MSN-02 Zeong

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The MSN-02 Zeong (ジオング, Jiongu^?) is a prototype mobile suit appearing in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam. Developed by the Principality of Zeon at the A Baoa Qu space fortress during the One Year War, it was built for Newtype pilots and was first piloted by the "Red Comet" Char Aznable.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

The final product of the MS-16X "Bishop Plan", the Zeong was only 80% complete when it was deployed, thus its lack of legs and exposed upper arms. Although the legs would aid in the AMBAC System, their omission did not hinder the mobile suit from performing at 100% combat capacity, since two rocket thrusters were installed at where the legs were supposed to be.

The Zeong was the first mobile suit to use the Psycommu system, which allowed its pilot to utilize its wire-guided remote-controlled forearms for all-range attack effectively. Each forearm was built with 5-mega particle gun in its fingers. Two additional beam guns were built into the waist. Lastly, there was a single beam cannon inside the head. Unlike most mobile suits of the time, the Zeong has two cockpits, one in the chest and another in the head. However, a single Newtype pilot can fully operate the Zeong from its head which could detach from the body and act as an escape pod.

Armaments

• Wired 5-barrel Mega Particle Gun

The forearms of the MSN-02 Zeong can be detached and remotely maneuvered with thrusters built into their base. They are guided by wires and controlled by the Newtype pilot's thoughts via the psycommu system. Each of the Zeong's forearms are in essence powerful mega particle guns with five barrels each built into the fingers. The five barrels on both arms are fire-linked, so each time one of the arm weapons fire a total of five beams, ten if both mega particle guns fire. This large amount of beams, combined with the remote weapons' ability to create all-range attacks, produces a powerful spread of beams that is nearly impossible to avoid and can destroy multiple machines.

• Waist Mega Particle Gun

There are two fire-linked mega particle guns mounted in the waist of the mobile suit.

• Head Mega Particle Gun

Mounted in the head of the mobile suit is a mega particle gun. It can fire at least one shot while the head is detached, indicating that there is some sort of energy capacitor that holds a limited charge so that the Zeong's head can use attacks while retreating.

Special Equipment

• Psycommu System

During the One Year War, the researchers of the Flanagan Institute discover that Newtypes emit powerful thoughtwaves - similar to regular brainwaves, but not electrical in nature - which they call psycowaves. The Flanagan Institute goes on to develop a mind-machine interface called the psycommu (psycho-communicator) system, which receives these thoughtwaves and translates them into computer commands. Using this interface a Newtype pilot can direct remote weapons, and operate huge mobile armors, by thought alone.

• Detachable Head

The head of the Zeong contains its cockpit and can detach from the main body to function as an escape pod. However, it can only operate for less than ten minutes once detached.

History

A single MSN-02 Zeong piloted by Char Aznable was deployed during the final battle of the One Year War at A Baoa Qu as part of the Principality of Zeon's last line of defense against the attacking Earth Federation Forces. With its advanced psycommu technology and high number of mega particle guns, the Zeong proved to be a powerful opponent that destroyed many Earth Federation Forces' RGM-79 GMs, RB-79 Balls, and at least one Magellan-class battleship. The power of the Zeong, and Char's Newtype thoughtwaves would attract Amuro Ray in the RX-78-2 Gundam. The two machines would duel, systematically blasting parts off the other. When it appeared that the Zeong was about to be destroyed, the head detached, and entered the asteroid fortress. The headless and one-armed Gundam followed. Both machines were set to automatic pilot, with the pilots escaping, before the two fired their last beam shots and destroyed each other.

In addition to Char's functional Zeong, another 3 Zeong units under varying degree of completion were seen inside A Baoa Qu's Flanagan Institute in Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt ONA. All three were confiscated by the invading Earth Federation Forces with the sole aim to obtain the much coveted Psycommu System.

