Gundam Wing
Alternate Titles: New Mobile Report Gundam Wing, Shin Kidou Senki Gundam W (新機動戦記ガンダムＷ)
Original Japanese Release Date: 1995
Episode Length/Run-time: 49 Episodes
Summary:
In a time far in the future in the year “After Colony 195” humans have removed their ties to the earth and taken to the stars to colonize the galaxy. These colonies answer to the United Earth Sphere Alliance, which oppresses the colonies sovereignty with military power. Despite the colonies efforts for a peaceful resolution the tides change resulting in five scientists to train five boys to be pilots of five mecha known as Mobile Suit Gundams. They are sent to earth from the five colonies to fight against the Organization of Zodiac (OZ), the strong arm of the United Earth Sphere Alliance. Their presence changes the tides of the war but will it be enough to change it’s outcome?
Review:
To review this without sounding like a raging fangirl will be hard. Be impartial Chiaki, Be impartial. You see, this was really the first mecha series I have ever sat down and watched. It ran on Toonami Midnight Run from 199-2003, if you don’t know what Toonami midnight run is then don’t say so because it’ll make me just feel old!
Gundam Wing, I feel, is the “Gundam for the masses” type of anime. Not to imply that the other gundam series are bad or that people in general can’t be into them however this series is lighter on the sci-fi and mech (I feel) than any other Gundam series before. Where most of the Gundam series are part of a greater, overarching, sci-fi star epic Gundam Wing has little to do with this. Now, some accuse it of being simply a pretty boy show, which I will argue against as well. I find it more of an interesting hybrid.
I don’t find it anymore of a “pretty boy” show than any of the Gundam series that have came since, when animation qualities allowed for more of a “pretty” look. I think what most people are really hitting at is that it seems like in this Gundam series there is more of an emphasis on relationships than other Gundam series, at least from what I have seen. Most Gundams are very pure to the mech/war/sci-fi tones to them. Sure there may be a love interest here, or there, but for the most part the series stays focused. In Gundam Wing they tried to add a lot more depth to the characters but they did it in the wrong way. They added ridiculous back stories and personality flaws that really takes it up to a ridiculous degree at times. Of the five Gundam pilots there is one sane one, Duo Maxwell, and I am NOT just saying that as a fangirl. Think about it, Duo is the only one when crazy s**t is going down who says “WTF?” (Take the scene where he saves Relena from Heero killing her and Relena scolds him for it!) Quatre’s mother still tucks him into bed at night I’m sure, because he’s incapable of doing hardly anything on his own. Wufei redefines egotistical and sexist, even among the worst of anime characters. Trowa takes “the strong silent type” to a whole new level, we were lucky if we heard one word from him an episode. And Heero Yuy is damn near psychotic, the “shoot first ask questions later” type to the extreme. And I get it, they each had something in their past to make them this way, but the over-the-top realization of their character flaws ends up hurting the series more than adding another dimension to it.
The only character that may be more over-the-top crazy than the main cast is Relena Peacecraft, Heero’s supposed “love interest” (that is if he really does have feelings, I’ve got my bet on Relena telling him he loves her and she being such a crazy B**ch that he is too afraid to say no). Seriously, this chick takes the CAKE when it comes to anime characters you just want to die. And Heero ALMOST kills her.. stupid Duo…
Now, at this point, you’re likely thinking “Dang Chiaki, back off.” But I liked this anime, I really did. Sure the characters of the main cast were slightly off the wall but the villains more than made up for it. Lady Une is like the definition of villian, calm, cool, collected but will still kick some major ass. And if you like her you’ll love Treize, he is the perfect ringleader, convicted in his ideals to almost a slightly creepy cold level. Not to mention Zechs, (Gundam Wing’s incarnation of Char, if you don’t know who that is you have some Gundam universe catching up to do) he’s the incarnation of brains and beauty. Now, if that Noin Chick would just step off….
Gundam Wing has fantastic animation, and great music. And the world is set up wonderfully. If you ignore the over-the-top-ness at times of the characters you’ll see the deep and engaging plot of desperation and desire for freedom. On a Gundam scale, this series is definitely not the best one if you’re counting what is “true” to the Gundam ideals. However, that doesn’t mean this series is bad by any stretch. And I think it’s a great gateway drug into the Gundam universe for someone who may think that they don’t like mecha.
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