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機動戦士ガンダムTHE ORIGIN 愛蔵版 [Kidō Senshi Gundam: The Origin aizōban] #9
Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN 9: Lalah
The biggest name in Japanese science fiction— —returns with one of its creators retelling its origins 25 years after the series debuted. Caught in the crossfire of a space civil war, teenager Amuro Ray accidentally finds a new mobile weapon—the RX-78 Gundam.
In the ninth volume of , the Earth Federation's White Base has now returned to space and is on the offensive. After long being chased around the solar system and across the Earth, they are on the hunt for what remains of the Zeon military establishment. Much has changed over the many weeks since the crew of the White Base fled to Jaburo with a prototype Mobile Suit on board, but now they have knowledge of who and what is awaiting them around the moon.
In the ninth volume of , the Earth Federation's White Base has now returned to space and is on the offensive. After long being chased around the solar system and across the Earth, they are on the hunt for what remains of the Zeon military establishment. Much has changed over the many weeks since the crew of the White Base fled to Jaburo with a prototype Mobile Suit on board, but now they have knowledge of who and what is awaiting them around the moon.
420 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
8 people are currently reading
293 people want to read
About the author
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
374 books39 followersYoshikazu Yasuhiko (安彦良和) is a Japanese manga artist, animator, character designer, anime director, illustrator, and novelist. He was born in Engaru Town, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido, and currently resides in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 10, 2015
The personal stakes for this troupe of soldiers continue to be very high, and the cost takes a toll in some parts. Four stars only because the mecha battle scenes were impossible to figure out in the middle. Dust and mechanical suits don't mix well for comprehensive reading.
July 2, 2025
2.5✨
✨Writing a grouped review for the whole series and copy and pasting ✨
Mobile Suit Gundam is my first venture into more mechasuit sci-fi stories and to it I have had a rather mixed experience. I'm not the biggest of sci-fi readers in general but I now know this is not really my niche. I read it after multiple people had recommended to me both the manga and the anime and I am glad I have read it.
The series does an ok job at setting the plot and developing it's characters; with some satisfactory moral conclusions. However, a lot of it is pretty convoluted and hard to follow. I wouldn't say this is necessarily beginner friendly for readers not used to the genre.
If sci-fi and specifically mechsuits are more your thing, you could definitely find enjoyment here. Just not for me
✨Writing a grouped review for the whole series and copy and pasting ✨
Mobile Suit Gundam is my first venture into more mechasuit sci-fi stories and to it I have had a rather mixed experience. I'm not the biggest of sci-fi readers in general but I now know this is not really my niche. I read it after multiple people had recommended to me both the manga and the anime and I am glad I have read it.
The series does an ok job at setting the plot and developing it's characters; with some satisfactory moral conclusions. However, a lot of it is pretty convoluted and hard to follow. I wouldn't say this is necessarily beginner friendly for readers not used to the genre.
If sci-fi and specifically mechsuits are more your thing, you could definitely find enjoyment here. Just not for me
May 28, 2022
And so the Gundam saga begins its inevitable, awkward, and somewhat laborious shift from science fiction toward science fantasy. Although MSG: THE ORIGIN v9 carries much of what makes for a good space opera, in the form of protracted battles and curious one-on-one encounters, the volume also presses the drama on a more personal, human level. The book's further integration of Lalah (Lalaa) and the subsequent pivot toward the importance of newtypes likewise implies the narrative will value human drama more heavily than it has previously valued mecha action.
The war has reached its final stretch. Everyone can feel it. And both sides claw for whatever few grains of sand they can to toss into the eyes of their opponent while yet scrambling for a tool, weapon, tactic, or last gasp that might prove their worth. Char's independent investment in newtypes as weapons of war has borne unique dividends, not the least of which is the massively destructive MAN-03 Braw Bro, which uses psychic communication controls. For the Feds, White Base is scrambling left and right, at the behest of admirals elsewhere, to scare up, clean up, or wipe out Zeon remnants in orbit, while steering clear of their opponent's main force. The Earth Federation's Operation Star One, the initiator of the end of the One Year War, is already underway.
