Character Analysis

Turn A Gundam Character Heights

Gundam character heights have been a hot topic lately due to The Witch from Mercury‘s Suletta being unusually tall for a protagonist. She’s 170cm, which places her as the tallest TV protagonist in her age group (mid-late teens; she’s 17). This has prompted people in both Western and Japanese fandoms to create height comparison charts, mostly in good faith to poke fun at the oddity of the situation. What I have noticed, however, is that Loran is often either absent from these charts and/or his height is misrepresented. One such chart from a content creator listed him as 161cm, which is factually incorrect. Turn A Gundam character height information isn’t readily available online for some reason, so I figured I’d use this opportunity to rectify that. My sources include official character settei that I own, along with settei reproductions from the supplementary “Turn A Gundam Art Works” book, and Newtype Magazine character data profiles. I should note that my collection of settei is nowhere near exhaustive and as a result I don’t have confirmed heights for all major characters.

Character settei height charts, dated 2/18/99.

Known Major Character Heights:

  • Loran Cehack = 168cm
  • Dianna Soreil = 168cm
  • Kihel Heim = 166~168cm
  • Sochie Heim = 160cm*
  • Guin Lineford = 191cm
  • Harry Ord = 183cm
  • Keith Laijie = 171cm
  • Fran Doll = 164cm
  • Poe Aijee = 175cm
  • Phil Ackman = 185cm
  • Yanny Oviess = 178cm
  • Sid Munzer = 140cm
  • Joseph Yaht = 172cm

It’s worth noting that characters like Dianna, Kihel, Sochie, etc. are often depicted wearing high-heels in height charts; just something to keep in mind. It’s also worth noting that Dianna-Kihel’s height isn’t consistent, in that Kihel is listed as 166cm in one set of character settei. Yet in her Newtype magazine data profile, her height is listed as 168cm to match Dianna’s. Dianna & Kihel are meant to look identical in-universe, but they do have some key visual differences—Dianna has paler skin, has no highlights in her eyes, and Akiman once said that her bust is slightly larger too. It’s possible that Kihel’s slightly shorter height earlier in production is a reflection of another difference.

Presumed and/or Unknown Major Character Heights:

  • Lily Borjarno = slightly less than 168cm
  • Corin Nander = ? / significantly taller than Dianna
  • Gym Ghingham = ? / taller than 191cm
  • Teteth Halleh = 168cm
  • Gavane Goony = ? / significantly taller than 168cm
  • Agrippa Maintainer = close to 191cm
  • Sweatson Stero = close to 168cm
  • Meam Midgard = ? / taller than 168cm
  • Mayalito = 168cm
  • Cancer Kafka = ? / significantly taller than 168cm
  • Muron Muron = ? / taller than 168cm

Another chart confirming Loran & Dianna’s heights (both 168cm).
We know that Loran is 168cm, and it is stated here that Lily is slightly shorter than him (although her hat may make it seem otherwise).
Dianna (168cm) is considerably shorter than Corin Nander.
Loran (168cm) and Sochie (160cm) compared to Gavane Goony and the rest of the Suicide Squad.
Teteth Halleh appears to be the same height as Loran (168cm).
Mayalito appears to be the same height as Loran (168cm).
Cancer Kafka and Muron Muron are both taller than Loran (168cm).
We know that Loran & Dianna are 168cm and Guin is 191cm. It appears that Agrippa is close in height to Guin, and Gym is even taller than that. Sweatson is close in height to Loran & Dianna and Meam is taller.

2 thoughts on “Turn A Gundam Character Heights

  1. It’s just a theory of course, but I would think it’s possible that Kihel starts out smaller than Dianna because she has yet to grow into the role she would eventually have as Dianna’s doppleganger; literally and figuratively. The varying height may just reflect her at the start of the show versus her later in the show when she’s become more comfortable as “Dianna”; though she’s already pretty comfortable quite quickly once she’s actually in that role so far as I recall.

    The first episode they meet each other in there does appear to be a very slight height difference the couple of times they’re standing close to each other. Of course, that doesn’t account for the difference heels could be making or simple art mistakes so it’s far from definitive. Still, it does seem like maybe it was something someone had in mind initially.

    That aside, I like that Loran and Dianna are the same height since the narrative tends to give each of them equal footing in different ways. Loran is the protagonist, but in a lot of ways it feels like he mostly exists to pilot the Turn A and that it’s Dianna is the one we follow a lot of the time. So the two of them being the same height feels representative of their role being the same. Which could be completely unintentional coincidence, but has some nice resonance to me regardless.

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    1. It’s an interesting theory that makes sense! I just don’t have enough insight to know if they were specifically going for that or not. Mm, I do like that about Loran & Dianna. Personally, I think their heights are intentional, as they’re the two main characters and there are plenty of scenes where they stand side-by-side and/or face each other (the scene in which they dance comes to mind).

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