Powered GM Cardigan
The RGM-237C Powered GM Cardigan is a custom Gunpla featured in Gundam Build Fighters Try. Built and piloted by Hoshino Fumina prior to her adoption of the Winning Gundam, the unit uses the Powered GM from Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory as its base model. Retaining a distinct color palette centered on white and yellow, the mobile suit is customized to maximize individual combat efficiency through an expanded array of heavy weaponry and secondary equipment.
Overview
The RGM-237C Powered GM Cardigan is a custom Gunpla featured in Gundam Build Fighters Try. Built and piloted by Hoshino Fumina prior to her adoption of the Winning Gundam, the unit uses the Powered GM from Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory as its base model. Retaining a distinct color palette centered on white and yellow, the mobile suit is customized to maximize individual combat efficiency through an expanded array of heavy weaponry and secondary equipment.
Appearance
Built upon the Powered GM chassis, the Mobile Suit features a color scheme defined primarily by yellow and white. It incorporates an assault visor over its head optic unit. The shoulders house beam saber holders, while the forearms feature internal gatling gun containers. Its modified backpack extends auxiliary arms that support a pair of large beam rifles and hold two individual shields. Additional thrusters are mounted along the lower legs.
Abilities
The mobile suit carries head-mounted vulcan guns, shoulder beam sabers, arm-container gatling guns, and a short-barreled beam machine gun with a three-round burst mode. Sub-arms on the backpack support long-range large rifles—capable of swapping barrels for gatling guns or missiles—and two shields that enable omnidirectional defense without occupying the hands. It can also deploy dummy balloons from its digits. Extra thrusters counteract the increased mass, allowing high-mobility hover movement.
Background
Hoshino Fumina created the Powered GM Cardigan as her signature machine, deploying it in battle prior to the formation of Team Try Fighters. Drawing inspiration from various Mobile Suits across the Gundam franchise, she outfitted the base Powered GM into a self-contained heavy-firepower model. Upon forming her new team, Fumina determined that her role needed to focus on supporting her teammates, prompting her to replace the Cardigan with the Winning Gundam.
Relationships
The Powered GM Cardigan was constructed and piloted by Hoshino Fumina. The heavy-armament philosophy and structural design of its equipment later influenced Fumina's Star Winning Gundam as well as Minato Sakai's custom creation, Super Fumina.
Trivia
The name Cardigan originates from James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, known for leading the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava. The equipment incorporates stylistic nods to several mecha: the arm gatlings and leg thrusters evoke the Gundam NT-1 Alex, the backpack sub-arms holding shields derive from Gundam Thunderbolt, and the large rifle barrels mimic the Hyper Mega Launcher from Zeta Gundam and the long rifle of Gundam GP00.