Karen Joshua

Karen Joshua was a Master Chief Petty Officer who served as second-in-command of the 08th Mobile Suit Team during the One Year War. A former medical student, she joined the Earth Federation Forces after her husband was killed in combat and became an experienced mobile suit pilot operating in Southeast Asia.

Biography

Early life

Prior to the One Year War, Karen Joshua was a medical student who had married a field medic who also served as a military surgeon. Her life changed dramatically when her husband was killed in combat, prompting her to abandon her medical studies and join the Earth Federation Forces to avenge his death.

One Year War service

During the One Year War, Karen was assigned to the Kojima Battalion in Southeast Asia as a mobile suit pilot in the battalion’s 08th Mobile Suit Team. Among the battalion, she quickly gained a reputation as one of the most difficult people to get along with and was rumoured to be the cause of the previous 08th MS Team’s nervous breakdown and hospitalisation.

When the replacement commander Shiro Amada arrived, Karen was initially underwhelmed by the inexperience and carelessness he showed on their first mission. However, as Shiro proved himself tenacious and resourceful, Karen grew to respect him as a capable leader.

Karen’s medical training proved invaluable during combat operations. When Eledore Massis was injured in combat, Karen’s medical knowledge allowed her to stabilise him before he could be transported to hospital, potentially saving his life.

GM Head incident

A close encounter with a Zeon MSM-04 Acguy resulted in Karen’s Gundam Ground Type sustaining heavy damage, including complete decapitation. Due to the limited availability of replacement parts for the prototype Gundam units, her mobile suit was repaired using the head from an RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type. This modification earned her the nickname “GM Head” amongst pilots outside of the 08th MS Team, which she openly detested.

Secret orders

During the period when Shiro Amada was under suspicion of being a Zeon spy, the 08th MS Team was assigned a reconnaissance mission with a low survivability rating. The mission served as a test of Shiro’s loyalties, and Karen was given secret orders to execute Shiro if he attempted to desert. She was unaware that fellow team member Terry Sanders Jr. had been given similar orders.

When Shiro proclaimed that he was leaving the service to deal with the Apsaras III his own way, Karen immediately acquired a weapons lock on his mobile suit. However, she struggled to pull the trigger and ultimately fired her vulcan gun intentionally wide, missing Shiro and allowing him to leave. This decision demonstrated her loyalty to her comrade despite her orders.

Personality and traits

Karen was a hardened, intense, and no-nonsense woman who took her job seriously and expected her teammates to do the same. Her brusque demeanour made her difficult to read and approach, contributing to her reputation as someone who was challenging to work with. Despite this exterior, she was fiercely loyal to her comrades and would risk her own safety for their welfare.

As one of the longest-serving members of the 08th MS Team with three months of ground combat experience, Karen had little patience for newcomers’ mistakes or inexperience. She was cynical and hot-tempered, traits that developed from her combat experience and personal losses.

Skills and abilities

Medical expertise

Karen’s background as a medical student proved invaluable during combat operations. She could serve as a field medic in emergencies, providing critical medical care when professional medical personnel were unavailable. Her knowledge of anatomy and trauma care allowed her to stabilise wounded comrades under combat conditions.

Mobile suit piloting

Karen was a skilled mobile suit pilot with extensive ground combat experience. In the absence of the team captain, she could assume command of operations, demonstrating her tactical knowledge and leadership capabilities. She displayed proficiency with multiple weapon configurations for her Gundam Ground Type, adapting to different combat scenarios as required.

Mecha

RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type

Karen piloted the RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type Unit 082 as her primary mobile suit throughout the One Year War. The Gundam Ground Type was a specialised ground combat variant built using spare parts originally intended for the RX-78-2 Gundam prototype. Her unit was typically outfitted with an NF·GMG-Type.37/100 mm machine gun and later equipped with a P.B.R-0079/A12 S-000011 beam rifle.

Following the encounter with the MSM-04 Acguy that resulted in her Gundam’s decapitation, the mobile suit was repaired using the head unit from an RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type. This modification was necessary due to the limited availability of replacement parts for the experimental Gundam units, as they were constructed from spare RX-78 components with no dedicated production line for replacements.

Behind the scenes

Karen Joshua was designed as part of Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, which emphasised the common soldier aspect of the Universal Century timeline. The series focused on ground combat operations without Newtypes, presenting a more realistic portrayal of warfare during the One Year War.

Voice acting

Karen Joshua was voiced by Mami Koyama in the Japanese version and Debra Jean Rogers in the English dub. Debra Jean Rogers also worked under the name “Debbie DeRosa” on some productions, which explains the name variation found in different source materials.

Appearances

• Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team – Miller’s Report