

As I watch the shows I am constantly noticing the patterns in the head designs
of the mobile suits.

Any true Gundam, or otherwise important mech, will always have two eyes and
usually the V horns. Any generic suit, or one belonging to a more shallow
villain, will only have one eye.

Is this any kind of cultural reference?

EDIT

In Unicorn characters say that a mech becomes a Gundam when the horn opens
into a V. As if the V horns are something very specific.


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2015-10-31T06:24:10.083
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question
culture gundam
Is there an out-of-universe reason for the Gundam series mech head designs?


the gundam head design is supposed to be a homage to samurai helmets: designed
to intimidate opponents (which is why a lot of characters get scared seeing a
gundam head).

prettymuch all gundam head designs have a V shaped antenna on the forhead
(barring the turn A gundam, which reminds me of world war 1 german
nobility/soldier); two vents on the moutpiece (barring zeta, exia, 00 Qan[t]
and a few others); generally have white as the main colour, a red/black small
beard, blue/green/yellow eyes, and a square element atop the head quite
bizzarely a lot of japanese car designers pay homage to gundam for their car
design


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2016-03-28T21:51:22.060
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answer


[According to Kunio
Okawara](http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Simplicity-key-to-
successful-design-30259167.html), the mecha designer for the series:

> "I also put the form of the
> [chonmage](http://haircutpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Chonmage), which is a form of
> Japanese traditional haircut worn by men, and
> [kabuto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuto), which is a type of helmet
> first used by ancient Japanese warriors, into the design of Gundam. They are
> my inspirations that are concealed behind the creation of Gundam."

[![https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Helmet_\(kabuto\),_Edo_period,_mid-18th_century,_repouss%C3%A9_iron.JPG](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tD2MCm.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tD2MCm.jpg)
[![chonmage](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uy7JNm.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uy7JNm.jpg)

[![RX-78-2
Head](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sdkNY.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sdkNY.jpg)


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answer