Side 6, also known as Riah, was a faction featured in the TV anime Mobile Suit Gundam, the Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space movie, the Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket OVA, and the Mobile Suit Gundam Aggressor manga.[1][2]
Overview[]
Riah's government was a parliamentarian democracy. During the One Year War, it was under the administration of Prime Minister Rank. It was said that Rank came to power with the backing of the Principality of Zeon.[3]
Like other Sides, Riah was allowed a minimally-sized defense force for peacekeeping. Its defense force, simply named "Riah Forces", was equipped with mostly anti-personnel and anti-ground weapons, including helicopters, missile cars, and the middle-class mobile suit RH-35E Riah 35 Draken-E.[3]
Each Side issued and circulated its own currency. Side 6's currency was the "Hyte", which was divided into "Cools".[2][4][5]
Riah had their own television station, "RBC".[6]
History[]
The name "Riah" was the nickname given to Side 6 during the construction of Sides. Though the name was mostly used by its inhabitants, while others simply referred to it as "Side 6". However, Side 6's government is usually referred to as "Riah government".[3]
It is said that in U.C. 0077, a political revolution took place in Side 6 with the backing of a MS-05 troop, though details are unclear.[7]
One Year War[]
In the first days of the One Year War, Side 1, 2, and 4 were destroyed by the Principality of Zeon's surprise attack. Side 6 was able to avoid the same fate, and declared neutrality on January 11th. It is said that this was possible because the Riah government signed a secret agreement with Zeon before the war began. Furthermore, Riah possessed considerable political and industrial power: It was home to the children of many important political, financial, and military figures, making an attack risky. It also had a thriving industry sector, exporting weapon parts to both sides and vital agricultural products to the Earth Federation, which was suffering from the loss of farmlands caused by Operation British. These factors allowed it to avoid most of the fighting during the war.[3]
While Riah was still technically part of the Federation, the Federal government no longer intervened in its affairs following its declaration of neutrality, granting it de facto autonomy. Because of this unique circumstance, Riah was known as "Riah Republic" in some sources, though the name is inaccurate, as it was closer to an autonomous region within the Federation legally.[3]
As part of its neutrality policy, all Federation and Zeon military vessels entering its ports needed to have their weapons and the weapons of their on-board craft sealed with tapes. Breaking these tapes incurred a heavy fine. In addition, other than humanitarian aids, such as the repair of ships and the supply of food, cooperation with either party is forbidden.[3]
During the war, Riah became the center of the Federation and Zeon's espionage warfare, giving it a reputation as a "spy heaven".[3] It was said that Zeon Intelligence Division obtained Energy CAP technology from Side 6, which eventually led to the development of the MS-14 Gelgoog's beam rifle.[8]
Since Riah lacked a military that could match the Federation and Zeon, it was also involved in espionage for self-defense purposes. Riah installed various spies within the military forces of both powers to monitor them for possible aggression and steal information that could be used to give Riah leverage. One spy, Higgins, managed to attain a high-ranking position within the Federation's central intelligence department in Jaburo, and acted to aid Zeon's Operation Stork during the Battle of Jaburo in order to stall the Federation's imminent space counterattack and prolong the war for years to come. Higgins hoped that a longer conflict would wear the Federation and Zeon down, eventually allowing Riah a chance to attain supremacy in the Earth Sphere. However, his efforts were ultimately for naught, and he was killed by fellow Riah spy Elsa, who disagreed with him endangering Jaburo's thousands of civilians. After the battle, Lieutenant Kaori Sano deliberately misreported Higgins as a Zeon spy to protect Elsa and prevent the Federation from needlessly retaliating against Riah.[9]
Despite its ostensibly neutral stance, Zeon's Newtype Research Institute, the Flanagan Institute, was located in Side 6, under the pretense that it was a civilian organization. However, as the tide of the war shifted, the Riah government approached the Federation and sought to sign a security treaty with them, allowing them to garrison forces in Side 6 and set up a secret mobile suit development facility in the Ribo colony.[3]
On December 13th, Zeon forces launched an attack on Ribo. Having learned that the RX-78NT-1 Gundam NT-1 was transferred there, the attack was apparently an attempt to locate it. Zeon mobile suits battled with Federation mobile suits stationed inside the colony, resulting in numerous civilian casualties and extensive collateral damage. Two days later, on the 15th, Zeon launched another attack on the colony. This time, Zeon mobile suits battled Federation mobile suits outside of the colony, allowing Zeon's Cyclops Team to enter the colony disguised as civilians during the chaos as part of Operation Rubicon.[3]
Due to the two attacks, as well as Conscon's attack on the White Base team in Side 6 territory, the Riah foreign affairs office forcefully deported all Zeon vessels from Side 6 on the 17th, effectively cutting off foreign relations with Zeon. On January 14th, U.C. 0080, two weeks after the end of the war, the Riah government ratified the security treaty with the Federal government. Since Riah's brief autonomous status was a direct result of the war, it lost its autonomy following its end.[3]
Post-War[]
Following the Delaz Conflict in U.C. 0083, which concluded with a colony drop on the Federation's North American farmlands, Side 6's role as the Earth Sphere's breadbasket grew even more prominent.[3]
In UC 0097 one of the colonies of Side 6 the university colony Metis was stage the skirmish between the Shezzar unit of the Federation and a uncover group of the Republic of Zeon durint the event know it as "The Phoenix Hunt".
Additionally in the Thunderbolt manga set in 0080, survivors of South Seas Alliance try arrive Riah searching for political asylum in his neutral territory.
Known Colonies[]
- Baldur Bay
- Ribo
- Franchesca
- Ontario
- Ukraine
- Kamiigusa
- Palda
- Morudeigan
- New Madera
- Metis
Known Residents[]
- Cameron Bloom
- Bergamino
- Tem Ray
- Alfred Izuruha
- Michiko Izuruha
- Ems Izuruha
- Dolores Hayes
- Christina Mackenzie
- Mr Mackenzie
- Mrs Mackenzie
- Richard Lumumba
- Charlie
- Chay
- Telcott
- Elsa
- Elsa's grandfather
- Tanya
- Hangman
- Higgins
Notes & Trivia[]
- Several sources, such as the HGUC RGM-79SP GM Sniper II manual and Big Book of Tactics and Strategy stated that Riah Forces was the Federation's Riah garrison. However, dialogue in the show itself and Gundam Officials indicate that Riah Forces and the Federation garrison were under different authorities.
References[]
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket Episode 1, How Many Miles to the Battlefield?
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Gundam Officials (2001), p.750-754
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket Episode 5, Say it Ain't So, Bernie!
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket Episode 6, War in the Pocket
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket Episode 4, Over the River and Through the Woods
- ↑ MS Era Mobile Suit Gundam UC 0001-0080 Popular Edition. p.104
- ↑ Gundam Century, p.40
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam Aggressor