MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type

Technology & Combat Characteristics

The S-Type Zaku II has an antenna on the head for enhanced communication capabilities and to visually distinguish squad-leaders or higher ranking pilots from other squad-members or lower ranking pilots. Commanders are also allowed to paint their machine in personal colors.

It also features a higher output powerplant that gave the S-Type Zaku II greater thrust and acceleration. This allows it to move at speeds three times faster than a standard Zaku II. However, since no changes were made to the fuel tanks, the S-Type's operating time is shortened as a result.^[1] Despite this limitation, the S-Type proved to be incredibly dangerous in the hands of the ace pilots it was assigned to, such as the "Red Comet" Char Aznable, who sank 5 Magellan-Class Battleships in the Battle of Loum.

It was noted in an extra feature that came with the Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team DVDs that the three times faster figure came about from Char's clever use of terrain and debris to boost off of, saving fuel and increasing his speed compared to normal.

Armaments

• Shoulder Shield

Mounted on the right shoulder, it is a simple defense used to block most incoming physical projectiles.

• 120mm Machine Gun

A standard weapon for Zaku type mobile suits. It is a shell firing gun that does not require energy to be used, however its effectiveness against heavy armor is very limited. It holds 100 rounds per drum with spare drums that can be stored on the waist armor.

• M-120AC Machine Gun

A model of machine gun with a heat bayonet equipped on the barrel. A limited number of these weapons were produced and used by Zaku II Commander Types for operational testing.

• Heat Bayonet

Mounted underneath the barrel of the machine gun, the heat bayonet can damage a mobile suit that gets within melee range, allowing it to serve as a quick defense/offense weapon.

• MMP-80 90mm Machine Gun

An alternative to the 120mm Machine Gun. It used 90mm bullets instead of 120mm type, allowing for a greater firing speed and better penetration capabilities. Fed by a 32 rounds magazine, it is also integrated with a grenade launcher under its barrel for more firepower.

• H&L-SB25K/280mmA-P Zaku Bazooka

A bazooka originally developed for anti-ship use. It fired explosive rounds that were quite effective against the armor of Earth Federation battleships and MS. Can be stored on the rear waist armor when not in use.

• Heat Hawk Type 5

An axe-shaped close combat weapon, it uses a super-heated blade to cut through the armor of enemy MS or vehicles. The thermal energy is generated by the power output of the Zaku II's thermonuclear reactor and relayed through the MS' hands.

• ZIM/M·T-K175C 175mm Recoilless Rifle

The main gun of the HT-01B Magella Attack main battle tank, it is remodeled as an MS artillery weapon. It is mainly used for long distance attacks in ground combat, and can be loaded with HEAT or APFSDS rounds.

• MarkVIII Sturm Faust

The Sturm Faust is a simplified, disposable rocket launcher that is good for a single shot. As the warhead is not equipped with a guidance device, it is extremely hard to use the Sturm Faust to hit a moving target accurately. However, it is still a highly destructive portable weapon.

• MIP-B6 Cracker Grenade

Identical to those used by infantry, the cracker grenade is an explosive weapons designed to be thrown or launched by the MS and detonate after a set amount of time. The "cracker" breaks into several smaller munitions over a wide area. The Zaku II can optionally equip up to four cracker grenades, that are stored on the left and right waist armor racks, with two on each side.

• Double Bazooka

A combination of two 280mm bazookas into a single weapon. However, this is not just a joining of two bazookas, it only has a single grip located on the the left barrel and an additional sight is added to improve shooting performance. It has two magazines located at the bottom, increasing the ammunition. Around ten units were produced and used by Black Tri-Stars among others, but it was not officially adopted.

Special Equipment & Features

• Container Backpack

Equipped on the back of Ortega's machine. It is used to store a machine gun and a spare bazooka magazine. It can be discarded with explosive bolts even during combat, and the sides can be mounted with bazookas and heat hawks.

