I managed to purchase this book in early 2019, however I was fortunate enough to see the museum show for The Art of Gundam in 2015/2016-ish. This book was long sold out by the time I arrived, however given that I was able to purchase the book, I've decided to upload the original concept art for the prototype of Mobile Suit Gundam, Freedom Fighter Gunboy.

Freedom Fighter Gunboy was penned in 1977 due to Sunrise's contract to produce 3 shows for the end of the 1970s (this contract was with a toy company, who funded in part the creation of shows such as Daitarn 3 and Zambot 3 due to their popularity with children), however due to the sudden time constraint, lots of ideas were ultimately bounced about until it was settled on developing the original concept for what would become Mobile Suit Gundam. Originally supposed to have a much more darker tone than what 0079 displayed, Freedom Fighter Gunboy would follow the exploits of 'a group of young people who aim to establish freedom and understanding in the cosmos'; this being underscored by the notion that years prior, space colonists had taken to the stars and would ultimate 'mutate' into 'Spacenoids'.

The Spacenoids were lead by the tyrannical Degwin Sodo Zabi and his clan of elitist, cruel children, whereas a war was waged against Earth as a 'new life form' had been created. The young crew of the Freedom Fighter (a very early concept design for White Base by Kunio Okawara [大河原 邦男]) would set out into space to stop the invasion, in their arsenal, the Gunboy (the early name for the RX-79-2 Gundam).

Lots of changes would be made to the original script by Sunrise's executives to appeal to children and fulfil the deal in place in 1978 before the show would be released in 1979 as Mobile Suit Gundam.

This ultimately is the original concept art for Mobile Suit Gundam's characters, however there is more out there that can be found in Gundam Archive by Mediaworks, which was released in 1999. I own this text, however due to having a scanner with a relatively short scanning bed and the book being over a foot long and wide, I am finding some difficulties in scanning it. I will do what I can, however it will be some time until I can get images. Most of the other settei works are cel paintings by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (高千穂 遙) that were shown to backers in a meeting held by Yoshiyuki Tomino (富野 喜幸) himself.

The basis of the script as well as these designs are based in part on Yoshikazu's work on the cancelled Terrahawks anime (1974), Crusher Joe (1977), as well as his work on Space Battleship Yamato and it's films. I am mainly uploading what I have as while these images have surfaced online, not many people have uploaded them in the context of The Art of Gundam.

I do not do this professionally; I am just an avid fan and am sharing what I have with the world the best I can. If you have other materials, please share with everyone. This material is over 40+ years old and we have a brand new generation of people who need to see this history.

Questions/Comments - [email protected]
Illustration/Archival Twitter - https://twitter.com/retroanimechris

In regards to translations and subtext for each page, I have done my best to give some context based on what is present as well as what 'Gundam Archive' says, as its the eldest and had the most information:

Page 1-
The first character of the Zeon army to be designed, 'Gandley' is one of Degwin's children and is an officer. Early concept art signifies that members of the Zabi clan have distinctive marks on their foreheads to show that they are royalty (this is missing evidently for Garma Zabi). Some would or could even argue that this is the protogenitive 'Sasro' even. He is given no age.

Page 2-
Gihren Zabi, known as 'Gerbel' originally (stated in Gundam Archive), and Degwin Sodo Zabi. Both Degwin and Gihren's designs are based off of early concept art that Yas drafted for Terrahawks:
/s/9fe0d5c010/1881077-9 (right page, bottom corner). Both designs have other designs as well in Gundam Archive as well, which are cel paintings.
Gihren/Gerbel is stated as being 35 whereas Degwin is 62.

Page 3-
Concept art for Kycilia Zabi and Dozle Zabi, both of which are relatively the same. Kycilia's design is roughly based on yet another Yas design from Terrahawks:
/s/bce57b00f6/1881077-10 (left page, top right) whereas Dozle's mirror's another design: /s/9fe0d5c010/1881077-9 (Right page, top left).
Kycilia is not given a definitive age, however Dozle is stated as being 28.

Page 4-
Concept art for Char Aznable and Garma Zabi. Char's cape crest has changed significantly whereas Garma's uniform/hair color has changed. Char and Garma are both stated as being 20 years old.

