Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
| Mobile Suit Gundam Wing | |
 North American DVD cover of Gundam Wing Volume 1, featuring the protagonist Heero Yuy and the titular mobile suit Wing Gundam |
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| 新機動戦記ガンダムW (New Mobile Report Gundam Wing) |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Military science fiction, Mecha |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Masashi Mukaeda |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Licensed by |   Bandai Entertainment |
| Network | TV Asahi |
| English network | Argentina Cartoon Network Australia Cartoon Network Canada YTV United Kingdom Cartoon Network United States Cartoon Network Indonesia ANteve, Indosiar |
| Original run | April 7, 1995 – March 29, 1996 |
| Episodes | 49 |
| Original video animation | |
| Operation Meteor | |
| Directed by | Masashi Ikeda |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Licensed by | Bandai Entertainment (Note: This OVA has not been officially released on DVD in North America) |
| Released | April 25, 1996 – October 10, 1996 |
| Episodes | 3 |
| Manga | |
| Illustrated by | Kōichi Tokita |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | TokyoPop |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Comic Bom Bom |
| Original run | April 1995 – April 1996 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Manga | |
| Battlefield of Pacifists | |
| Illustrated by | Kōichi Tokita |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | TokyoPop |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Haoh Magazine, Comic Bom Bom |
| Published | 1997 |
| Volumes | 1 |
| Manga | |
| Episode Zero | |
| Written by | Katsuyuki Sumisawa |
| Illustrated by | Akira Kanbe |
| Published by | Gakushukenkyusha |
| English publisher | Viz Communications |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Anime V |
| Published | 1997 |
| Volumes | 1 |
| Serial novel | |
| Frozen Teardop | |
| Written by | Katsuyuki Sumizawa |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Demographic | Male |
| Magazine | Gundam Ace |
| Original run | August 2010 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 6 |
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, known in Japan as New Mobile Report Gundam Wing (新機動戦記ガンダムW(ウイング) Shin Kidō Senki Gandamu Uingu[1]), is an anime series in the mecha genre, and is one of the alternate universe Gundam series, taking place in the "After Colony" timeline. It is the second alternate universe in the Gundam media franchise, following Mobile Fighter G Gundam. The series was also loosely based on the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime, created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yatate. As with the original series, the plot of Gundam Wing centers around a war between Earth and its colonies in space; however, in contrast to the Universal Century continuity, the Gundam pilots of Gundam Wing are more closely allied to each other than they are to any particular side in the conflict unfolding around them. Much of the storyline and setting borrows from not just Gundam, but also Tolstoy's War And Peace.
The series aired in Japan on the terrestrial TV Asahi network. The series ran for 49 episodes, beginning on April 7, 1995, and ending on March 29, 1996.[2]
Contents |
Plot summary [edit]
In the distant future, Mankind has colonized space (with clusters of space colonies at each of the five Earth-Moon Lagrange points), and, down on the Earth, the nations have united as the United Earth Sphere Alliance. However, the Alliance oppresses the colonies with its military power. The colonies desire a peaceful resolution to the situation, joining together in a movement headed by the pacifist Heero Yuy. In the year After Colony 175, Yuy is shot dead by an assassin, forcing the colonies to search for other paths to peace. The assassination also prompts five disaffected scientists from the Organization of the Zodiac (more commonly referred to as OZ) to turn rogue after the completion of the mobile suit prototype Tallgeese.
The story of Gundam Wing begins in the year After Colony 195, with the start of "Operation Meteor": the scientists' plan for revenge against OZ. The operation involves five teenage boys, who have each been chosen and trained by each of the five scientists, then sent to Earth independently in extremely advanced mobile suits (one designed by each of the scientists) known as "Gundams" (called such because they are constructed from a rare and astonishingly durable material called Gundanium alloy, which can only be created in outer space). Each Gundam is sent from a different colony, and the pilots are initially unaware of each other's existence.
The series focuses primarily on the five Gundam pilots: Heero Yuy (an alias, not to be confused with the martyred pacifist), Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, and Chang Wufei. Their mission is to use their Gundams to attack OZ directly, in order to rid the Alliance of its weapons and free the colonies from its oppressive rule. The series also focuses on Relena Peacecraft, heir to the pacifist Sanc Kingdom, who starts off as a seemingly ordinary girl until she gets caught up in the conflict between OZ and the Gundams, becoming an important political ally to the Gundam pilots (particularly Heero) in the process.
