As great as the action in Gunbuster is, the very best part of it isn't even an action scene. It's the start of Episode 5, where Noriko and company return to Earth from their first tour of duty, and find that traveling beyond the speed of light has caused a severe time dilation effect; while only a few weeks or months have passed for them, 10 years have passed on Earth, and Noriko runs into Kimiko, her best friend from high school, who is now a grown woman in her late 20's with a 4-year-old daughter. The entire sequence is utterly fucking heartbreaking, and Anno perfectly drives it home with a simple but amazing piece of visual storytelling: Noriko and Kimiko head to a playground to catch up together, and sit down on the swings to talk. Noriko is swinging back and forth the entire scene, chatty and excited, while Kimiko just sits still and looks like she's on the verge of tears, then somberly begs Noriko to try and get her daughter a place on the Earth evacuation ship, since it very much looks like they might lose the war. Noriko is still only a kid, full of cheer and optimism, happy to play on the swings, while Kimiko has fully grown up into the weary, cynical, realist mindset of a parent staring down the barrel of total genocide, and has no use for play anymore. It's such a fucking fantastic scene. Anno seriously came out swinging.
@@alamrasyidi4097 It's also a major theme in the classic sci-fi novel "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, which I'm positive was a huge influence on Gunbuster.
I always thought that the reason they did it in black and white was because the whole episode is a tribute to "The Battle of Okinawa" that movie Anno loves, there is even a direct reference, the scene in which they show the casualties with text on the screen.
@@WeHeartGiantRobots By the way, did you read that blog about the "imperialistic subtext of Gunbuster"? it didn't convince me but I thought it was interesting. animekritik.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/imperialism-translation-gunbuster-introduction/
Not come across that one before. It's definitely a hot take, but I dunno if I follow the writer's reasoning. He's also throwing about speculations about why Evangelion is darker (he's linking it to Japan's loss of economic dominance?) when Anno's gone on record stating that it was Aum Shinrikyo's attacks in Tokyo, and this forcing him to re-write large sections of the series, that really pushed him over the edge.
Good, detailed video but I think these guys missed the crucial point that Gunbuster was a send-up of everything that came before it, not a rip-off. How do you satire super robot anime? Take it super seriously. I've probably watched Gunbuster a dozen times over the last 30 years and I have to say that the more serious mecha anime I watch the more jokes and references I catch. This is especially true now that I've digested Mobile Suit Gundam and Zeta. Also as a final note I was surprised that the reference point for why Mikimoto is famous was 0080 and not, say, Superdimension Fortress Macross?
It’s hilarious because only hardcore Gundam fans even saw WAR IN THE POCKET when it came out (and even today) but MACROSS was an international phenomenon after it was reworked into ROBOTECH.
Small note about the Mazinkaiser comparison: Mazinkaiser wasn't released until 2001, while Gunbuster released back in 1988. So if anything, Mazinkaiser is ripping off Gunbuster in this scenario
They don’t even look alike, which is what’s even more stupid about the comparison. All the Mazinger models (including Grendizer) have “faces” with 2 eyes, a non-functional nose, and a “mouth” (grill). Gunbuster has no features resembling a human face, whatsoever. 😂
@@JojoAlbon the Gunbuster actually looks more like the Getter Robo, it has the same stripes on the limbs, the two horns on the sides of the head and so on
Stopped at 11:58. Time dilation is core to the story. It can't be removed and you have "Gundam." I get it if you didn't like it, but you just didn't plain understand it.
This is the first video I've watched from this channel. Having watched Gunbuster multiple times over the past 15 years.. Rob is just an idiot. He really shouldn't be reviewing anime.
Yeah the other guy is a moron. Can’t subscribe because this guy obviously cried like a baby that it wasn’t Star Wars and stopped paying attention. If that’s how this show is then I’m out. Shame
It really was baffling that beardo could have a take that bad. I guess he was looking at his phone instead of the anime or something if he didn't understand how central to the story the time dilation was.
So many baffling takes by Rob; bringing up Star Wars when discussing hard science? Not thinking time dilation was necessary? He was definitely in the wrong mindset when watching it. It's okay to not like something, but damn, his takes just didn't have any substance whatsoever. He might as well have said he didn't like it because it doesn't have green dinosaurs.
He ran out of money slightly later in production with Gunbuster. They at least were able to animate the last episode, even if they didn’t have money for ink 🤣
Rob absolutely ruins this video. Not because I disagree with what he's saying but because so many of his arguments boil down to something totally uneducated (the Gundam comment for example) or just "I don't like it". Which is fine and good, but you can still dislike something and appreciate the merits. Also, while he harped on the fanservice, you guys failed to mention (or realize) that Gunbuster was the first instance of the Gainax bounce. So, you can thank Gunbuster for pioneering anime boob physics. Just another instance of Gunbuster's influence. Thanks for making the video tho!
18:40 Technically, Mazinkaiser specifically as a design came later than Gunbuster. As a matter of fact, the SRW series (from which Mazinkaiser came) didn't exist yet by the time Gunbuster was released.
This video made me go into a deep dive into lesser known lore, like in 2048-2100: Next Generation Light Novel begins here Buster Machine 3 is built. Debate over whether or not to leave the earth begins. Gunbuster Episode 6. The half that want to leave earth do so, and colonize Sirius. Remnants of an alien civilization discovered. The 'Sirius Alliance' is formed and wants freedom from the overall Human Empire. Thanks to the ancient aliens they discovered Energy of the Spiri Sirius Alliance figures out how to weaponize it. They no longer need computers Earth refuses independence as they ran out of resources in the war with the Space Monsters, plans 'violent crackdown'. Earth starts with a tech and numbers advantage, but has no industrial capacity anymore. Presumably, they build Nono here, as the last weapon created on earth with pre-Sirius War tech. Sirius War begins. 2100-2480 Earth is losing war; both sides have undergone a massive tech slide. Jung Freud and the Eltrium Fleet come back the earth Empire tries to order them order them around but they overthrow the Earth Empire and establish a federation. Jung is elected president of Earth shes a called the hero of all humanity. clones of Kazumi Amano, Noriko Takaya, drive the sizzler against Sirius Alliance Ceasefire is called. Accepted. Mission to retrieve the Gunbuster is launched. Fails as humanity can no longer understand the pre-war tech to do so. Jung enters cryo sleep, a mass scramble to recover pre-war tech begins, s War restarts. 2480-14292 Sirius War has stalemated. Earth discovers an old Super-Excelion. Produces Two 'Werutoriumu' class ships based on it. Next Generation Manga begins here. The 'Great Attractor', a being claiming to be God, attacks the Sirius System. Begins drawing in all of the particles in the universe towards it. Jung reawakened, leads fleet consisting of the two Werutoriumus, and Buster Machines 4 and 5, built with pre-war tech, to fight it. Buster Machine 7 is not noted, as she wasn't thought up here. 6 doesn't show up for similar reasons. No one knows because manga and the light novels were canceled. Warp Tech sealed away at some point here Then Diebuster happens
Anno is like the Japanese equivalent of Stanley Kubrick, the man is very talented as a director no doubt, but his mind is deeply disturbed, the complexity of the lores he created isn't something an average director could come up with. In a way he's like a savant, creativity requires a certain level of talent, but even amongst talented individuals there are things that a savant can interpret better while an ordinary person cannot grasp the concept The show also casted some of the seiyuu industry's best veterans, namely Hidaka Noriko, Sakuma Rei, and Kawamura Maria. Hidaka's anime counterpart is also credited as the very first hot blooded girl in anime (though technically Hidaka had already started playing Akane in Ranma 3 months earlier, and both characters do share similar traits) It helped to grew their fame even more
I think the aliens in gunbuster are the best “antagonists” for the show, because we don’t focus on them, the focus is on the characters they’re just an object to shoot at. Plus they look really fkn cool
The true antagonist here is Albert Einstein ……or rather the concept of time dilation where the scale and speed of combat ensures the girls who enrolled in the fight against the space alien monsters can never live like normal anymore
@@WeHeartGiantRobots still the best review of gunbuster out there tbh, somehow it bacame an underground anime and i dont see that many people talking about it so props to yall
In 1988 the characters where not terribly overused, for anime. Of course they are almost all a stereotypes of monomythical proportions but the show pulls this off in such a believeable way.
