Endless Waltz version

Discuss models, figures, Blu-rays and more.
Post Reply
nettrekker
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2010 5:53 pm

Endless Waltz version

I know my question might sound ridiculous because the Gundam Wing series has been around for 15 years and the recent MG model kits came out a while now, but I'm aching to understand: what is the story behind the "Endless Waltz version" of the Gundam Wing machines? Why is Bandai releasing the original Gundams in these "Endless Waltz versions" (which I believe are also referred to as ver.ka) instead of their original anime designs (like they did for Wing)? I heard that the Deathscythe Hell's manual contains background details about the whole Endless Waltz concept, but I can't seem to find a translation of that text. It's really confusing to me.
User avatar
Arsarcana
Posts: 1478
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:26 am

Re: Endless Waltz version

Because they're tie-ins to the new manga (full title: New Mobile Report Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Defeated), which is retelling the entire TV series using the Katoki redesigns rather than the TV ones. This way, the transition from original Gundams to the versions seen in EW is natural rather than looking like a retcon.

Given that it and Frozen Teardrop appear to be trying to create a unified vision of the After Colony universe (there are ties between them and collectively they also take bits from Episode Zero and Evolve) I wouldn't be surprised if the manga actually covered the intervening year and EW events as well in order to justify the name.
1-4-4
Posts: 118
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2010 1:02 pm

Re: Endless Waltz version

nettrekker wrote:Why is Bandai releasing the original Gundams in these "Endless Waltz versions" (which I believe are also referred to as ver.ka) instead of their original anime designs (like they did for Wing)?
The basic reason (and this is entirely subjective) is because the "Endless Waltz" versions are "cooler". That's pretty much it.

To put it a slightly less-subjective way: the EW designs better match the general style of the MG line, I think. The TV designs are pretty bulky, they've got Okawara "puffed chests" and exaggerated proportions in the shoulder armor and so on. I can dig it, and I think translating that sort of thing straight into model form can be kind of cool - but my impression is that most gunpla fans do not agree. :)

Then again, they did release the TV-version Wing Gundam in MG form - though with a lot of changes to the design...

Of course, one nice thing about these releases is that they're design variations that haven't been kitted before except in resin. Back in the day if you wanted one of those "pre-upgrade" G-Wing machines in EW style, you needed to get one of the HG kits and a (very expensive!) resin conversion set.
User avatar
Arsarcana
Posts: 1478
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:26 am

Re: Endless Waltz version

If they were just doing it because it's cooler or because they wanted to give the Ver Ka suits a more accessible kit they wouldn't be plastering the boxes and manuals with the manga's title. It's a tie-in plain and simple and they're using the Katoki designs because they're much easier to work into a coherent whole than trying to justify the differences as an upgrade that happened when we weren't looking. Remember Ground Zero trying to do that? Remember how stupid it was? Yeah.
RafE'
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:00 am

Re: Endless Waltz version

1-4-4 wrote: Then again, they did release the TV-version Wing Gundam in MG form - though with a lot of changes to the design...
Not to mention that even the MG Wing Ka got some of changes from Katoki's original design. Those include:

Additional blue parts on the rifle
Minor re-designs on the wings
Additional ammo rack
Geara John
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:42 am
Location: Chicago, IL

Re: Endless Waltz version

Is it too much to hope that they'll release TV versions in the future? At least of the Wing 0 (TV Heavyarms is probably asking too much)?
User avatar
prince_of_zeon
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:33 pm
Location: Evanston, Il
Contact:

Re: Endless Waltz version

Geara John wrote:Is it too much to hope that they'll release TV versions in the future? At least of the Wing 0 (TV Heavyarms is probably asking too much)?
I'm thinking not. They only gave us the TV Wing because Bandai generally tries to have each title suit more or less intact in MG. Wing 0 might come, but not for some time.

As for the other TV gundams, think of it this way-we never got MGs of any of the other gundams from 00 aside from Setsuna's-not to say the same applies here, but I think them at least putting out non-lead gundams in some form is way below par for the course here.

Plus, who would buy a TV sandrock anyway? :P
Twat me: http://twitter.com/#!/Podsyboy

Subscribe/comment me: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaAeizeru

Did Fats Goodman really die at the end of "Fats' Counterattack?"
User avatar
kayone73
Posts: 378
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:36 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: Endless Waltz version

I get the impression that Bandai is breaking the 4th wall, saying that the Gundam Wing TV show is a 'fictionalized' version of the 'real life events' of Gundam Wing, and the Gundams in that show we're 'poorly rendered' compared to the real MS.

Endless Waltz 'corrects' this by stating that the katoki redesigns are 'how they were supposed to look in reality'.

Plus the Katoki designs are better than the Okawara ones anyway, I don't really see the problem.
User avatar
Arsarcana
Posts: 1478
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:26 am

Re: Endless Waltz version

prince_of_zeon wrote:Plus, who would buy a TV sandrock anyway? :P
I would! I've got way more nostalgic fondness for the TV designs, even though the EW versions are awesomely throwing in a lot of TV version gimmicks (such as Heavyarms having the hastily added saber rack in its arm). That being said, I agree that in all likelihood we're going to get TV Wing Zero and Tallgeese and that's probably it. Not that I'll complain if they do, oh, Altron or a Leo at some point.
User avatar
Raiden
Posts: 228
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:27 pm

Re: Endless Waltz version

I prefer the EW/Ver Ka's. Mainly cause Katoki adds a whole lot more detail to his designs.

But for TV version MG's, meh i wouldn't really wanna see them for a while. Especially since this whole Gundam Wing MG project delays a whole lot of things from coming down the pipe. Plus it wouldn't be much better or different since they most likely will use the Wing TV frame....again.
Post Reply