Gundam Wing: Operation Meteor OVA: Odd And Even Numbers

[turkishproverb]

I keep almost buying this from online retailers in Japan, so I figured I should ask here to satisfy the curiosity that always pops up right before I buy a gunpla instead:

Why was this never brought to the states? Given Wings HUGE popularity, you would think they would have capitalized in every way possible, but this never even HIT u.s. shores.

[Wingnut]

Simple. Aside from a few very brief snippets of the various pilots showing them right after Libra was taken out, the whole thing is one huge clip show (and without subtitles at that). And as Seed and Destiny showed us, the fanbase doesn't care for clip shows. It's not worth the time and trouble to bother with buying, not 8 years ago, and certainly not now.
You are doing the right thing by getting gunpla instead of this.

[turkishproverb]

Simple. Aside from a few very brief snippets of the various pilots showing them right after Libra was taken out, the whole thing is one huge clip show (and without subtitles at that). And as Seed and Destiny showed us, the fanbase doesn't care for clip shows. It's not worth the time and trouble to bother with buying, not 8 years ago, and certainly not now.
You are doing the right thing by getting gunpla instead of this.

Actually, I was more curious why they didn't do it at the time, before having learned their lessons through SEED and Destiny.

Doesn't seem like it would have made a whole lot of business sense for Bandai to skip over it entirely when Wing fandom was at it's biggest, just to go for G-Gundam.

But yea, I'm probably not going to get it for a bit anyway. Not the lack of subs so much (I'm trying to learn the language after all) More that I want to wait at least until I can find it cheaper than the 100+ for japanese retail.

[AmuroNT1]

Honestly, other than the maybe five minutes of new animation, there's not a heck of a lot of point to Operation Meteor. Even before Seed and Destiny showed the disaster of multiple clip shows, I can't think of anyone who would willingly buy a tape or DVD containing nothing but rehashed clips.

[turkishproverb]

Honestly, other than the maybe five minutes of new animation, there's not a heck of a lot of point to Operation Meteor. Even before Seed and Destiny showed the disaster of multiple clip shows, I can't think of anyone who would willingly buy a tape or DVD containing nothing but rehashed clips.

I know. My point is I'm surprised Bandai didn't try it, given the sudden success. I'm not saying I think it's "worthy" or anything like that. I'm not even asking for a release (like you said 5 mins of new footage, and I've seen half of it.)

[mcred23]

My point is I'm surprised Bandai didn't try it, given the sudden success.

Also likely, it was a money thing. It probably would have cost more to bring it over than they would have made in profits off this minor clip show with a tiny bit of new animation.

[AmuroNT1]

Bandai Entertainment has pretty good business sense, actually. They seem to know what American fans will and won't pay for, and they focus on producing quality work that will go over well both with longtime fans and newcomers.

[Chris]

I keep almost buying this from online retailers in Japan, so I figured I should ask here to satisfy the curiosity that always pops up right before I buy a gunpla instead:

Why was this never brought to the states? Given Wings HUGE popularity, you would think they would have capitalized in every way possible, but this never even HIT u.s. shores.

Others have pointed out why there's no reason to bring it here since it's just clips. But you seem to be under the impression that back in the day, anything with the name "Gundam Wing" on it was a license to print money, and that was simply never true. Was the series very popular? Yes. Does that mean that everyone out there bought Gundam Wing toothbrushes or Heero Yuy boxer shorts? I don't think so.

[Captain Anonymous]

I wouldn't have mind seeing the extra footage released as a DVD extra, likely at the end of volume 10 of the Wing DVD, especially since that disc was one less episode then the other volumes.
It would have been a nice way to pad out that volume a little bit more.

But really, I don't think they could justify selling it in the U.S. Though, I don't imagine it would have flopped, but I don't see it being a hot seller either.

[neolordmaxwell]

As much as the 'f' word isn't cared for around here, it should be noted that even given Gundam Wing's popularity, nobody ever bothered to step up and even fansub these episodes. That should tell you in and of itself that demand for them is nonexistant.

Does that mean that everyone out there bought Gundam Wing toothbrushes or Heero Yuy boxer shorts? I don't think so.

Oddly enough, I do seem to recall owning several Gundam Wing pencil sets, and one of those absurd mini-baseball caps, for some reason.

[Arbiter GUNDAM]

Heero Yuy boxer shorts?

Now there's a disturbing image. Brrr.

[AmuroNT1]

As much as the 'f' word isn't cared for around here, it should be noted that even given Gundam Wing's popularity, nobody ever bothered to step up and even fansub these episodes. That should tell you in and of itself that demand for them is nonexistant.

Wing was licensed before the advent of the fast digisub. I'm sure it was fansubbed before that point, because my brother's fiancee's previous boyfriend was a Gundam fan in the Stone Age and had the old kind of fansubs - the kind that came on VHS tapes.

[turkishproverb]

I keep almost buying this from online retailers in Japan, so I figured I should ask here to satisfy the curiosity that always pops up right before I buy a gunpla instead:

Why was this never brought to the states? Given Wings HUGE popularity, you would think they would have capitalized in every way possible, but this never even HIT u.s. shores.

Others have pointed out why there's no reason to bring it here since it's just clips. But you seem to be under the impression that back in the day, anything with the name "Gundam Wing" on it was a license to print money, and that was simply never true. Was the series very popular? Yes. Does that mean that everyone out there bought Gundam Wing toothbrushes or Heero Yuy boxer shorts? I don't think so.

Lol. I think you named 2 of the only things they didn't make. And frankly, they did put out alot of the "Quick cash" type items in the states. Pencils, T shirts, folders, puzzles etc.