Why is Char Aznable the most popular character in all of Gundam?

[Mr. Anime]

Why is Char Aznable the most popular character in all of Gundam? I mean the guy has labtop, Nintendo Gamecube, motorbike helmet, credit card and lots of other stuff licenced after him! So whats so cool about the guy?

[Lord Dalek]

http://www.gundamuniverse.it/personaggi/Z_08.jpg

Its the shades.

[SpaceCowboy]

I've found him more likeable than Amuro, Camille, and a lot of the other Gundam goodguys...

[Mr. Anime]

I've found him more likeable than Amuro, Camille, and a lot of the other Gundam goodguys... But the guy's a pedophille and by CCA, a deranged madman who wants drop HUGE astroid on the Earth and kill billions of people because it will change humanity's future on some such nonsense.

[Juu-kuchi]

He's the paragon of the complex enigmatic antagonist in sci-fi anime (let alone anime in general), accentuated by the amount of eccentricities when it comes to his taste in aesthetics. That and a continued presence in a franchise in different positions but still maintaining himself to be the same character is also of note as well.

[Zeonic Freak]

Hes just... Awsome, what more do you need to explain that.

He is as awsome as Snake Plissken, Darth Vader, Zap Branagan, Bean Bandit and so many more...

[SpaceCowboy]

But the guy's a pedophille and by CCA, a deranged madman who wants drop HUGE astroid on the Earth and kill billions of people because it will change humanity's future on some such nonsense.I stopped watching UC Gundam after the middle of Zeta when the old fansubs stopped and then saw CCA, so if he was a pedophile at some point in the timeline I should have said "from what I have seen of the series" in my earlier post. Still, in the original 0079 and Zeta (up until where I had stopped) he was more likeable than some of the other re-occuring main characters.

[HellCat]

This thread is treading a thin line but- Char's actions don't equal pedophillia. It's true he likes younger women somewhat but in his own words he viewed Lalah as a replacement for his mother (The Origin puts it that Char had very little contact with his birth mother, apparently due to a mistress of his father's). As for Quess, he himself said he had no interest in her other than for her Newtype ability.

[SuperPhillip]

I don't know why, but I was never too fond of Mr. Aznable.
It's probably because the Gundam show I lost my viriginity to was Gundam Wing and Wing's Treise Kushranada (feel free to correct my spelling, heh).

So to answer your question, I've no freaking idea. ^_^

[GWOtaku]

Char is *the* Gundam rival, that's why. He had charisma, cunning, and an agenda and beliefs that he stuck to throughout his life. He also went through a ton of development, going from a man with a mission of revenge to a rebel in Zeta Gundam to a political leader and revolutionary in CCA. Amuro Ray just wouldn't be Amuro if he didn't have Char rivaling his skills and building grudges.

And lets face it: his mobile suits were all cool, and at this point the Quattro sun glasses are more iconic than his MSG mask.

As for Wing, I'm a fan of Zechs (Treize doesn't really take after him at all), but I know where he comes from. Char is simply the best and deservedly the measuring stick by which all subsequent masked rivals are measured against.

[Duke]

Also, Shuichi Ikeda deserves a lot of credit, as he's masterful as Char. Michael Kospa too, but by the time he came into the picture Char was already well-placed.

It also helps that Char's had almost 30 years to cement his likeness.

[RedTail]

The only woman Char may have actually liked on that level is Lalah, and at the time of MSG, he was 20 and she was probably the same age as Amuro (15). Quess was 13, but he had no interest in her beyond exploiting her Newtype abilities. Haman during CDA is 16, I believe, but from what I've heard, she's the obsessive one and Char doesn't really pay her any mind.

In any case, a 20yo wanting a 15yo doesn't constitute pedophilia. A 20yo screwing a 15yo doesn't constitute it either. As for statutory rape though, that's a different story...

[EzraBladerunner]

It's a lot of things about him. Some people like his charisma, some like his personality, some like his style, looks, his pilot skills, etc. Char is the type of character that has a lot of different aspects that many people like.

To me, it's a combination of everything about him. I have to say though, I like Char best in Zeta Gundam and then MSG at a close second. I wasn't too fond of him in CCA, he seemed to go off of the deep end there.


Originally Posted by Lord Dalek
Its the shades.


I agree. He's one of the few characters who's shades look better than Alucard's(Hellsing). Seriously, I'd take Char's shades over anyone's anyday. :D


Originally Posted by GWOtaku
Char is *the* Gundam rival, that's why. He had charisma, cunning, and an agenda and beliefs that he stuck to throughout his life. He also went through a ton of development, going from a man with a mission of revenge to a rebel in Zeta Gundam to a political leader and revolutionary in CCA. Amuro Ray just wouldn't be Amuro if he didn't have Char to rivaling his skills and building grudges.

And lets face it: his mobile suits were all cool, and at this point the Quattro sun glasses are more iconic than his MSG mask.

As for Wing, I'm a fan of Zechs (Treize doesn't really take after him at all), but I know where he comes from. Char is simply the best and deservedly the measuring stick by which all subsequent masked rivals are measured against.


Yep, as they say, "A good hero always needs a good villain". I think that's how it goes, I forgot the quote. Although, I wouldn't really put Char as a "villain", just more of an antangonist/rival. Eh, you get the idea though.

[Nin-Nin69]

He isn't my favorite, but Char is the ultimate rival and one of the most strategic and talented pilots in the Gundam universe. Plus he's a complete bad ass.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/Nin-Nin69/CharOwnedCompe66.gif

[Captain Zechs]

Isn't Kira the most popular?

[Beat]

Isn't Kira the most popular?

Not by a long shot overall.

[Captain Zechs]

But recently?

[HellCat]

But recently?

Only in magazine polls.

[Zeonic Freak]

He isn't my favorite, but Char is the ultimate rival and one of the most strategic and talented pilots in the Gundam universe. Plus he's a complete bad ass.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/Nin-Nin69/CharOwnedCompe66.gif

BOOM HEADSHOT!

[Disco Pete]

Char is pretty cool, but I much prefer Quattro. (http://www.mahq.net/rants/neo/comic2.jpg) :anime:

Char is the most popular character in all Gundam because he had style. Much more style than Amuro. Masks and shades evoke a sense of mystery. A mysterious rival, that was who Char was, and why most Gundam series since have had their own Char-clones.

[Will Sturnick]

Isn't Kira the most popular?

Technically. But in the polls I've seen Char and Quattro are listed as separate characters. I imagine that were they to combine the votes from the two, as they should, Char would be on the top with Kira in 2nd.

[rubberchicken]

Kira's popularity will probably also wane when Bandai moves on to a new non-CE Gundam series. Char's been enduring since 1978.

[Nin-Nin69]

Char is pretty cool, but I much prefer Quattro. (http://www.mahq.net/rants/neo/comic2.jpg)

Heh I was waiting for someone to point that out.

[Zeonic Freak]

Kira's popularity will probably also wane when Bandai moves on to a new non-CE Gundam series. Char's been enduring since 1978.

I thought it was '79?

[Jacob T. Paschal]

I thought it was '79?

You are right, it is 1979.


Also, to add to the ever-growing list of why Char Aznable > James Bond > You...

...it's the Hyaku Shiki. It takes a real gangsta' to pilot that thing for a whole war and not get shot down.