Gundam 00’s lead protagonist, Setsuna F. Seiei, isn’t much like what we’ve seen in times past: he isn’t idealistic, and he doesn’t shy away from how terrible war is. In fact, when we meet him he’s already been experienced with what it means to kill, not merely in a mobile suit, but in real life.
The only thing he has in common with protagonists from other series is his youth, and this seems to be by design. The director of the series, Seiji Mizushima, wanted to create a character that would be harder for the average audience to relate to. Still, he managed to become one of the most popular anime characters in Gundam history, and this list goes into detail on everything only the biggest fans of the character know about him.
10 NATURAL INNOVATOR
The high levels of special particles generated by the Gundams resulted in Setsuna being forever changed. The transformation is referred to as “Innovation”, and is an evolutionary process meant to take humanity to a new level.
This level grants humans the ability to read the minds of others, understanding their thoughts while also making them better able to understand information.
9 SAVED BY THE 0 GUNDAM
The first “intervention” with a Gundam involved Setsuna F. Seiei being saved by the 0 Gundam. 0 Gundam was a first generation Gundam sent into combat by Fereshte to quell some combat happening in the area of Krugis.
Setsuna was one of the people there, but his look of awe convinced the pilot to leave him alive, making him one of the only survivors from the battle.
8 ALSO KNOWN AS...
Setsuna has a couple of main voice actors which are incredibly famous. The first is Brad Swaile, the English voice actor. Brad Swaile has voiced multiple Gundam characters before, including the legendary Amuro Ray, the first protagonist of Gundam himself.
But there’s also Japanese seiyuu Mamoru Miyano, who’s been voice characters since 2003. The voice actor has been in everything from Yuri on Ice to Ushio and Tora.
7 CLOSE COMBAT SPECIALIST
Setsuna was trained by a guerilla soldier while he was in an organization known as the KPSA. While in that organization, Setsuna became an expert in fighting in close combat, learning how to utilize firearms and knives, and even becoming a minor explosive expert.
Because of this, he’s better able to use the Exia model, which focuses on fighting in close combat using GN blades instead of being focused entirely on long range weaponry.
6 CHOSEN TO PILOT THE EXIA
Setsuna was uniquely chosen to pilot the Gundam Exia when his organization was looking for another specialized pilot. He was recommended by the man who saved him in the 0 Gundam, Ribbons Almark.
Ribbons found himself flattered by how impressed Setsuna was with the 0 Gundam, and as a result not only suggests Setsuna join, but changes the computer meant to pick the Gundam pilots to make it select the young man.
5 BIG BROTHER LOCKON
From all the Gundam pilots, Setsuna had the closest relationship with Lockon. While it was easy enough for Setsuna to forget his past, Lockon forced him to confront it. Some of Setsuna’s associates in the terrorist group KPSA wiped out Lockon’s closest family members.
Eventually, the two get to speak about it, and Lockon makes the attempt to kill Setsuna. But after hearing Setsuna’s resolve to become the ideal of their organization and stop conflict in the world, Lockon gives up on this revenge.
4 LEADER OF THE TEAM
When the series begins, Setsuna is the most distant member of the group. He’s not fit to lead anyone, and can barely take orders in certain occasions. But the team’s constant changes and Setsuna’s development as a character lead to massive changes for him.
With Sumeragi unable to stay focused, and no one else capable of standing up to lead, Setsuna takes things head on. He’s never the direct commander, but people do want to follow him into battle.
3 HIS GREATEST RIVALRY
Setsuna has no shortage of rivals within the main storyline. He starts out gaining one in Graham Aker, a pilot who loses everything through several encounters with the Gundam pilots. Then eventually he meets Ali Al-Saachez, the man who completely altered his life.
Then eventually he started fighting against the villains of the storyline. No matter the challenge, Setsuna has come out on top time and again...though it might have required a bit of GN particles related help.
2 A DECENT MECHANIC
In between the time that all the world’s governments begin working together, forming the A-Laws group to crush any resistance, Setsuna eventually starts to repair the Gundam Exia. He spends four years modifying it and working on it, but it still doesn’t look great when we see it.
It’s obviously been heavily damaged, but Setsuna hasn’t done very much to fix it. Talented as he is, he’s not great with machines, and was only able to get it running. Fortunately, he ran back into his group not long after the Exia’s first new battle.
1 RESEMBLES HEERO YUY
While Setsuna doesn’t seem like he has much in common with other Gundam pilots, there’s one notable exception to this. Both Setsuna and Heero Yuy have a ton in common personality wise.
The two characters both rarely ever speak, and their taciturn nature bewilders everyone they work with. Nonetheless, they’re also both considered the ace pilots of their groups.