What is the Zaku?

I really wanted to talk about Zakus. So I did.
Footage taken from:
Mobile Suit Gundam (1979)
Mobile Suit Gundam I (1981)
Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (1981)
Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (1982)
Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta (1985)
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (1989)
Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team (1996)
Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky (2016)
Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower (2017)
#BotExplainer
• Bot Explainer
/ sazorak

[@ZorakGoesOn]

If you're looking for more Gundam videos from yours truly, I've got a whole playlist for your enjoyment: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIvZeJuBjclrhM0

[@TheOneShotWunda]

Great video! You talk a bit on the Zaku archetype showing up in other series and I wanted to ask you what are your thoughts on the Gjallarhorn Graze (which I figure would be IBO’s equivalent)

[@commando5872]

Thanks for doing a Video on me it means alot

[@afarwiththedawning4495]

Whats that shot of a Zaku holding a person from??

[@ZorakGoesOn]

@@afarwiththedawning4495 Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

[@afarwiththedawning4495]

@@ZorakGoesOn Thanks!

[@FrozenSolid90]

The Zaku is what you'd expect an actual military to design. It's simple, efficient and highly modular. It's there to shoot things, not look pretty.

[@theshipper5797]

And be designed to be mass produced instead of focusing so much resources on one or two solo units.

[@custommediacreations]

It’s funny because they are so simple that they look awesome. Only a Zaku could pull this off.

[@UNSCPILOT]

Those utilitarian designs are often the most beautiful (to me) simply and clearly stating their purpose without the question even needing be asked

[@annoyedzebra6362]

It looks very similar to several real life tanks like the M4 Sherman, the T-55 and the T-72. For a long time that angular front with rounded turret on top was just the basic tank shape

[@keimakaratsugi3301]

You just described the GM lines. Where it is so modular that there is a GM variant in every environment. While the Zakus are more like the Panzer IV of WW2

[@Thecommander248]

The Gundam's eyes don't move. They don't seem to "see" anything. The Zaku's eye moves around and seems to look menacingly or scans the area curiously. The Zaku's singular eye ironically acts more human than the Gundam's two eyes.

[@igodreamer7096]

Good point

[@Thecommander248]

@@brucechmiel7964 interesting...

[@chinafuture6484]

A Gundam's main camera is in that crest on its head most of the time.

[@pranavghantasala6808]

This makes me wonder what a hypothetical Getter ray-powered Gundam would look like, seeing as how Getter rays are what caused Shin Getter to spontaneously form eyes…

[@KePzez]

@@chinafuture6484 the ones on "eyes" are probably specialised camera units, the ones doing all the zooming, infared, all the fancy shit, the ones that the pilot probably uses when doing a recon mission. Then again then there's MS that is given a better camera modifications designed for long range sniping, like the GM Sniper.

[@Whispervr]

I believe in mono-eye superiority

[@spiralpower9808]

Didn't expect to see you here but ok.

[@lanceocana9059]

Oh hey it's a microwave

[@bombomos]

Here here

[@jolynekujobackfromprison744]

Great v-tuber, and Zeon loyalist? I respect you.

[@bionx9098]

Based Whisper

[@Dogasupreme]

Zaku = Simple Zaku = Appealing Zaku = Charming Zaku = Iconic

[@dreamcatcherben8214]

Zaku is love Zaku is life Zaku is inferior too Zudua fucking fight me

[@michelecastellotti9172]

​@@dreamcatcherben8214gelgoog superior

[@wither5673]

@@dreamcatcherben8214 laughs in NOT exploding engines

[@charlien6123]

Zaku is cute

[@turtlegaming4427]

@@dreamcatcherben8214zaku is superior it doesn’t blow like the zudah

[@thousandwolves952]

The zaku is the AK47 of the future

[@natesmodelsdoodles5403]

I was actually thinking that myself...

[@OffendedFoxCh]

Was gonna comment that ......and I approve

[@happyjohn354]

wanted to say Sherman or T-34

[@TidusleFlemard]

From its design and number of variants, I think it's more fit to call it the Panzerkampfwagen IV of the future. For its mass-production, t-34 would fit more the bill.

[@lordabyss]

@@TidusleFlemard Not to mention just like the Panzer 4 its chassis was used in a lot of side tank or int his case Mobile suits up until the Gelgoog, or it's ww 2 version the Tiger

[@laughingman7467]

A grunt unit that can stand against a plot armored mech through sheer skill of the pilot, the villain looks more like a hero now.

[@PKSkyler]

That's....how most Gundam series are.

[@PKSkyler]

@ODST 4 Life Uhm...lol. Kou Ikeda, Uso Ewin, and Mikazuki say hi at least. Yeah Uso's suit becomes OP in the end, but tell me any other fighter in the series who is as innovative a pilot as him. He fights in his core fighter or half assembled Gundam half the time! He hijacked a grown man's suit, while he was in it, in episode 1! killed someone with someone else''s dead suit for Christ's sake!

[@eririspencersawamura5291]

Aka War in the Pocket and Thunderbolt S1

[@sorokabeloboka8818]

@@PKSkyler On the contrary entire Amuro plot is filled with plot armor, and not just regarding Zaku. I think the battle against Black Tri-Stars was the ultimate plot armor BS, as absolutely everything worked against Gundam. The terrain was plain open, the Doms were faster, there were 3 of them all piloted by veteran pilots + Dom was a brand new mobile suit at the moment, so Gundam's majic autopilot computer should have been of no use either. Same goes for Gogg fight, where I simply don't get how wasn't Gundam crushed under it's size and weight. Thunderbolt has a bit of that too as for me. While I understand the power and armor of Full Armor Gundam, I simply don't get how could it keep up with Psycho-Zaku in terms of speed. It's rear thrusters don't seem as much competition for Psycho Zaku getting entire Saturn-Soyuz rocked built into it's spine.

