Mobile Suit Gundam The 08th MS Team: Characters			Previous: Gundam The 08th MS Team Story Synopsis Characters Mechanics Next: Gundam 0080

SHIRO AMADA Organization Earth Federation Rank 2nd Lieutenant Age 24 A native of Side 2, Shiro has spent the entire war as a Federal Forces soldier, and has now been transferred to Earth to command the 08th Mobile Suit Team of the Kojima Battalion. Shiro bears a grudge against the Zeons from the early days of the war, when he witnessed Zeon mobile suits attacking a space colony with poison gas. But his convictions are shaken by his growing affection for enemy pilot Aina Sakhalin, making him ever more uncomfortable with the morality of his role as a soldier. As a commander, Shiro comes off as a bit of a lightweight, and at first isn't taken seriously by the members of the 08th MS Team. But his tactical ability, and his sincere concern for their survival, eventually win them over. As Shiro's relationship with Aina leads his commanders to suspect him of spying, his teammates stand by him to the bitter end.

KAREN JOSHUA Organization Earth Federation Rank Sergeant Major Age 26 A tough sergeant major, Karen is the 08th MS Team's most veteran pilot. She's been stationed with the Kojima Battalion for three months; it's not clear what became of her previous teammates, but we're led to suspect the worst. As a former medical student and widow of a military surgeon, Karen has a knack for field medicine, which does come in handy. Her most obvious character trait is a hot temper - her Gundam may end up undergoing an emergency field transplant, but don't you dare call her "GM Head."

TERRY SANDERS JR. Organization Earth Federation Rank Sergeant Age 29 Even at this early stage, Sanders has already become one of the Federal Forces' handful of mobile suit aces. But his accomplishments haven't come without a cost; his famous jinx, which traditionally leads to the death of all his teammates on their third mission together, has earned this grim pilot the nickname "God of Death." When Shiro's optimism helps him break his jinx, Sanders rewards his commander with devoted loyalty, even when he's ordered to monitor Shiro as a suspected spy.

ELEDORE MASSIS Organization Earth Federation Rank Corporal Age 22 Together with Michel, Eledore mans the 08th MS Team's support hovertruck, coordinating the team's mobile suits and monitoring enemy forces. Though he seems like a complete bimbo, bopping away with headphones on, Eledore is actually very good at his job. It's just when he's off-duty that he turns into a flake. Eledore has two obsessions: His budding musical career, and a hopeless infatuation with pilot Karen Joshua.

MICHEL NINORICH Organization Earth Federation Rank Corporal Age 18 The junior member of the 08th MS Team, Michel helps Eledore man the team's support hovertruck. Introspective and intellectual, Michel spends most of his spare time writing journal entries and penning letters to his girlfriend "B.B.," whom he left back at his home colony.

KOJIMA Organization Earth Federation Rank Lieutenant Colonel The commander of a mechanized battalion in Southeast Asia, Kojima is frumpy, cranky and informal. As his underlings squabble, brawl and barter, Kojima just sits in his tent fanning himself and grumbling about paperwork.

JIDAN NICKARD Organization Earth Federation Rank Captain Age 72 The antiquated chief of the Kojima Battalion's supply corps, Nickard is the real power behind the throne. Coordinating a complex web of favors and deals, he knows everyone and can arrange anything... for a price. He also has a zest for women, booze and gambling that belies his advanced years.

ETHAN LYER Organization Earth Federation Rank Colonel Kojima's direct superior, the mustached Lyer is devious and cynical. As the search for the hidden Zeon research base becomes more intense, Lyer resorts to increasingly unsavory tactics to produce a career-advancing victory.

AINA SAKHALIN Organization Duchy of Zeon Age 20 A pretty and delicate-looking young woman, Aina is part of Zeon's aristocratic Sakhalin family. Largely raised by family retainer Norris Packard, and dominated by her charismatic older brother Ginias, Aina has likely never questioned her place in the order of things until her fateful encounter with Shiro. As a Zeon test pilot, she aids her brother by performing flight tests on the mobile armor Apsaras. Though she soon becomes disturbed by Ginias's monomaniac drive to complete the Apsaras, outright resistance seems out of the question for her.

GINIAS SAKHALIN Organization Duchy of Zeon Rank Major General Age 27 This high-ranking engineer was charged by the Zeon leadership with the creation of the ultimate weapon, a fearsome mobile armor capable of devastating the Federal Forces and turning the tide of the war. As Zeon's military position worsens, and time pressures increase, Ginias's determination to successfully complete the Apsaras project develops into insanity. By the end, he is willing to sacrifice everything - military objectives, allies, even the lives of his own underlings - to bring his project to a successful conclusion.

NORRIS PACKARD Organization Duchy of Zeon Rank Colonel The Sakhalin family's steadfastly loyal retainer is a master warrior in his own right, one of Zeon's best mobile suit pilots. He serves Ginias without hesitation or question, prepared to face certain death in order to carry out his duty. However, Norris has a fatherly fondness for Aina that belies his otherwise robotic dedication.

YURI KERANE Organization Duchy of Zeon Rank Major General The commander of a Zeon army division in Europe, Yuri fights in the losing battle to defend Zeon's Odessa base, and then leads his remaining troops to Ginias's secret base so that they can return to space to continue the battle. Though he's an old acquaintance of the Sakhalin siblings, he manages to offend them both with his crude behavior and contempt for Ginias's scientific preoccupations. Though obnoxious and ill-mannered, Yuri nonetheless adheres to a traditional military code of honor and takes the well-being of his men very seriously.

KIKI LOGITA Organization Civilian Age 17 This red-headed nymphet is the daughter of guerilla leader Baresto. Though her first encounter with Shiro gives her a less than glowing impression of him, she soon becomes quite fond of the 08th MS Team, providing important intelligence and running errands for the team members when they're stuck in the field. On balance, she's more useful ally than pest.

BARESTO LOGITA Organization Civilian A grizzled, one-eyed guerilla leader who forges an uneasy alliance with the Federal Forces after capturing Shiro. Though his daughter Kiki spends a lot of time helping out the 08th MS Team, Baresto and his guerillas largely keep to themselves, only sporadically clashing with the Zeon occupying forces. When a trio of Zeon stragglers attempt to capture the guerillas' village, he is killed in the ensuing violence.

Mobile Suit Gundam, Z Gundam, Gundam ZZ, Char's Counterattack, Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, Gundam F91, Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, Gundam 0083: Last Blitz of Zeon, Gundam: The 08th MS Team, and Gundam W: Endless Waltz are copyright Sotsu Agency and Sunrise. V Gundam, G Gundam, Gundam W, and Gundam X are copyright Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and TV Asahi. Turn A Gundam is copyright Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and Fuji TV.