機動戦士ガンダム0083 スターダストメモリー
(Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory)
13 episodes OVA series (1991 - 1992)
120-minute feature film (1992)
U.C. 0083 - Three years after the end of One Year War, the Earth Federation continues on rebuilding its military strength and the colonies as well. The top secret project, "Gundam Development", has reached its fruitations, with new Gundam prototypes unit 1 and 2 being delivered to Australia for final ground testing. However, Gundam unit 2 is stolen by former Zeon ace pilot Anavel Gato along with the nuclear warhead. Forced into action, rookie test pilot Kou Uraki take over Gundam unit 1 and face Gato, also known as "The Nightmare of Solomon"... it will mark the beginning of operation "Stardust", the last operation carried out by the Delaz Fleet in honour of the old Principality of Zeon...
0083 is the 2nd series that was done without the direct involvement of 富野 由悠季 (Tomino Yoshiyuki) back in the 1990s. It was created to fill the gaps between the Original Gundam and Z Gundam. It features the first real Gundam VS Gundam duel (no Gundam Mark II VS Psyco Gundam is not, since Psyco only a "Gundam" in name...), and the first EFSF Mobile Armor in GP03.
After the release of the OVA, it got the movie treatment, and turned into 機動戦士ガンダム0083 －ジオンの残光－. Unfortunately, Bandai Entertainment did not release the movie in North America.
It is one of the best action story ever written for the franchise, and kept the die-hard mecha fans happy. You just cannot beat the Gundam duel... and a MA duel too.
While Gundam GP01, GP01-Fb and GP02A are designed by 河森 正治 (Kawamori Shoji), GP03 is designed by none other than 力トキ ハジメ(Katoki Hajime), his first official job within the Gundam franchise after his stint on Model Graphix's Gundam Sentinel.
Some technical details on the "Gundam Development" project:
(all designed and developed by Anaheim Electronics Corporation, with all of them carry the "RX-78" model
number)
Gundam GP01 is designed for ground battle only, and features a new core-fighter docking design. It was damaged in space and was later modified into GP01-Fb, which features a new core-fighter design with 2 huge thrusters with multi-directional control. GP01-Fb was destroyed in battle.
Gundam GP02A is designed with only one goal in mind: nuclear attack. Still, with all the extra mass for the body, it is still a formidable MS in close combat with its agility. Destroyed in battle.
Gundam GP03 is designed for "perimeter defense", and consist of 2 parts, GP03S the MS, and the docking weapon platform armed with one mega beam cannon, two large claws with one large beam saber each, one I-field generator, and 20 weapon pods. Only the MS was intact after the war, and subsequently destroyed.
Gundam GP04G never makes it pass the design stage, and ended up becoming AGX-04 Gerbera Tetra. Gerbera Tetra was destroyed by GP03.
Note: This is what GP04G looks like, designed by the same designer who did AGX-04 Gerbera Tetra. It first appeared on Hobby Japan's Gundam Weapons 3 released in 1993 (it is out of print for more than 10 years, and the last time I saw a copy for sale in Hong Kong, it goes for more than $500 HKD, 4 times the original price.). Although not exactly part of the OVA, nevertheless it became part of the franchise, with B-Club released a couple of resin kits over the years, as well as being included in video games.
Note: In order to "protect" the continunity of Z Gundam, the Gundams created in this series officially DO NOT EXIST in the Earth Federation records. (Of course with the mess around GP02A the Feds will deny anything...)
Dino's Rating: 9
Will Girls Like It: Maybe