Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN — Complete Guide | Char's Past & the Eve of the One Year War

What Is Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN? — The Prequel That Depicts Char's "Beginning"

Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN (hereafter THE ORIGIN) is a manga created by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko — one of the creators of the Gundam franchise — using the original Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) as its source, later adapted into an OVA series.

The OVA spans 6 episodes, produced and released between 2015 and 2018.

What sets this work apart from other Gundam entries is that it focuses not on "the One Year War itself" but on "what led up to the One Year War." Specifically, it carefully traces the journey of Zeon's masked pilot, "Char Aznable," from his childhood to becoming a legend (and ambitious schemer) of the Universal Century.

If you've read the First Gundam Complete Guide, you may have wondered: "Did Char always wear that mask?" or "Why does he hate the Zabi family so much?" THE ORIGIN answers all of those questions, across a manga exceeding 4,000 pages and an OVA totaling roughly 6 hours.

It is designed to be enjoyable even for those who haven't seen the original Gundam — but watching the original afterward gives you moments where you think "so that's what that line meant," multiplying the enjoyment many times over. A genuinely generous work.

Basic Information

Item	Details
Original Manga	Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (serialized 2001–2011 in Kadokawa/KADOKAWA)
OVA Episodes	6 (approx. 60–70 min. per episode)
OVA Release Period	April 24, 2015 – July 13, 2018
General Director	Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Director	Takashi Imanishi
Screenplay	Katsuyuki Sumisawa
Mechanical Design	Hajime Katoki, Kimitoshi Yamane, Mika Akitaka, Junichi Akutsu
Studio	Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks)
Setting	Universal Century 0068–0079 (up to just after the outbreak of the One Year War)

Full Story Breakdown — From Casval to Char

A Story That Begins "10 Years Before" the One Year War

THE ORIGIN is set around Universal Century 0068 — approximately 10 years before the One Year War (UC0079) depicted in the original Gundam.

At that time, the charismatic leader who served as the spiritual pillar of the people living in space colonies was Zeon Zum Deikun, the advocate of "Zeonism." He was speaking before an assembly when he suddenly collapsed and died.

This "suspicious death" was the beginning of everything.

Episode I: "Casval of the Blue Eyes" — Siblings on the Run

Zeon Zum Deikun had two young children: a son named Casval Rem Deikun and a daughter named Artesia Som Deikun.

After their father's death, the family that began quietly seizing control of the colony was the Zabi family, led by Degwin Sodo Zabi — once one of Deikun's closest allies. The Zabi family viewed Deikun's orphaned children as "obstacles to power" and moved to eliminate them.

The ones who protected the children were Jinba Ral — their father's comrade — and his son, Ramba Ral. A desperate escape was executed: Casval and Artesia were given false names — "Edward Mass" and "Artesia Mass" — and hidden with the Mass family, a wealthy farming household on Earth.

But the Zabi family's hunters were relentless, and the children were never given a true place of rest. This game of pursuit forms the heart of Episodes I and II.

Seeing the young Casval use his wits and sometimes his body on behalf of his companions, one already glimpses the future "Char." Watching the blue-eyed boy slowly acquire coldness and ambition — little by little — strikes deep.

Episode II: "Artesia's Sorrow" — Days in the Texas Colony

Universal Century 0071. Three years have passed. Casval and Artesia have moved to the Texas Colony — a vast residential space with recreated Earth landscapes, where horses run and meadows spread wide.

A brief, peaceful interlude — but it cannot last.

As the Zabi family's reach draws near again, Artesia is set on a different path. She is the very character who later appears in the original Gundam under the name Sayla Mass. The moment of their parting is considered by many fans to be one of THE ORIGIN's finest scenes.

The sadness of a brother and sister forced to live under different names and different lives cuts deeper the more you know Sayla from the original Gundam.

Episode III: "Dawn of a Rebellion" — The Day Casval Becomes "Char Aznable"

This is the scene at THE ORIGIN's deepest secret core.

Casval, on his way to enter a military officer academy, meets on the same vessel a young man named "Char Aznable" — a real person who holds an enrollment qualification for the academy.

