth is as breathtaking as ever, but something seems to have changed since before I departed, hasn't it?

I wrote significantly more about volume 2, but there were also significantly more changes. Having learned that Char is meant to be the protagonist, I understand why we have a much more straightforward Kamille. However, I still prefer my terrible boy from the anime, lol.

I'll get to volume 3 at some point~ I have to go buy it first, lol. I read the first two volumes in a single week, but I'm not sure I'll keep up that pace going forward.

Welcome to the third post in the "jakka-ningen reads Zeta Gundam Define" series, in which I learn that it takes many, many words to describe a battle action. Many more words than it takes to summarize dialogue, alas. Settle in for a long journey, as Raira's arc comes to a close and Kamille says goodbye to his parents.

We open up on the Titans beginning their next assault. Raira Raira tells Jerid that he should check, in all directions, for the enemy's killing intent. He understands what she means in theory, but thinks that fully comprehending it might be more difficult. "At any rate, let's try it."

Meanwhile, back on the Argama, Bright, Char, and Blex are discussing battle tactics. Blex is a little hesitant to keep sending a 17 year old out with their newest, shiniest weapon. Char says that it'll be fine; they have two Mk-IIs, anyway, and Kamille isn't a bad pilot.

That being said, Blex wonders if it wouldn't be better to hold off on using him as a pilot. After all, Char thinks he's a natural talent, so it might be better not to put him in harm's way until they start fighting more important battles later on.

Char: Sorry to contradict you, Junshou, but the AEUG would be in a bind if we put off using Kamille as a core pilot until we reach a decisive battle against the Titans. And if he were to be defeated during one of these early battles, that would just mean he wasn't as talented as we thought.

Blex: You're a ruthless man, Quattro-taii.

Char: I'd do anything within my power to win a battle.

Bright: You're exceedingly practical, aren't you, Taii.

I mean, I guess that's one word for it.

Char: Training is, in the end, just training. The truly excellent soldiers are the ones who come back from actual battles alive. That's just my pet theory, though.

Bright: I mean, back then, knowing that Zeon's Red Comet was laying in wait, I sent Amuro, who was a complete novice, out to fight. From that perspective, I can't find fault in what Taii is saying. 

Bright, just because you have PTSD, doesn't mean you can wash your hands of responsibility and pass it forward to the next generation, lol. 

As Blex reluctantly gives in to the combined opinions of his staff, the comms call Bright to the bridge. The Titans' MS squadron is on its way. 

We get a series of panels showing the revolving segments of the Argama pulling into its hull as it enters "battle mode." I don't know if the anime ever went into this, but those revolve-y bits are the living quarters, and their revolution is what allows for inertial gravity in those areas.

We cut to the locker room, where Kamille is putting on the pilot suit he's borrowing from Reccoa. Fa bursts in and begs him to stop doing such dangerous things. Kamille explains that he's fighting to protect the Argama itself, and that if it sinks, they'll all die anyway. "I'm doing this to protect you, too Yuiri."

Sometimes I feel like Kitazume is directly criticizing Amuro through these Kamille lines... (lol)

We cut to the bridge, where we're told that the enemy MS should arrive in about seven minutes. Blex suggests that they might be able to run, but Bright informs him that trying to navigate around obstacles while enemy MS are incoming is basically a suicide mission.

After asking how many units are on their way, we find out that the Argama is outgunned six to four, even if they include Kamille in that count. Bright asks Quattro if they'll be able to protect the ship, and he says, "There's nothing to be done except to do it." 

Char: Except... there is one unit amongst them that shouldn't be underestimated.

Blex: Then aim to shoot down the other five, not the one strong unit. If we do that, they'll pull out.

Bright: 😕

Char: Yeah, probably. 

Master tacticians, these guys.

We get another proud older brother Char moment when he sends a comm to Kamille to get ready for combat, only to find that the kid is already suited up and sitting in the cockpit, ready to go.

Raira Raira tells her team that the AEUG only has one member who can pilot the Mk-II, and three other suits with unknown specifications. She tells the rest of her squadron to pull the AEUG's pilots away from the Argama so that she and Jerid can get in close and attack the ship directly.

Before they proceed, she warns Jerid that, whatever he does, he mustn't engage the red machine by himself. He agrees, saying, "This time, I'll follow your orders to the letter, Taii. I promise."

Jerid seems a bit like a kid himself here, and I almost think he's a little cute.

When we return to the Argama, Kamille excitedly asks for battle instructions from Char, which astonishes and amuses Apolly and Roberto. I suppose, from their perspective, Kamille looks more like a kid who's getting ready for a field trip than a soldier about to go into battle.

Char goes over their objectives, but Kamille gets distracted halfway through. "That woman is coming...!"

But when Char asks him what he's talking about, Kamille says that it's nothing, then confirms that his job is to keep the enemy MS away from the ship. Char looks at him suspiciously, but confirms his orders and doesn't pry further into Kamille's earlier behavior.

Back on the bridge, Saegusa is in the unfavorable position of telling Bright that they've lost sight of two of the enemy MS. Bright relays the information on to Char, who tells Roberto and Apolly that the remaining four are likely a diversion, so they should be careful not to fall into a trap.

