Gundam Wing
Type: TV Series (49 Episodes)
Genre: Mecha, Action
Version: Region 1 DVD
Reviewed: 7/10/03
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Arguably the greatest anime that the mecha genre has to offer, Gundam Wing accomplishes what the entire Gundam saga set out to do, all in one series.
Like many other Sci-fi anime, Gundam Wing sports the premise of people finally colonizing space. Several space colonies circle the earth, all of which are members of an alliance ruled by the very planet they left. When earth’s rule becomes a bit tyrannical, a group of revolutionaries build five ultimate fighting machines, and send many young pilots to earth in a liberating operation. With the age of mobile suits (giant fighting robots) hitting its prime, a serious war is about to begin…
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| Time for some serious asskickery! |
The execution of Gundam Wing’s plot is top-notch. The story is only semi-original (especially taking into consideration that it’s a spin-off of all the many other Gundam shows out there), but the way the events unfold, and the variety thereof, make it a blast to watch. Initially, one may expect to watch a mech-based anime that spends 90% of its airtime just showing pointless battles between giant robots. Gundam Wing respectably takes the proverbial road less traveled, weaving in an enjoyable plot and a splendid cast of characters.
In the sound and animation departments, nothing really stands out as particularly awesome. The animation is good, but nothing much above average, while the exact same description can be applied to the music.
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| Everybody was kung-fu fighting… |
The series was treated to some above-average direction. The simple ways the characters go about doing the things they do is just the way it should be, from their facial expressions, to the “camera’s” angle towards them, and most everything else. The great cast members stay true to their forms through the whole series, which makes the directing seem all the better. In conclusion, this series only does a few things outstandingly well (battle scenes & characterization come to mind), but its lack of errors elevates it to “elite” status in the anime world. Gundam Wing is, in this reviewer’s opinion, the greatest mecha anime of all time, and the best incarnation of the Gundam saga.
-Heath Hindman