What Casval does next is shocking. He seizes Char Aznable's enrollment qualification, eliminates the real Char through an "unfortunate accident," and enrolls in the officer academy himself as "Char Aznable."

Why go that far? The answer is revenge.

If he appeared publicly as Deikun's son, the Zabi family would have him eliminated. But by infiltrating the military as someone else and rising through the ranks on ability alone, he could destroy the Zabi family from within. This cold calculation, combined with the obsession to avenge his father's enemies, gave birth to "the masked man, Char Aznable."

At the officer academy, Char reconnects with Ramba Ral and, under his guidance, begins to distinguish himself as a Mobile Suit pilot.

Episode IV: "Eve of Destiny" — The Encounter with Lalah

The Universal Century was moving ever closer to the sound of war.

This episode depicts the encounter between Lalah Sune — who will later play an important role — and Char. The meeting of a girl said to have been living in poverty in India and a mysterious military officer gives THE ORIGIN one of its few romantic moments.

At the same time, on the Federation side, scenes depicting the Mobile Suit development work involving Amuro Ray's father Tem Ray quietly lay the groundwork for "why Amuro was able to pilot the Gundam that night."

Zeon and the Federation, their respective circumstances interweaving, the countdown to war accelerates. Political corruption, an arms race, the schemes of leaders — this is where the elements that make THE ORIGIN described as "a political drama for adults" are concentrated.

Episode V: "Clash at Loum" — Char's Name Echoes Across Space

January 3, UC0079. The Principality of Zeon declares war on the Earth Federation government. The One Year War begins.

Just three weeks later, January 27, UC0079 — the Battle of Loum erupts.

In large-scale spatial combat at Loum (the Loum asteroid field), the Zeon Forces deployed Mobile Suits — a revolutionary weapon — and, despite numerical disadvantage, dealt devastating damage to the Federation fleet. For his achievements in this battle, the name Char Aznable becomes instantly famous.

The machine Char piloted was a high-performance version of the standard Zaku — the "Zaku II." That brilliantly red machine raced across the battlefield, destroying Federation vessels one after another.

"The Red Comet" — this nickname is born here.

Episode V is also a masterpiece as pure combat animation, with THE ORIGIN's visual artistry on full display. In the darkness of precisely rendered space, a red Mobile Suit blazes through like a flash of light — it is one of the most striking sequences in all of Gundam.

Episode VI: "Birth — The Red Comet" — The Story Continues into the Original Gundam

The OVA's final episode depicts the aftermath of the Battle of Loum and the flow of events leading toward Side 7 — the opening of the original Gundam.

Now established as Char Aznable, Casval has taken on another mask — "Sharua" — and befriended Garma Zabi (one of the Zabis) at the officer academy. Those who have seen the original Gundam know how that friendship is later used.

When THE ORIGIN's final scene ends, the story continues into the world of the Original Gundam Complete Guide. The construction by which more than a decade of prequel connects so seamlessly to the story of "the beginning" is nothing short of masterful.

Episode Guide

Episode	Subtitle	Release Date	Universal Century Setting
Episode I	Casval of the Blue Eyes	April 24, 2015	UC 0068–0069
Episode II	Artesia's Sorrow	October 31, 2015	UC 0071–0072
Episode III	Dawn of a Rebellion	May 21, 2016	UC 0072–0076
Episode IV	Eve of Destiny	November 19, 2016	UC 0078–0079
Episode V	Clash at Loum	September 2, 2017	UC 0079.1
Episode VI	Birth — The Red Comet	July 13, 2018	UC 0079.1–0079.2

Character Breakdown

Char Aznable (True Name: Casval Rem Deikun)

Voice Actor: Shuichi Ikeda

The protagonist of THE ORIGIN and the most beloved character in the Gundam series.

"Char Aznable" is only an alias — his true name is Casval Rem Deikun. He is a boy who lost his father, Zeon Zum Deikun — a colony leader beloved by his people as an idealist — to the Zabi family's schemes.

By watching THE ORIGIN, viewers finally achieve complete understanding of why Char — who was simply "the mysterious masked man" in the original Gundam — pursues the Zabi family with such obsession, and why he wears the mask.

From childhood, Casval was calculating, yet also possessed of a warmth in wanting to protect his companions. As that human quality is gradually worn away, the masked persona of "Char Aznable" takes shape — this transformation is THE ORIGIN's greatest attraction.

Artesia Som Deikun (Sayla Mass)

Voice Actor: Kikuko Inoue

Casval's younger sister. After their separation in the Texas Colony, she lives on as "Sayla Mass."

In the original Gundam, she appears as the composed Sayla standing at White Base's bridge — but in THE ORIGIN she is depicted at her origin point: a small girl who won't let go of her brother's hand even when frightened. Whichever you see first, your impression of the character changes dramatically.

A brother's love and the grief of having to walk separate paths. Artesia's scenes in THE ORIGIN move many viewers deeply.

Ramba Ral

Voice Actor: Shigeru Kiyama

Jinba Ral's son. By his father's order, he assists in the Deikun orphans' escape, and continues trying to protect Casval and the others out of personal loyalty.

The young Ramba Ral in THE ORIGIN seems almost unrecognizable as the same officer remembered by viewers as "a man among men" in the original Gundam. Watching him hone his skills as a Mobile Worker pilot and set out on the path to becoming a Mobile Suit warrior brings the discovery: "So Ral was that kind of young man."

Crowley Hamon

Ramba Ral's lover. She joins the escape operation to protect Deikun's orphaned children and saves the day through quick thinking and nerve. Knowing her dramatic end in the original Gundam makes the youthful Hamon of THE ORIGIN all the more precious.

Garma Zabi

Voice Actor: Tetsuya Kakihara

The youngest of the Zabi family. He befriends Char (Casval) at the officer academy. Depicted as a sincere and pure-hearted young man — viewers who know "what becomes of this friend later" experience every scene between him and Char with complicated emotions.

Degwin Sodo Zabi

The patriarch of the Zabi family. Appearing gentle, yet a shrewd figure who seizes power through political ambition. Whether Deikun's death was a Zabi conspiracy — THE ORIGIN offers its own interpretation of this question.

Kycilia Zabi

Degwin's daughter. Among the Zabis, she is depicted as particularly ruthless and calculating, spearheading the intelligence operations to hunt down Deikun's children.

Dozle Zabi

Degwin's son. A bold military type who pushes for the military application of Mobile Suits as a new weapon. Also Ramba Ral's commanding officer.

Zeon Zum Deikun

Father of Casval and Artesia. He dies at the story's very opening, but his philosophy and legacy cast a shadow across the entire Universal Century. His death — advocate of colony residents' rights and independence — is the trigger for every tragedy in THE ORIGIN.

Mobile Suits (Combat Units) Explained

THE ORIGIN is set on the eve of the One Year War, so the machines that appear are primarily from the "early days of Mobile Suit development."

Zaku I (Old Zaku)

The earliest Mobile Suit developed by the Principality of Zeon. Nicknamed "Old Zaku." Its most recognizable trait is its ugly design with power pipes exposed on the outside of the armor — a step down in performance compared to the later Zaku II.

In THE ORIGIN, the process by which this Old Zaku evolved from Mobile Workers (smaller work/combat machines) and was completed after much trial and error is depicted, providing a degree of answer to the long-held fan question: "Why does the Zaku have external power pipes?"

Zaku II

The mass-produced Mobile Suit that overcame the Old Zaku's weaknesses. The main unit of Zeon forces in the One Year War. The red Zaku II that Char pilots is established as a custom, higher-performance unit. The footage of that red Zaku II raging through the Battle of Loum is one of the most striking sequences in THE ORIGIN.

Guncannon (Early Type)

A mass-produced Mobile Suit hastily developed by the Earth Federation Forces to counter the Zaku I. It corresponds to the prototype of the later "Guncannon." THE ORIGIN reorganizes the Federation's Mobile Suit development history, making the lineage leading to the Gundam (RX-78-2) easy to follow.

Guntank (Early Type)

A machine evolved from the Federation's large battle tanks. In THE ORIGIN's continuity, it is positioned as a main battle tank that had already been mass-produced more than 10 years before Zaku development — incorporating original settings that differ from the original Gundam.

