Shin kidô senki Gundam W
Tags: psychedelic, sci-fi

Plot synopsis:
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, join 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 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, 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.

Review: Soon after, the Gundam pilots, their civilian allies, and like-minded members of OZ join forces to take down the warring factions and bring real peace.With the characters, we have a group of young people who are highly misunderstood by the anime community.
Aiding Heero in his battles are the other four Gundam pilots: the cheerful Duo Maxwell, the somber Trowa Barton, the caring Quatre Winner, and the brash Zhang Wu Fei. On the side of OZ, we have the anachronistically noble Treize Khushrenada, his multi-faceted aide Lady Une, Zechs' old friend Lucrezia Noin, and Dorothy Catalonia, Relena's war-loving rival.
Most older Gundam series have the problem that they focus on the main character so much that it almost seems like the world revolves around him.
Gundam wing, for me, was possibly one of the best anime's I have ever see, and YES I have seen the original series.GW's charm lies not in it's battles, but in the evolution of it's characters.
throughout the series, he rediscovers the humanity that had been so brutally drummed out of him, through his relationship with possibly one of the most unjustly hated female characters in the anime world.Yes, I like Relena.
the definition of enemy changes repeatedly throughout the series as loyalties change and situations vary.the battle scenes  are fun, the dialogue is excellent, the dubbing is pretty good...all in all, the only thing I could find about to complain on was the fact that the voices for the dub sound far older than the actual characters do, Zechs in particular.If you want a fun series that will make you think if you want it to, and show the moral dilemmas that could easilly be related to today, watch Gundam Wing.
This was one of the first anime's I ever saw...I remember staying up late to watch it unedited on Cartoon Network.The story follows Heero Yuy, a young asassin trained to pilot a Gundam Mobile Suit.
Him and his team of other Gundam pilots, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Chang, against the corrupt and oppressive Earth-Sphere alliance.The Earth Sphere alliance is lead by Treize Kushrenada and the mysterious Zechs Marquise, who wears a mask almost constantly.However, the story quickly unfolds into much larger implications.This is a great anime and in my opinion the best in the saga.
A the same time, they could have done worse as well.Gundam Wing tells the story of the five Gundam Pilots, young terrorists sent to Earth from the space colonies to take revenge on the death, ten years earlier, of the leader of the Colonies.
It makes it Superheroic...When the original Gundam premiered in 1979, it was a landmark series because it was the first show to portray the Mecha as simple fighting machines, like a tank or fighter jet.
I have just recently purchased collection one of this awesome series and even after just watching three episodes, I still am mesmerized by sleek styling of the animation and the slow, yet thoughtful actions of the story-telling.
I am still a fan.....with some minor pains.Though this installment into the Gundam saga is very cool and has what the previous series had-a stylish satiric way of telling about the wrongs of war and not letting go of the need to have control or power over everything(sound familiar?), I have to say that this one gets a bit too mellow-dramatic on continuing to explain the lives of the main characters and their incessant need to belly-ache about every thing that happens and what they need to do to stop the OZ group from succeeding in their plans(especially the character called Wufei...I mean he whines more than an American character on a soap opera.
I wont give away too much.Pros: Deep story, awesome characters, smooth animation Cons: Series final episodes feel a little rushed, need more Gundams!.
If the typical fan had indulged in the earlier Gundam universe, it would become more apparent that this is only a derivative copy of plot elements and scenes from earlier series -- from 0079, all the way to Char's Counterattack.
I think that's my biggest criticism, the series portrays itself as something deep and philosophical but under scrutiny, you can see the total nonsensical actions of all the characters, like "I don't know what I'm fighting for, better arbitrarily pick the side I was just fighting against for no reason" Now I understand the writers may have been trying to make a point about war and what becomes of soldiers after they're done fighting, but that's not how it comes off, it just comes off as childish.
For nostalgia, it's nice, but objectively, if you, like me, like the whole terrorist Gundam cell, and espionage type stuff, you're much better off watching 00, similar themes that don't come off so ham fisted, MUCH BETTER ACTION (there's much more than 5 fights like in Wing) Better characters etc To return to characters actually, Heero was 1 dimensional (which is explained why in Endless Waltz the movie, but still as your main character it was so dull) Trowa was also 1 dimensional, Quatre pretty one dimensional and repetitive, Duo was just a loudmouth, nothing more, Wu Fei was a senseless braggart, Milliardo/Zechs (AKA char clone) was a solid character, but they ruined him in the second half of the series.
We Americans get about 2 choices: Gundam Wing or Dragonball Z (I REFUSE to include Monster Rancher or any of the 'mons into the mix.)  It's equal to or beyond Dragonball Z in many places, though I agree the plot is sometimes lost or confused in thoughtful dialouge of War and Peace.
I wish I lived in Japan or I had the comic shop that would sell me subtitled anime (I hear Sailor Moon underwent HORRIFIC rewrites-too bad :P)  I don't though, and Gundam Wing is a good show upon itself..
I absolutely love this show so much.Because the reason I love the show it's because it has great story, great music and the characters are really cool, and the Gundams are more modern than the other gundams in Mobile Suit Gundam.If there's a real Gundam Wing movie someday I will go to see it definetly and I will know the movie will be the best..
Well, Gundam Wing is the best Gundam series I've ever seen, because the gundams are a lot better than the gundams from Mobile Suit Gundam.
For example I have some things to say about them: Heero Yuy is the main character of the show and he's like one of the best characters, Duo is the all-American funny guy, he is very funny most of the time in every episode, Trowa is very silent and the first time he appeared he was a guy without a name, Quatre is like the youngest of the pilots, I think that most people say that he is gay and some others say that his main woman is Dorothy, Chang Wufei is the coolest character and he's the strongest of the pilots.
The original Gundam set the stage for later mecha classics such as Macross(AKA Robotech generation one) and Evangelion with it's gritty combat and character focus, as opposed to old mecha shows of the 70s in which a mecha would be controlled by multiple pilots in goofy uniforms and always end it's battle with a ridiculously overpowered weapon(Like in Voltron, for example).
The music is typical synth Background Music, and the animation is rather dull and rehashed a lot.The shows plot follows as following: Pretty Boy Wannabes fight, and fight, and strike cool poses in over-powerful mechs and try to be melo-dramatic in a show with way to many characters for it's own good.
What follows is a grand sweeping tale of conspiracies, betrayal, hidden ulterior motives and conflict of ideals set among the backdrop of a world on the brink of war.Though it shares a number of elements in common with the previous gundam series, it was the execution of those story threads that i loved.
It emphasizes the point of view that no matter how powerful a weapon is, it is the weakness of the soldier behind the trigger that causes it to fail; seen in the many instances where the "invincible" gundams are defeated due to the pilot's and not the hardware's fault.The story also has a fresh style, focusing more on the larger scale political happenings in the war instead of the 5 main characters.
A pity that so much time and effort is spent planning out the otherwise convoluted storyline and in researching the underlying themes that little thought is given to character development or entertainment value.The most well developed characters are only Relena and Zechs Merquise, their motives and personality evolving nicely as the series moves along to its conclusion; Relana matures from a shy rich girl just moving through life into an assertive leader figure and Zechs' convictions to attain peace by any means necessary drive him to be a very compelling character.
I like this look as it lends a gritty gloomy feel to the show that matches its story.Gundam Wing is not a series for everyone.
Also the action isnt that great and the use of style isnt as good or effective as in other shows like G or Zeta Gundam.Overall it's a 3/10 show with little value.
Gundam Wing is an over inflated show with pretty boy characters and very poor animation.
Older Gundam series, like 0080 or Zeta Gundam, are much more in depth, with excellent mecha designs and very well animated battle scenes.
Gundam Wing uses many scenes over and over again in one fight, and it seems as if the main characters are totally invincible.If you are new to mecha anime, see Mobile Suit Gundam first, then you'll realize that this show is poorly made..
The idea that computers would control mobile suits with energy shields was rarely used if ever in the other series.This is coming from a 26 year old, so I know I have no place criticizing this; its more that I want to rationalize why I still enjoy it.The writing: As I said before, I enjoyed the overall plot, even if it is extremely naive.
Rating: 2.5 of 5 for not being original, I recommend you to watch Mobile Suit Gundam or other related series.
I had watched alot of UC Gundam and was getting somewhat tired of it...I needed something new and fresh(not to say UC isn't, I just saw too much of it).Some of my friends told me how great Gundam Wing is so I thought I'd give it a try....Aghh....this "series" is a complete and total rip off of the original gundam.Zechs?
Gundam Wing is about five boys with their own indestructible mobile suits fighting against evil, which seems too Justice League-like and ridiculous for most fans (how can one stage guerrilla warfare with a towering robot that can be seen miles away?).
I liked Gundam Wing, but it wasn't very original and the plot changes were far too confusing to follow and at many times didn't make any sense.
The 5 Gundam pilots were interesting characters but they lacked any depth to their history.In all it was good, but not Great.
Back then, my priority was always animation, delivery of action scenes and how 'cool' the Gundams were.Watching it again 16 years later, not only bought nostalgia but more understanding of what the movie transcends and the meaning the artist who made this wants us to interpret.
I may be biased because I did watch it as a child but I can honestly say this is the best anime/tv series I have ever seen just with the character development and continuity of storyline.
The contrast between the characters is stronger thanks to some give-or-take performances but a very well cast group of actors.Wing Gundam's pilot Heero Yuy is a highly trained soldier who suppresses his emotions but slowly learns the value of his humanity.
He may sound a little too old for his age, but Duo's English voice easily out ranks his irritatingly nasal Japanese one.Trowa, the pilot of Heavyarms, is a lost lonely soul who's only purpose so far has been combat; despite his inner desire to form connections with the people around him, he only knows how to kill, not to befriend.
This might not sit well with her youthful personification early in the series but as her character matures later into the story, her voice follows suit and ends up fitting in very well with the character development.Zechs Merquise would be one of the more drastically changed voices when compared to the Japanese version.
How I got into it: When I started watching this series on Cartoon Network,I have to say that I've never seen anything like this,and it was the best.
My favorite Gundams in the show that I liked the most are the Wing Zero,and Epyon,and of course the Altron,and Deathscythe I,and II.Meaning of the show: What this series also tells us that in real life,wars are very hard and we can sometimes win,or lose.
As a great action show with plenty of character and philosophy thrown in, Gundam Wing certainly stands the test of time, just don't expect to root for the good guys..
Gundam Wing to me happens to be a good anime.
I've watched almost all of the Gundam/Mech anime that have showed in the US and this by far has the best story.
The series follows a group of five 15 year old boys who have been trained to pilot state of the art mobile suits known as Gundams.
OK, firstly, i'd like to state that this review is for the English dub version of Gundam Wing, but only because i have not had the time to watch it in its original audio track.
For the first 6-7 episodes the beginning story is that the colonies have sent 5 gundam pilots to earth to fight for the freedom of the colonies from the oppressive Earth Sphere Aliance.The characters of the series are a mixed bunch.
No, really, I can understand why she was included in the series, but i think that they put too much emphasis on her being the peace-wanting person, as in the end it was just frustrating to watch any scenes that she was in.Despite the serious nature to the show, i always felt that it was just too kiddy-like in how it was presented.
Where as in some of the other Gundam series or other anime, people die, even main characters.
However, whilst we see many mobile suits blow up, or a glance of the pilots face, very rarely do we see a main character die which isn't what id expect from a series that is trying to show that war is wrong.
Make no mistake, a good anime, but not the best Gundam series.6.5/10.
I could write a big enough comment on any one of the characters in Gundam Wing, they could each lead the series with their internal conflicts.
Yes she does strike fear into the hearts of all men with that high pitched screech...No wonder Heero wants to kill her....In other words, I think Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is highly addictive and a very good animé show...and manga too ^_^.
Gundam Wing is one of the best Japanese Anime shows out there!
Gundam Wing is probably one of the best animated shows geared at teens, one reason is that, unlike most of the other action animation, it actually has a deeper plot than shoot the other guy.
The morals spread throughout the story about honor of battle and pacifism seem a bit corny in American dialogue, but all in all Gundam Wing is an extremely enjoyable Anime on Cartoon Network..
This is a first taste of a pure Japanese cartoon series.I hope Funimation, the translators of Dragon Ball Z, take a good look at Gundam Wing and change their methods for their upcoming episode translations.We have come a long way from Speed Racer, Gigantor, and Astro Boy.
I've seen the Chars Counterattack series and while the plot in them was great, I prefer the more modern style of anime with the hard-lined characters to the soft-and-squishy looking drawings.
I think Gundam Wing is the best anime show ever if not the best cartoon ever.
I've loved shoujo (girls) anime for years, but with the exception of Evangelion, most shounen (boys) - targeted shows have been brushed aside.This series bowled me over.Gundam Wing, in both its Japanese and dubbed formats (more the uncut dub, though) has proven itself to the exception to the rule.
Which leads to problems, since gundams are supposed to be destroyed, replaced by "Mobile Suits", which are piloted less-destructive weapon platforms and "Dolls" which are ran on A.I. and are used as grunt infantry.The whole point of the series is a metaphysical question that gives Gundam Wing an edge over a greater portion of the Anime that makes it's way here.
Gundam tops this by making sure that everyone knows that characters will die, machines will be destroyed and rebuilt, battles will be lost and won, and it never seems as though it makes the actions themselves satirical.But the magic of Gundam Wing is in the details, and what this series has that more anime would be grateful for having.
But the final two episodes and the overplayed-on-Cartoon-Network (back in 2001-2003) Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz movie more than make up for the slack..
Like I said earlier, there is a LOT of side-switching, so characters end up fighting with the people they hated in the previous episode ALL THE TIME.
This one, Gundam Wing, has good character development, real-world complexity, interesting ideas and some pretty eye-candy.With characters, the initially weak Relena Dorlan (later Peacecraft, then back to Dorlan) gets stronger and more independent (although is still absolutely besotted with Heero Yuy, the series main character).
But sweet suit designs doesn't quite save the series from boring characters.Conclusion: In the end, Wing has cool fight scenes, though riddled with recycled animation, but shallow plot and character development.