Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Collection 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		4.0

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Collection 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

One of the greatest Gundam anime series.

Gundam Wing is a must-see anime classic created by the great Hajime Yatate (Cowboy Bebop, The Big O) and Yoshiyuki Tomino (Turn A Gundam, Mobile Fighter G Gundam). The series comes from animation powerhouse Sunrise (Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star). One of the most entertaining and essential series in the long-running Gundam franchise, Gundam Wing is produced by Hideyuki Tomioka (InuYasha, Turn A Gundam), Masuo Ueda (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Escaflowne: The Movie), and Yoshiaki Koizumi (Mobile Fighter G Gundam, Mobile Suit Victory Gundam).

A team of five young revolutionaries build and command Gundam robots to fight a revolutionary war in the quest for independence. Operation Meteor begins and the pilots take aim for a better future – a future without the corruption of the Earth government. Space colonies are known as “sides” and are now home to countless human beings (living life in outer-space).

Earth government is cruel and corrupt – causing havoc and making the lives of those in the colonies difficult to live. Attempting to bring independence to the space colonies, Heero Yuy (Mark Hildreth), Trowa Barton (Kirby Morrow), Quatre Rabarba Winner (Brad Swaile), Duo Maxwell (Scott McNeil), and Chang Wufei (Ted Cole) fight a battle for the betterment of mankind.

Heero Yuy forms a unlikely connection with Relena Peacecraft (Lisa Ann Beley), a princess who fights for peace. At the other end of the spectrum is Zechs (Brian Drummond), a member of Oz opposing the revolutionaries. Can Heero Yuy and the other Gundam pilots lead a revolution against the tides of war?

The animation on Gundam Wing is superb. The art direction by Masaru Sato (Serial Experiments Lain, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor) and Yusuke Takeda (Occult Academy, Sword Art Online) is stunning. Gundam Wing is one of the greatest productions in the entire anime franchise. The art-work is top-notch throughout the series and it is clear that the team of animators brought their A-game to the production. The beautiful cell based animation is hypnotic at times – the classic hand-drawn art showcasing the importance of the craft.

The war begins.

One of the highlights of Gundam Wing is the intense action sequences and the seamless integration of these sequences into the overarching story. The series was consistently able to amaze with outstanding fight scenes that rival any of the best mecha series. Heero Yuy, a formidable hero, was an expert pilot of his Gundam. The series was always good at balancing both the political undercurrents of the story with the action set-pieces. Viewers looking for intense mecha battles won't feel any semblance of disappointment.

The cinematography by Yoichi Ogami (Cowboy Bebop, InuYasha) manages to imbue the series with a stylistic flourish that works wonders as well. The series often has a dark undertone (given the strong political undercurrents throughout the program). The cinematography reflects the grim darkness of battle: war waged across outer-space and putting these heroes to the test. A great effort by Ogami.

The music score by Kow Otani (Outlaw Star, Zatch Bell) is one of the best elements of the series. A energetic and action- packed soundtrack, the score by Otani imbues the action sequences with great ferocity and excitement that makes the series a blast to watch. The dramatic sequences are given a nice backdrop as well – the score providing a sense of warmth to the character development and the ongoing story.

Written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa (Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z), Gundam Wing is an anime classic for a reason – and much of that begins with the original story by Hajime Yatate. Sumisawa brings the story to life as the head screenwriter. The storytelling is superb throughout. The characters are uniquely engaging and intelligent. The political elements of the series make it an essential anime series: it manages to be far more thought-provoking and engaging than a typical anime mecha.

Masashi Ikeda (InuYasha, Ronin Warriors) brought Gundam Wing to life. As director of the series, Ikeda imbued the series with both drama and action-packed fun. The mecha fight scenes are well choreographed and designed (providing non-stop frenetic energy). The series explored a large spectrum: focusing on the human elements and the Gundam battles in equal measure.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Collection 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sunrise and RightStuf, Gundam Wing: Collection 1 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. Featuring exceptional encoding, the series is beautiful in its native high-definition. Colors look impressive and true to the source.

The series has never looked better than it does on these HD presentations. The only minor drawbacks to the high-definition presentations are in the use of some DNR (digital noise reduction) and occasional specks of dirt on the film scans. Otherwise, the scans appear clean and crisp with excellent detail.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Collection 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: English uncompressed PCM stereo and Japanese uncompressed PCM stereo (with English subtitles). The high-resolution audio tracks sound crisp, engaging, and refined. The high fidelity audio is free from any issues with audio distortion. The soundtrack sounds dynamic and robust. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. A exceptional presentation.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Collection 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening 1 & 2 (HD, 2:43)

Clean Ending (HD, 1:12)

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Collection 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Gundam Wing is one of the best anime series of all time. The series has exceptional animation and dynamic storytelling. The production is "out of this world" in some regards – and not just because the series is set in outer space. With action-packed adventure from beginning to end, Gundam Wing is one of the most essential anime series in the long-running franchise. The Blu-ray release features a solid presentation. Fans of the series won't want to miss out. Highly recommended.