Mobile Worker

Small work/combat machines that were in practical use before Mobile Suit development. Since THE ORIGIN depicts the era before Mobile Suits were born, Mobile Workers carry considerable importance. Ramba Ral has scenes of active duty as a Mobile Worker pilot.

Connections to the Original Gundam

Which Order Should I Watch In?

For newcomers, watching "THE ORIGIN then Original Gundam" is strongly recommended.

Watching THE ORIGIN first means that every line of Char's dialogue in the original Gundam carries the feeling of "those memories from his boyhood..." — doubling the depth of the story. Conversely, watching the original Gundam first and then THE ORIGIN provides the reverse pleasure of "So that's what that mystery meant!"

Either order is enjoyable, but for those entirely new to Gundam, the sequence THE ORIGIN then original follows natural chronological order and is easier to grasp.

Mysteries THE ORIGIN Filled In

Mystery from the Original Gundam	Answer in THE ORIGIN
Why does Char wear a mask?	Disguise to conceal being "Deikun's son"
Why does Char hate the Zabi family?	His father's death + memories of his flight as a young child
Why are Sayla and Char siblings?	Both raised as Deikun's orphaned children
Why is Char called "the Red Comet"?	His great exploits at the Battle of Loum in a red Zaku II
What is the true nature of Garma Zabi and Char's "friendship"?	A relationship Char deliberately cultivated during officer academy

Cross-referencing with the Universal Century Timeline makes it easy to see at a glance how the events of THE ORIGIN fit into the history of Gundam's Universal Century.

Differences Between the Manga and the OVA

THE ORIGIN's source is the manga Yoshikazu Yasuhiko drew between 2001 and 2011 — 23 volumes in total. The manga covers not only the "Char and Sayla Arc" (the prequel portion) adapted into the OVA, but also a retelling of the original Gundam, spanning a much wider range than the OVA.

Overall Manga Structure

Manga Arc	Content	Adapted to OVA?
Char and Sayla Arc	Casval's childhood through Char's birth	OVA all 6 episodes
Loum Arc	Battle of Loum through start of One Year War	Included in OVA Episodes V and VI
Clash Arc	Close combat; early original Gundam storyline	Not adapted
A Baoa Qu Arc	End of the One Year War	Not adapted

In other words, only the manga's first half has been animated in the OVA. The original Gundam retelling (Clash Arc, A Baoa Qu Arc) has not been animated as of now.

Specific Changes

In the OVA version, Yasuhiko changed certain scenes that he felt were "uninteresting" upon reviewing the comics. For example, certain character actions in some scenes differ from the manga, or the order of scenes has been reorganized.

The overall direction is the same between manga and OVA, but the OVA has been carefully arranged with awareness of "greater visual impact" and "communicating more effectively to modern viewers."

Status as an Alternate Continuity

THE ORIGIN is, strictly speaking, a work containing interpretations that differ from the Universal Century's official continuity. Officially, it is positioned as one of the "Another U.C. (Alternative Universal Century)" entries.

Its greatest distinctive feature is that it was "the first to consistently depict in visuals and imagery the pre-One Year War history that had previously existed only as text-based lore." The founding of the Zeon Republic, the Zabi family's seizure of power, the process of Mobile Suit development — these existed as official settings, but before THE ORIGIN could not be seen as animation.

Yasuhiko has stated he "drew it to reinforce and supplement the original animation," and the high balance between respect for the original Gundam and its own distinct identity is one of the reasons many fans hold it in such esteem.

On the Production — Who Is Yoshikazu Yasuhiko?

Yasuhiko's Achievements

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (born 1941) is an animator and manga artist. He originally participated in the 1979 original Gundam as an animator, serving as character designer and animation director — one of its "creators."

The faces of the Gundam characters — Amuro, Char, Bright, and the rest — were first designed by Yasuhiko.

That same Yasuhiko, after more than 20 years, undertook the unprecedented project of "drawing the story of my own characters' youth myself." THE ORIGIN is the result: the original creator depicting the "prequel" to his own work, across 23 volumes and more than 4,000 pages.

The OVA's Visual Quality

THE ORIGIN OVA is known for its breathtaking visual artistry, achieved through digital production techniques. Particularly the three-dimensionality and dynamism of the space battle sequences are on a different level from earlier Gundam works.

