T.A.O's: The Classics:

Review:

-"Gunbuster" is likely the most compelling anime spoof to ever grace the screen, though you might not think so upon first noticing it. It's characters are both as dramatic and silly as some of the most precious captures of emotion. It's storyline is as temperatly modest as a late night kids' serial; and it's narrative is one which mockingly echos everything that came before it. It's also a triumphant masterpiece from studio "Gainax" and "Hideaki Anno".

Told as if an intellectually profound painting, at the grace of beautifully simple brush strokes. The anime's images present the story better than words ever could. And of course there's the music,... Oh, indeed what music!...

Borrowing it's title from a classic shoujo comic entitled: "Ace o Nerae!", Gunbuster is an OAV which has transcended it's terrain of the seemingly inane 'spoof', into one of the most recognized dramas in anime. It's a modern-vintage space opera, through and through... The year is 2015 and the human race has unfortunately been reduced to utter dispair, what's worse is that the danger lies in the hands of an unseen enemy force; wreaking havoc upon mankind.

Such events appear all too close to home for our young hero "Noriko Takaya". In opposition of the recent threats, mankind, with the help of Japan's own technological force has wielded a monolith of great power, the enourmous starship "Luxion"; diployed via the authority of Noriko's own father "Capt. Yuzo Takaya".

Noriko is soon devastated having learned of the terrible impending doom of the Luxion, which occurs on the Milky Way in the dead of outer space on December 20th (Perhaps a significant date in some way). With this, comes the death of her father and the birth of mankind's new fated destiny.

Young Noriko is both confident and headstrong, housing a somewhat silly looking (and moderately skimpy) uniform and little or no military training encouraged by her late father. Nevertheless, Noriko throws herself head first into the heat of struggle as she joins the "Space Defense Force" as a robot battle pilot. She is hardly enthused about the occurences, though she feels it's her duty to claim revenge for her father's loss, as well as mankind's own furture.

Noriko enrolls at the "Space High School for Girls" to begin training on assembly line batte robots (Which sometimes inspire more giggles than they do menacing war tactics). The setting is an often quirky site turned over to school girls' fraternity and young rivalry. Noriko hardly excels at the school, leaving her efforts open for ridcule; that is, until she is graced with the presence of the beautiful "Kazumi Amano", a role-model for the girls referred to as "Big-sister".

The innocent and in many ways naive Noriko adores Kazumi and embraces her talent and position (in a way that almost humorously seems aphrodisiac in nature--'animé fan gushing'). Accounting for Noriko's fear and apprehensiveness for battle, Kazumi serves as a sort of mentor for her; though she begins to feel doubts about Noriko's own abilities and that of her own.

Next, Noriko is confronted by one of the remaining survivors of the Lexion tragedy, head of the new "Exelion" starship expedition to rid the the people of Earth from the deadly insect-like alien force. Captain 'Kochiro' ("coach") "Ota" takes Noriko under his wing in order to prepare her for the worst to come. Noriko's classmates, Ota & Kazumi continually inform her to keep trying and "do her best". Such encouragement serves as a kind of shielding against angst-ridden confrontations, from piers such as the steaming "Jung"; a young girl who envies Noriko's attention thus challenging her to a robot duel.

However, Noriko triumphs over the odds only to confront the true danger of her destiny, where many elusive enemies as well as bellwhether comrads lie in wait; in the tides of space and time, where warp travel is possible and conceptual physics are not something to laugh about. Accompanying her is the immense and helpful crew of the Exelion, Ota, Kazumi and the cool-as-ice-Captain "Tatsumi Tashiro", who leads the Exelion expedition to it's victory or defeat, which will eventually lie in the hands of Noriko and the entire Exelion crew. And so begins the epic mecha journey of Gunbuster, which begins with a smile, often continues with dark despair but ends where it first picked up.

Anno creates his worlds and tells his stories like an old pro, which is amazing considering he was a young director at the time bursting with creativity; which would eventually be put to great use later with 1995's "Evangelion". However, much of Eva's creativity and vision seems to first echo with this original sci-fi vision; which is in every bit apsolutely classic and movingly told through fantastic characters.

Thriving in the show are some of the most timeless and precious cinematic images ever to grace the anime realm. The world envisioned by the animators is as classic as they come in the space opera realm, consisting of larger-than-life futuristic environments and gorgeous vistas (as only Anno could envision them). You can almost sense the often errie and immense presence of space ships, as Noriko strolls through various endless corridors, and later fights it out in the bright nebulae of space. It is a moving sight to behold and not the least bit dated in any sense.

Though, what is perhaps most moving about Gunbuster is it's majestic and towering music; which is without a doubt among the greatest scores ever written for animation. In his wonderous finale sixth episode, Anno paints the remnants of Gunbuster's triumph on screen with lustrous and glorious black n' white images; continually creating the unique mood of the world and characters nearing it's end, as well as it's new beginning. In what is arguably the greatest ending in all of anime.

The character relationships in Gunbuster don't easily escape one's own memory, as both their dark emotion and fervent passion comes to life on screen through the animation; which is wonderful especially considering it's release. Along side such mastery via the year like as "Akira" and Takahata's "Grave of the Fireflies"; and Gainax's big-budget "The Wings of Honneamise", opening nearly one year before. It's a both clever and cunning example of the sort of commercial genius Gainax placed on it's various projects; Gunbuster being Anno's first and arguably best effort. A sci-fi passion which holds true to this day (Can you begin to recall the countless anime series which pay homage to Gunbuster's pioneering differentias?).

Above all, Gunbuster is a triumph of the human spirit told through victories, faith, love and of course friendship: The mutual and emotionally passionate friendship of Noriko and Kazumi, which seems to exist on a both plutonic and spiritual plane. The camaraderie and love of Kazumi and Ota, which transcends time and manifolds of space travel, but never ceases to be torn apart by even death's hand. And of course, there's the timeless friendship of Noriko and her best friend Kimiko & her daughter Takami; which ages like the rest of us but is soon discovered on it's road trip (or space trip) homeward. Such sights in animation film making inspire adulation as well as tears.

It's story is action-packed, quirky & clever; cunning and yet somehow accurate and very believable. It foremost remains the common standard by which all contemporary sci-fi epics are measured. But even despite it's inherant scope of technological merit, few can disagree that Gunbuster is one of the most daring intellectual human narractives of our time. Animated or not.

Serving as both escapism and true dignified art, Gunbuster towers above the rest. Above and beyond, where most or maybe all others could only hope to see cleary, as Noriko and Kazumi do in the end. Hopefully the people who watch Gunbuster see their way home.

It's of course, just as actress "Judy Garland" said in that classic film long ago, which modern classics like Gunbuster reassure us of, to much appreciated avail. There's certainly, most definitely, no place like home...

~This Has Been Yet Another One Of "T.A.O.'s" Weekly Reviews Of Classic Anime Titles.~