Shen Hu

The Shen Hu (神虎, Shen Hu, lit. "Divine Tiger") was given to the main forces of the Chinese Federation by the Maharajah. It is a Knightmare Frame model developed by Rakshata's team at the same time as the Guren and under a different design concept. However, it was left in storage because piloting it was too physically demanding, and thus a suitable pilot could not be found. Li Xingke proves capable of piloting it, but even at 40% power the task proves very stressful. The Shen Hu has blue armor with red and gold parts, and its head unit has an intricate design with a red spike protruding from the top.

Design and Specifications
Having been built by the same team that developed the Black Knights' Knightmares, the Shen Hu is equipped with the same type of Air Glide Wing System. Mounted in its torso is the powerful Baryon Cannon (天愕覇王荷電粒子重砲, Tengaku Haoh Kadenryushi Juuhou, lit. Heaven Frightening Overlord Charged Particle Heavy Cannon), a weapon similar to the Hadron Cannon; at 40% power, it is able to match the full force of the Guren Flight-Enabled Version's improved Radiant Wave Surger. At an unknown (possibly full) level of power, it can completely shatter Blaze Luminous shielding, even on Britannian airships.

Its main weapons are two dagger-shaped Slash Harkens mounted on its wrist. By wrapping or impaling an enemy with the Slash Harkens, the Shen Hu can send a powerful electrical charge along the cable, instantly destroying the Knightmare on the receiving end. Radiant Wave Shielding tends to halt electrical discharge along its cables. The Shen Hu's wrist armour can also spin in place to turn the Slash Harkens into powerful flails which can double as shields. Finally, the Shen Hu has a short sword stored near its shoulder. The short sword is retractable and can produce a blade on either side of its hilt when fully activated. The sword is strong enough to have the capability to cut through the Vincent Ward unit. In addition, it has white armour plates on the its shoulder and waist which can be used as shields.

In Oz the Reflection, it is shown that the Shen Hu originally possessed the same type of cockpit block as the Guren and other Rakshata-designed Knightmares.

Operational History
The Shen Hu first appeared during the Battle at Xiaopei where Xingke wipes out a large number of Akatsukis and confronts the Ikaruga and demands the release of the young Empress Tianzi. Xingke then battles Kallen Kōzuki in her Guren Flight-Enabled Version but at the critical moment of the battle, the Guren runs out of energy and is taken away by the Shen Hu back to the Longdan while Chinese Federation forces engage the Black Knights in battle and Kallen is captured and later transferred over to the Britannians. The Shen Hu then appears at the Mausoleum of Eighty-Eight Emperors where its used to lead the Chinese Rebel forces, but are cut off by the High Eunuchs, their loyalist forces, and their Britannian reinforcements.

A battle soon breaks out and the Shen Hu is attacked by the Tristan piloted by Gino Weinberg while the Chinese loyalists bomb the Mausoleum to try to crush the Black Knights. At the height of the battle, Tianzi shows up and pleads for the fighting to end, but she's then targeted by the loyalist Gang Lous. She is shielded by Xingke using the Shen Hu, but it sustains heavy damage. It is saved from destruction by Lelouch and his Shinkiro which proceeded to wipe out the Eunuchs' forces. Later on, the Shen Hu is then used by Xingke after joining the Black Knights to unite the Chinese Federation after its dissolution and appears during the Kagoshima Settlement Battle and duels Bismarck Waldstein and his Galahad. The Shen Hu later appears at the Battle of Mt. Fuji where it leads the initial assault against Lelouch and his forces. Despite sustaining heavy damage, it is able to rescue the captured U.F.N. representatives from the Avalon. Lelouch ends up winning the battle in the end and the Shen Hu is captured, but it appears after the Zero Requiem where its present during the arrival of Empress Nunnally vi Britannia to meet with Prime Minister Kaname Ohgi of the United States of Japan.

Trivia

 * Shen Hu's face is based on Chinese traditional stageshow masks.
 * Shen Hu's pilot, Li Xingke has also possess his own Wrist-mounted "Slash Harkens".
 * Shen Hu's design pays homage to the MS-07B Gouf from Mobile Suit Gundam another anime series created by Sunrise, Code Geass' Animator.
 * Both units shared a blue color scheme and a single horn.
 * Both shared the similar set of armaments,Wrist-Mounted Rods, a fixed cannon and a sword.
 * Like Shen Hu, Gouf is dubbed as "Tiger" in Chinese
 * Shen Hu's pose of its official artwork resemble to Gouf's pose of its first official artwork.