New Mobile Report Gundam Wing
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New Mobile Report Gundam W (also known as 新機動戦記ガンダムW （しんきどうせんきガンダムウィング) a.k.a. Shin Kidou Senki Gandamu Wing in Japanese, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing in English) is a televised Anime series, which ran for 49 episodes beginning in 1995. Initially directed by Masashi Ikeda and written by Katsuyuki Sumizawa (Ronin Warriors), the series was loosely based on the original 1979 Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam, created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yatate.
Gundam Wing is one of the alternate universe Gundam series, taking place in the After Colony timeline, year 195. The story centers around the pilots of extremely advanced Mobile Suits known as "Gundams" because they are constructed from Gundanium alloy. They represent the space colonies, against the repressive world dictatorial government, the United Earth Sphere Alliance, particularly a subsection known as OZ (an acronym for Organization of Zodiac). Oz is the military branch of the Romefeller Foundation, a group of aristocrats dedicated to taking the place as rulers of the Earth and the colonies they believe is rightfully theirs.
The series is also well known for its unexpectedly large female fanbase, which creates a large portion of the fanfictions and doujinshi based on this show.
The naming scheme for the series is based on a numerical system. Each character's name is typically derived from the word for a number in various languages ("Heero" means "one", "Duo" means "two", etc).
The producers of the series grudgingly acknowledge the existence of the fanwork, but their reaction appears reserved, particularly due to the large amount of merchandise these fans buy. Some traditional fans of Gundam, largely military sci-fi fans, were less pleased with the show, citing poorly perceived battle sequences and shoddy philosophy.
Due to the popularity of the series, 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 and II. A brand new, three-volume OVA series, Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz was made in 1997 as a sequel to the TV series and closes out the After Colony saga.
Manga sidestories have also been produced.
A prequel detailing the events leading up to the launch of the Gundams to Earth, is Episode Zero. Several sequel manga, occurring between Gundam Wing and Endless Waltz have been written, titled, Gundam Wing: Blind Target, Gundam Wing: Ground Zero,and Battlefield of Pacifists. A coincident storyline is presented in Last Outpost (G-Unit).
The Gundam Wing, Battlefield of Pacifists, and Endless Waltz manga series are published in English by TokyoPop, while Blind Target, Ground Zero, and Episode Zero are published by Viz Communications.
Gundam Wing had a run on Cartoon Network's Toonami where is was broadcasted as an edited version in the daytime and a uncut version at night. (ex: blood is edited and the word 'kill' is replaced by the word destroy). Also Duo's nickname the God of Death was edited to the Great Destroyer (Which also included altering two episode titles).
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Characters
The Gundam Wing characters include the Gundam pilots and many other side characters all of which have names which mean a number in some other language.
Gundam Pilots
- Heero Yuy (real name unknown): Of Japanese origin, Heero is the pilot of the XXXG-01W Wing Gundam and XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero. Often called the perfect soldier, he speaks in a monotone voice and appears cold and emotionless. Trained from youth, he became capable of piloting his Gundam with extreme prowess. His devotion to the completion of his mission is his defining characteristic. Very little is known about his past other than he was once the protege of an assassin called Odin Lowe. After Odin Lowe died, Heero was taken in by Doctor J, who trained him to become a Gundam pilot. Dr. J gave him the code name of Heero Yuy, after the martyred leader of the colonies. According to the Sunrise creators, the name of Heero Yuy (pronounced "He-e-ro Yu-i" in Japanese) and its unique spelling are meant as a multiple wordplay on the Japanese words for "one" (ichi/hi) and "unique" (yui-itsu), the English word "hero," and Amuro Ray (the main protagonist in the first Mobile Suit Gundam series, pronounced "A-mu-ro Re-i").
- Duo Maxwell: Of American origin, Duo is the pilot of the XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe, and XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell (the original Deathscythe was destroyed - the Endless Waltz versions were "retroactive redesigns"). This bold and happy-go-lucky guy wears his hair in the form of a thick waist-length braid, and his signature outfit is a priest's black shirt, with clerical collar. Duo refers to himself as Shinigami (God of Death) as a result of his belief that those close to him were fated to die. He is the most extroverted of the Gundam pilots, and unlike Heero, Trowa and Wufei, he is a friend of Quatre. In the edited version his God of Death nickname was changed to the Great Destroyer.
- Trowa (Trois) Barton, real name (assumed) Triton Bloom: According to fandom theory as being of Italian origin (although not identified as such officially), he's the pilot of the XXXG-01H Gundam Heavyarms. In his off-time he works in a circus as a clown and high wire act. Reserved by nature and almost as emotionless as Heero, Trowa has no recollection of his past and has lived most of his life on the battlefield. Trowa took the name of Trowa Barton, Dekim Barton's son, after the real Trowa was shot by the assistant of Dr. S. Trowa is assumed to be Catherine Bloom's long lost brother, who was believed to have died years ago as a infant.
