OVA
Description
Chang Wu-Fei is a warrior from the L5 colony cluster and the pilot of the XXXG-01S2 Altron Gundam, a mobile suit he personally names Nataku in honor of his deceased wife. At the age of sixteen during the events of Endless Waltz, he is a year older than he was during the original series, though he remains slender and of modest stature with long black hair tied behind his head and sharp, narrow eyes. Wu-Fei hails from the Long Clan, a family of martial artists exiled from China to a dilapidated colony, and he carries the weight of this proud, traditional lineage in everything he does. As a young man, he was more inclined toward scholarly pursuits, but the death of his wife, Meiran, during a military attack on his colony forced him to abandon his studies and embrace the warrior's path he now follows.
Wu-Fei operates according to a strict, self-defined code of honor that governs both his combat and his interactions with the world. He despises what he perceives as weakness and has a particular aversion to fighting those he deems unprepared or undeserving, including pacifists, women, and children. This principle is demonstrated in his duel with Treize Khushrenada, where he leaves the safety of his Gundam to face his opponent on equal terms, and later when he spares the life of Lieutenant Lucrezia Noin, condemning her hesitation in battle while refusing to kill her. He is a solitary figure who prefers to operate alone, frequently believing himself to have a clearer understanding of the situation than his fellow Gundam pilots. His pride is immense but brittle; when he suffers a significant loss or his beliefs are challenged, he can become consumed by self-doubt and a deep sense of personal failure.
The motivating force behind Wu-Fei’s actions is a profound and unwavering pursuit of justice, a concept he inherited from his late wife. After her death, he took up her cause and her name, dedicating himself to destroying what he sees as evil and fighting for a righteous world. This quest is complicated by an equally powerful need to validate the sacrifices made by those who have died in war, including Meiran and Treize, a man he came to respect as a worthy adversary. In the aftermath of the original conflict, Wu-Fei cannot accept the era of Complete Pacifism, viewing it as an insult to the memory of fallen soldiers and a fragile peace built on a foundation he does not trust. His refusal to send his Gundam into the sun and his subsequent decision to join the Mariemaia Army stem directly from this disillusionment; he seeks to prove that the world still requires warriors and that the peace so many died for can withstand a real test.
Within the narrative of Endless Waltz, Wu-Fei serves as a foil to the other protagonists, particularly Heero Yuy. By siding with the insurrection led by Mariemaia Khushrenada and Dekim Barton, he becomes a temporary antagonist. His role is to embody the argument that a peace built on the decommissioning of all weapons is naive, forcing his former allies to confront the lingering resentment and sense of purposelessness felt by those who were used as tools of war. His key relationships are defined by conflict and ideological opposition. His repeated clashes with Heero are not merely physical battles but the collision of two different responses to the trauma of war, with Heero advocating for a future without weapons and Wu-Fei insisting on the eternal necessity of the warrior spirit. His bond with Sally Po, an resistance leader who once helped restore his confidence, becomes crucial after the conflict, as she is the one who finally convinces him to channel his skills into the secret peacekeeping organization, the Preventers.
Wu-Fei undergoes significant development in his brief appearance. He begins the story lost, having had his worldview shattered by Treize's deliberate death in their final duel. His alliance with the Mariemaia Army is a desperate attempt to recover his purpose by testing his ideals in the crucible of real combat. The turning point comes during his final battle with Heero, who forces him to realize that his endless fighting only perpetuates the cycle of tragedy and loss he claims to honor. This revelation allows him to break free from his rigid code. In a pivotal act, he turns his Gundam against his own allies to defend unarmed citizens rising up for their freedom, finally understanding that justice and peace are decided by people, not just soldiers. After the rebellion is quelled, he pilots his Altron Gundam to a quiet place on Earth and self-destructs it, bidding farewell to Nataku and accepting that his path as a warrior, in the way he once defined it, has come to an end. He subsequently accepts Sally’s invitation to join the Preventers, agreeing to work for peace through vigilance rather than through endless war.
In terms of ability, Wu-Fei is an exceptional close-quarters combatant, skilled in both hand-to-hand fighting and swordsmanship. His piloting of the Altron Gundam, with its powerful dragon fangs and beam trident, is unmatched in melee range, to the point that OZ strategists once advised their forces to avoid engaging him in single combat. Despite his often hot-blooded demeanor in battle, he possesses a sharp, analytical intelligence as a legacy of his scholarly upbringing, which allows him to see through complex situations and tactics that confuse others. He also exhibits a unique, instinctive ability to sense malevolence in others, enabling him to identify enemies without hesitation.
Wu-Fei operates according to a strict, self-defined code of honor that governs both his combat and his interactions with the world. He despises what he perceives as weakness and has a particular aversion to fighting those he deems unprepared or undeserving, including pacifists, women, and children. This principle is demonstrated in his duel with Treize Khushrenada, where he leaves the safety of his Gundam to face his opponent on equal terms, and later when he spares the life of Lieutenant Lucrezia Noin, condemning her hesitation in battle while refusing to kill her. He is a solitary figure who prefers to operate alone, frequently believing himself to have a clearer understanding of the situation than his fellow Gundam pilots. His pride is immense but brittle; when he suffers a significant loss or his beliefs are challenged, he can become consumed by self-doubt and a deep sense of personal failure.
The motivating force behind Wu-Fei’s actions is a profound and unwavering pursuit of justice, a concept he inherited from his late wife. After her death, he took up her cause and her name, dedicating himself to destroying what he sees as evil and fighting for a righteous world. This quest is complicated by an equally powerful need to validate the sacrifices made by those who have died in war, including Meiran and Treize, a man he came to respect as a worthy adversary. In the aftermath of the original conflict, Wu-Fei cannot accept the era of Complete Pacifism, viewing it as an insult to the memory of fallen soldiers and a fragile peace built on a foundation he does not trust. His refusal to send his Gundam into the sun and his subsequent decision to join the Mariemaia Army stem directly from this disillusionment; he seeks to prove that the world still requires warriors and that the peace so many died for can withstand a real test.
Within the narrative of Endless Waltz, Wu-Fei serves as a foil to the other protagonists, particularly Heero Yuy. By siding with the insurrection led by Mariemaia Khushrenada and Dekim Barton, he becomes a temporary antagonist. His role is to embody the argument that a peace built on the decommissioning of all weapons is naive, forcing his former allies to confront the lingering resentment and sense of purposelessness felt by those who were used as tools of war. His key relationships are defined by conflict and ideological opposition. His repeated clashes with Heero are not merely physical battles but the collision of two different responses to the trauma of war, with Heero advocating for a future without weapons and Wu-Fei insisting on the eternal necessity of the warrior spirit. His bond with Sally Po, an resistance leader who once helped restore his confidence, becomes crucial after the conflict, as she is the one who finally convinces him to channel his skills into the secret peacekeeping organization, the Preventers.
Wu-Fei undergoes significant development in his brief appearance. He begins the story lost, having had his worldview shattered by Treize's deliberate death in their final duel. His alliance with the Mariemaia Army is a desperate attempt to recover his purpose by testing his ideals in the crucible of real combat. The turning point comes during his final battle with Heero, who forces him to realize that his endless fighting only perpetuates the cycle of tragedy and loss he claims to honor. This revelation allows him to break free from his rigid code. In a pivotal act, he turns his Gundam against his own allies to defend unarmed citizens rising up for their freedom, finally understanding that justice and peace are decided by people, not just soldiers. After the rebellion is quelled, he pilots his Altron Gundam to a quiet place on Earth and self-destructs it, bidding farewell to Nataku and accepting that his path as a warrior, in the way he once defined it, has come to an end. He subsequently accepts Sally’s invitation to join the Preventers, agreeing to work for peace through vigilance rather than through endless war.
In terms of ability, Wu-Fei is an exceptional close-quarters combatant, skilled in both hand-to-hand fighting and swordsmanship. His piloting of the Altron Gundam, with its powerful dragon fangs and beam trident, is unmatched in melee range, to the point that OZ strategists once advised their forces to avoid engaging him in single combat. Despite his often hot-blooded demeanor in battle, he possesses a sharp, analytical intelligence as a legacy of his scholarly upbringing, which allows him to see through complex situations and tactics that confuse others. He also exhibits a unique, instinctive ability to sense malevolence in others, enabling him to identify enemies without hesitation.