Welcome to Gaia! ::

I'd be pleased to hear it. Might bring back some memories of my own, maybe motivate me to rewatch it myself.

Sure, go ahead. I was actually thinking of doing something similar a couple of weeks ago, but never got around to it. I look forward to your findings. wink

Okay, here comes the tidal wave...

DVD 1

***

Episode 1: The Shooting Star She Saw.

You know, the official translation of Just Communication sounds pretty sexy. "I want to show my passionate undying feelings with my entire body tonight"... "I hold onto your wet shoulders to give you warmth and comfort"... "What are those shivering fingertips wandering after?"...Two Mix is dirty, man.

The animation quality is a lot better than people make it out to be. Then again, they're usually focusing on the stock footage, so...

It's so good seeing Leos in action again after so many years.

Damn, but Heero sounds young. Maybe it's just because I'm used to Mark Hildreth's version that Hikaru Midorikawa's sounds so odd. Still tho, he sounds younger in this episode than he does in all the video games in which Heero appears.

I know it's outside knowledge, but I have to say: in retrospect, Heero's re-entry disguise for Wing looks sorta silly, with the shield and wings sticking out like that.

I really don't get why people trash Relena based off her first scene. They outright SAY why she's upset: because her father promised to spend time with her, then dragged her up to the colonies and didn't. I don't think it's unreasonable for a young girl to be upset with her father for something like that.

Also, Relena's Japanese voice sounds...well, more cultured than her English. Meaning no offense to Lisa-Ann Beley, but Akiko Yajima's version just sounds more noble, I guess.

Heero seems happy to be coming to Earth, and not just because of Operation Meteor. I wonder why.

Well, there you go. The OZ transport's analysis of Wing includes "Radar Absorbment Materials" (sic), which points at the shield. Gundanium DOES retard radar.

Not much to say about the battle; the dobergun fires shells, and the Leo apparently doesn't have a back escape hatch.

You know, listening to Relena's reply to the Alliance bigshot about being able to find her own way makes me realize something...she's a little smartass. If I may be allowed the egotism, I've noticed from personal experience that people used to bottling up their thoughts tend to become masters of sarcasm and wit, since they have plenty of time to think up responses.

Also, her faked outrage and subsequent comment of "This is probably how an average girl would act" sort of add to my above impression: she realizes all too well that she's not average, and struggles against it as best she can while remaining a good girl.

Treize sounds different from Ryotaro Okiyaku's usual portrayal. More subdued than, say, Rai.

The Alliance uniforms look to be something of a mix of Zeon styles with Federation-looking rank emblems on the shoulders.

Jeez, the Alliance is pretty dumb. They write off five possible threats as nothing and then immediately work on blocking coalition between the colonies. I'm sure they didn't hear that the threat was Gundanium-armored MS, but it still seems short-sighted.

Hmm, Heero had to press a button on his astrosuit's chest, then slap the wrist to activate the suicide bomb; probably a failsafe against accidental activation. Still, he jumps to some pretty big conclusions after being found by a civilian girl.

Hee hee, Heero's got fists of fury...and those EMTs were wearing silver versions of the Zeon captain's helmet we see on people like Dren.

Dover Base? Guess Trowa landed in England. I think it's been said that Duo hit Texas. I know each of the guys landed in their own vague geographical region (Heero/Japan, Duo/USA, Trowa/Europe, Quatre/Middle East, Wu Fei/China), but the specifics are pretty hard to find. Though suddenly I remember that Wu Fei hit a river patrol along the Yangtze (later confirmed in Episode 3).

The Maganac beam rifle has a sort of AK-47 look to it in this episode. I wonder why we always see the version with the triangular e-pac, but never the one with the banana clip.

I think there's a certain irony in the fact that they use Wu Fei's battle theme for the boys in this episode, but it ends before we even see Woofie.