MSG: THE ORIGIN v9 is notable for its explicit contrasts of the qualities and capabilities of oldtype soldiers and newtype soldiers, particularly since many of White Base operatives pilot older mecha or were adopted from other civilian or military endeavors. The manga is surprisingly light on the tantalizing bitterness often seen in other media when characters realize Amuro Ray is a newtype, but this volume is keen to emphasize one thing in particular: Char's resolution.
The oldtype/newtype sociological debate is intriguing but often lacks for a substantive platform. The Gundam universe is wont for a sporting philosophical debate among intellectual equals, but has historically favored grand gestures of military belligerence, quailing political rhetoric, and breathy, self-righteous chauvinism. Readers do get lucky, here and there, with infrequently willing characters, but altogether, it's excruciatingly difficult to debate philosophy while smashing about in a 19-meter-tall mobile suit (regrettably, Char's MS-14S Gelgoog is an overpowered behemoth, relative to the sleeker and refined MS-06S Zaku II).
For example, readers encounter Challia Bull, who pilots the MAN-03 Braw Bow, during an exquisite fight scene among the rocky, abandoned, twilit depths of Side 5's Texas Colony. Lieutenant Bull is an overeager fool, but his newtype skills are phenomenal; and it's the combination of these two facts that do him in. He tears through White Base mecha with ease, but struggles mightily against newtype Amuro and the RX-78-02. The Braw Bow is a magnificent machine. But as readers already know, a machine without a capable pilot, is still just a machine. Lieutenant Bull's final lament is a poignant one: He was an extraordinary soldier, eternally ready to fight for the Principality, but the fragmented hopes of the elite warped him into someone he was never meant to become ("I, Challia Bull, could have ably served just as I was!").
The volume otherwise makes half-hearted entreaties to the character dynamics that undergird the narrative's emerging Third Act. Captain Bright Noa's affection for Warrant Officer Mirai Yashima. Amuro's final goodbye to his father, Tem Ray, whose cognitive decline was brought on from the events a few volumes back. An emotional confrontation between Casval and Artesia, each one pledging to supersede the foolishness of the other. The tenuous, bohemian lifestyle of Lalah. MSG: THE ORIGIN v9 has some lively, compelling action, but its character drama is unbalanced and shallow. The volume expends tremendous effort to frame the story's closing arc, shifting into position the elements necessary for grand success, grand failure, and grand repentance all the while.
The war has reached its final stretch. Everyone can feel it. And both sides claw for whatever few grains of sand they can to toss into the eyes of their opponent while yet scrambling for a tool, weapon, tactic, or last gasp that might prove their worth. Char's independent investment in newtypes as weapons of war has borne unique dividends, not the least of which is the massively destructive MAN-03 Braw Bro, which uses psychic communication controls. For the Feds, White Base is scrambling left and right, at the behest of admirals elsewhere, to scare up, clean up, or wipe out Zeon remnants in orbit, while steering clear of their opponent's main force. The Earth Federation's Operation Star One, the initiator of the end of the One Year War, is already underway.
MSG: THE ORIGIN v9 is notable for its explicit contrasts of the qualities and capabilities of oldtype soldiers and newtype soldiers, particularly since many of White Base operatives pilot older mecha or were adopted from other civilian or military endeavors. The manga is surprisingly light on the tantalizing bitterness often seen in other media when characters realize Amuro Ray is a newtype, but this volume is keen to emphasize one thing in particular: Char's resolution.
The oldtype/newtype sociological debate is intriguing but often lacks for a substantive platform. The Gundam universe is wont for a sporting philosophical debate among intellectual equals, but has historically favored grand gestures of military belligerence, quailing political rhetoric, and breathy, self-righteous chauvinism. Readers do get lucky, here and there, with infrequently willing characters, but altogether, it's excruciatingly difficult to debate philosophy while smashing about in a 19-meter-tall mobile suit (regrettably, Char's MS-14S Gelgoog is an overpowered behemoth, relative to the sleeker and refined MS-06S Zaku II).
