<h1>Out-of-universe</h1>
<p>Haro was included in <em>Mobile Suit Gundam</em> for the purpose of showing Amuro's talent for building machines. However, it fulfills another purpose; that of being a mascot.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunio_Okawara" rel="noreferrer">Kunio Okawara</a> initially designed Haro for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_Steel_Man_Daitarn_3" rel="noreferrer"><em>Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3</em></a>, and named him after HAL (the computer from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_(film)" rel="noreferrer"><em>2001: A Space Odyssey</em></a>)<sup><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/6Bqg5.jpg" rel="noreferrer">2</a></sup>. It was (likely) intended to be a mascot of the series, before the concept was discarded. However, Okawara was later approached prior to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_Gundam" rel="noreferrer"><em>Mobile Suit Gundam</em></a> and persuaded to include it, allowing it to somewhat serve as a mascot of the series. Since then:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Haro has since become a mascot for the Sunrise studio as a whole, often appearing in their recent idents.</p>
<p>  — <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haro_(character)" rel="noreferrer">Haro, Wikipedia</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Because it its popularity and its rank as mascot of the series, Haro has also received a substantial following and quite a collection of merchandise.</p>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6Bqg5.jpg" alt="Haro merchandise" /></p>
<h1>In-universe</h1>
<p>The in-universe explanation is actually far simpler. Haro was created by Amuro, the main character, as part of his hobby building machines. Amuro generally had few social interactions with others, so he created Haro as a companion to himself, with its speech function and brain-wave analysis functions making it quite a good substitute for a close friend.</p>
<h3>References</h3>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haro_(character)" rel="noreferrer">Haro (character) at Wikipedia</a></li>
<li><a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8F%E3%83%AD_(%E3%82%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%83%80%E3%83%A0%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA)#.E6.A6.82.E8.A6.81" rel="noreferrer">Haro at the Japanese Wikipedia</a></li>
<li><a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SeriesMascot" rel="noreferrer">Series Mascot at TVTropes</a></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-13T17:56:40.593Z
So Amuro made himself a "Wilson."
кяαzєя
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-13T18:02:43.910Z
@Krazer That's a good way to put it. :)
Cattua
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-12T17:45:30.420Z
2013-05-13T17:20:31.153Z
2020-06-17T09:17:53.303Z
Cattua
<p>What is the original intended function of Haro (both in-universe and in real life)? What did it end up becoming?</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2haP4.jpg" alt="What.. does it do?"></p>

<gundam>
What is the intended purpose of Haro?
# What is the intended purpose of Haro?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-04-27
What is the original intended function of Haro (both in-universe and in real life)? What did it end up becoming?

![What.. does it do?](https://i.sstatic.net/2haP4.jpg)
**Tags:** gundam
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## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2013-05-12. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
# Out-of-universe

Haro was included in *Mobile Suit Gundam* for the purpose of showing Amuro's talent for building machines. However, it fulfills another purpose; that of being a mascot.

[Kunio Okawara](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunio_Okawara) initially designed Haro for [*Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_Steel_Man_Daitarn_3), and named him after HAL (the computer from [*2001: A Space Odyssey*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_(film)))[2](https://i.sstatic.net/6Bqg5.jpg). It was (likely) intended to be a mascot of the series, before the concept was discarded. However, Okawara was later approached prior to [*Mobile Suit Gundam*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_Gundam) and persuaded to include it, allowing it to somewhat serve as a mascot of the series. Since then:

> Haro has since become a mascot for the Sunrise studio as a whole, often appearing in their recent idents.
>
>   — [Haro, Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haro_(character))

Because it its popularity and its rank as mascot of the series, Haro has also received a substantial following and quite a collection of merchandise.

![Haro merchandise](https://i.sstatic.net/6Bqg5.jpg)

# In-universe

The in-universe explanation is actually far simpler. Haro was created by Amuro, the main character, as part of his hobby building machines. Amuro generally had few social interactions with others, so he created Haro as a companion to himself, with its speech function and brain-wave analysis functions making it quite a good substitute for a close friend.

### References

1. [Haro (character) at Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haro_(character))
2. [Haro at the Japanese Wikipedia](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8F%E3%83%AD_(%E3%82%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%83%80%E3%83%A0%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA)#.E6.A6.82.E8.A6.81)
3. [Series Mascot at TVTropes](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SeriesMascot)
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2013-05-13): So Amuro made himself a "Wilson."  
> **username_1** (2013-05-13): @Krazer That's a good way to put it. :)  
---