Page 5-
Concept art for Fraw Bow and an unused character, Hachijo Shima. Hachijo is based off of Yas' designs for Alfin in the original Crusher Joe light novels. She is not given an age unlike Fraw Bow (15). It is rumored that Hachijo would have been Amuro's love interest in Gunboy.

Page 6-
Concept art for Katz, Letz and Kikka. Design wise, Yas' work on Robokko Beeton can be seen in their SD (super deformed) gestures. Katz is aged 8, Letz 6, and Kikka 4 years old. Not much has changed except for Kikka sporting a bralette vs the shirt she wears in 0079.

Page 7-
Concept art for Sayla Mass and Mirai Yashima. Sayla Mass design wise is quite the same, however her 'real name' is Asilia Mass. She is stated as being 17 years old. Mirai's original name was Mirai Eyland at this stage, whereas she is stated as being 19 years old.

Page 8-
Concept art for Kai Shiden and Hayato Kobayashi. Design wise, they are more or less the same, sans for uniform coloring. Kai is stated as being apathetic and smarmy and is 18 years old and resembles 'a water dragon/comes from water dragon country', whereas Hayato is only 15.

Page 9-
Concept art for Bright Noa and Ryu Jose. Ryu Jose would be Afro-Latino coded, but according to Gundam Archive, the skin color that would have been used to paint the cels could not be afforded by Sunrise, thus he was ultimately redesigned. Ryu's design sensibilities can be found in the concept art for Old Tom designed by Yas for Terrahawks:
/s/8d9e6a0eac/1881077-5 (right page). Ryu is stated as being 19 years old.

Bright Noa according to Gundam Archive is 'British' in origin, hailing from the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong, thus his very Anglo features. He ultimately would be recast and recolored to be strictly Asian coded. His concept is a rough approximation of another British character that Yas designed for Terrahawks:
/s/fc72863349/1881077-3 (left page). He is stated as being 18 years old, being the leader, and being very mature.

Page 10-
Concept Art for Amuro Ray, nee Higashi Hongo. Higashi Hongo on some sources I have seen is supposedly a name of Balinese origin, however he is stated as having a strong sense of justice and freedom. Amuro's concept is based loosely on another Terrahawk's design:
/s/f567544302/1881077-2 (left page)

Amuro takes inspiration from Crusher Joe as well as Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's time spent working on Space Battleship Yamato. Even down to his stance, he mirrors Yas' settei work for Susumu Kodai; Amuro however has a very grimdark sense of humor and valiant personality on the basis of the original script as found in Gundam Archive by Mediaworks.

Base +6, FChiisaia +6, zlz20000312 +6

Thanks for all this. It must feel amazing to hold the actual book in your hands, a piece of Animation History!

I still think it's funny that the earliest Kycillia art has her looking like a Cobra Commander Prototype

And a giant boi like Dozle being the "tender" age of 28

Though how it was to have a "darker" tone than 0079? The 1 year war, the Colony drop among other things are all pretty extreme

"Bright" Noa being British originally makes sense, though they all left Hong Kong after 1997 and whatever "future tech" setting of Gunboy/Gundam would be well past that date, so Redesigning Him as Asian made sense.

But Ryu Jose? I'm curious to know more about this Skin cel shading pigment they couldn't afford. Doesn't it sound like an excuse?

Base +8, DOIHI3 +6

You're welcome for the upload. There is a documentary on Freedom Fighter Gunboy titled 'The Making of Gundam' that was aired on NHK that gives some synopsis on early aspects of the plot, but the tone is exceptionally darker upon reading the original scripts without cuts, some of which can be found in Media Work's Gundam Archive in the front of the book. You can watch the documentary here with Spanish subs even:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL6IJsTkDhA

The British Crown Colony was still a thing during the late 1970s and the aspect of it being dissolved wouldn't have been a notion then. Mobile Suit Gundam debuted in 1979, the script for Freedom Fighter Gunboy was drafted in 1977.

The fact about Ryu Jose is not an excuse. Gundam faced some of the most notable budget cuts in the industry during the time of its inception, some of which would not be seen until the 1990s during the recession Japan went through. Ryu has always been coded as Afro-Latino, but the pigment could not be afforded due budget issues. Most notably is the notion of multiculturalism in 0079s world, so it was never an issue otherwise.

Base +6