GNX-U02X Masurao

The GNX-U02X Masurao (aka Masurao) is a unit built by Billy Katagiri for his friend Mr. Bushido that appears in season two of Mobile Suit Gundam 00.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Masurao is a prototype customized MS, built for high-speed melee combat. Before it was completed, the unit was built after the designs of the GNX-603T GN-X and the GNX-704T/AC Ahead Sakigake series; its arms and legs were larger and bulkier, suggesting a less maneuverable MS built more for power than speed. After Billy Katagiri and his team of engineers took over the project, Masurao went through an overhaul to match the fighting capabilities Mr. Bushido requested; a unit with great speed and excellent melee combat capabilities to compliment its blade.

The primary weapons of the Masurao are a pair of custom GN Beam Sabers styled after the sword set used by samurai. It's a katana and wakizashi pair, similar to the ones used in the Ahead Sakigake. The unit's design is based on the Overflags and combines them with the ESF's GN-Technology. Billy installed a pseudo Trans-Am system onto the Masurao based on notes found in the late Professor Ralph Eifman's room; making the Masurao the first pseudo solar furnace mobile suit to be equipped with the Trans-Am System. It possesses two separate GN Drive Taus that are located on its waist binders. The reason it was equipped with 2 of them is to increase the particle production output it would receive during Trans-Am.

One of the purposes of Masurao was to act as a testbed for the development of future mobile suits. This was later realized with the GNX-Y901TW Susanowo and in 2314 A.D. with the GNX-Y903VW Brave (Commander Test Type) and GNX-Y903VS Brave (Standard Test Type), all of which are based off the Masurao.

Armaments

 * Beam Chakram
 * An experimental weapon installed on the Masurao. The large clavicle antennae can regulate GN Particle distribution, and can generate and fire a cutting beam ring.


 * Howard & Daryl
 * The Masurao's primary armaments are a pair of powerful GN Beam Sabers, like those of the Ahead Sakigake, they are modeled after the Japanese daishō. It carries one in each hand, and stores them on a rack on the underside of its hip armor. The larger beam saber is named Howard and the shorter Daryl, in memory of Graham's fallen wingmen: Howard Mason and Daryl Dodge.


 * Laser Machineguns
 * Mounted on the Masurao's head are a pair of small-bore laser machine guns, similar to the Ahead Sakigake's GN Vulcans. They are not Particle Beams, but lasers with lesser destructive capability with decent accuracy and speed. It is used for human targets and small, anti-air targets that require quick reaction.

System Features

 * GN Field
 * Because it was designed to be a dual-wielding unit, Masurao lacks a shield in its armaments. For defense purposes, it was given the ability to generate a GN Field instead. The Field is generated by the sharp protrusions located all around the Masurao, which also doubles as it's thrusters. Despite the usefulness of this ability, Mr. Bushido personally dislikes it and as such, never uses it.


 * Trans-Am System
 * Billy Katagiri has installed a feature similar to Trans-Am onto the Masurao which, like the Trans-Am System installed on the Gundams, makes the unit glow red and the unit's beam blades also increase in length as well. The "Trans-Am" of the Masurao has a shorter time limit due to it being used with GN Tau Drives. Furthermore, the Tau Drives are seriously damaged in the process of Trans-Am, rendering them inoperable once Trans-Am is completed. As a result, Masurao must end Trans-Am before all of the stored GN particles are consumed; failure to do so will force an irreversible shut down. While Trans-Am is activated, the unit is seemingly able to fight on par with the 00 Raiser until the particle supply inevitably depletes. Also, because the Masurao lacks the advanced inertial dampeners used by Celestial Being, the extreme accelerations produced by Trans-Am pose a serious health risk to Mr. Bushido. It was stated by Billy during a conversation with Mr. Bushido in episode 18 that he has made some improvements in the Masurao's Trans-Am, though to what extent remains unseen. The Trans-Am technology Billy installed in the Masurao and the Susanowo are developed separately from the Innovators, who developed their Trans-Am based on the data stolen by Anew Returner from Celestial Being . Billy's Trans-Am is developed from notes on the GN Drive found in Professor Ralph Eifman's room.

Variants

 * GNX-Y901TW Susanowo

Development
The Federation had trouble defeating 00 Gundam because of it's combat abilities and it wasn't long until the A-Laws attempted to mimic their technology. Billy knew there was a likely chance Graham Aker/Mr. Bushido might come to claim such a mobile suit and designed the armor themed after Japanese samurai armor early on. The early prototype was much closer in resemblance to the Ahead before Billy's team modified it later with Union engineering principles and made it to closely resemble the Flag as well as for high speed melee combat at Mr. Bushido's request.

The finished product retains the samurai styling of his custom Ahead, but also has some stylistic resemblance to the Union Flag series. Its backpack also bears a distinct resemblance to the Union's crest. It is armed with two beam sabers similar to the one used in the Ahead Sakigake.

Masurao Vs 00 Gundam
When a number of renegade regular soldiers take control of the African elevator, Graham guessed that Celestial Being would be there. His gut proved right when Setsuna/00 Raiser turned up, believing that Ptolemy 2 would be there also. Graham/Masurao charged at his foe, though Setsuna didn't have time for this. Graham then revealed his secret surprise: Trans-Am. He charges again, only for Setsuna/00 Raiser to put up a GN Field before activating Trans-Am, pleasing Graham. They engage in a high speed duel, constantly clashing with each other. As they are engaged in a sword lock, a particle beam forces them break it off. Graham looks to his right and sees Ptolemy 2 and the other Gundams providing support. With his particles nearly spent, Graham swears that they will duel again.

Aftermath
Later, in space, Graham pilots it again to watch the A-Laws & CB's battle by staying on a meteor outside of the battlefield. He watches the battle from nearby and concludes that Setsuna isn't proving himself to be a worthy opponent. Before being sent to the Eclipse to battle 00 Raiser, Masurao was given a series of upgrades to become the GNX-Y901TW Susanowo.

Notes & Trivia

 * Its name is derived from the Japanese word '益荒男', which means "a strong/brave man".
 * Masurao's cockpit has several similarities to the cockpit of the Flag. It is presumed that Masurao is either a repaired version of the GN Flag or a reconstructed version of an SVMS-01O Over Flag.