Noting that the Galbaldy with their ace isn't among the four visible machines, Char wonders where the remaining two plan to attack from, and thinks to himself that he mustn't underestimate them.

Meanwhile, Raira and Jerid discuss their plans to sink the Argama from behind nearby (dummy?) asteroids. Raira intends to cut into the ongoing battle between the other suits and disperse them so that Jerid can target the Argama's engines. Jerid thinks this is reckless, but remembers that he's promised to go along with Raira's orders for now.

Char contacts Bright and tells him that he intends to make it look like they've fallen for the enemy's plan and put some distance between themselves and the ship. Bright asks if he should target them with the ship's machine guns once they've been rounded up, and Char responds that Bright is living up to his reputation as the former captain of the White Base. (lol)

They manage to take out one machine with this plan, and Roberto cutely asks Apolly if he wouldn't mind bagging another while they're at it. (lol) Apolly pulls that request off immediately, bringing the total count down to 4v4.

Just then, Raira engages Kamille, who recognizes her instantly. What's more interesting is that Raira also recognizes Kamille. I guess her earlier comments about sensing the killing intent of her enemies wasn't for nothing; she's got some Newtype stuff going on, herself!

Apparently this is a new thing for her, and at first she chalks it up to never having faced an enemy she had previously met outside of battle before. But she quickly realizes that there's more to it than that.

Kamille brings his machine into contact with hers, confirming through skin-talk that it really is her, asking her why she's come to fight him, even though she spared his life last time. Meanwhile, Jerid is confused as to why she hasn't shot the Mk-II down yet.

Char notices the Mk-II and Galbaldy are in close contact, and realizes that he can't shoot down the Galbaldy without also hitting Kamille. He asks Roberto and Apolly to support Kamille while he takes on the two remaining visible units.

Meanwhile, Kamille is being naive.

Raira: It is you, after all! Why are you piloting the Mk-II?!

Kamille: I'm Kamille Bidan, a member of the AEUG. You understand that the ones who are really in the wrong aren't the AEUG, but the Titans, don't you? That's why you let me go last time, isn't it?

Raira: That's nonsense! The AEUG are criminals. There's no way I'd acknowledge (the legitimacy of) a group like that!

Kamille: The AEUG had no choice other than to stage an armed uprising against the Titans, who were using their military might to oppress the Spacenoids! You should be more than capable of understanding which of the two forces must be defeated!

Raira: Shut up! I don't have time for the babbling of a child!

I guess Raira still has her comms line open to Jerid, because not only does Kamille hear her; Jerid does, too. He realizes she's talking to the Mk-II's pilot, and asks her why she isn't attacking him. He specifically asks if Raira is holding back because she's trying to capture the Mk-II unscathed for his sake. "If that's the case, it's fine; just attack it!"

Raira responds that this is a personal matter and doesn't concern him. She tells him to continue on with the previously planned attack without her and cuts the line.

Kamille, having heard her say Jerid's name, figures out that he must be nearby. As Jerid runs off to complete his mission, Kamille relays his hunch about Jerid's whereabouts to a concerned Char.

Char: I'll leave (the Galbaldy) to you, but make sure you shoot it down! Got it?!

Of course, he doesn't "got it." Kamille continues to try to bargain with Raira.

Kamille: Please! Look into your heart!

(No, like, seriously. This kid is one sentence away from "Search your feelings; you know it to be true.")

Raira, whose sunvisor is blacked out, obscuring her face: I'm an officer in the regular Earth Federation armed forces! I have a duty I must fulfill, and I'm fighting in order to execute my mission!!

Kamille: Don't lie to yourself! Please! Join me and fight for actual justice!

Raira: I'm not about to listen to some know-it-all kid!!

While they're having this heart-to-heart, Char has caught up to Jerid. Remembering that Raira told him to, on no account, fight that red MS one-on-one, Jerid retreats, as Char gives pursuit.

Going back to Kamille and Raira, she's raised her visor for the sole purpose of massaging away a headache. I'm guessing Kamille's pressure is a bit difficult for a first-timer to deal with.

Kamille: Why won't you try to understand? If we can't understand one another, I've got no choice but to open fire on you!!

Raira: Then shoot! You and I are enemies. From the beginning, there was no way we could have understood one another!!

She then kicks the Mk-II right in the crotch. (lol)

As she's disengaging, Raira yells at herself that, as a member of the EFF, she can't allow herself to be swayed by the sentiments of some kid. But, thinking back on his words about "which of the two forces must be defeated," she has a sudden realization.

Raira, thinking: If we were both Newtypes, would we have been able to understand one another? I see... It's because I'm an Oldtype... Was I too slow in realizing it? Was that... what it was...?

Raira, yelling at herself: Still... Right here, right now, I have comrades and subordinates that I can't betray. There's nothing else I can do right now!

She then records a message for Jerid, although we don't get to see what she says.

While Kamille looks on, horrified, Raira targets the Argama's bridge, knowing that the AEUG's officers should be assembled there. Something stops her from firing, and she ends up shooting the ship's side, instead. 

Screaming, "How could you do this, even though you do understand?!" Kamille shoots her down. Jerid sees the whole thing, and is understandably distraught. As he gets the order to retreat, we see on his MS dashboard display that he's received Raira' message, although he doesn't pay it any attention at the moment.

