Gundam Wing (Plot)

As you may have noticed this review is quite lengthy and I'd like to take a moment to explain why. This is a series (rather than a movie which would only take one review generally). Also this series is longer than the average anime (since most anime series have only a 26 episode run where as this one runs 49 episodes). This program boasts a broad cast of characters most of whom play a critical role in the out come of the story. The in-depth plot (to be covered in this segment) and characters result in some interesting implications for the shows meaning (to be discussed in the follow-up). Finally this series was part of a handful of series (many of the others will also be featured on this blog) that was responsible for bringing anime to the for front of American entertainment.

Consider that a PSA. Moving on...

Plot

The plot seems to break down to a few different groups. There are the political plot lines, the soldier plot lines and the character plot lines. There is obvious overlap between these areas (which is a sign of a great show) but I'll try to handle these separately.

Politics

Rather than try to summarize everything I'll give a general overview. No show I've watched, with the exception of 24, has the sort of political intrigue that Gundam Wing brings us. There's a Coup d'etat, several rebellious forces, pacifism against militarism, all of these play out as the show unfolds. Rebel factions find themselves rejected by the very groups they claim to represent, and devious plots that involve back door deals, deception of the masses, and assassinations. Truly this is the heart of the show. A fact missed by myself and many like me when we watched this show as children wishing we could skip all the boring stuff with Relena and get to the action. The twists and turns in the political region and their affect on both the soldiers and the average person in the show resonate with anyone who feels distanced from the politics of their day.

Soldiers

Much of the plot focuses on the soldiers, both in and out of battle. It deals with their motivations, their causes, and their philosophies on battle. Every clash between pilots (both gundams and mobile suits) represents a clash of ideals, which is made evident in the banter and rhetoric the pilots offer one another. There is also a consistent feeling of battles yet to be finished, which seems truer than the traditional tournament style fights of animes like Yu Yu Hakusho or Dragonball Z. The plot lines between allies and foes give a richness to the battles that is more than simply look at what they can do with that robot. I actually found myself rooting for the pilots because of their goals, not just their abilities or their coolness.

Characters:

You may wonder what characters there are outside of soldiers and politicians (and truth there are a very small number of characters that don't fit in either group), but what I really mean here are the Character development stories. As the Soldiers and Politicians, interact with one another they act as normal people, they are taking in what others believe and either accepting or rejecting their ideals. They are dealing with deep introspection about the propriety of the paths they've chosen. Whether or not what they seek to do is attainable, or right. Almost every major character finds themselves in moments of true doubt about themselves, what they thought their purpose must be. Many characters end up going on quests of self-discovery to better understand their place in the events of the past and where they wish to fit into the future of this world.

Love stories:

A small note on this aspect of the plot there are a few different romantic love stories that exist in this show. They include: Noin and Zechs, Treize and Lady Une, Trowa and Catherine, Duo and Hildi, and of course the awful Relena-Heero love story (if you can call it that). I actually really enjoyed the love story of Noin and Zechs, especially that they started with the same goals and drifted apart in ideologies but even as the series closes you realize their love for each other is still strong. Treize and Lady Une is a different story it's hard to say that they were in love but they definitely cared about each other greatly, always looking to protect the other no matter their distance. Trowa and Catherine's story manifested interestingly, it's not so much romantic as philial love, and she eventually tries to protect Trowa from his past like a good sister would. Duo and Hildi was surprisingly good; they actually began in an argument and ended up caring so deeply for one another that they risked their lives for the sake of the other.

Then there are Relena and Heero. Now I've already addressed Heero's lack of general compassion for anyone and the multiple times he plotted to kill Relena, but let me add a little more thought on this. This honestly felt like something out of a bad romance novel. Why are they in love? Because they are the lead protagonists of their respective genders. They share very little screen time with one another, and unlike other relationships I've mentioned, they appear to show every time these two see each other, not leaving any time for relationships to develop outside of the viewed times. In fact, I really wouldn't even call this a love story, they are truly just fixated on each other. I never get the sense that they are in love they just seem to think of each other at pivotal moments, because (as I've said) they are the lead protagonists.

The interplay of the different types of stories is spectacular. The affect the soldiers battles have on them as characters and on the political landscape as the Gundams begin to represent the weakness of OZ is simply stunning. The politics affect the goals of the soldiers and their considerations of who is on the right side of the ever growing conflicts, or if their is a right side. I adore this story, it incorporates elements of everything from colonial rebellions, to revolutions all the way to the Cold War. The politics never feel forced, each move comes naturally from the events preceding it. The decisions seem natural, even for the cardboard cut out that is Heero Yuy. I never question this plot other than the "love story," and it's because it doesn't present holes or difficulties of belief.

Next will be the final installment for this review series. An critical analysis of the show and my overall review.

-matt