| “ | Many of your fathers and brothers have perished valiantly in the face of a contemptible enemy. We must never forget what the Federation has done to our people! My brother, Garma Zabi, have shown us these virtues through his own valiant sacrifice. By focusing our anger and sorrow, we are finally in a position where victory is within our grasp, and once again, our most cherished nation will flourish. Victory is the greatest tribute we can pay those who sacrifice their lives for us! Rise, our people, Rise! Take your sorrow, and turn it into anger! Zeon thirsts for the strength of its people! SIEG ZEON! | „ |
| ~ An excerpt from one of Gihren's speeches. |
| “ | Just as with the Federation, a democracy will only promote weakness. People will only end up destroying each other, as they have done so in this war. I'll be victorious! See for yourself how a Hitler follower fights this war. | „ |
| ~ Gihren to Degwin after being compared by him to Adolf Hitler. |
| “ | Gihren is a despot trying to exterminate the very source of life that has supported and nurtured him. We, of the Federation, shall never comprehend the monstrosity of his actions. | „ |
| ~ General Johan Revil denouncing Gihren Zabi in his famous "Zeon is exhausted" speech. |
Gihren Zabi (in Japanese: ギレン・ザビ, Giren Zabi, also spelled Giren) is the primary antagonist of the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam.
He is one of the leaders of the Principality of Zeon and the oldest son of Degwin Sodo Zabi, as well as Supreme Commander of the Zeon Armed Forces and the primary instigator of Zeon's war against the Earth Federation. Under the pretense of "liberating" the colonies, Gihren seeks to bring the entire Earth Sphere under his totalitarian control. He is responsible for masterminding Operation: British, which saw Zeon exterminating the population of Side 2 and subsequently dropping the colony on Sydney, Australia (it was intended to land on the Earth Federation headquarters in Jaburo, but veered off course).
Gihren was gifted with a high IQ (240) and ingenious oratory abilities. He and his sister Kycilia Zabi were constantly at odds with each other as both had similar political goals but different methods. Although Gihren was successful in reducing his father's role to that of a figurehead ruler, he still endured Degwin's criticisms and scorn. Degwin saw Gihren as little more than an updated version of historical dictator Adolf Hitler, a role that Gihren was all too happy to take to heart. Some of his most notable supporters include Colonel Killing, Admiral Aiguille Delaz, Anavel Gato and his secretary Cecilia Irene.
In addition to serving as the main antagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam, Gihren is also the overarching antagonist in several of its spin-off OVAs including Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket and Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, as well as the main antagonist of the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Plot To Assassinate Gihren manga series and as a posthumous overarching antagonist in the OVA series Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, along with numerous other side stories taking place during and after the One Year War involving Zeon Remnants. Because of his influence as the de facto ruler of Zeon, including inspiring numerous successors, Gihren can effectively be considered the main antagonist of the entire Universal Century era of the Gundam franchise.
He was voiced by the veteran seiyu Banjo Ginga in the original Japanese version. In the English dubbed series and OVAs/film adaptations, he was voiced by Hiro Kanagawa and Doug Stone respectively. In the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin OVA, he was voiced by Liam O'Brien.
What Makes Him Pure Evil?[]
- He used nerve gas to exterminate the population of the Side 2 colony so it could be used for Operation British, even though Zeon declared war on the Earth Federation under the pretense of seeking to liberate the other colonies from the Earth Federation's control.
- After Side 2's population was wiped out, he dropped the hollow shell of Side 2 on Earth in an attempt to destroy the Earth Federation's Jaburo military headquarters, resulting in the destruction of Sydney, Australia and the deaths of 1/3 of the Earth's population.
- The Zeon marines led by Cima Garahau who were sent to carry the gassing of Side 2 were deceived to believe they were using sleeping gas instead of a deadly nerve agent, meaning they were tricked by Gihren into committing a deadly war crime. This would result in them being used as scapegoats and barred from received amnesty after the One Year War ended while Gihren's other cohorts involved in the planning of Operation British got off Scot free.
- He also had Coma's homeland colony become a colony laser, making them homeless, and become space pirates later.
- After their initial failure to destroy Jaburo, Gihren had the population of a Side 5 colony gassed so it could be used in another attempted colony drop, though the dropping of the colony was thwarted by the Earth Federation Forces and Side 5 was completely destroyed instead.
- Used the Solar Ray to obliterate the fleets of both his father Degwin Zabi and General Revil when Degwin left to negotiate a peace treaty with the Earth Federation.
Trivia[]
- In the novelization, Gihren was responsible for killing Zeon Zum Deikun. It's unknown if he was following his father's order at the time nor if it's canonical to the series, but if it is, it would make Gihren even worse than he already is.
- In addition to being inspired from Adolf Hitler, Gihren is also based on Hideki Tojo, a Japanese Prime Minister, who was a war criminal in WWII.
External Links[]
- Gihren Zabi on the Villains Wiki
- Gihren Zabi on the Gundam Wiki
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| Gundam Pure Evils | ||
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Gihren Zabi | Colonel Killing | Yazan Gable | Bask Om | Rakan Dahkaran | Crux Dogatie | Fonse Kagatie | Ulube Ishikawa | Wong Yunfat | Dekim Barton | Tsubarov | Gym Ghingnham | Muruta Azrael | Lord Djibril | Ribbons Almark | Ali Al-Saachez | Arthur Goodman | Desil Galette | Kudal Cadel | Nobliss Gordon | Iznario Fareed | Jasley Donomikols | | ||