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GUNBUSTER 2 (VOL. 2) [ADVANCE REVIEW] |
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Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | BANDAI VISUAL USA | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 16:9 WIDESCREEN ANAMORPHIC | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | JAPANESE DD 5.1 & 2.0 | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 54 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | 13UP | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 06/12/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 04/24/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
This second volume of Gunbuster 2 builds beautifully on the first to give anime fans two more astonishing episodes of hard core science fiction mixed with whimsy and a deeper underlying theme about belief, promises, and the purity of the heart.
It still has some of the off-the-wall elements seen in the first volume, but episodes 3 and 4 diverge in establishing a more tense and serious story as it builds to a climatic revelation about Nono and the space monsters. It also marks a much stronger tie in with the original Gunbuster as this sequel begins to tackle the horrors of war and its cost head on.
Episode 3 gives viewers a chance to meet the other members of the Fraternity, especially pilot Tycho. She is in harsh competition with Lal’C and feels nothing but resentment over Nono’s presence in Lal’C’s life. When the team goes to Jupiter to help protect it from a possible space monster attack, we also get to see into the past of Tycho. It is one filled with bittersweet moments and warm tears wishing for a snow filled night sky. The monster appears, a battle rages and Tycho may just be able to save the day, but will she also be able to save herself?
Episode 4 sees the Fraternity over at Pluto on a new mission, but it will also mark the first solo mission for Nono. She has become useful to the Fraternity and, although still not a space pilot (after all, she isn’t a Topless), she is nevertheless sent to a remote area in space to reclaim and old Buster Machine. She couldn’t be happier and thinks this might be the opportunity for her to finally have a Buster Machine of her own and at last become a space pilot like Lal’C. Alas, what they find isn’t what anyone expected, and when a horde of space monsters attack the Topless over at Pluto, they are overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemy forces and two revelations. One is the horrifying clue as to what the space monsters truly are. The second is the discovery of exactly what Nono is!
These more dramatic turn of events take the anime into a suspenseful atmosphere similar to the original Gunbuster. Attacked, her comrades’ being killed around her, Lal’C is faced for the first time with the truly terrifying cost of war and the face of possible imminent death. It shakes her to her very core. The shocking truth behind what Nono truly is becomes a fascinating and pivotal moment in the series, one that will affect not only Nono, but also Lal’C profoundly.
With Lal’C and Nono we start to see emerge another vein of similarity with this anime’s predecessor. This friendship between two very opposite personalities during a time of danger is very much in tune with that of the original characters in Gunbuster. We see in these two latest episodes just how much affection Lal’C has come to have for Nono and the impact Nono’s friendship has had on the Topless. This also isn’t the only heart tugging moment within the anime. The earlier episode on Jupiter with the children in the hospital and the tender and tearful revelations about Tycho make for some very moving scenes. At the heart of it all is the importance of believing in yourself and your goal, never faltering but always striving in the face of unparalleled odds. But as the dramatic tension builds and suspense mounts with the enemy showing its true face and the danger never becoming greater than now, what will these heroines have to face and will they have to pay the ultimate price?
EXTRAS:
Bonus features include the latest DIEBUSTER TV Japanese feature focusing on an in depth interview with Yoji Enokido (Screenplay).
The second booklet is also 20 pages, including the covers, and holds anime images from the series, character summaries with background notes, full color art work and character sketches, similar background notes and images for some of the Buster Machines and spaceships seen in the anime, an encyclopedia of Gunbuster 2, and a development history of the Buster Machine. There are also extensive staff credits, two comedic Gunbuster 2 Science Lessons given by the anime characters, and brief interviews with the voice actress for Tycho (Miyuki Sawashiro) and the voice actor for Nicola (Mitsuo Iwata).
IN SUMMARY:
Gunbuster 2 is astonishing sci-fi craft at its finest. It has subtlety, whimsy and some straight on battles all at once, all done well and done with superb animation and style.
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