The forces of Zeon are usually the main antagonists of the Gundam franchise, being the first to create Mobile Suits that would be later used by their enemies, the Earth Federation, and would eventually lead to the creation of one of anime's most iconic mechs, the Gundam.
Considering Zeon had the upper hand in the war for a while, they definitely had the shinier and more impressive toys before, during, and even after the original war. But sadly, they didn't always knock it out of the park. Here are a few Zeon mechs that'd be a dream to pilot and some that belong in the junkyard.
10 DO WITHOUT: AMX-003 GAZA-C (MOBILE SUIT ZETA GUNDAM)
They say one man's trash is another man's treasure, though maybe the developers behind the AMX-003 Gaza-C took that a little too far. The Gaza-C is constructed from the recycled parts of its siblings, the Gaza-A and B, and while it was a well balanced Mobile Suit, the repurposed parts ended up leading to design flaws.
The Gaza-C had the capability to transform, but unfortunately due to how it was built, the entire Mobile Suit would fall apart if that ability was used more than a few times. Not shockingly, this mech didn't see much action because of this and its weaknesses were ironed out a bit in future models.
9 NEED IT: MS-18E KÄMPFER (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 0080: WAR IN THE POCKET)
The MS-18E Kämpfer was built with one idea in mind, to strike hard and fast and then disappear just as quickly. While it couldn't play much outside of that intended purpose, the Kämpfer was a powerhouse when it came to this "hit and run" strategy. It could do a lot of damage before making a clean getaway thanks to its high maneuverability.
Despite going light on armor, the Kämpfer puts up a heavy offense to make up for its lack of defense. With twin Beam Sabers, rocket launchers, and shotguns among its arsenal, the Kämpfer was a force to be reckoned with that could even give the RX series a run for its money.
8 DO WITHOUT: MS-06F ZAKU II (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM)
The Zakus were the original Mobile Suits, from which all others evolved from on both sides of the One Year War. The MS-06F Zaku II was heavily armored, had a wide array of weapons, and were able to tackle a number of different roles. The Zaku II was the most produced Mobile Suit at that time, however, being one of the first didn't necessarily make them the best.
The Zaku's armor made them slow and clunky. They were only effective as they were since they were one of the only Mobile Suits active at the time, but eventually, they were outdone by better Mobile Suits. The most notorious example being the RX-78-2 Gundam, which was able to easily destroy large groups of Zakus without taking much damage from them.
7 NEED IT: MS-07B GOUF (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM)
The MS-07B Gouf was designed to be better than the Zaku II in every way and it definitely accomplished that. It was faster and stronger than the Zaku II, all without sacrificing defense. Thanks to its signature weapon, the Heat Rod, the Gouf could send an electrical shock that could mess with a Mobile Suit's internal systems and stun the pilot inside too.
Sadly, this mech's production life was a short one, given the high cost of it. Still make no mistake, the Gouf was still highly effective and didn't lack anything when it came to strength and firepower.
6 DO WITHOUT: MSM-10 ZOCK (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM)
Out of the many amphibious Mobile Suits throughout the series, the MSM-10 Zock (seen in the center of this image) might be one of the least threatening. While it was large in size and did boast some good weaponry, the Zock was more effective in the water than it was on land.
The Zock couldn't even use its useless stubby legs, mostly floating around instead. In its defense, it had a lot of range for attacking, however, compared to similar units like it, the Zock didn't really stand out. Not to mention, it's overall look was a little goofy.
5 NEED IT: MS-14S GELGOOG (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM)
Being one of the last mass-produced Mobile Suits by Zeon during the One Year War, the Gelgoog series was meant to rival the RX-78-2 Gundam. In particular, the MS-14S that was piloted by Char Aznable was quite formidable in the war.
With a powerful generator and beam weapons made this Mobile Suit a tough enemy for the iconic Gundam to overcome. The only downside to this mech is that its armor and weapons were lacking, meaning being disarmed would put the pilot in a bad spot. Even so, disarming the Gelgoog would be a tall order alone, especially if a skilled pilot is in the cockpit.
4 DO WITHOUT: MA-08 BIG ZAM (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM)
Classified as a "Mobile Armor", MA-08 Big Zam was massive and unlike anything the Federation had faced before. Big Zam was armed to the teeth with Particle Guns, missiles, a barrier generator, and thick armor. It was able to take out numerous Mobile Suits, but its weaknesses lead to its downfall.
Big Zam was focused solely on attack power and high defense, which meant that speed was completely off the table for it. The barrier it had was meant to compensate for it, but Big Zam had one other fatal flaw. If used in a fight lasting more than 20 minutes, the mech would overheat and become unusable. Bigger doesn't always mean better.
3 NEED IT: MSN-04 SAZABI (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: CHAR'S COUNTERATTACK)
When Char came back, he came back with a vengeance and an amazing Mobile Suit that put all his old ones to shame. The MSN-04 Sazabi is larger than the average Mobile Suit, but don't let the size fool you, thanks to lighter armor and a lot of thrust power, its speed is to be feared.
The Sazabi is built for Newtypes, meaning only someone like Char could properly pilot it. It's no slouch when it comes to offense either, sporting tons of beam rifles and melee weapons, as for defensive measures, the Sazabi has a shield that can protect it from any Mobile Suit and funnel drones that can even block missiles. With the right pilot behind it, the Sazabi could be unstoppable.
2 DO WITHOUT: MA-04X ZAKRELLO (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM)
Being one of the first proto-types for Zeon's Mobile Armors, the MA-04X Zakrello may look like a monster, but looks can be deceiving. While it did sport a particle cannon, heated blades, and huge thrusters for extreme speed, it lacked the ability to make use of those strengths.
The Zakrello's speed was actually so fast that the mech was nearly impossible to maneuver or dodge enemy fire. In every way, the Zakrello was outdone by later Mobile Armors, which makes this proto-type mech pretty obsolete. It wasn't even able to take out one Mobile Suit during the One Year War.
1 NEED IT: MSN-06S SINANJU (MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN)
Known as the "Second Coming of Char", Full Frontal piloted the MSN-06S Sinanju, a beauty of a Mobile Suit that sort of proves all the best Zeon mechs came in red. The Sinanju was built with preciseness in mind, and as such could maneuver flawlessly at high speeds. This is balanced with tons of firepower made this mecha a horrific opponent for any less able pilot.
Between its Beam Saber, Beam Axe, Vulcan Gun, Beam Rifle, grenades, and rockets, the Sinanju has plenty of ways it can attack foes. Its defense can also be made into offense, using the weapons stored in the shield as a melee weapon if need be. Powerful and versatile, the Sinanju is a must-have for mech lovers everywhere.