Back on the Bosnia, Jamaican tells Jerid that, considering the number of casualties versus the actual results, Jerid should have led the MS squadron instead of Raira. Jerid disagrees, stating that they were only able to succeed in taking out one of the Argama's main engines because of Raira's guidance.

Jamaican then orders Jerid to meet up with the Alexandria for further orders. After the call is cut, Jerid frustratedly flings his helmet across the room, seething that Jamaican could be so cold when, "he doesn't even know (what happened out there)!"

Over on the Argama, Kamille is getting his first "correction," at the hands of disappointed big brother Char.

Char: Your orders were to protect the Argama! Why didn't you shoot down the Galbaldy that was openly targeting the Argama before your very eyes? If you look down on your enemies like that, you'll be the one to lose your life!!

Kamille: I wasn't looking down on her. She was an excellent pilot.

Char: Are you saying you were overwhelmed?

Kamille: No! You had said that the AEUG is short on pilots, so I thought that I could persuade her to join our side. She also distrusted the Titans, so...

Char: You were certain about that?

Kamille: Yes. I just felt it...

Char: One wrong move, and the Argama could have been sunk! Next time, you must obey your orders! Do you understand, Kamille?!

Kamille: ...Yes, Taii. 

We cut from Kamille's bruised face to Char and Reccoa sitting on either side of a bed in one of their quarters. I'm guessing it's Char's, since I don't see a bunch of houseplants.

Reccoa: You went a little hard on him. If you treat Kamille like that he'll...

Char: Are you feeling sorry for him? I'm very much aware that he's in a rough state. During that short battle, he was able to sense his opponent to that extent... His Newtype potential may be far beyond what I'd imagined.

Reccoa: Then, why...?

Char: He's too sensitive. Thankfully, this time his opponent really was able to be reasoned with, like Kamille said. That's why the situation was salvageable.

Reccoa: Then shouldn't you acknowledge that the way he went about things was correct?

Char: If his opponent had been someone else, we might have faced the worst possible outcome. Kamille's ability with the mobile suits is excellent. What he's lacking is cool-headedness. I can't be the bad cop here...

Reccoa: So you want me to be the good cop?

Char: Would you do that for me?

Reccoa: I can do that. But I have one condition. You've gotta be the good cop for me, Taii.

And then they kiss!

So, I used good cop/bad cop here, but the actual words are candy and whip, which is apparently the ideom closest to "carrot and stick" in Japanese. She actually asks him to give her some candy, too, which I think is a bit sexier and less "weird-roleplay," lol.

Over on the Alexandria, Jerid is turning his Hizack over to the mechanics, when one of them notices that he's received a message. Jerid goes to listen to it, and we finally find out what Raira wanted to tell him before she got herself blown up.

Raira: Jerid, listen. It was too late by the time I realized it. I don't want you to repeat the same mistakes I've made. Listen to your own heart, Jerid. I'm sorry I can't keep my promise to share that drink with you.

Jerid doesn't understand what she meant. "I didn't even have the chance to learn from you in the first place...!" He folds in on himself as if he's about to cry, but Kakricorn interrupts his introspection and asks him over to his room for a drink.

Back in Kakricorn's room, they have that age old argument over whether alcohol tastes better in a glass bottle or a can space-safe juice box. Kakricorn apparently brought out the good stuff for their reunion, unlike "that cheap swill you (Jerid) drink."

After Kakricorn asks what's got Jerid so depressed, he admits that he just lost someone important to him, so he's not feeling the party spirit. Kakricorn asks him if they were dating, and Jerid temporarily enters "dere mode," denying it with a flustered expression.

New light novel just dropped: My Most Disliked Gundam Villain Can't Possibly be this Cute.

Anyway, Jerid explains that Raira was going to teach him more about piloting MS in space, as she was incredibly talented. "Even you wouldn't stand a chance against her, Kakricorn."

(As an aside, characters who are sympathetic to Spacenoids use a different word for "space" than those who are not. This difference wasn't transferred over to any official English version of Gundam, so it's not noticeable unless you're watching/reading in Japanese. Our main cast calls space "the sky," whereas most Earthlings call it the normal word for "space." Jerid uses the normal word.)

Kakricorn notes that the AEUG must be impressive, if they were able to take down such a good pilot. Jerid swears that, now that he'll be in charge of some MS squadrons, he'll fight his battles in honor of Raira.

Kakricorn: Hate to burst your bubble, Jerid, but the next mission is gonna be led by that honor student, the Princess.

Jerid: Princess?!

It seems that Jerid is completely out of the loop on the gossip scene within the Titans, and has no idea they're talking about Emma. I hope he momentarily thinks a real royal has joined Titans and is temporarily excited.

After a brief explanation, Jerid questions the reasoning behind this nickname.

Jerid: Why is Emma-chuui called "the Princess," anyway?

Kakricorn: You don't know? Tell me, how did end up joining Titans?

Jerid: I got a letter of recommendation from my unit commander and took the enlistment test, like we were told to do when Jamitov Hymem put out the notification saying he was going to select new entrants... How was it for you guys?

