Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: The 90s Mecha Invasion 

Now THIS was a tuff episode to write. It's always fun to challenge yourself though, i've been sitting on this series for months now mulling over in my mind the best way to attack not only this series, but the franchise itself. There's still quite a few franchises we want to get under our belt before we start in on things like character profiles and deeper looks in to specific aspects of shows, but when we do expect the same level of quality, i mean we did two kenshin videos on two completely different topics so it'll be a lot like that. Anyway, art babble aside I hope you're all doing well! check out our patreon for a very important behind the scenes update, and while you're at it let me know what your favorite gundam series is, mine is G!

Kid me: giant robots fighting cooool Adult me: gundam is a deep political driven series of ideology

When I was a kid I went to Toys R Us and asked my mom to get me a Deathscythe Hell figure. I got home and opened it up and it was in pieces and I was like "I have to build it?". Since I was already building Legos I was like alright I guess I can do it. 20 years and many many hundreds of dollars later, I'm still building Gunpla. Gundam Wing changed my life and I wouldn't have it any other way ❤️

I'll never forget my dad staying up to tape episodes of Wing for me as a kid. Such a nostalgic show. Also, more gundam please.

True this was my first time watching Gundam. Toonami anyone ?

"War is a continuation of politics by other means." -Carl von Clausewitz You should consider looking into Macross as well.

I still cite Gundam Wing and its narrative surrounding mobile dolls as a simple encapsulation of the fear that automating warfare normalizes atrocity, and distances a technologically-superior aggressor from the horrors of war, which without risk of defeat serves as the only deterrent to continued aggression.

I saw Gundam Wing last January, i love it. Duo Maxwell is best boi

Fun fact, wings operation meteor was planned originally as a colony drop as is standard in gundam universes. But the five scientists that built the gundams managed to convince the powers that be to not do that and go with their plan of gundams to take out oz

ITS A GUNDAM!!!!!!

Ahh yes! The amazing days of toonami. The true broadening of many westerners horizons. I have so many beautiful memories from late 90's to early 2000's from toonami. Before the true surge of the internet. Back when AOL/dialup was the predominant internet in my area. Thanks for all these trips down memory lane. P.s. Love you bud, you seem like a really cool person.

also does anyone else remember the endless waltz movie and how Heero used his Gundams wings...in space?!

GW and MGS taught me about honor, warrior philosophy, sacrifice, and fighting thru screwed up situations. Def a treat/necessity during my formative years

I'm glad to see someone make light of what makes Wing unique and special compared to other Gundam anime besides being the West's introduction to the franchise. It all seems like hating on Wing is the popular thing to do in the Gundam fanbase these days. If there is one thing I personally really like about Gundam Wing that no one ever seems to mention, it is the complete absence of Newtypes (Coordinators, Innovators, etc.). While I do believe Newtypes have their place in Zeta, CCA, and the 1979 series, I feel that some Gundam anime misuse Newtypes as a lousy excuse to give the main character obscene amounts of plot armor (ZZ, Seed, and especially Unicorn are the worst offenders). I would even go as far to say that the Zero System is an interesting hard sci-fi substitute for Newtypes.

Oh word? 3rd Strike OST episode? I'm listening!

Sad news but Kirby Morrow, dub voice actor for Trowa Barton (Pilot of the Heavyarms) passed away earlier today. He will be missed.

It would be awesome to see you guys dive into the, lacking for the right word here, relationship/differences between the pilots and their gundams. Like how Trowa is sorta introverted and a gymnast but pilots Heavy Arms.

Gundam wing on toonami absolutely got me hooked to anime alongside dbz. Great video!

Also to note, the OST to this show (and Endless Waltz) absolutely fucking slaps. Literally every track from the opening themes (I still waffle to this day between Just Communication or Rhythm Emotion being better) to the moody, jazzy background songs and character themes are just perfect. I can't not get goosebumps when Heero rides out in Epyon for the first time and that song kicks in. Even the english instrumental outro kicks all kinds of ass. I still listen to it in it's fullest almost 20 years later and, while the show itself hasn't aged well I have to admit, the soundtrack to me is the sound of 90's anime.

I cried for the whole last quarter of this video. Thank you so much, guys, for delving into what it means to be Human. I recently got into social work, and it touched me, and my past self whom fell in love with anime through Gundam Wing. Please be kind to yourselves, and keep being kind to others. Thank you, again. I loved this.

How do you always make videos that are so relevant to me? Once again, you make a video that goes along with what I've been thinking about and dealing with. Thanks for covering this. Not just because this is my first real Gundam show (not my favorite. That would be Seed.) but because it gave me a look into my own issues at the moment.

Just finished this show. Like many others, this was my first Gundam anime Some of the things I like about the show are the themes surrounding naiveté and entities that masquerade themselves to have it their way, as well as the disillusionment over what you're fighting for. Like, you have the space colonies who are foolishly naive enough to accept OZ as their allies and liberators when OZ only wants to have it their way with them. The offer of independence is nothing more than bait to the colonies. As Quatre observes how the colonies are seemingly bending knees to OZ more, he becomes disillusioned and goes mad. The colonies that he's fighting for are willing to basically become slaves under false pretences of independence. The irony is that the colonies are unbeknowingly handing away their freedom from one entity to another under a false promise of it. Then there's Relena's naiveté of Total Pacifism. She clings to it too much even when the Sanc Kingdom that she's ruling over is being invaded and under attack. And then she eventually surrenders to OZ and ends up being used and lied to by the Foundation. While she eventually finds a way to sort things out within her new position, it's still telling when Heero calls out on her ideology and how she acts upon it, saying that she's dreaming. The takeaway here is that when you're too naive and kind, when you're too much of pacifist, you allow yourself to be used by those with ill intentions. Naiveté was what made the colonies surrender to OZ, and it was also naiveté that caused the Sanc Kingdom to be annihilated a second time.

I remember watching GW on CN. It was one of those series that sticks with you. Shifts, paradigms, civilization, and bonds. It redefined what a mecha Gundam series was. And Endless Waltz was another story. It opened up so many possibilities for storytelling. Btw excellent use of SF3TS soundtrack. It defined the time, but also evolved. Similar to Gundam Wing. They compliment one another

who says you cant learn anything from anime? this anime showed that...WAR IS BAD!

Gundam Wing was my personal version of "I'm 14 and THIS is DEEP". I still have the entire series on some old VHS tapes that I recorded off Toonami and Midnight Run. I liked it so much that I decided I absolutely had to save it to show my own kids one day. Fast forward 20 years and I couldn't make it more than halfway through the series before getting too bored to continue. The reused animation gets tedious really quick, and the themes aren't nearly as deep and complex as I thought they were as a teenager. Still, I'll always have fond memories of watching it for the first time.

FINALLY Someone who loves Mobile Fighter G Gundam! Idk why so many people hate on it.

I absolutely LOVE the Gundam franchise. Started with Gundam Wing on Toonami and now have seen almost every series. PLEASE DO MORE! Especially the themes of the Universal Century. Zeta Gundam is the best in the franchise imo.

Gundam WING is such an influential anime that even to this day, I slip up and call all The Gundam series; Mobile Suit Gundam Wing or Gundam Wing Unicorn or Gundam Wing Seed lol

f***ing love Gundam. You guys gotta do more on all the series! @mike especially if youre gonna narrate! youre my favorite :)

Gundam is perhaps my favorite anime franchise, but ironically, I’ve never seen Gundam wing

I much like most others in the west was introduced to Gundam through Toonami and honestly before it came out I thought the name of it sounded stupid but when I started watching it I freaking LOVED it, to this day I still have a binder that is full of printouts about the Gundam franchise, mostly front Gundam Wing, Dragonball Z and Pokemon cards, from explanations of the science to concept art, I watched it constantly and recorded most of the show on VHS, I rewatched the whole show some years back and looking back now I realize a few things about the show, 1 is that I don't really think I actually understood the show when I watched it 13-14 years old, I just loved it for the action and mobile suit fights and 2 I realize that the show isn't really all that good, the action is good but the plot isn't so great at times, but thanks to Gundam Wing, the Gundam franchise is one of my absolute favorite anime franchises, but the Universal Century timeline is where the good stuff is

Thought it was a very well done intro. Hope to see more of it. This series holds a special place in my life right up there with the 08th MS Team.

This show and the armored core games was my childhood.

