Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (機動戦士ガンダムUC(ユニコーン), Kidō Senshi Gandamu Yunikōn) is a multimedia franchise set in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam universe. Created by novelist Harutoshi Fukui, the franchise began with a novel series serialised in Kadokawa Shoten’s Gundam Ace magazine from February 2007 to August 2009, and has since expanded to include an original video animation series, television anime, manga adaptations, and related media.

The story serves as a direct sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, taking place in UC 0096, three years after the events of Char’s Counterattack and seventeen years after the One Year War. The narrative follows Banagher Links, a student living at the space colony Industrial 7, who becomes pilot of the mysterious RX-0 Unicorn Gundam and is drawn into a conflict surrounding an artefact known as Laplace’s Box.

The franchise is notable for its mature themes, complex political narrative, and high production values across all media. The original video animation in particular was praised as “the pinnacle of the Gundam franchise” for its exceptional animation quality and faithful adaptation of the source material.

Synopsis

The Gundam Unicorn story begins in UC 0001 at the very beginning of human space colonisation, when Laplace, the residential space station of the Federation’s Prime Minister, is destroyed by an anti-Federation group during a ceremony marking the beginning of the Universal Century Calendar. This terrorist attack, known as the Laplace Incident, becomes a pivotal event that influences the course of human history for nearly a century.

The main narrative takes place in UC 0096, where the secret behind the Laplace Incident—contained within the mysterious Laplace’s Box—threatens to destabilise the political order of the Earth Sphere. Various factions, including the Earth Federation, the Neo Zeon remnants known as the Sleeves, and the secretive Vist Foundation, race to control this powerful secret.

At the centre of the conflict is Banagher Links, an ordinary student whose life changes when he encounters Audrey Burne, a mysterious girl attempting to prevent another war. When Banagher becomes the pilot of the Unicorn Gundam, he finds himself holding the key to Laplace’s Box and must navigate the complex web of politics, war, and human emotion that defines the Universal Century.

The story explores themes of war, peace, human evolution through Newtypes, and the possibility of understanding between different peoples—core elements that have defined the Gundam franchise since its inception.

Media

Novels

Main article: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (novel)

The original novel series by Harutoshi Fukui was serialised in Gundam Ace magazine from February 2007 to August 2009, compiled into ten volumes with an additional eleventh volume released in March 2016. The novels featured character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and mechanical designs by Hajime Katoki.

The novels serve as the foundation for all subsequent adaptations and provide the most detailed exploration of the story’s political intrigue and character development. Fukui’s writing was praised for its mature handling of the Universal Century’s complex history and its respectful continuation of themes established in earlier Gundam works.

Original Video Animation

Main article: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (OVA)

The seven-episode OVA series was produced by Sunrise and released between 12 March 2010 and 6 June 2014. Directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi with screenplays by Yasuyuki Muto, the OVA was the first Gundam series to receive a worldwide simultaneous release.

The OVA became widely regarded as one of the finest entries in the Gundam franchise, praised for its exceptional animation quality, Hiroyuki Sawano’s orchestral score, and faithful adaptation of the source material. Each episode ran approximately 50-60 minutes, with the final episode extending to 90 minutes.

Television Anime

Main article: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096

A television recompilation of the OVA titled Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096 aired on TV Asahi from 3 April to 11 September 2016. The 22-episode series featured new opening and ending sequences, additional narration, and some new animated footage to accommodate the weekly television format.

RE:0096 marked the first Gundam series to air on TV Asahi since After War Gundam X ended in 1996, and also aired internationally on Adult Swim’s Toonami block beginning in January 2017.

Manga

Main article: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Bande Dessinée

A manga adaptation titled Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Bande Dessinée was serialised in Gundam Ace from January 2010 to December 2016. Written by Harutoshi Fukui and illustrated by Kouzou Oomori, the manga was compiled into seventeen volumes.

A three-volume prequel manga, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Bande Dessinée Episode: 0, was serialised from September 2017 to September 2018, providing additional background to the main story based on Fukui’s novel The Postwar War.

Development

The Gundam Unicorn project began when Harutoshi Fukui was approached to write a new Universal Century story that would serve as a sequel to Char’s Counterattack. Fukui, known for his work on military and political thrillers, brought a mature perspective to the Gundam universe whilst maintaining respect for the franchise’s established themes and continuity.

The decision to adapt the novels into an OVA format rather than a television series allowed for higher production values and more faithful adaptation of the source material. Sunrise invested significant resources into the project, viewing it as an opportunity to demonstrate the continued relevance of the Universal Century timeline after years of focus on alternate universe series.

The success of the OVA led to the television recompilation and helped establish a template for high-quality Gundam productions that would influence subsequent projects including Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin and Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway.

Reception and legacy

Critical reception

The Gundam Unicorn franchise received widespread critical acclaim across all media formats. The OVA in particular was praised as “the pinnacle of the Gundam franchise,” with critics highlighting its “blockbuster cinematic production values” and animation quality that brought “the characters and battles of the Universal Century to life like never before”.

The novels were praised for their mature storytelling and respectful handling of Gundam lore, whilst the manga adaptation was noted for its detailed artwork and faithful adaptation of the source material.

Commercial success

The franchise was a significant commercial success, with the OVA’s worldwide simultaneous release strategy proving effective across multiple regions. The series contributed to the broader Gundam franchise achieving record sales topping 100 billion yen.

Cultural impact

A life-size replica of the Unicorn Gundam was constructed and displayed in Tokyo, becoming a popular tourist attraction and symbol of the franchise’s enduring appeal. The series helped reestablish the Universal Century timeline as the premier setting for serious Gundam storytelling.

The franchise’s influence extended to subsequent Gundam productions, with critics noting that “the art direction and animation quality have set a high standard for future projects.” The series’ success also paved the way for other high-profile Universal Century projects.

Sequel

The eleventh novel volume, Phoenix Hunting, was loosely adapted into the animated film Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative in 2018. Taking place one year after the events of Gundam Unicorn, the film continued the story threads established in the main series and featured the mysterious RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex.

External links

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn official website
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn on the Gundam Wiki
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn on Wikipedia