American audiences got to experience Mobile Suit Gundam Wing in early 2000 when it made its debut with Toonami, and in less than a year, the show’s popularity continued to rise with the abbreviated series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz. The three-episode release was comparable to a sequel film, but the artwork felt lightyears ahead. The detail on the Gundam suits was cleaned up, and most noticeably numerous suits received significant facelifts.
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This made quite a difference for the United States fanbase in particular. Although the movie was a video release, it made the original TV series look like a massive upgrade in a short amount of time. Whereas plenty of other anime were looking pretty dated up to that point. Endless Waltz felt much more futuristic and ahead of its time, and that was cemented with its redesigns.
Mobile Suits Went Platinum In Endless Waltz
The addition of actual wings on Wing Gundam Zero, dual double gatling guns and a darker paint scheme on Heavyarms and Tallgeese III’s overpowering, hulking rebuild are just a few of the major changes to the mobile suits. Yes, the improved animation and CGI immediately made the newest Gundam Wing edition better, but the complete overhaul of most of the mobile suits put the anime over the top. Most of the suits just doubled down on their pilots’ styles and personalities, but it hammered the points home.
Tallgeese III’s newest look matched Zechs Merquise’s anonymous style to perfection. The hidden visor on the head crest with no expression and the dominance of the scale just fit his mysterious background. Heavyarms Gundam was already a machine gun monstrosity, and this edition just adds more edgy style to Trowa Barton. The circus clown and Gundam pilot’s serious demeanor mixed so well with the darkened paint scheme and chaotic combat style.
Duo Maxwell’s Deathscythe got its own dark upgrade changing to Gundam Deathscythe Hell edition. This one featured the famous cape/bat wings look. The wings envelop the Gundam and become a wearable shield that fits the tone of the suit. They can then branch out, and look like a bat’s wings. Duo Maxwell calling himself the God of Death in the original series just tied a bow on this slick pairing between man and machinery. The main Gundam in the series weren’t the only suits to get an awesome upgrade either.
Forget the bland Leo foot soldier suits from the series, the Serpent flipped the script from scrawny battlefield into mini Heavyarms. These suits are not Gundam, but they received added armor and double-barreled gatling guns just like the Heavyarms. Which was a nice added detail to the series that proved it wasn’t just the Gundam tearing through simple mobile suits. They enemies responded to the technological upgrades in kind with upgrades of their own.
Raises Potential For Even More Upgraded Suits
Gundam is always creating and modifying the current suits in their catalogue. This series will likely be no different, even though it went dormant years ago. Endless Waltz made major aesthetic updates, but it also lacked screen time to truly make an impact on the wider franchise. The three episodes brought a close to the series 30 years ago in Japan.
There was a teaser that the series could return with the anime adaptation of Frozen Teardrop someday. In that manga, the suits received even more suit alterations and it would be great to see them on screen next. Bandai has an opportunity to bring back the show and jump on the nostalgia train, but right now, nothing else has been confirmed. Do you think Endless Waltz had the best redesigns and should the series return soon? Let us know in the comments.
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