Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster (Gunbuster)

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Top wo Nerae!, Aim for the Top!

Japanese: トップをねらえ！ GunBuster

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Information

Type: OVA

Episodes: 6

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 7, 1988 to Jul 7, 1989

Producers: Studio Fantasia, Tohokushinsha Film Corporation

Licensors: Discotek Media, Manga Entertainment, Bandai Visual USA

Studios: Gainax

Source: Original

Genres: Action, Award Winning, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

Themes: Mecha, Military, Space

Duration: 30 min. per ep.

Rating: R+ - Mild Nudity

Statistics

Score: 7.87¹ (scored by 50,580 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #773²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #1694

Members: 120,398

Favorites: 2,648

Available At

Official Site

Resources

AniDB

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Synopsis

In the near future, humanity has taken its first steps towards journeying into the far reaches of the galaxy. Upon doing so they discover a huge race of insectoid aliens known as "Space Monsters." These aliens seem dedicated to the eradication of mankind as they near closer and closer to discovering Earth. In response, humanity develops giant fighting robots piloted by hand-picked youth from around the world.

Shortly after the discovery of the aliens, Noriko Takaya, the daughter of a famous deceased space captain, enters a training school despite her questionable talents as a pilot. There, she meets her polar opposite, the beautiful and talented Kazumi Amano, and is unexpectedly made to work together with her as they attempt to overcome the trauma of war as well as their own emotions.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Winner of the 1990 Seiun Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Comic Gunbuster, Top wo Nerae! Next Generation: Hakkutsu Senkan-hen, Top wo Nerae!
Sequel:	Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster
Alternative version:	Top wo Nerae! & Top wo Nerae 2! Gattai Movie!!
Summary:	Top wo Nerae! Kagaku Kouza, Kaette Kita Top wo Nerae! Kagaku Kouza
Side story:	Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster Specials

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Takaya, Noriko

Main

Hidaka, Noriko
Japanese

Oota, Kouichirou

Main

Wakamoto, Norio
Japanese

Amano, Kazumi

Main

Sakuma, Rei
Japanese

Freud, Jung

Supporting

Kawamura, Maria
Japanese

Higuchi, Kimiko

Supporting

Fuchizaki, Yuriko
Japanese

Toren, Smith

Supporting

Yao, Kazuki
Japanese

Tatsumi, Tashiro

Supporting

Ooki, Tamio
Japanese

Announcer Woman

Supporting

Kishiro, Sakurako
Japanese

Engineer

Supporting

Oka, Kazuo
Japanese

Officer

Supporting

Nishimura, Tomomichi
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Watanabe, Shigeru

Producer

Sasaki, Shirou

Producer

Anno, Hideaki

Director, Storyboard, Key Animation, Screenplay

Masuo, Shouichi

Episode Director, Key Animation

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Opening Theme

"Active Heart" by Noriko Sakai (eps 1-3)

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Ending Theme

	1: "Try Again" by Noriko Sakai (eps 1-3)
	2: "Active Heart" by Noriko Sakai (eps 4)
	3: "Toki no Kawa wo Koete..." by Kohei Tanaka (eps 6)

More reviews

Reviews

Jan 4, 2009

Archaeon

Recommended

There is an ongoing controversy about Neon Genesis Evangelion and it's status as an iconic anime. As much as I dislike the main characters, I have to agree that NGE is a classic anime for many reasons. However, many diehard fans of the show become blinded to NGE's superior onee-chan, the show which marked the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno in anime - Top wo Nerae!

In the simplest terms, if Top wo Nerae! didn't exist, the NGE would never have been made. Many of the themes from TwN are key themes of NGE, and although NGE took a more metaphysical route with it's story, Top ...

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Jul 1, 2010

Lindle

Not Recommended

[Spoiler Warning]

Gunbuster, or Top Wo Nerae! (Aim For The Top, in English), is considered to be the first thing the in/famous studio Gainax put out that is still known of today, and is often credited for putting them on the map. There are many people who consider Gunbuster to be an unprecedented classic, and a shining example of how mecha anime should be done, even 22 years later. And as was the case with another immensely overrated, 6-episode OVA made by Gainax that I shall not name, I'm sure I will hear no end of flak for this review, but let's make this clear right ...