- Quatre Raberba Winner: Of Arabian origin, Quatre(pronouced KAT-trah) is the pilot of the XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock. He is a very kind young man who loves animals, is the greatest believer in pacifism of the five Gundam pilots and gets along very well with Duo. He believes that Earth and the colonies should not be fighting. He has twenty-nine older sisters, all test tube babies, because of the numerous problems experienced in natural pregnancy during the colonists' first arrival in space. Though the problem was later solved, the Winner family, who have been in space since the formation of the colonies, remained an exception. Quatre is the only child who was born naturally (his mother died giving birth to him and he was never told that he was born naturally) and is the heir to the Winner family. Quatre also leads a group of middle-eastern fighters known as the Maganac Corps. The Maganacs have accepted Quatre as their leader, when Quatre saved their leader Rashid's life, after Quatre helped flush out a traitor within the Maganacs ranks.
- Chang Wufei(張 五飛): Of Chinese origin, Chang is the pilot of XXXG-01S Gundam Shenlong("神龍"=God Dragon) which he calls Nataku (哪吒). Later in the series he pilots the XXXG-01S2 Gundam Altron("二頭龍"pinyin:Ertoulong, Double-headed Dragon). Wufei despises weakness in character and body. When he was younger his unwillingness to fight resulted in the death of his wife, a strong girl that took the responsibility of protecting the colony with the Gundam Altron onto herself. (Chang is a member of the Dragon clan in which members are obligated to marry at the age of 13.) He fights for justice and named his Gundam after his wife, who believed that she was Nataku, a war god of legend who had a body but no soul to house within it.
The Gundam Engineers
- Dr. J: The man who was responsible for the training of Heero Yuy and developed Wing Gundam. He is also the unofficial head of the Gundam Engineers.
- Professor G: The man who took in Duo Maxwell and made him the pilot of Deathscythe which he had developed.
- Dr. S: The engineer who created the Gundam Heavyarms, Trowa's gundam. His assistant shot the real Trowa Barton when Trowa reveals that he fully intends to execute Operation Meteor as originally intended.
- Instructor H: A friend of the Winner family that developed the Gundam Sandrock, Quatre's gundam. He hides the plans for Wing Zero in the Winner family's database.
- Master O: The man who developed Gundam Shenlong, Wufei's gundam.
- Howard: While Howard did not develop any of the 5 gundams, he was one of the original gundam engineers that developed the Tallgeese, the prototype for all mobile suits. In the series, he assists the Gundam pilots and is the owner of the space ship Peacemillion. His Hawaiian shirts make him the most colorfully dressed character.
Oz
- Zechs Marquise (real name: Milliardo Peacecraft): Of Northern European origin, Zechs pilots the Tallgeese for Oz. Later in the series, he pilots a mobile suit called Epyon which has the same program as Wing Zero. Zechs was once Milliardo Peacecraft, crown prince to the fallen pacifist nation, the Sanc Kingdom, and the older brother of future princess Relena Peacecraft. Under his real name he becomes the leader of the White Fang, a group made up of rebel colonists and former Treize Faction members. In Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Milliardo/Zechs allies himself with the Gundam pilots and joins the Preventers, a group of former soldiers dedicated to preserving peace.
- Lucrezia Noin: Of Mediterranean origin, at the beginning of the series she was an instructor at OZ's Lake Victoria Academy. It was mentioned in the series that she got the second highest grade in the history of Lake Victoria Academy (Zechs got the highest, although he claims that it was only because Noin let him.) Later, she joins Zechs in the war. Upon Zechs' request she becomes Relena's guardian and acts as the head of security for the reincarted Sanc Kingdom. She also supports the gundam pilots whenever she can. She pilots a white Taurus suit as part of the Sanc Kingdom's defense.
- Treize Khushrenada: Of Aryan origin, the leader of OZ and a member of Romefeller. Later on he is stripped of his postion when he refuses to support the mobile dolls, a type of mobile suit that doesn't need a pilot. He does so because Treize is a firm believer in tradition and feels that because mobile dolls will make humans unnecessary in battle, warfare will be meaningless. This caused a similarly-minded part of OZ to split into what is known as Treize Faction. Later on, after his former friend Milliardo becomes the leader of the White Fang, Treize steps out of hiding and takes over Relena's position as the World Nations leader. He meets his end in battle agains Chang Wufei, apparently of his own volition.
- Lady Une: Of German origin, Treize's second in command; she is completely devoted to him. Initially in the series, Une suffers from multiple personality disorder, having one personality that is a complete pacifist and another that is a battle-hardened soldier. Later in the series, Une somehow reconciles the two personalities into a single personality that is committed to bringing peace, but realistic in that she understands that force is needed to bring it about.