[@PKSkyler]

@@sorokabeloboka8818 I can agree with you there, you bring up some valid points. Still, like with most cases of Gundam series plot armor, Amuro IS a Newtype and the pilots of The Black Tri Stars were not. How else would the Gundam be able to land that epic stomp against the Jet Stream Attack with, like you mentioned, new and incredibley fast suits? answer: Newtype precognition/reactions. We see Newtype powers becoming absolutely insane in Unicorn, Victory, Narrative, so its not really a stretch to say they can account for MOST (not all) of the plot armor and inconsistency moments in Gundam. Also... they likely made the Full Armor Gundam beat the Psycho simply to reference the fan favorite machine of the Full Armored ZZ Gundam. Because yeah the Psycho zaku was way faster than that suit.

[@TheGuardingDark_]

“Of all the weapons in the vast Zeon arsenal, nothing was more beloved than MS-06 model of U.C 0079. More commonly known as the Zaku II. It's the earth spheres most popular mobile suit. A weapon all pilots love. An elegantly simple 73.3 ton amalgamation of Alloyed steel and titanium. It doesn't break down, or wear out. It'll remain operational whether it's covered in space debris or filled with bullet holes. It's so simple to operate, even a child can pilot it; and they do. The Zeon’s put the Suit on a coin. Some Zeon remnants put it on their flag. Since the end of the One Year War, the Zaku has become the Zeon people's greatest export. After that comes Space vodka, space caviar, and suicidal newtypes.”

[@ParaFox404]

the ak of mobile suits

[@letthegoodtimesroll352]

Thats some god tier refference.

[@izzylopez7612]

"Hey children, what's that sound. Everybody look what's going down"

[@danielsuarez9851]

hahahahaha suicidal new types xD

[@Keandros]

Most under-rated comment ever.

[@prstgsfrags8525]

The Zaku and Zeon's mobile suits were actually always my favorite because, thanks to their utilitarian, realistic design, the model kits were far less fragile than the pointy super hero looking Gundam models. I have almost none of my Federation mobile suit models left for this reason, but the Zeon mobile suit models have held up really well over the years :)

[@commander72]

Kind of a good metaphor for the Zaku. While the fancy units are eventually replaced with newer models. It the Zaku that will keep showing up on battlefields for decades to come.

[@Re0ns]

Gyan?

[@mickelmaldonado5910]

@@Re0nsWe speak not of its existsnce here.

[@brianwalsh1339]

>utilitarian Tell that to the about a dozen or more mobile armors that pretty much exist to be killed by the Gundam.

[@brianwalsh1339]

@@mickelmaldonado5910 fuck you, the gyan is based

[@nefariousgremlin7554]

I love how brutalist and utilitarian the Zaku looks. It's such a fitting contrast to how polished and streamlined the federation mobile suits look, it helps to emphasize that Zeon are in many ways the scrappy underdogs of the One Year War.

[@skyedogg]

Scrappy, colony droppin underdogs

[@buckbucker8020]

@@skyedogg Allegedly

[@lieutenantd4812]

@@buckbucker8020 fact tho

[@UnitSe7en]

Maybe look at the Scopedogs from AT VOTOMS...

[@buckbucker8020]

@@lieutenantd4812 Merely feddie propaganda.

[@Kyrieru]

I think the single eye and round nature look both menacing yet cute at the same time. Depending on the angle it can go from looking angry to perpetually concerned and empathetic.

[@27648281]

Especially in the older gundam series their eyes rolls like human eye.

[@leegunring]

Like Stormtrooper in Star Wars

[@marcopirrotta2791]

3:48 *Spots a ball flying around* "What in the- "

[@rjaygemus2023]

Is the MS-18E Kämpfer considered a Zaku ? It' my favorite one eyed mobile suit

[@TheVanOvanShow]

I do love zakus and their cracker grenades

[@RoyalFusilier]

One of the most surprising things about 0079 when I went back to watch The Original Gundam was how humanized the Zeon were. Not only do we see actual good people in their ranks, from commanders to ordinary troops, those troops have names, their deaths often matter in some way to people around them, etc. The original story was written by people for whom World War 2 as most assuredly in living memory. It was a different time and they had a profound understanding of a lot of stuff that honestly, a lot of all us in the 'developed world' have since forgotten. This also means from the start, Gundam had a streak of humanism to contrast the big bombastic action and edgy war stuff.

[@austinreed7343]

Meanwhile we also have stuff that shows some degree of bastardry on the Federation side, like War in the Pocket.

[@michelecastellotti9172]

Hasn't that always been a thing? I recently watched gundam seed and there's thetendency o showing the Feds (earthlings more like) as unequivocably evil and the zeon/spacenoids are just reactionarily violent, self righteous even.

[@TheRyujinLP]

Honestly this sadly how it is for most forces. Even for the Nazi's, most of the soldiers were just people who only cared about Hitler because he saved their nation from economic ruin and didn't give a shit about his politics. So while the heads of Zion are horrible people, most of the people fighting for them are fighting for freedom from a tyrannical one world government and probably have little idea how horrible the people bank rolling the fight actually are.

[@CombineWatermelon]

zeon are the good guys

[@brayachdragonbane7529]

@@CombineWatermelon in a world of grey, there are no good guys nor villains, only people, trying to survive.

[@Mataninja]

The humble Zaku II is the true 'Real Robot' that ushered the genre. The RX-78-2 Gundam was pretty much still a 'Super Robot' akin to Mazinger in which it was nearly indestructible and can defeat its enemies with ease. I wish the Gundam franchise can go back to its Super Robot roots like it did with G Gundam one day.

[@Sorain1]

In a fascinating way, both Wing and 00 were returns to said roots. The Gundams in Wing were overwhelmingly powerful on the battlefield, but could only change so much in the scale of the world which was that series take on it. 00 went into the question "Okay, so what does the world do in the face of some faction with Super Robots and an agenda?" which was pretty fascinating to explore, along with a little bit of 'Why build a super robot in the first place?' That being said, I too hope to see another Gundam series in the less grounded and more stylistically enthusiastic vein of G Gundam without going full low steaks as Build Fighters/Divers did.

