Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
"Gundam Wing" was a greater success in North America, however, and is credited with single-handedly popularizing the "Gundam" franchise among Western audiences. Just over a week after its premiere on Cartoon Network on March 6, 2000, the series was the top rated program in all age groups. During the summer of 2000, it remained as the first or second top-rated show among kids and teens during its twelve airings per week on the Toonami block. "Gundam Wing" was ranked the 73rd best animated series by IGN, calling the series "so good that even those opposed to anime have to give the show its due credit".
Yoshiyuki Tomino
In 1996, Tomino wrote and directed "Garzey's Wing", and in 1998 wrote and directed "Brain Powerd". In 1999, he returned to Gundam with "Turn A Gundam" and in 2002, directed two compilations movies for it entitled "Turn A Gundam I: Earth Light" and "Turn A Gundam II: Moonlight Butterfly". Also in 2002, he directed "Overman King Gainer", and in 2005, Tomino directed 3 compilation movies summarizing the events of 1985's "Zeta Gundam". His last major original work in the 2000s was the 6-episode OVA "The Wings of Rean", which first premiered on the Internet across Bandai Channel, the broadcast beginning from December 12, 2005 with the final episode starting on August 18, 2006. Also in 2006, Tomino made a special cameo appearance in Shinji Higuchi's tokusatsu film "Japan Sinks".