Full Frontal

Full Frontal was the mysterious leader of the Neo Zeon remnant forces known as the Sleeves during the Laplace Incident of UC 0096. Described as “The Second Coming of Char”, he was a genetically altered Cyber Newtype created with the physical appearance and implanted memories of the legendary Red Comet. His ultimate goal was to use Laplace’s Box to establish a Side Co-Prosperity Sphere that would grant Spacenoids self-governance whilst marginalising the Earth Federation.

Biography

Origins and creation

Full Frontal’s true origins remained shrouded in mystery, but he was the product of advanced Cyber Newtype technology developed by Neo Zeon forces. Whether he began as a naturally born human or was created as a clone was never definitively established. What was known was that he underwent extensive surgical alterations to make him physically identical to Char Aznable, complete with the distinctive diagonal scar above the bridge of his nose that Char had received whilst fencing with Amuro Ray at A Baoa Qu.

The most remarkable aspect of Full Frontal’s creation was the implantation of memories and emotional patterns extracted from Psycho-Frame material that had absorbed Char’s psychic essence. This residual “will” of Char had drifted through space following the Axis Shock incident of UC 0093, when Char and Amuro’s final battle resulted in their disappearance. However, the fragment of Char’s consciousness that was implanted in Full Frontal had been distorted by despair, as humanity had failed to evolve into Newtypes despite witnessing the miracle of Axis being pushed away from Earth.

The Second Coming of Char

In UC 0094, Full Frontal first made his presence known when Neo Zeon forces stole the MSN-06S Sinanju Stein from Anaheim Electronics during a transfer from Granada to Von Braun. The two Clop-class light cruisers sent by the Earth Federation to recover the stolen mobile suit were completely wiped out by its pilot: Full Frontal, who had already earned the moniker “The Second Coming of Char Aznable”. The captured mobile suit was subsequently modified into the MSN-06S Sinanju, painted in Char’s signature red colour scheme.

As leader of the Sleeves, Full Frontal united various Zeon remnant groups under a single banner. His charisma, intelligence, and combat capabilities—all cybernetically programmed based on Char’s recorded data—allowed him to hold these disparate factions together in pursuit of their common goal: the acquisition of Laplace’s Box.

The Laplace Incident

Full Frontal’s campaign to obtain Laplace’s Box began in earnest following Suberoa Zinnerman’s failed mission to Industrial 7. When Marida Cruz’s NZ-666 Kshatriya was defeated by the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, Full Frontal decided to take a personal interest in this new Federation weapon.

Battle with the Nahel Argama

Once the Garencieres determined the location of the Londo Bell ship Nahel Argama, Full Frontal sortied in the Sinanju and single-handedly disabled the vessel. After destroying several Federation mobile suits, the battle was halted when Daguza Mackle announced that they held Princess Mineva hostage aboard their ship.

Mackle demanded safe passage, but Full Frontal refused, stating that Zeon could not confirm Audrey Burne’s true identity as a Zabi. Instead, he ordered them to surrender everything related to Laplace’s Box, including the Gundam, or face destruction. When the Unicorn Gundam launched to face him, Full Frontal demonstrated his exceptional piloting skills, evading its powerful beam magnum shots and even landing his signature “Red Comet Kick” on the Gundam before it transformed into Destroy Mode.

Interrogation of Banagher Links

After Banagher Links was captured and brought before him, Full Frontal attempted to understand why Cardeas Vist had entrusted the Unicorn Gundam to a complete stranger. When Banagher asked why he wore a mask, Full Frontal removed it to reveal his face, which closely resembled Char’s. He explained that he saw himself as “a vessel for the hopes of those in space and the ideals of Zeon”, and if people wanted to believe he was Char, then so be it.

Full Frontal then attempted to educate Banagher about the nature of the conflict between Spacenoids and Earthnoids, explaining Neo Zeon’s fight for freedom from Federation oppression. He tried to recruit the young pilot, hoping that Banagher would come to understand what Neo Zeon truly represented.

The Side Co-Prosperity Sphere

During a temporary alliance with the Nahel Argama, Full Frontal revealed his true vision for the future. Rather than seeking to revive the Principality of Zeon, he proposed the creation of a Side Co-Prosperity Sphere—an economic bloc of space colonies that would boycott Earth, forcing the Federation to collapse under the pressure of mass migration from an increasingly uninhabitable planet.

Mineva Lao Zabi recognised that this plan would merely reverse the current power structure rather than create true peace, leading to an endless cycle of conflict between Earth and space. She declared that Full Frontal was not truly Char Aznable, as even at his worst, Char had believed in human possibility. Full Frontal, by contrast, displayed a deep-seated nihilism born from his fragmented existence and the ceaseless horrors of war.

Final confrontation

Battle at Industrial 7

The climactic confrontation took place at Industrial 7, where Laplace’s Box was hidden within the colony builder Magallanica. Full Frontal deployed in his new mobile armour, the NZ-999 Neo Zeong, whilst Banagher and Riddhe Marcenas opposed him in the Unicorn Gundam and Banshee Norn respectively.