[@networknomad5600]

Ew. Ain’t no one want a return to G Gundam.

[@yellowsegundo]

​@@networknomad5600exact!

[@shitpost-o-matic7469]

​@@networknomad5600said no one ever, we love G Gundam

[@XD-sc4ix]

​@@networknomad5600terrible and hated take

[@Weiss_Hikari]

Never forget what Gundam 0080 teaches us. “Zakus are cool and GMs are totally lame!”

[@holden_7597]

The only GM squad that deserves their fate in 0080 is Scarlet Team. They were facing away from the Kampfer! How did those failures become MS pilots. The rest is just due to Zeon plot armor. (Except the last fight with the FZ)

[@tydshiin5783]

The inly GMs I can like are the Type-c (thunderbolt edition) and dominance

[@tydshiin5783]

The inly GMs I can like are the Type-c (thunderbolt edition) and dominance

[@midgetydeath]

Yes, unless you're a Zaku who confuses a GM for a GM Gundam.

[@sargera1]

@@holden_7597 kaempfer pilot was a pro and seasoned one.the scarlet prob had their landing path already flagged by then and o ly awaits for blowing up unless they got super reflex lol

[@arthurhill8185]

I think the one thing that makes the Zaku so iconic is that it can move its eye around. It can look at things, and make simple "facial expressions", which makes it way more relatable as a little robot dude to watch stomping around doing little robot dude stuff,

[@larrygoldstein3481]

based!

[@Thecommander248]

The eye of the Zaku is more human than the eyes of the Gundam.

[@aruica7131]

The creators of the show literally had to sacrifice Gundam to toy companies in order to have this Zaku design, but damn they sure made one of the best mech designs out there

[@aircraftcarrierwo-class]

A big part of why the Zaku II has endured so long is that while the design is very utilitarian as befits a mass production military machine, it still manages to have a distinctive character to it. I always thought that the mono-eye served two purposes. Firstly, it's simpler and cheaper from the in-universe perspective compared to the Gundam's two camera eyes. Secondly, it's an intimidation effect. Think about those scary shots from anime/manga horror where a silhouette looms in a backlight, only one eye glowing, radiating menace. That's the kind of image that the Zaku II creates with its singular optic.

[@TheBigExclusive]

Zaku's embody the spirit of it's people. An impoverished nation making a no-frills mobile suit. The Zaku is built out of cheap metal, and only equipped with exactly what is necessary to fight. Yet it pushes on as a true workhorse for its people. The Gundam is the exact opposite. It is the symbol of the Federation government. The Gundam is built of out the most expensive metal possible, equipped with absurdly powerful weapons, and is loaded to the brim with extravagant equipment. In fact, It is SO expensive, that they can't even mass produce it. It is a symbol of the Federation's overspending and excess.

[@schierke2]

TheBigExclusive I love this right here!

[@rafifthesecond9023]

"Overspending and excess" tell that to Zeon production of experimental suits in the one year war

[@avixka7751]

Rafif The Second reason they lost was because they focused too much on weird MAs lmao

[@stormspotter67]

Dude, good eye on the symbolism. I never actually thought of it like that. Perhaps that's why I like the zaku so much and I'm a fan of the zeon versus the federation.

[@barrybend7189]

Actually for the most part the Gundam is bog standard limit testing design. The GM is what its meant to become anyway. As if you test the extreme its easier to know its limits.

[@tensazero]

Zaku get stabbed, blownup, beatup, thrown off a cliff... GM: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@jacobpdeleon2747]

The Zudah that always has a problem to its Backpack thrusters:Yes

[@riskvideos]

@@jacobpdeleon2747 you know you've made the wrong person angry when they stick you into a zudah.

[@RePhantomz]

@@riskvideos Dont worry Zudah F fix the thruster issue.

[@alanwestmoreland6152]

*one hit with the 100mm gun automatically puts you down* Yes you are.

[@conroypawgmail]

GM: "Am I a joke to you?" Gelgoog: "Well... actually..."

[@Anon26535]

You know, there's a bit of symbolism that's easy for people in the English speaking world to miss with their single eye. In Japan, there's a kind of traditional wooden figure called a Daruma doll. It's a round little red thing with the face of an angry bearded man on it. Its eyes are blank, white circles and they have a sort of ritual where you paint in the pupil of one eye when you start some important task, like a student studying for an exam or a politician running for office, and then painting the other when they succeed. The hopelessness of the Zeon cause was baked right into the design work from the start.

[@austinreed7343]

It also explains why the Guntank and Guncannon might as well be grunt suits (they technically ARE grunt suits, but a lot of media has them as “the main squad” anyway); they don’t have eyes at all. The Guntank only has a window and the Guncannon has no visible eyes.

[@astrades2601]

I'm glad to see so much love for Zaku's in comment section. Zaku is also my favorite MS type for it's non fancy, militaristic but still very characteristic design.

[@custommediacreations]

Same here.

[@SeekerLancer]

One thing's for certain. The Gouf is no Zaku, boy. No Zaku.

[@auauseattle]

I wonder how many people gets this lol

[@megamadd9220]

@@auauseattle I'm a Gouf Custom guy.

[@ruphite9521]

I figured the Rambaposters would be here

[@zacharyrollick6169]

Quality.

[@rezendeiiz.knight1084]

gouf custom is not a zaku thats y its named as gouf the real zaku models is always have a name as a zaku like zaku 2

[@mechredd]

The Zaku is the mecha equivalent of the AK47. It's cheap, reliable, and can be effectively used by a conscripted army of peasants with an afternoon of training.

[@midshipman8654]

mechredd GM or bust. Zaku gets all the love, but more often than not it’s the GM that’s the underdog in scenes.

[@nunyabuizness2953]

@John the Skub miner The GM Sniper Custom is barely a step down from the Gundam. Only elite veteran pilots get them though.

[@istillusezune82]

@@nunyabuizness2953 Sherman Firefly.

