I have to say, I really liked the Gundam series GUNDAM WING. The boys were bishie, the story was intriguing and complex, and there were so many different types of MECHA!!! If there is one thing I really love about anime, it's the mecha . And the bishie, and the drawing style, and.... never mind. Anyhoo, there were 6 or 7 pilots with actual Gundams, everyone else just had mobile suits. The first Gundams are:
-Wing Gundam
-Gundam Deathscythe
-Gundam Heavyarms
-Gundam Sandrock
-Shenlong Gundam
Of these first Gundams, I'd have to rank my favorites in the order of Wing, Deathscythe, Sandrock, Shenlong, and Heavyarms. Wing had that awesome 'bird-mode' transformation thing goin' on, Deathscythe was wicked with it's scythe, and Sandrock had those awesome blades. Heavyarms would be ranked higher on my list, but the garish color scheme (ew! orange and red!) detracted mightily. I did, however, love the large amounts of missiles that Heavyarms was capeable of hiding in its interior.
The next series were the altered forms of the orignial Gundams. After Lady Une had forced the Gundams to go into hiding (most of them blew up their Gundams anyway. Boys.), the G-boys had to alter the Gundams to be able to fight well in space. This called for
-Wing Gundam ZERO
-Gundam Deathscythe HELL
-Gundam Heavyarms
-Gundam Sandrock
-Shenlong (or is it Altron now?) Gundam
As you can see, the names of some of the Gundams changed as well. Ranking: Deathscythe Hell, Wing Zero, Shenlong/Altron, Sandrock, Heavyarms. I was just pleased beyond words when the awesome Deathscythe got another beam added onto its scythe! Whoo! Wing zero abandoned it's 'bird-mode' ways to wax beautiful with angel-like wings. They protected Heero upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere during the final eppys. They also look way wicked when fighting! Shenlongs got this awesome thing, which I can't remember at the moment, but it really rocked the house! Sandrock and Heavyarms remained virtually unchanged, except that Sandrock could manuever better in space and use it's weapons better. Heavyarms did not change it's color scheme, so I think I blocked it out. I'm pretty sure something changed, however.
In Endless Waltz, there was a different mech designer entirely. I heard about this, and thought "oh kami, this is really gonna suck." but WOW was I wrong (as I so rarely am!), and aren't we all glad? I was sitting around watching a bootlegged anime when my friend suddenly calls me and goes "ohmigod, jade, turn on the tv! craptoon network's showing a commercial for EW, and it is AMAZING!". So I did, and was immediately blown away by the terribly wicked mecha and animation that I saw.
-Wing Gundam Zero CUSTOM
-Gundam Deathscythe Hell CUSTOM
-Gundam Heavyarms CUSTOM
-Gundam Sandrock CUSTOM
-ALTRON GUNDAM "NATAKU"
Once again, there have been some changes to the names, and in the case of Chang's Gundam, a different name entirely. Ranking: Deathscythe Hell Custom, Wing Zero Custom, Altron, and Heavyarms ties with Sandrock. Although DHC lost the second beam to its scythe, the changing of the wings to resemble bat's wings really made Shinigami stand out from your average Gundam, if there is such a thing. Wing Zero Custom has those wicked wings again (unless it was just WZC, and I'm just retarded) and still looks as pretty as ever, even when its so ragged that Heero practically blows it up trying to save Relena (ugh). Altron has these wicked dragon arms that can blow fire like nobody's business, and can also extend and rip off the heads of any opposing MSes! Yay for Wufei (that may be the only time I ever say that)! HEAVYARMS FINALLY CHANGES ITS COLOR SCHEME!! When I saw Heavyarms for the first time in EW, I danced about the room singing Hallelujah. Sandrock looks ready for desert warfare, and that giant cape looks really sweet.
Using my ever-trusty ANIMERICA, I am able to give you a full description of each EW Gundam, and the changes made! Yay for Animerica! ^_~
-XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero Custom
The most radical of the designs, the new look for the Wing Zero is doubtless a tip of the hat to the serie's many female fans.
-XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell Custom
Although cosmetically altered from its skeletal, Grim Reaper-like appearance
-XXXG-01H2 Gundam Heavyarms Custom
Abandoning its garish red-and-orange color scheme for more militaristic hues
XXXG-01R2 Gundam Sandrock Custom
More fully embracing the style of archaic ornamentation than its previous incarnation, the newly-rendered Sandrock also wields far more
formidable Heat Shotels. These massive, tusklike weapons
XXXG-01S2 Altron Gundam "Nataku"
Not only redrawn but renamed as well (if only on the model-kit box), Wufei's mobile suit is something of a comprimise between the Senlong
and Altron Gundams. It's equiped with two extendable Dragon Fang arm-units (which employ a much more credible mechanism) but lacks
the double-barreled Beam Cannon "tail" of the Altron. Still wielding its twin beat trident, the Nataku is a mighty close-combat fighter but has
been cut back in the long-range attack department--a trend which typifies most of Katoki's redrawns.
Whee, wasn't that great?! Now, email me with any comments that you might have regarding the evalutaion! There is also a description of the OZ-00MS2B Tallgeese 3 and MMS-01 Serpent (Zech's and Mariemaia's Gundams), but since they aren't main Gundams, I haven't included them here. Feel free to email me if you would like the description and rankimg of the Gundams in general. ^_~
- Jade Sage