Spotlight Anime: Gungrave MAL Anime Information Page: Gungrave MAL Score – 8.14 (by 12407 users) Ranked - #268 Popularity - #196 For the next week I would like to have a discussion about the anime that focuses on the key elements that we here on MAL use to critically rate an anime: Animation, Sound, Characters, Story, and Enjoyment. I would like everyone to approach this thread as if you were going to write a review and structure your initial post like this: Animation - insert rating Sound - insert rating Characters - insert rating Story - insert rating Enjoyment - insert rating Animation - discuss any pros and cons of the animation styling used in the series, try to include some specifics. Sound - describe any of the things you liked or didn't care for in regards to the music and sound effects used in the series etc... If you are having trouble writing up a review or coming up with specific pros and cons, please don't worry. Just do the best you can with it and if you can only write two or three sentences about any of the 5 elements then that's OK. Not everyone here is currently at a level which will allow them to articulate their thoughts and opinions. After your initial post is made you can feel free to civilly discuss issues of contention. I am sure there will be many opinions expressed here that some of us will disagree upon and criticise and it is for that reason that this entire club exists. So I hope everyone has fun and I am really looking forward to watching this discussion unfold. RESULTS OF THE YOU DECIDE POLL Gungrave was NOT inducted into the club Anime list: 17 Yes - 65.3% 9 No - 44.6% 66 Don't know this anime - 70.9% of the total number polled 1 Abstained - 1.0% of the total number polled |
santetjanJun 21, 2010 2:51 PM
| You do not beg the sun for mercy. |
| When you see something that involves lost girls, the mafia and zombies, something really terrible is bound to happen. Except when it's Gungrave. Picking a... Strange, not to say below average, not to say stupid, idea and turning it into this masterpiece of character development and intensity was an achievement. This is a piece made of characters and their relationships, which end up being really strong, memorable and emotional. I'm voting yes because this anime moved my heart (it kind of squished it?). I don't remember much more, but I think the art was acceptable to good, same with sound. The story is purely dependant on characters, but they make it up. |
 Waratte Oemashou Sore ha Chiisana Inori |
| i love Gungrave, so similar to Berserk in a lot of ways...good ways... i'll expand on this post when i get my thoughts together...and get some sleep... |
 |
| The bastard offspring of Martin Scorsese and George Romero that was raised on a diet of John Woo films...or something like that. Gungrave has the dubious distinction of being one of the best adaptations of a video game I've yet seen, which isn't saying very much. The primary flaw Gungrave has to contend with is the nature of its source material and how sharply it contrasts with the direction that the creators of the television adaptation decided to take with their version. Gungrave the game was released in 2002 for the PS2 as a heavily stylized third person shooter whose single greatest defining characteristic was its over-the-top anime aesthetic. The games premise, and consequently a portion of the anime's premise, could be summarized as follows: the story of an undead gothic cowboy on a quest for vengeance against his former friends who are now, predominantly, zombie gangsters. The premise is ridiculous, the costuming is ridiculous, the creatures created by the standard "mad science" plot device are ridiculous...the list goes on and on. The problem with the Gungrave television series is not so much an issue with the basic premise of adapting this particular game but rather with the fact that they decided to attempt to turn it into a serious crime saga about two best friends working together in organized crime. The contrast between the flimsy nature of the game’s content and the realism and serious tone of the anime only serves to demonstrate how weak the basics of the premise actually are. For example, where did Brandon’s gothic cowboy outfit (complete with kneepads for some reason) and all of his similarly themed weaponry come from? Did he instruct Dr. Tokioka to produce it all for him? Did Tokioka do it all on his own initiative? I guess he had to have something to do with himself during the time skip between Brandon’s death and resurrection, but using him as a life-sized dress up doll just seems really creepy. Then there’s the whole concept of “necrolization,” a plot device that does essentially whatever the writer and character designer want it to do. Maybe I’m asking for too much but it would have helped a lot if there were some basic facts about what exactly the process does to a person. Based on what happens in the anime it can pretty much do anything from turn you into a near invincible but mindless automaton who can sometimes become the Incredible Hulk, allow you to morph your fingers into laser cannons, or transform at will into a giant flying blimp man while in the process somehow spontaneously generating propellers and missile launchers to use in battle. These are the kinds of things I’d expect to find and even accept in something with only the barest of groundings in reality. Here it just comes across as unintentionally comedic. At times I think that the people involved realized this themselves when they began working on the project but rather than make major changes in adapting the source material in order to make it more cohesive they instead devote a large portion of the show’s length to an extended flashback detailing the story of Brandon and Harry as they progress from being leaders of an ill-fated street gang to major figures in the Millennion crime syndicate, essentially working to stay as far away from the source material for as long as possible. Special mention should be made of the evolving character designs that gradually change as the characters grow older. Harry’s is especially effective as he develops from his initial wide-eyed and youthful appearance to the more focused, ambitious, and menacing character that he eventually becomes. In addition the final two episodes, it’s during this portion of the show that Gungrave is at its best. The dreaded concept of necrolization only plays a major role in one story arc during the flashback and beyond that largely stays in the background. The focus is on the characters and their genuinely compelling journey through life up until Harry’s inevitable betrayal of Brandon. I honestly think it would have been better it they’d simply scrapped the plan to adapt the game and just make their own story. Instead what we have is a show that’s worthwhile for only a portion of its length making it undeserving of induction into the club’s list. |
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