I remember when Gundam Wing came out in the West. I didn't understand anything, but I knew it was "important" stuff going on. I've been a major Gundam fan since then and as you said, Gundam Wing isn't the best in the series, it does hold a special place.

More GUNDAM!!!

I remember this series but I don’t remember them explaining what the name oz means I guess that explains why the mobile suits have zodiac names.

I got real real sad when I heard that Dynasty Warriors Gundam battle music... I miss that game.

When he's talking about internal conflict I think it is interesting how he talks about the right thing to do always changes so he is applying the idea that a person or people has to stay flexible and ready for ready for what ever may come because what is the right thing to do might change.

part of what was cool with wing too is that it was a show with unique mobile suits, but without the crazy pilot style of g gundam. like the cockpit was normal, but the MS was definitely not. the gundams also lost some fights too which made them more real somehow. maybe a poor choice of words on my part but yeah

I just remember back when I watching this during that time and you get thru the first 5-6 episodes the narrators tone changed. “The year is After Colony 195, OZ! Has finally taken center stage” and I was like this shit just got real.

Zechs goes thru Char's entire 93 episode and 1 movie character arc in 1 show. Crazy.

I *absolutely* need to hear you talk more about Gundam, especially Wing. I'm most curious as to your thoughts and analysis on Wing's movie: Endless Waltz. I loved Gundam Wing so much, I had the models of all five main Gundams from Endless Waltz and they were my pride and joy for many years

For me it all started in AC 195, and now I’ve been to multiple Gundam universes. Thank you Toonami.

Took me way too long to realize that was Ibuki’s theme lol Good stuff as always

Your bit about beliefs was my favorite part of the video. It reminded me of my favorite quote from Dogma, Rufus: Mankind got it all wrong by takin' a good idea and building a belief structure out of it. Bethany : So you're saying that having beliefs is a bad thing? Rufus : I just think it's better to have an idea. You can change an idea; changing a belief is trickier. People die for it, people kill for it. love the video, keep up the good work!

7:27 this was a beautiful connection

Just so you guys know, Gundam and Gunpla are dummy addicting...proceed with fandom cautiously.

I still have the DVD box set of Gundam Wing + Endless Waltz that I bought online in like 2001 or 2002. Such great memories of this show blowing my 17 year old mind when it aired on Toonami

Gundam Wing thorough explanation, Godlike 3rd Strike background music... 10 outa 10 video. One of the best channels in all RU-vid

I would love to see you talk about mobile suit g gundam. Still my favorite mecha

Nice!!!! I've been looking into model kits lately, I'll take this as a sign 😎 Awesome video 💯👌

This was deep. I really enjoyed it

Man the first toonami gundam wing trailer is one of the goats . It still gives me chills to this day . “Suit up……..only toonami”

Also, 20 years later and I have just learned that OZ is shorthand for order of the zodiac and that’s why all their suits are named as such. Wow.

I got introduced to Gundam through Gundam Seed Destiny. I know not too many people talk about that one, but I personally really enjoyed it. I'd say that and Dragon Ball Z are the first anime shows I remember watching, but I never really knew the difference, I was just happy to watch tv lmao all in all its nice to go back down a road I haven't visited in so long thanks for this one dude!

gundam wing is DEFINITELY what got me into the franchise, thank you toonami haha

Gundam Wing still stands out among the Gundam series because by episode 30ish there are 15 factions. Uesa is backed by Oz contains the Specials, funded by Romefellar which splits into The Treize Faction and Dermail, the Sanc Kingdom, the White Fang, the earth alliance, the Gundam pilots, the scientists.. It's not just two sides with different idealogical views. It's a complicated situation.

Felt bad when the video ended. We so good was hanging on every word. Been a fan for 20+ years and it has been a while since I have found a video that covers wing in such detail. Looking forward to the mech video.

Full dive baby! I remember when it came out, it was hype as hell. I didn't get deeper into Gundam until much later though. Gundam wing endless waltz actually answers a lot of the questions that wing left unanswered. Should def check it out, even if you don't do a video on it.

Please! Please! Please! Dive into the characters and how there Gundams symbolize the characters. Also how they change of Gundams effects the entire show!!!

