Gunbuster

I screened this before letting my son watch it. This probably shouldn't have a U rating, apart from the skimpy uniforms and breast physics there is a bath scene containing full frontal nudity in the 2nd episode. Not saying I didn't enjoy it lol, but it might be a bit much for an 11 year old.

For a six episode miniseries Gunbuster (1988) is somehow able to cover all of the narrative requirements of a full length anime series. As Hideaki Anno's directorial debut some of the concepts and ideas he is well known for are explored here, though not to the same degree and scale of his more well known show "Neon Genesis Evangelion". Most of the focus of the show is placed on the continuation of the overall plot with a fair amount of time focused on the development and inner thoughts of the main character Noriko. The story is mainly focused on the idea of how light-speed travel distorts time, and based on that the show is able to deliver some memorable and emotional moments typically not found in series' of this short length. Some complaints I have with this show is how the first episode is painfully 80's (if that makes sense) and tonally doesn't transition well into the rest of the series. Another thing I didn't like is how the first instance of nudity felt very undeserved and inserted in for the sake of appealing to an older audience. Gunbuster is still however a great anime that should be used as a reference for future miniseries'.

None of use ever have enough time because time never always moves at the pace we want it to go, there are times it goes fast, slow, medium but no matter what speed it goes it is always fleeting and so are our lives with it.

This is one of my favorite animes of all time. This mini series despite being a lot of fun is also is also one of the saddest I've ever seen.

The animation I think is great and holds up today, from the character designs but my favorite the Gunbuster mecha. It's just awesome looking and is also really powerful, it's always a lot of fun seeing the funcions of it utilized. The music is also great, I really love the theme song which is one of the best themes I've ever heard and is a personal favorite of mine.

However what truly powers it is in the story and characters. It's not just another mecha action story but it's also a time travel story and I think it's one of the best. I really love how this show played with the concept of time dilation which is similar to Joe Hademan's "The Forever War" which was also about a soldier as he continued to fight aliens on another planet time on earth moves faster.

The thing about the mecha is that it's a machine that can go up in space and move light speed fast which means that a lot of the alien threat will be decimated quicker and the odds will be more even. But there is a catch, from how quick the mecha runs time on earth moves quickly, where just a mere amount of minutes can equal a certain amount of years gone by.

The characters are great I like Noriko, she the typical rookie fiery cheerful determined heroine. At first with her at times you think she might not be spiritually strong enough or she in it for all the wrong reasons which at times we question if she is able to do what she should. But she is able to come though which is part of why she's enduring but she is also emotionally engaging which I'll get to latter.

However the character that is my favorite is Kazumi, whom is a little older than Noriko which makes her slightly mature but also the most emotionally engaging in my book. I really like how she is fiery and feisty but how she has strong feelings toward things.

Which is where the drama of the mini series comes in which I'll admit I found really moving but also at the same time really sad. We see how deeply the whole time dilation experience effects both of them when we see certain characters all age and become older than both Noriko and Kazumi. Due to the ages of some of them it makes their relationship with those people difficult and different due to the difference in age and their changes. Which is I'll admit can be an awful feeling know your friends have gotten older which means how long you've not been a part of their lives, it's a lonely feeling. This is the kind of feeling that most solders after a tour of duty have felt, when they went back to their home town nothing is the same because everything changes as they were away which is why they have trouble adjusting to our present day. Noriko despite her endless determination is deeply affected by this and can't help at times wonder if she really is using her time right or just wasting it.

Though to me the most affecting was with Kazumi whom we see loves the Coach but unfortunately he has a certain disease which has reduced his biological clock. We really sucks because due to her involvement in piloting the mecha with Noriko it means she'll lose the limited time with the one she loves which was the time she wanted to spend with the most. That's also really awful, unable to spend time with the one you love let alone friends in your life. You can say this dilemma she has is a lesson to show, we should spend as much time with our significant others and friends for as long as we can and while we have the chance because they won't be around forever and you never know when the next day with them could be the last.

There are themes of coming of age, but what sets this apart from most of those stories are it's on the awareness of time and age and that youth isn't forever. But also on how much solders truly sacrifice, it's not just innocence but time itself. It then comes down to an ending which I thought was really bittersweet which I'll admit put a tear in my eye.

Spend your time wisely, time is forever but we don't live forever.

Rating: 4 stars

Gunbuster a early successful of Gainax studio in the mecha genre that I find myself get suck in the world and the characters when it touch many interesting aspect of travel through time and space and most importantly how people cope with in a world of rapid change.At first I don't find Noriko the main character to be admirable or reliable cause she spent most of her time crying and whining about how people look down on her despite clearly know why.Gunbuster don't deserve to be just a 6 episode OVA so I hope Gainax or Trigger will remake someday

'Gunbuster'/'Aim for the Top' is rightfully considered a SciFi anime classic. While the epic space opera plot is somewhat reminiscent of Space Battleship Yamato, the show certainly has its unique flavour. Although the first one or two episodes are not all that serious as one may expect, the last few are a masterpiece of suspense and emotional impact. That said, the show is often sappy and even campy, somewhat one-dimensional, and certainly predictable.

Featuring two female leads is something I didn't expect from a Mech-centred anime of the late 80s. However, except for the final episode, one of those characters has an emotional breakdown at least once per episode that may very well be described as overly hysteric. Also, the women's uniforms consist of a cropped T-shirt on top of a high-leg swimsuit. Make of that what you will.

While the show features no graphic violence nor anything sexual, there is a surprising amount of bare breasts in Gunbuster. I couldn't help but laugh out loud when at the series' emotional high point one of the characters dramatically tore at her uniform and one of her boobs flopped out. C'mon, guys.

So, in total, there are more than just a few points where by modern standards you'll have to rub your neck in mild embarrassment. Other than that, Gunbuster is a surprisingly good show.

(This is based on the modern English dub, which is quite good.)