For example, readers encounter Challia Bull, who pilots the MAN-03 Braw Bow, during an exquisite fight scene among the rocky, abandoned, twilit depths of Side 5's Texas Colony. Lieutenant Bull is an overeager fool, but his newtype skills are phenomenal; and it's the combination of these two facts that do him in. He tears through White Base mecha with ease, but struggles mightily against newtype Amuro and the RX-78-02. The Braw Bow is a magnificent machine. But as readers already know, a machine without a capable pilot, is still just a machine. Lieutenant Bull's final lament is a poignant one: He was an extraordinary soldier, eternally ready to fight for the Principality, but the fragmented hopes of the elite warped him into someone he was never meant to become ("I, Challia Bull, could have ably served just as I was!").
The volume otherwise makes half-hearted entreaties to the character dynamics that undergird the narrative's emerging Third Act. Captain Bright Noa's affection for Warrant Officer Mirai Yashima. Amuro's final goodbye to his father, Tem Ray, whose cognitive decline was brought on from the events a few volumes back. An emotional confrontation between Casval and Artesia, each one pledging to supersede the foolishness of the other. The tenuous, bohemian lifestyle of Lalah. MSG: THE ORIGIN v9 has some lively, compelling action, but its character drama is unbalanced and shallow. The volume expends tremendous effort to frame the story's closing arc, shifting into position the elements necessary for grand success, grand failure, and grand repentance all the while.
August 29, 2024
In contrast to the volumes titled Garma, Ramba Ral, and Char & Sayla, the volume titled Lalah focuses on her quite a bit less than the others focus on their title characters. Put another way, despite the significance of naming a volume after her, she has very little immediate impact or presence. In fact, I would make the argument that "Newtype" is a better name for this volume, given how much narrative focus the topic receives.
Anyway, the war has shifted to space, with the White Base sent on a special commando mission that requires them to attract lots of attention while keeping the Zeon High Command uncertain about the Federation's strategic goals in the the space campaign code-named Operation Star One. As usual, Bright is told less than the bare minimum of why he's doing things and is barely told what his mission is, one of said tasks being playing the lamb tied up outside the lion's lair for a small Zeon fleet to try to devour. Rude of Feddie high command, isn't it?
There are several battles, but Amuro's ongoing development as a Newtype renders most of them easy for him, with the two exceptions being toward the end of the volume. Instead, the character development receives more focus, as the discovery of Newtypes and their impact on the battlefield receives more focus. In addition to Amuro's starring role, there are several other moments of character drama, provided by various members of the crew who begin to encounter problems that cannot be resolved via strictly military means, as the problems are of a highly personal nature. My favorite moment was towards the end, where in a beautifully illustrated battle
Three volumes left and a lot to pack in.
Anyway, the war has shifted to space, with the White Base sent on a special commando mission that requires them to attract lots of attention while keeping the Zeon High Command uncertain about the Federation's strategic goals in the the space campaign code-named Operation Star One. As usual, Bright is told less than the bare minimum of why he's doing things and is barely told what his mission is, one of said tasks being playing the lamb tied up outside the lion's lair for a small Zeon fleet to try to devour. Rude of Feddie high command, isn't it?
There are several battles, but Amuro's ongoing development as a Newtype renders most of them easy for him, with the two exceptions being toward the end of the volume. Instead, the character development receives more focus, as the discovery of Newtypes and their impact on the battlefield receives more focus. In addition to Amuro's starring role, there are several other moments of character drama, provided by various members of the crew who begin to encounter problems that cannot be resolved via strictly military means, as the problems are of a highly personal nature. My favorite moment was towards the end, where in a beautifully illustrated battle
Three volumes left and a lot to pack in.
