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The MS-06 Zaku II: A Legendary Mobile Suit

The MS-06 Zaku II was a series of mobile suits produced and operated by the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War. It was Zeon’s primary mass production mobile suit series throughout the conflict, and its impact on the development of future mobile suits cannot be overstated.

A New Era in Mobile Suit Design

Following the success of the MS-05 Zaku I, Zeon’s first combat mobile suit, the Zeon military leadership ordered Zeonic to continue its development. The result was a new mobile suit based on the design of the MS-05, which would eventually become the MS-06 Zaku II. The prototype for this mobile suit rolled out in August, U.C. 0077, and was initially intended as an improved model of the MS-05. However, its significantly different appearance and vastly improved performance led to it being given the new model number of MS-06A.

The Birth of a Legend

The MS-06A was quickly approved for mass production, but Kycilia Zabi, Zeon’s military leader, considered its lack of close-combat weapon to be a weakness. She halted its mass production and ordered it to be redesigned, resulting in the MS-06C, which was equipped with shoulder spikes, a shoulder shield, and a heat hawk. This marked the birth of the MS-06 Zaku II, which would go on to become Zeon’s mainstay mobile suit for the remainder of the One Year War.

Variants and Improvements

The MS-06 Zaku II underwent numerous improvements and variants throughout the war. The MS-06F, which was equipped with a 240mm bazooka loaded with nuclear warheads, was the primary variant used by Zeon. However, following the signing of the Antarctic Treaty, which banned the use of nuclear weapons, the MS-06F was redesigned to remove the radiation shielding and install a more powerful generator. This resulted in the lighter MS-06F, which became Zeon’s primary mobile suit for the remainder of the war.

Other variants of the Zaku II included the ground-use MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type, the anti-air cannon-equipped MS-06K Zaku Cannon, and the desert-use MS-06D Zaku Desert Type. The development of local warfare type mobile suits was considered necessary, and many variants were created to suit different environments and combat situations.

Legacy of the Zaku II

The MS-06 Zaku II had a profound impact on the development of future mobile suits. Its design influenced the creation of successors like the RMS-106 Hizack and the AMX-011 Zaku III. Even after the end of the war, the Zaku II remained an iconic symbol of Zeon’s military power and a testament to the ingenuity of its designers.

Trivia and Behind the Scenes

• The original concept of the Zaku was simply a disposable underling, with its name derived from the sound of a huge man walking and the Japanese term “zako,” meaning “inferior fish.”
• March 9th has become known as “Zaku Day” among some Gundam fans due to Japanese wordplay for 3 and 9 sounding similar to “Zaku.”
• The Zaku II was a design model for the Russian Jaeger Cherno Alpha.