RGM-79 GM - Real Life

Real Life

In real life, the GM suit was designed by Kunio Okawara for the original Mobile Suit Gundam television series. Of the concepts introduced into the series, the GM, as a grunt-level mecha used by the protagonists of the series, is one which has become a staple of the mecha anime genre, the logical next step from one super-powered machine against a vast evil force to a full-scale conflict between two armies with the robotic equivalent of foot soldiers. The GM served as a direct inspiration for machines within other Gundam shows, most notably the GAT-01 Strike Dagger series from Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED DESTINY. In addition, the concept of mass-produced machines on the side of the series' protagonists is seen in other mecha anime, such as the MBD-1A Dragoon from Metal Armor Dragonar, and all the machines (the VF-1 Valkyrie in particular) used by the U.N. Spacy in The Super Dimensional Fortress Macross.

Retcon redesigns were featured in the OVAs Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket and Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, although these redesigns have since been designated as separate models. The GM is also a popular subject for various Mobile Suit Variations.

There are two accepted versions of the RGM-79: the original design by Kunio Okawara (which featured a single-piece waist armor, no neck, a smooth, rounded face and ill-defined elbow joints and legs), and a popular redesign by Hajime Katoki which brings the GM more in-line with its predecessor, the RX-78 Gundam. These two designs are functionally the same machine. Generally the Okawara design is used to represent a more "nostalgic" GM, while the Katoki design displays a more "realistic" approach.