Gundam: It’s A Ship! It’s a Mobile Suit! It’s… Both? We Breakdown GQuuuuuuX’s MAN-03 Kikeroga
A transforming Mobile Suit, eh? Seems like that would take some serious robo-tech to pull off. But the MAN-03 Kikeroga does it.
Most mobile suits operate in a single configuration. Sure, maybe they can rearm themselves with different weapons, using beam rifles and beam bazookas and other things as missions demand. But by and large, they are the shape they are, for better or worse. But the MAN-03 Kikeroga, out of the GQuuuuuuX universe defies this tradition and transforms. It also is designed for Newtypes. And weirdly enough, most of the innovations came after the One Year War.
MAN-03 Kikeroga Design and Capabilities
When it was designed, the Kikeroga was built with Newtype pilots in mind. The Flanagan Institute shared its secret research data with the engineers, and the Psycommu System was integrated in the mobile suit’s design, alongside weaponry designed to take advantage of a Newtype pilot’s psychowave transmissions.
In the case of the Kikeroga, this meant a quite of wire-guided twin mega particle cannons, mounted to the top and bottom of the mobile suit’s original “ship-based” design. Unlike bits, these are connected to the mobile armor via long cables to fire independently or docked as turrets. These particle cannons were significantly upgraded, and were said to be capable of melting even anti-beam armor.
Two more wire-guided mega particle cannons were on the left and right sides of the ship form. These also operated independently or as turrets, but had slightly less power to them. But with the wires fully extended, the Kikeroga could engage up to four targets at once, or deliver deadly, concentrated blasts of firepower from unexpected angles to a single target.
But the real kicker was the Modular Separating Body that allowed it to separate into different sections for testing purposes, as well as to become a transformable machine. After the One Year War, and after the treaty banning Psycommu-equipped weapons, the Kikeroga was upgraded with a transformation drive, allowing it to switch from ship mode to MS mode.
When transforming, the single wire-guided mega particle cannons and their docking pylons lock in and separate, becoming the MS legs. The twin mega particle cannons shift to the sides, becoming the mobile suit’s arms.
A final benefit of the transformation system/modular design is that the Kikeroga has an escape module. The cockpit module can detach from the main body, becoming its own little escape craft that is equipped with a single beam cannon.
From the Flanagan Institute to Side 6 – A History
The Kikeroga was first deployed in the latter days of the One Year War. Alongside Char Anzable in the gMS-α Red Gundam, the MAN-03, piloted by Cpt. Challia Bull, was absolutely devastating to the Earth Federation Forces. The vessel was nicknamed the Grey Phantom.
After the peace treaty was signed, and Psycommu weapons prohibited, the Kikeroga was taken out of the public eye and quietly upgraded with the ability to transform. This capability was largely unknown and unheard of until it was deployed to Side 6 in U.C. 0085. There, Challia would pilot the MAN-03 in combat against the MRX-010 Psycho Gundam, destroying the mobile armor and saving Kycilia Zabi. Following an intense battle, Challia pursued the gMS-Ω Gundam QuuuuuuX and captured it, bringing it back to the assault carrier, Sodon.
Eventually, thoough the Kikeroga and the Red Gundam faced off against each other. After the death of Kycilia Zabi, Challia turned his mobile suit against Char’s in destructive combat. The two mobile suits eventually destroyed each other, and both Char and Challia escape in their respective escape modules, leaving the future of Zeon open to a new direction.
So much Newtype, so little time!