[@dereenaldoambun9158]

Zaku II = Panzer IV Dom = Panther GM = T-34/76 GM II = T-34/85 Ball = M3 Lee Gelgoog = Tiger

[@istillusezune82]

@@dereenaldoambun9158 I think the more rare Dom is closer to Tiger 1, Gouf is more like Panther as it was mass produced. Gelgoog is like Tiger II as it is much better and only debuted late war. GM and GM II can either be T-34 or Sherman series. Ball is even less useful than M3 Lee though, perhaps Su-76?

[@johngavin3180]

The fact that a Zaku can hold its own against feddie suit goes to the fact that it doesn't matter how high tech your suit is, what matter's who is piloting it.

[@zerstorer335]

The Zaku is the Gundam Universe's version of the Sherman tank--really good when introduced and outclassed as time goes on; but readily available, able to do the basic job, and adaptable enough to occasionally find some new usefulness.

[@Kagekatsu1]

I’d say the Zaku is more like the Panzer IV while the GM is the Sherman.

[@crytex6441]

The Zaku is probably the most likely out of all the mechs in the series to actually eventually be developed for military purposes.

[@Heartrose7]

The GM likely would be as well as a cheap prototype.

[@crytex6441]

@@Heartrose7 True. It would be something like the gm Kai with bit more armour though

[@jeff3221]

What are you talking about? It's obvious that the BIG Zam is the most realistic

[@crytex6441]

@@jeff3221 obviously! Hahaha

[@Nostroman_Praetor]

We'd sooner get a Guntank II before we ever solve the problem of Bipeds getting kneecaped by tank shells.

[@tumsfestival8027]

It also looks cool, and more “realistic” than all the other mobile suits from gundam. It’s not about nostalgia really. It’s treated more like real weapon or tank.

[@smugfortune9977]

@@danielallan8061 the zaku itself does look believable enough mainly because it looks like a giant walking tank with it's militery green and multiple customizations

[@dasji2]

@@danielallan8061 I mean I can argue the same for the Leo. Its the most Spartan looking of the grunt suits with wide uses for them.

[@rezendeiiz.knight1084]

@@smugfortune9977 and slapping a different paint for being a highly skilled squadron

[@hayaokakizaki4463]

I think this "realistic" take comes from the fact they look like ww2 soldiers and not square superheroes.

[@tumsfestival8027]

@@hayaokakizaki4463 exactly. I put realistic in quotes because why would you ever build a giant robot. But if you ignore that, thunderbolt made it a point to try to make the mobile suits make more sense with the added thrusters and stuff

[@YoungClarke]

The zaku always came off as the underdog to me, which always made me root for them. They had the inferior mech, so when they could go toe to toe with a gundam it was awesome

[@FogHorn1911]

I love both the zaku and the Gm. The story of a pilot's heroism, skill, and daring in the line of duty always appealed to me over the stories of the over powered wonder weapons.

[@MC-pt8kv]

The in universe explanation for the disparity in over all design between the Federation and Zeon is supposed to be that the Zeonic designers start by designing the shell, then see what they can cram in, while the Federation starts with a frame and sees how much they can bolt on and slap skin on after the fact. But I never would have guessed that the Zaku wasn't intended to be a toy down the road, that's probably the most interesting take I got from this video.

[@agitatedtofu2511]

I didn't know that was the in universe explanation, I only heard/thought it was because the federation was more for flashy stuff like the Salamis class, and of course the gundam, as well as just having more money to put into actual design for the MS

[@typhlosionX01]

I was literally admiring my zaku collection like 5 minutes before this video popped up in my recmmendations. What kind of black magic is youtube using now?

[@jeru_jj1161]

Welcome to Matrix. I have such situations at such regular basis that I'm starting to slowly freak out.

[@scottsanders4589]

How many do you have? I have 5 zaku II and 2 zaku.

[@typhlosionX01]

@@scottsanders4589 I got 3 zaku, a gouf and the entire zaku gacha head collection, I love them all

[@jeru_jj1161]

@@typhlosionX01 That's no Zaku, boy.

[@Caercutta30]

@@jeru_jj1161 NO ZAKU!

[@mickelmaldonado5910]

Honestly, in Federation vs Zeon back on the PS2, next the the Ground variant Gundam I loved using the Zaku II. Good weapon array, cheap cost, and kick ass design. The leg missle pod weapon array was one of my favorites for space battles. To this day, I still imagine my pilot just sitting there in space, wondering what the hell is going on over the comms with these 4 people just fighting and arguing like its a soap opera, and being afraid to fire a single shot (depending on which side you are on) because out of abject confusion. Those who played it know the mission I'm talking about, freaking weird ass newtypes and their lovers quarrels.

[@Otacon9611]

Two things that taught me to believe in myself. Char being bad ass in the same unit as everyone else and Magikarp. Hard work beats talent every time if talent doesn't work hard.

[@tedhodge4830]

But Char's Zaku was three times faster.

[@misterturkturkle]

Zeon daikun did nothing wrong. Its the Zabi family that effed up a perfectly legit rebellion.

[@patch-fm]

Hi ice king.

[@misterturkturkle]

@@patch-fm *S E I G Z E O N*

[@patch-fm]

@@misterturkturkle Seig zeon?

[@misterturkturkle]

@@patch-fm ya

[@misterturkturkle]

@@patch-fm ps slurp

[@sanghoonlee5171]

Gundam always looked like a toy, but the Zaku actually looks respectable now--like a real instrument of war.

[@Mataninja]

A mechanical soldier. That's how I see the Zaku and my reason to like it better than the Gundam.

[@titan133760]

The was sort of the point of the Gundam's design. They had to compromise with a real-ish robot, but with a toyetic aesthetic that could be marketable

[@vahlen5281]

An article I once read claimed that the Zaku was intentionally designed as minimalistic as possible to make it easier to draw, and to ensure that the Gundam with his design and colour palette would dominate every MS fight scene. Suffice to say, both the Gundam creators as well as Gunpla producers like Bandai were more than surprised when they realized that Zaku models were as much in demand as Gundam ones.

