T5W#278-Top 5 Char Clones in Gundam

Char Aznable.  The Man.  The Myth.  The Legend.  He’s one of the greatest Anime villains of all time, loved and adored even when he’s on the wrong side of justice.  Char is a man so incredible that he has become a core element of the Gundam franchise.  Hence why we always see a random masked guy pop up in every other Gundam series across the multiverse.  They pretend to be the most mysterious characters in the show, least of all including sporting a face covering of some sort, though none have matched Char’s Darth Vader inspired helmet.  Well, enough of giving Char all the love, this week it’s about the guys who carry the title of “Char Clone” proudly.  These are the Top 5 Char Clones in Gundam.

#5-Carozzo Ronah aka Iron Mask (Mobile Suit Gundam F91)

Gundam F91 is a freaking mess of a movie.  All of this stems from a chaotic behind the scenes story that saw a proposed 50 episode series being crunched into a 2 hour movie.  Character motivations are about as random as the events taking place on screen.  The only truly consistent element of F91 is Carozzo.  The man is one thing and one thing only: The Bad Guy.  Even when he’s trying to convince his daughter Cecily to join his cause, Iron Mask cant help but revel in his maniacal madness and scene chewing.  And while I said Char has a Darth Vader inspired helmet, Carozzo has a literal Iron Mask with a digitized voice AND a riff on the Empire March from The Empire Strikes Back…admittedly, that’s both plagiarism and also kind of cool.

 

#4-Schwartz Bruder (Mobile Fighter G Gundam)

The German Gundam Fighting Ninja from Neo Germany, Schwartz is one of the most bad ass characters in G Gundam, a show chalk full of those already.  Just imagine if Kakashi from Naruto was a Gundam fighter with his own Gundam…and was supposedly German.  Schwartz acts as both mentor and occasional rival to series lead Domon Kasshu, testing his resolve and prepping him for the battles to come, especially against the Devil Gundam.  Schwartz doesn’t sit on the sidelines either.  His Gundam Spiegel is a blade dancing machine of death that can cut rival Gundams and Devil Army battalions to pieces in the blink of an eye…but come on he’s a German Gundam Fighting Ninja, what more do you need?

 

#3-Anavel Gato (Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory)

Ok, this one might be pushing it but hear me out.  Gato is the closest thing to Char Stardust Memory gets and the way he carries himself feels very Char-like.  Gato is a man committed to his cause and genuinely cares about getting Zeon back on top and winning freedom for his oppressed comrades.  His confidence is boundless and he has the skills to back up that up in a Mobile Suit fight.  If there’s one thing I wish Stardust Memory would have given us, it’s a flashback to see Gato and Char meet, like have a drink or something, cause I feel that Char and Gato would respect the hell out of each other, even if they might end up enemies because of Char’s vendetta against the Zabis.  Plus, Gato is just a much better written character than the constantly whining Kou Uraki.  The fact that Gato leaves Kou alive rather than finishing him speaks volumes…punk Gundam pilot unworthy of a Gundam isn’t worthy of being finished by Gato.

 

#2-Zechs Merquise (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing) 

I’m sure for many like myself, Zechs was our first Char.  When Gundam Wing first arrived in the US, Zechs Merquise, aka Milliardo Peacecraft, stood out immediately because of his mask, piloting skill and general air of coolness that more than matched any of the Gundam boys.  Zechs carries the most Char traits and storyline beats of any Char clone in the Gundam franchise: vendetta against an organization that killed his family; main rival to the main hero, Heero Yuy; and eventually becomes the leader of a space rebellion hellbent on destroying the Earth.  Heck his signature mask is a nice follow up to Char’s.  His story isn’t flawless but Zechs has always been a legend, whether it’s slicing Leo’s in half with his Tallgeese or duking it out with Heero in his Gundam Epyon.  The very name, Zechs Merquise, screams pure, bonefied, bad ass.

 

#1-Harry Ord (Turn A Gundam)

If Turn A Gundam is the epitome of the Gundam multiverse theory til that point, then Harry Ord is the truest successor to the Red Comet if there ever was one.  Sporting rather classy sunglasses that look kind of bug eyed, Harry is the personal bodyguard for Queen Dianna and will do anything to protect her.  But Harry isn’t just about duty, he’s an honorable man who is both intelligent and cunning.  His rivalry with the Turn A pilot, Loran Cehack is unique in that their face offs are great but their team ups are legendary.  Speaking of legendary, holy crap can Harry pilot a Mobile Suit.  Some of Turn A Gundam’s best moments are when he is able to take down the best squads from the Moonrace singlehandily.  Plus, he’s got a way with the ladies, easily winning the heart of Diana’s twin look alike, Kihel Heim, by just being suave, awesome, and the best clone of Char out there.