"I don't have that resolve. No, all I know is I need her to need me."
A sixteen-year-old student attending Anaheim Electronics Industrial College alongside his friends, Banagher seems to have a happy enough life despite essentially living on the school's suffrage thanks to having no contact with his father and his mother dying when he was young. His life drastically changes when he encounters Audrey, a young woman who seeks to prevent a war. His instant devotion to her results in him Falling into the Cockpit of the Unicorn Gundam, becoming embroiled in a resurgent conflict between the Earth Federation Forces and The Remnant of Char's Neo-Zeon movement, now known as the Sleeves.
Because You Were Nice to Me: His desire to be needed by Audrey is because she made him feel like he belonged.
Birds of a Feather: One of the reasons Banagher latches onto Audrey so fast is because they both were "always on the move" as children. He later starts to develop some of this with Marida as well, after discovering that they're both Newtypes.
Blood on These Hands: He does not take the news that he killed a Zeon pilot with a stray shot in one of his first battles well.
The Dulcinea Effect: As Audrey, Marida, and Loni can attest, Newtype powers + teenage hormones = enough tilting at windmills to warrant a tip of the hat from Quixote himself.
Expy: A rather obvious one of Amuro Ray; his Gundam looks similar to Nu Gundam without the funnels and it has a backpack similar to the original Gundam and his father created Gundam Unicorn, as well as his Falling into the Cockpit and being an Ordinary High School Student. Of course, the same could be said of mostUC TV series protagonists.
Give Him A Normal Life: Banagher's mother left her husband and took Banagher with her because she didn't want Banagher to be caught up in the Vist Foundation's shady dealings. Can't really blame her.
He goes through this again after learning he inadvertently killed Mr. Gilboa.
Heroic Vow/Honor Before Reason: Banagher gave his word to Audrey that he would protect her, and he's sticking to it, no matter what fights he gets plunged into and whether Audrey would like this or not.
Identical Grandson: The young Syam Vist seen in the prologue looks exactly like him.
I Will Protect Her: Possibly nearing Type 6, indicating from Banagher's conversation with Cardeas Vist.
Cardeas: You've come this far, but are you confident that your conviction will not waver? The weight of the burden she has to bear is immense. You'll need the resolve to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders if you go with her. Do you have it?
Light is Good: pilots a full white Gundam called The Unicorn whose name is based on a beast of light and possibilities. Notably, he fits this whilst his suit does not.
Power Incontinence: For folks like Amuro and Kamille, who gained their powers late in life, Newtype connections are rare, precious, and above all voluntary things. Banagher collects them like headlice.
Tyke Bomb: He started manifesting Newtype powers when he was very young, and was consequently being groomed as the Unicorn's pilot until his mother pulled him out of the Vist Foundation's clutches.
Unstoppable Rage: After Daguza's death in Episode 3. He ends up getting Gilboa killed in the process.
Wetware CPU: The Unicorn's Gundam form turns him into one whenever it activates. He's locked into his pilot seat, unable to move while the MS's combat AI takes over and hijacks his brain's Psychic Powers for itself.
Banagher delivers this several times, towards Cardeas Vist when Industrial 7 is attacked, towards Audrey when she attempts to get Banagher to escape with her from the Nahael Argama and when she persuades Daguza to shoot her when her identity as Mineva Lao Zabi is revealed, to Daguza (see below) for involving Audrey in the conflict, and finally to Full Frontal.
Banagher: Well, if we're just children, then why is she your hostage? Is this how adults are supposed to behave? Does being older make this right?!
In fact, Marida speculates that this is precisely why he is the most worthy pilot of the Unicorn—the best person to shape the destiny of the Universal Century is one capable of finding their own answers beyond the ideologies and propaganda of the two warring factions.
"I don't have much time! Help me! There's someone I must speak with, but if I don't get there in time, I'm afraid something terrible will happen! We must act immediately! So, please!"
A mysterious young woman involved with the Sleeves, who encounters Banagher while trying to prevent them from starting a war. Accepting his help, the two dodge the Sleeves while trying to contact the mysterious Vist Foundation. Eventually revealed to be Minerva Lao Zabi, the last survivor of the Zeon "royal family." Despite this, her goal is no more or less than preventing a war from breaking out, by whatever means necessary.
Give Her A Normal Life: In one of Haman Karn's rare Pet the Dog moments, she was sent to Earth as an ordinary schoolgirl at the end of the Gryps Conflict, whilst a series of Body Doubles covered for her on Axis. The deception was revealed at the end of Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, but nobody was quite sure what had happened to the real Mineva... until now.
Guile Heroine: Audrey easily relies on her wit and persuasion as a means to fulfill her goals. Banagher calls her out on it in the second episode twice, first when she attempts to get him to escape with her from the Nahael Argama, and then when she is persuading Daguza to shoot her when her identity as Mineva Lao Zabi is revealed.
Line-of-Sight Name: She first introduces herself to Our Hero near a movie theater showing a classic (by this point, in fact, it would be close to two centuries old at the least!) film starring Audrey Hepburn.
Nerves of Steel: Another thing she inherited from Haman. Not even getting a gun pointed at her head or having to jump out of a plane without a parachute will cause her to bat an eyelid.
The President's Daughter: Audrey is important to both the Earth Federation and Zeon for her status as Mineva Lao Zabi, and she, herself, is well-aware of that fact. It is even played straight when our hero Banagher literally tells Audrey he doesn't want to know what she should do but what she wants.
Psychic Powers: A fairly powerful Newtype. Given how Newtype powers work, it's implied to be one of the reasons why Banagher is so keen on helping her.
Rags to Royalty: Snow White Style — Audrey is a princess who is forced to go into hiding, is aware of her royal ancestry, and (had) attempted to hide her royalty and pretend to be a commoner. Subverted only because she hasn't officially reclaimed her royal title as of yet. And given the context of what doing so would mean (reclaiming the Zabi name would not be a good thing), it's rather doubtful that she ever would.
The Woman Wearing The Queenly Mask: Implied by Banagher as it becomes evident that Audrey is willing to give up her life to prevent another war and has no care for her own desires or welfare.
Wrong Genre Savvy: Despite being an Otaku Takuya gets a number of key facts wrong: he wrongly identifies the RX-78-2 Gundam as the Federation's first mobile suit and later calls the Delta-Plus the Hyaku-Shiki. Granted it's presented as more tongue-in-cheek, but these mistakes may belie a bit of propaganda on the part of his sources
"Don't go! You can't leave me here! Please don't leave me! Banagher!"
Another friend of Banagher's, Micott has a not-so-secret crush on him. In the light novels, Micott attends a school adjacent of Anaheim Electronics Industrial College, while in the OVAs she attends Anaheim instead.
Very much towards Banagher. At one point, she even (albeit accidentally) spied on Banagher at one point and did not like seeing him hang out with Audrey. Though towards the end of the first episode, her "clingy-ness" was more justified because she was suffering through a nervous breakdown.
In the novels, it is Micott who tips off Daguza that Audrey may be involved with the Sleeves, which leads him to investigate her background and discover Audrey's true identity.
"Death should be treated with dignity. We're supposed to respect one another's lives, but once we grow out of childhood, though we know better, we still cause meaningless bloodshed."
The Chairman of Anaheim Electronics Industrial College, and the head of the Vist Foundation. He is the man who spearheaded the development of the Unicorn Gundam, as well as being Banagher's father. Dies in the first episode, after being shot by Alberto.
Badass Grandpa: Though, he's not actually a grandfather.
"Those who can correct the flaws of the Universal Century are beginning to emerge."
The grandfather of Cardeas and great-grandfather of Banagher. First seen briefly in the beginning of the first episode. He is seen as the person who discovered Laplace's Box at the beginning of the Universal Century.
The Atoner: His wish to have Laplace's Box passed on seems to stem from guilt over causing the whole mess that is the current Universal Century when he blew up the laplace station back in U.C.0001, and is trying to set things right.
"You are still a member of Zeon. Even if there have been background dealings, you're an enemy here. Your people killed Commander Norm and the others, and that is something I won't be able to forgive."
An MS pilot for the EFSF who rescues Audrey, Takuya, and Micott from the attack on Industrial 7. He wears a pendant around his wrist and considers it his "good luck charm." Riddhe joined the Federation to get away from his family's political life.