Kakricorn: The commanding officer who was supposed to write my letter of recommendation was killed while fighting some Zeon remnants, so I was left without the papers I needed. I also failed the entrance test three times. On my fourth time I finally got my hands on this here emblem.

During my third attempt, I wasn't convinced that the guys I saw getting accepted weren't actually inferior to me...

Jerid: So what did you do? Don't tell me you asked Mauricio-shousa's secretary for...

Kakricorn: Well, to put it bluntly, yeah, I did. I asked Amelia to show me some top secret information.

Jerid: If somebody found out about it, the consequences wouldn't have ended with you failing the test, you know.

Kakricorn: Forget about that part. It's all in the past. Anyway, it was then that I saw it. Emma-chuui was recommended into the Titans by the higher ups.

Jerid: So she didn't volunteer? She was specially selected...

Kakricorn: You get it? Unlike us, she's special! I also found out about a real idiot who was specially selected and then turned down the position...

So that's his damage with both Emma and Bright! Also, Kakricorn may not be good at written exams, but he makes an excellent Mean Girl. He must've spread rumors amongst the other Titans himself as a smokescreen so he could talk smack openly without everyone knowing it was him who obtained and leaked the information in the first place.

Anyway, speaking of the guy who was specially selected and then turned down the position, we cut back to Bright who's discussing the enemy's whereabouts. It looks like both the Alexandria and the Bosnia, as well as the fleet from Luna II, are all on the horizon.

Henken, who is actually still on the Argama (I guess they haven't met up with the Radish yet?) points out that, with their engine damage, they can't very well run away. After some back and forth amongst the bridge crew, Char notes that there's not much they can do except wait to see what Bask has planned.

Over on the Alexandria, Emma and crew are getting their orders from Jamaican. This scene is more or less identical to its counterpart in the anime; it's the lead up to the mission that gets Kamille's mom killed. They think the capsule is a bomb; the details of their individual mission objectives are written on papers they're ordered to open up once the operation is actually underway.

We return to the Argama, where, after picking up movements from the Titans' MS squadron, Bright gives the order for all hands to don their normal suits and stand ready at level two battle stations.

Fa runs over to Kamille, and he scolds her for not yet having changed into a suit. He tells her to get changed and head back to her room, but she says she's scared to be alone, knowing that Bask has come.

Kamille says he'd like to stay with her, but obviously can't do that. She replies that just seeing his face has calmed her down a bit and sees him off with a smile.

...I miss the "recreation" scenes where they bicker, not being honest at all about their feelings. I told a friend that I think Kitazume probably had too happy of a childhood to write teens in crisis and she laughed at me. But I don't think I'm wrong, lol.

Emma comes over in a Mk-II, carrying a white flag. Char notes that, whatever Bask may be planning, at least this should buy them some time. He then orders Apolly and Roberto to stand by in their Rick Dias-es and tells Astionage to make sure his machine is ready at a moment's notice.

As Emma lands aboard the Argama, we see that she's brought Kakricorn with her. He's staying inside the cockpit of his Hizack without disembarking.

Opening his own written orders, he reacts with astonishment. Looking upset, but resigned, he says to himself, "No! It doesn't matter what I'm ordered; I've got to see it through. There's no other path for me."

Emma informs her welcome team that she's got a handwritten note from Bask himself that she needs to deliver. She warns that anyone who approaches her Mk-II will have to deal with the Hizack who's come along with her.

We get the same scene as the anime, where Emma walks through the halls with Char as the ship's crew discuss whether or not she's a fanatic. Kamille feels an awful sensation, but doesn't think it's coming from Emma.

As they pass Kamille, Char turns and tells him to go wait in his room. I guess they aren't planning on having him sortie this time.

Emma hands the note over to Blex, who is significantly more emotive about how disgusting its contents are than I remember him being in the anime. The dialogue seems identical, however.

The note tells them that, should they not hand over the two Mk-II units and Kamille Bidan, they'll kill Kamille's parents. Emma didn't know about the note's contents and doesn't believe Bask would do such a thing, but the proof is in the pudding.

Blex: Titans is a private militia!

Emma: I may be a member of Titans, but I have no recollection of joining Bask's private militia!

Blex: It's not Bask's; it goes higher up than that. It's the private army of those whose souls are weighed down by Earth's gravity!

He said the thing! (lol)

Char proposes that this might be nothing more than a threat, but Bright argues that Bask is the sort of man to actually follow through on something like that.

Blex gets a little hotheaded for a moment and suggests they blow up the Hizack that escorted Emma, and let that be their answer. Char disagrees, although Bright also seems ready to throw down.

A comm from the bridge interrupts their discussion to tell them that they've picked up on a capsule floating in space.

As we get a look at the capsule, the manga changes focus to Jerid, whose job is to shoot the thing down if the AEUG try to capture it. As in the anime, he's under the impression that it's a bomb, from details in an earlier conversation.

Back in Kamille's room, our boy hero is trying to allay his feelings of foreboding by obsessively checking every external ship camera he can access.

He notices something light-colored and irregular attached below the backpack on Emma's Mk-II and, since he can't get a better look with the camera, decides to bring it to the bridge crew's attention. I guess he doesn't have access to comms, because he runs off rather than calling them.

