Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Part 1 (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray) Unboxing

Another Gundam title returns to the UK, this time it’s the popular series Gundam Wing. Anime Limited released the first half a bit early so here’s a quick look at the set!

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (also known as New Mobile Report Gundam Wing) is a 1995 anime series from studio Sunrise and directed by Masashi Ikeda. It is the sixth television series in the Gundam franchise and one that won’t require knowledge of the previous titles to enjoy it.

Gundam Wing takes place in the After Colony timeline, which is a separate continuity from the Universal Century where Amuro & Char’s saga is covered. That means a whole new cast of characters but the series keeps the same themes of war and the idea of using Gundams to fight.

The show did make an appearance in the UK through Toonami back in the day and eventually on DVD through Beez Entertainment, but due to the publisher discontinuing (at the same time as Bandai in the US) the Gundam licenses went in limbo.

UK distributor Anime Limited is the main distributor for Gundam on home video. As part of their Summer of Gundam 40th Anniversary plan, they are finally releasing Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and also its continuation Endless Waltz. Like the other Gundam UK releases on Blu-ray, we have the collector’s edition box first for the first half followed by the booklet for the second half. A standard edition version will be planned later down the line once the two parts go out of print.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Part 1 contains the first 25 episodes of the series across 4 Blu-ray discs, using the Nozomi & Rightstuf master this time around. This is interesting considering Anime Limited usually would use the French master but the French release of Gundam Wing are on 3 discs in contrast. Note that due to how the series was made, this show is in 4:3 and not widescreen.

The audio options for the series are both English & Japanese audio with English subtitles. The disc is region locked to B and the subtitles are unlockable during playback. The colour of the subtitles is yellow for the main dialogue and white for secondary dialogue or on-screen info.

The collector’s edition Blu-ray is available to order through Amazon UK.

Blu-ray Specs:

Languages: English, Japanese
Audio: English Linear PCM 2.0, Japanese Linear PCM 2.0
Video: 1080p High Definition Native format with 4:3 ratio
Region: B
Subtitles: English
Locked Subtitles: No
Discs: 4

Plot Synopsis (via Anime Limited):

Mankind has moved into space.

Thousands of people live on giant orbiting space colonies called “Sides.” However, the Earth Government, which rules the colonies, is unjust and cruel.

A group of revolutionaries build five robotic weapons called Gundams and plan to send them to Earth to begin their fight for independence. Piloted by five young men, these Gundams carry the colonists’ hopes and dreams of freedom with them as they descend to Earth to begin Operation Meteor!