Animal Motif: Following Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn's central theme of the The Lady and the Unicorn, Riddhe's role is that of the "Lion" (Riddhe acquired the Unicorn Gundam "Banshee" unit, which was designed with a "Lion" motif), with Mineva being the "Lady" and the "Unicorn" being Banagher.
Birds of a Feather: With Audrey when they both discuss their mutual political families and the responsibilities that stemmed from it.
The Fatalist: Doesn't believe the problems with the Earth Federation can be fixed, so he just wants to keep things as they are rather than let them get any worse.
Heir to the Dojo: Of the political kind, given how influential the Marcenas family is, which leads to...
Irony: He hates Gundams as agents of uncontrolled and often destructive change, but eventually decides to pilot one himself because of its inarguable power.
I Just Want to Be Normal: Inverted. He joined the E.F.S.F. to escape the constraints of his political family.
Sanity Slippage: Courtesy of his jealousy towards Banagher, his rejection by Audrey, and the stress caused by being The Fatalist whilst stuck with the regular Newtype Dulcinea Effect.
"That's the last time you'll speak to me like that!"
Voice Actors: Naoya Uchida (Japanese), Michael Sorich (English)
The captain of the Nahel Argama, he has a short temper and tends toward indecision. Implied to be a rather inexperienced in an actual shipborne command, having been assigned there from an administrative post. Is often offered "suggestions" by his executive officer, Liam Borrinea.
"Even a cog in a machine has its pride. Now, you go and play your own part, it's the one place where you can decide for yourself who you are, don't ever lose it."
A Commander in the ECOAS 920 special operations group. Is highly experienced in fighting against Zeon and does not hesitate to use underhanded tactics in order to accomplish his mission, which at this point in time is preventing the opening of Laplaces Box.
Colonel Badass: He's a Commander but he still counts, especially after getting the drop on the Kshatriya with his Loto and then getting out of the cockpit to fire a hand-held bazooka at it.
Genre Savvy: Showing hints of it, first by taking on the Khsatriya with a handheld bazooka before jumping away from his mobile suit, and then calling Banagher out on his Gundam Jack.
Necessary Evil: His perspectives and methods, as morally reprehensible they may be, are considered necessary in his line of work. Otto Mitas doesn't even like him or ECOAS in general, but tells Banagher that he shouldn't be so hard on the man.
A rather experienced middle aged woman and the Nahael Argama's executive officer, frequently offers "suggestions" to acting captain Otto Mitas, often with some well hidden snark attached.
Riddhe's father, and a member of the Earth Federation's Central Assembly. He serves as chairman of the Settlement Issues Council, which is jokingly referred to as the shadow cabinet.
Ricardo Marcenas
Voice Actors: Kinryu Arimoto (Japanese), Robert Gorman (English)
The first prime minister of the Earth Federation government, who was killed in the act of terrorism known as the Laplace Incident. He is an ancestor of Riddhe Marcenas.
Voice Actors: Ken Narita (Japanese), Christopher Corey Smith (English)
The commander of the Earth Federation Forces' Londo Bell auxiliary unit. He holds the rank of Captain. Ever since the One Year War, he has been known throughout the world as a commander of Newtype corps, but the Federation Forces leadership regards his career history as dangerous, and he has been removed from the military mainstream. As the captain of the Londo Bell flagship Ra Cailum, he becomes involved in the events surrounding Laplace's Box.
Four Star Badass: Functionally - he's the commander of Londo Bell, the Federation's elite Zeon-hunters.
Genre Savvy: After commanding three generations of Gundam pilots, to say he's wise in their ways would be an understatement.
The second in command of the Londo Bell flagship Ra Cailum. He holds the rank of Commander. Since the second Neo Zeon War, he has continued to calmly support Bright as his right-hand man
Robin Diez
A pilot stationed at Torrington Base, he uses the RX-160S Byarlant Custom.
"You mustn't let mistakes weigh you down. Acknowledge them and take what you've learned to move on. That is the privilege of being a man."
The mysterious leader of the Neo Zeon remnant forces who is described as the "second coming of Char". Like Char Aznable, he is a blonde man whose face is hidden behind a mask, wears a red uniform and pilots a red mobile suit. Similar to Char, he holds the Neo Zeon remnants together with his high charisma. Whether the name is an alias is unspecified.