Blex, Bright, Char, and Emma have already moved from their conference room to the bridge, where they're observing the capsule on a large monitor. Unlike the one in anime, this capsule has two chambers, and each chamber contains one of Kamille's parents. I suppose "worst dad ever, Franklin Bidan" won't get a chance to show his true colors in this adaptation, lol.

Emma's immediate reaction is to claim that it's a "holography," which is different from the word in the anime's Japanese script ("holoscope") and is still not the word that's used in every translation ("hologram").

Why do I know this detail? It's a mystery. (Mystery solved; I'm a nerd with a weirdly specific memory for conversations.)

After they confirm that those are, in fact, real people in there, Kamille bursts in to explain about the suspicious thing stuck to the back of the Hizack. They confirm that it is, indeed, suspicious.

Char: So that's the source of this uncomfortable sensation I've been feeling all this time.

You know, Kamille actually checks on his Newtype hunches, Lieutenant. You could try at least alerting someone that your spider senses are tingling instead of just shrugging it off, lol.

Char and Kamille suppose that it's probably a bomb. Emma, again, presses X to doubt. Everyone gets a bit up in arms about the situation, and then Kamille notices the monitor that's still showing his parents floating in a glass case in the empty void of space.

This, predicably, sends Kamille running off to the MS hanger. Char runs after him, yelling back to Bright to take care of things for him.

We cut to Kakricorn steeling his resolve for this mission. His orders specify that, should Emma not return within 10 minutes, he is to arm a remote detonator for the bomb that's connected to the body of her Mk-II, then steal one of the AEUG's suits and use it to escape. "I do feel bad using Emma as a human sacrifice, but... Well, next time it could be me on the line! I'll do it!"

What great logic. "I might also be betrayed by my organization someday, so today I'll be the betrayer!"

Noticing confusion amongst the AEUG's crew within the hangar, Kakricorn activates the timer on the bomb and flies in towards Char's Rick Dias, which has been on standby orders, and is therefore ready to go. A mechanic spots him and gets shot in the arm for his efforts.

Apolly and Roberto realize what's going on, but are too slow in reacting, and end up getting sprayed with vulcan fire as Kakricorn exits the hangar.

Bright reacts as one might expect to the news.

Kakricorn kicks his discarded Hizack into the void of space to prevent the AEUG from being able to use it immediately, then runs off towards his allies. I suppose it's very easy to change frequency modulation on the comms, because he's able to tell one of his comrades not to fire on him as he flies past.

Bright radios over to Char's normal suit helmet, letting him know that his MS has been stolen. Char realizes that the Hizack pilot must have intended this all along. He's fallen into a trap! In response, he falls into another one by radioing Astionage to ready the Mk-II within earshot of Kamille.

Bright tells Apolly to back up the AEUG's Mk-II in its pursuit of the stolen Rick Dias. He also tells Roberto to help the mechanics do something about the other Mk-II, which is still set to blow up.

Apolly comes across the same Titans grunt Kakricorn communicated with earlier, who mistakenly thinks Apolly's Rick Dias might be piloted by Emma. Apolly shoots him down while he's confused.

While this is going on, the mechanics disconnect the bomb from Emma's Mk-II and Roberto flings it away from the ship just in the nick of time. It explodes harmlessly some distance from the Argama.

Seeing this, Kakricorn is at the same time aggravated that the bomb didn't damage the Argama and relieved that he didn't cause Emma to die. He's also incredibly impressed with the Rick Dias' maneuverability, saying that it feels like an extension of his own body.

He's quick to note that, as someone who isn't yet used to the Rick Dias, any of the AEUG's pilots are bound to have an advantage over him if they fight, so he's got to focus completely on retreating with the machine and just getting it back to the Titans in one piece.

Back on the Argama, Kamille determinedly steals the Mk-II, even as Char is yelling at him to cut it out. When Char calls the bridge to alert them of what's going on, Emma suggests that she could take her Mk-II out immediately to try and retrieve Kamille. Bright wants to agree outright, but first asks Blex's opinion, and Blex tells him that, as captain, it's his call to make, effectively washing his hands of the situation.

Henken tries to argue that they really can't trust Emma, but Bright says that he's seen the kind of person she is, even back when they were both on Green Oasis, and he's prepared to take responsibility if she does betray them.

Emma is cleared to go after Kamille, but just as she runs off, there's another pressing matter for Bright to attend to: the Argama is surrounded on all sides by enemy warships. "Are you telling me that all of this was just to buy them the time to set this up?!"

They've apparently got 15 minutes before the enemy ships get within firing range.

Henken: If we have to take shots from four directions at once, we're basically helpless!

Blex: Damn that Blex! He's prepared to overpower us two or three times over, just to have the last laugh.

Bright checks on the status of the engine repairs, and tells them that, even if it's not completely repaired yet, they need to get the steering system back online "as soon as yesterday!" The mechanics ask for a little time to get it working off of auxiliary power, and Bright tells them to do whatever they need to do, just get it done!

Out in space, Kakricorn reunites with Jerid, and Kamille closes in on the capsule with his parents inside. Jerid makes the same mistake the other Titans member did, initially confusing Kamille's Mk-II with Emma's. Upon a closer inspection of the number painted on its body, he confirms that it's not Emma, then fires on the capsule, which he thinks will trigger an explosion to destroy the stolen Mk-II.

