Just been given a new perspective on this anime.
The year is After Colony 195 and the colonies of outer space send a number of Gundams to Earth to stop the United Earth Sphere Alliance after it forcibly took over a number of colonies. These five Gundams and their pilots become intertwined in a war that looks set to test their moral gray areas.
So it's standard Gundam practice but Gundam Wing holds the unique position of being the first Gundam for many and that's not a good thing. To view the classic Gundams after this is met with disappointment as it's no where near as good on the war narrative as they are but perhaps the boy band leads can shed a different approach.
Heero Yuy: Pretty much does what he's told but his path is skewed by his encounters with Relena who in turn discovers that she has more to do with this than she thought.
Duo Maxwell: At least he's cheerful and somewhat resourceful given that he involves himself with resourceful people including Hilde.
Trowa Barton: Doesn't really have a personality to begin with but then some how gets even less of a personality halfway through which Catherine protects with her waifu support.
Quatre Rabareba Winner: An emotional wet blanket who can't stop being angsty despite the fact that he's the only one backed up by his own army, this leads him to a confrontation with impressive eyebrows Dorothy which tests his beliefs against someone who loves war.
Chang Wufei: A misogynist with this weird back and forth code of being a warrior which leads to him being the actual rival of enemy Trieze. But his misogyny starts fading with his meetings with Sally.
Even the enemies have the same setup.
Zechs Marquise: Torn between his loyalty to Oz and his family's beliefs as he constantly finds himself on the wrong side although Noin is freely offering herself to him in support.
Trieze Krushranada: Definitely a magnificent bastard with a unique code of ethics, explains why he was so eager to fight honourable duels during conflicts. Lady Une acting as a devoted follower with two distinct personalities each wanting to be noticed by Senpai.
The point of this is that each male has problems and has a woman to confide in with Relena and Lady Une standing out as being more than waifus.
But what about the stuff you come to see, mecha battles, action and story?
The story spends the early part of the series using alot of stock footage, never really gets to the big parts until half way through the series, even when it does get to big moments it can easily be spoiled by angsty melodrama and finally the dub acting is dreadful; watch the subtitled only, it cuts alot of the issues it suffers from.
You may think I dislike it but that's not true, on it's own, it's a solid anime but having seen other Gundam series including series that both predate and follow Gundam Wing, it's hard not to see the flaws.
Final Verdict: it's not terrible nor is it mildly bad, it's actually decent but compared to other entries in the Gundam franchise it's only major selling point is that you have a pretty boys with problems boy band you can use for your terrible yaoi fanfics. And avoid the dub like the plague, it does the series no justice.
Moving on.
70. School Rumble
A fast moving school comedy about a ditzy girl and the reformed delinquent who has a crush on her. Harima Kenji really sells his character which acts as the shows major strength.
69. Martian Successor Nadesico
Take Shinji Ikari, make him a space pilot and an otaku and you have yourselves a compelling sci fi comedy. It's amazing how much effort is put into the little things that often get overlooked in this genre and it's all brought together by the most underestimated battleship captain.
68. Gundam Wing
My first Gundam and for a while my favourite until I learned how good the originals were, but I think despite some bizarre story choices it still holds up reasonably well.
67. Fist of the North Star
The inspiration for many manly action heroes and an utterly satisfying watch even if it's aged horribly.
66. Hetalia Axis Powers
Personified countries playing with history and surprisingly accurate despite it's roots in comedy but then again making comedies on World War II is something we British do well so this works well in my country's humour.
Lets face facts I'm not brilliant with cosplay and time is not something I have these days between a full time job and the lack of spare time I get doing life stuff and social stuff but if I did have time, I'd make it easy on myself and go with ten characters I easily look like, this is mainly because I have such easy to work with Blonde Hair.
10. Flynn Scifo from Tales of Vesperia
Okay the costume isn't simple but the looks are really easy, I'm really starting to get into Tales of Vesperia right now so I'm hoping Flynn is more than just an overly chivalrous knight.