History

The MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type was introduced during the One Year War at about the same time as the MS-06F Zaku II as a slightly improved version of the F-type Zaku II. For most the One Year War these S-types were the most powerful mobile suits fielded and were piloted by only the best. However the S-Type Zaku's superiority would end in July of 0079 U.C. when the Federation's RX-78 Gundam mobile suit would be rolled out. The Zaku II Commander Type's exact production number is unknown, with different sources giving different numbers. One of the more credible figure is that approximately 100 units were produced.^[2]

Char Aznable would use his custom Zaku II to sortie against the Gundam piloted by Amuro Ray. Despite Amuro Ray's evident talent he was still a novice whose piloting skills simply did not match up to Char's during their early battles. The only reason Amuro Ray survived was because the Gundam greatly outperformed the Zaku II in terms of both offense and defense.

Seeing that the Federation could create a mobile suit so powerful it could survive in engagements against Char Aznable likely prompted Zeon to focus more on the development of newer mobile suits, mobile suits that could fight evenly against the new machines the Federation had developed. Though most of these new mobile suits would have superior performance specs than any model of Zaku, the mobile suit that could be called the truest successor to the MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type would be the MS-14S Gelgoog Commander Type, which was also built by the Zeonic Company, the same manufacturers of the Zaku.

Variants

• MS-06S Zaku II Patrol Type

Appearances in other media

Char's Zaku II is a playable unit in many video games, most recently in Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3. It has made appearances in almost all Gundam-related video games, including Journey to Jaburo, Federation vs. Zeon, Gundam vs Gundam, and others.

Gallery

Lineart

Zaku II Commander Type (Char Aznable Custom) art by Naochika Morishita

Zaku II Commander Type (Char Aznable Custom): artwork for MG model release by Naochika Morishita

Zaku II Commander Type (Gaia Custom): MSV illustration by Kunio Okawara

Container Backpack (Ortega use)

M-120AC Machine Gun (Johnny Ridden use)

MS120-AC 120mm Zaku Machine gun w/Heat Bayonet

Double Bazooka (Black Tri Stars use)

Heat Hawk (Black Tri Stars use)

280mm Zaku Bazooka (Johnny Ridden use)

MS-06S Char's Zaku II (from Gundam Perfect File)

In Mobile Suit Bible

Red Comet Kick: artwork

Char's Zaku II as featured in Gundam Battle Assault

Char's Zaku II's dashing appearance as seen on Mobile Suit Gundam TV series

The famous "Red Comet Kick" (MSG)

Gadem's Zaku I being stopped by Char's Zaku II Commander Type (MSG)

The 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit's Observation Boat being confronted by Char's Zaku II during the Battle of Loum (from MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War OVA)

Rear view of Char's Zaku II, attacking a Salamis cruiser (MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War)

Black Tri-Stars Zaku II Commander Type (Gundam Legacy)

Char's Zaku II (Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3)

Zaku II Commander Type (Battle Operation 2)

As seen on the game Gundam Online.

Gunpla

1/250 Iropla MS-06S Char's Zaku (1983): box art

1/144 Original Char's Zaku (1980): box art

1/144 FG MS-06S Zaku II (Char Aznable custom) (1999): Box art

1/144 HGUC MS-06S Zaku II (Char Aznable custom) (2002): Box art

1/144 RG MS-06S Zaku II Char Aznable Custom (2010): Box art

1/144 RG MS-06S Zaku II (Char Aznable Custom) Ver. GFT (Gundam Front Tokyo exclusive; 2013): box art

RG 1/144 MS-06S "Char's Zaku II" Ver. Gundam Docks at Singapore (2015): box art

1/100 Original Char's Zaku (1981): box art

1/100 MG MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type (Char Aznable Custom) (1995): box art

1/100 MG MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type (Char Aznable Custom) (Ver. 2.0; 2007): box art

1/100 MG "MS-06S Zaku II Ver. 2.0 (Char Aznable Custom; Real Type Color)" (P-Bandai exclusive; 2012): box art

1/100 MG "MS-06S Zaku II Ver. 2.0 (Black Tri-Stars Custom)" (P-Bandai exclusive; 2012): box art

