An Endless Waltz Argument

After completing the regular Gundam Wing show yesterday evening, me and my family looked forward to seeing the Endless Waltz movie, all day.

Mixed results from the SpartanNerd family.

This time, the SpartanWife joined in the nerdery.  But she just looked at her phone the whole time......So not much to say here.

Issue #1   Suit design

The youngest, SpartanSmurf #2 could not get past the re-designed gundams.  That alone threw him. He couldn't understand that the movie retconned the design of the suits. He's only 7 years old!

SpartanSmurf #1 was highly critical of the designs.  Especially the elaborate Wing Zero.  He liked HeavyArms, his favorite, and TallGeese.  But the others are just too much for him.

The Endless Waltz version of Wing Zero, is, incidentally, MY FAVORITE GUNDAM DESIGN.  So I just let his comments go.  It was "Too dramatic."  "Supposed to be awesome, but was stupid."  etc

He doesn't know.  The first time I saw Endless Waltz, (the first time it aired on Cartoon Network,) some serious personal stuff was going on in my life.  And this angel really helped me.  But aside from that, what's NOT awesome about his design!  It's a giant robot angel!

He DOES know that at one time I had a high grade Wing Zero model, as well as a high grade Deathscythe, both from Endless Waltz.  I had kind of an Angel and Devil thing going on on my shelves.  But those models bit the dust long ago....Still, he never forgets things like this.

Issue #2   The Plot

One thing about my boys....they miss important stuff because they talk.  The youngest missed the entire explanation of what the original Operation Meteor was about.  The other asked questions repeatedly, that he would have the answer to if he would just watch!

The oldest rejected that the Trowa Barton we all know isn't the real Trowa Barton, but he stole the HeavyArms and took the real Trowa's name.

He also didn't get the return of Zechs.....Whose side is he on?

And what is the deal with Wufei?

On the other hand, to me this wraps it up pretty good.  At the end we see what happens to everyone.

which brings up the point....

Issue 3 The Finality

Endless Waltz ends with a bang.  That is, the four remaining Gundams are self-detonated, in an effort to rid the world of weapons.

SpartanSmurf #1      HATED this ending.  He felt cheated.  We watch a movie that is less than two hours long, and probably see less than fifteen minutes of Gundam action.  This left a bad taste in his mouth.

I can't argue that there isn't much combat.  But what is there is beautifully animated.  And the Gundam pilots fight with their same style, just with updated weapons.

I told him, though, that he had already watched over 1000 minutes of Gundam Wing cartoons, and that all things must eventually end.

I kind of wish that it didn't end this way.  But it does.  The Gundams apparently outlived their usefulness.  The world became a world of total pacifism.  Not because of Releena, nor the Gundams, or other government force, but because the people demanded it.  The ending supplied here is complete, and is a modern happy ending.

It is just that fan inside that wants more.  So we can agree here, somewhat.

Anyone out there watching these old relics?  How about collecting and making Gundam models or other mechs?  Let me know!  Fire up the comment machine, people..

"Press the button....."

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

I have watched the complete Mobile Suit Gundam Wing series four times.  In college, when it aired on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, later, when I found it on VHS tape,   Streaming on the internet about four years ago, and then again recently.  So it's about time I spoke up!

Me and the SpartanSmurfs just completed the 49th episode, and they eagerly wait for me to set them up to watch Endless Waltz.

Watching it with them was a sublime experience.  Each day we would talk about what was happening in the show, and what it meant.  Usually right before bed, or at some other transitional time.

You see, this is a deep show.  Unlike the garbage that kids watch nowadays.  This is a real ANIME, with plot points that will confuse you if you don't pay attention, with characters that grow and change, with political points that are not just fictional, but also relevant to the real world.

Case in point.  Did you know that recently the United Nations discussed UNMANNED WARFARE!  This is a major point of Gundam Wing.  And the cartoon gave me something relevant to talk to the boys about.

I was surprised at how much the boys noticed the character growth over the course of the show.  One said "Heero used to be so mean.  Now he has become much nicer, and is talking about his feelings."

And the younger of the two nearly cried when the main antagonist, Treize Kushrinada, was killed off.  As Wufei removed his weapon from the Tallgeese II and we saw a splatter of blood and heard some final words, my son yelled "NOOOO!" right along with the characters, and rubbed tears from his eyes.  He was also upset when Dorothy stabbed Quetra with her fencing sword.

And there have been countless discussions about "Who is the best Gundam pilot?  If Heavyarms and Deathscythe got into a fight....????  Why doesn't he\she just shoot him\her!"  "Why would he self-detonate his Gundam?" and etc.

My oldest got some deeper insight.  I explained to him from the outset that there were many things about the show that doesn't explain itself...the show assumes a Japanese audience who will already know certain things.  Like the Gundams overheat, instead of necessarily becoming so damaged that they can't function.  (Though that happens too, sometimes.)  And that the Gundam Pilots are New Types, sort of like the next step in human evolution.  This information isn't explained....it is assumed the audience knows.  SpartanSmurf #1 got a taste of looking at it from that other point of view, and understanding.

Then there are other stylistic things about it.  The sparse J-Pop tunes, that make the battles seem like a music video sometimes.  The use of profanity, and how they are to abstain from using it.  The discussions about religion....Treize frequently discusses God.  Heero says "I don't believe in God."  The dichotomy of total pacifism verses dictatorship.

Next we are supposed to watch "Avatar" together.  I am OK with Avatar.  But it is no Gundam Wing.  Maybe a few episodes in I will share some more thoughts!  Till then, YOU should check out Gundam Wing.  i will probably write a review of Endless Waltz next.