Shinta

Shinta (シンタ) was a war orphan who served aboard the Argama during the Gryps Conflict and First Neo Zeon War. Along with his sister Qum, he was brought to the Anti-Earth Union Group battleship by Char Aznable after their father was killed by the Titans.

Biography

Early life

Shinta and Qum were brother and sister whose father was set up and subsequently killed by the Titans as part of a cover-up operation. The Titans needed someone to blame for the assassination of Blex Forer, leader of the Anti-Earth Union Group, and chose their father as a convenient scapegoat to hide their own involvement in the murder.

The day after their father’s execution, the children were found selling water near a river where Char Aznable had arranged to meet Hayato Kobayashi to discuss Blex’s death. When Hayato asked about the children, Char initially dismissed their plight but then heard the voice of Lalah Sune, prompting him to reconsider his response.

Aboard the Argama

When Char returned from his trip to the Earth Federation capital at Dakar, he brought the orphaned children with him to the Argama. They remained aboard the ship as mascots and comic relief, filling a similar role to that which Katz Kobayashi and his adoptive siblings had played aboard the White Base during the One Year War.

For the most part, both Shinta and Qum were entrusted to the care of their babysitter Fa Yuiry and their pet robot Haro. When they became bored, they would often pester Kamille Bidan, Bright Noa, or the ship’s doctor Hasan for additional entertainment. Their mischievous behaviour frequently irked the Argama crew.

The children developed a bond with the cyber-Newtype Rosamia Badam when she boarded the Argama under the delusion that Kamille was her brother. However, with a little help from Shinta and Qum, Rosamia was able to commandeer a RGM-79N GM Custom and escape from the ship.

First Neo Zeon War

During the First Neo Zeon War, Shinta and Qum continued to stay aboard the Argama and appeared to have grown significantly more mature, even after the departure of Fa and a comatose Kamille. They were given the responsibility of watching over Axis prisoner Chara Soon, who was kept tied to Shinta with a rope leash as a security measure.

When the crew travelled to La Vie en Rose to acquire the new Nahel Argama, the station came under attack by Illia Pazom in her MS-14J ReGelgu. During the battle, both children were sucked through a hull breach into space until being rescued by Bright Noa.

To protect him from getting hurt in the final battle at Side 3, Shinta was kept back and was not present during the last battle of the war. He was last seen saying farewell to Judau Ashta and Roux Louka as they departed for Jupiter.

Personality and traits

Shinta was characteristically mischievous and playful, often getting into trouble alongside his sister Qum. He demonstrated a childlike curiosity about the ship and its operations, frequently wandering into areas where he should not have been. Despite his troublesome behaviour, he showed loyalty to the Argama crew who had taken him in.

As he matured during the First Neo Zeon War, Shinta became more responsible and was trusted with the important task of helping to guard prisoners. He displayed courage during dangerous situations, though the crew remained protective of his safety during major battles.

Relationships

Qum

Qum was Shinta’s sister and constant companion. The two children were inseparable and worked together in both their mischievous schemes and their more serious responsibilities aboard the Argama. They shared the trauma of losing their father to the Titans and found comfort in each other’s presence.

Fa Yuiry

Fa Yuiry served as Shinta’s primary caretaker aboard the Argama, taking on a maternal role for both him and Qum. She was one of the few crew members who showed patience with their antics and ensured their well-being during the conflicts.

Rosamia Badam

Shinta developed a friendship with the troubled cyber-Newtype Rosamia Badam during her time aboard the Argama. Their childlike natures allowed them to connect, and Shinta ultimately helped her escape from the ship when she became distressed by her situation.

Behind the scenes

Shinta was voiced by Chika Sakamoto in Japanese and Brett Bauer in English. Sakamoto was born on 17 August 1959 and is affiliated with Arts Vision. She is known for voicing many young male characters and is particularly famous for her role as Agumon in the Digimon series.

The character was designed by Hiroyuki Kitazume, who served as character designer for both Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ. Shinta and Qum were created to fill a similar narrative role to the trio of war orphans from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, providing both comic relief and emotional weight to the story.

Appearances

• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
• Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