Mobile Suit Gundam École du Ciel

Mobile Suit Gundam École du Ciel (機動戦士ガンダム エコール·デュ·シエル) (lit. School Of The Sky) is a spinoff Mobile Suit Gundam and is a Japanese on-going manga series written and illustrated by Haruhiko Mikimoto. The manga was serialised in Kadokawa Shoten's Gundam Ace. The manga is licensed in North America by Tokyopop. The manga is licensed and published in France by Pika Édition. Set in the year UC 0085, Ecole du Ciel begins two years before the events of the Zeta Gundam TV series.

Plot Summary
Set in Universal Century 0085, Asuna Elmarit is a student from École du Ciel, a military school for training future MS pilots in Montréal, Canada. Unexpected events occur, exposing Asuna and her classmates to the reality that is war. Along the way, the school council's real intentions are revealed in the lead up to the Gryps Conflict.

Earth Federation/Titans

 * Asuna Elmarit
 * Erisia Nocton
 * Emilu Voigtlander
 * Shinn Barnack
 * Yahagi Franziback
 * Forma Gardner

Zeon Remnants/Pirates

 * Akira
 * Juna
 * Tomas
 * Francis
 * Marie Albertia
 * Rolf Berger

AEUG

 * Sophie Ferrell
 * Jack Baird
 * Bernardo Ferre
 * Michal Akarette
 * Joseph Koldratt
 * Marcus Ootsuka
 * Reira Singlex

Chapter 1: Ecole Du Ciel
UC. 0085, Asuna Elmarit, born on Side 3, enrolls in the Earth Federation's Mobile suit training academy "Ecole du Ciel". With little confidence, she loses to Erisia Nocton, top of the class, in two minutes and twelve seconds on the simulator.

Chapter 2: Asuna Elmarit
Asuna is banned from the simulators by Instructor Yahagi, however, with help from her new friends Shinn Barnack and Emilu Voigtlander, Asuna masters the basics and gets back on track.

Chapter 3: Simulation
Asuna is asked to demonstrate her improvement in a simulation against Shinn. Because loss means packing up for home, Asuna chooses to spar in the "familiar" MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type. She wins in close-range combat with a decisive judo flip against Shinn's RGM-79C GM Kai.

Chapter 4: Point Of Impact
Training in real mobile suits begins. During a simulation, live rounds are fired instead of paint-balls. It is called an accident, but in truth is the work of the Administrative Council trying to draw out Newtype's at Ecole.

Chapter 5: The Right Stuff
Instructor Yahagi orders training to be halted, but the automated Guntank continues. Elisia's judgment fails her and she is struck down. Yahagi takes control of Asuna's unit and fights masterfully to stop the Guntank. Rumors fly that he was a Newtype in the One Year War.

Chapter 6: Keep Out
Ecole du Ciel is closed for three weeks while the live fire incident is investigated. Forbidden from leaving, the students stage a volleyball competition. Asuna and Shinn team up, but lose badly to Kerry's team.

Chapter 7: Turning Point
Bothered by her apparent failure, Elisia challenges Asuna to a simulation battle late at night, after wards the two have a heartfelt discussion. Break ends, and the students head for space.

Chapter 8: Leaving For Space
The students board a shuttle bound for an Antietam-class training ship Ericsson, which hovers on the dark side of the moon. Council point-man Instructor Forma extols his belief that live combat stress will awaken Newtype abilities among the students.

Chapter 9: Space Maneuvers
After a month in space, training with the space-use GM begins. During a simulation run, Asuna temporarily bests Elisia, but sudden sensations send her into a tailspin. The Council's Colonel Hank boards the Ericsson to observe.

Chapter 10: Reunion
The Ericsson docks at Side 3. Asuna meets her mother, Haruka Elmarit. They argue about Asuna's father, Professor Elmarit, a fugitive war criminal. Angered, Asuna runs out of the house, The Titans monitor the entire conversation.

Special Chapter: Asuna Enters The Academy
Zeon-born Asuna, enrolling into Ecole du Ciel a week late, gets a stiff welcome. Emilu, who lost both parents in the One Year War, challenges Asuna to a simulation battle to drive her out of school.

Chapter 11: Haruka Elmarit
A "pirate" Mobile suit under Marie Albertia's command approaches Side 3 and engages Republic of Zeon forces. Instructor Yahagi reminisces with Haruka Elmarit. While touring the Zeon National Defense Academy with her friends, Asuna hears a voice from within.

Chapter 12: Signs
The one calling to Asuna is a mysterious young man named Akira, who claims to be an old friend of Asuna's from a Zeon Newtype training program long ago. Akira's presence overwhelms Elisia, and he proceeds to brag that he and Asuna are unique.

Chapter 13: Newtype
Yahagi and Asuna's mother, Haruka, were once lovers, However, Haruka was prevented by Colonel Hank from revealing the secret of Asuna's birth to Yahagi. Although Haruka married Professor Elmarit, she eventually found herself at odds with his experiments. Elisia and Asuna's encounter with Akira leaves both despairing, but for different reasons.

Chapter 14: Incoming
Asuna, sketching inside the ship, and Shinn, checking up on students, are jailed for violation curfew, Colonel Hank interrogates Yahagi's guest Haruka Elmarit, but the scheming Forma lets her go free.

Chapter 15: Encounter
The training ship launches from Side 3, Asuna is happy her mother's seeing her off, but it is Yahagi that is on Haruka's mind. Shinn and Instructor Linny launch to recover a life pod from a mobile suit destroyed by pirates.

Chapter 16: Writhe
Shinn and Linny stumble across a disguised shuttle set to pick up Akira from Side 3, Akira's YMS-18 Kampfer cuts Instructor Linny down and heavily damages Shinn's mobile suit. Asuna sorties without authorization to save him.

Chapter 17: Synchro
When Asuna hesitates in battle against the pirates, Yahagi takes over Asuna's unit through Synchro Mode, pulling her out of the combat area. Shinn is hospitalized while Asuna is imprisoned for her unauthorized sortie.

Chapter 18: Burial In Space
Instructor Linny receives a military funeral while his students watch. It is Asuna's first personal brush with death. A Salamis fleet arrives to provide escort and training resumes in space, meanwhile a suspicious shuttle approaches, exploding before Yahagi's eyes.

Chapter 19: Raid
The explosion floods the area with Minovsky particles as the pirates launch a surprise Mobile Suit attack. Elisia fights well, but Asuna is overwhelmed by the "voices" of the dying and falters during Ecole's first mass battle.

Chapter 20: Two vs. One
Yahagi and Elisia use remote control to employ training units against the overwhelming power of Akira's Kampfer. One Salamis-class falls after another, Shinn ignores his wounds and sorties in a trainer.

Chapter 21: Awakening
The wounded Shinn opposes Akira, Asuna hears Shinn's voice and awakens as a Newtype, displaying overwhelming combat ability and destroying four Zaku's almost instantly. A total of five fall to Asuna as she heads towards Akira's battle with Yahagi, Elisa and Shinn.

Chapter 22: Truth
To protect Asuna, Shinn charges Akira despite his unit being severely damaged. Shinn's mobile suit is destroyed and his death marks the destruction of the last of the Salamis-class. The pirates withdraw and a shattered Asuna discovers upon her return that the Salamis attack incident was a plot by project to identify, develop and monopolize both civilian and military Newtypes. Asuna Elmarit flees Ecole du Ciel and goes missing.

Chapter 1: The Pirates
It is now UC. 0086, Asuna now in an ironic twist of fate is now seen aligned with Marie's pirates who are still being hunted as a result of the Salamis incident. However Asuna is continually looked down upon due to her inability to kill the enemy.

Chapter 2: Amateur
Asuna who continues to refuse to kill enemy pilots continues to capture enemy pilots and their Mobile Suits, However one of the latest prisoners appears to have a connection to one of Asuna old comrades.

Chapter 3: Abduction
The pirates arrive at Side 6 to unload the prisoners they have taken to the AUEG and to re-supply their ship. Asuna and Juna take this opportunity to go shopping however little do they know that they are being observed by those loyal to the Titans looking to re-capture Asuna.

Chapter 4: Memory
A flashback chapter that shows the unfortunate events that have to lead Asuna to becoming part of the pirates crew.

Chapter 5: Island Type 1 Colony
Asuna, Juna and Rolf put a plan into action in an attempt to escape from their captors before being handed over to the Titans. However just as things seem to be going their way that find themselves being chased by the new RMS-106 Hizack models.

Mobile Weapons

 * RGM-79 GM
 * RGM-79C GM Kai
 * RMS-106 Hizack
 * RMS-117 Galbaldy β
 * RMS-179/RGM-79R GM II
 * TGM-79C GM Canard
 * TGM-79C GM Cannes

Vehicles and Support Units

 * Antietam-class
 * Garuda-class
 * Valentine

Mobile Weapons

 * MSA-003 Nemo
 * MSS-008 Le Cygne
 * MSS-009 Gemeaux
 * RMS-099 (MSA-099) Rick Dias
 * RX-178 Gundam Mark II

Vehicles and Support Units

 * Antietam-class
 * Irish-class

Mobile Weapons

 * ORX-005 Gaplant
 * ORX-005CS Gaplant Custom Elisia Special
 * RGM-79Q GM Quel
 * RMS-106 Hizack
 * RMS-108 Marasai
 * RMS-119 EWAC Zack "Eye-Zack"
 * RMS-179/RGM-79R GM II
 * Dagui

Vehicles and Support Units

 * Alexandria-class
 * Musai-class
 * Salamis-Kai class

Mobile Weapons

 * MS-06F Zaku II
 * MS-06F2 Zaku II F2 Type
 * MS-09R Rick Dom
 * MS-14A Gelgoog
 * Petite Mobile Suit
 * RMS-106 Hizack
 * TGM-79C GM Canard
 * YMS-18 Kämpfer Prototype

Vehicles and Support Units

 * Base Jabber
 * Pazock class

Other

 * Electric Lightning (The Electric Lightning is not a Universal Century Unit, it is an actual British Plane of the Cold War Era. It is mentioned in an omake.)

Triva

 * Unlike most other Gundam series, Ecole du Ciel features a female lead character.
 * Ecole du Ciel shares strong plot similarities in its early story to the GAINAX OVA Toppu o Nerae! Gunbuster(Aim for the Top! Gunbuster). The main character is similar in appearance. The main difference between Noriko and Asuna is that Noriko is highly motivated wheras initially Asuna does not want to pilot and MS. Their subsequent actions are also similar. Emilu and Kimiko also share strong similarities in appearance and personality. They also serve the same role in both storylines. Kazumi and Jueng Freud and Erisia are moderately similar and serve something of the same role very early on at least in and that they are the skilled senpai who the main character must prove herself to. Koichiro and Yahagi again serve a similar role in the early story, however there is no familial relationship in Gunbuster. Toren Smith and Shinn Barnack bare a moderate similarity in personality, and serve identical roles in the story right down to their deaths. They even feature very similar scenes for instance in both stories the main character encounters them at some point and they break the rules on their ship, after which in both they end up cleaning military hardware as punishment. Within the first two volumes of Ecole and the first two episodes of Gunbuster the storylines diverge sharply with Ecole du Ciel taking a very different and more distinctly Gundam direction, however the similarities in character personality remain.

Editions

 * vol.1 (cover, inside illustration, novel by Kenichi Nakahara), ISBN 4-04-429801-7
 * vol.2 (cover, inside illustration, novel by Kenichi Nakahara), ISBN 4-04-429802-5