Affably Evil: Sure, he's the Big Bad, but that in no way makes him any less polite, friendly, or courteous.
Cultured Badass: While holding Banagher captive, he offers him tea, has no qualms with answering Banagher's questions, and treats him with the utmost of courtesy. Whether or not you think that he truly is Char, you can't deny the fact that he is classy as hell.
Expy/Char Clone: In-universe example: he uses a similar style of mobile suit, outfit, and tactics of Char Aznable. In reality, he's a genetically altered close-copy of Char, a Cyber NewType with the near exact distinctions of Char. Frontal's memories were implanted from the psycoframe of one of the mobile suits previously piloted by Char.
Fan Nickname: "Zenra" (Naked) among some Japanese fans, on account of his name; the Nicopedia entry for "naked" (link omitted as NSFW) begins with "Did you mean: Full Frontal?". See also Meaningful Name below.
His Sinanju is a scaled down version of Char's Sazabi with most of its thick armor and fancy gimmicks cut out for better mobility and endurance. It may not seem like much with the Attack Drone set and Wave Motion Gun gone, reducing it to a fairly basic set of armaments, but the truth is that something that moves like that doesn't really need them.
This makes it one of the most enjoyable MS to play as in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam. Nothing says fun like running circles around the enemy and laying a supersonic smackdown.
"If it's never right to take another life, then you're as guilty as anyone for using the Gundam! You killed one of our best men out there! What do you have to say for that?!"
A young member of the Sleeves who serves as the devoted commander of Full Frontal's royal guard. He holds the rank of Lieutenant. Angelo's Geara Zulu is a customized machine with a purple color scheme.
Ace Custom: His Geara Zulu is bright purple, heavily decorated, and is based on MSV's Heavy Weapon Type Geara Doga instead of the standard model. And in the novel, he later upgrades to the deadly Rozen Zulu.
Badass Normal: He's a very dangerous pilot, despite not being a newtype, cyber or otherwise.
Berserk Button: If anyone shows Full Frontal even the slightest bit of disrespect Angelo feels the need to beat that respect into the offender.
Expy: He seems to be an Expy of Mashmyre Cello he has Bodyguard Crush with The Big Bad as well as piloting a Mobile Suit similar to The Hamma Hamma but Purple instead of Green.
Voice Actors: Hideaki Tezuka (Japanese), Michael Alston Baley (English)
A Sleeves member who serves as the captain of the camouflaged freighter Garencieres, and commands its combat forces.
A Father to His Men: Particularly and especially Marida, who he was willing to launch a near-suicidal assault on the Nahael Argama whilst it was in Earth orbit for after she was captured by the EFSF.
Anti-Villain: As much as he might protest otherwise, he does have a functional soul. It's the reason he eventually approved sending out Banagher against the Shamblo, the Sleeves' own superweapon, after it went berserk and started massacring civilians.
"Nothing can live without light. But the people abandoned in space eventually found a new light to replace God. And the new light they found to guide them is Zeon."
A Newtype woman who pilots the monstrous Kshatriya for the Sleeves with the rank Lieutenant Junior Grade. Rather stoic in most situations, she reallydoesn't like Gundams, which sees her repeatedly pitting herself against the Unicorn. In reality, she is actually Ple Twelve, one of Glemmy Toto's cyber newtype clones from the First Neo-Zeon War.
Dark is Evil: As an Anti-Villain and occasional ally, she wears a pink/purple flight suit and pilots the green Kshatriya. As a brainwashed puppet of the Vist Foundation, she wears a black pilot suit and pilots the black Unicorn Banshee. Do the maths.
Irony: Her Ple programming and traumatic experiences in the First Neo Zeon War led her to try to attack anything looking like a Gundam on sight... which became a bit awkward when the Vist Foundation had her pilot one. Needless to say, realising this was a big factor in breaking her brainwashing.
Lightning Bruiser: Her suit the Khsatriya is very fast, tough and hard hitting, but pales in comparison to the Banshee.
Morality Pet: To Zimmerman, whose concern for her wellbeing is one of the clearest things separating him from, say, Full Frontal.
