The Legendary Zaku

The Gundam started airing on April 7, 1979 that lasted until January 26, 1980 in Japan and celebrated it's 35th anniversary this year (2014). Every year, as Gundam fans, we celebrate it no matter what!Anyway, Mobile Suit Gundam has created many things that connected the makers and viewers like anime series, manga and of course the great stories that they write are just excellent on its own way.

Being the Zaku and Gundam are the main rivals of the story, we take a look behind how they are produced by famous Gundam director Tomino and mecha designer Okawara.



CAD (Computer-aided design)

Okawara's actually a gentleman, quiet and passionate. His original thoughts about the CAD seems to contain on his head the time they are working with it. 

he gave a message...
"My...what I can imagine is a three-dimensional view while drawing the sketch at the same time, seems like I was different from the others, giving it a bitter smile..."
Don't you worry Mr. Okawara! the following years will be great for you and Mr. Tomino.

Last year (2013) Okawara visited a studio in Tokyo Ogawara for an interview. He didn't say much about what was asked in the interview but he stated that there was a workshop which is commonly called "Okawara Factory" next to the studio he was interviewed on. Having full-scale machine and tools that Okawara used to help him finish a 3D modeling that he designed.

The Mobile "Suit"...

Okawara majors in graphic design at the Tokyo University of Art and Design. After the graduation, he worked for a major apparel manufacturer he didn't name. Zaku was painted as the design image of the suit, and day after day it is actually going on in the motif suit.

They wanted to create something that has futuristic design, solid and reminiscent that was never seen in any mecha anime so far, that the real weapons that can be mass produced, something like tanks and aircraft fighters. 

To think thoroughly, the concept of robot weapons "mobile suit" rather simple and is based in the near future which can be a large set of robots that acts like the large suit for soldiers that would fight in ground and space with real weapons and armors.

The Antagonist Zaku

The advent of Zaku was great, which was first seen in the Gundam 0079, and yes the thought of other way to increase the rating of the series by putting Zaku in it was successful. That it was very successful and it became more famous than Gundam itself. They began to change the scripts and the ratings became higher and higher as they release more variants of it.

Being the main antagonist, they made a red Zaku II that was piloted by the main antagonist of the Gundam 0079 series named Char also known as "The Red Comet", having his red painted Zaku, three times faster the speed compare to other Zaku.



Speaking of Char, he also appeared in many names in different series.

The original concept of Zaku was derived from the word "zako" (雑魚), means interior fish and also derived from the sound of many soldiers walking. Zaku also signifies expendable grunts.

They started putting Dom, Gouf and other monoeyed mobile suits that are still iconic in Gundam universe.

Other Zaku variations appeared in Mobile Suit Variations (MSV), along with variations of other mobile suits and Gundams.

Extras...It's so famous, we can make GunPla out of it!

GunPla (Gundam Plastic) started to sell when they aired the Gundam 0079, selling more than 400 million units, more and more as the years are counting. GunPla is one of the biggest success of Gundam business. They wanted to create something that would connect the relationship between the audiences and anime itself even more by creating GunPla. They also stated that GunPla are NOT toys for children, they are model kits to be remodeled and painted like model tanks and airplanes.

The MS-06 Zaku II is a mobile suit from the Mobile Suit Gundam series, that appeared in many variants was originally drafted by Yoshiyuki Tomino and was redesigned by Kunio Okawara. Now the Zaku has been there as the main antagonist of most of the Gundam series. Seeing it with different variants like Ginn, Zaku Warrior from Gundam SEED and Jenice from After War Gundam X.

The design continued to evolve as they release different Gundam series, redesigned by assigned designers in specific Gundam story.

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