As a rule, I usually only buy model kits of mobile suits I am familiar with. But I’ve already made exceptions that that rule before, and now I’m ready to add another exception to the list:
This here is the RX-78 MS00Z Gundam GP00, AKA the “Engage Zero”, from the (currently Japan-only) mobile game UC Engage.
About the Mobile Suit
The main thing you need to know about this Gundam is that it is a new design that solely exists as a hook to get people to play the UC Engage mobile game.
But if you insist on reading a little bit more lore, here’s what the Gundam Wiki has to say. Fair warning - this text was only very recently added to the wiki. Previously it contained a bunch nigh-indecipherable gibberish:
The Gundam Engage Zero was an experimental mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics at the lunar city of Von Braun as an addition to the Gundam Development Project. It was develop as a Mobile suit against Anti-Mobile Suit weapons.
Many engineers from the former Principality of Zeon, who have a proven track record in high-mobility combat, have participated in the development, and the machine's codename "Engage Zero" also has the meaning of a fusion of the technology of the Federation and Zeon forces.
The cockpit layout conforms to the standards of the integrated maintenance plan implemented by the Zeon Forces, and the "Z" at the end of the model number is also taken from the initials of Zeon, representing the Federation Forces prototype "RX" and “MS”, which indicates a mobile suit made by Zeon, are written together, making it a unique mobile suit.
The Engage Zero is piloted by Peche Montagne, a Newtype with a … checkered history.
She once fought for Zeon, then joined Anahiem Electronics as a test pilot (which is where she’s at during the start of UC Engage’s story), and then apparently joins the Titans later on (which is where she winds up later in the story). And then she maybe joins Neo Zeon at some point?. Not exactly a sterling record, but it is what it is.
Also, the words of her name roughly translate to “Fish Mountain”. Maybe if her folks had given her a normal name she wouldn’t have felt the need to keep joining up with such questionable factions!
The Other GP00
The Engage Zero has a very long model number, part of which includes the designation "GP00". This suggests that it is some secret 0th model of the Gundam Development Project.
The only problem with that is that there is already a secret 0th model of the Gundam Development project - the Gundam Blossom.
That just goes to show you how little thought and effort they put into trying to cram the Engage Zero into the Universal Century timeline. But if you really want an explanation that clarifies things, here is what the Gundam wiki has to say (though again, I can't guarantee if this is accurate):
AE has already been developing the prototype No.0 "Blossom" as the first stage of the "Gundam Development Project", but the federal military's demand for the concept of a high-performance all purpose machine is too high, and it is a form to follow blossom. so various option plans were also proposed.
I have no idea what is meant by "a form to follow blossom", but that's all I can find right now.
About the Visual Design
Mobile suits aren’t gendered, but it’s also not quite accurate to say that they are androgynous in design. Many of them feature traits that are stereotypically male-coded - barrel chests and broad shoulders - as well as traits that are stereotypically female-coded - like high heeled feet, or “skirts” (that are often genuinely shaped like skirts).
What’s more, these traits are frequently mixed together in a single MS, which makes many designs unintentionally(?) gender nonconformist.
But every so often an artist decides to make an mobile suit that is very obviously coded female - a “girlbot” if you will. And many online commenters - myself included - believe this to be the case with the Engage Zero.
Starting from the top and going down:
- Its head is very rounded, and much less mean and threatening looking than a typical Gundam head
- I’m not the only one who thinks the chest looks like it has a pair of Gundam boobs
- It has a very obviously hourglass figure and wide hips
- While lots of Gundams have heeled feet, the red bits of the Engage Zero’s feet are particularly shaped like a pair of high heels
- If you look at it from behind, it has … um … a bit of a badonkadonk
And that’s actually toned down from this early promotional image, in which it looks like it’s wearing a full on dress:
And to repeat, I’m not the only one who sees this feminine design. Here’s Mecha Gaikotsu on Youtube:
And the “Let’s Talk Gunpla” newsletter:
And this comment on Reddit:
And others as well, including some derpy fanart.
To be clear, this is hardly the first female coded mobile suit. You’ve got Nobel Gundam, the OG of Gundam girlbots. Then there’s the GN Archer, (arguably) the Gerbera Tetra, and the very recent Gundam Aerial from the currently airing Witch from Mercury.
Honestly, I’m not sure what drives this “girlbot” aesthetic. It’s not for the purpose of sex appeal, as none of them are meant to look particularly sexy. Nor would I attribute the aesthetic to simple sexism. I might consider that if they were animated to move in a particularly girly fashion, or if they were relegated to some sort of stereotypical support role in combat. But all of these designs are meant to fight, and aside from maybe Nobel Gundam, none of them move in a particularly girly fashion. They may look feminine, but they’re all depicted as fierce warriors.
(that being said, I can’t think of a single girlbot design that’s isn’t piloted by a woman. So maybe there’s a little bit of sexism going on).
In all seriousness, my guess is that this is just an attempt to do something a little different than usual. And in that regard I think the Engage Zero succeeds. It’s a fairly unique take on the traditional Gundam design.
The G Self
I've also seen some folks say that the Engage Zero highly resembles the G-Self from Gundam: Reconguista in G. I can definitely see it:
(More) About the Visual Design
We know that the Engage 0 is technically part of the Gundam Development Project, and we can see hints of this in the design. The legs and shield, for example, are highly reminiscent of the GP01’s. It’s nice to see these little touches, and that the link to the GP project isn’t entirely arbitrary.
About the Model Kit
As you can tell from the monochrome box, this is a Premium Bandai release. Even compared to other P-Bandai kits, the price was a bit higher than usual for a High Grade model.
One reason is that the kit comes with a small stand (which is extremely rare for any High Grade). It also comes with an extremely large (optional) booster pack. I have no doubt that all this extra plastic contributed something to the increased price (as well as the fact that this is a brand new design with a new, unique mold. Gotta recoup those R&D costs somehow).
Other Thoughts
I didn’t have a great reason for ordering this kit. I guess I thought it looked kind of cool, and I liked the idea of having a model from an obscure, non-localized game. That’s it really.