[@michelecastellotti9172]

​@@vahlen5281 i mean, yeah, they both look awesome, its like imperials or the CIS from star wars, they got the cool stuff too

[@dannyboi5887]

@@titan133760 Which is Ironic because the more militaristic design of the Zaku is way more appealing to me and a lot of other collectors than the Earth Federation suits.

[@markyfbaby]

Growing older in age made me fit in the "nostalgic" category mentioned earlier in the video. I just finished building two mobile suits and I enjoyed building the Zaku II over the RX-78. Currently have an Amazon tab open for the MG DOM!

[@Ulkjen]

The Zaku definitely has an allure of its own beyond the nostalgia. I basically didn't touch Gundam at all until Gundam Evolution came out. My favorite ones in that are absolutely the two zaku 2 units. Appearance wise.

[@NTAD]

The Zaku Kai was the pinnacle. So beautiful. You can even grill burgers in it.

[@zucktheskeleton9731]

I don't want to remember that ಠ‿ಠ

[@rafaeldiaz2147]

😂😂😂

[@zakubabyboy]

[Gazes into distance] [Wipes tear from cheek] [Zakus in formation] "Sieg Zeon!"

[@ZstackZip]

Honestly, the Zaku is one of, if not my #1 favorite piloted mech in history. It manages to look menacing and intimidating, but also pathetic and kind of cute.

[@joshuabonesteel2303]

I first fell in love with the Zaku in the old Federation v Zeon game. The game had a damage mechanism in the campaign that made it so you usually couldn't use the same mobile suit again and again so I got used to using the 5 Zaku 1 and 2 variants they give you. Nothing really beats rocket launcher and rocket pads on the legs. It was the only for sure way of even slowing down hero units like fking Amaro.

[@bigchiefsmackaho387]

I collected a lot of Zakus, GMs and Leos as a kid. Love those more “generic” units for some reason.

[@wad5907]

People often forget that the plot of Gundam0079 follows around mentally enhanced kids in top-secret super weapon suits, so of course the grunt unit Zaku is going to appear weak and an easy foe. When you delve deeper into the lore however, for most of the conflict the Zaku and especially Zaku II were incredibly tough opponents. They routinely dominated any sort of federation counterpart at the beginning of the war, and proved to be useful up until A Baoa Que.

[@HellishSpoon]

thing about wars is that most often its better to have lots of mediocre cheap weapons then one Super duper weapon, quantity matters in wars.

[@wad5907]

@@HellishSpoon Yep, just as Zeon eventually learned. Obviously heavily inspired by WW2 Germany, their wasting of money on countless "super weapons" or specialized units ended up being a waste compared to the enemy's mass-produced grunts.

[@Sorain1]

@@wad5907 And then, in a fun parallel to USA DOD spending on crazy superweapons programs during the cold war, the Federation goes on to do exactly the same wasteful 'advanced' limited production suits for the Titans, all while facing remnants with no real industrial/research base to advance with, and often using equipment made by the same company.

[@evoiii8]

When KZbin finally recommends a quality channel that is actually relevant. 👍

[@66tobi66]

lol Say yes to random Recommendations

[@user-Jay178]

Same

[@NebLleb]

I finally bought my first Zaku kit (2021 HG Revive), and I'm really starting to warm up to this design more and more. It's THE grunt suit. It certainly tops the Hizack from Zeta in terms of reliability, that's for sure!

[@tedhodge4830]

The Zaku has a utilitarian, gruntwork aesthetic to it. It's the everyman's mobile suit, and it has underdog appeal. Also, Kunio Okawara said the lack of restrictions on Zeon designs allowed him to make a design that was inspired by a continental suit (his words). In its heydey (shown offscreen until The Origin flicks), it was a state of the art nightmare on the battlefield that made Federation admirals shit bricks. Also, Bernie was unironically the greatest Zaku pilot of all time. Absolute unit.

[@170skeith]

"Largely to convince people to buy more model kits" I mean it works I buy a lot of zakus

[@happyjohn354]

I'm not even a Gundam fan and I'm a fan of Zaku's

[@zentacious9606]

Stop zaku abuse today

[@ironkaider]

slightly normal person GM: hold my beers.......

[@ihatecabbage7270]

To be honest, GM took a lot of abuse. They are literally killed by the dozens by Zakus, and had to overwhelmed the Zeon through sheer number, even when they technically are better equipped than a Zaku, such as Beam Spray Gun, Beam Saber and having a large shield. If you watch Gundam Thunderbolt, You see a group of GM are melted by Zaku Big Guns like nothing. Is Ion sheer audacity and his borderline maniac bravery defeat the Living Dead Squadron. I do started to love the GM in Thunderbolt cause the greyish, dull color and let them feel more military than the brightly colored GM of the old.

[@scottsanders4589]

Any Zakuphiles here?

[@papabearultima]

Yeah they are better than GM people !!!!

[@akiraguy]

Ball is far more oppressed than zaku.

[@cernunnos8344]

The Zaku II is peak mecha design and strikes the perfect balance of sensible, militaristic design and classic anime mecha design. I love the Zaku

[@blac_gat]

The zaku seems like a living tank

[@slothfulcobra]

Of course, I'll always prefer the Gouf, which is just a blue Zaku with better spikes and cooler weaponry. And a surfboard.

[@lamelukas]

Not sure when it got the Gelgoog's famed surfboard but I do know that the Gouf Custom got a shield with a minigun slapped on it, a head saber, an improved built in version of it's electric whip, and a wrist mounted gun which is just awesome.

[@slothfulcobra]

The Dodai

[@MidoriNatsume]

Gouf is no Zaku Boy! *No Zaku!*

[@granmastersword]

@@lamelukas Same. I prefer the Gouf Custom over the original due to its improvements that makes it more versatile and efficient in combat

[@rxzero00]

Ramba Ral died because he done GOUF'D ...

