[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Gunbuster 2 episode 6: Finale and Final Thoughts
And so the long-awaited conclusion to the series is finally here…and there doesn’t seem to be much blogsphere fanfare surrounding it. A shame really - although it is not without its flaws, the ending is really quite something.
Gainax productions inevitably carry the dread of the Gainax Ending but back in the day of the old Top o Nirae! OVA the Gunbuster Ending was a totally different animal: epic, emotional and, er, monochrome. For the sequel, it is also epic, emotional but fortunately in colour! Since I’m so tempted to compare the two I’ll get most of my observations of parallels out of the way first. There are numerous references to the first series in this episode, as well as one or two moments that look decidedly End of Eva-esque. At its heart though it is a Gunbuster ending and this episode more than any of them has much to offer to viewers who have seen the original beforehand.
Final Thoughts
So, it’s a spectacular ending in every sense. As a whole though, Top O Nirae 2didn’t quite fulfill its potential. It was outstanding in some areas, such as the animation, music and Sadamoto’s distinctive character designs; in others, such as the characterisation, it was decidedly average.
I know I’m making more comparisons with the first series again but this is a direct sequel and as such relies on many features of its predecessor. In many ways this is a good thing: the story, themes and soundtrack have been borrowed from one of the greatest sci-fi anime series ever set to cel and it allows for some affectionate homage. After all, Gunbuster was intended to be a parody but wound up being a classic of unprecedented depth along the way, as if by an ‘accident’ at the hands of Hideaki Anno.
It is the presence of such a creative force that Gunbuster 2 lacked. During production the writers had differing opinions on the course the series should take and sadly it shows: in the midway point the series loses focus and doesn’t seem sure about what it wants to be. It takes a more serious turn in its second half but would have fared much better had there been a strong character in the director’s chair to keep it on course from the beginning. The transformation of the heroine from clumsy Jane Average to potential saviour of humanity was already done but in the case of Nono it was little more than a retread: as likeable as she was, the dynamic between her and Lark didn’t add anything new to the formula and as a result the series didn’t have the strong heart of the first series. Any depth added to their relationship was too little and arrived too late to deliver its full effect.
While the characterisation was run-of-the-mill, the production values certainly weren’t. From the snow-laden winter wonderland of Mars to the absurdly brilliant final confrontation in which the whole Earth (that’s the entire goddamn PLANET) is used as a weapon, Gunbuster 2 was outstanding. The backgrounds glowed, the stars shone, and the stylised mecha designs were a breath of fresh air; intentional recycling of the first series’ soundtrack was a wise move but in the quieter moments it was possible to hear even the rustle of clothing when the characters moved. In the case of OAVs at least, Gainax seemed to have put the days of cost-cutting behind them - I can only say Gunbuster 2 looks and sounds fantastic.
Conclusions
Now that the first series is being re-released under its new licence, it’s probably a given that Top O Nirae! 2 will also see a Western DVD release. I can see myself buying both on DVD, but probably more in the interests of completeness than anything. Was I at any point surprised that the sequel didn’t maintain the standards of what went before? No. Gainax never do the same thing twice so it was always intended to be, for all the intentional similarities, a different product. Sadly it also meant that it would always be judged against its predecessor by fans. It began well, lost its way for a while but got back on course for an amazing conclusion, which is no mean feat. Maybe I’m just longing for the next FLCL or, more likely, another Hideaki Anno masterpiece; Top O Nirae 2 is neither but disappointment is inevitable with expectations as high as those.
Posted on October 6th, 2006 @ 10:44 pm
I was surprised at the reactions of some fans who thought it didn’t live up to the original. I thought this was a great anime on many levels. I do have to differ with you one point though, I thought the end was rushed, and although I enjoyed it, I thought episodes 1-5 were much better.