For me Gundaw Wing will ever be my Favorite Gundam Series.. I've seen the other series..but Gundam wing is just different.. Gundam Wing Zero and Hiro Blow my mind as a kid before..I hope a live action Gundam wing should be considered until now its still the popular Gundam in America

Nice use of Dynasty Warrior Gundam 3 ost in the beginning. Also my start into Gundam is SD Gundam Force.

This was a great video. Gundam is much, much more than just "War bad peace good". It's a story about the moral gray areas that defines a political conflict. It could be very easy for Gundam show war just like almost every war movie shows: A badass hero and his quirky bros fighting a manichest, faceless enemy. But he dares to show that behind the cockpit of the mobile suit, there is a real human being. He dares to show that even the worst things ever done for mankind happen for a reason, that many times there are no definitive right answers. He dares to show that, at the eyes of the average joe who end up in the war for the wrong side for a amount a reasons, the cool and colorfull Gundam is not a hero, but basically a monster. It's a story that chalenges the black and white thinking that a lot of people in society these days still maintain. For me, Gundam is a masterpiece not just of Anime, but art and entertainment itself.

Still remember this airing. Oh boy, you understated its popularity. When this first aired, DBZ, Sailor moon, and Evangelion also aired for their 1st runs on the Toonami block. Wing for 2 weeks beat all of them and then was #2 behind DBZ for the rest of the run.

So here is what I got from Gundam Wing. As mike explained, yes this was my first encounter with anime and Gundam and it was outstanding! I noticed that I feel Japan was trying to convince the u.s of its military industrial complex and how our society uses war as a means to develop but more importantly you will not have a true democracy as long as a nation be it stand alone, or the entire planet is backed by a immensely large combat interest. Starship troopers (1997) makes this point clear as well.

What got me intersted in Gundam Wing was Toonami UK showing little clips of the first couple of eps, the most dramatic of which was Heero telling Relana, he going to kill her, Gundam Wing kind of just blew my mind and its one of a couple of shows from that era that got me into anime.

Gundam Wing was totally my first Gundam series and is still my absolute favorite. Awesome video as per usual =)

I slept on Gundam wing for along time because I kept only seeing episodes about total pacifism but it ended up being one of my favorite series of all time

Gundam Seed - amazed me with their battle choreography Gundam 00 - amazed me with the real world problems and philosophy

5:05 in the censored cut he says "I'll destroy you" to which I could only imagine her replying "That's the general idea."

Wing was my first Gundam series but Voltron and Robotech were my first mecha anime. Gundam Wing and Dragonball Z made me truly become an anime fan.

I was 10 when GW aired on toonami and I was hooked. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen. So much of it went over my head: OZ bad, Gundams good. It didn’t matter because watching the gundams go through leos like howtobasic goes through eggs never got old, especially in the days before dvr and youtube. Then I got a taste of UC with 08th MS team and 0083 on midnight run, and it was, literally, a whole new world. I loved the grit of 08th MST and the microcosm of 0083. I fell out of love with the more superhuman body count and over the top flourishes of GW. I was all in on UC timeline. Yes the trope Is war bad, peace good, Tomino’s original message, but I always loved how muddy the line between good and bad was, esp with some of the events that transpire in unicorn 0096. Anyway this is all a lead up to say I think you really nailed it with this video from a high level. I just rewatched GW for old times sake and I appreciated it more now that I can understand the twists and turns of the politics. Like you, I had to rewind several times. This video makes me appreciate it even more. GW is a fun way to serve up a lot of familiar themes from other Gundam series in ways that are surprising. War is hell, we are bound to some level of hypocrisy, topics of morality, the radical paths that lead to a better future, etc. thanks for making this!

The content where Bonzai struggles to come up with concise answers is the best

Wing is my first and favorite Gundam series. Hero was edgy and Relina was my first anime Waifu. It was violent and my grade school self appreciated the topics it touched on. RIP Lady Un and Heavy Arms is a badass turret.

Would love more of this. I have watched this Wing many times, but I am not as familiar with the other Gundam anime other than Seed, 00, half of Ironblood and all of those in Universal Century (which includes Unicorn). Wing was the first mech anime I got into, and the first anime I started my anime collection with on VHS... so many VHS, lol.

