One interesting thing about the action: while there were some good fights, when I think of Endless Waltz, I don’t think of the fights first. Much of the cool action sequences were sequences of the mecha *looking* *awesome*. There are a lot of effective hero poses in Endless Waltz.

While some might dismiss that as pandering, this is an OVA. It’s not aimed at the public; it’s aimed at fans of the show. We love these characters, and want to see them (ultimately) succeed. So Sunrise gave us that. It’s smart for them to know their audience and provide for them, without sacrificing story or characters.

Oh, and for those reading: if you want the full details on the pilots’ backstories, the manga “Gundam Wing: Episode Zero” is the official one-volume story of that, written by one of the show’s original writers.