However, of course, that's not what happens. Unlike the anime, we have a mini-montage of Kamille's happy memories with his parents as he takes in the fact that they've just been needlessly killed.

Jerid feels a sense of foreboding after shooting the capsule that goes beyond the fact that it didn't explode as he thought it would. Feeling Kamille's rage, he wonders if this is the power that took down Raira.

Kakricorn gets behind Kamille and restrains him. Kamille hears him radio Jerid through skin-talk and confirms it's not Char who's piloting the red Rick Dias.

Remembering his previous conversation with Char about the Rick Dias' specs, Kamille figures that he's got to attack while his opponent isn't moving, because he'll easily escape otherwise.

He somehow manages to stab the Rick Dias in the left shoulder joint while being restrained, which causes Kakricorn to back off. "If I can't take (the Rick Dias) back (to the Alexandria) with me, I'll fight to the point of destroying it!!"

Kakricorn manages to locate his own beam saber and engages Kamille.

Jerid yells at Kakricorn to disengage; warning him that there's no way he can back him up in close-quarters fighting. Meanwhile, Kamille, tears still clinging to his eyelashes, thinks to himself that he must shoot down this opponent this time. Kakricorn is too strong; Kamille will fall himself if he doesn't take him out.

As Kamille's beam saber pierces the Rick Dias' cockpit, Kakricorn's last thoughts are of Amelia, the secretary who had been very nice to him so far. (lol)

Jerid is enraged at having lost both Raira and Kakricorn to the same pilot, and swears vengeance. However, before things can heat up any further, Emma shows up and tries to reason with him. "No matter what you do now, you can't bring your parents back."

Kamille finally lets the tears fall from his eyes as Emma tells Jerid to disengage; the fight is over. However, unlike the anime version of this scene, she means "I'm leaving with this kid," rather than "let's take this kid back to the Alexandria."

Emma: There are no longer any MS within this airspace that you could consider your allies.

Jerid: You can't possibly mean that you're changing sides?!

Emma: It's not as simple as that, but... I've come to realize that I can't follow Bask-taisa any longer.

Jerid: You're saying you're betraying us?! You're betraying Titans?!

Emma: It would suit me fine if you go back and report exactly that.

As Apolly joins Emma and Kamille, Jerid realizes he has no chance in a 3v1 skirmish and retreats.

Back on the Argama, Bright gets word that the temporary engine repairs have been completed, and gives the order to retreat as soon as the pilots return from battle.

Meanwhile, Bask and Jamaican are discussing the failed mission. Bask tells Jamaican that he needs to impress upon Jamitov the sheer strength of the AEUG, or risk losing Jamitov's trust. For the moment, he's headed back to Gryps on the Brunei. He leaves Jamaican in charge of the Alexandria and tells him to sink the Argama.

Jamaican tries to argue that the Argama is already retreating, but Bask angrily demands he figure something out. "They're limited in where they can go!"

Back on team AEUG, the three pilots arrive back at the MS hangar, and Reccoa immediately goes to comfort the freshly-orphaned Kamille.

Char pulls Emma aside and tells her that, for the moment they'll need to do an inspection on her, and later have a much longer discussion. She says she's prepared for that, and a crewman escorts her away.

From the hangar's upper levels, Fa looks down helplessly at Kamille and Reccoa, probably feeling like, compared to an adult with more life experience, there's not much she can do to comfort him. Big brother Char glances over at him as well, and the third volume comes to a close.

This volume was full of MS fights! Kitazume did a good job of keeping the action interesting in a still medium. I don't know if my summary did a good job of capturing how breathless the action got in that second battle; every time they started to solve one problem, another one popped up immediately.

On an unrelated note, I had done very minimal research before starting this manga series. I knew that it had begun in 2011 and there were 18 volumes, but I did not know that it is currently ongoing in Monthly Gundam Ace. They're only about halfway through the anime's plot as of the February edition, which means there may end up being about 40 volumes, and it might not finish for another ten years. What have I signed myself up for??

I suppose I will consider this a mistake made due to youth. (lol)

Hiroko Moriguchi - Ubugoe (translation and romanization)

Today, Hiroko Moriguchi's single, "Ubugoe," is officially available for purchase and (presumably) streaming! In celebration, I have translated the song and romanized the lyrics for those who want to sing along!

As always, thanks to M.I.-sensei for her help with the tricky bits. Thank you for always proofreading my work!

In two days, Cucuruz Doan's Island will be in theaters in Japan… I hope it is available internationally within the next few months…! Until then, let's sing!

English Translation

Kindness is scary, isn't it? If you make a mistake, you can wound someone deeply, I know As you gain more and more things you want to protect You end up getting lost within repeated promises

(So far) Is there such a thing (Long time) As an unchanging happiness? (My heart) The power to reach out Might end up destroying something instead

So please; right now, into my hands, let me be granted time So that I can take off into flight If, somewhere out there, love becomes a conflict Which shuts off the light...