Media [edit]
Anime [edit]
Gundam Wing was not the first series in the Gundam franchise to be dubbed and distributed in the U.S. (the compilation movie version of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, as well as the OVAs War in the Pocket and Stardust Memory, proceeded it by about two years), but it is well known as the first Gundam series to be aired on American television.[3] The series aired on Cartoon Network's weekday afternoon programing block Toonami, premiering on March 6, 2000, and ending on May 11 of the same year.[2] In the first extended promo leading up to the series' premiere, voice actor Peter Cullen narrated the back story, evoking memories of Voltron's opening credits. The promo was said to be so riveting that Bandai decided to use it as the official promo for the series.[4]
It was broadcast in two formats; an edited version shown in the daytime on Toonami and an uncut version shown past midnight as part of Toonami's "Midnight Run." Examples of the edits included the removal of blood, profanity, and the word "kill" being replaced with the word "destroy" (this was extended to Duo's nickname, "The God of Death," changed to "The Great Destroyer," forcing the alteration of two episode titles), though the word "death" was mostly left intact. All Gundam Wing episodes have been released to VHS and DVD in the U.S. Differences between the two video systems is that the VHS episodes contain the edited version while the DVD episodes contain the uncut version.
OVAs [edit]
After the series ended, two OVAs, compiling various scenes from the series along with a few minutes of new footage, were released in 1996 as Gundam Wing: Operation Meteor I, II and III. These OVAs have never been released outside of Japan.
A three-part OVA titled Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz was produced in 1997 as a sequel to the TV series; plot-wise, it brought the "After Colony" timeline to a close. The OVA was also notable for its massive redesigns of the Gundams, such as the Wing Gundam Zero's new "angel-winged" appearance.[5] A compilation movie version of Endless Waltz (featuring additional footage, alterations of the music score and a different ending theme) was later released in Japan on August 1, 1998. The OVA version of Endless Waltz aired on Cartoon Network in the U.S. on November 10, 2000. Both the OVA and movie versions of Endless Waltz were later released together on DVD.[6]
Manga [edit]
In addition to manga adaptations of the series and Endless Waltz, several manga sidestories have also been produced. Episode Zero is a prequel, detailing the events leading up to series; the stories have been collected in a volume that also contains one brief open-ended interlude, Preventer 5, that details an operation that occurs after Endless Waltz.[7] A coincident storyline to the series is presented in Last Outpost (G-Unit). Several sequel manga, occurring between Gundam Wing and Endless Waltz, have also been written: Blind Target, Ground Zero, and Battlefield of Pacifists.[8][9][10]
The Gundam Wing, Battlefield of Pacifists, and Endless Waltz manga series were published in English by Tokyopop, while Blind Target, Ground Zero, and Episode Zero were published by Viz Communications. Another sequel manga detailing the future of the colonies entitled Tiel's Impulse was printed in 1998 and has not been published in the United States.
In September 2010, Gundam Ace magazine began serializing a manga titled New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz: The Glory of Losers that retells the events of the anime while incorporating facts from Episode Zero and the novel Frozen Teardrop. The manga also uses Hajime Katoki's Gundam redesigns from Endless Waltz and other subsequent media, instead of the original Kunio Okawara designs featured in the anime.
Novelization [edit]
In early 2010, Gundam Ace magazine announced they would serialize a "New Gundam Wing Project".[11] The project was eventually revealed to be a novel, titled New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Frozen Teardrop. Written by Katsuyuki Sumizawa, the novel begins a new timeline, following the "Mars Century" calendar ("MC") which was the successor of the previous "After Colony" calendar.[12] According to an interview with the author, the novel spans backwards into the AC century and the Gundam pilots, Relena, and their children make appearances.
Other media [edit]
In 1996 a fighting video game called Gundam Wing: Endless Duel was released for the Super Famicom in Japan. It was the only Gundam video game to be based solely on Gundam Wing. The game was never released in the United States or Europe, but has gained some popularity through the emulation of older video games. Since then, Gundam Wing characters and mecha have appeared in several other video game series including Super Robot Wars, Gundam Battle Assault, Another Century's Episode, and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam.
Upon the series' debut in North America, Gundam Wing received a large roster of licensees for merchandise including wallscrolls, apparel, school supplies, skateboards, trading cards, model kits and action figures.[13]
Soundtracks [edit]
- Openings
- "Just Communication" by Two-Mix (ep. 1–40)[14] (YTV Broadcast: 1–49)
- "Rhythm Emotion" by Two-Mix (ep. 41–49)[15]
- Ending
- "It's Just Love!" by Rumi Onishi (ep. 1–49)
- "Just Communication" (Instrumental Version) by Kow Otani (Toonami Broadcast, ep. 1–49; the credits aired over an amended version of the show's first opening)[16]
- Insert songs
Reception [edit]
Gundam Wing was only a modest success in Japan during its initial run; it, along with G Gundam, was the only Gundam series of the 1990s which managed an average television rating over four percent. It was ranked number two in Animage magazine's Anime Grand Prix in 1996 and was also ranked number 76 in the publication's list of the 100 most important anime of all time.[17][18]
Gundam Wing was a greater success in North America, however, and is credited with single-handedly popularizing the Gundam franchise among Western audiences.[19] Just over a week after its premiere on Cartoon Network on March 6, 2000, the series was the top rated program in all age groups.[20] During the summer of 2000, it remained as the first or second top-rated show among kids and teens during its twelve airings per week on the Toonami block. The initial airing of the OVA Endless Waltz on November 10, 2000, was the channel's second highest-rated program ever at the time, only being topped by the premiere of Funimation's in-house dub of Dragon Ball Z.[21]
See also [edit]
Footnotes [edit]
- ^ The translation New Mobile Report Gundam Wing is used by the R2 DVD releases in Japan, and thus is used extensively by the English-language fanbase in order to differentiate it from the Universal Century Gundam series. While the use of the term "report" in the title is not necessarily incorrect, it does not convey the full meaning of the original-language terminology. The Japanese word senki (戦記) has a specific meaning of "military history." Some official translations in the past have used the translation New Mobile War Chronicle Gundam Wing as well, and some of the official art uses The New Mobile History Gundam Wing, and at least one Japanese book has used Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.
- ^ a b "New Mobile Report Gundam Wing". Mecha Anime HQ. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
- ^ "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing". Mecha Anime HQ. Archived from the original on 2006-11-18. Retrieved 2007-02-14.
- ^ "Gundam Wing trailer". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
- ^ "Wing Zero Custom". Mecha Anime HQ. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
- ^ "New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz". Mecha Anime HQ. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
- ^ "Gundam Wing: Episode Zero". About Gundam Wing. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
- ^ "Gundam Wing: Blind Target". About Gundam Wing. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
- ^ "Gundam Wing: Ground Zero". About Gundam Wing. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
- ^ "Gundam Wing: Battlefield of Pacifists". About Gundam Wing. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
- ^ 05:09 PM (2010-04-23). "New Gundam Wing Project To Be Serialized In Gundam Ace – Jinxworld Forums". 606studios.com. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Prologue Synopsis http://www.zeonic-republic.net/?page_id=151
- ^ "Gundam Wing Phenomenon Grows With Addition of New Licensees as Television Ratings and Toy Line Sales Surge.". Business Wire. June 13, 2000. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
- ^ "Gundam Wing opening 1". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ^ "Gundam Wing opening 2". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ^ "Gundam Wing Toonami ending". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ^ "月刊アニメージュ【公式サイト】". Animage.jp. May 1996. Retrieved 2008-11-30.[dead link]
- ^ "Animage Top-100 Anime Listing". AnimeNewsNetwork.com. January 15, 2001. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
- ^ Oppliger, John (2007-10-12). "Ask John: Which Gundam Series Have Had the Most Impact on Anime?". AnimeNation. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
- ^ "Gundam Wing Ratings". Anime News Network. March 15, 2000. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
- ^ "Gundam Wing leaving Toonami?!". Anime News Network. December 12, 2000. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
External links [edit]
- Official Websites: Anime, GundamOfficial
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- AboutGundamWing.com – An archive of Gundam Wing transcript and reference information
| Preceded by Mobile Fighter G Gundam |
Gundam metaseries (production order) 1995–96 |
Succeeded by Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team |
| Preceded by none |
Gundam After Colony timeline AC 195 |
Succeeded by Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz |
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