RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Physalis – MechaBay

The RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Physalis was a prototype general purpose tactical mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics as part of the Gundam Development Project.

The “R” in the model code meant it was a Federation model and the “X” indicated that it was an experimental mobile suit. The “78” in the model code denoted that it was developed from the RX-78 line, “GP” stood for “Gundam Project,” “02A” indicated it was the second unit in the series, and “Physalis” was its flower-themed code name.

History

During its military reconstruction following the devastating One Year War, the Earth Federation Forces contracted a private company, Anaheim Electronics, to develop a series of new Gundam-model mobile suits to serve as conceptual testbeds for new and improved mobile suit technology.

One of the first prototypes to come out of Anaheim’s Von Braun City lunar factory was the RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A, codenamed Physalis. Built expressly for tactical nuclear warfare, the GP02A’s primary armament was a large atomic bazooka, capable of launching a strategic-use Mark-82 nuclear warhead.

The Gundam “Physalis” was initially supposed to be an assault-use, heavy mobile suit similar to the Principality of Zeon’s MS-09 Dom series. This was eventually dropped and replaced by the goal of being the most powerful MS to date. Inadvertently, this led to the Physalis being armed with the most deadly weapon available, a nuclear warhead.

The second research division of Anaheim Electronics in charge of developing the Physalis was mainly comprised of former Zeon engineers, so Zeon-based technology was strongly incorporated into the mobile suit. This influence was evident in the mobile suit’s overall design philosophy and certain technical specifications.

The GP02A and another prototype, the RX-78GP01 Gundam GP01 Zephyranthes, along with Anaheim Electronics systems engineer Nina Purpleton and her team of technicians, were brought aboard the assault carrier Albion to be delivered to Earth for testing under full gravity in October UC 0083.

Arriving at the Torrington Base in Australia for the field trials, the GP02A was loaded with a nuclear warhead, but was immediately hijacked by Zeon remnants led by Anavel Gato. In the weeks to follow, Gato escaped into space with his stolen Gundam, joining up with Admiral Aiguille Delaz’s fleet for a critical role in Operation Stardust.

To diffuse the Delaz threat, the EFF carried out their naval review ceremony, assembling most of the EFF fleet at the Confeito asteroid base in a show of force. However, this was a primary target of Operation Stardust, and Gato used the GP02A’s nuclear warhead to single-handedly destroy or disable two-thirds of the fleet stationed there.

The GP02A was subsequently destroyed in a duel with the RX-78GP01Fb Gundam GP01Fb Zephyranthes Full Burnern, although both pilots survived.

Design

The GP02A was heavily armored enough to withstand the nuclear blast unleashed by its own atomic bazooka. The mobile suit featured thick armor plating distributed throughout its frame, with particular attention paid to protecting the cockpit and critical systems from radiation and thermal effects.

It also carried a shield large enough to provide extra protection for most of the unit’s body and contained cooling systems to help dissipate the heat it absorbed. The shield also served as storage for the atomic bazooka when it was not deployed for use, with the trigger and barrel mechanisms stored within the shield structure.

The GP02A had an ultracompact Minovsky fusion reactor that generated 1,860 kW of power. Its propulsion system featured rocket thrusters with a total output of 155,200 kg, providing sufficient thrust to maneuver despite the mobile suit’s considerable weight.

The mobile suit’s design emphasized durability and firepower over speed and agility, reflecting its role as a tactical nuclear delivery system rather than a conventional combat unit.

Armaments

The RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Physalis’s standard weapons were head-mounted vulcan guns for close-range defence, two beam sabers for melee combat, and its primary weapon, the atomic bazooka.

60 mm vulcan guns

A pair of fire-linked 60 mm vulcan guns were mounted in the GP02A’s head. These rapid-fire weapons were used primarily against lightly armored targets and served as point defence against incoming missiles and aircraft.

Beam sabers

The GP02A carried two beam sabers, stored in recharge racks in the hip armor when not in use. The beam sabers used an I-field to contain Minovsky particles within the shape of a blade. These weapons could cut through almost any material not treated with anti-beam coating.

Atomic bazooka

The GP02A’s primary and most devastating weapon was the atomic bazooka, capable of launching a Mark-82 nuclear warhead. This weapon was mounted on the right shoulder when deployed, with the barrel and firing chamber mechanism stored in the shield when not in use.

The atomic bazooka used a single nuclear warhead loaded in the chamber, with additional warheads requiring manual reloading. The weapon was designed for tactical nuclear strikes against large targets such as space colonies, asteroid bases, or fleet formations.

The nuclear warhead had tremendous destructive power, capable of destroying or disabling dozens of warships in a single detonation. The GP02A’s heavy armor and cooling systems were specifically designed to allow the mobile suit to survive at the edge of its own nuclear blast radius.

Shield

The GP02A was equipped with a uniquely designed shield that served multiple functions. Besides providing defensive protection, the shield contained storage compartments for the atomic bazooka’s components when the weapon was not deployed. The shield featured powerful cooling systems designed to help protect the Physalis from the edge of a nuclear explosion.

The shield was large enough to provide protection for most of the mobile suit’s body and was an integral part of the GP02A’s survival systems during nuclear combat operations.

Known pilots

Anavel Gato

Variants

The GP02A served as the basis for several design studies and alternate configurations:

RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A (Type-MLRS) – Alternative configuration with Multiple Launch Rocket System instead of nuclear armament
RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Beam Bazooka Type – Configuration armed with conventional beam bazooka

Behind the scenes

The RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Physalis was designed by Shoji Kawamori for Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. Like the rest of the GP series, Physalis follows the flower naming theme, with “Physalis” referring to a genus of plants in the nightshade family.

The design represented one of the few instances in the Gundam franchise where nuclear weapons were prominently featured as mobile suit armaments, reflecting the series’ exploration of the escalating arms race between the Federation and Zeon remnants.

The data from the Physalis was later used to produce the AMX-017 Gigantic, another tactical nuclear mobile suit developed by Axis Zeon.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam

External links

RX-78GP02A Gundam “Physalis” on the Gundam Wiki
RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Physalis on MAHQ