Wow, the subs actually spell his name in correct Chinese fashion (Wu Fei as opposed to Wufei). Wonder why none of the other US media does.

LOL pink limo...and damn, Relena's school is pretty fancy. I don't have any experience with Catholic schools so I don't know if it's normal, but this seems pretty upscale.

O_O;; One of the Relena Stormtroopers is Milly Haw.

"Isn't Relena's birthday party tomorrow?" Well, I guess her birthday IS April 8 after all...

...And another of her classmates looks like Misa Hayase. I'm wondering if some of these aren't background references (well, except the Milly one obviously).

The girls in the row behind Relena are looking at Heero with odd expressions when he comes to his seat. It's like they're already suspicious of him.

*RIP* Man, what an a**. And I LIKE this guy? He was so much nicer in the CYOA...then again, he DID peek in the shower, so I guess it's a trade-off. >_>;;

I'm sorry, but the look on his face after he rips up the invite just screams "I'm a cool-looking jerk, and all you girls are gonna go nuts over me in about five minutes."

And if I didn't know better, I'd swear she was thinking about hitting him for that.

"What kind of a person is he?" A Gundam Pilot, dearie, and you've just gotten yourself wrapped up in his adventures. Have a fun 48 more episodes...

::chokes on his popcorn:: They kept "It's Just Love" on the DVD release? Whee, yay for Relena, who has the strength of ten gorillas!

Bah, you'd have to be heartless or biased not to find that whole sequence adorable. <_<

***

Episode 2: The Gundam Called "Shinigami"

Bah, you call THAT fencing? Ya pansies... Then again, you ARE just background characters, so I suppose I can let it slide.

Yup, that classmate of Relena's does look like Kai Shiden. Then again, since his name is officially "Kai", I'm pretty sure it was intentional.

Oh well, at least they're doing saber fencing. Foil fencing just wasn't my cup of tea, I guess.

And Kai freaking wets himself. Yup, he's channeling his namesake here.

They...they "launch" Cancers by pushing them over the sides of aircraft carriers with bulldozers?! XD!!!!

Heh heh...Zechs played that Alliance Navy captain like a fiddle. At least the Navy uniform in GW is pretty spiffy.

Heero: Go, Fuunsaiki!

::blinkblink:: He managed to get to a third-story window with no trees close by and no form of rope or grapple? Damn, boy, lay off the Wheaties!

And now he's officially a tax cheat. Just watch, the Alliance and OZ may not be able to stop him, but the IRS will.

Hmm, I COULD list Relena's license plate number here, but the point is to NOT make people think I'm crazy...well, crazyER. >_>

Well, poop. She has her birthday that very day, school and all. Guess this shoots that nice theory of mine right in the head. And I really feel bad for Aku, since he's the one who had to do all the math...

Wait, she catches on to the reason for his death threat in Episode 2, and people think she's DUMB?! Damnation, people...

Heh, Pagan calls Relena "princess". That's pretty sweet of him, even though she's writing it off as an affectionate nickname. And he writes her comments about death threats off as a suspenseful novel. Denial isn't just in Egypt anymore..

Okay, there. A shot of him with a gun tucked into his rear waistband. Now can we PLEASE stop with the crude jokes?

Whoops, accidentally changed the language mid-episode. Well, at least I got a very direct side-by-side comparison of Mark and Hikaru.

Ahem, and I quote: "Three of these torpedoes should be enough to trigger the self destruct." If only I had the net up right now, I'd go rub that in Zeonfromhell's face. Oh well. ::screencaps for future use::

Heero seems pretty vehement in his desire to destroy the Gundam. Either they had Episode Zero planned out from the start, or else they noticed this and wrote his EZ story to explain why he's so eager to destroy his Gundam.

...Okay, Duo? Slicing the bridge off of an aircraft carrier is mean. Shinn Asuka mean. It just doesn't suit you, Shinigami or not. And using the buster shield to shoot down a helicopter is just overkill.

