[Black Gentle] SD ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam

 

Gundam SEED Destiny - Cosmic Era (CE)

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The ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam is Orb's latest prototype mobile suit to replace the Strike Rouge that's unable to match against ZAFT's newer and more powerful suits. Similar to Strike Rouge, Akatsuki was developed by reverse-engineering the Strike Gundam. And though it is not a one-to-one copy of Strike like the Rouge, Akatsuki still has the looks of Strike with a gold armor. This is what happens when you let the Orb's engineers to copy your whole homework but ask them to change it up a lil bit.  As I mentioned before, SEED is the mirror image of Zeta Gundam, so Akatsuki is basically the alternate version of Hyaku Shiki because of the striking gold color. Similar to Hyaku Shiki the gold colored coating (called the Yata-no-Kagami) is responsible for Akatsuki special feature - beam resistant. It can deflect and even reflecting beam shots but still vulnerable to physical weapons attack. The gold color is also the color of Orb's royalty, due to the Akatsuki piloted by their Chief, Cagalli Yula Attha. 

Apparrently Orb kept Akatsuki in secret, only to be used as the nation's last line of defense. Cagalli piloted Akatsuki during the Second Battle of Orb where she was defeated by Shinn Asuka in his Destiny Gundam. She was almost killed in that battle until Lord Kira descended from space in his Strike Freedom Gundam and save the day. Akatsuki was later repaired and upgraded with Shiranui Space Pack before it was given to Mu La Flaga. This SD Akatsuki with Shiranui Pack papercraft was designed by Black Gentle aka Kwang Hee-Lee.