When Syam Vist refused to hand over Laplace’s Box, viewing Full Frontal as merely “the ghost of Char” who would use the charter as leverage rather than reveal its contents, Full Frontal attempted to kill them all. However, the room’s security systems forced him to retreat to his mobile armour.

The psycho-field battle

The final battle between the Neo Zeong and the two Gundams pushed their psycho-frame systems to their limits. When the Neo Zeong deployed its Psycho-Shard Generator, it created a massive psycho-field that destroyed all conventional weapons, leaving only close combat as an option.

Despite the overwhelming power of his mobile armour, Full Frontal found himself gradually overpowered by the two Gundams. In a desperate attempt to prove his nihilistic worldview, he used the psycho-field to take Banagher on a journey through time, showing him the endless cycle of war from the One Year War through to the eventual “end of time”—a pitch-black void that he claimed represented the meaninglessness of all human struggle.

However, Banagher’s response of “Even so” and his unwavering belief in human potential began to crack Full Frontal’s despair. The intense psycho-frame energy reached its zenith, and both the Neo Zeong and Sinanju began to disintegrate under the strain.

Reunion with Char

In his final moments, Full Frontal was visited by the spirits of Char Aznable and Lalah Sune. Char told him it was time to let go, whilst Lalah spoke of the light that “warms the very universe itself” and could inspire a different future than the one Full Frontal had envisioned.

Full Frontal’s fragmented spirit finally merged back with Char’s complete consciousness, making his progenitor whole once more. His final words to Banagher were to “do what he believed in”, entrusting the future to the next generation. His body, now nothing more than an empty shell, was later discovered by Sleeves members.

Personality and traits

Full Frontal possessed all of Char Aznable’s charisma, intelligence, and tactical acumen, having been cybernetically programmed with his complete combat data and memories. However, unlike the original Char, Full Frontal displayed a profound nihilism that coloured all his actions and decisions. This despair stemmed from his incomplete nature—he possessed only a fragment of Char’s consciousness, one that had been distorted by humanity’s failure to evolve after the Axis Shock.

Despite his nihilistic outlook, Full Frontal was a master manipulator who used charm and diplomacy when it suited his purposes. He attempted to recruit Banagher Links through persuasion rather than force, recognising the young pilot’s potential value. His charisma allowed him to unite the fractured Zeon remnants under the Sleeves banner, giving them a sense of purpose and direction.

Full Frontal was fully aware of his artificial nature and viewed himself as a symbolic vessel for Spacenoid hopes rather than as an individual. He understood the importance of the Char persona in inspiring his followers, even whilst privately viewing some of Char’s methods as “petty and impractical”. His mask served both as a tool of propaganda and as a psychological crutch—he claimed to forget he was even wearing it most of the time.

Unlike Char, who despite his flaws retained some measure of passion for his ideals, Full Frontal approached his goals with cold calculation and complete ambivalence. He felt no genuine concern for the wellbeing of Spacenoids beyond their utility in achieving his vision of a Side Co-Prosperity Sphere. This emotional detachment made him perhaps more dangerous than Char in some ways, as he was willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to achieve his objectives.

Skills and abilities

Full Frontal was an exceptionally skilled mobile suit pilot, combining Char’s recorded combat data with his own Cyber Newtype abilities. This made him capable of taking on multiple enemy mobile suits simultaneously without support, as demonstrated during his single-handed assault on the Nahel Argama. His reflexes and spatial awareness allowed him to pilot high-performance machines like the Sinanju to their full potential.

As a Cyber Newtype, Full Frontal possessed enhanced reaction times and limited precognitive abilities that gave him an edge in combat. However, his artificial nature meant that his Newtype abilities were somewhat constrained compared to natural Newtypes like Banagher Links or Amuro Ray.

Beyond his piloting skills, Full Frontal was a charismatic leader and capable strategist. He successfully united various Zeon remnant groups under the Sleeves banner and developed a comprehensive political and economic strategy for achieving Spacenoid independence. His understanding of both military tactics and broader geopolitical considerations made him a formidable opponent on multiple fronts.

Full Frontal also demonstrated the ability to remotely control his mobile armour through Newtype powers, as seen when he commanded the Neo Zeong to attack intruders whilst he was inside the Magallanica colony.

Relationships

Char Aznable

Full Frontal’s relationship with Char Aznable was complex and tragic. He was created to be Char’s perfect successor, possessing his appearance, memories, and abilities, yet he lacked Char’s complete soul. This made him simultaneously everything Char was and nothing like him—a contradiction that ultimately proved to be his downfall.

The fragmented consciousness within Full Frontal contained only Char’s despair and cynicism, without the passion and belief in human potential that had driven the original Red Comet. When the two finally met in the psycho-field realm, Char’s complete spirit was able to guide Full Frontal towards acceptance and peace, allowing both to move on together.