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May 29, 2013

Ghadis_God

Recommended

Gunbuster starts with a fairly simple formula. Monstrous alien life forms are threatening the Earth, a young and inexperienced pilot must rise to the occasion and use a super-powered mecha to lead humanity's counterattack against the enemy and save the planet. The execution of this premise, however, is among the best in the genre, and the seamless way this merely 6-episode OVA covers the main character Noriko's growth from student to hero while escalating both the stakes and scale of her battles is nothing short of masterful storytelling. From schoolyard bullying, to losing loved ones in battle, to shouldering the responsibility of the entire human ... race, we follow Noriko's development as a character, and the strengthening of her resolve to fight is likely better handled than in any other anime of this sort, relying on both subtlety and moments of sheer emotional power.

One impressive thing about Gunbuster is its general commitment to maintaining a setting based on hard science in many aspects that don't concern the Gunbuster itself. Ships travelling at sub-light speed undergo time dilation as per Einsteinian physics, meaning that time on a relatively stationary body like the Earth passes faster- many of the more emotional moments in the show are based on this difference in the passage of time between those fighting in space and those left behind on Earth. Furthermore, a good portion of the show centers not around the mechas but the space fleet, grounding the setting in procedure and a more realistic, wartime feel. This, in turn, makes the comparatively unrealistic mecha battles all the more triumphant for being special, unique among a setting dedicated to the relatively mundane. In fact, these moments have real power- not simply because it's cool to see a giant robot fight gigantic alien insects, but because every important fight is built up to, set up with real tension and high stakes while carrying the entire emotional weight of the characterization and conflicts. In other words, it's literally and physically exciting: something that can be said of very few things in the entire medium. Not only that, but the climax of the show along with its ending are incredibly powerful emotionally- the final episode is nothing short of moving on an inspirational, triumphant level.

Personally, Gunbuster is one of my all-time favorite series, and there are few things in anime that I ever enjoyed more. It's far from perfect though, most notable among its flaws being that there are moments when the budget of the show cannot catch up to its vision. Furthermore, the pacing in the first half is slower than the second, which allows for good and thoughtful characterization but alienates the first three episodes from the last three in terms of general quality- episodes 1, 2, and 3 only exist to build up episodes 4, 5, and 6. Being made in 1988, its style may put off some younger or newer viewers, and if you're not already somewhat familiar with the genre you may find it hard to suspend your disbelief in the initial episodes. In fact, it can only be fully appreciated by one already somewhat familiar with the super robot subgenre, Nevertheless, I implore anyone who considers themselves an anime fan to watch this short series. It might lack the artistic or literary value of a select circle of masterpieces, but it is a superb piece of work that does nearly everything better than almost anything out there.

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Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Top wo Nerae! Episode 6 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) MK - Aug 10, 2008	185 replies	by RuneRem »» May 26, 2:55 PM
Did Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” take inspiration from this show? Reshiram_IX - Mar 30	3 replies	by StewedBeefHaunch »» Apr 17, 1:00 PM
Poll: Top wo Nerae! Episode 5 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Ston3_FreeN7 - Aug 19, 2009	74 replies	by playgamewithme14 »» Feb 5, 9:57 AM
Poll: Top wo Nerae! Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 ) naikou - Sep 29, 2008	65 replies	by playgamewithme14 »» Jan 31, 3:22 AM
Poll: Top wo Nerae! Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 ) naikou - Sep 28, 2008	73 replies	by playgamewithme14 »» Jan 30, 4:12 PM

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Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster

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Takaya, Noriko

Oota, Kouichirou

Amano, Kazumi

Freud, Jung

Higuchi, Kimiko

Toren, Smith

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Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster

Alternative Titles

Information

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Synopsis

Background

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Related Anime

Characters & Voice Actors

Staff

Opening Theme

Ending Theme

Reviews

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