is a fictional character from the Japanese science fiction anime television series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and its sequel Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, part of the Gundam franchise. In the former, Athrun Zala is introduced as a member from the military organization ZAFT, composed of genetically enhanced humans known as Coordinators. Participating in the war between Coordinators and regular humans, referred to as Naturals, Athrun discovered that his childhood friend Kira Yamato was a member of the Naturals' military organization, the Earth Alliance, despite being a Coordinator. Across the series, Athrun encounters Kira and, after almost killing him, Athrun starts questioning his own motives to participate in the war. Athrun returns in Gundam SEED Destiny participating in another war and is the protagonist of its compilation films. He is voiced in Japanese by Akira Ishida and in English by Sam Vincent in the Ocean dub and by Chris Hackney in the NYAV dub. Athrun has appeared in manga adaptations from the series, taking the leading role in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny: The Edge. He is featured in games from both Gundam SEED and the Gundam franchise, as well as crossovers in general. Athrun's character has been highly popular, taking high spots in polls from the Gundam franchise, as well as the Anime Grand Prix polls. Publications from manga, anime and other media have commented on Athrun's character, providing positive response due to his relationships and his role in the series. Appearances In the TV series In Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Athrun is one of the genetically enhanced humans known as Coordinators who joined the military organization ZAFT that battles the regular humans, the Naturals, in the Bloody Valentine War. At the start of the series Athrun is a member of Rau Le Creuset's team which carries out a ZAFT raid on the neutral colony Heliopolis. The team steals several advanced mobile suits created by the Earth Alliance; Athrun himself confiscates the . During the raid he finds that his childhood friend Kira Yamato has become the pilot of the mobile suit GAT-X105 Strike. As ZAFT is assigned to destroy the Earth Alliance ship Archangel, Athrun encounters Kira at times as the latter was protecting the ship to protect his friends. When Kira kills one of Athrun's comrades in combat, Athrun tries to kill Kira by self-destructing the Aegis alongside the Strike, escaping just before its detonation. He is