Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Cover of the first DVD volume
機動戦士ガンダム0080 ポケットの中の戦争 (Kidō Senshi Gandamu 0080 Poketto no Naka no Sensō)
Genre	Military science fiction
Original video animation
Directed by	Fumihiko Takayama
Studio	Sunrise
Released	March 25, 1989 – August 25, 1989
Episodes	6
Anime and Manga Portal

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (機動戦士ガンダム0080 ポケットの中の戦争, Kidō Senshi Gandamu 0080 Poketto no Naka no Sensō^?) is a 1989 Japanese science fiction original video animation series, the first such series in the Gundam franchise. Directed by Fumihiko Takayama, it was also the first time anyone other than creator Yoshiyuki Tomino was given a chance to direct a Gundam story. Released in 1989, it serves to commemorate Gundam's ten-year anniversary. As suggested by its subtitle, "War in the Pocket," it is a small, personal story; a side story focusing on the experiences of a ten-year-old boy during the One Year War.

Gundam 0080 also began an enduring tradition of retroactive redesigns. Yutaka Izubuchi updated the original Mobile Suit Gundam's dated mechanical designs and costumes, and since then every new creative team has offered its own take on the classic Gundam props.

Not penned by Tomino, but by Hiroyuki Yamaga, Gundam 0080 also marked a significant departure from the constant background theme of Newtypes featured in the Universal Century Gundam universe, since the original Mobile Suit Gundam up until Char's Counterattack. The absence of this theme raised the series' appeal towards audiences without special liking of Gundam and Tomino's work^[1] and would continue in many following Gundam stories narrating about ordinary soldiers and people in these conflicts.

The character designer for this series was Haruhiko Mikimoto (Macross franchise, Megazone 23, Gunbuster).

In the United States it aired on Cartoon Network's Toonami block and briefly on Adult Swim.

Plot

December, Universal Century 0079. Zeon intelligence has identified a prototype Federation Gundam under development in a Federation base in the Arctic. Elite Zeon MS commandos, one of whom is young rookie Bernard Wiseman, are dispatched to destroy the prototype, but before they can accomplish their mission the Gundam is launched into space. When the Gundam turns up in a Federation R&D base inside the neutral space colony Side 6, the Principality launches a covert operation to destroy the Gundam. However, the raid fails and the entire team is killed except for Bernard. After crashing his mobile suit, Bernard manages to befriend Alfred Izuhura and Christina Mackenzie, the Gundam test pilot. As Bernard tries to repair his damaged mobile suit, Bernard slowly becomes infatuated with Christina, with both pilots remaining unaware of each others' true natures. However, Bernard discovers that Zeon will destroy Side 6 with a nuclear weapon if he cannot destroy the prototype Gundam. Feeling that he has no choice, Bernard takes his mobile suit and goes to engage the Gundam. Alfred then discovers that the Zeon ship carrying the nuclear weapons was captured, meaning Bernard has no more reason to fight. He goes to try and stop Bernard, only to see Bernard's mobile suit destroyed and an injured Christina pulled from the heavily damaged Gundam. Afterwards, Christina tells Alfred that she will be leaving Side 6, and asks Alfred to say goodbye to Bernard for her, still unaware that she had actually killed him. Alfred does not have the heart to tell her the truth and agrees to her request.

Characters

Main characters

Alfred Izuruha

Al is an 11-year-old schoolboy, has a distant relationship with his father who works for the Earth Federation, gets mediocre grades in school and misbehaves in front of his mother and teachers. As a naive young boy who lives in the Libot colony of neutral Side 6, Al has little real idea about the war outside that is ravaging the Earth Sphere, and is fascinated by tales of mobile suit combats. He has a special interest in Zeon's Zaku mobile suits, which he regards as "cool". One day, Al meets a rookie Zeon pilot, Bernie Wiseman, whose Zaku is disabled and crashes after a short battle with Federation forces in the colony. Alfred Izuruha is voiced by Daisuke Namikawa in Japanese and Ian Hawk in English.

Bernard Wiseman

Petty Officer 2nd Class Bernard "Bernie" Wiseman is rookie soldier for the Principality of Zeon who befriends Al after his Zaku is shot down within Libot. He is later reassigned to the elite Cyclops Team as they embark on a top secret mission. Bernard Wiseman is voiced by Kōji Tsujitani in Japanese and David Hayter in English.

Christina MacKenzie

Al's friend and neighbor who has just returned from Earth on a top secret job for the Earth Federation. Christina MacKenzie is voiced by Megumi Hayashibara in Japanese and Wendee Lee in English.

Supporting characters

Steiner Hardie

Lieutenant Steiner Hardie is an experienced war veteran who commands the elite Cyclops Team, which is assigned a tall order to either capture or destroy the Earth Federation's top secret weapon. Steiner Hardie is voiced by Yousuke Akimoto in Japanese and Gil Starberry in English.

Gabriel Ramirez Garcia

Petty Officer 1st Class Garcia is a Hispanic playboy who was initially the junior member of the Cyclops Team before the arrival of Bernie, whom he eagerly takes to bullying. Gabriel Ramirez Garcia is voiced by Bin Shimada.

Mikhail Kaminsky

Ensign Mikhail "Mischa" Kaminsky is a big, rugged Russian who drinks a lot both on and off the battlefield. He is a solid member of the Cyclops Team, ranking second to Lieutenant Hardie. Mikhail Kaminsky is voiced by Yutaka Shimaka in Japanese and George C. Cole in English.

Colonel Killing

A ruthless and intimidating Zeon officer whose assignment of the rookie pilot Bernie Wiseman to the Cyclops Team hints an ulterior motive. Colonel Killing is voiced by Kouji Totani in Japanese and Jackson Daniels in English.

Charlie

Charlie is an old bartender who has lived on Libot his whole life and is good friends with Cyclops Team captain Steiner Hardy. Charlie is voiced by Minoru Inaba in Japanese and Alfred Thor in English.

Chay

Chay is one of Al's school friends and acts as the ringleader of the group. Claiming his big brother is a Federation mobile suit pilot, Chay impresses his friends with what appears to be an authentic Federation Forces rank badge.^[2] Chay is voiced by Tomoko Maruo in Japanese and Mona Marshall in English.

Telcott

Telcott is another friend of Al's. He is not as big a troublemaker as Al and Chay but he still shares their interest in war games. He seems to be something of a mama's boy, typically prefacing his comments with "My mom says..."^[3] Telcott is voiced by Ken Suzuki in Japanese and Mona Marshall in English.

Dorothy

Dorothy is Al's goody two-shoes classmate, who's constantly getting into arguments with him and his pals. Al loathes her for that but when his first-hand experience with war eventually reduces him to tears, she proves to be a sympathetic friend.^[4] Dorothy is voiced by Konami Yoshida in Japanese and Melissa Fahn in English.

Production and development

Two pieces of music by Megumi Shiina are used for the opening and closing themes. The opening theme is "Reach Out to the Sky Someday" (Itsuka Sora ni Todoite) and the closing theme is "Distant Memory" (Tooi Kioku).

Reception

Yoshiyuki Tomino, who was not involved in the show's production, was interviewed for the Newtype magazine April 1989 issue, after the release of the first episode. He praised the director's effort to make the show realistic and focused on things other than Mobile Suit battles. He also commented on two glitches, one being the portrayal of a blue sky in the colony rather than the other side of the cylinder, which is only about 6.4 km away; and the children being out during a wartime alert. Tomino thought that school resuming with combat in such close proximity was unrealistic, when a more sensible response should have been to close the school immediately and guide the children to shelters.

Episode list

#	Title	Release Date	English Airdate
1	"How Many Miles to the Battlefield?" "Senjô Made wa Nan Mairu?" (戦場までは何マイル?)	March 25, 1989	November 5, 2001
The elite Zeon Cyclops Team is sent to the Arctic to stop a new Gundam prototype from being launched into space, but their mission ends in failure. On the Libot colony of Side 6, 11-year-old Alfred Izuruha meets up with Christina MacKenzie, who used to babysit him when he was younger. Little does he know that she is now a Federation pilot. Meanwhile, Cyclops Team sneaks into Side 6 while Zeon forces invade the colony. During the attack, Al runs into the forest to chase a downed Zaku and encounters rookie pilot Bernie Wiseman.[5]
2	"Reflections in a Brown Eye" "Chairo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Mono" (茶色の瞳に映るもの)	April 25, 1989	November 6, 2001
Bernie gives Al his badge in exchange for the video disc of his camera. Back at their secret hideout, Cyclops Team discovers that the disc contains footage of the warehouse containing the Gundam inside the Federation base.
3	"And at the End of the Rainbow?" "Niji no Hate ni wa?" (虹の果てには?)	May 25, 1989	November 7, 2001
Cyclops Team smuggles parts of the mobile suit Kämpfer into the colony for their mission, with some help from Alfred.
4	"Over the River and Through the Woods" "Kawa wo Watatte Kodachi wo Nukete" (河を渡って木立を抜けて)	June 25, 1989	November 9, 2001
Cyclops Team sneaks into the Federation base to destroy the Gundam, but the mission is a failure when their cover is blown and all but Bernie are killed in the ensuing gunfight. Meanwhile, Christina pilots the Gundam to fend off against the Kämpfer mobile suit sent to eliminate it.
5	"Say it Ain't So, Bernie!" "Uso Dato Itte yo, Bānī" (嘘だと言ってよ、バーニィ)	July 25, 1989	November 12, 2001
Following the failure of his team's mission and the deaths of his comrades, Bernie goes in hiding and is told by his informant that Commander Killing has ordered a nuclear attack on the colony on Christmas day.
6	"War in the Pocket" "Poketto no Naka no Sensō" (ポケットの中の戦争)	August 25, 1989	November 13, 2001
In one last attempt to destroy the Gundam and prevent the nuclear attack on the colony, Bernie repairs his Zaku with Al's help and sets traps within the forest, using the armament left over by Cyclops Team. He then sets off to lure the Gundam into his trap, but Al receives word that the Zeon fleet sent to destroy the colony was intercepted and destroyed. Al rushes to the scene in an attempt to stop Bernie from continuing his mission, but Bernie is killed while the Gundam is severely damaged. Al goes into shock upon discovering that Christina was piloting the Gundam.

References

1. ^ Sevakis, Justin (2007-08-16). "Gundam 0080 - Buried Treasure". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/buried-treasure/2007-08-16. Retrieved 2007-08-16. 
2. ^ Chay Description
3. ^ Telcott Description
4. ^ Dorothy Description
5. ^ MAHQ.net - Mobile Suit Gundam 0080 Episode 1 Summary

External links

• Official Websites: Anime, GundamOfficial
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

Preceded by Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack	Gundam metaseries (production order) 1989	Succeeded by Mobile Suit Gundam F91
Preceded by Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team	Gundam Universal Century timeline U.C. 0080	Succeeded by Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory