Nov 26, 2022
If you're looking for a polished masterpiece, you're probably not going to find it here. But I can still whole-heartedly recommed this 80s classic for its many charms alone.
There are certain aspects this show just nails. The main enemy for example, which a space-faring humanity must face in the distant future of 2015, has this unusual biological quality inherent to it; I really like how some characters frame this antagonist as the universe's immune reaction to our presence. The art direction as a whole needs to be praised, there is a definite and coherent vision here. Travel at close to the speed of light means
...
that there is a major story element of time dilation, leading to some of its most engaging and thought provoking drama. I also enjoy how the show acknowledges the psychological trauma caused by the genre staple of letting teenagers pilot machines of war: I wonder if this director has any plans to do anything else with this theme...
Now to the not so good. It being an OVA there is some pretty gratuitous fan service, so be aware if that is not your thing. Some of the side characters did not get the development they would need to leave any lasting impact on the story. The sparse romance elements also seem pretty forced. Finally don't expect the main plot to go much deeper than your generic Sci-Fi nihilistic great big evil which must be destroyed.
I'd say Gunbuster would even be worth its price of admission, for simply being a clear predecessor of one of the most influential anime of all time, which would go on to reiterate and expand on many of the core themes already present here. But I think this OVA stand on it's own as a very entertaining way to spend 3 hours.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