September 11, 2020
Foes finally meet face to face, relationships are tested, destruction continues in the name of rebirth....and a new light is shone on a few of our returning and new characters.
Out of the recent volumes of Yasuhiko's "THE ORIGIN" series, this one offered a sense of equilibrium when catching up with the plot thus far. I felt that I was able to make the connections I felt I was losing in the past few volumes (due to the amount of time passed since reading the start of the series). While a televised or streamed series will help those referenced parts that are still not clicking, it feels good to be back on a similar page.
What I found glorious about this volume was the increase of the painted and colored cells. While I am not opposed to black and white cells, I found the water color bleeding and blending of the scenes to be magical, and stunning. Each could be a cover for the volume, a piece of art for the house, and could tell an equally rich story like the subplots that are blossoming and coming to light.
Thankfully Volume 10 is in my possession, and I will not have to wait long to pick up where Volume 9 left off. Fingers crossed that what occurred in this volume sticks with me when we see what happens after our leads dueled it out in the Texas colony.
Out of the recent volumes of Yasuhiko's "THE ORIGIN" series, this one offered a sense of equilibrium when catching up with the plot thus far. I felt that I was able to make the connections I felt I was losing in the past few volumes (due to the amount of time passed since reading the start of the series). While a televised or streamed series will help those referenced parts that are still not clicking, it feels good to be back on a similar page.
What I found glorious about this volume was the increase of the painted and colored cells. While I am not opposed to black and white cells, I found the water color bleeding and blending of the scenes to be magical, and stunning. Each could be a cover for the volume, a piece of art for the house, and could tell an equally rich story like the subplots that are blossoming and coming to light.
Thankfully Volume 10 is in my possession, and I will not have to wait long to pick up where Volume 9 left off. Fingers crossed that what occurred in this volume sticks with me when we see what happens after our leads dueled it out in the Texas colony.
March 10, 2018
White Base returns to space, the war against Zeon enters it's final phase and series protagonist Amuro Ray has a legendary encounter with a woman who'll change his life. This manga continues to impress with is characters and almost documentary style chronicling of horrors and triumphs of the One Year War.
May 23, 2024
Back to space, with some different characterizations and plot developments. Challia Bull becomes a different character both in age and personality, closer to the depiction we find in the Gundam’s novel than the one from the original anime, and the second encounter between Sayla and Char has way more exposure in it’s dialogues.
Want to Read
November 23, 2022"The art here is significantly more brutal than the original series, and conveys the horrors of war much more effectively than the show did (or could get away with)... I'd definitely consider it recommended reading for science fiction fans, whether they like anime and manga or not."
- Bureau 42
- Bureau 42
March 4, 2024
Series continues to be great. After being pretty so-so on a few of the popular animated series I watched through, it’s nice to find a Gundam story that’s easily recommendable to basically anyone with an interest in sci-fi or war stories.
June 20, 2025
Truthfully, by this point the anime had more or less figured out what it was going for, and there are limited changes and alterations. Challia Bull's fight was better, though. And the art's still good of course.
May 11, 2022
Definition of a hard sci-fi masterpiece.
February 2, 2023
Hahaha Char is confirmed horse girl!
May 17, 2015
Okay, the main plot point here in this epic manga tapestry of war, revenge, family and, of course, giant robots duking it out in outer space is the advent of the Newtype, humans who seem to have extra-sensory powers of cognition like that of telepathy. It's all very much mysterious, and it plays into several battles late in the book. This volume also contains some of the most vivid watercolour backdrops in the entire series, ranging from the vast voids of space and the ships that fly in them, gorgeous pastoral scenery with trees and shit, and even a desert landscape mirroring that of several midwestern American states. It's a solid graphic novel on its own, and continues to be a terrific addition to the Origin series.
Oh, and this is also the volume where Char Aznable has a full page spread of him riding a wild stallion bareback in an aggressive display of testosterone not seen outside the covers of romance novels. It's a joy to behold.
