Is this a prototype for the Shenlong?

[veeMaci]

Is this a prototype for the Shenlong?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandrum/34 ... 2/sizes/o/

[RedBlitz]

Looks more like the prototype version of the Virsago Gundam in Gundam X.

http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/X/nrx- ... nicgun.jpg

Also I'm not familiar with all the side material but I don’t think any of the first 5 Gundams had any prototypes other then the Tallgeese and Wing Zero. My guess would be that the picture is simply some very good fan-art.

[Zangetsu]

That apears to be the Gundam Belphagor of Gundam X: Under the Moonlight.

http://mahq.net/mecha/gundam/ggf/gb-9700.htm

[RedBlitz]

lol I was right about it being the protype for Virsago!!!!

[HalfDemonInuyasha]

It wasn't really a "prototype" for the Virsago or the Ashtaron.

It was its own Mobile Suit entirely while the Virsago and Ashtaron only took separate sides of the Belphagor. They weren't planned at the time the Belphagor was made, but after the previous war entirely.

Saves costs + Newtypes were in relatively short supply by then, so no need for a MS completely dedicated for fighting them anymore.

[Zangetsu]

I can see the Virsageo in it but what transfered to the Ashtaron?

[Draco Starcloud]

On the Belphagor's knees are small Atomic Scissors like the Ashtaron uses.

[veeMaci]

I'm becoming more and more tempted to watch After War Gundam X...

[Kylern]

Its only in the manga Under the Moonlight and is the UN's Fourth Gundam unit produced during the Space War that almost wiped out humanity.

[ORegan]

I'm becoming more and more tempted to watch After War Gundam X...

They have newtype dolphins, what more do you want?

[HalfDemonInuyasha]

I usually presumed that the Gundam Belphagors were the ones largely responsible for preventing Operation Lilac from succeeding, thus allowing the 5 Bertigo's to be destroyed and causing the Pautillia to crash.

In terms of Virsago and Ashtaron, as said, it has atomic scissors in the knees that are similar to the Ashtarons while it has "Sonic Smasher" weapons which are similar to the Megasonic Guns used on the Virsago as well as claw arms. (Separate from the Atomic Scissors.)

[Dark Duel]

I'm becoming more and more tempted to watch After War Gundam X...

They have newtype dolphins, what more do you want?

Well, a Newtype dolphin, anyway.
But they also have a submarine land battleship, a pseudo-Qubeley, a kid who picks a fight with an MS while armed with a flashbang and a gun(and wins), snowboarding mobile suits, mobile suits with mustaches, and...Hey, does the scar on that guy's forehead look familiar to anybody?

Seriously, X is great. Check it out if you get a chance.

[OutLawSuit]

I found this image a few years ago. From my understanding it was some concept designs for Wing that obviously never got animated. I have no idea what the text says though.

[Wingnut]

Interesting. Deathsythe's shield looks like a coffin or something. Wing Gundam's looking very much the traditional load out there with the backpack beam sabers, shield and rifle. Shenlong looks like it's imitating Street Fighter's Vega, and Sandrock seems to have stepped right out of a Roman Gladiatorial arena.
I wonder what they had in mind for the Heavyarms at this point.

[AmuroNT1]

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f356/ ... esigns.jpg

Gundam Clownyarms! ::hums circus calliope music a'la Kuzco::

But I dunno if discussing Okawara's early designs is considered on-topic, since the original pic was Belphagor.

[Geoxile]

Tarot?

[Ryujin]

Belphegor was originally introduced in the game G-Generation F, along with Zanspine, DG Jr., etc. It was nice of them to include it in Under the Moonlight.

Interesting. Deathsythe's shield looks like a coffin or something. Wing Gundam's looking very much the traditional load out there with the backpack beam sabers, shield and rifle. Shenlong looks like it's imitating Street Fighter's Vega, and Sandrock seems to have stepped right out of a Roman Gladiatorial arena.
I wonder what they had in mind for the Heavyarms at this point.

All these designs make perfect sense once you realize that G-Gundam was being produced & aired at the same time planning & pre-production was being done on Wing. The commentary's quite enlightening, with lots of reference to G-Gundam. Heavyarms apparently represents the American Army stereotype, missiles and gatling guns everywhere, lol.

But I dunno if discussing Okawara's early designs is considered on-topic, since the original pic was Belphagor.

Or if the OP should've gone into the 'Identify this Mecha' thread in the first place.

[Laevatein]

Also I'm not familiar with all the side material but I don’t think any of the first 5 Gundams had any prototypes other then the Tallgeese and Wing Zero.

If you believe the Episode Zero mangas, then the Shenlong actually had a prototype, which is basically a Dragon Fang-less version of itself piloted by Wufei's bride Nataku. Not sure how official they are though...

[Dark Duel]

Are we sure that was a prototype though?
My impression was always that that machine WAS Shenlong, but incomplete - with both arms standard arms instead of the completed version's Dragon Fang right arm

[radioactive28]

Interesting. Deathsythe's shield looks like a coffin or something. Wing Gundam's looking very much the traditional load out there with the backpack beam sabers, shield and rifle. Shenlong looks like it's imitating Street Fighter's Vega, and Sandrock seems to have stepped right out of a Roman Gladiatorial arena.
I wonder what they had in mind for the Heavyarms at this point.

Also interesting to see that Proto-Shenlong's shield was later adopted by Deathscythe, and itself adopted Proto-Sandrock's shield.
Wing, surprisingly, has no wings (only added in the second design draft, if I read correctly), and has the nose of a WWII-era bomber for its chest instead of the familiar green orb.
Deathscythe has a dragon head at the top of its scythe.