9. Bandit Keith from Yu-Gi-Oh
It's easy for me to look rough on the face seeing as I have to shave every two days and I own enough bandanas and shades to pull it off, plus I'm a dead hand at imitating Yu-Gi-Oh abridged voices... IN AMERICA!
8. Minato Namikaze from Naruto
I respect the character highly and store bought Naruto costumes are really easy to come by but my main reason for choosing Minato is the fact that I love red haired women and Kushina is hands down my favorite female Naruto character.
7. England from Hetalia
There are plenty of blondes in Hetalia but I can't call myself British without actually cosplaying Britain himself, although the eyebrows would be hard for me to pull off.
6. Quatre Raberba Winner from Gundam Wing
A snappy dresser and he has goggles of which I own three pairs, one of which goes with the costume. British cosplay puts more emphasis on costume creation so the snappier the outfit the more points you get, that's why most conventions I go to features a lot of female cosplayers in over sized poofy dresses.
5. Sanji from One Piece
I have actually cosplayed Sanji twice already, once in full suit the other in orange shirt and waistcoat, I don't smoke but I enjoy making fun of 4Kids by using lollies instead.
4. Barnaby Brooks Jr from Tiger & Bunny
Out of all the characters on this list, I resemble Barnaby Brooks Jr the most, I'm roughly the right age, almost the right build, I can already cosplay the guy I just need the jacket and finally my hair naturally flicks up when it's long. But my next three entries are the ones I want to cosplay.
3. Loke from Fairy Tail
He's not my avatar for nothing and I enjoy wearing snazzy suits.
2. Yatterman from Yatterman
This is my next cosplay project, Yatterman. He's an old Tatsunoko character from the 70s but has been remade enough to still be remembered, plus I didn't buy a Kendama for nothing, as it's his main weapon.
1. Hermit from Kenichi Mightiest Disciple
But this guy may replace Loke as my avatar. Hermit is quickly becoming my favorite character so don't be surprised if it does actually happen. Plus he's the only character on this list where I don't even have to bother with a hair style, messy works and I know enough about Kenpo to imitate the movements.
Bonus: Just for fun I'll list one Crossplay
0. Alice Malvin from Pumpkin Scissors
Don't expect me to wear a dress, but I'll happily put on her military clothes.
Having been an anime fan for many, many years I've picked up some great merchandise during that time and I'd like to share with you some of my favorites.
I can confirm that I own every item I will list in this top 10.
10. Gundam Wing Manga, Tokyopop release
The first manga I ever purchased and one of the first Tokyopop releases in the west, sits proudly next to the complete Rurouni Kenshin manga.
The release contained an omake strip featuring G Gundam & Gundam Wing.
9. Tenchi Muyo Mug
Sits proudly on my bedside table, full of an infinite amount of pens seeing as I write down most of my ideas rather than type them up on a computer, I've gone through 20 pens in the last two years.
8. Gurren Lagann Yoko Mousepad & Dai-Gurren Patch.
Complete with wrist support, a fun novelty item from my trip to Canada. The Dai-Gurren patch I proudly wear on the shoulder of my military coat. (I once wore it to a works presentation and had to describe it to the Managing Director during casual conversation, hilarious)
7. MARchen Awakens Romance Dorothy Keyring
Will always be on my car keys along with a Gurren Lagann Dai-Gurren crest keyring.
6. 1990 Mini Musha Gundam MKII Model
A Musha Gundam is this below
In basic terms it's a Gundam in Samurai Regalia, picked it up for £3 in a toy antiques shop. That's $4.60 in America, goes for a lot more in some places. Still had the free candy. 20 year old candy!
5. Evangelion Misato's Necklace
I also own Gray Fullbuster's Necklace but this one was more difficult to find.
4. Ranma 1/2 Gameboy Game
I've mentioned this before in a previous list. It was kinda like Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle or Flicky where you move items and avoid enemies and collect things to reach the goal.
3. Complete Set of Fairy Tail Zodiac Keys.
Complete with case that functions nicely as a box to keep all my watches and actual keys in.
