, born and also known as , is a fictional character from the Gundam franchise. He is originally one of the main antagonists in Mobile Suit Gundam working for the Principality of Zeon, named after his late father Zeon Zum Deikun, with the honorary title of during Gundam's One Year War. Despite having opposed Earth Federation soldier Amuro Ray several times, in the sequel Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam he becomes , an Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) pilot fighting alongside the series' main characters against the elitist Titans, while also acting as a mentor to Zeta's protagonist Kamille. In his final appearance in the Prime-UC in Char's Counterattack, he assumes leadership of the Neo Zeon movement, and becomes the titular antagonist of the film. An alternate Char debuts in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, which sets in an alternate-UC branching timeline, he steals the Gundam and becomes its pilot instead of Amuro, setting the series' alternate events culminating in Zeon's victory of the One Year War, though Char would mysteriously disappear in the final battle.
Char became one of Gundam's most iconic characters, often overshadowing Amuro's popularity. He also appeared as the most popular male anime character in Animages Anime Grand Prix poll as well as in several other polls highlighting his popularity in the Gundam franchise. His role in the original has often been praised alongside his rivalry with Amuro.
Creation
Char Aznable was based on historic fighter-pilot Manfred von Richthofen who shared a similar nickname, "Red Baron". As a result, many of Char's actions were similar to Richthofen's during World War I since Tomino wanted to illustrate the chaos produced by wars in Gundam. Amuro was introduced as an ordinary man in contrast to his rival the "Red Comet". This made Amuro hard to write as he was meant to oppose Char whom Tomino found more interesting. Tōru Furuya, who voiced Amuro, had fun in his work as during recordings of the series he befriended Char's voice Actor Shuichi Ikeda. However, he was not close to Tomino. Originally, Tomino did not want to include Amuro in Zeta Gundam and when trying to kill him, he failed to do it. As a result, he decided to put Amuro on a friendly relationship with Char. Furuya said that while Amuro also had popularity, he could not surpass his rival, Char, a common trait he sometimes find common in anime where there are rivalries. The name Char Aznable was inspired by Armenian-French singer and songwriter and a character named Charkin in an earlier robot anime Reideen (ライディーン).Gundam Age (ガンダム･エイジ), 洋泉社, 1999, 飯塚正夫. Original wording quoted: 『～仮面をつけてたライバルって言えば、「ライディーン」のシャーキンなわけで、キンをとってシャー。フルネームはシャンソン歌手で、』translated as If talking about a masked rival, then Raideen's Charkin name was cut down to Char and (combined) with the full name of the Chanson singer
Fictional biography Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin Born Casval Rem Deikun, he is the elder brother of Artesia Som Deikun and son of Zeon Zum Deikun, a dignitary who spoke out for peace between spacenoids and earthlings and founded the Zeon Republic. Following their father's supposed heart attack, which was suspected to be an assassination orchestrated by Deikun's deputy Degwin Sodo Zabi, young Casval and his sister Artesia escape to Earth with the help of family friend Jimba Ral (father of Ramba Ral). While the Zabi family rises to power, the two Deikun children spend several years living a luxurious life under the guardianship of the aristocratic Don Teabolo Mass, who names them Edward and Sayla, and treats them like his own children. During this time, Jimba Ral constantly reminds Casval of the Zabi Family's betrayal of his father. After narrowly escaping another attempt on their lives (in which Jimba Ral dies), they flee to the Texas Colony.
They live for a time in a house set up by Texas Colony's chief manager Roger Aznable, still under Teabolo Mass's care. They meet Roger's son Char Aznable, and discover that he and Casval are nearly identical, except Casval's eyes are blue while Char's are brown. Eventually Char is taken in by Gihren Zabi's propaganda, and against his father's wishes sets off for officer training school. Casval decides to accompany him under the guise of looking out for his friend. Kycilia Zabi finds out that Casval is headed back to Side 3, and without consulting Gihren, orders Casval's death. Both near-identical boys are booked to leave on the same flight, but an antique pistol and fake explosives are found in Char's bag. Not wanting to miss the entrance exam, Char accepts Casval's suggestion to swap clothes in the restroom. Char boards the ship under the name Edward Mass, while Casval, under the name Char Aznable is detained overnight. Shortly after departure, the ship explodes and kills everyone aboard, likely due to the work of Kycilia's henchmen. "Edward Mass" is listed among the dead and Casval takes on the name Char, enters the Zeon Military Academy and begins wearing sunglasses to hide his eye color (as it wouldn't match any of the real Char's IDs).
After entering the academy, Char excels in his training and befriends Garma Zabi. As relations between the Zeon Republic (which has been renamed the Principality of Zeon) and the Federation deteriorate, the Federation increases their troop strength in Side 3. There is widespread fear that this troop increase is in fact an invasion and occupation force. On the eve of troop increase, Casval incites Garma to lead other students in the academy to storm the Federation base and subdue the stationed troops. For this action Casval is stripped of his rank and expelled from the academy. He travels to Earth and works at the construction site of Federation headquarters in Jaburo. After hostility breaks out between Zeon and the Federation, he returns to Side 3 and joins the Zeon mobile suit assault forces under the command of Admiral Dozle Zabi. He displays superior fighting abilities during the Battle of Loum, single-handedly destroying five Federation Magellan-class battleships by pushing his red-painted Zaku to fly at a breakneck speed, which earned him the nickname "Red Comet". He was promoted an exceptional two ranks to Lieutenant Commander.
