In the year UC 0203, the resistance group Metatron battles the oppressive Earth Federation's Man Hunting Attachment (MHA) police force. To bolster their fight, Metatron engineers a memory clone of the renowned Char Aznable. Taking on the persona of Char Afranche at 19, he leads Metatron and pilots the powerful Gaia Gear Alpha upon discovering his true heritage. Created by Tomino Yoshiyuki, Gundam Gaia Gear delves into the 3rd century of the UC universe with groundbreaking mechanical designs primarily by Ito Mamoru. Despite being sidelined as a UC side story in the broader Gundam universe, Gaia Gear showcases Ito's innovative designs that harken back to the series' early days. Originally serialized in the Japanese edition of Newtype Magazine from April 1987 to December 1991, the story was later compiled into five novels spanning from September 1988 to April 1992. Additionally, it was adapted into a radio drama released in five CDs between November 1992 and July 1993, accompanied by two soundtrack CDs. The intricate mechanical designs were also highlighted in Hobby Japan Magazine's issues from February to April 1991.