After Colony 195: to strike against the growing military might of the Earth’s Federation, the independent space colonies have unleashed five new Mobile Suits armored with Gundamium. Working independently with these mecha of undetermined destructive potential, five young soldiers wage war on Earth for the independence of the colonies. Just as they begin to meet and cooperate in a united mission, the nature of the enemy shifts and all hell breaks loose...

The plot of Gundam Wing is driven by shifting alliances and betrayals woven around the Gundam pilots and the major leaders in the conflict. Ignoring the two "summary" episodes (27 and 28), there is never a dull moment, as enemies and allies are constantly redefined against a growing tapestry of character denouement. Additionally, the battles are livened up by numerous twists which force the protagonists to react in novel ways.

5 Gundam pilots, each distinct in their mentalities towards the war, as well as their approaches to it.	5 Gundam Mobile Suits, also each distinct in their strengths and weaknesses, dictating the tactics employed by their pilots.

The characters of Gundam Wing are a fascinating study of the variety of wartime mentalities. From mentalities trying to accept the directive of "total war" to pacifists who would oppose conflict of any kind to soldiers looking for power or completion in their fighting, most every angle on warfare psychology is touched upon by some character. The main characters are a balance between the seeming superhuman abilities of those trained to embrace "total war" and the young minds coming to emotional grips with the realities of this scenario, allowing the audience to sympathize and identify with these Gundam pilots as human beings. Each of the five Gundam pilots is quite distinct in character and presence, from Heero Yuy, the most dangerously dedicated pilot who is quite willing to sacrifice anyone, including himself, to further the cause of the colonies, to Quatre Winner, a more empathic pilot who is more vulnerable emotionally to the increasing madness of the war. Potential enemies seek power and order from a perspective of differing ideals that complicate the already twisted tapestry with questions as to which parties are in the greatest "right," especially when former enemies become allies as the nature of the war changes.

The animation in Gundam Wing is quite satisfactory. While there are some recycled frames, and only average detail put into the explosions and munitions, the overall effect keeps the audience in the action. There are a variety of mecha apart from the five distinct Gundam, each of which has its strengths and weaknesses highlighted in the various battles. Similarly, just as the five pilots are quite distinct, so are the strengths and weaknesses of their Mobile Suits, informing the approaches the pilots use in battle. With consistently high frame rates and quite varied action, mecha, and localities, it is easy to overlook the fact that the animation has only tv quality detail.

The music for Gundam Wing is excellent. Starting off with a catchy theme song, the music meshes nicely with the animation in both form and function, supplementing the theme of high-tech machinery with techno overtones. Repeated themes manage to recapture the tone of previous scenes rather than drag with monotony.

Overall, Gundam Wing is highly recommended, especially for fans of mecha or the dynamics of war. It is the best anime space war drama I have seen, complete with a constantly twisting plot and strong, complex characterizations. Unless you define "anime" as "shoujo" or find that mecha and politics makes you break out in hives, you’re likely to enjoy Gundam Wing.

For reference, this review is based solely on the first 28 episodes.

Distributor: Bandai
Creator: Sunrise
Released: 1995

Plot: A+
Character Design: A
Animation Quality: B
Music: B+
Overall: A