Yasuhiko himself participated as general director and kept a careful eye on the movement and expression of characters down to fine details. "Yasuhiko's drawings are moving" is one of the major reasons fans were drawn to the OVA.

About the TV Version "Before the Dawn — The Red Comet"

In 2019, all 6 OVA episodes were re-edited with additional footage into the TV series Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIGIN — Before the Dawn, The Red Comet (13 episodes). A 13-episode structure with new cuts added, subdividing the OVA into finer segments. The content is the same whether you watch the OVA or TV version, but some find the TV version's pacing more relaxed and newcomer-friendly.

Streaming Information — Where to Watch

As of March 2026, THE ORIGIN OVA (6 episodes) and "Before the Dawn — The Red Comet" (13 episodes) are available on the following services:

Service	Content	Notes
U-NEXT	Unlimited	First 31-day free trial available
DMM TV	Unlimited	First 14-day free trial available
d Anime Store	Unlimited	¥440/month (tax included)
Amazon Prime Video	Rental/purchase only	Additional fee even for Prime members
Netflix	Not available	As of March 2026

To watch most affordably, taking advantage of the free trial at U-NEXT (31 days) or DMM TV (14 days) is recommended. All 6 OVA episodes total approximately 6–7 hours, so viewing within the free period is entirely feasible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Can I enjoy this without having seen the original Gundam?

Yes. THE ORIGIN works as a self-contained story even without the original, and is constructed so that viewers new to Gundam can emotionally connect with Casval (Char)'s life. However, knowing the original Gundam doubles (or more) the emotional impact through payoffs of foreshadowing and knowing "what becomes of" the characters. Starting with THE ORIGIN and watching the original Gundam afterward is one ideal route.

Q. Should I start with the manga or the OVA?

Either is fine, but the OVA is more accessible if you want to enjoy it as a visual experience. However, if you want to read the "Clash Arc" and "A Baoa Qu Arc" (the One Year War main storyline) that were not adapted into the OVA, the manga is necessary. A common path many fans take is watching the OVA first and then, if interested, moving on to all 23 manga volumes.

Q. How does "Before the Dawn — The Red Comet" (TV version) differ from the OVA?

The content is nearly identical — the TV version is a re-edit of the OVA with new cuts added. At 13 episodes, each installment is shorter and easier to watch in spare moments. The OVA delivers roughly 60–70 minutes per episode, with the feel of watching a film. Either version provides the complete story.

Q. Is Char (Casval) a villain?

He cannot simply be called a "villain." The Casval depicted in THE ORIGIN is a boy carrying the unjust loss of his father and the fear and anger of being hunted since childhood. His motivation for seeking revenge against the Zabi family contains elements a viewer can understand.

"Whether the means are right" and "whether the motivation has elements one can understand" are separate questions. Watching THE ORIGIN conveys that Char is not a "simple villain" but also a victim of his era.

Q. Are there Gundam model kits (Gunpla)?

Many. Because THE ORIGIN's machine designs differ in fine details from existing Universal Century MS, many Gunpla have been released independently as "THE ORIGIN version." In particular, the HG series "THE ORIGIN version Old Zaku," "THE ORIGIN version Zaku II Char's Custom," and "THE ORIGIN version Guncannon (Early Type)" are popular and sometimes command premium prices.

Q. What is the music like?

THE ORIGIN's music features compositions using a fictional jazz band called JARO, evoking the polished mood of 1960–70s spy films. A distinctive musical style within the Gundam catalogue, where the gravity of war coexists with stylishness.

What to Know Before Watching THE ORIGIN — Beginner's Checklist

To deepen your enjoyment of THE ORIGIN's world, having at minimum the following basic knowledge significantly improves comprehension.

1. What Is a "Colony"? Cylindrical artificial cities floating in space. In the Universal Century, humanity built these to solve Earth's population crisis by migrating people into space. Almost all of THE ORIGIN takes place in colonies or in space.

2. What Is "Zeon"? The political movement (later a state) established by colony residents. In THE ORIGIN, it begins as the democratic "Zeon Republic" and is shown transforming into the autocratic "Principality of Zeon" as the Zabi family seizes control.

