Manga / SD Gundam Mushamaruden

SD Gundam Mushamaruden (SD頑駄無 武者○伝) is a manga authored by Masato Ichishiki and serialized in magazine Comic BomBom from 2001 to 2003. It is also the first of three SD Gundam manga series written by Ichishiki (The other two being SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden and SD Gundam Musha Bancho Fuunroku).

It had three installments, the first two of which had two volumes while the third had three. One of the main plot points of the series is that Musha Gundams are transported to the country of Pegasus, where humans live, and can be thought of as the first isekai Gundam work. These installments include:

• Musha Maruden
• Musha Maruden 2
• Musha Maruden III

Tropes associated with SD Gundam Mushamaruden are:

• Amnesiac Hero: Downplayed in Maruden III. Bakimaru remembers that his name is Bakima R-01 and that he's a strong Hybrid, but he doesn't remember what his mission is because Masaki ate the seeds containing the memories of what it is.
• Androids Are People, Too: Tokki from Maruden and Burikimaru from Maruden III are both Tekki Mushas, the Musha Gundam equivalent to androids, but are both treated like any other Musha Gundam.
• Batman Gambit: While it was fairly minor compared to most examples, Masaki in Maruden III had one that was this mixed with Gambit Roulette. Just before the group launches into space for the final battle against the Hybrids, Masaki claims this has nothing to do with them and takes Bakimaru back to Japan via a portal. When they return, they see the Gaiou Group fighting off the Hybrids in Japan. During this fight, Kiou Gundam is forced to trigger a system that would result in Cobra and his own destruction. When Masaki says this has nothing to do with them, Bakimaru refuses to go along with him and admits that the Mushas are his allies. Turns out, Masaki was trying to get Bakimaru to admit that the whole time.
  Bakimaru: "The Mushas...are my friends...!!"
  Masaki: "I was waiting for you to say that!! So, why don't we go lend those two a hand?!"
• Breather Episode: Maruden III has one after the chapter where Bakimaru and co first fight Bakima R-02 and Bakima R-03, which was a Mood Whiplash from the work's more lighthearted beginning. The chapter is about the group heading to the Armor Arsenal to repair their heavily damaged armor. It ends up being one of the funniest chapters in the series.
• The Bus Came Back: Plenty of characters from older Musha Gundam stories make a return here, with some of them even getting upgraded. (Musha Godmaru and Musha Greatmaru even get major roles in the story.)
• Cerebus Syndrome: All three works drop the comedic tones by the second half.
• Chekhov's Gag: Maruden III has one between Bakimaru and Bushimaru. It is initially set up as a Running Gag where the two would immediately get into a fight with each other when the other helps them out in battle or when Bakimaru says something to make Bushimaru angry. This changes when Bakimaru has a Big Damn Heroes moment to save Bushimaru during the final battle. While Bushimaru acts like he is about to fight with Bakimaru, but misses him purposely. Their exchange says it all.
  Bushimaru: "I...was waiting... Ba. Ki. Maru!"
  Bakimaru: "Heh...sorry to keep you waiting...comrade..."
• Chekhov's Gunman: Yowamaru in Maruden III was mentioned once when Shinsoumaru met a young Abram Musha who looked like him in one of the work's earliest chapters. He is never mentioned again until later when we find out that he was the close subordinate of Shinsomaru and his body was forcefully used to resurrect Neo Aquarius.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Bushimaru and Burikimaru deliver one to Bakima R-03 during their first encounter in Maruden III when they arrive to assist Bakimaru. They are then given one by Bakima R-02.
• Disk-One Final Boss: The main villians in Maruden and Maruden 2 are this, considering that the series concludes with Maruden III.
• Exotic Eye Designs: Burikimaru from Maruden III has mechanical gears in his eyes, which is a common trait for Ichishiki's Tekki Mushas.
• Expy: Yoroimaru wears mech suits for combat since he has no special powers, and he's the CEO of a major company. He's basically the Tony Stark of this story.
• Freudian Trio: The three lead Mushas and Masaki in Maruden III are this.
  • Ego: Burikimaru, Masaki
  • Superego: Bushimaru
  • Id: Bakimaru
• Hyperlink Story: While each of the individual entries appear to be separate outside of small details, such as Bakimaru being at the final battle of Maruden 2 while in egg form, all the stories come together around the second half of Maruden III.
• "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: One of the last fights in Maruden III is Bushimaru and Burikimaru having one against Perfect Beast King Kerberos, which had forcefully combined Bakimaru with his two brothers.
• Our Souls Are Different: The Musha Soul is arguably one of the most important concepts in all three Maruden works. In the series, it is both a term used to refer to the source of a Musha's strength in body and spirit, but also their literal soul. However, the Musha Soul could be forgotten or lost, leading to either a severe power down (As shown with Muchamaru, who was once the powerful Mushamaru until he forgot his Musha Soul) or becoming Brainwashed and Crazy (As shown with Greatmaru, who had his drained upon being captured by the Dark Yami Army and turned into Dark Greatmaru).
  • Maruden III further expands on this concept with Bakimaru constantly seeking a Musha Soul ever since he experienced its strength in the final battle of Maruden II.
• Running Gag: Maruden III has two notable ones. The first one is whenever Bakimaru tries to power up by eating one of the seeds from Masaki's potted plant after the first chapter, he turns into food due to Masaki using said food as fertilizer. The second is the chef brothers from Abram, Kouten and Souten, being so bad at cooking when they work separately that it causes those who eat their food to seemingly die. (Emphasized with a cutaway to a tragic scene that looks pulled straight out of another manga)
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Bakimaru and Bushimaru in Maruden III, due to Baki's attitude and the fact that he is a Hybrid, which were the main villains of the story. It all makes what happens in the final battle the better...
• Time Travel: Several Musha Gundams travel to the year 2001, which is where the story takes place.
• Trapped in Another World: Happens to many of the Musha characters in all three series. Musha Maruden III is a notable difference from this, since the human character, Masaki actually gets transported to Ark.
• World of Ham: As is common in Masato Ichishiki's SD Gundam manga series, the characters (especially the Musha Gundams) often drop into Large Ham territory. Amoung the most notable is Bushimaru from Maruden III with his Comical Overreacting and tendency to overexplain everything, whether it be his ancestor or Tekki Mushas.
  Bushimaru: <Upon returning with a caged Bakimaru> HA HA HA HA HA!! EVERYONE, I'VE CAPTURED THE HYBRID!!