Really hope you eventually cover G Gundam. It's also a personal favorite and genuinely tells just as good of a story about war as it's bretheren deep in it's shonen facade

Yessss please make more Gundam Wing videos and I loved the Street Fighter 3rd Strike music so much. This was truly an amazing video.

Here we go w the Saturday morning HEAT 🦀🦀🦀🦀

Gundam Wing is for sure responsible for my interest in Anime and Mecha. IIRC it's the first anime i ever watched as a kid.

Would love to have a deeper dive into the suits themselves, their evolution and the parallels that Wing holds to other Gundam series in different universes. For example, the Zero system and the challenges/problems it presents to the pilots feels similar to the early theme of “newtypes” in the Universal Century canon. I think people get stuck on the issues with Wing without talking about how awesome the enemy mechs were, the way various Earth nations/cultures are represented in the pilots and characters, or how as 7 and 8 year olds most of us probably didn’t know what the mech a “coup de ta” was. I feel like this anime not only sparked a lifelong obsession with Mecha (and definitely within that real robo) but also opened some doors and introduced bigger ideas about the world to me.

Very good choice for the first gundam anime. I didnt care to much about this channel before but now you got my attention. I look forward to see more gentlemen.

As kid first watching gundam wong i always loved the last few eps that final show down .....but as adult i rewatching it again and found my self loving the story of the first few eps the nostalgia of gundam wing in 00" were un matched as kids werw believed in the vibes of gundam and other shows like it pure art!!!

GW got me back into anime.Growing up I had a steady diet of animated series with Mature content Robotech being the 1st anime that got me hooked followed by shows like Gargoyles, Invasion America, Exo Squad , and stuff I can't remember the name.GW gave me what I was looking for among other shows. I don't understand the hate GW gets. I find its plot and characters fascinating. I chalked up the confusion and convoluted pacing to an organic representation of reality. Its never cut and dry and its a messy affair particularly for teenagers during war times as they are targeted to be easily manipulated even if they are volatile. I don't think we were supposed to relate to any of the characters. Heero in particular, I always felt like you were just meant to observe as these teenagers are pushed to the brink of destruction and try to rationalize things in their own way as they pieced together the wreckage of their war torn youth. Sometimes coming to a conclusion that is alien or irrational as people tend to do.

Great vid bro gundam wing is one powerful ass show to watch when your around 5 or 6 (born in 1994)...my parents would be like “🤨😥you understand this?”

Gundam Wing is synonymous with my first grade year. +Even my stepdad agrees with me that Quatre and Trowa are together.

My brother and i have been re-watching this on Hulu the last few weeks, but damn them commercials make it hard to binge.

This is AWESOME bc i just so happen to run this series back from episode 1 last week. And maaan this couldn't have dropped at a doper time.

Great choice with the Third Strike music! Fantastic video and a great articulation of the franchises pros and cons. Keep em coming!

I remember first watching this and being confused on who the bad guy was lol. But it did spark my love of mech and I still adore this series.

*JUST WILD BEAT COMMUNICATION!* For me, Gundam Wing is very memorable, It's not a perfect show but at it's time, it's quite memorable. My personal favorite is 08th MS Team, Turn A Gundam and Gundam 00.

We being a child is liking the cool robots, we being an adult is symphatizing with the pilots~

20+ years later and I still feel Rythm Emotions:)

Thank you so much for analyzing the awsome scifi concept and great character development of a show.

I've been waiting to listen to your guy's wonderful breakdowns of Gundam, hopefully a Turn A Gundam will come of it, but hey, I love your guy's content.

I just wanna say dude, you guys videos are a God Send. I truly enjoy watching the summaries of these different anime’s

Mecha makes me feel tingly inside, and Gundam series make it hard to know what side I am really on

I needed this episode to understand Gundan Wing, and I have seen the show twice.

This is one of the greatest RU-vid Videos Ive ever seen about my favorite anime ever. Thanks you for this. Im also an artist. Working on an album inspired by Gundam Wing. Ill be back when it’s done. Youll hear from me again soon. Thank you for the most in depth explanation of Gundam Wing I have ever heard.

Iron blooded orphan is still my favorite gundam show

I was two when this was on Toonami, but I remember watching it every time it was on after my brother got out of school.