Mecha Profile: RX-78GP02 Physalis - Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

A Gundam, especially in the Universal Century verse, is already a walking mini nuclear reactor, like other mobile suits. Ever wonder how scarier they can get if they’re also armed with a nuclear weapon of its own size? The GP02 Physalis is the one big answer.

I. History:
– The RX-78GP02 “Physalis” is the second Gundam built alongside its older brother – the GP01 Zephyranthes, under the Gundam Development Project by Anaheim Electronics. With cutting-edge technologies derived from Zeon during the One Year War, the GP02 is one of the four most advanced mobile suits in U.C. 0083.

– In September of the same year, it was picked up along with GP01 by a Pegasas-class carrier – the Albion and its Anaheim staff then travelled to Torrington Base in Australia on Earth for scheduled testing. However, it was stolen along with its nuclear warhead by one of the former Zeon’s top Ace – Anavel Gato and escaped under the plan of Operation Stardust. With the Albion and the GP01 piloted by Kou Uraki on a mission to take it back, the GP02 quickly fled to space. Later, Gato used its nuclear Bazooka to devastate a fleet of Earth Federation Space Force during the Naval Review in a successful attack under Operation Stardust. However, the GP02 and an upgraded GP01Fb Full Burnen were destroyed in a fierce space battle between Gato and Kou.

II. Technical Specs & Armaments:
– The GP02 Physalis stands out from the other four of its kind as the only mobile suit at the time that was armed with a nuclear weapon. With a 60-millimeter Vulcan gun on its head as standard and a pair of adjustable heavy AEXB-909L Beam Saber prototypes, it is also equipped with a two-piece G-BAZ-0186-A Atomic Bazooka which contains an unguided Mk82 nuclear warhead carried separately on the backpack and can be jettisoned after use, one of the most powerful weapons handled by a mobile suit in U.C. 0083 – it is unguided because to prevent the Minovsky Particle’s nature affecting any sensitive action of the weapon.

– Because of its nuclear capability, the GP02 comes with a thickened body, which features great protection, including in the cockpit section, by using neutron moderators to prevent nuclear blast effect for the pilot. Instead of a regular Core Block System, the Physalis featured a spherical cockpit with multiple layers of composite armour to protect the pilot from a nuclear blast, increasing its survivability over normal mobile suits. Its armour is also built to be heat- and shock-resistant, especially from nuclear blast areas, and its large shield with its own cooling system can defend it from both physical and beam attacks.

Despite its bulky size, the GP02 is actually very maneuverable thanks to its brand new high-output generators with flexible thruster binders mounted on its shoulder. This makes it able to hover even under Earth’s gravity.

– Aside from its nuclear capability, the GP02 Physalis is also able to perform other roles similar to the GP01 such as the six-tube Multiple Rocket Launcher System kit installed on its backpack or swapping its nuclear bazooka to a beam bazooka instead.

III. Gallery: