- Main
- Origin
| “ | Look at Commander Char! He built his career on fighting! | ” |
—Gene | ||
Gene (ジーン Jean?) is a character that appears in the TV anime Mobile Suit Gundam An enlisted corporal in the Principality of Zeon, Gene is infamous for his insubordination as well as being Amuro Ray's first opponent.
History[]
Initial Introduction[]
Originally shown as an enlisted corporal and a member of Char Aznable's unit, Gene, Denim and Slender are sent as a reconnaissance unit to investigate the Earth Federation's Operation V. Lead by Denim, Gene and the others invade Side 7 in standard MS-06 Zaku II's. Impatient with his current status and vying for military success, Gene is inspired by the heroic acts of Char Aznable at The Battle of Loum and abandons the reconnaissance mission against orders. Warned of insubordination and a potential court martial by Denim, Gene ignores orders and launches a full out attack. He then faces the RX-78-2 Gundam that Amuro Ray happened to board. They engage in the first ever "battle of the MS," but the Zaku's power pipe in its head is grabbed and torn off. He then attempts to escape to the entrance of the space colony where Slender is under the direction of Denim, but is killed when his Zaku is cut in half from behind by the Gundam's beam saber. His Zaku causes a large explosion that blows a hole in the colony wall, the only remaining piece of data available from his unit being the video recording from the main camera of his Zaku.
Appearance & Personality[]
Gene is a man who stands roughly at 5'7", shown in most materials wearing a standard normal suit and pilots helmet. It is not confirmed in the broadcast version about what he looks like outside of his uniform, however, Gene boasts sharp eyebrows, gaunt cheekbones, and effeminate features.
Gene, agitated with simply having to wait for orders and not attack the Earth Federation, is shown to have a hair trigger personality as well as lofty ambitions of success, fame and notoriety within the Principality's military complex. This leaves the idea that Gene is impressionable to the success of ace pilots and vies to be one or akin to one.
Abilities & Skills[]
Gene, while shown to be a part of a reconnaissance unit, has skills that are only documented via this association. As the unit is based on espionage, it should be alluded that Gene has training with these sorts of missions. Boasting a handgun that is not standard to other pilots due to war conventions, Gene has arms training. Due his operation of a MS-06 Zaku II, Gene is a capable pilot, though is never shown to have more experience above a standard ensign. In most game materials, Gene is shown to have entry level skills as a mobile suit pilot.
Yoshiyuki Tomino's Novelization Version[]
In the novel version of Mobile Suit Gundam penned by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Gene's rank is that of a second lieutenant, a rank that would be reprised in later games as well as Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (Manga). Unlike the anime version, Denim initiates the battle inside the colony, whereas Gene is forced to participate in the attack. In a later battle with the Gundam, he is killed in battle when his Zaku is slashed in half from the front.
Gallery[]
Notes & Trivia[]
- Gene is the first character to encounter Amuro Ray in battle.
- The first-person footage of the Gundam ripping the front pipe from Gene's Zaku II was played back for Oliver May in Episode 3 of Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War. Gene's screeaming can be heard as the Gundam slowly reaches for him.
- Gene's name is a play off of the in studio joke "Slender Denim Jean" when romanized in Japanese.
- Gene's likeness and persona is based off of Warchimedes from Chōdenji Robo Combattler V (超電磁ロボ コン・バトラーＶ), both being designed by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko.
- In Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (Manga), Gene is shown to competent with knives and carries a switchblade.