Gunpla 101

Deep Dive: References in ‘Gundam Build Divers RE:RISE’ Episode 6

Gundam Build Divers is back with a sequel series, Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE, that is just as referential as its predecessor. It would take a keen eye and bottomless Gundam knowledge in order to catch the more obscure references it makes to every corner of the Gundam multiverse. Fortunately, we have Gundam expert Tom Aznable to help.

Welcome back to Deep Dive, Tom Aznable’s reader-favorite column all about catching the more esoteric aspects of the Gundam multiverse that make it into the show. Nothing passes Tom’s eagle eye for spotting this stuff (we suspect Newtype abilities), but this column focuses specifically on rare sightings and deep cuts. Read on to see what you may have missed:

Episode 06: Hero on the Brink

NRX-011 Britova, After War Gundam X (anime)

RX-77-4 Guncannon II, MSV (design series)

GNX-803T GN-XIV, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (anime)

Here Parvis looks over a spread of different mobile suits for ideas to upgrade the Valkylander. The first of these in the upper left is the Britova, one of the unique MS from Gundam X’s brief run of “New UNE’s potential Newtype of the week” episodes. This cameo completes the set for Build Divers, as the others (Correl, Gable, and Rasveht) had all made cameos last season. While these prototypes all have some unique focus, the Britova is intended to be a more balanced unit. Its deranged pilot, however, customizes it by stripping its equipment down to just its missile launcher shoulders and installing a monofilament heat wire weapon.

The Guncannon II in the bottom left is a later variation of the Guncannon that has its shoulder-mounted cannons replaced with a single beam cannon and sensor. This one looks particularly heavily armed, dual-wielding the ZZ Gundam’s distinctive double beam rifle.

The third mobile suit comes alongside Patrick Colasour’s cameo for the episode, a customized version of the Gundam 00 movie’s GN-XIV with one beefy arm (maybe even 1/100 scale) attached. You must be able to create your own model number in GBN, since oddly enough Patrick’s custom model number is actually a derivative of the original GNX-603T GN-X, not the GN-XIV.

Left to right: NRX-011 Britova (Gundam X), RX-77-4 Guncannon II (MSV), GNX-803T GN-XIV (Gundam 00 the Movie)

Gundam Build Divers Break

Magee’s overly long message that gets off on a tangent about hot Divers actually has a bit in there that sounds like he’s talking about Zen and Ark, the protagonists of the Gundam Build Divers Break manga that both made cameos last season! The message specifically talks about a two-man Force, with one having silver hair and the other blond. It goes on to mention that one used a black Gundam, and the other a white Gundam. This sounds like Ark’s Gundam Shining Break and Zen’s Gundam G-Else, which both showed up in the original Build Divers finale.

GBN LINE Stickers

This sticker of the game master’s GunDiver avatar ought to remind viewers of the sticker sets available on LINE, Japan’s most popular messaging app. While LINE is available outside of Japan, unfortunately the various (and very good) Gundam sticker sets are not available in all regions. This makes another example of how this season of Build Divers is embracing the “online” aspect of its core premise. Maybe this is even a tease for a set of Build Divers stickers down the road!

RMSN-008 Bertigo, After War Gundam X (anime)

The Gunpla that has defeated Captain Zeon is the Bertigo, a Newtype-use mobile suit from Gundam X similar to the Qubeley. It’s perhaps ironic that a character literally named after Zeon is defeated by a mobile suit from the Space Revolutionary Army, Gundam X’s own stand-in for the Principality. The Bertigo’s model number doesn’t directly map to any existing Zeon MS as SRA MS often do, but MSN-08 is an alternate designation of the AMX-001 Prototype Qubeley from the G Generation games. Since the Bertigo falls somewhere between the mobile armor Elmeth and Haman Karn’s Qubeley, this is pretty appropriate even if not explicitly intentional.

TMF/TR-2 BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type, SEED-MSV (design series)

This appearance of this stealth/recon variant of the BuCUE from Gundam SEED is actually the most action it’s seen in animation! It had previously appeared in part, literally, in the Gundam SEED Astray Red Frame promotional short, where Red Frame pilot Lowe Guele uses a scavenged BuCUE Tactical Recon Type’s head as a dual beam saber.

AMRF-101C AWACS DINN, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (anime)

Color scheme: Heine Westenfluss, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (anime)

This recon version of ZAFT’s aerial mobile suit DINN previously appeared in Gundam SEED Destiny, where it is used to locate the Archangel. It appears here in the custom colors of SEED Destiny character Heine Westenfluss, a ZAFT ace pilot based on the singer TM Revolution.

GAT-01A1+AQM/E-X04 Gunbarrel Dagger, SEED-MSV (design series)

Kazami’s former leader Gojo is the only one on his team not using any kind of scout or recon mobile suit, though that shield may in fact be a radome. His Gunpla is a customized Gunbarrel Dagger, which uses wire-guided remote gun pods that deploy from its Gunbarrel Striker pack. The base Dagger unit is a mass-production version of the Strike Gundam which can utilize any of its Striker packs, but it is most commonly depicted in this configuration as used by Earth Alliance ace pilot Morgan Chevalier.