Wow, Relena's party is pretty fancy, what with the fireworks and all...but you've got to wonder if it's how she'd really like to spend it.

...Waitwaitwait, one day she's upset at her father having to work, and the next, she says she understands how important he is? Girl's planning something.

Jeez, she even figured out that he was piloting the Gundam she saw? Based off of really vague, circumstantial evidence? And people STILL think she's stupid? Relena needs to open a damn detective agency. She could give Shinichi Kudo a run for his money.

"Star Prince"...dammit woman, you're doing a pretty good job of undermining the praise I just gave you. >_>;;

Kai owns a red motorcycle and wears a cape over his tux? I think the operative phrase is "drama queen".

In a completely random jump after the eyecatch, we get Trowa applying to the circus.

Sort of surprised that Hawthorne/the manager said "bloody", unless Bandai was trying to sneak swears in past the censors. Still, you'd think he would wonder about the whole "Barton" thing. They make the Barton Foundation out to be some big kind of industrial combine, but nobody's ever like "THE Barton?" when they meet Trowa. And you'd think they would report on the disappearance of the real Trowa, or his death, or something.

Wow, the Maganacs have a really nice oasis.

Wu Fei buying explosives (and a truck) from rebels seems to confirm the notion that the boys got a lot of their supplies by dealing with small pockets of anti-Alliance resistance.

Relena recognizes Heero because Kai says he was driving an ambulance. That's so unintentionally funny.

o_o;; Holy crap, she sure got mad when her friends asked to go with her...

The OZzies act surprised that Wing isn't even damaged from the impact of hitting the ocean. That suggests that a high drop CAN damage Gundanium. ::adds that to the screencap index to use on ZfH::

Hmm, sounds like Zechs was planning on using Wing himself, judging by the dialogue.

Duo has underwater flash-bangs. Beat THAT, Ennil!

Wow, that Cancer's whole grab-torpedo attack blew off its left "arm". Pretty fancy. Too bad it didn't do jack s**t, except make me feel a bit sorrier for the pilot when he got killed.

Dude, Heero is ****ing ruthless. Dropping a bunch of hand grenades into the cabin of a sub? Ow, man, just ow...

Still don't quite get the "Those are torpedoes, aren't they? I can tell!" line. <_<;;

Matrix shot on Duo's bullet hitting Heero, and a good four years before no less.

Why did he go flying from one gunshot to the shoulder? Melodrama much? razz

Hee hee, Duo tried so hard to look cool and impress the girl, but he just ends up getting yelled at. Should've quit while he was behind.

Heero's got a pretty impressive vertical leap. He and Duke Freed need to join Japan's Olympic track and field team.

That's a pretty big explosion for three torpedoes... ::screencaps::

Duo: "He knows Gundanium's impact tolerance." Like I said. ::screencaps::

While I'm thinking about it, I might want to make a nice index of each episode's contents so I can quickly and easily get screencaps to shut up just about any trash-talk against Wing. It would save a lot of trouble.

That's a cute line from Zechs: "They say those who see the Gundam on the battlefield are doomed. Here's hoping that jinx is untrue."

Heero: Burble burble...okay, you two can fish me out of the ocean any time now. Don't have gills, you know. Can't breathe water. Bloody teenagers.

Seriously, if you focus on Relena and not her odd ways of playing with African wildlife, It's Just Love is really cute.

***

Episode 3: Five Gundams Confirmed

In retrospect, I think people might have taken Heero a bit more seriously had they not stuck him in bike shorts for the whole damn series. The jeans look cooler anyway. Though I still stand by my own idea that he would have looked really cool wearing an OZ greenshirt jacket draped over his shoulders like an overshirt.

Heh, Treize has himself a huntin' dawg.

That bird he shot was really pretty. Wonder what kind it was.

...Wait, the Cancer is more recent than the Pisces? That's GOTTA be a dialogue error. Not only is the Pisces numbered higher, it's just plain more advanced...unless they made the Cancer to be simple and streamlined...