Oh, and this is also the volume where Char Aznable has a full page spread of him riding a wild stallion bareback in an aggressive display of testosterone not seen outside the covers of romance novels. It's a joy to behold.
November 24, 2015
We get so many great meetings this volume - another meeting between Char and Sayla (or rather Artesia and Casval) - the first meeting between Char and and Amuro, and the meeting between Amuro and Lalah Sune. These moments are all just so wonderfully done, made even better by what is saved for the color splash pages - By having Amuro and Lalah's first meeting be in color, the impression that she leaves with Amuro is made so clear. The same way, the first face-to-face meeting between Char and Amuro is so wonderfully done - both knowing that they're on opposing sides of the war, but only Amuro recognizing Char as his arch enemy, and the mud on their knees as free Amuro's car from the ditch making so clear that both have their hands dirty, but with something other than mud.
It's a wonderfully done volume, with some especially done action scenes as well, which also shows just how far Amuro has come as a mobile suit pilot.
It's a wonderfully done volume, with some especially done action scenes as well, which also shows just how far Amuro has come as a mobile suit pilot.
November 21, 2016
I wrote a more comprehensive review of the first volume here.
Absolutely beautiful art in this volume, and the vivid colors help give it an almost psychedelic feel that really emphasizes the new and weird powers associated with Newtypes. That, and there are a number of important character meetings here, but as exciting as it is to see Amuro finally meet Char and Lalah, albeit without realizing who they are, the highlight was still the reunion between Sayla and Char. It isn't the first time they've met after being separated, but it's the first time the reader sees them meet after the flashback arc and after they've both had a chance to process what the other has been up to. This volume also has a lot of great relationship development among the White Base crew, including the inevitable reveal about Sayla's background. I think this volume was a highlight in an already outstanding series.
Absolutely beautiful art in this volume, and the vivid colors help give it an almost psychedelic feel that really emphasizes the new and weird powers associated with Newtypes. That, and there are a number of important character meetings here, but as exciting as it is to see Amuro finally meet Char and Lalah, albeit without realizing who they are, the highlight was still the reunion between Sayla and Char. It isn't the first time they've met after being separated, but it's the first time the reader sees them meet after the flashback arc and after they've both had a chance to process what the other has been up to. This volume also has a lot of great relationship development among the White Base crew, including the inevitable reveal about Sayla's background. I think this volume was a highlight in an already outstanding series.
February 19, 2016
Another good entry in the series. With the introduction of Lalah Singh and Challia Bull, the story begins to focus on Newtypes and what they mean for the future of humanity. Amuro encounters his father, and meets Char again (both on and off the battlefield). As has been the case throughout this series, the relationship between Sayla and Char is explored in more detail than in previous tellings of this story. Their meeting on the Texas colony is a quite extended scene, ending with Char admitting that his vendetta against the Zabi family is not really about the high-minded ideals of their father, but rather payback for their mother's suffering. It gives more of a bitter, sad edge to Char's character. Some very exciting battle scenes as well, as Amuro and the Gundam are pushed to the limits of their endurance.
June 6, 2015
I've seen the original 0079 series in just about every shape or form from the original TV show to the hard-to-find novelization. "The Origin" is the only version that stays true to the original major plot points of the story and emotional arcs of the characters, while also building on the history of the Universal Century and its inhabitants.
This manga might now be my definitive version of the story.
This manga might now be my definitive version of the story.
March 19, 2016
We're back in space! The story revisits where Char and Sayla grew up as just established in all the flashback books. Hurray, western! Amuro and Char have a chance meeting. It's tense and lovely. Art was great as always. I am so in love with this series.
Read
March 17, 2016Nice to read about Lalah and some chance encounters.
October 9, 2015
Newtypes have been mentioned before, but this is the volume where the primary focus of the story starts to shift to the emergence of the Newtypes.
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December 18, 2017
Lalah’s origin is super interesting. I actually wanted more exposition between Char and Lalah (I could’ve taken a break from Amuro for a while).
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews