From: marty@srl.mew.mei.co.jp (Marty Chumbes)
Subject: Re: GUNDAM: CHAR'S COUNTERATTACK: So, what's the big deal?
Organization: Matsushita Electric Works Ltd., Osaka, Japan
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 02:31:29 GMT

In article <93012.175925U19807@uicvm.uic.edu>, <U19807@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
|> In article <C0r8p9.1pw@ecf.toronto.edu>, linmo@ecf.toronto.edu (LIN MONTEIL)
|> says:
|> >
|> >In article <1993Jan12.063617.22117@netcom.com> akuma@netcom.com (Steven E
|> >Barnes) writes:
|> >>
|> >>People think Char and Amuro are dead?
|> >>
|> >>Did you see any bodies?  'Nuff said!
|> >
|> >Well let's put it this way. If there is enough money out there. They'll be
|> >back.
|> 
|> ...thus leading me with the distinct impression that if Sunrise does this,they
|> really _don't_ know how to Leave Well Enough Alone.
|> 
|> >Personally being a die-hard Gundam Otaku, for the sake of continuity,
|> >I wish they stay dead.
|> 
|> Ditto. Before any other otaku decide to flame you for making such a
|> (completely acceptable,IMHO) statement,let me point this out: Why would
|> stick both Char and Amuro's butts on a disintegrating,superheated chunk of
|> rock and then fail to mention that they had got off somehow (How? Well,don't
|> ask _me_ that one) before the movie ended?
|> >>
|> >>By the way, people told me Char was dead at the end of Zeta,
|> >>and I didn't believe it then...
|> 
|> 
|> >Now back then Char definitely was NOT dead. It was shown in the last few
|> >frames in the series when the Type 100 was floating around with the cockpit
|> >open that he'd definitely be back.
|> 
|> Exactly. Why he totally disappeared from the face of the earth (a lousy meta-
|> phor,to say the least) during ZZ GUNDAM-except for the opening titles (?!?),
|> of course-is gonna be a question for the net.ages,no doubt....
|> 

I always thought that Char was dead after Z Gundam to those that were lucky enough to
be alive after Z Gundam -- Amuro, Bright, etc.  In the beginning of Char's Counterattack, 
I was left with the impression that Char's immediate reappearence as well as the 
supreme leader of the Neo-Jion was a surprise to all the EUG forces who thought he was 
dead, that's why the EUG were not responsive enough to stop Char's first asteroid 
drop on Tibet, Earth.  However, to us viewer, it seemed possible that Char was alive
and just simply disappeared throughout ZZ Gundam only because we all know he was alive
because of Char's Counterattack.  However, at the time that ZZ Gundam
first appeared on TV in Japan and without Char may have left some people thinking that
he died at the end of Z Gundam.  I mean so so sooooooo many characters were wiped out
at the end of Z Gundam, that it would have been plausible to have Char die too.  

But.... But I think that having Char resurrected and finally killed off with Amuro at
the end of Char's Counterattack was the best thing to do.  Given their hatred for
each other, exacerbated with the death of Lala Sun during MS Gundam, to kill Char at
the end of Z Gundam and leaving Amuro alive would have just destroyed the beauty that
the Gundam saga was meant to be.  Keep in mind that the sole existence of the Gundam
saga from MS Gundam and Z Gundam was revolved around the differences of opinion and their
hatred for each other, exacerbated with the death of Lala Sun, between Char and Amuro.
Without that, the Gundam saga, would just simply be like reading a history book -- boring
and uninteresting to watch.  To see the end of this first generation of this saga would
have to mean their death in a very dramtic manner and that couldn't have been pulled off
any better than the one that was pulled off in Char's Counterattack, revealing and 
reminding us, at the last moment, what this saga was all about.  Their deaths may have
ended the first chapter of this saga, but next upcoming chapters are yet to be written...
[Yeah, that last sentence may sound a bit corny, but that's how I feel about Gundam saga.  No flames, please.... :) ]

To answer the last question:

     Why he totally disappeared from the face of the earth (a lousy meta-
 phor,to say the least) during ZZ GUNDAM-except for the opening titles (?!?),
 of course-is gonna be a question for the net.ages,no doubt....
 
To rebuild the Neo-Jion and to temporarily put Earth in the cold.  His reasons, though,
are best left to interpretation. 

Just MH&HP $0.02 worth.  

Marty.






|>       ** Chris Krolczyk,esq.  * DISCLAIMER: My opinions are in **
|>       ** Maniac-at-Large      * no way endorsed by the Univer- **
|>       ** U19807@UICVM.BITNET  * sity of Illinois at Chicago.   **
|>       ** u19807@uicvm.uic.edu * So much for frivolous lawsuits.**
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