Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
Endless Waltz DVD cover, featuring the redesigned Wing Gundam Zero designed by Hajime Katoki
新機動戦記ガンダムW: ENDLESS WALTZ (New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz)
Genre	Military science fiction
Sunrise
Released	January 25, 1997 – July 25, 1997
Runtime	25 minutes (each)
Episodes	3 (List of episodes)
Anime film
Endless Waltz -Special Edition-
Directed by	Yasunao Aoki
Studio	Sunrise
Released	August 1, 1998
Runtime	90 minutes
Manga
Written by	Comic Bom Bom
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	March 1998 – July 1998
Volumes	1
Manga
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Ground Zero
Written by	Reku Fuyunagi
Published by	Viz Communications
Magazine	Monthly Fantasy Deluxe
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	August 1998 – September 1998
Volumes	1
Manga
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Blind Target
Written by	Viz Communications
Magazine	Anime V, Looker
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	July 1998 – January 1999
Volumes	1

Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, known in Japan as New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (Japanese: 新機動戦記ガンダムW: ENDLESS WALTZ, Hepburn: Shin Kidō Senki Gandamu Uingu: Endoresu Warutsu), is the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, both of which are set in the "After Colony" timeline, an alternate universe to that of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. Aside from being a continuation to the Gundam Wing TV series, it also reveals details regarding the pasts of the five Gundam pilots and the true objective behind "Operation Meteor."^[1]

Endless Waltz originally premiered in Japan as a three-part OVA in 1997.^[2][3][4] It was later released as a theatrical compilation film in 1998, including additional scenes and an altered musical score.^[5]

Synopsis

It is the year After Colony 196, and the battles between Earth and the space colonies have ended. Treize Khushrenada is dead and OZ has come to an end. This gives birth to the Earth Sphere Unified Nation (ESUN) and the Preventers. Seeing they won't be needed anymore, the Gundam pilots (except Chang Wufei) send their suits into the sun. However, this peace would not last, for a rebellion occurs on the newly completed colony, L3 X-18999. Led by seven-year-old Mariemaia Khushrenada, Treize's illegitimate daughter, the rebellion kidnaps Relena Darlian, now the Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN, during a diplomatic mission to X-18999. As the Gundam pilots investigate further, they discover that Mariemaia is merely a puppet controlled by her grandfather Dekim Barton, a former advisor to martyred colony leader Heero Yuy, who is using X-18999 to go through with the original Operation Meteor, as a contingency plan in case the ESUN doesn't comply. The Gundam pilots must prevent Dekim from seizing power over the ESUN. The Gundams are retrieved from their course to sun to Earth's orbit thanks to Quatre and the Maganacs. The pilots use their Gundams one last time to fight against Dekim's forces, not killing anyone. In the end, Dekim is killed by one of his own soldiers, Earth and its colonies are at peace once again and all mobile suits (including the Gundams) are forever destroyed and never seen again.

Characters

Heero Yuy

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese); Mark Hildreth (English)

Pilot of the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero,^[6] who was code-named after the assassinated pacifist of the same name. Though he brought an end to the war between Earth and the colonies, Heero must now prevent the Mariemaia Army from disrupting the peace.

Relena Darlian

Voiced by: Akiko Yajima (Japanese); Lisa Ann Beley (English)

An ally of the Gundam pilots and the strongest political advocate for peace between Earth and the colonies, who is kidnapped by the Mariemaia Army.

Duo Maxwell

Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki (Japanese); Scott McNeil (English)

Pilot of the XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell,^[7] who assists his fellow Gundam pilots in maintaining the peace they fought so hard to attain.

Trowa Barton

Voiced by: Shigeru Nakahara (Japanese); Kirby Morrow (English)

Pilot of the XXXG-01H2 Gundam Heavyarms Kai,^[8] who infiltrates the Mariemaia Army in order to prevent its revised version of Operation Meteor.

Quatre Raberba Winner

Voiced by: Ai Orikasa (Japanese); Brad Swaile (English)}

Pilot of the XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Kai,^[9] who comes up with the idea of sending the Gundams into the Sun, but is forced to retrieve them after the Mariemaia Army declares war on the Earth.

Chang Wufei

Voiced by:

Ryuuzou Ishino (Japanese); Ted Cole

(English)

Pilot of the XXXG-01S2 Altron Gundam,[10] who joins forces with the Mariemaia Army and becomes an enemy toward the other Gundam pilots.

Zechs Merquise

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese); Brian Drummond (English)

A former enemy of the Gundam pilots, now their ally and a member of the Preventers (code name: "Wind"), as well as the pilot of the new OZ-00MS2B Tallgeese III mobile suit.^[11]

Lucrezia Noin

Voiced by: Chisa Yokoyama (Japanese); Saffron Henderson (English)

An ally of the Gundam pilots and a member of the Preventers (code name: "Fire").

Sally Po

Voiced by:

Yumi Touma (Japanese); Samantha Ferris

(English)

Another ally of the Gundam pilots and a member of the Preventers (code name: "Water").

Lady Une

Voiced by: Sayuri Yamauchi (Japanese); Enuka Okuma (English)

Another former enemy of the Gundam pilots, now their ally and the head of the Preventers (code name: "Gold").

Mariemaia Khushrenada

Voiced by: Rei Sakuma (Japanese); Maggie Blue O'Hara (English)

The young daughter of the deceased Treize Khushrenada, who is manipulated by her grandfather Dekim Barton into leading a rebellion against the Earth with the intentions of conquering it.

Narrator

Voiced by:

Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese); Campbell Lane

(English)

• OVA Ending Theme: "White Reflection" by Two-Mix^[12]
• Movie Ending Theme: "Last Impression" by Two-Mix^[13]

Distribution

In North America, Endless Waltz premiered on Canada's