Banagher Links

Banagher Links represented everything Full Frontal had lost faith in—youth, idealism, and the belief that humanity could change for the better. Their relationship evolved from antagonist and target to a form of mentor and student, albeit one where the “mentor” was trying to crush the student’s hope rather than nurture it.

Full Frontal recognised Banagher’s potential early on and attempted to recruit him, seeing in the young pilot someone who could become a “vessel” like himself. However, Banagher’s unwavering optimism and determination ultimately proved to be Full Frontal’s undoing, forcing him to confront the emptiness of his nihilistic worldview.

Mineva Lao Zabi

Princess Mineva served as Full Frontal’s greatest critic and the voice of moral authority that challenged his vision. As the last surviving member of the Zabi family and the legitimate heir to Zeon’s legacy, her words carried particular weight when she declared that he was not truly Char Aznable.

Mineva understood that Full Frontal’s plans would merely perpetuate the cycle of conflict between Earth and space rather than create genuine peace. Her rejection of his ideology and her insistence on the true meaning of Zeon’s ideals helped expose the hollowness of his position.

Angelo Sauper

Lieutenant Angelo Sauper served as Full Frontal’s most devoted follower and the commander of his Elite Guards unit. Angelo’s fanatical loyalty bordered on obsession, and he viewed Full Frontal as the perfect leader who could provide the strength that humanity lacked.

Full Frontal appeared to view Angelo as a useful subordinate rather than forming any genuine emotional connection with him. This relationship highlighted Full Frontal’s inability to form real human bonds, even with those who worshipped him.

Mecha

MSN-06S Sinanju

The MSN-06S Sinanju was Full Frontal’s primary mobile suit throughout the Laplace Incident. Originally the MSN-06S Sinanju Stein, it was stolen from Anaheim Electronics and modified with aesthetic changes including Char’s signature red colour scheme. The Sinanju’s high performance capabilities perfectly complemented Full Frontal’s exceptional piloting skills, allowing him to engage multiple enemies simultaneously and perform manoeuvres like his signature “Red Comet Kick”.

The mobile suit featured advanced psycho-frame technology that enhanced Full Frontal’s Newtype abilities and response times. Its armament included beam sabers, a beam rifle, bazooka, and various missile systems that made it effective at all combat ranges. Full Frontal used the Sinanju to devastating effect against Federation forces, establishing his reputation as a pilot worthy of the Char name.

NZ-999 Neo Zeong

For the final battle at Industrial 7, Full Frontal deployed in the massive NZ-999 Neo Zeong mobile armour. This enormous machine served as both a weapons platform and a psycho-frame amplifier, allowing Full Frontal to project his Newtype abilities across a wide area.

The Neo Zeong’s most notable feature was its Psycho-Shard Generator, which could create a massive psycho-field capable of disabling conventional weapons and forcing opponents into close combat. Despite its overwhelming size and firepower, the mobile armour ultimately proved insufficient against the combined power of the Unicorn Gundam and Banshee Norn, leading to Full Frontal’s final defeat.

Behind the scenes

Full Frontal was designed as the primary antagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, serving as both a tribute to and subversion of Char Aznable’s legacy. His character explores themes of identity, artificial existence, and the dangers of nihilism whilst providing a formidable opponent for the series’ protagonists.

The name “Full Frontal” holds the meaning of “stark naked” or “fully exposed”, reflecting his status as someone with nothing to hide—a man whose artificial nature and borrowed identity are ultimately revealed. In the novel “War After the War”, he stated, “As my name suggests, I am a man with nothing to hide.”

Voice actors

Full Frontal was voiced by Shūichi Ikeda in Japanese, the same actor who had portrayed Char Aznable throughout the Universal Century timeline. This casting choice emphasised the connection between the two characters whilst highlighting the tragic nature of Full Frontal’s existence as an incomplete copy.

In the English dub, Full Frontal was voiced by Keith Silverstein, who had also voiced Char Aznable in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin. For video game appearances, he was voiced by Jonathan Love in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3.

Cultural references

Full Frontal’s proposed Side Co-Prosperity Sphere was likely an analogy to the real-world Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere promoted by Imperial Japan during World War II. This reference added another layer to the character’s role as a complex antagonist whose methods, whilst understandable from his perspective, ultimately represented a form of imperialism.

Appearances

Full Frontal first appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn episode 2 and served as the primary antagonist throughout the series. He also appeared briefly in Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative and has been featured in numerous video games including the Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series and Super Robot Wars franchise.

In Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3, an interesting scenario occurs where a time-displaced Full Frontal meets with the Char from Char’s Counterattack. Both characters appear visibly uncomfortable with each other, with Char commenting, “Some things you never notice until you look in from the outside.”

External links

• Full Frontal on the Gundam Wiki
• Full Frontal on Gundam.info