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Gundam Wing (1995-96), a 49-part series in the Alternate Universe continuity, scored a hit in the U.S. when it aired on the Cartoon Network. In the year 195 A.C. (After Colony), much of humanity has emigrated to orbiting Space Colonies; those who remained on Earth are governed by the oppressive United Earth Sphere Alliance. But the real power is wielded by the sinister Romefeller Foundation, whose directors plot to control Earth and the Colonies through their puppet military entity OZ, led by Zechs Marquise and Treize Khushrenada. Five teenage pilots in Gundam mecha suits strike at Earth, hoping to aid the rebel Colonists: sullen Heero Yuy, happy-go-lucky Duo Maxwell, former circus acrobat Trowa Barton, sensitive Quatre Raberba, and icy WuFei Chang. The convoluted story line pits the Romefeller Foundation, the rebellious "Treize Faction" of OZ, the Gundam Pilots, and royal pacifist Relena Peacecraft against each other. But it's primarily a battle between the adherents of a samurai-style code of honor and the soulless adherents of realpolitik. When the Romefeller Foundation begins manufacturing Mobile Dolls (pilotless battle robots), the Gundam pilots, Zechs, and Treize object, not because they can make the Foundation all-powerful, but because they will deprive human warriors of the singular emotions experienced through heroism in battle. The uninitiated may have trouble following the plot: strange revelations abound (e.g., Relena discovers Zechs is her long-lost brother) and characters disappear for a dozen or more episodes, only to return when a deus ex machina is needed. But Gundam fans aren't interested in tightly woven story lines or credible character arcs, and Gundam Wing delivers plenty of battles between the splendidly designed robots. It's a classic confrontation between good guys with invincible weapons and soulless bad guys who can't hit the broad side of a robot. (Rated 13 and older: occasional profanity, robot vs. robot violence) --Charles Solomon
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