Rating: - First Love
Broadcasted on American TV in 2000, "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing" (originally entitled "New Mobile Report Gundam Wing") was the country's first exposure to a franchise that has captivated Japanese viewers for over 2 decades, roping in a new fanbase. And now Bandai's "Anime Legends" branch has released this series in 2 money/space-saving bundles, the first bundle containing the first 25 episodes in 5 disks. In the After Colony (AC) year 195, mankind has found a new home in space colonies. But Earth's unified government rules the colonies with an iron fist, using giant robotic mobile suits to keep the populace in line. Fed up, colonial rebels pair 5 teenage soldiers--including the suicidal Heero Yuy--with the most advanced mobile suits and send them to Earth to wreak havoc. But the chosen few tasked with liberating their people sure have their work cut out for them.

While this series was popular on both sides of the Pacific--and the first alternate universe Gundam show to get its own sequel--it also had its fair share of critics, particularly those who were already familiar with Gundam. For starters, any diehard fan can point out the dozens of cues "Wing" takes from earlier Gundam shows and films. You've got the oppressive Earth government ("Zeta Gundam"), the masked villain with a hidden agenda ("Mobile Suit Gundam"), the hero's girlfriend who's also the sister of said villain ("MSG" again), soldiers who've missed their psychiatric evaluations (take your pick) and so forth. Another negative is how the show's diverse, but bizarre, cast of characters constantly talk about war and peace. While this is a central feature in all things Gundam, and while some of what is said makes sense, it's mostly philosophical babble used to make the show sound more intellectually refined than it really is (and in some cases, this actually worked). And "Wing's" not so big on character development either. Take Relena Darlian, the hero's girlfriend/masked villain's sister. Though she's supposedly an important character, she doesn't really do anything except follow Heero around, and he's trying to kill her . . .

So as not to end this review on a sour note, "Wing" flies in other areas. Amazon reviewer Charles Solomon once said that Gundam fans care more about mecha battles than tightly woven storylines or credible character arcs, and to a certain extent he's right. "Wing" has plenty robot-on-robot action to go around. Though the one-sided fights between the Gundams and the cannon fodder get old after a while, the bad guys soon up the ante with their own secret weapons. For those who have watched the show on TV, watching it in its original Japanese format makes for a new and interesting experience. And for those who buy DVD's for the Easter eggs, each disc in the collection feature character bios and mech specs (both of which can be found online), DVD credits, and assorted anime trailers from Bandai.

This series is rated for ages 13 and up: Violence, Adult Language.

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