AGE-FX Gundam AGE-FX

The AGE-FX Gundam AGE-FX is one of the four titular mobile suits and the successor of the AGE-3 Gundam AGE-3 Normal, appearing in the Three Generation Arc of Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. The unit is piloted by Kio Asuno.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The AGE-FX Gundam AGE-FX is developed from the data gathered from the AGE-3 Gundam AGE-3 Normal after its heated battle with Gundam Legilis at Second Moon and is the most powerful unit among the Federation's Mobile suits. It reflects all the data on the history of the Gundam's evolution, boasting the most powerful fighting strength in the history of all Advanced Generation mobile suits. Similar to the Gundam AGE-3, the backpack can be separated and operated as a Core Fighter. Unlike Gundam AGE-3's Core Fighter, where it serves as its head and core control system in addition to being the main propulsion system, Gundam AGE-FX's Core Fighter only has the last two functions. The wear system used in previous Gundams is completely removed from the design of the Gundam AGE-FX, and the suit has been made as light as possible for increased maneuverability. In addition, the thuster portions have been made more powerful, especially on the legs (with large-sized thrusters underneath its rear leg armors) to increase its movement speed .

The most significant feature of the AGE-FX is its remote-controlled weaponry, the C-Funnels - physical blade bits that can be detached from the suit and be remote-controlled by its pilot. The Core Fighter can carry up to four of these C-Funnels (2 large and 2 small) when separated, giving it some form of remote offensive and defensive capabilities . The "FX" designation stands for Follow X-Rounder, and is due to the fact that the suit is built specifically to be able to keep up with the abilities of an X-Rounder pilot. Also, the remote weapons onboard the Gundam require the use of one to be controlled properly. Its FX Burst mode raises the AGE-FX's mobility to the maximum. Attacks in FX Burst mode have decreased accuracy, but enable the Gundam to defeat large groups of enemies alone, when used to its full potential.

Armaments

 * Beam Sabers
 * One beam saber is stored in each of the AGE-FX's arm shields, they can only be deployed directly from the shields for rapid draw-and-strike purposes. This function is actually carried over from its previous incarnation, Gundam AGE-3 Normal and Gundam AGE-3 Orbital which have beam sabers functioning in a similar manner.


 * C-Funnels
 * Gundam AGE-FX's wireless-guided weaponry built with Shiguru Blade technology. The suit's Psycho-Follow System allows an X-Rounder pilot to release and remotely control the C-Funnels, blade-shaped remote weapons, to attack multiple enemies at once. This is similar to how Vagan suits, such as Farsia, Ghirarga and Gundam Legilis, utilize their beam bits to attack multiple enemies. The C-Funnels' movements are actually controlled by the X-Rounder pilot using the blade antenna built at the back of its head. It is presumed that the data collected by the AGE Device during the two battles against Ghirarga and later Gundam Legilis (both suits utilize remote weaponry) were used in developing this weapon system. A total of 6 large and 8 small funnels are equipped all around the suit. Usually, 2 large funnels are mounted on the Core Fighter and it can mount an additional 2 small funnels if required. The Large C-Funnels can also be re-deployed to the forearms to be used as solid blades for melee combat in situations where its traditional beam sabers are unable to cut through enemy armor. The C-Funnels can also function as remote-controlled defense system to defend against enemy fire or to provide cover for allies, making it technically far superior to the shields used by earlier Gundams. The C-Funnels can also create a powerful spherical defense system around the suit, presumingly from the data gathered from Gundam Legilis which has a similar function with its own beam bits.


 * Stungle Rifle
 * The main armament of Gundam AGE-FX. Its capabilities are far superior to the SigMaxiss Rifle in terms of attack power and firing range, while having its size drastically reduced. The rifle has two main modes: Normal Mode, where it functions as a regular beam rifle firing pink beam blasts similar to the SigMaxxis Rifle, and Charge Mode, where the side barrel parts are expanded to release a more powerful charged blue blast that can shoot right through obstacles many times larger than itself. Like the Gundam AGE-1 Normal's DODS Rifle, the Stungle Rifle has a limited amount of shots, enough to keep a running battle going for some time, but eventually repeated use without resupply will render the weapon useless.


 * Daidal Bazooka
 * This mode of the Stungle Rifle adds a large bazooka attachment, allowing AGE-FX to fire a stronger version of the Stungle Rifle Charge Mode's blue blast at a faster rate, eliminating the need to charge each shot beforehand.

System Features

 * AGE System
 * The AGE System is the special OS for the Gundam, engineered by the lineage of the Asuno family. It researches the evolution of living beings by digitizing the mysteries surrounding it and collects battle data to customize itself, grows alongside the pilot and is customized and used exclusively by the pilot itself. The only way for this system to be used and the Gundam to mobilize is by using the AGE Device.


 * Psycho-Follow System
 * The Psycho-Follow System is a new system, which allows the AGE-FX to keep up with its X-Rounder pilot and enables him to control the C-Funnels when they are deployed.


 * FX Burst Mode
 * A special combat mode that only AGE-FX has, it is a later addition to the suit. In this mode, the accuracy of its attacks is decreased, but its mobility is higher than before, allowing AGE-FX to single-handedly wipe out large groups of Vagan forces. Upon activating FX Burst Mode, blue-colored beam blades are emitted from all 28 C-Funnel docks spread around the frame. These beams allow the Gundam AGE-FX's close-range attack, defense as well as its speed and mobility to be drastically increased by 10 times its designated specifications.


 * Core Block System
 * The Core Block System used in this suit is different from the one used in Gundam AGE-3. Instead of using the Core Fighter for docking, this version of the Core Fighter is simply attached to the back to operate the suit and serves as its main propulsion. The Core Fighter usually mounts 2 of the large C-Funnels and can additionally be mounted with 2 more small C-Funnels.

History
For the history of the AGE-FX, please see Kio Asuno's page.

Variants

 * AGE-FX Gundam AGE-FX (Final Battle Specification)
 * Appears in the fourth novelization. In addition to the armament of the original AGE-FX, it is further armed with a Legilis Shield, DODS Lancer, and Diedal Bazooka.


 * AGE-FX Gundam AGE-FX [A-Funnel Equipment Type]

Notes and Trivia

 * In the fourth novel, the Burst Mode is set as a hidden function from the beginning, and an additional function of the Burst Mode is the "FX System", which increases and enhances the range of Kio's X-Rounder abilities. It is able to quantize Kio's emotions via the C-Funnels and relay them to others. In the novel, the Gundam AGE-FX sorties in the final battle equipped with the SigMaxiss Rifle, DODS Lancer, Legilis Shield, and the Daidal Bazooka on the both arms.
 * Following the theme of AGE Gundams being based around Universal Century protagonist units, the AGE-FX is a clear homage to the RX-93 ν Gundam. It's Burst mode however, mirrors the V-MAX system of another Sunrise's anime Blue Comet SPT Layzner.
 * The Gundam AGE-FX is the first mobile suit built by the Earth Federation to have remote-controlled weaponry as part of the suit's arsenal. Prior to this, remote weapons were used exclusively by high-end Vagan mobile suits.
 * The C-Funnel's overall shape and the fact that there are two different sizes evoke the GN Fin Fangs of the CB-0000G/C Reborns Gundam. In the way they function, however, the C-Funnels have been shown to have features that play tribute to the RX-93-v2 Hi-v Gundam but in a different way. This can be seen in its defensive way of using the funnels as a shield rather than creating a beam shield. The offensive style is much like the GN Sword Bits of the GNT-0000 00 Qan(T) because it can use its remote weapons as a physical blade.
 * The dual-mode system used in AGE-FX's main armament, Stungle Rifle, first appeared in the design of the original DODS Rifle used by AGE-1 Gundam AGE-1 Normal piloted by Flit Asuno, although the execution itself is much simpler by simply expanding the side barrels rather than twisting it in the case of the DODS Rifle. However, the Charge Mode is used in the exact same way as the DODS Rifle as shown in Episode 49 of the anime where the holding of the foregrip is still required.
 * The way the AGE-FX uses it C-Funnels' defensive barrier is similar to the GSX-401FW Stargazer Gundam's ability to trap enemy beams around itself, while the concept itself (using funnels to create a shield that completely encompasses the area around the mobile suit) is another homage to the RX-93 ν Gundam.
 * The AGE-FX is the first Gundam the AGE System made that does not use the Wear system.
 * The Core Fighter used in AGE-FX resembles in design and main function to the Core Fighter used in the GNX-805T/CF GN-XIV Core Fighter Loaded Type, only with the placement of the Core Fighter at the back instead of the front skirt armor due to the different positions where the cockpits are.
 * There is a notable difference in the order in which the FX Burst and the Daidal Bazooka was introduced in the anime and the Gundam AGE PSP Game: In the anime, the FX-Burst Mode was first shown in Episode 47 of the anime and the Daidal Bazooka introduced in the final episode as an additional attachment that is attached to the Stungle Rifle which was shot towards AGE-FX from the Bisidian Ship. In the Gundam AGE PSP Game however, the Daidal Bazooka has already been equipped and used by AGE-FX in the final chapter of the AGE Storyline, which covers Episodes 46-49 of the series. And the Daidal Bazooka in the game fires pink-colored blasts in three levels of intensity, which is different from the anime where the Bazooka only fires blue-colored high-intensity cannon blasts. The FX Burst Mode in this game is introduced slightly later in gameplay which basically serves to drastically increase AGE-FX's defense to near invulnerability while activated.