Mobile Suit Gundam On his way back from a mission to clear out guerrilla forces of the Federation Forces, he discovers a new type of ship (the White Base). By tracking it, he obtains information that the Federation Forces are secretly developing mobile suits in Side 7. When his subordinates sent out on a reconnaissance mission are destroyed by the RX-78-2 Gundam, including their Zaku, he sneaks into the colony himself and is reunited with his sister, Artesia (Sayla), who had evacuated to the White Base to serve in the army, and then has his first confrontation with his eventual rival, Amuro Ray. Although Char overwhelms Amuro, who is unfamiliar with combat, from start to finish, he is unable to overcome the Gundam's strong armor that can bounce back his attack and its powerful beam rifle.
Later, he is ordered to capture or destroy the White Base and the Gundam, and pursues the White Base as it escapes from Side 7. He launches numerous attacks, including infiltrating the Federation Forces' space fortress Luna II, where the White Base has escaped, and sabotaging it, but he fails. He loses many of his men and Zaku units. However, during a surprise attack aimed at the White Base's entry into the atmosphere, despite the numerous casualty of his squad, he succeeds in bringing it down under Zeon controlled territory, which is under the leadership of Garma.
Unknown to many, Char is secretly plotting revenge against the Zabi family, and utilize the opportunity by luring Garma and his fleet within the firing range of the Federation's White Base, resulting in his death. Prior to Garma's death at the hands of the White Base, Char says to him, "Garma, blame this on the misfortune of your birth." This incurred the wrath of Dozle, and Char was dismissed from the Space Strike Force. He was eventually incorporated into Kycilia Zabi's Assault Cavalry. Later in the war, Char begins a bitter rivalry with Federation pilot Amuro Ray, and he develops a relationship with Lalah Sune, a Newtype girl he saved from a brothel. Char also develops into a Newtype himself, and forms psychic bonds with both Amuro and Lalah. Char's abilities and natural charisma allow him to inspire and manipulate. Lalah is killed in battle, taking a blow from Amuro meant for Char; this results in a bitter hatred between Char and Amuro.
During the war, Char draws on Zeon's philosophy to form his identity. The Zeon Principality is largely an authoritarian state that values independence from the Earth and later the destruction of Earth's inhabitants. With his devotion to free all of those who are "trapped by gravity's pull" he is able to face the most deadly outcomes with dignity and leadership.
In the Battle of A Baoa Qu, Char and Amuro's bitter rivalry reaches the level that they engage in a gunfight and then a sword fight after both lose their mobile suits. In the duel, Char realizes he has been distracted by his rivalry with Amuro, and refocuses on his true enemy – the Zabi family. An ensuing explosion knocks them apart, and Char rushes to save his sister. After being told by a dying Zeon soldier that Kycilia Zabi, the last surviving Zabi, is about to leave, he finds Kycilia's departing ship and kills her. He then disappears amidst the explosion and is logically presumed dead.
Mobile Suit Gundam – Char's Deleted Affair – A Portrait of a Young Comet At the end of the One Year War, Char goes to Axis and his experience there is partly depicted in the manga Char's Deleted Affair, where he heroically protects Axis in two major battles against the Earth Federation. He stays there until the end of U.C. 0082, when he gets back to Side 3 for a special mission to protect Haman Karn's inspection journey of Side 3. When they arrive at Zum City in U.C. 0083, he gets an invitation by George Miguel (Brother of Nanai) to join a paramilitary spacenoid organization within the Earth Federation Force.
However, upon hearing of Maharaja Karn's fatal illness in late May 0083, Char and Haman both decide to return to Axis. Once they do, they're intercepted by the pro-war Axis faction that wishes to restart the conflict with the Earth Federation, led by one Colonel Enzo. A civil war breaks out, with Char and Haman eventually overcoming Enzo's forces. Unfortunately, Mahajara Karn – Haman's father and the true political leader of Axis' – dies just shortly before the battle ends, and Haman now finds herself in charge of both Axis and Mineva, Dozle's daughter and last surviving member of the Zabi family. Tension between Char and Haman over the future of Axis and Zeon lead Char to finally leave the asteroid permanently with over 600 other soldiers on October 29, 0083.
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Having left Axis Zeon, Char returns to the Earth Sphere in September U.C. 0084, and infiltrates the Earth Federation Forces ranking with the alias "Quattro Bajeena". Almost immediately, he finds himself involved in conflicts against the Earth Federation's newly formed Titan Task Force, fighting and shooting down two enemy warships within hours of acquiring his new identity. After meeting the Federation politician Commodore Blex Forer, Char joins a group of former Earth Federation Forces soldiers and eventually becomes a leading member of the Anti-Earth Union Group.
This time, rather than serving as the rival of the new protagonist, Kamille Bidan, Char serves as Kamille's mentor in the war against the Earth Federation's oppressive Titans organization. In Zeta Gundam, Char becomes an ally of his former adversaries in Mobile Suit Gundam: Amuro Ray, Hayato Kobayashi and Bright Noa. He serves under Bright Noa as leader of AEUG mobile suit forces.