Did He Throw Him Three Meters? In "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack," Amuro Scores an Ippon with a Brilliant "Tomoe Nage"

When it comes to the theatrical film "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack," it is often remembered as a work that delves into grand and complex themes, such as the Psycho-Frame and Axis Shock. Nevertheless, one element that has remained a persistent meme among fans is none other than Amuro Ray’s (voiced by Tōru Furuya) tomoe nage throw.

The stage is set in Londenion, a colony of Side 1. At this Rondo Bell base, Amuro enjoys a brief moment of respite together with Quess Paraya and Hathaway Noah. Meanwhile, after shady dealings with the Earth Federation, Char Aznable (voiced by Shūichi Ikeda) heads out alone into the colony, and by pure chance, he reunites with Amuro on a grassy plain.

Char rides a horse across the meadow, while Amuro and company approach in a jeep. In a daring move, Amuro jumps from the vehicle and tackles Char right off his horse. What follows is a scuffle; the two grapple fiercely on the grass. At one point, Char gains the upper hand, but Amuro unleashes his refined tomoe nage at the perfect moment. Char’s body is flung through the air in grand fashion and comes crashing down spectacularly onto the meadow.

The intensity of this throw still sparks discussion online, with fans half-jokingly speculating that Amuro must have been taught by Hayato Kobayashi—an idea that, on second thought, might not be far from the truth. Even among judo practitioners, finding someone who could throw an opponent several meters with such style and power as Amuro did would surely be impossible.