2. Yu-Gi-Oh Sliffer the Sky Dragon Model
Sits proudly on top of my wardrobe, so big that it sometimes can't hold it's own weight, looks the most impressive among my other models but annoying to clean.
1. Lucky Star Chocolate Bread Money Tin
My favorite item has to be this one, I picked it up from a convention a few years ago and in basic terms it's Chocolate Bread in a can. Once finished it can be used as a money tin. It holds all my pennies and a small collection of foreign coins.
Lets face it Anime is weird and first impressions of any series makes for some funny stories, so today I'll be showing you some of my favorite stories over the many years of anime watching.
I do not count shows where I saw a trailer first.
10. "Hold on a minute, isn't that supposed to be Amy?"
This was my reaction to the Sonic the Hedgehog movie, having previously seen all the cartoons it came as quite a shock when the only female character is a catgirl, rather than Amy, Sally Acorn or a character that looked more animal like.
Significance: My first encounter with a Catgirl and the video trailer of Dirty Pair Flash led me into the anime world.
9. "Rave Master wasn't that good, there is no way on earth this will be good"
My sister first informed me of Fairy Tail and this was my reaction but thanks to natural curiosity I ended up watching possibly the worlds greatest anime.
Significance: I owe a number of shows a re-watch with Rave Master on top of that list.
8. "That's supposed to be a manga art style? it will never last"
Yet sadly Bleach is still going and while it started good has since remained a franchise zombie over a year after it's end was announced.
Significance: Taught me that it's not a good idea to collect a long series.
7. "I don't follow what's going on but the giant combat robots look awesome"
This was my opinion of Gundam Wing during Cartoon Network's promotional clips of episode 1 & 2. I didn't understand what the characters were saying but screw that there is a giant robot with a beam scythe.
Significance: I ultimately declared Transformers as utter rubbish.
6. "Okay we have transgender orange ninjas and lazily choreographed fights"
What I thought of Naruto after seeing a couple of scenes in an AMV, but it wasn't until I saw Rock Lee vs Gaara that Naruto became awesome.
Significance: Dragonballz had finally been surpassed.
5. "We have a guy in a suit, a pointy nosed man with a catapult, a guy who can stretch his limbs, a guy with three swords, one of which is in his mouth and we have a girl to make up the bunch; oh and a ship is somehow plummeting down a water slide; is this about pirates or do these characters just travel on a ship?"
Another show I first saw as an AMV, and yes to someone whose grown up on the Captain Hook school of piracy, it didn't look like what it really was.
Significance: Stereotyping is not required for a good series.
4. "That was hilarious, what the hell did I just watch?"
Try and describe episode 1 of Excel Saga with nothing to go on but the box art. Go on give it a try, film your reaction for more effect.
Significance: I seem to be immune to weird now.
3. "Wait a minute did Washu do what I think she just did?"
One show I watched a lot with my older sister was Tenchi Muyo and being older and wiser meant she was far more well informed than I was so she showed me some scenes cut from the Cartoon Network broadcast and.....
Significance: First realized this anime stuff is not for kids.
2. "I want that ice cream, the one with the orange balls with stars on" & "Why is there two versions of the same character on this video?"
Back in the 90s on regular holidays to Spain, Dragonballz was broadcasting and it never clicked in my young head that the image I was looking at was Goku & Gohan and not two Gokus. I never did get Dragonball ice cream, no longer exists now.
Significance: Toss up between this and number 1 as my first ever anime experience.
1. "There is a giant Panda throwing buckets & kettles at me which somehow causes me to transform between color schemes and movement, after collecting certain items a girl runs into me and the level is complete, there is a portrait with an unusual art style and the next level begins"
What I just described is a Ranma 1/2 game on the Gameboy, I've owned a Gameboy since 1992 and I'm convinced it still works. One of my games was a Ranma 1/2 game on a flash card which at the time were sort of legal in Europe but not so much anymore.
Significance: Understood the existence of Japan and it's products.
So those are just some of the stories from a lifetime of anime, I would love to hear some more stories, so don't be afraid to post comments.
