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Still grinding away on comic pages, going through the @GundamPodcast back catalogue, and trying not to fret about (waves hands at world) all that. By way of diversion, let's talk about locations in the original Gundam TV series!
The space stuff is well documented. I do like this detailed diagram from the "Gundam The Movies I" film comic (1996), which includes details of orbital radii, rotation periods, and how far L1 and L2 are from the moon (in units of 10,000 km).
The distance between Side 7 and Luna II is unclear, but the opening scene of First Gundam episode 1 suggests that Zakus can travel that far under their own power. This is one of many lovely composites from @TomAznable's "Gundam Pans" site ( https://gundampans.tumblr.com/ )
In episode 5, the White Base enters Earth orbit over North America, and is intercepted by Garma's Gaw. The onscreen map is pretty weird, and was replaced in the Gundam I movie. Again, composites by @TomAznable.
At the start of episode 6, the scene suddenly jumps back into the stratosphere. According to the episode script, the White Base is flying off the east coast of Mexico. (From here on, just assume that @TomAznable provided all the wide-format composite pans.)
The White Base rapidly descends and the fighting continues on the ground. Garma and Char withdraw to a rinkydink "frontline base" near a ruined city that, as per the setting art, is supposed to be New Yark (sic).
Episode 7 begins shortly afterwards, as Amuro attempts to fly right over Garma's frontline base. We see a little more of the base, including its launch ramp. At the end of the episode, the White Base heads for an unidentified "sea", shielded by unidentified "mountains".
So far, so vague. Episode 8 seems like it finally includes some landmarks, as the White Base traverses the "Great Canyon" and sends refugees to "Lake Mid" as a diversion. Japanese publications assume these are distorted versions of "Grand Canyon" and "Lake Mead".
The landscape has been thoroughly reshaped by months of warfare, with new lakes created by bombing and the town of "Saint Ange" transformed into a featureless plain. (The @GundamPodcast crew reckon this is Saints-Anges in Quebec, so there's another theory.) But wait!
The episode script includes one more geo-reference. The river that mother Persia and her kid follow from "Lake Mid" to "Saint Ange" is identified here as セビア川 - a perfect match for Utah's Sevier River, which is pretty close to Bryce Canyon!
On that note, I have to add that the unnamed ruined metropolis where the White Base battles Garma in episode 9 does look a little bit like Salt Lake City. (Whatever would I do without @TomAznable's wonderful composite images?)
After a couple of episodes mucking about wherever that was, the White Base finally breaks out of Zeon territory. According to the episode 10 script and setting art, the opening cityscape near Garma's party mansion is "New York" (script) or "New Yark" (setting art)...
...and according to the setting art, the domed stadium where the White Base hides out is *also* in New Yark. (The Gundam I movie later moved this to Seattle.) Note that "New Yark" is never actually mentioned in the dialogue in any of these episodes, though.
It does seem weird for the White Base to start off around New Yark, and then return there in episode 10 - at best, this would suggest a giant zig-zag across North America. Also odd that, as of episode 12, the narration says it's flying across the Pacific Ocean...
...especially since the White Base ends both episode 10 and episode 12 by flying into the rising sun. Symbolically apt, perhaps, but is that really the quickest route to Asia?
Whew! So that was fun. Thanks again to @TomAznable for the kind permission to use all those cool composite pans! Be sure to check out https://gundampans.tumblr.com/ for more!