[@Robodragon17]

You forgot the almost iconic (in my opinion) eye dart; when tha zaku's singular eye darts left and right.

[@thatguybrody4819]

reminds me of the Cylon.

[@hayaokakizaki4463]

Yeah they stole it from cylons

[@Zhelios9382]

Zaku troops be like: "We're Zakus. We're meant to be expendable." Char: "Not to me."

[@sepg5084]

The Zaku looks like a military weapon somehow, while gundams look like children's toys.

[@Spaceman0720]

In the development stages of gundam its color was originally U.S.airforce gray like the f-15 and f-16 but the tv companies said "no make it colorful, this is a kids show right?"

[@ynohtaanarillas5418]

Mono-eyed scuba-diver pineapple 😂😂

[@66tobi66]

Inferior Cyclops Spiky Scuba-diver Pineapple fish

[@tydshiin5783]

That's a power insult

[@michaeljosephdimaano2802]

It should have been water melon not pineapple

[@001hellcat1]

I always actually preferred the style of the Zaku and it's other contemporaries in the other Gundam series, over the actual Gundams.

[@patch-fm]

Yeah me too even if I'm not a mecha fan myself...

[@marcosdheleno]

true mobile suits have curves.

[@Banchoking]

Same here man.

[@custommediacreations]

Agreed, they look so simple and it’s really loveable.

[@UNSCPILOT]

I love both, obviously for different reasons, the Gundams like their specs are gratuitously over the top, where as the Zakus are the grounded boots on the ground soldier

[@DeathDontWait4NoOne]

Zaku: A great way to get around town.

[@Gaia_BentosZX5]

Recently, G-Witch ultimately marries the Zaku and GM archetypes into one unit: The Demi-Trainer. Used in what's basically, MS driving schools. It's very friendly, welcoming appearance helps freshmen get acquainted with them, and the fact that it's no longer the stuff of science fiction. There's other mobile suits from other companies as well, but the unit you'll be most likely seeing the most is the Demi-Trainer at these schools. They have low firepower so that there's no accidental deaths during duels. Doesn't stop high-end mobile suits like gundams from being smuggled in without these restrictions anyway.

[@GuntPulp]

If this vid blows up you may want to do more vids like this about various mechs in Mobile Suit Gundam and turn it into a series.

[@thaddperkins]

GuntPulp idk who this guy is but he covered this throughly. I hope that he covers more suits in Gundam loke this

[@rockraphlegal]

KZbin recommended it to me, and I couldn't be more pleased. KZbin's AI doing it right

[@xiaolili1971]

GuntPulp there’s a huge market gap for high quality critical gundam analysis videos

[@alexandriaorcld6365]

Yes pls

[@MichaelVavor]

That'd be pretty dope tbh

[@WaywardLone]

Zaku Type II... Given the customization & variants it long lived past the One Year World. Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt was a fitting tribute to this beauty. In any case I cannot help but hold a certain fondness for the basic MS-06 Zaku II in classic green.

[@Aelvir114]

I can answer the title in four words: Better Than A Gundam

[@AZ1LE007]

No matter how many times i've watched this i still like it

[@scrembirb6685]

same

[@goos4711]

The Zaku deserves it's own spin-off, it needs a lead role.

[@lookatthepicture4107]

I think it already exist... is called War in the Pocket

[@PKSkyler]

Psycho zaku says hai

[@lordabyss]

Gundam Igloo also says hi

[@deviltrigger02]

and in parallel universe, the zaku is named scopedog instead and used by the protagonist in the series

[@tmwk__]

0080.

[@DualEdgest]

I'd argue that the Graze is more of a Zaku analogue than the Man Rhodi. While the Man Rhodi looks like a fat Zaku, the Graze has that striking, no frills design and basic weaponry that made the Zaku II so unique. Some Graze pilots get the same amount of focus that you see from UC Zaku pilots too, complete with the not so happy endings. The 900 variants of them doesn't hurt the comparison either.

[@ZorakGoesOn]

The Graze and the Man/Land Rodi kind of split the Zaku archetype in IBO. I put the Man Rodi in for IBO just because it has the Zaku eye-track thing going on, just with three sensors instead of one. The Graze's design is its own unique thing in a really refreshing way.

[@blitzmustang1588]

@@ZorakGoesOn man rodi is basically kampfer

[@npc6817]

@@ZorakGoesOn but it actually has two sets of tree sensors and is actually a disguised gundam

[@Fayheurblode]

@@npc6817 Are you sure you're not mixing up Man Rodis with the Gusion, before it gets rebaked ?

[@npc6817]

@@Fayheurblode no, you're right I messed up because the gusion was also in the picture

[@ryanmast8589]

One of my first memories regarding model building is my dad getting me one of these for Christmas and me having no idea what it was

[@yume5338]

After trying Gundam Evolution because Overwatch got so stale for me, playing the Zaku 2 ranged was so damn fun I actually started to get interested into the lore and story of the actual anime. After watching Origin as my first series I'm hooked, I figured starting with a prequel would be a great introduction, and even though there's not a lot of mobile suit fighting I'm absolutely hooked already. There's so much moral nuance you don't really see in other sci-fi media that often, the world of this universe fascinates me and I'm excited to learn more. On my way though the original series now, gonna watch Iron Blooded Orphans next, as I've heard that's one of the best ones.

[@apanst]

Seeing sentiments like this may be the best part of the game for me. I envy you all, going through all the classic Gundams was some of the most fun i've ever had. You should watch the ones that interest you of course, but i also heavily recommend the 80s/90s OVAS. They're all quite short but have amazing animation and some pretty good stories. It's also cool to see them slightly rework the somewhat goofy original designs and turn them into the menacing military horrors they're meant to be.

[@spikesagitta]

War in the pocket was the movie that made my love of the zaku eternal. Bernie T^T

[@tydshiin5783]

The show about a tragic love story and a child getting ptsd at like 11 yo

[@slothfulcobra]

I'm much more comfortable with being a fan of Zakus than I am with being a fan of Stormtroopers, seeing as how the Gundam series tries to split the moral responsibility for war instead of just one side being straight-up one side as full nazis.