Sally looks pretty cool in an Alliance uniform, I must say. Though I wonder if it's standard Alliance procedure to crucify patients.

...Or to leave their wounds open and bleeding. Jeez people, what kind of doctors ARE you?! To leave him bleeding on the table, you had to UNDO the bandages Relena made. Where's your Hypocratic Oath now?

You know, one thing I admire about Gundam Wing is that even the background characters manage to look interesting, like they have their own stories to tell. A lot of shows don't bother and just have the crowds look boring and generic.

"Major, why are you running Photoshop? We're trying to deal with a wounded boy here!"

I'm confused. Sally says that Heero has over 200 broken bones and bruises, but the only visible injuries are the gunshot wounds. Aren't internal bruises really bad?

Hmm, Zechs says of Shenlong that flying isn't its specialty. That implies that it has the ability to fly, but doesn't excel at it. Interesting thought.

Whoops, they animated Shenlong as using a beam scythe - of the exact same make as Deathscythe. There's a continuity error.

Hee hee, Relena's a pretty good actress. First it's all "no visitors", then she acts all worried, and the next thing you know, visitors are allowed.

Hmm, Sally refers to Heero as "that attractive young man" (exact phrasing: suteki no kare), and Relena reacts with confusion - I guess she WASN'T attracted to him that early on.

"I'm his disobedient daughter." Hee hee, I really like her early on. Very dramatic and cute. Makes me wish she showed a bit more of this immaturity later on. Too bad she's so busy being Ms. Responsability.

Eeew, Heero tore up his wrist breaking out of the bindings. Like Duo said, he's got a lot of...chutzpa.

You know, nobody ever comments on the fact that Duo is carrying around a beam scythe the size of a crutch...

::watches Heero roll down the cliff:: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow...

Wow, that was all just the first half of the episode? Felt longer.

...Wait, the best way to make your intentions known to the enemy and the Specials is to fly around in an easily destroyed, centuries-old aircraft? Unless your intentions are suicide, you're just a dumb****.

That line-up shot of the Tragos, Leo, and Aries in the explanation of the Specials is pretty badass.

So the Specials are the young hotshots, and the Alliance has all the old fogies? Seems counter-intuitive, seeing as OZ/the Specials are funded by Romefeller.

Judging by the state the Tallgeese is in when we first see it, I'd say its last test flight ended with a decapitation. I don't pity the pilot...

Walker is pretty cool. Too bad he didn't live past this episode. All the more reason we need a Wing game with changable story routes for poor guys like him and Otto.

Well, that explains Zechs' "Baka wa kuru!" line from G Gen F; Bonaparte: "Only an idiot would challenge this base's defenses!" Zechs: "Well then, here come the idiots!"

DISCO GUN!

Man, the Alliance is still fielding fighters in this day and age? Maybe I should grab a cap and see if anyone more into military history can ID them, or the tanks. Someone once told me that the GW trading card set said they were still using M1 Abrams in this show, but I'm not sure.

Isn't anyone suspicious about the big "OZ" on Zechs' belt buckle?

Hmm, looks like Aries are capable of hovering. Coolness points increase.

UT Announcer: HEADSHOT!

Maganacs are ****ing hardcore. ::screencaps them to identify individual units::

And just like that, with no ceremony, Walker is crusher'd. Ah well.

Heh, Trowa gave off a hot-blooded growl when he charged Sandrock. And I swear Heavyarms' knife changes length depending on the situation.

Wow, I forgot that Trowa and Quatre got into a little bare-knuckle fight. That's pretty cool. XD

*crack pop* Setting a broken bone manually: still creepy.

***

Episode 4: The Victoria Nightmare

Noin sounds...um...a lot more feminine in the Japanese version. I love Saffron Henderson, but she sounds very commanding and, in a way, manly; her Japanese actress sounds more gentle and motherly.

Seems sort of strange that they play "Sandy Clock of a Sad Color" (a sad version of Quatre's battle theme) in a Noin scene. Oh well, stranger things have happened.

Zechs insists that Noin held herself back to make him look better, and he's pretty damn skilled considering he's the show's "final boss". Makes you think, if she had a better MS (and more screentime), she could have been one of the best female pilots in all of Gundam.

...And now they're playing "That Clown Doesn't Need Makeup for Tears", a sad-sounding version of Trowa's battle theme, once more for Noin. She gets all the breaks.

Forgot about that. She openly refers to Zechs as "Peacecraft" way back in this episode, before we even know why that's relevant.

You know, the Taurus is pretty badass in retrospect. Especially since it made due with very few weapons.

Brigh-er, Noin Slap!

I can understand the logic for making a club-like break room for the trainees, but did Zechs and Noin have to turn on the flashing lights? Wouldn't the regular lights have been more...well...reasonable?

And there's Sandy Clock again. They're getting a lot of mileage out of those two songs in this one episode. Maybe that's why I don't remember them playing anywhere else in the series.

Leo face! Leo face! Tallgeese has a Leo face! Still, if the monitor face is yellow, why does Tallgeese's visor shine blue?

Hmm, Otto says it ought to take a month or two to complete the Tallgeese. That helps establish some frame of reference for the timing.

And Wu Fei beats Heero for the heartless award. That's just cold-blooded, man.

Oooh, Leos have flare guns, it seems.

Noin caught on pretty fast that there was a Gundam handy. Also, she specifically refers to the Taurus beam cannon as a space-use weapon (in the Japanese dialogue).

And there's the source of all those dumbasses online who think Wu Fei is a wife-beating woman hater who shouts "Onna!" whenever he's not shouting "Justice!" or "Evil!" or "Nataku!"

"He only looks about 14." - so Woofie's 15th birthday happens during the show?

I don't get it, those two pilots had the perfect shot lined up on Wu Fei and Noin told them not to fire. If they had, he'd be dead now. We don't even get an explanation as to why she told them to stop.

Ow, poor transport plane.

Heero's such a delightful a*****e. "It might be a miracle for you, but I can handle it." Is he Scotty's grandfather or something?

Relena's there, shouting off a bluff, and just a few yards behind her, Hime is screaming at rocks as Basara sings to them. It's the Cliffs of Crazies!

Hmm, the Alliance meeting makes reference to individual countries having their own militaries. Guess the Alliance is sort of the UN of it all.

...Treize's rose-scented Whirlpool is in the Parthenon? Damn, that's style.

Heero pulls a one-man repair job. In the meantime, I'm more amazed that Wing can keep balance just on its forearms when in Bird Mode.

I think I'd appreciate an explanation as to why Heero laughs when he blows **** up. It just makes him look nuts.

Classical Jam Session! Seriously tho, I do love the song for that scene (Sparkling Harmony).

And Wu Fei just shouts down a bunch of hyenas. Does he think there's a Badass Award to be handed out when the series finishes?

***

Episode 5: Relena's Secret

Why is Une whispering her threats from across the aisle from Darlian? <_<

My God, the Relena Stormtroopers have their lips pressed to her a** even when she's not there to feel it.

And Heero's new mission orders are sent...in BASIC. Which is actually a pretty smart idea. Who in the 25th century (or so) is gonna remember BASIC except a crazy scientest?

What are those blinking landing lights that colonies use made of, anyway? You see them in just about every Gundam, but they're just...there.

I probably shouldn't, but I laugh inside every time someone says "MEESUTA DOORIAN".

You know, the view inside a Stanford Torus is sorta bleak compared to an Island 3. I guess I just like the big panels that let you look at the stars.

It's sorta funny, if you think of it...Wing may be the only Gundam series where the war isn't technically Earth vs Colonies. Though the boys are colonists, as are their sponsors, they aren't speaking for a majority of the colonies, which would be willing to attempt diplomacy with the Alliance. Therefore, it's more accurate to say that the conflict is Earth vs Gundam.

Heh heh, the colony's representative calls Une "Miss Lady". Either that's her first name, or he's Jerry Lewis. NICE LADY!

Man, Relena seems a lot happier and more care-free on the colony than she does on Earth. Maybe if she'd lived up there she would have had the time to be a more average teenager, despite her family background.

Hey, that OZ soldier standing next to Une looks like Lowe Sernan. Maybe Tokita modelled him after that background character. Additional: When the bomb goes off, "Sernan" there is the one to catch Relena and keep her from falling. Guess he's a nice guy even during assassinations.

When Relena hands Une the compact bomb, the dub version has her call Relena an idiot; in the original, her reaction is more like "What the hell?!" Just observing.

Une's pretty ballsy, jumping in front of a getaway vehicle to take a few shots at it. Too bad for her they used bulletproof glass.

"Luke, I am NOT your father! PSYCHE!" Heh, always wanted to say that.

Yay for Howard! Everyone's favorite beach bum mad scientest! ...But DAMN they made his head look big and egg-shaped.

Hee, I almost feel sorry for that guy. *****es about having boring ol' guard duty for two hours, them WHAMMO! Wu Fei knocks him out from behind.

Zechs is using meta-knowledge; without question, he believes that a 20-year-old prototype is superior to any modern MS. Obviously, he's seen other Gundam shows.

Bah, there's no way they'd run Wing on TV again this recently. All the references to terrorism and such. Unless they redubbed it to use the term "insurgents" (and yes, that was a political commentary).

And for some reason, a series of random flashbacks causes Relena's desire for revenge to turn into crying. Women...

There's Doctor J...by the look of it, he has leg braces or artificial legs as well as his claw hand.

Hah, proof that Leos have faceplates. ::screencaps::

...Why am I getting a Hohenheim Elric vibe off of Dr. J now?

Relena's already got her "war doesn't lead to peace" attitude in place, and she just learned her true identity five minutes ago. She's adaptable.

Hey, an in-series image of the real Heero Yuy. Too bad it's sorta odd quality. And for some reason, J refers to him as a ruler.

J refers to Relena as "Princess" too. Does he know, or is he just being nice?

::watches episode preview for Party Night:: Dammit, I wish I had DVD 2. >
***

End of DVD 1

Observation: In retrospect...I didn't really watch this series. Granted, it was over six years ago, but seriously, there's so much detail and information I missed the first time around it's scary. I'm glad I was able to find it again. It's like meeting an old friend after being apart for years. Now, I'm just stuck wondering if I should wait until I get Disc 2 to continue the commentary, or jump ahead to Disc 3 and come back to 6-10 later.

*giggles madly* I couldn't stop laughing throughout that whole thing. I only have one thing to say on that whole thing. Relena ain't got nothing on Shinichi. Lol, I'm such a fangirl.

I'll see if I can compress some DVD Rips of episodes 6-10 and email 'em to ya, Void-kun. Or, if all else fails put it on youtube or livevideo.

Alright, I'm going to feel really stupid here. What the hell is the Disco Gun?

DISCO FEVER!!! YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!

Wow, I really have to rewatch this - I was so young when I first watched the series, I didn't notice much of what you're pointing out. I was kinda at the point where my #1 reason for watching it was the mech combat >_> Yeah, it was the Heavyarms v. Tallgeese fight that hooked me way back when.

Ok, Miss Lady is pleased with you. Although she begs to differ that Une slap is not as cool as Noin slap. At least she slapped one of the leads and not a random subordinate. Funny thing is, I think part of the reason Noin slapped that recruit is because she didn't want the guy screwing up in front of Zechs. Une slapped Noin to vent anger over being embarassed in front of Treize... Ah! My theories!