Variants

• MSN-02 Perfect Zeong
• MSN-02-2 Zeong Unit 2
• MSN-02R Zeong High Mobility Type
• MSN-03-2 Great Zeong
• OMAX-02 Zeong II
• Grand Zeong
• ZM-GE-03 Zong
• MSN-02GA Hell Zeong Galaxy
• MSN-02MR Hell Zeong Marine

Gallery

Zeong's line art - anatomy

Zeong vs. Gundam: artwork by Naochika Morishita

In Gundam Perfect File: artwork by Akira Matsui

In Mobile Suit Bible: artwork by D@Üe

Zeong as featured in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin

Zeong units under construction inside the Flanagan Institute, A Baoa Qu (from Gundam Thunderbolt ONA)

Head close-up of Zeong inside the Flanagan Institute, A Baoa Qu

Zeong prepares to launch from A Baoa Qu (from Mobile Suit Gundam Battlefield Record: Avant-Title)

Zeong in action

Top-down view of Zeong in flight mode (from Mobile Suit Gundam TV series)

Zeong: torso-close up

Zeong with launched wire-guided forearms

Dramatic encounter between Char Aznable's Zeong and Amuro Ray's Gundam

Zeong fires waist-mounted Mega Particle Guns

Zeong's detachable head unit fires Mega Particle Gun

Zeong as featured in Gundam Battle Assault

SD Zeong as featured in SD Gundam G Generation Wars

As seen on Gundam Online Wars game.

As seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

From SD Gundam Ultimate Encyclopedia

Gunpla

Original 1/144 MSN-02 Zeong (1981): box art

HGUC 1/144 MSN-02 Zeong (2001): box art

1/144 HGUC "G-3 Gundam & Zeong" double pack (Gundam World 2002 in C3 exclusive; 2002): box art

1/144 HGUC "MSN-02 Zeong (Bandai Museum Limited Color Version)" (Bandai Museum exclusive; 2004): box art

MG 1/100 MSN-02 Zeong (2002): box art

Original 1/250 "Space Fortress A Baoa Qu" diorama set (1981): box art

SD Gundam BB Senshi MSN-02 Zeong (1988): box art

SD Gundam BB Senshi MSN-02 Zeong (Perfect Specification) (2002): box art

SDGG MSN-02 Zeong (Final Battle Specification) (1999): box art

Custom 1/144 "Zeong with legs" (non-canon) model conversion based on HGUC 1/144 MSN-02 Zeong model kit. Modeled by Reichi Itoh.

Action Figures

Mobile Suit in Action (MSiA / MIA) "MSN-02 Zeong" (Asian release; 2000): package front view

MSiA / MIA "MSN-02 Zeong" (North American release; 2001): package front view

MSiA / MIA Final Duel Set "Last Shooting" featuring RX-78-2 Gundam (Second Version) and MSN-02 Zeong" (Asian limited edition; 2004): package front view

MSiA / MIA "MSN-02 Zeong" (Asian re-issue with MS data card; 2004): package front view

Zeonography #3015 "MSN-02 Zeong / MSN-02 Perfect Zeong" figure set (2008): package front view

Zeonography #3015 "MSN-02 Zeong / MSN-02 Perfect Zeong" figure set (2008): package rear view

Zeonography "MSN-02 Zeong" (2008): product sample (left) with parts convertible to MSN-02 Perfect Zeong (right)

Notes and Trivia

• One notable trait about the Zeong is that it is one of only two mobile suits piloted by Char Aznable not painted red (the other being the MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki). It did however receive a red color scheme as an alternate palette in Gundam: The Battle Master/Battle Assault series of video games.
• In Gundam Vs Gundam Next Plus, the Zeong is unlockable. It has also special ability to revive itself once (only the head). The ability activates when the cost gauge is at 2000 or below and when Hp drops to zero/0.
• In Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3, the Zeong can be used in atmospheric ground-level battlegrounds, something its incomplete state would not allow for. This is largely due to game mechanics as a result of removing the previous game's space-based levels while retaining the Zeong as a playable mobile suit.

External Links

• MSN-02 Zeong on GundamOfficial (Archived)
• MSN-02 Zeong on MAHQ.net