Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, also known in Japan as New Mobile Report Gundam Wing (新機動戦記ガンダム), is a 1995 Japanese mecha anime series directed by Masashi Ikeda and written by Katsuyuki Sumizawa. It is the sixth installment in the Gundam franchise, taking place in the "After Colony" timeline. As with the original series, the plot of Gundam Wing centers on a war in the future (specifically, the year After Colony 195) between Earth and its orbital colonies in the Earth-Moon system. It follows five teenaged pilots of a powerful line of mobile suits who are assigned to rebel against the oppressive United Earth Sphere Alliance. In doing so, they launch an assault against OZ, who serves as the Alliance's primary means of defense across the galaxy.

The series aired in Japan on the terrestrial TV Asahi network. It ran for 49 episodes, beginning on April 7, 1995, and ending on March 29, 1996. It received multiple manga adaptations, as well as video games. Four original video animation (OVA) episodes were produced including a retelling of the series, Operation Meteor, and a direct sequel, Endless Waltz. In 2010, Sumizawa started writing the novel Frozen Teardrop, another sequel to the series. While the series fared modestly well in Japan, it found greater success in the United States and single-handedly popularized the Gundam franchise in the West. On July 25, 2025, a new manga was announced, which connects the events of Endless Waltz and Frozen Teardrop.[2]

Plot

In the distant future, mankind has colonized space, with clusters of space colonies at each of the five Earth-Moon Lagrange points. Down on the Earth, the nations have come together to form the United Earth Sphere Alliance. This Alliance oppresses the colonies with its vast military might. The colonies wishing to be free, joined 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 prompts five disaffected scientists from the Organization of the Zodiac, more commonly referred to as OZ, to turn rogue upon 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, to rid the Alliance of its weapons, and to free the colonies from its oppressive rule. The series also focuses on Relena Peacecraft, heir to the pacifist Sanc Kingdom, who becomes an important political ally to the Gundam pilots (particularly Heero) throughout the series. In addition to these six heroic and antiheroic characters, the series makes use of a large supporting cast of protagonists and antagonists with complex, interconnected storylines.

Production

The making of Gundam Wing was influenced by Mobile Fighter G Gundam with the idea of having five main characters. Originally, the series was meant to be titled Gundam Meteor after "Operation Meteor." Bandai suggested having a Gundam with the ability of transforming into a plane-like form (which led to the creation of the Wing Gundam and its "Bird Mode"). The writers worked together for one week conceptualizing the characters, mobile suits and first 40 episodes. Director Masashi Ikeda reacted to their work comparing it to the first Gundam series, Zeta and G all at once.[3] The series was more focused on drama than mecha, which the staff credits as one of the reasons for the show's popularity within the female demographic.

Writer Katsuyuki Sumizawa expressed difficulties in the making of the story as opposed to his work in novels due to the fact he relayed duties to other members. However, the handling of the five characters was made easy due to the setting.[3] Early sketches of the protagonists by Ikeda were handled by character designer Shūkō Murase. He was cast due to his work with Ikeda in Samurai Troopers. The director wanted the designs to appeal to the female demographic. Originally, Duo Maxwell was set as the protagonist but was replaced by Heero Yuy. The staff members noted Heero was too different from previous Gundam protagonists and were afraid he would be unpopular. The voice casting was more difficult to do than the ones from previous series due to the different atmosphere.[3]

Following the series' ending, the staff members were asked by the studio to make a sequel due to its popularity. Neither Ikeda nor executive producer Hideyuki Tomioka intended to make a sequel for Gundam Wing. However, Sumizawa was bothered by the finale as he felt the series ended abruptly. Tomioka asked Sumizawa if he could write a continuation, which he agreed to do.[3]

Media

Soundtracks

• Openings:
• "Just Communication" by Two-Mix (ep. 1–40)[22] (YTV Broadcast: 1–49)
• "Rhythm Emotion" by Two-Mix (ep. 41–49)[23]

• Ending:
• "It's Just Love!" by Rumi Ohishi (ep. 1–49)
• "Just Communication" (Instrumental Version) by Kow Otani (Toonami Broadcast, ep. 1–49; the credits aired over a shortened version of the show's first opening animation)[24]

• Insert songs:
• "Just Communication" by Two-Mix (eps. 3 & 49)
• "Rhythm Emotion" by Two-Mix (eps. 36, 38, 39, and 41)

Reception and international broadcasters

Gundam Wing was a success in Japan during its initial run; it, along with G Gundam, was the only Gundam series of the 1990s that 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.[25][26] The series is infamous within dōjinshi where authors tend to depict romantic relationships between several of the protagonists.[27][28]

Gundam Wing was a greater success in North America and is credited by John Oppliger on Animation Anime News Blog with single-handedly popularizing the Gundam franchise among American audiences.[29] 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.[30] 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. Gundam Wing was ranked the 73rd best animated series by IGN, calling the series "so good that even those opposed to anime have to give the show its due credit".[31]

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing was also the first-ever Gundam-franchise to broadcast internationally in Indonesia by then-Salim Group-owned television station Indosiar from mid-2001 until mid-2002.

See also

External links

• Official Website: Anime
• Kodansha USA publishing page: Mobile Suit Gundam WING (Mobile Suit GUNDAM WING Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers)