Talk to the wife

Is this finished or was it dropped?

I'm pretty sure this was the first manga I ever purchased. Now, as I prepare to sell it along with some of my other old items, I decided to take one last look...

STORY - Ground Zero offers one version of the events occurring between Gundam Wing and Endless Waltz, focusing on the lead-up to the pilots' choice to send their Gundams into the sun. Honestly, the events in this short volume are rather silly. Interestingly, the flawed logic behind their actions and how things unfold constantly reminded me that these characters are actually fifteen-year-old boys—a fact easily overlooked when I was fourteen or fifteen myself. There's also a chapter on Relena's life in Ground Zero, emphasizing her relationship with Heero. Though somewhat clichéd, it felt a bit less exaggerated than the chapters featuring the boys.

At times, the stories in this volume attempt to appear deep and philosophical (it is, after all, a story about war, even if just its aftermath), but upon revisiting it now, the true depths of the topics they tackle are barely scratched. A lot of rhetorical questions are posed but never really answered. As filler material bridging the series and the OAV, it might be intriguing to know what happened, but once you read it, it isn't very captivating.

CHARACTERS - The characters align well with their established personalities from the series, and I found it easy to imagine this sequence animated. Their dialogue and reactions were fairly accurate based on their pre-existing traits. Since the characters' personalities aren't explored beyond what was already established, they don't evolve much from where they were in the series (even though this feels like a prime opportunity for growth). Heero and Relena receive more focus, making them feel the most human—especially Relena (it seems easier to tolerate Relena in the manga than in the anime because you're only reading her dialogue, not hearing her stumble over it). Meanwhile, Quatre and Trowa remain mysterious, benevolent figures, Duo is endearingly foolish, and Wufei gets so little attention he might as well be absent.

ART - Reku Fugunagi does a commendable job capturing Gundam Wing's style. Many panels could feasibly serve as toned line art for the anime, albeit with more detail. There's a strong 90s vibe to it. The chibi style she employs is generic but undeniably cute. Her proportions are hilariously accurate at times, reinforcing the realization that these characters are only fifteen, with bodies reflecting that (the book describes all characters as 5'3", except Trowa who stands at 5'5"! So short!). Ground Zero features some impressive perspective and dynamic shots, but some sudden actions are hard to follow. There are still a few panels where I don't understand what's happening, and unfortunately, some of those are crucial. There's also the occasional dislocated finger... but overall, Fugunagi's art is enjoyable to look at, especially the handful of colored pages at the front, which might be the best part of the entire book.

OTHER - Ground Zero was licensed and published by Viz in 2001, making it an example of their earlier work. The book is flipped for left-to-right reading, and all sound effects have been translated. I found the English sound effects distracting, with some feeling inappropriate for the associated actions. For instance, "whonk" for a knee to the stomach? The translation appears smooth overall, matching the general tone of the anime's translation. Some typesetting looked slightly messy and too close to the edges, particularly for non-dialogue and non-SFX text, but ah well, what can you do?

OVERALL - It's a decent book. The story is messy and not very well thought out, but it isn't entirely unbelievable given the rest of the series. The characters remain consistent—if you disliked them in the anime, you'll dislike them here, and if you liked them okay, you'll be fine. The art is pleasant, nothing extraordinary, but nice. Viz did an adequate job. Ground Zero is one of three prominent filler stories for the gap between Gundam Wing and Endless Waltz (the others being Blind Target and Battlefield of Pacifists, both of which I plan to review as well). Of the three, it's the shortest and weakest (this might be because Fugunagi is the only writer of a filler manga who didn't work on the TV series script). If you truly, deeply love Gundam Wing and are curious about everything that might have occurred during the one-year gap, it might be worth checking out, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother.

Any individual who has ever wished to see the G-boys in a yaoi context, this is likely the closest you'll genuinely come. Numerous illustrations by Reku Fuyunagi depict Heero and the others as even more feminine than usual. Yes, that's entirely feasible. When I first read it in middle school, I felt quite uneasy. At the time, I was gradually outgrowing my previously ignorant homophobic mindset. Now, of course, I'd leap at the chance to share Quatre's bed.

In terms of plot, it's intriguing. It revolves around how the pilots, particularly Heero, navigate life in a world now devoid of weapons. It's the classic query, "what becomes of soldiers when the war concludes?" The story raises some profound thoughts. You also witness a bit of affection between Heero and Relena—alas, not Duo...

Ground Zero won't offer you spectacular mobile suit battles. Nonetheless, if you're an enthusiast of the anime or simply fond of the characters, you'll appreciate seeing them in fresh scenarios, occasionally behaving rather absurdly. In essence, it's worth acquiring, but don't set your expectations too high.

Great novel but ridiculously, long..how much money can one spend on one book?