[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Gunbuster 2 episode 2: Nono wants to be a TOPLESS!
The second instalment presents us with an interesting revelation, more questions than it answers and some more Buster Machine Vs. Alien space Monster action. Nono is still desparate to become a member of TOPLESS and not even Raruku’s words of discouragement do anything to change her mind. Unfortunately, Raruku is in the middle of a meeting with some stern-looking military guys (one of whom is pictured below) in orbit when the next monster rears its ugly head so Nono takes it upon herself to hop aboard Raruku’s Buster Machine (second pic) and save the day.
My problem with the show at this point is that of character development. I’m not expecting every major cast member’s life story to be laid out after two episodes but not one of them has much depth - there are some hints about the identity and nature of TOPLESS but Nono in particular is still the lanky, clumsy, two-dimensional girl who wants to be an elite pilot with no reason for her ambitions given. We do learn that she is in fact a robot (a spoiler perhaps, but it’s revealed in the first couple of minutes) but that only makes things worse, for me at least. If she’s not human, are those expressions of determination and devotion ‘real’ and ‘human’ emotions, or is she a preprogrammed puppet? I’m sure all will become clear eventually but the plot will still have to work hard in that respect.
Apart from this oversight Top O Nerae! 2 is a delight. We learn that Nono actually came from Mars (she’s never even been to Earth before), that TOPLESS are for some reason not popular with the military and the nature of the aliens is explored a little more. It’s enough to maintain the viewer’s interest but even if it wasn’t there is still a spectacular mecha battle involving not only Raruku’s Buster Machine but another as well (see the pic below). Throughout the episode there is a constant feeling of deja-vu: the parodies and in-jokes come thick and fast (I recommend a game of ’spot the Eva references’).
In summary the second Top O Nerae! 2 episode is leading me to see it as more of a tribute to the original than a bona fide sequel. I’ve now given up on comparing the two with one another because they are so different in art and storytelling style; to call it an inferior production would be pretty unfair. On its own though Top O Nerae! 2 is an action-packed rollercoaster ride.
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