I feel like a broken record because on every video I want to say that you two are incredible and I thoroughly enjoy watching you videos - even if it is just an elongated bumbling around facts and options in an attempt to review a certain media - it's incredible.
You all inspired me to rewatch the original UC Gundam, which I watched over a decade ago. The nostalgia makes me more accepting of my inevitable death. I watched Gunbuster around then too. And I'm glad someone else likes Patlabor. Keep on the obscure shit.
Rob is viewing this as a person who has seen these characters done, over and over. Whereas I saw this when they were fresh. Fantastic story, great characters, beautiful animation, cool mecha and tech, and a story that is heart wrenching at times, yet aspirational in the end.
Pretty sure youtube has a timer on your guys videos because this is the second video in a row where I've gotten this in my recommended a month after its been uploaded. Also good video as always and on one of my favourite animes too
Gunbuster is the shit. It shows the trends back then but also ages well. A bit too sexually graphic - a lot of unneeded bounces and nudity - than it has to be, but such was anime then (and now).
I recently watched this for the first time (the new blu-ray), and I have to echo Nerv Shirt Man in that I was expecting a lot more out of this show. I liked most of the character stuff, and the quirks of space travel resulted in a hefty gut-punch or too (not to mention a pretty bittersweet ending), but I was expecting some serious fireworks from it, and I just never got those.
Another video, another banger..... Also another missed opportunity to watch: Robot Carnival Five Star Stories Bubble Gum Crisis Black Magic 088 Patlabor Gunhed Robot Jox Keep up the good work boys, and keep telling me about things I like!
So Rob is 100% right about JJ Abrams but 100% wrong about Gunbuster. Its art and design are excellent and the story is beautiful and bittersweet. His complaint is that its too slow, which is the dumbest complaint he could have.
Nerv Shirt guy was wrong. His arguments about it was nothing but derivative I find no gas for. I bet he thinks that Because Simba the White lion exists, that Lion King was derivative and so was Father of the Pride. They aren't. Simpsons did it does not mean no one gets to do anything because Simpsons did it first. It means that if you do it well you get to do it. Also, This was the show that stared the Ganax Pose and the Ganax Bounce.
Wait you're making reasonable arguments to disagree with him and you didn't even call him an asshole whilst you were doing it. This isn't how I thought RU-vid comments work.
I'm aware its a really long watch and you guys have suffered through some long shows, but please do one of the VOTOMS shows (the original or Mellowlink) I would love to hear your take on it!
VOTOMS is absolutely a show we intend to cover at some point: it's come up several times when we've been chatting about things we ought to watch/discuss. So hopefully we'll have a video on it some time soon.
I watched it because I was looking for something similar to tengen toppa and i watched and enjoyed it tgen i found out it was made from the evangelion guy.