[@maxkordon]

they're vastly more complex

[@GuntPulp]

You could apply that to Star Wars just as easily. Stormtroopers aren't evil, they are just doing a job for the evil bastards in charge. Same difference with the foot soldiers in any war. But in both Gundam and Star Wars there is clearly a side of the war you the viewer are supposed to empathize with as being the "good" guys, regardless of the grey area.

[@ihatecabbage7270]

@@GuntPulp modern day Star Wars don't do that any longer, even John poorly potrayed the Stormtroopers in that grey area. If you watched Gundam, those people who pilot are showcase their humanity, their worries and their desires.

[@maxkordon]

GuntPulp I mean I don’t remember ever seeing the stormtroopers take off their helmets and curse the rebels for killing their friends

[@rhyzhenthioz]

Stormtroopers are quite expensive as well. Well so do gundam but in a sensible way. I admire the looks. Hehe.

[@WarriorOO2]

You spoke from my heart. Thank you :D

[@adezzz7896]

I only recently got into Gundam and I fell in love with the Zaku immediately. It has that old sci-fi bad guy aesthetic that I love so much and is quite rare in modern sci-fi. But the obvious bad guy look works even better with the tone of Gundam, where the bad guys aren't purely evil and the good guys aren't purely good. It's a design that constantly makes you question the morality of the war. Sure, when we see the RX-78-2 blowing up Zakus like they're just a mild annoyance, we subconsciously interpret it as the good guy beating the bad guys. But then the show forces us to make a conscious effort to realize that it's normal people that are fighting, good and bad, just trying to survive in their space robots. They're people with hopes and dreams, with families and unique personalities, but we subconsciously judge their moral worth based on the appearance of their robots. And if we do that in fiction, does that mean we do the same in real life? It's a genius design and I just love it. Anyway, war is bad but robots are rad.

[@Gam3Junkie7]

I despise both sides of the conflict. With that out of the way, I appreciate the Zaku over other models not because of nostalgia. I hadn't even seen the original series until I was a teenager in the 2000s. My appreciation stems entirely from it's utilitarian and modular design. I actually dislike Gundams for their excessively flamboyant traits.

[@NKWittmann]

The Zaku feels more grounded in reality. It's minimalist looks is appealing. The few episodes of Gundam I watched was because of the overall plot and the Zaku, with their awesome size compared to buildings and tanks and the fact they are fielded in squadrons. Not the Gundam itself not the kids piloting them. So I guess if them alone made me interested in the series it is certainly a successful design.

[@roninhusky8492]

i hate the gundam(s) just for the sake that they are so massively overpowered, hell if given the choise id pick a Gouf, Zaku I or a Zaku II FZ over just about any gundam!

[@igodreamer7096]

Understandable

[@OneBiasedOpinion]

Likewise. Most Eastern mecha- while undoubtedly cool in their own right -just look silly and out of place on a battlefield. Western ‘mechs like those from the Battletech universe (and to a small extent the original comics and first movie of Pacific Rim) tend to emulate more of what I’d expect from a real-life war-walker, if such a thing somehow became feasible.

[@thomasffrench3639]

I’m way more nostalgic for my teenager years than I am for stuff as a kid

[@dilan234]

Dont know shit about gundam but... Idk this poped in my recommendations and i clicked.. And im not disappointed.

[@anthonybernero9720]

The original is one of the best series ever. You must see it

[@the_inquisitive_inquisitor]

0083: Stardust Memories You're welcome

[@tydshiin5783]

@@the_inquisitive_inquisitor the MC is a bit of a loser with bad development tho

[@tydshiin5783]

I highly suggest the Origins which is a 6 film series of the past of Char Aznable, or you could go into Thunderbolt which has like 2 films that's in a similar universe of the original, but has awesome designs and story and music, or you could go for Iron Blooded Orphans which has 50 episodes that kinda talks about child war and lots of propaganda with really awesome designs

[@RunesUnruined]

@@the_inquisitive_inquisitor i chocked thought u would say stardust crusaders

[@kennethsatria6607]

It has the same vibe as when I first saw Vilgax in Ben 10 promo, he wasn't flashy or iconic, it was just a huge hulking squid faced mecha and It was so endearing I convinced myself as a kid he was gonna be by favorite alien hero. But then he wasn't but og Vilgax is still great.

[@Jabullz]

Favorite mobile suit to play in Federation vs Zeon was the Zaku II. There was something about being a far far weaker mobile suit but getting good enough to take on any mobile suit as the pilot. Which leads into the series as well, the pilot makes the mech.

[@Umbrellarocks]

The Zaku 2 external pipes were for improved heat distribution, over the Zaku 1 heat pipes located in the suits internal body frame.

[@mr.voltorb]

I love how this is a practical documentary about the Zaku keep up the good work.

[@chibbyranjo]

My nostalgia is for the Leo shown at the end. It’s nice to see its lineage. Even if the Leo just had a big TV for a head xD

[@theginger7148]

This video alone got myself and three other friends into Gundam entirely separately and made me spend one morbillion dollars on model kits. 1.5/10

[@dickiewongtk]

I love the fact that its main gun is a just a tank gun back in the days(i.e. 120mm) made automatic. Everything about it is utalitarian and realistic (as realistic as an anime about giant robots fighting in space can get).

[@jacobpacheco3165]

I started with the Zaku because I'm obsessed with the cyclops head design. In fact, due to my love of the color red, I'm collecting every gundam Char Aznable used. I have his Zaku, Z'Gok and Gelgoog, and his Sazabi is on the way.

[@tmwk__]

When I was a teenager in high school, I use to sit down with a pencil and paper and often times sketch the Zaku.

[@KarfontaAlec]

Who else impulsively replied, "Sieg Zeon!" at the end?

[@theonewhowatches869]

I would have, but I was in the car with a parent.

