《機動戰士鋼彈 逆襲的夏亞》（日語原名：機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア）是1988年3月12日上映的日本科幻動畫電影，由富野由悠季執導並負責劇本，是鋼彈系列中具有重要地位的作品。與過去的鋼彈電影不同，《逆襲的夏亞》是第一部原創劇場版，而非單純改編電視動畫劇情，它將宇宙世紀的世界觀帶入電影格式，呈現出更加成熟和緊湊的敘事方式。電影聚焦於兩位系列核心角色——夏亞·阿茲納布爾與阿姆羅·雷的最終對決，延續兩人長達數年的恩怨與競爭，並將這種對抗推向史詩級的高潮。

電影的劇情設定在宇宙世紀0093年。夏亞·阿茲納布爾作為新吉翁的領導人，對依舊被地球重力束縛的人類靈魂感到絕望，他決定以激烈手段進行「肅正」，計畫將名為「阿克西斯」的小行星推向地球，以實施對地球人類的大規模滅絕。面對這個威脅，地球聯邦軍王牌駕駛員阿姆羅·雷與所屬的隆德·貝爾艦隊必須阻止夏亞的計畫，避免地球陷入浩劫。電影以宏大的太空戰鬥場景作為核心展開，描繪兩位主角駕駛鋼彈的激烈對決，以及他們之間既是敵手又互相理解的微妙情感張力。影片還首次在鋼彈系列中嘗試使用電腦生成圖像技術，展現在太空中旋轉的殖民地「甘泉」，這在當時的動畫電影中是一個突破性的視覺效果，使觀眾對太空環境的真實感有全新的體驗。

在角色塑造方面，電影延續原作小說《High-Streamer》的世界觀，但劇本對阿姆羅·雷的處理與日升製作社存在分歧，因此在電影版本中做出適當的改動。池田秀一與古谷徹等聲優的演繹，使夏亞與阿姆羅的個性更加立體，尤其是在面對彼此理念的衝突時，觀眾可以感受到兩位角色既對抗又互相牽絆的情感。除激烈的戰鬥外，電影也展現人類在科技與戰爭面前的脆弱，以及理想與現實之間的矛盾，使故事具有更深層次的哲學意味。

市場評價方面，《逆襲的夏亞》上映後在日本獲得約11.6億日元的票房收入。雖然部分評論家指出電影在某些畫面和情節上有從電視系列中重複利用的痕跡，但大多數觀眾和評論者對其製作質量、太空戰鬥場景以及夏亞與阿姆羅之間緊張的對抗讚譽有加。許多人認為這部電影成功將鋼彈系列的核心衝突推向高潮，既保留原有的粉絲群，也吸引新觀眾的注意。導演富野由悠季在回顧時對電影的某些劇情處理表達過疑慮，但他仍以小說《貝托蒂嘉的子嗣》延續對阿姆羅個人生活的描寫，並衍生出漫畫系列，進一步豐富宇宙世紀的世界觀。

整體而言，《機動戰士鋼彈 逆襲的夏亞》不僅是具有視覺衝擊力的科幻動畫電影，也是一場關於信念、理想與人性衝突的史詩級對決。它完美融合高水準的動畫製作、深刻的角色刻畫以及史詩般的太空戰鬥，使其在鋼彈系列以及整個日本動畫電影史上佔據重要地位，成為粉絲心中不可替代的經典之作。

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (Japanese title: 機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) is a Japanese science fiction animated film that premiered on March 12, 1988. Directed and written by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it holds a significant place within the Gundam series. Unlike previous Gundam films, Char’s Counterattack is the first original theatrical Gundam movie rather than a simple adaptation of the TV series. It brings the Universal Century timeline into a cinematic format, offering a more mature and tightly structured narrative. The film centers on the ultimate confrontation between two core characters of the series, Char Aznable and Amuro Ray, continuing their years-long rivalry and pushing their conflict to an epic climax.

The story is set in Universal Century 0093. As the leader of Neo Zeon, Char Aznable is disillusioned by humanity’s continued attachment to Earth’s gravity and resolves to enforce his “correction” through drastic means. His plan involves pushing the asteroid “Axis” toward Earth to execute large-scale extermination of the planet’s human population. In response, Earth Federation ace pilot Amuro Ray, alongside the Londo Bell fleet, must prevent Char’s plan and avert global catastrophe. The film emphasizes grand-scale space battles as its core, depicting intense mobile suit duels between the two protagonists, while also exploring the subtle emotional tension that exists between adversaries who understand yet oppose each other. Notably, the film marks the first time computer-generated imagery was used in the Gundam series, vividly portraying the rotating space colony “Axis” in orbit, a groundbreaking visual effect at the time that gave audiences a new sense of realism in depicting outer space environments.

In terms of character development, the film builds on the world of Tomino’s original novel High-Streamer, though modifications were made in the movie script due to differences in handling Amuro Ray’s character with Sunrise studio. Voice actors such as Shuichi Ikeda and Toru Furuya deliver performances that make Char and Amuro more three-dimensional, particularly highlighting the emotional complexity of their ideological clash. Beyond the intense battles, the film also explores humanity’s vulnerability in the face of advanced technology and war, as well as the tension between ideals and reality, lending the story deeper philosophical significance.

Regarding market reception, Char’s Counterattack earned approximately 1.16 billion yen at the Japanese box office. While some critics noted that certain scenes and plot elements reused material from the TV series, the majority of viewers and reviewers praised the film’s production quality, space battle sequences, and the tense dynamic between Char and Amuro. Many regarded it as successfully bringing the core conflict of the Gundam series to a cinematic climax, retaining the original fanbase while attracting new audiences. Director Yoshiyuki Tomino has expressed some reservations about certain narrative choices in hindsight, but he continued to explore Amuro’s personal life in the novel Beltorchika’s Children, which was later adapted into a manga series, further enriching the Universal Century timeline.

Overall, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack is not only a visually striking science fiction animated film but also an epic exploration of belief, ideals, and human conflict. Its combination of high-quality animation, deep character portrayal, and monumental space battles secures its status as a landmark entry in the Gundam franchise and in the history of Japanese animated cinema, remaining an irreplaceable classic in the hearts of fans.