- Dorothy Catalonia: A teenage girl who greatly supports the war and believes that people only truly live when they fight. She believes that fighting is a part of human nature and that war is inevitable. Her beliefs put her at odds with the pacifistic ideals of Relena. She is the granddaughter of the leader of Romefeller, Duke Dermail, and as such is a cousin of Treize Khushrenada.
Civilians
- Relena Darlian (real name: Relena Peacecraft): At the beginning of the first episode of Gundam Wing, Relena is the daughter of Vice Foreign Minister Darlian. A naïve girl who becomes obsessed with Heero Yuy, upon her father's death, he tells her that she is really Relena Peacecraft, the princess of the fallen Sanc Kingdom, a nation dedicated to pacifism. After reinstating the Sanc Kingdom, she briefly becomes the Chief Representative in hopes of changing the ideals of the Romefeller foundation. Though she meets with some success, she is ousted when Treize returns to that position after her brother Milliardo becomes the leader of the White Fang and declares war against the Earth. In Endless Waltz, she becomes the new Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN and has gone back to the Darlian name. During the time she was held captive by the Mariemaia Army, Relena relialized for the first time that Total Pacifism doesn't lead to true peace and she was running from the truth. So in the end having decided that she will no longer consider herself a Peacecraft, Relena is able direct the civilians to stand up to the Mariemaia army in a non-violent protest. Afterwards she returns to her duties
- Sally Po: Formerly a major and a medical officer in the Alliance's Federation Army prior to its takeover by OZ, Sally becomes a resistance fighter, protecting the people against the abuses of OZ. She encounters the various Gundam pilots and their friends and allies on several occasions, and assists them wherever possible. In this aspect she is plays a role similar to Noin's. Yet the difference is that where Noin chooses to lend her support solely to one person/country/ideal (i.e. the total pacifist ideals of the Sanc Kingdom of which Relena is ruler), Sally often works by herself. Despite this, the two women are allies and often supply each other with information.
Episode Guide
- 01 - The Shooting Star She Saw
Relena was in rount home with her father, when she say Heero, Heero was travel in his mobile suit to Earth. But he was being track by a Oz ship. Heero try to break away, but the Oz ship was able to catch up with him. The Oz ship open fired on him, he then transformed from bird mode to his mobile suit, Zechs went after him with a Leo and manged score a hit. During the battle Heero shot down two Aries, before his mobile suit fall into the ocean. Relena later found him on the beach, he then threated to kill Relena, for knowing who he was.
- 02 - The Gundam Deathscythe
- 03 - Five Gundams Confirmed
- 04 - The Victorian Nightmare
- 05 - Relena's Secret
- 06 - Party Night
- 07 - Scenario For Bloodshed
- 08 - The Treize Assassination
- 09 - Portrait Of A Ruined Country
- 10 - Heero, Distracted By Defeat
- 11 - The Whereabouts Of Happiness
- 12 - Bewildered Warriors
- 13 - Catherine's Tears
- 14 - The Order To Destroy 01
- 15 - To The Battleground Antarctica
- 16 - The Sorrowful Battle
- 17 - Betrayed By Home, Far Away
- 18 - Tallgeese Destroyed
- 19 - Assault On Barge
- 20 - The Lunar Base Infiltration
- 21 - Grief Stricken Quatre
- 22 - The Fight For Independence
- 23 - Duo, God Of Death Once Again (Edited on Toonami as; Duo, The Great Destroyer Once Again)
- 24 - The Gundam They Called Zero
- 25 - Quatre VS Heero
- 26 - The Eternal Flame Of The Shooting Stars
- 27 - The Locus Of Victory And Defeat
- 28 - Passing Destinies
- 29 - The Heroine Of The Battlefield
- 30 - The Reunion With Relena
- 31 - The Glass Kingdom
- 32 - The God Of Death Meets Zero (Edited on Toonami as; The Great Destroyer Meets Zero)
- 33 - The Lonely Battlefield
- 34 - And Its Name Is Epyon
- 35 - The Return Of Wufei
- 36 - The Fall Of Sanc Kingdom
- 37 - Zero VS Epyon
- 38 - The Birth Of Queen Relena
- 39 - Trowa's Return To The Battlefield
- 40 - A New Leader
- 41 - Crossfire At Barge
- 42 - Battleship Libra
- 43 - Target: Earth
- 44 - Go Forth, Gundam Team
- 45 - Signs Of The Final Battle
- 46 - Milliardo's Decision
- 47 - Collision In Space
- 48 - Takeoff Into Confusion
- 49 - The Final Victor
External Links
- mahq.net (http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/w/index.htm) - detailed Mobile Suit information
- Gundam Plus (http://www.gun-plus.com/index.php?id=pages/000_wing) - information, image gallery
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