Gundam Pilot Cels

Series: Gundam Wing

The five young pilots will be on this page, barring cels that fit better elsewhere. The kids -- Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, Duo Maxwell, and Chang Wufei -- each have a history that led to them being capable of the insanity involved in being a pilot. Likewise, they each had their own manipulative old scientist leading them into it. Of all of them, Heero and Trowa are definitely the most over the edge and therefore the most competent for what they do. A certain lack of regard for one's own life helps. Trowa is officer in training material through and through, Heero is perfect soldier through and through. Quatre and Duo both have a knack for talking too much and aggravating the others, but Quatre at least has a sense for organizing and shows leadership qualities. Duo? I have no idea. Wufei is on an overcoming weakness kick, because of his wife (Nataku, also his special name for his Shenlong Gundam).

I mentioned on the index page that my favourite pilots are Heero and Trowa. And, yes, it is because they're both such screwed up nuts. But I also have a soft spot for Circus Boy's (Trowa's) gravity-defying acrobatics, and his infiltration techniques. Which are as fun, in a different sense, as Heero's simple "kill your way through everything" techniques. ;) I'm not really highly fond of the other three, but I did enjoy Quatre's moment of full insanity and I'll admit that Wufei grew on me more over time. He still annoys me, but I better understand all of the reasons why now.

Up next: Solo Heero, solo Duo, possibly another solo Quatre, Heero and Duo together.

Episode #: ?
Stats: 2 layers, unstuck, A5 KEY END/B1 (mouth)
Sketches: 1 matching (A5), unstuck
Comments: A sad puppy Trowa close-up. I couldn't tell you why (because I have no idea), but I was more willing to shell out for a nice Trowa than for a nice cel of any of the other characters. Perhaps because I'm charmed by anime-enhanced circus acrobatics, and that makes me particularly fond of him? *shrug* I love this specific cel because the typically cold Trowa is showing emotion, and because I'm amused by that 2 cans of Aqua Net Extra Super Hold set of bangs that are cascading off the side.
Episode #: 41: Crossfire at Barge
Stats: 3 layers, A1/B3/C3 (all) KEY END
Sketches: Unstuck matching layout sketch.
Comments: Quatre and Duo are hurrying (in fact he's saying hayaku here) to prevent Barge's cannon from blowing up a colony. The first time a shot was fired, they were caught up fighting Zechs (in Epyon). They knew a direct hit would destroy the colony and so they would need to stop the cannon before the second shot. Noin stayed back with Zechs (well, of course!) while they rushed to Barge. The shot is about to go off here.
Episode #: 08: The Treize Assassination
Stats: 2 layers, stuck, A18 KEY END/B4
Sketches: none
Comments: Wufei fighting Treize, in an actual duel with swords rather than a mecha fight. This is when he makes his first lunge after he exits his Gundam and they introduce themselves. (SPOILER) Though Wufei lost the duel, he gained Treize's respect for being willing to leave the Gundam to have an honourable fight. (END SPOILER) The FX layer turned out a bit wonky in the scan, but it's close to right.
Episode #: 24: The Gundam Called Zero & 25: Quatre Vs Heero (flashback)
Stats: 2 layers, stuck, A7/C2
Sketches: 1 matching (A7, Duo), unstuck
Comments: Wufei and Duo are being held captive, in a room where the oxygen was cut off so they would slowly die. Duo freaks out a bit, and wonders why Wufei is calmly looking at the plans for the two remodelled Gundam when they don't have much longer to live. During this cel, Wufei tells him "If you want to live, keep quiet" (as in "stop allowing yourself to panic, you're using up all of the oxygen prematurely!"). When Duo still can't understand why he's bothering, he tells him "I'm just preparing to do my best when something does happen." This cel repeats in the next incredible episode (one of my favourites!), during Treize's grand speech to Dermail. Treize comments that the Gundam Pilots continue to fight even though they have lost those they were fighting to protect. To history they would be the losers, but they didn't give up nonetheless. During his speech various recently past moments are shown. This one appears when he finishes saying they continue to fight. The sample Wufei sound byte reused was his last sentence to Duo about doing his best.
Episode #: ?
Stats: 1 layer, A23
Sketches: 1 matching, unstuck
Comments: And a sad puppy Heero, albeit a teensy one. This was my first Heero cel. I think it was even my first GW cel. Sure, it's small... but I've decided to remain fond of its cuteness.

Gundam Wing Cels | Cels Index