I was never into these mecha shows as a child but I'm starting to enjoy them. The 80s and 90s anime. Especially the OVAs. The dub can be bizarre and sound odd but the art style is great. Take California Crisis for instance. I find the art style beautiful and the music builds onto the aesthetic. The story might not be anything brilliant but I do like the characters. Unfortunately they use the lazy looking animation now where the characters barely blink or show facial expressions. The CGI used looks plastic but I'm not sure what it is called. I'm not against CGI as it can make be used in amazing ways but on shows like the new Rugrats and reboots of anime classics, it looks cheap and awful even through it probably is not cheap. Boah the Bioweapon is also a good film. Glad they made him playable in JoJo Bizarre Adventure ASBr. 80s/90s OVAs are my favourites.
great video ( i love anno's old works ) btw i recommend you to play a video game called Xenogears because it is similar to evangelion but with the world building of legend of the galactic heroes. no really xenogears is the greatest mecha ever
I couldnt get into Gunbuster. I like the world and the animation but the over the top nature of scantily clad girls with the somber time dilation story just gave me tonal whiplash. I think Ill stick to votoms for my hard science show.
@@WeHeartGiantRobots no offence but you guys make it seem like you where just tired or in a bad day when watching the anime. The series is legendary for a reason.
PATLABOR by comparison is often laborious. There’s a lot of redundant talking in the series which goes to waste because of the time scale of the narrative, which is relatively short. The time scale of the GUNBUSTER narrative expands with each episode. Conversations between characters often circle the concept of living in the same relative time. These conversations are purposefully redundant because they are happening years apart from one another and for some the conversation happened only weeks ago but for the others it was years ago.
hey, now that you've reviewed something owned by "bandai namco" then surly now you can review "obsolete".....please, i think this show is amazing and its criminal that it has barely gotten any attention from any anime reviewers/community (and i doubt its because of legal fears, but more it was a youtube only release).
That's one of Urobuchi's recent projects, if I'm remembering correctly? We've got a backlog big enough to bludgeon my hopes and dreams to death with, but I'll definitely try to check it out.
HEY NOW! 18:40 Mazinkaiser didn't exist at all until the late 90s in Super Robot Wars F FINAL on the Sega Saturn! If anything, Kaiser ripped off Gunbuster!
I think Gunbuster didn't work for the other dood, sorry i didn't care enough to listen to names :P because he's seen the progression of his, kinda like watching sword art online after all the shit we've seen "oh cool another one" but at the time.. it was shit.. but also a new concept.. ish.. lol or at least a new fanbases introduction to that story. So had this been one of the first he'd seen i think it'd hold a place in his heart above other anime, its a good story though losing your life through time, any time based story is really good.. we often lose track of friends and people and we miss much of their lives busy with our own..
You might be onto something there, mate. I think anyone who's got older and lost touch with people who were once incredibly close to them can relate to a story like Noriko's.
Okay, WHAT THE FUCK? How does a channel with video this high quality only has 1.6k subs and this video only has 995 views? Also I've just finished watching 6 episodes and I gotta say, Anno you goddamn genius. There's sci-fi, there's giant robot, there's science stuff, there's character development, there's boobies, it has a good theme and they've successfully told a great story. And there's so much more that I couldn't even describe with my limited vocabulary. Also Gunbuster itself is cool as hell.
My lord, the footage... what is that- VHS, PAL, bootleg, R1/R2UK animation? Have some respect for the art form gentlemen. But I digress. Gunbuster is definitely style over substance, as she starts the series crying, and ends on the same note. In-fact, she has more in common with a Pokemon than she does a human being. COACHEE! COACHEE!
OH i'm also a Fan of hating that HACK, introducing mystery boxes then filling them with horseshit ready to open, but every reboot he touches turns to shit, most of all Star...not wars.
We Heart Giant Robots lol. It’s actually not bad or hard to understand once you sit down and remove any stereotypes or ideas from the first couple episodes. As the show goes on it gets really good. The ending sucks but it’s to be expected.
@@WeHeartGiantRobots first season is baller!! Before the director had to step away, that is.. They get a new guy in season two that does a serviceable job, but the story gets needlessly complicated and meta in season two. I don't think he even bothers to answer the questions crafted in season 1 lol. A shame really. The series is nearly perfect in my eye. Has a very distinct style that separates it from other mechas of its time. I honestly think you guys would dig it.