[@user-Jay178]

@@theonewhowatches869 lol

[@Echo_Reyes]

Sieg zeon

[@holden_7597]

Glory to the Federation!

[@zqfmgb4335]

Brainless idiots, I guess. Or Neo-Nazis.

[@LordEverlost]

Just like everybody likes the Stark Jagan pilot that tried to take on the NZ-666 Kshatriya. There will always be something fantastic about the grunt that even for a moment or two can hold their own against the ace pilot.

[@mr.amphibian8418]

I am know noob to Gundam or more relevantly the zaku however I find this video quite fun to revisit over and over again.

[@thenovasglow7192]

so short story for you: before I knew what the hell a Gundam was or what MSG was I found your video explaining the Zaku, intrigued I watched through the whole thing, which lead to youtube recommending more and more MSG stuff to me before finally, I gave in, and watched Iron Blooded Orphans for the first time as a lot of the clips recommended were from IBO...long story short I'm now addicted to MSG. 10/10 video, turned me into a Zeon sympathizer and kindled my love for the Zaku and it's distant cousin grunt mechs.

[@togaagony6401]

Bruh that’s the same way I went too!

[@redactedz6146]

@@togaagony6401 Very interesting how people get the start for Gundam lmao. Mine was oddly enough from a friend who had pla kits. Was into the Evangelion anime and saw that Bandai (with gundams being the money cow they have) also had a model for that franchise and got Unit 01. One thing leads to the other, then I had an Aile Strike kit, after a few on-off thoughts about gundam I looked up what's the deal all about the franchise. This eventually got me to the ever so many series of the UC timeline

[@Banchoking]

Our stories are remarkably similar.

[@Banchoking]

Also, grunt suits, particularly those descended from the Zaku, are the best.

[@travisstryder216]

Sorry to pop the bubble guys. But weak join always pick zaku in the UC franchise. Death to the cowardly Zeon.

[@user-nx4rp4ks9e]

言葉の意味は分からんが、とにかく凄い解説だ！

[@Renegade322]

the Zaku is the AK-47 of the military world. Mass produced, everywhere, a simple tool that just works

[@Sorain1]

I think the GM contrasts well with that. It's the M-16 of the setting. A good idea initially ruined by bad standards of manufacture which once they did the job right became an international standard platform. A design more advanced than it's competitor, more complicated to make and maintain but with slightly better performance to show for it. Less reliant on main force than on the fruits of engineering and research, but a formidable platform that would see plenty of refinement over decades. A tool that could only come from a society capable of massive industrial output to extravagantly equip it's troops.

[@whatno2712]

might be a little late but i think another reason why the zaku is so popular is because and especially in the OG series hes the generic shock trooper an average soldier you can see in yourself (whether its persevering or straight up dying) compared to the gundam who seems more like a spec ops super soldier

[@dackstar.2017]

About time! A well, thought out post about the underrated, yet all so glorious MS-06 Zaku II is what I have so longed for. More Zakus, please!

[@DariusVladimirAuditore]

I like how mobile suit production in the One Year War mimics real world production of weapons by different nations during WW2. The Zaku is kind of like the German panzers in the way that it had so many variants, just like those tanks.

[@Nocturne69]

What i find neat is that all these years later zaku 2 although extremely old now still pop up occasionally though heavily modified and somehow much more deadly than ever before

[@Aoenias]

5:40 Ahhh, there she is... my favorite suit base the Rick Dom.

[@iansahleen1173]

They always ask “what is zaku?” And never “how is the zaku?”

[@Insomnia1234o00o]

The tie fighter of the gundam universe. Zaku literally means "mobs" in japanese.

[@Magarthryx]

I do game development, and a deal of DMing, and I love badguys. Furthermore I love how the Gundam series has used these guys to tell a story in their world.

[@toradora1439]

The Zaku is the most iconic mobile suit in the series imo. Its definately the mobile suit I would take into combat.

[@KillerOrca]

That glorious MSG trumpet fight music, god how I love it so

[@abcdfg6899]

While I was never the biggest Gundam fan, I grew up watching it on the original run of toonami. I think my favorite series is the War in a Pocket. I think I was 10 when I watched it. The ending devastated me.

[@DeviIotte]

War in the pocket is phenomenal and underrated

[@abcdfg6899]

@@DeviIotte. Yeah, I feel like it's easier for short series to be good. I love seeing settings from the ground level where the world has to be a little more fleshed out. Instead of some grand war, you're just seeing some people stuck in it all.

[@chunkygumby443]

this video was my fundamental first step into the gundam franchise and the start of my love for the design of the zaku. It took 3 years and alotta of procrastinating but im finally starting my journey into the universal century and im on the third compilation movie and finished a couple of spin offs like witch from mercury and wing. My model kit (which I js bought for christmas) is chars custom zaku II and god I love this design. If I never bumped into this video a few years ago I wouldve never gotten into this space, so thanks for doing that and a regrettable fuck you for how my life is probably not going to be financially okay for the rest of my life.

[@Revelation6_7-8]

4:00 CHAR KICK!

[@GundamFlexing]

Great video! Since Mobile Suit Gundam also has its influence from World War 2, I think we can argue that the Zaku is also (loosely) based off the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. There are some strong similarities that run parallel. Both the Zero and the Zaku were lethal and integral weapons on the onset of their respective wars. The Zero had a kill ratio of 1/12 and the Zaku's crushed the Federation Space Force for the first half of the war. Hell, even both machines were created in secret. Also, both machines were the prime choice of their owners. And as both wars raged on, both machines also became outdated or obsolete compared to their counterparts.

[@barrybend7189]

Actually they are more Panzer 1 and 2 than Zero as technically the gundam is like the M4 firefly with its large cannon.

[@draochvar9646]

If we go with tank comparisons, the gundam is more like a Leopard II being thrown at a Panzer I/II, that's how badly he outperforms he Zaku.

[@barrybend7189]

@@draochvar9646 actually if we look at it the Gundam is the Russian T45 then.