GF13-017NJ Shining Gundam

GF13-017NJ Shining Gundam is a mobile fighter from "Mobile Fighter G Gundam", an anime series set in the Future Century timeline of the Gundam metaseries.

Concept and creation

The Shining Gundam is modeled after the Samurai of pre-industrial Japan. This is most evident in its Super and Hyper modes when the face plate opens up and the yellow protrusions fold out to make the head resemble a Kabuto (Helmet) and when the shoulder armor rises the small rectangular portions hidden underneath greatly resemble the O-Sode (Shoulder Guards). The Shining Gundam's beam sabers are patterned after the traditional set of long and short swords, or Daisho, which Samurai carried.

"Mobile Fighter G Gundam"

Plot

The Shining Gundam was developed by Dr. Mikamura to serve as Neo-Japan's entry in the 13th Gundam Fight. Dr. Raizo Kasshu, father of the Gundam's intended pilot Domon Kasshu, was critical of the Emotion Energy System which fed off a pilots anger. Dr Mikamura's anger at this and past criticisms led to him arranging a plot with Major Ulube Ishikawa to try and seize Raizo's ultimate accomplishment, the powerful Ultimate Gundam that Dr. Kasshu had created in collaboration with his eldest son, Kyoji. The fallout from this plot saw Raizo's wife killed by soldiers and the Ultimate Gundam spirited away by Kyoji to Earth. A crash landing saw it transform into the malevolent Devil Gundam.

After Domon returned from a decade of training to earn his destined title as King of Hearts, he was told by Ulube and Mikamura that his brother Kyoji had taken the Gundam for his own evil ambitions and let their mother die. Furthermore, Raizo was considered an accompalice and was cryogenically frozen as punishment. If Domon wanted his father pardoned, he was told he would have to use the Shining in the 13th Gundam Fight to both win the tournament and destroy the rogue Gundam and his brother. With little choice, Domon agreed. He was partnered with his childhood friend Rain Mikamura, Dr Mikamura's daughter, to serve as support crew for himself and the Shining Gundam.

After landing in Neo-Italy as part of his secret mission, Domon used the Shining Gundam in the very first battle of the 13th Fight where he faced off against Michelo Chariot in his Neros Gundam. Despite being on the defensive for most of the battle (partly due to nearby civilians), Domon was able to win the fight when he debuted the Shining Gundam's signature Shining Finger attack and crush the Neros' head. Over the next few months Domon would face several opponents on his quest and more than once encountered Neo-America's Gundam Maxter, Neo-China's Dragon Gundam, Neo-France's Gundam Rose and Neo-Russia's Bolt Gundam. Each were powerful opponents, most were able to inflict moderate to considerable damage upon the Shining Gundam, and all the battles against them had ended in stalemates for different reasons.

After returning to Osaka after fighting the Bolt Gundam in Neo-Russia, Domon was taken to space for a performance review by Commissioner Karato. Even though doing so violated Gundam Fight treaties, Karato drugged Domon and had him fight the Mobile Armor Fantoma which the hallucinogenic Domon saw as the Kyoji-controlled Devil Gundam. During the fight Domon's anger reached a peak, enabling the Emotion Energy System to activate the Gundam's secret Super Mode (Also it's true appearance) and used the Shining Finger Sword technique to destroy the Fantoma.

After returning to Earth, and tried again to find Kyoji. While in Neo-Egypt he discovered that deceased Gundam Fighter Dahal Muhammed had been resurrected using Devil Gundam Cells, or DG Cells, which give organisms three great theoretical abilities: Regeneration, Multiplication, and Evolution.

After defeating Dahal, he discovered that Gundam Fighter Saette Gyuzelle and his Minaret Gundam had been infected with DG Cells. With Rain's help he was able to defeat Saette and cure him of the DG Cells.

Later he learned that Tokyo's Shinjuku district was under attack. It was learned that the Devil Gundam was underneath the city, ready to Self-Evolve and that his teacher Master Asia was leading the attack. Domon fought Master Asia and his fellow Gundam fighters Chibodee Crocket, George de Sand, Sai Saici, and Argo Gulskii. However the Shining Gundam was no match for the Master Gundam unless it were to go into super mode. They were later freed of DG cells by the Shuffle Alliance, who found out they were their successors, and so they sacrificed themselves so they could become the new members of the Alliance.

After the Devil Gundam evolved, Domon left to train so he could master the Super Mode in the Guyana Highlands. Domon was able to master the super mode with help from his fellow Shuffle Alliance members and Schwarz Bruder. He used this new Hyper Mode (which Schwarz claimed to be the 'true Super Mode') and defeats Master Asia and the Devil Gundam. However, following Devil Gundam's defeat, the Shining Gundam was severely damaged by the Master Gundam and could not make it to Neo-Hong Kong for the finals. Domon used what energy was left in the core lander to delay Master Asia long enough so he could get to the new God Gundam. The Shining Gundam was crippled and left almost unable to move at all by being impaled through the cockpit and out the back, and it's combat data shortly transferred to the God Gundam by Rain to enable the new Gundam to move. The Shining Gundam was not recovered or repaired and for the rest of the series, it remains in the Guyana Highlands in the same condition exactly where Domon left it before quickly heading off to the finals in the God Gundam. However, Domon does believe that he and the Shining Gundam are still together since the God Gundam works on the Shining Gundam's combat data.

Abilities and armaments

The Shining Gundam is equipped with two beam sabers, two head mounted Vulcan guns which are standard on most Gundams. The Gundam also carries small energy guns in the wrist guards and machine cannons on the main body. Of these weapons the Vulcans and the beam sabers saw the most use while the energy guns were used once and the machine cannons went unused.

The primary special attack of the Shining Gundam is the Shining Finger. This attack focuses heat into the Gundam's hand which causes it to glow green and allows it to easily crush the head of an enemy Gundam. The Shining Finger Sword can only be used when the Gundam is in super mode and harnessed the Super Mode's increased energy. The Shining Finger Sword channels the Shining Finger energy directly into one of the Gundam's beam sabers, creating a large and powerful blade. The true Super Mode, or Hyper Mode, is the most powerful form of Shining Gundam as all attributes are increased to the point it surpasses Master Gundam.

Trivia

* Before using the "Shining Finger" attack, Domon usually says the phrase,

* Similarly, before using the "Shining Finger Sword", Domon says,

External links

* [http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/g/gf13-017nj.htm GF13-017NJ Shining Gundam ] at [http://www.mahq.net/ Mecha Anime HQ]