Bandai Namco and Sunrise Studios continue to roll out new promotions celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. The official Gundam Wing Info X (formerly Twitter) account has shared a promo featuring Duo Maxwell and XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe. The image is a simple static photo with Duo standing normally, whereas Deathscythe strikes a pose. The promo matches the other 30th Anniversary Gundam Wing photos Bandai has been releasing to commemorate the anime’s historic milestone. Previously, Bandai and Sunrise released an image with lead characters Heero and Relina, with confetti spread around them. Heero is wearing a nice tux, while Relina has a pretty blue dress on.
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The Duo and Deathscythe image matches another promo Bandai released with Heero and the Wing Gundam. The Gundam Wing social accounts will likely release promo images for all five main Gundam pilots, plus the other major characters with Mobile Suits. Bandai and Blizzard Entertainment recently partnered to create an Overwatch 2 and Gundam Wing collaboration. Character skins based on the Wing Gundam Zero (Endless Waltz), Gundam Deathscythe, Tallgeese, and the Epyon were released on Overwatch 2 for the Gundam Wing 30th Anniversary celebration. Bandai has had other promotions to celebrate the anime’s milestone, including new merchandise and a cross-promotion with Hatsune Miku.
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Why Is Gundam Wing Important?
Some people may not understand the importance of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing since Bandai has typically given more focus and attention to other Gundam franchises, particularly Gundam Seed, Gundam 00, and the original Mobile Suit Gundam. However, Gundam Wing was vital to the franchise’s success overseas, finally breaking through to the Western market after so many behind-the-scenes attempts to do so. Gundam Wing was one of the main pillars that helped launch Toonami to the stratosphere, helping usher in a new golden age of anime in the West. The other pillars that made Toonami mainstream include anime icons like Dragon Ball Z.
Much of Gundam Wing‘s success is owed to the way it appealed to both boys and girls. Boys typically watched the show for the action and robots, whereas girls traditionally watched it for the appealing character designs of the five main male pilots and the romance subplots. Gundam model kits (Gunpla) from Gundam Wing sold extremely well in the US markets, and the kits based on the main Gundams continue to be some of the most popular Gunpla in the franchise. The redesigned Wing Gundam Zero from the Endless Waltz OVAs and movie is one of the most iconic mobile suits in the franchise. Even the casual anime appreciator would recognize the Wing Gundam’s iconic feathered wings and memorable pose.
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is a 90s reinterpretation of the classic Mobile Suit Gundam show. Gundam Wing centers on an ongoing conflict between Earth and Space Colonies, the latter sending down five teen pilots and Gundams to wage war against the Earth’s military. The show got notoriously convoluted during its 50-episode run, including the main characters being betrayed by the Space Colonies and forced to save the Earth from a militaristic space faction. Endless Waltz was a sequel that had the pilots fight in one more battle before peace could be maintained.