1/100 MG "MS-06S Zaku II J.Ridden's Custom" (P-Bandai exclusive; 2013): box art

1/100 MG "MS-06S Zaku II Ver. 2.0 (Mechanical Clear Ver.)" (The Art of Gundam Exhibit exclusive; 2015): box art

1/100 MG "MS-06S Zaku II (Char Aznable Custom) Ver.2.0 [Solid Clear/Standard]" (Banpresto exclusive; 2019): box art

1/72 Machanic Model Char's Zaku (1981): box art

1/60 Original Char's Zaku (1980): box art

1/60 PG MS-06S Zaku II (Char Aznable Custom) (1999): box art

1/60 PG MS-06S Char's Zaku II [Mastermind Japan Ver.] (STRICT-G Diver City Tokyo exclusive; 2018): box art

1/48 Mega Size Model MS-06S Char's Zaku II (2010): box art

1/48 Mega Size Model MS-06S Char's Zaku II (Ver. GFT) (2012): box art

SDBB MS-06S Char's Zaku II (2002): box art

SDCS MS-06S Char's Zaku II (2020): box art

RG 1/144 MS-06S Zaku II Char Aznable Custom - Illustration

RG 1/144 MS-06S Zaku II Char Aznable Custom - Illustration detail

Char's Zaku

Limited edition HGUC 7-Eleven Zaku II

Action Figures

Mobile Suit in Action (MSiA / MIA) "MS-06S Char's Zaku II" (Asian release; 1999): package front view

MSiA / MIA "MS-06F Zaku II" (Asian limited "Tetsu Toys" edition; 2000): package front view

MSiA / MIA "MS-06S Char's Zaku II" (North American release; 2001): package front view

MSiA / MIA "MS-06S Char's Zaku II (Second Version)" (Asian original; 2002): package front view

MSiA / MIA "MS-06S Char's Zaku II (Second Version)" (Asian re-issue with MS data card; 2004): package front view

Extended Mobile Suit in Action (ExMSiA / EMIA) "MS-06S Char's Zaku II" (2005): package front view

ExMSiA / EMIA "MS-06S Char's Zaku II" (2005): package rear view.

Robot Damashii "MS-06S Zaku II Char's Custom Model Ver. A.N.I.M.E." (2016): package front view

Robot Damashii "Tamashii Stage Ver. A.N.I.M.E. [Earth Federation Blue Color & Principality of Zeon Red Color]" figure stage sets (Tamashii Web "Earth Federation vs. Principality of Zeon" Campaign exclusive; 2017): product sample with Gundam (Ver. A.N.I.M.E.) pairs with Federation's blue stage (left) and Char's Zaku II (Ver. A.N.I.M.E.) pairs with Zeon's red stage (right)

Kado Senshi "MS-06S Char's Zaku" (1999): box art

Notes and Trivia

• In Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3, The unit has a special ability called Triple Speed which enhances the speed of the Zaku, interestingly, it is only activated if Char Aznable is chosen as the pilot, a possible reference to his abilities to push the Mobile Suit to its maximum capabilities.
• In Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2 and 3, Lunamaria Hawke defaults to this Zaku due to the fact that neither her Gunner ZAKU nor the Impulse Gundam were brought into the game. With Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn, she has both and thus will most likely not default to this suit any longer.

References

Johnny Ridden's Customized Zaku II

Johnny Ridden's Zaku II - Technical Data/Design

Black Tri-Stars Zaku II

MSV-R - Black Tri-Stars Zaku II - Technical Data/Design

MSV-R - Black Tri-Stars Zaku II - Technical Data/Design

1. ↑ Futabasha, Common Knowledge of Gundam: Mobile Suits of the One Year War, p. 47
2. ↑ Gundam Officials Encyclopedia, p. 320

External links

• MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type on MAHQ.net
• MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type (Black Tri Stars Custom) on MAHQ
• MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type (Johnny Ridden Custom) on MAHQ