I'll certainly never forget them—the birth cries of life The heart speaks straightforwardly The sky, which stretches out endlessly, is watching To see what kind of path we'll choose next

Even within the emptiness of distant darkness A new star is already taking breaths

(So far) Fragments of hope (Long time) I keep searching for them (Your heart) The power to believe Might be able to change the future

So please; right now, within your hands, may you be granted time So that you can take off into flight The answer for today and a different answer If they can guide tomorrow...

I'll certainly never overlook it—the truth of life I pray that it can become a dream Everyone is born with the desire To meet and embrace another, surely

Each and every person Who looks out on the world Has their own view of righteousness But on that rough-hewn horizon We are all visited by the same dawn

So please; right now, into my hands, let me be granted time So that I can take off into flight If, somewhere out there, love becomes a new beginning Which opens a door…

I'll certainly never forget them—the birth cries of life The heart speaks straightforwardly The sky, which stretches out endlessly, is watching To see what kind of path we'll choose next

Roomaji

yasashisa wa kowai mono da ne machigaeba fukai kizu ni naru, sou mamoritai mono ga aru hodo kurikaesu yakusoku ni mo mayou

(So far) kawaru koto no nai (Long time) shiawase wa aru no? (My heart) motomeru chikara wa nanika wo kowasu kamo shirenai

saa, kono te ni ima, toki wo ataete habatakeru you ni ai ga dokoka de hikari wo tozasu arasoi ni naru no nara

keshite wasurenai, inochi no ubugoe kokoro iu mama ni tsugi ni erabu michi ga donna michi ka wo owaru koto nai sora wa miteru

nanimo nai tooi yami ni mo atarashii hoshi wa iki wo shiteru, mou

(So far) kibou no kakera wo (Long time) sagashitudzuketeru (Your heart) shinjiru chikara wa mirai wo kaeru kamo shirenai

saa, sono te ni ima, toki wo ataete habatakeru you ni kyou no kotae to chigau kotae wo ashita towareru no nara

keshite misutenai, inochi no shinjitsu yume ni naru you ni meguriau dareka wo dakishimetakute daremo ga umaretekita, kitto

sorezore ga miteru sekai wa sorezore ni tadashii demo areta chihei ni otozureru yoake wa hitotsu

saa, kono te ni ima, toki wo ataete habatakeru you ni ai ga dokoka de tobira wo hiraku hajimari ni naru no nara

keshite wasurenai, inochi no ubugoe kokoro iu mama ni tsugi ni erabu michi ga donna michi ka wo owaru koto nai sora wa miteru

Music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmoN0z9dPw0

Japanese lyrics source: https://www.littleoslo.com/lyj/home/森口博子-ubugoe-歌詞-pv/

i uh. did it again compadres. 4 am uquiz to see what type of protagonist you are, tell me what you get in the tags!

The AEUG, ex-Zeon Folks, & etc.

Inspired by a recent Twitter discussion, I have decided to write up a brief summary of some points from the first half of the first Zeta novel, as pertaining to the connections between former-Zeon personnel, the EFF, and the AEUG. (There's also a couple of details about the Titans thrown in. Although, the more I write, the more I realize I'm mostly just summarizing the explanations for how Char has been operating under his terrible fake name.)

I think Japanese copyright law diverges from the "Fair Use" clause allowed in the United States, where I live, so I'm not comfortable quoting large amounts of the original Japanese text. Most of what I write will be summary, but when I quote the text directly, I'll also put the original Japanese below and cross my fingers while furtively glancing in the direction of the Kadokawa main office.

Book One, Chapter Two

At the outset of the novels, Char is in Granada working under the EFSF as Lieutenant Quattro Bajeena. He's with Kignan, who knew him as Captain Char Aznable previously, and has a hard time remembering to call him by his fake name, although they've presumably been working together in this capacity for some time. It's obvious the two are up to some shenanigans their employers disapprove of, as they're sending reports though back channels to hide the nature of their activities.

An exposition dump explains that the Earth Federation government and military had both lost extensive amounts of personnel records during the war. "Former residents of annihilated colonies or soldiers whose units were rumored to have been sunk in battle found that their applications for reinstatement were accepted easily. Since even basic military academy records had been lost, soldiers' pasts couldn't be confirmed, and whatever they said about themselves stood as the only evidence that existed." (そのために、全滅したコロニーの住人とか、全滅したとうわさされる部隊の軍人であった場合、その軍籍復帰申請は容易に受理された。士官学校の基礎データの消失は、一人の軍人の過去の追跡調査を不可能にし、本人の申告 が唯一の証拠になってしまったのである。) Because of this, it's easy for "formerly enlisted EFF soldiers" who are actually former-Zeon personnel, to just enlist under assumed identities.

It's explained that those who were found, outright, to have been previously associated with Zeon's military during the OYW would have been brought to trial, but, if I'm reading this correctly, "by the time anyone followed up on (these self-reports), it was easy to avoid detection because there were (other) former-Zeon personnel who had slipped by (previously, and embedded themselves within) departments of the Earth Federation Forces. This particular form of investigation was met with implicit forgery and adjustment of data. It didn't even require consultation (between parties) or collusion." (が、それらの追跡調査をするころには、もとジオンの軍人が、地球連邦政府の各部署に滑りこんでいるために追跡調査を回避することは容易であった。その種の調査については、暗黙のうちにデータの捏造が行われて、データ上の帳尻合わせ が行われたのだ。合議とか共謀というものではない。)

Char had an agent acquire the identity of Quattro Bajeena for him. (I hope the agent picked a soldier with that name just to mess with him.) The actual Lieutenant Quattro died at A Baoa Qu, and Char's cover story is probably that he was rescued by one of the surviving EFF friendly vessels, then eventually decided to properly reenlist a few years after everything settled down. (The narration doesn't say that's his cover story exactly, but it does note that this is the common tactic.)

