Gundam Main Character Nationality

[idofgrahf]

It struck me while watching some of the newer gundam such as GS GSD that the main character are now all japanese. Kira Yamato (Yamato liteaurtly means japan) despite being a coordinator nevertheless has a Japanese name, Heero yui was japanese, so was the main character in G-gundam. GSD wise, its arguable who the main character is Shin wasn't Japanese but Kira and him kinda fought for the main character spot. In the older Gundams I don't think they gave a nationality to the main lead, Camille, Amuro, Shiro etc they didn't tell you were there from but its pretty diverse from their other features such as eye color, hair etc.

Wonder why they are increasingly giving characters a nationality and why the current main leads are always japanese, I know its a japanese anime but there are plenty of animes where the main lead isn't japanese (older gundams included).

[wingdarkness]

Unlike Tomino, Fukuda is obsessed with Tokyo...Hell ORB is Tokyo, that's why an ant-sized island controls the entire world...Not really a problem because Japan is anime, but I rather enjoyed Tomino's style which was always all inclusive...His Gundam shows put minority characters in the most important positions...Loren is supposed to be the final Gundam pilot of all-time in his eyes...

[cloudedge]

Shinn Asuka is a japanese name... if I'm not mistaken... it has kanji equivalent.. beside Shinn is an Orb citizens (assumingly borned in Orb) and Orb is really just CE's japan

[brightman]

Amuro was "supposed" to be Japanese in the MSG TV series, but somehow his family was moved to Canada in the movies. But his race *was* supposed to be Japanese IIRC.

Not to mention Kou Uraki and Shiro Amada. Both are Japanese names and have Asian features. Al Izuruha also apparently had at least a bit of Japanese blood, since his mother's name is Michiko.

As for Kira, he has a Japanese name, but that doesn't make him Japanese... His real father, Ulen Hibiki, had a non-Japanese personal name and a Japanese family name, but he was blonde and had golden eyes... And Kira's mother and sister's name are "Via" and "Cagalli" which are definitely NOT Japanese names. "Shinn" as it is spelled isn't a Japanese name. And Athrun Zala, arguably just as important as the other two guys, isn't a Japanese name and does not have any Japanese features.

So this really isn't a basis to bash Seed on. Kira, Shinn, etc. may have Japanese sounding names, but they aren't shown to be of the Japanese race, and their nationality have nothing to do with any existing nations of today.

Originally Posted by cloudedge

Shinn Asuka is a japanese name... if I'm not mistaken... it has kanji equivalent.. beside Shinn is an Orb citizens (assumingly borned in Orb) and Orb is really just CE's japan

A lot of names have kanji equivalents. That doesn't mean jack squat because Sunrise has never used kanji to refer to any of the CE characters' names... Except for Captain Baba (the Orb pilot), and a few of the Astray guys.

And Shinn was an Orb immigrant. He was not born in Orb.

Oh, and the only Japan in CE is Japan itself, part of the East Asia Republic. Orb may be a small reference to the political situation in Japan, but if Fukuda was really so into Japan, he would have used the nation itself.

[idofgrahf]

I have never heard a japanese name of Amuro Ray, (although there is an island name Amuro with a whopping 3 mile length) or Tim Ray it sounds European (Amuro part sounds like the spanish word for love) and Amuro's features are hardly japanese like, he has almost redish hair.

Hibiki being the last name usually shows that he is at least half japanese if not 100% since you take the last name of your parents.

Uso Eving in Victory Gundam wasn't japanese and Seabook Arno just sound plain odd to be Japanese or english for that matter and if I remmber right Kamille Bidan's parents looked to be europeans.

[tetsuo69]

i dont know about Ray but Amuro is japanese there even a japanese popular singer name namie amuro -_-''

[srb]

Originally Posted by tetsuo69

i dont know about Ray but Amuro is japanese there even a japanese popular singer name namie amuro -_-''

Yeah, but Tomino originally took the name from the tiny island. He had no idea it was even a real name, according to what I've read, which may or may not be bull.

[brightman]

Originally Posted by srb

Yeah, but Tomino originally took the name from the tiny island. He had no idea it was even a real name, according to what I've read, which may or may not be bull.

That's the story...

As for Amuro being Japanese, first of all, his home was located in Japan in the MSG TV series. And secondly, his race was listed as Japanese in some old publications... How official these are, I have no idea.

But from that, it seems that names have nothing to do with race in Gundam. Unless explicitly stated.

And if Ulen is 1/2 Japanese, then Kira is 1/4... So yeah, Fukuda is Japanocentric because Kira is 1/4 Japanese. Yeah. Bitch and whine.

[Nightengale]

Every single Fukuda directed anime has a Japanese as a main character, so why should his GUNDAM series be different?

G-Gundam and Tetsujin 28 was pro-Japanese at it's best, so Imagawa loves his country?

Kou Uraki, Shiro Amada were Japanese aces in a multi-racial military environment. So, Takashi, Kase, and Kanda are pro-Japanese? They think that Japanese deserves to be superior compared to other races?

Plus, is Fukuda the one who decides to make Orb pro-Japan country? I thought that all these worldly stuf of Gundam were dealt by someone else, while his wife were the foundation for the characters?

Meh.

[nightbringer360]

If you want non-Asian Gundam main characters, go to Turn A or V Gundam.

Usso I think is European.
Loran I have no idea.