3. What Is a "Mobile Suit"? A human-piloted humanoid combat robot weapon. The hallmark of the Gundam series. THE ORIGIN depicts the "dawn period" when Mobile Suits were first being put into practical use — so fully completed machines don't appear from the start.

4. What Is "Universal Century"? The unique calendar system used in the Gundam series. "Universal Century 0079" means "the 79th year since the space age began." The Universal Century Timeline provides a comprehensive overview.

Fan Reception and What This Work Has Left Behind

Reception from Gundam Fans

THE ORIGIN OVA received high praise from both Gundam fans and anime fans at the time of release. The following points were repeatedly cited in appreciation.

"Char Became Human" The most common sentiment among longtime Gundam fans: "It's the first time I've truly understood the character of Char this deeply." Before THE ORIGIN, Char was appealing as "the mysterious masked man," but after THE ORIGIN, he became a figure whose "what lies behind the mask" is now visible.

The Emotion of "Yasuhiko's Art Is Moving" Yasuhiko Yoshikazu — who designed the original Gundam's characters — serving as general director nearly 40 years later to animate those same characters again. This fact alone held special meaning for longtime Gundam fans. "Amuro and Char moving again at Yasuhiko's hand" is an experience no other work can provide.

"The Eve of the One Year War Was Captivating" The prehistory of the One Year War had long existed only as Gundam's "text-based lore," unable to be seen in animation. THE ORIGIN filled that void — and depicted it with the weighty themes of power struggles, schemes, and revolution. The excitement of watching "how the Zabi family seized power" in animation is something many fans share.

THE ORIGIN's Influence on Later Series

Several settings and designs established in THE ORIGIN went on to influence later official continuity and other Gundam works.

Visually presenting the concept of Mobile Suits' "dawn period" gave a visual answer to questions like "Why was Zeon able to build Mobile Suits first?" and "Why did the Federation fall behind?" — widely welcomed by fans as raising the "realism" of the Gundam world.

Additionally, the episodes of young Casval's life influenced what became a boom in "prequel" works within later Gundam, and THE ORIGIN is often cited as a pioneer of the approach of depicting "how a legend became a legend."

The Meaning of the Tagline "This Is the Real Gundam"

The tagline for the manga's serialization launch was the provocative "Everyone was waiting for this. This is the real Gundam."

This did not mean "the original Gundam was wrong" — it was a declaration of "squarely filling the blanks that the original Gundam left unwritten." The fact that the original Gundam's character designer himself was the one making this claim gave the tagline real weight.

More than 25 years of fan desire to "know Char's past" — the ultimate answer to that desire. That is THE ORIGIN.

Conclusion — Why THE ORIGIN Is "Essential Viewing"

The Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN OVA is a masterpiece that tells — across 6 episodes and roughly 6–7 hours — the complete story of a single boy's journey to becoming "a legendary figure."

Distilling why this work is special to three points:

1. Unparalleled care in character portrayal THE ORIGIN comes as close as any work to depicting Char (Casval) as a fully three-dimensional "human being" rather than a "villain." The helplessness of childhood, the birth of hatred, the resolve toward revenge — as these accumulate, the effect moves viewers regardless of Gundam familiarity.

2. The fascinating "political drama" of the eve of the One Year War Not only battle scenes with Mobile Suits flying overhead, but power struggles, espionage, and political maneuvering are carefully depicted — making it fully worthy of appreciation as a "drama for adults" in the war genre.

3. Visual quality that holds up today Produced from 2015 to 2018, the beauty of its digital animation and the dynamism of its space combat feel not at all dated even now. The Battle of Loum footage in particular is among the most striking in all of Gundam.

Reading it alongside the Original Gundam Complete Guide brings the full picture of the Universal Century story world into sharp focus. THE ORIGIN is one of its finest "entry points."

Original Gundam Complete Guide — The One Year War main storyline, the "continuation" of THE ORIGIN
Universal Century Timeline — For those who want to place THE ORIGIN's events in chronological order

Sources: - Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIGIN - Wikipedia - Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIGIN Official Site - Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIGIN | Sunrise Works - OVA "Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIGIN" Streaming Info | Anime! Anime! - Where Can You Watch "Mobile Suit Gundam Origin"? | PIXELA enta