Technology & Combat Characteristics
One of many mobile suits developed by Neo Zeon during the First Neo Zeon War, the AMX-104 R-Jarja was intended for use by high-ranking officers (also known as "Knights" in Neo Zeon). It was created by refurbishing an MS that inherited the design concept of the old Principality of Zeon's YMS-15 Gyan from the One Year War.
Like the Gyan, the R-Jarja focuses on close combat as seen by its armament which consisted of a beam rifle with a heat bayonet, a customized beam saber, two variable shields – shoulder-mounted shields that can rotate to protect the rear, sides or front, and two missile pods mounted in the variable shields. Thanks to the various thrusters located all over its body, including in the variable shields, the R-Jarja is capable of agile movements during combat.
While the R-Jarja is most well known for having a red color scheme due to Chara Soon's unit, there were also other units with different color schemes such as the one piloted by Danton Hyleg, indicating that multiple R-Jarjas were produced.
History
The most well known unit was operated by ace pilot Chara Soon during the First Neo Zeon War in UC 0088. Chara Soon used her R-Jarja in multiple missions against the Anti Earth Union Group ship, the Argama, and her crew. She clashed multiple times against young AEUG pilot Judau Ashta, and on one occasion, she and her R-Jarja tagged team with Mashymre Cello and his AMX-103 Hamma Hamma and severely damaged Judau's MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam.
However, despite being an excellent pilot, Chara suffers from some mental instabilities when in a mobile suit. Because of this, she tends to want to "play" with her opponents which can give inexperienced pilots like Judau a chance, especially when he pilots the powerful MSZ-010 ΖΖ Gundam. Each time the Judau/ZZ Gundam battled against Chara/R-Jarja, the Neo Zeon machine was forced to retreat. The last time the R-Jarja was used was in the colony Moon Moon, where Chara forgoes weapons and attempted to grapple with the ZZ Gundam. Judau managed to grab one of his hyper beam sabers and used it to destroy the R-Jarja. Chara escaped just before it exploded, but was captured by her adversary.
In U.C. 0096, after the Laplace Incident, the Mastema special forces were sent by the Earth Federation to investigate part of the shattered asteroid, Axis. During the investigation, the group came under attack from the RX-160G Byarlant Isolde. While searching in a private dock for MS to pilot, they found an R-Jarja amongst the machines there and Arlette Almage requested it to be used, as she had previously worked on it. Additionally, the pilot, Danton Hyleg, had been a test pilot for the R-Jarja.
