Basic Trope: A character based off Char Aznable from Mobile Suit Gundam.
- Straight:
- Rad Anderson is The Rival to the pilot of Troperion Zero, with a red Ace Custom Armed Porte and a mask that hides his face. He may or may not have a sister among The Federation.
- Cinco Benis is The Mentor to the pilot of Troperion Omega, wearing shades and piloting a gold mecha of his own. Little does The Alliance realize that Cinco is actually a former pilot of The Empire using a false identity.
- Rad Anderson is a Visionary Villain who wants to advance a new species of superpowered humans. Problem is, he intends to do this by wiping out the entire non-powered race in a Colony Drop. His Deconstructor is a perfect match for the hero's Troperion Mu.
- Exaggerated:
- Rad is so heavily based on Char in appearance and role that he seems more like a ripoff.
- Rad is a literal clone of Char Aznable.
- Rad IS Char under a psuedonym, or maybe just another appearance of him.
- Downplayed: Rad has one of Char's traits, but he has his own spin on the formula.
- Justified: In a Gundam series set in the Universal Century timeline or the "real world", Rad is inspired by Char and tries to emulate him.
- Inverted: Amuro Clone: Miira Ichi is an Ordinary High-School Student who ends up Falling into the Cockpit of a Super Prototype created by The Federation, and is roped into combat despite his inexperience. Along the way, he discovers hidden powers he never knew he had. He could also end up retiring, then helping on the sidelines before regaining his role as main character.
- Subverted: Rad is first introduced as The Red Rocket, but turns out to be more of his own character, or based off another Gundam character.
- Double Subverted: As the series goes on, Rad begins to more closely parallel Char's role.
- Parodied: A parody of Mobile Suit Gundam features a jokey version of Char, who needs glasses because he's Blind Without 'Em, and has a pink Mobile Suit.
- Zig Zagged: Rad takes on some of Char's traits, but uses them in different directions, while maintaining others.
- Averted: Rad Anderson is his own character, maybe even a Red Shirt.
- Enforced: The series is a Gundam show, or is inspired by it, and you gotta have a Char Clone to get the best effect.
- Lampshaded:
- "He looks a lot like that Ch_r Azn_bl_ guy I saw in that old anime..."
- (Gundam series only) "The last time I saw a pilot that good was back in 0079, a man called 'Char Aznable'."
- Invoked: "Perhaps the methods of the Red Comet were the right ones after all..."
- Exploited: The Hero recognizes Rad's tactics are the same as Char Aznable's, but since so much time has passed since Char's days, pilots have come up with tactics to beat them, so Rad loses to the new Gundam and his support units.
- Defied: "Char was an idealistic fool, and a madman above all. I would never use his image for my own sake."
- Discussed:
- "Well, in my experience, there's usually some really good ace pilot like that one show..."
- (Gundam series only) "But why does he feel the need to emulate Char? What does he hope to gain?"
- Conversed: "He's Char. I'm sorry, but he just is. People must like him, huh?"
- Implied: Rad quotes Char's lines in homage.
- Deconstructed:
- Rad is surpassed by the pilot of Troperion Zero, and is driven to madness over his failure, skipping straight from a Mobile Suit Gundam type to a Char's Counterattack type quickly.
- If Cinco is a Quattro Clone, then his attempts to mentor the Kamille Clone are doomed to fail, since he loses no matter what. Also, his pathetic attempts to disguise his identity are quickly found out by The Alliance, and with members of the old guard there, they start to wonder if he's working with The Remnant to bring back The Empire.
- Rad's attempts to drop a colony on earth prove his insanity, and he's not given the chance to even start his plan. Or, he realizes that his attempts to save humanity will doom his kind, too, so he turns himself in.
- Reconstructed:
- Rad's struggles with the pilot of Troperion Zero cause him to realize that he is a Worthy Opponent, and becomes a Friendly Rival to The Hero.
- Since the series is more idealistic than Zeta Gundam, Cinco uses his connections to The Empire to take down The Remnant and the Renegade Splinter Faction, restoring The Federation to the good guys.
- Rad has considered that his actions may be wrong, but he sees it as a Necessary Evil, and goes through with it nonetheless. He may even be right.
- Played For Laughs:
- "I'm Rad Anderson. I'm totally not Char Aznable."
- A version of Char or one of his clones from a Gundam Abridged Series who has plenty of jokes on the trope.
- Played For Drama: (Gundam series only) As the war rages on, Rad begins to see himself more in the shadow of Char, and that he may never live up to him.
Let's just see. Let's test the reaction time of your brand new Char Clone.