[tetsuo69]

If you want non-Asian Gundam main characters, go to Turn A or V Gundam.

not even they should go and watch a non japanese anime/cartoon Rofl

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Every single Fukuda directed anime has a Japanese as a main character, so why should his GUNDAM series be different?

G-Gundam and Tetsujin 28 was pro-Japanese at it's best, so Imagawa loves his country?

Kou Uraki, Shiro Amada were Japanese aces in a multi-racial military environment. So, Takashi, Kase, and Kanda are pro-Japanese? They think that Japanese deserves to be superior compared to other races?

Plus, is Fukuda the one who decides to make Orb pro-Japan country? I thought that all these worldly stuf of Gundam were dealt by someone else, while his wife were the foundation for the characters?

Meh.

Plus, Heero was Japanese. Duo was American, Trowa was European, I can't remember Quattre's nationality for certain, and WuFei was Chinese.

Personally I don't think nationalities are that important in Gundam.

[SNT1]

ermm G-Gundam is racist... the Japanese character is main character!!1!1one

[Teletha]

You guys are being a bit silly to bash Fukuda for this. He's obsessed with Japan? He's Japanese. He shouldn't be obsessed with Japan? Tomino would never do that? Okay. So silly.

Campare GS/D to other anime and they have a very diverse race of people in the anime. Athrun isn't Japanese for sure. Lacus isn't Japanese. Not to even mention all the minor characters and their ethnicity. As for Kira being Japanese, I figure he is. If you compare his skin tone to everyone elses if nothing else. Though aren't most anime main characters Japanese? Even if they don't look it. It's kind of a given. Japan makes the anime = main character. Just like in some anime Japan is always the last place left in the world. ~_~

[shaolo]

Originally Posted by SNT1

ermm G-Gundam is racist... the Japanese character is main character!!1!1one

It is made by Japanese for Japanese in mind. If G-Gundam was made in americans, do you think the american team wouldn't win in the tournament if it was done by americans for americans.

[BigPrime]

Let's see now:

Amuro Ray:
Ethnicity - Japanese (most likely)
Nationality - Japanese (TV), Canadian (Movies), American (The Origin, his family home is in California)

Kamille Bidan
Ethnicity - Likey Caucasian
Nationality - Spacenoid/Side 7 (French descent?)

Judau Ashita
Ethnicity - Asian/Japanese?
Nationality - Spacenoid/Side 1

Al Izuhara
Ethnicity - Mixed Asian/European?
Nationality - Spacenoid/Side 6

Bernie Wiseman
Ethnicity - Caucasian
Nationality -Spacenoid/Side 3

Kou Uraki
Ethnicity - Japanese
Nationality - ?/Earth Federation

Seabook Arno
Ethnicity - Caucasian (could have other ancestry but all other family names indicate European lineage)
Nationality - Spacenoid/Frontier Side

Usso Evin
Ethnicity - Caucasian
Nationality - Eastern(?) Europe

Shiro Amada
Ethnicity - Japanese
Nationality - Spacenoid/Side ?/Earth Federation

Domon Kasshu
Ethnicity - Japanese
Nationality - Neo Japan (that's easy enough)

Wing Boys:
Heero Yuy - Japanese Descent
Duo Maxwell - North American/Caucasian Descent
Trowa Barton - Similar to Duo, presumably.
Quatre Winner - Arab, maybe with some European blood?
Chang WuFei - Chinese descent, obviously.
All Spacenoid by birth.

Garrod Ran
Ethnicity - Caucasian/mixed?
Seems to live in North America, no real nation.

Loran Cehack
Ethnicity - Mixed, presumably.
Nationality - Originally from the moon.

Kira Yamato
Ethnicity - Japanese/Ultimate Coordinator (handpicked genes)
Nationality - Emirates of Orb

Shin Asuka
Ethnicity - Japanese/Coordinator
Nationality - Emirates of Orb/PLANT

Am I forgetting anyone?

[SNT1]

ermm G-Gundam is racist... the Japanese character is main character!!1!1one

Do I have to put [/sarcasm]?

[wingdarkness]

Originally Posted by Nitengale

Plus, is Fukuda the one who decides to make Orb pro-Japan country? I thought that all these worldly stuf of Gundam were dealt by someone else, while his wife were the foundation for the characters?

The degree you and a few others make excuses for someone IN-CHARGE of an operation is astonishing (Especially when it's the #1 anime franchise in Japan)...Let's just give him a pass on everything...Screw standards...I'm sure revered directors like Tomino, S.Watanabe, Miyzuki, etc., would comply with placing blame on others for their failures or failed vision...They're only the directors, the Heads of Voltron...

Originally Posted by Teletha

You guys are being a bit silly to bash Fukuda for this. He's obsessed with Japan? He's Japanese. He shouldn't be obsessed with Japan? Tomino would never do that? Okay. So silly.

The proof is in the pudding, Tomino's series seem to have a much higher level of ethnic characters than not just Fukuda, but probably more than any director in all of anime, and I for 1 think that's dope (A fairer representation of the future)...Also you did catch me say that being obsessed with Toyko isn't a problem at all because Japan is anime...You also read that, right?

Loran Cehack
Ethnicity - Mixed, presumably.
Nationality - Originally from the moon.

Translation = Black...

[SlugZilla]

Amuro is half Japanese, Char is French, Gato and Frau are German, and Lalah is without a doubt Indian.

[Mr_Paper]

I always thought Loran was of Indian or Middle Eastern decent, not black.