Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero (新機動戦記ガンダムW EPISODE ZERO, Shin Kidō Senki Gundam W Episode Zero) was a manga miniseries featuring stories set mostly before the events of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. Written by Katsuyuki Sumizawa, who also wrote the anime series, with art by Akira Kanbe, Episode Zero carried higher credibility than other Gundam Wing manga due to Sumizawa’s direct involvement. Published from February to August 1997 in Anime V magazine, the manga revealed the early lives of the five Gundam pilots and how each met their respective scientists before Operation Meteor.

Overview

Episode Zero was separated into stories dealing with each of the five Gundam pilots and Relena Darlian. Each story took place at a different point in time before the TV series, revealing backstories that shaped the characters viewers knew. The stories were presented in chronological order, ending with the launch of Operation Meteor and the beginning of the TV series.

The manga revealed:

Duo Maxwell (AC 187): How “Duo Maxwell” was not his given name—“Duo” was bestowed by a dying childhood friend named Solo, and “Maxwell” was taken from Father Maxwell and Sister Helen who ran an orphanage, both killed in an Alliance attack
Heero Yuy (AC 188): His past fighting alongside Odin Lowe, the man who had assassinated the original Heero Yuy, and a battlefield assault that put Treize Khushrenada in hospital where he met Leia Barton (future mother of Mariemaia)
Trowa Barton (AC 190): A romantic tragedy and the implication that Catherine Bloom was his long-lost sister, separated during an Alliance attack that killed their parents
Relena Darlian (AC 191): The fall of the Sanc Kingdom, with only Zechs and Relena surviving, and their brief meeting that let Zechs know his sister still lived
Quatre Raberba Winner (AC 193): Contrary to his belief, Quatre was not a test-tube child—his mother Katherine died in childbirth due to complications from living in space
Chang Wufei (AC 194): A romantic tragedy involving Meilan Long

The manga concluded with a bonus chapter titled “Preventer 5” set in AC 197 (after Endless Waltz), involving Relena’s hostage-taking and the Gundam pilots’ intervention.

Development

Production history

Episode Zero was technically semi-official, as it was originally intended to be included in the Gundam Wing television series. Director Ikeda Masashi specifically asked Sumizawa to pen the main characters’ backstories, planning to include them in the series following episode 27 (“The Locus of Victory and Defeat”).

However, due to production scheduling being the “worst ever” (in Sumizawa’s own words) and his withdrawing as a scenarist, Episode Zero’s tale kept being delayed and pushed back. Though it was later intended to play some role in episode 31 (“The Glass Kingdom”), the problems persisted, and the Episode Zero story ended up being left out of the anime entirely. Instead, it was published as a standalone manga series.

The manga was reissued in 2007, demonstrating continued interest in these backstories. The English release by Viz Communications made the manga accessible to Western audiences.

Reception

Episode Zero was well-received by fans who appreciated learning the Gundam pilots’ backstories and understanding what shaped their personalities and motivations. The manga’s canonical status due to Sumizawa’s authorship made it essential reading for fans seeking comprehensive understanding of Gundam Wing characters. Elements from Episode Zero were later incorporated into Glory of the Losers, cementing its place in the unified Gundam Wing narrative.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero is a manga series (1 volume, 8 chapters, 1997).

External links

Episode Zero at About Gundam Wing
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero on the Gundam Wiki