Marida has such a moment when she sees the titular Gundam. Considering her background (and that of Gundams in general), this is wholly justified.
She had the same reaction even earlier after she accidentally hit a ReZEL's reactor; also wholly justified in that the resulting explosion was powerful enough to punch a hole in the colony wall.
Punch Clock Villain: Sees herself as nothing more than a tool to be employed by whoever her master happens to be, mostly because that is, in fact, what she was designed as.
Replacement Goldfish: One of the more positively-portrayed (and less creepy) examples - Zinnerman considers her a replacement for his dead daughter, Marie, and is a loving, if somewhat stern, Parental Substitute to her.
Spell My Name with an S: Ple Twelve. All Ples, despite having a clearly stated official spelling of their name, are constantly referred to as "Purus" by the fans, after the Japanese pronunciation. The English dub for episode three put this to rest, revealing that it's pronounced "Pull".
The helmsman of the camouflaged freighter Garencieres. At first glance Flaste has an air of unapproachability, but his personality is actually more like that of a big brother, and he has the full trust of the crew. He is also an old acquaintance of Captain Zinnerman, and supports him well as the second in command of the Garencieres crew.
A mechanic of the Garencieres team. Despite his youth, his mobile suit maintenance skills are superb, and he has no trouble setting up the Unicorn Gundam with a double set of the Kshatriya's beam gatling guns. He is an optimist with a cheerful personality .
A mobile suit pilot in the Zeon remnant group led by Kirks. She is the daughter of the wealthy Mahdi Garvey, a former Zeon soldier who brought the remnants together. Filled with hatred for the Earth Federation Forces who killed her father, she seeks revenge as the pilot of the huge mobile armor Shamblo.
Anti-Villain: In the novels. She is wracked by guilt over the destruction her father causes in the Shamblo, and is fatally injured by him in response. She then sends psychic messages to Banagher revealing the Shamblo's weak spots and allowing him to take the Shamblo down.
Axe Crazy: Not that her malfunctioning psycommu helped.
Death by Adaptation: In contrast to the anime, her father and brothers were still alive at this point in the original novels, and pilots of the Shamblo alongside her.
Morality Chain: To Loni. Malfunctioning Psycommu aside, It's only a combination of his concern for her and his being her superior officer that keeps the bitter and angry pilot of a massive Mobile Armor from going Axe Crazy every time she sorties. Even his dying thoughts still manages to make Loni snap out of her psychotic episode.
Taking You with Me: In Episode 4, he attempts to self-destruct his mobile suit by destroying its reactor with his rifle to destroy the Federation suits attacking him. One of them kills him before he succeeds.
Cardias' younger sister and Banagher's aunt. A woman with a somewhat elegant appearance, shoulder length blond hair, tight cheeks and deep eyes that give off a cold magnetism. She is married to the chairman of Anaheim Electronics, Melanie Hue Carbine (Marth Vist is often referred to as "The Empress Of The Moon") of the Carbine family which established Anaheim Electronics. Through the Carbine family she has connections with the higher ups of the Earth Federation. She has a sharper mouth than her husband, which makes her a shrewd businesswoman. To the Vist family, it was a rarity to bear a woman of such character. She sends Alberto Vist to Industrial 7 in order to murder Cardeas. She’s an ambitious woman who takes part in the delivery obstruction of “Laplace’s Box” and aims at seizing the Vist Foundation as well as taking back the box.
Meaningful Name: Whilst it's more likely to be the result of the usual Gundam 'keyboard smash' approach to naming than a deliberate choice, 'Carbine' is very appropriate for an arms dealer, let alone a whole family of them.
Alberto Vist
Voice Actors: Wataru Takagi (Japanese), J. B. Blanc (English)
An Anaheim Electronics executive. He comes to Industrial 7 in order to block the transaction between the Vist Foundation and the Sleeves.
Even Evil Has Standards: For all of his unpleasantness, he's visibly uncomfortable with what the Vist Foundation puts Marida through. Her saving his life might have something to do with that.
An Anaheim Electronics engineer who participated in the RX-0 development project as part of the armor materials division. He was detained by ECOAS when he escaped from Magallanica.
