Kunio Okawara
The RX-78's initial concept was that of a powered armor, the primary design for Yoshiyuki Tomino's proposed series "Freedom Fighter Gunboy". The series later changed its name to "Mobile Suit Gundam" and Kunio Okawara was given Tomino's concept to shape into a finalized design for the anime. Okawara created multiple designs before settling on the current, samurai-styled design for the anime in 1979.