Apparently the Earth Federation is so apathetic to Spacenoids that, former-Zeon or not, all of them are kind of second-class citizens as far as the government is concerned. Because they aren't paying any attention to what's going on in space, they don't even know enough about the people living there to sort out dissidents from average citizens.

Char connected with Blex four years before the main story of Zeta started. Blex was already working with the AEUG at that point, and in those four years the AEUG had gained a strong foothold within the Earth Federation government and military. Apparently, their influence began within Sides 1 and 2, and then spread throughout the colonies, both amongst Earth Federation employees and average citizens.

The Titans were formed in retaliation against the momentum of the AEUG. The text doesn't get into it, but it's doubtful that the members of Titans are introduced to the concept of the AEUG as being a problem internal to the EFF. More likely, they're simply told that they'll be fighting terrorists.

Book One, Chapter Five:

Melanie Hue Carbine, head honcho of Anaheim Electronics, is explicitly stated to be the financial backer behind most of the AEUG's fun toys. Blex diverted some money from other EFF projects to build the Argama, lightening the burden on Melanie a bit. Char is not a fan of being funded by a weapons' manufacturer. Blex thinks it'll be fine.

Blex is legitimately concerned that "there's a possibility that Hymem Jamitov might become a second Giren Zabi." (ハイマン・ジャミトフが、第二のギレン・ザビになる可能性があるのだ) He notes that, "Just the fact that, at present, without his name even getting out, he's managed to snap up the bureaucrats in charge of the Earth Federation government's finance department, proves he's got the kind of talent we should keep an eye on." (現在まで、彼が名前を出さずに、地球連邦政府の財政部門の官僚に食いこんでいたという事実だけでも、その才能は評価する価値がある)

At this point, we know the AEUG has lots of EFF personnel colluding against the larger Earth Federation government, and we also know that Jamitov is cleverly manipulating funding and shoring up power with the Titans. The Gryps conflict, from this perspective, really looks like an inter-department battle resulting from a lack of internal oversight on the EFF's part.

Char got the engineering specs on an improved metal alloy for building mobile suits from a former Zeon military engineer and passed them on to Blex. It's not stated whether he got that info while on Axis or after joining the EFF as "Quattro." Either way, the metal is called "Gundarium Gamma." If you thought Wing's "Gundanium" is silly-sounding, then, "Gundarium" is… Hm. Anyway, they can mass-produce Gundams now, although IIRC from the anime(? or was it the movie?) script, it seems the Mk-II isn't made of this new stuff yet.

I can't tell if Tomino's narration is an impartial observer or a reflection of the POV character's inner thoughts. (I suspect it's the latter.) Either way, the narration supposes that Char's usefulness in getting information on things like Gundarium is what's responsible for keeping his AEUG compatriots from looking too deeply into the details of his identity.

Char has a conversation with a mechanic aboard the Argama which goes as follows:

"Will you be deploying without doing a test flight?" (慣熟飛行もなさらずに出撃ですか？)

"Seems like it. It's just like back then…" (そうらしい。昔と同じだな……)

"Back then…? Ah…!" (昔……？ああ……！)

From the mechanic's reaction, Char intuited that this man was also formerly employed by the Zeon military. (そのメカニック・マンのリアクションから、シャアはその男もジオン軍出身と直感した)

He also tells the guy that he has more than 10k hours behind the seat of a mobile suit and that he's only 27 years old. I don't know how many 20 year old whiz kid aces Zeon had, but this probably amounts to the same thing as handing the mechanic an embossed business card reading "Char Aznable, Red Comet of Zeon" in bright red letters.

I'll stop here for now. I'm doing an incredibly, agonizingly slow read of the Zeta novels, so maybe I'll come back and revise this post in the future! I'm in the middle of chapter nine right now, but I hope to finish the book by the end of the year, at least. (A very modest goal, but I am a very slow reader in Japanese.)

Introduction

I’m makz, otherwise known as jakka-ningen in the online Gundam-sphere. I'm very solidly an adult, but hopefully not yet the enemy. I joke that I live in Texas Colony, but really I just grew up in normal Texas. I'm currently living in Los Angeles, trying to figure out how to make ends meet while living precariously close to the otaku shopping district. Unlike my favorite terrible boy, I don’t care what gender you think I am; any pronouns are fine. Most people go with either "they/them" or "she/her."

I post Gundam things on Twitter as @/jakka_ningen, but some of my tweet threads were getting... out of hand, so I decided to open this tumblr for long-form content. Although I post bilingually in English and Japanese on Twitter, I don’t anticipate writing much in Japanese here. I can’t write anything much longer than a tweet in Japanese without getting tired. 😓

It’s been the better part of a decade since I was last on this website, so I may take some time getting settled in. I look forward to interacting with you all in this digital space～ ✨