Now that may sound like an intriguing premise, but let me continue. I'm a pretty easy going guy and I can tolerate more nonsense than most people. For instance, I've actually watched (and in some cases enjoyed) Ikkitousen, Elfen Lied, Mezzo Forte and even some hentai, so I know tasteless when I see it. Gantz is many things, but someone would have a hard time trying to defend it as tasteful. Everyone, including old folks, kids, and women, get treated like utter crap. They are either getting humiliated and/or abused (physically or sexually). What I'm trying to say is: Gantz is pretty F'd up.
The funny thing is I don't even really dislike Gantz, but I'd be lying if I said Gantz had any kind of depth. They do a lot of talking, but they don't really ever say much. The plot could be described in a paragraph but is stretched out over 13 episodes where you only get two encounters with Gantz/aliens and lots of discussions about whether to shoot or not.
Let's start with the easy part, the pros:
1) So where does Gantz go right?
Well... I suppose the idea behind the show is interesting? Guys with special suits and secret missions caught up in some bizarre intergalactic excursion. The opening theme isn't bad, at least at first, it starts to get old pretty fast though. The sectioned layer teleportation was kind of cool. There's quite a bit of funny "engrish" like "You can be RIDER powful" and "hear are your skores" that amused me. I also enjoyed the Dragonball Z, Fist of the Northstar and possibly Akira references. If you like violence with a lot of nudity mixed in, Gantz has you covered. I guess there is a certain level of... honesty(?) in Gantz's sadistic depiction of humanity. Kato is the only real trace of decency and dignity in the whole show. Gantz is probably the funniest/best part of the show, you bastards.
At best Gantz is a cutting criticism of the dark side of human beings and a hard look at the many flaws that can make people detestable. As such, people are mostly portrayed as weak, cruel, manipulative, inconsiderate and degenerate. Now to some extent I suppose one could consider this seemingly realistic, but more likely, Gantz is the cynical machinations of a misanthrope with deep seated resentment towards the world and some deviant wish fulfillment. Now I'm not passing judgement here, if that's what you are into, then... ok... but let's call it what it is.
2) So what does Gantz do wrong?
First, the main character (Kei) is, to be blunt, an insufferable, lecherous prick who doesn't know that he's an unlikeable, pathetic prick. Almost every other character is as well, or they are gullible and naive. As if that's not bad enough, the show seems to actually attempt to glorify or sympathize with Kei's adventures in douchebaggery. Now, I'm not allergic to douchey characters, I've liked both Light from Death Note and Lelouche from Code Geass. I liked Light's perseverance and determination, and Lelouche's cunning and bravado, but Kei... he's cowardly, perpetually perverted, selfish, and kind of stupid. I'm not just "hating" or saying this out of some kind of predetermined bias, in all honesty, he really just doesn't have a single redeeming quality to speak of. I didn't think this character could get any worse, but, the dub somehow manages to make him sound like even more of a shameless creep.
Then there's the animation. I'm not like some people who gripe and complain about the use of CGI in anime, and I don't even mind it here either, but some of the actual animation is so lazy and terrible...
There are scenes with random pixelation and (intentional?) ghosting and plenty of still/pan scenes where it looks like they were cutting corners in order to afford preserving the CGI to animation ratio that makes up half the show.
Lastly there's the female main character. Her method of death was apparently suicide (bathtub cutting). So we are introduced to one of Gantz dubious and faulty premises. Let's be serious for a second. Does this girl even seem like the suicide type? The reasons they give for her "motive" aren't very convincing. She's not ugly, she's well endowed (i.e. HUGE breasts) and she shows none of the trademark signs of mental scarring. It's not like she would have trouble finding someone willing to employ her or a boyfriend. I think we can all admit someone like that is not in living hell just because of some bad grades. So we are forced to conclude that the whole bathtub scenario is merely a contrived device just to have an excuse to throw in a big boobed girl completely naked.
Here is where Gantz shows its true colors. As if it's not bad enough that 99% of the show seems to be populated by complete jackasses, within seconds of Kishimoto's introduction we are treated to a scene where the girl is very nearly raped, by MULTIPLE people AND a dog. The rest of the show either flashbacks to this or comes up with new ways to have her naked and/or molested.
Classy, and this is just season one. This is pretty much all you need to know to make a decision on if Gantz is the kind of show you'd be interested in watching. Did I mention this show is also kind of gay? Like, literally.
All that aside, the character motivations and plot development are erratic. Characters ask stupid questions and have to repeat the same answers continuously over multiple episodes. They also do very stupid things. Such as, doing nothing and just gawking like dumbfounded idiots. The best was the genius plan of inviting yourself into someone's home, offering yourself as a pet, getting in their bed, and then expecting it to NOT lead to sex... yeah, that makes a lot of sense... wait, no, IT DOESN'T.
It's kind of hard to like Gantz because it's a very dark and absurd show. There really aren't any likable characters other than Kato and maybe Kishimoto. The worst is how deliberate everything is. Characters take FOREVER to make a decision about ANYTHING. It's really kind of deceptive that way. They look like a bad-ass action squad, but in actuality they're a way-too-chatty and indecisive INACTION squad. For example, in this one episode they spend the whole time arguing over whether or not to put on their super powered suits. Sheesh. The only things one can really take away from watching Gantz is maybe appreciating it for its harsh depictions of reality or basking in its scattered brutality and rampant depravity.
