Garma Strikes (ガルマ出撃す Garuma Shutsugeki Su) is the 6th episode of Mobile Suit Gundam. It first aired on May 12, 1979 in Japan and on July 30, 2001 in North America. This episode was written by Masaru Yamamoto.
Synopsis[]
Hayato practices on the simulator.
As the SCV-70 White Base descends to the Earth, Bright Noa and the crew watch as the Gaw approaches with a few Dopps and the Komusai re-entry shuttle docks with it. Within the Gaw, Garma Zabi, commander of the Zeon Earth Occupation Force, welcomes his old friend Char Aznable. The two discuss the White Base and its capabilities and Garma relishes the chance to show his worth to his older sister and commander Kycilia Zabi.
Kikka cries after being yelled at.
In the White Base the crew prepares for the battle and loads their weaponry, except for Hayato Kobayashi and Kai Shiden. Hayato practices on a simulator while Kai teases him for it. Sayla Mass comes by looking for Kai to ask if he'd finished maintaining the tank. On the bridge, Bright and Lieutenant Reed argue over how to approach the situation. Reed wants them to send the RX-78-2 Gundam in now and break through the Zeon forces, while Bright insists that Amuro Ray needs rest. Lt. Reed attempts to use his rank to order Bright to send the Gundam and a FF-X7 Core Fighter but is interrupted by Kikka Kitamoto humming, causing him to snap at her.
The discussion ends when the Dopps begin firing on the White Base. Amuro calls to the bridge, and asks to be allowed to deploy, despite misgivings by Fraw Bow. However Bright objects to deploying the Gundam, as it was not designed for mid-air combat nor is Amuro trained for it. Hayato suggest they use the RX-75 Guntank as it would be less stressful for Amuro.
The Guntank is attacked.
Garma orders Hamble to continue pursuit, while Guevil continues their airborn attack. Meanwhile Mirai Yashima questions why the enemy offensive is so limited, which Bright speculates is due to them wanting to take the White Base whole. As the White Base descends, Amuro and Hayato are deployed in the Guntank. Hayato suggests moving away from the White Base as to draw the enemy's attention but Amuro refuses to leave the White Base unguarded. Garma sends in a force of Magella Attack tanks on the ground in an effort to not allow the White Base to escape into the mountains. As the Magella Attacks attack, Lt. Reed orders a retreat but is convinced by Bright that they have more experience with the White Base. As the Guntank is attacked, Lt. Reed's men are relieved of their position on the White Base guns by the more experienced and less hurt civilian crew. As the Guntank and the White Base are attacked Hayato once again insists on using the Guntank as bait but Amuro refuses to leave the White Base. Amuro receives a message from Bright, asking him to deploy in the Gundam as the Guntank isn't mobile enough to fight the Magella Attacks alone. Amuro wonders if its perhaps better for him to fight alone.
A soldier reports to Garma.
Aboard the Gaw, a Zeon soldier reports to Garma about the Guntank, believing it to be the Earth Federation's new mobile suit. Garma, believing it best to fight fire with fire, deploys three MS-06 Zaku IIs. Aboard the White Base, Amuro runs to Gundam and hops in, with Kai taking his place in the Guntank and Ryu Jose deploying in a Core Fighter.
Zakus depart the Gaw.
As the three Zaku IIs deploy, Char and Dren watch on. Char observes the difficulties Garma is having, the same dificulties his forces had but with even greater numbers, and is content, as Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi will recognise that Char's defeat was not due to his failures, but the overwhelming power of the enemy forces. Dren informs Char that Garma is not fighting in the battle, and Char contemplates about his plan which had been to either let Garma die in battle or save him to make himself look good.
Amuro goes berserk.
As Amuro waits for the Gundam to be deployed, he becomes inpatient and thinks back on Hayato's suggestion of separating from the White Base. As Sayla confirms their deployment and informs Amuro of the enemy Zakus, Amuro ponders on what to do, dismissing asking Sayla because she is a woman, wishing Bright would have been clearer on his instructions. As the Gundam deploys, it begins falling fast, much to the surprise of Amuro, who is not used to fighting in Earth's gravity. After gaining a good footing, he intercepts a fighter craft that was on Ryu's tail, and also helps out the Guntank who was being overwhelmed, telling Kai to fall back. As the Zakus approach, Amuro uses the Gundam's beam rifle to destroy one, causing the Zaku squadron to realize the Gundam's strength, and all of the Zeon forces disperce and focus fire on it. The fire Amuro takes nearly knocks him out but he recovers and regains his footing and thinks back on the strategy Hayato suggested. Seeing an opportunity created by the Guntank's fire, Amuro drops his beam rifle and shield and runs towards a Zaku engaging it at melee range, determined to break through the offensive line. Amuro knocks the Zaku into a nearby Magella Attack, destroying them both. After this attack, Amuro gets his second wind, going berserk on the Zeon forces and decimating them.
Garma sees all this, but calmly orders that the Gaw turn around and that they regroup. He's determined now to take Gundam in one piece, and knows that to do that he needs to completely change his strategy. Aboard the White Base, Bright and Mirai discuss how they'll have to wade deeper into Zeon controlled territory, and they will have to look for Federation resistance within the continent. As Amuro leaves the Gundam he is filled with unease, ignoring everyone's praise and walks sullenly back to his room, ignoring his fellow civilian crew members and the trio of Katz Howan, Letz Cofan, and Kikka Kitamoto.
Char steps out of the shower.
Garma meets back with Char while he is taking a shower, accusing him of not telling him the true power of the Federation's new mobile suit, but Char claims that he did by implying the acolades at its capture. Char says he'd be honoured to give him a hand in his future plans to capture the Federation's new weapons. Garma thanks him once more for giving him something to prove himself to his older sister and direct superior, Kycilia. As he leaves, Garma says he has a great friend in Char. Once alone, Char exits the shower and smiles, an ominous gleam in his eye.
Meanwhile on the White Base, Amuro continues to lie still in his bed in the dark.
Stats[]
Staff[]
- Script: Yu Yamamoto
- Unit Director: Eikichi Kojika
- Animation Director: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Notes & Trivia[]
Animation Errors[]
- When Kai, Ryu, Hayato and Sayla rush to congratulate Amuro at 20:11, Kai is mistakenly coloured like Mirai, Kai is correctly coloured in the next shot at 20:13.