Gunbuster

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Gunbuster
トップをねらえ!
(Aim for the Top!)
Genre Adventure, Comedy, Mecha
OVA
Director Hideaki Anno
Studio Flag of Japan Studio Fantasia
Flag of Japan Gainax
Licensor Flag of the United States U.S. Renditions (original)
Flag of the United States Manga Entertainment
Flag of the United Kingdom Kiseki Films
Flag of the United States Honneamise / Bandai Visual USA (new)
Episodes 6
Released 7 October 1988 (Japan) 20 February 2007 (US DVD)

Gunbuster, known in Japan as Aim for the Top! Gunbuster (トップをねらえ! Toppu o Nerae!?) is a six episode anime OVA series created by Gainax in 1988. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, who is best known for his role as the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis anime Aim for the Ace! and the 1986 film Top Gun. To celebrate Gainax's 20th anniversary in 2004, an official sequel to Gunbuster, Diebuster (or Gunbuster 2), was released as an OVA. The series features new characters and mecha, but retains the format and many of the concepts of the original series.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In the very near future, a race of huge, insect-like aliens is discovered traveling the galaxy. These aliens, which are known as the Uchuu Kaijuu, or Space Monsters (Note: This name is what they are referred to throughout the series), seem dedicated to the eradication of the human species as the latter takes its first steps away from the solar system, and they are getting closer and closer to Earth. Humanity has responded by developing spacegoing battleships and giant fighting robots. These complex robots -- RX-7 Machine Weapons -- are actually an advanced type of fighting suit, piloted by a single occupant. As advanced as they are, however, they are being used as trainers for a new weapon, the Gunbuster. However, being relatively new technology, they are difficult to operate (stock shots show pilots working multiple controls with hands and feet, while fingers rapidly operate switches on the handgrips), so pilot candidates are selected from the best and brightest youth on Earth and the Lunar colony. These are trained at schools around the world.

The story begins in the year 2023, not long after the first battles with the aliens, and centers on young Noriko Takaya (タカヤ・ノリコ Takaya Noriko) (voice: Noriko Hidaka). Although Noriko's father was a famous admiral in the space fleet who went missing following one of the first battles of the war, her own talents as a pilot are questionable -- especially when compared to the other students. Nonetheless, she has entered a training school on Okinawa, largely due to the influence of her instructor, "Coach Ohta," who was one of Admiral Takaya's crew. He has faith that she will overcome her early clumsiness, while other students are critical of her inability.

Noriko idolizes the beautiful, competent and talented Kazumi Amano (アマノ・カズミ Amano Kazumi) (voice: Rei Sakuma). She is not alone, the other students recognize that Amano is the top RX-7 pilot at the school, and likely the entire world. Coach Ohta shows the extra training which Amano creates for herself, inspiring Noriko to look within herself for strengths which she didn't know that she had.

Only two Gunbuster pilots from each school will be selected for the real mission. Amano, of course, will be going, and all of the others want the second slot on the team. Takaya is determined to win, not only to be with Amano but also to find (or avenge) her father. She is thrilled to discover that she has in fact been chosen as the second Japanese pilot.

Following that selection, conflict between Takaya and other students comes to a head, when the second-best RX-7 pilot at the school publicly challenges her to a one-on-one fight. Planned for late at night, when none of the school authorities will be around to stop it, Ohta learns of the duel and comes to the battleground -- but does nothing. He is there to observe, and perhaps to save Takaya's life, if the combat gets too intensive.

Takaya is on the defensive from the start, and the older student humiliates her by action and over the radio. As Takaya's RX-7 is pummelled, Noriko realizes that her difficulties are a case of sensory overload -- she is getting too much information from the electronic monitoring systems. She turns off her monitors, but as the systems go dark, her opponent is infuriated by the perceived insult and prepares the final, killing blow. Just as it appears that Noriko is doomed, she destroys her opponent's RX-7 with a "Thunder Kick." Her opponent muses that the school rookie has beat her with an advanced maneuver which she hadn't been taught. This is the proof that Ohta was seeking, that Noriko had an innate ability which would be invaluable in the battles to come.

Together, with Coach Ohta and friends to come, Noriko and Amano face the trauma of war and the discovery of loss.

[edit] Cast

  • Noriko Takaya (タカヤ・ノリコ Takaya Noriko?) Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka
  • Kazumi Amano (アマノ・カズミ Amano Kazumi?) Voiced by: Rei Sakuma
  • Koichiro "Coach" Ohta (オオタ・コウイチロウ (コーチ) Oota Kouichirou (Kōchi)?) Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto
  • Jung Freud (ユング・フロイト Yungu Furoito?) Voiced by: Maria Kawamura
  • Captain Tatsumi Tashiro (タシロ・タツミ Tashiro Tatsumi?) Voiced by: Tamio Ohki
  • Smith Toren (スミス・トーレン Sumisu Tōren?) Voiced by: Kazuki Yao

[edit] Genre

Gunbuster follows the genre of Super Robot anime, started by the Mazinger Z series. It is notable for being one of the few anime series ever, if not one of the few pieces of visual entertainment ever, to deal with the concept of time dilation in a way that even approaches realism, and indeed makes it one of its central plot elements. Though the scientific accuracy of the series is variable (it posits the invention of acceleration compensators, artificial gravity and warp drives by the year 2015) it includes many hard science fiction elements, and provides a consistent technological frame if one assumes that human technological progress has been put into overdrive in order to wage war against the aliens. Gunbuster is also notable as being a spiritual predecessor to Anno's more famous Neon Genesis Evangelion in that the themes of space opera and mecha action take somewhat of a back seat to various romances, rivalries and other relations between the main characters, made more complex by the differing speeds of their aging due to time dilation (for Noriko, the 40 year or so timespan of the major part of the series takes roughly about a year). It is also similar to the later Evangelion in that it begins as a high-school anime, with the students at Okinawa space high school for girls competing for places among the elite pilots sent to fight the space monsters. This pattern has since become somewhat of an anime cliché. Noriko also shares many personality traits with Evangelion's Shinji Ikari, particularly in her lack of confidence in herself, and Jung Freud, a Soviet pilot who befriends Noriko and Kazumi, is regarded by many fans as a prototype of Asuka Langley Sohryu, right down to her red hair and arrogant attitude.

[edit] Design notes

  1. Much of the final battle sequence is not animated, but shown as a series of images portraying tableaux of events during the battle.
  2. The entire final episode is monochrome, except for the very end. Unusually, this was achieved by executing the artwork in shades of grey, rather than shooting color animation using black and white film.
  3. The characters were originally designed by Haruhiko Mikimoto, who also did likewise on The Super Dimension Fortress Macross and on the following year's Gundam 0080.
  4. The series is also notable for being the first anime to introduce jiggling breasts as a form of fan service, which led to such movement being sometimes called the "Gainax bounce", and also lead to the show being nicknamed "Bustgunner" by fans.

[edit] Science lessons

A typical Gunbuster science lesson. L to R: Kazumi Amano, Coach Ohta, Noriko Takaya.
A typical Gunbuster science lesson. L to R: Kazumi Amano, Coach Ohta, Noriko Takaya.

The science lessons are short "omake" bonus features originally present on the first two volumes. Each short lasts around two minutes, and stars super deformed versions of Noriko, Kazumi and the Coach explaining the various scientific aspects of the series. The Tannhauser Gate, or starbow as it's more commonly called, created by the fictitious Dr. Tannhauser as explained in the first of the science lessons, is a direct reference to a remark made by the Replicant Roy Batty at the end of the film Blade Runner. Although only four "lessons" were produced during the series' original run, another two episodes (for episodes 5 and 6) were later produced for the Japan-only Laserdisc collection. They also appear on subsequent DVD releases in Japan and North America. The "New Science Lesson" clips mark the directorial debut of Kazuya Tsurumaki, who went on to direct FLCL, first half of The End of Evangelion and Gunbuster 2.

  • Science Lesson 1: The Theory of Ether Space
Noriko and Kazumi discuss the discoveries by Tannhauser allowing for faster-than-light travel.
Noriko, Kazumi and Coach discuss time dilation effects.
  • Science Lesson 3: Faster-than-light (c-plus) Travel All About Warp
More Tannhauser Gate space warp theory, increasing the Schwartzchild radius to achieve warp.
  • Science Lesson 4: The Evil Space Monsters
Discusses the enemy space creatures encountered in the series.
  • Science Lesson 4+1: The History of Spaceships
Noriko and Kazumi discuss the history of space travel from the earliest manned rocket to their most advanced ships.
  • Science Lesson 5: Final Chapter: The True Solar System
Noriko and Kazumi discuss the solar system as it pertains to the Gunbuster universe.

[edit] Releases

The series was originally released in Japan over three volumes on VHS videocassette, with two episodes per volume. It was then released on three laserdiscs with a later boxset containing two new science episodes. Eventually, it was released on DVD. In 2004, a remastered four disc set was released with dramatically improved image, and new extras such as three short animations, a rough cut of episode five and an unmatted version of episode 6.

The series was first released in English in North America starting in March 1990 on video by U.S. Renditions as their first release. It was only released in the original Japanese language audio track and featured some rather loose English subtitles, especially on the first volume. It was later re-released verbatim in 1996 on VHS by Manga Entertainment after U.S. Renditions ceased operations.

The series was released in English on a single DVD in the United Kingdom by Kiseki Films, but this release suffered from poor video quality and inconsistent subtitles. It was also criticized for lack of advertised extras and the editing of a scene with full-frontal nudity.[1]

On November 24, 2006 Bandai Visual USA released a limited, regionless reprint of the 2004 R2 remastered set exclusively at Kinokuniya Bookstores [2]. The set lacked any translation and was an exact 1:1 copy of the R2. The set was marketed to die-hard fans of the show, and was meant to cease distribution upon the R1 release. As of August 2007, six months after officially going off sale, the set can still be purchased at Kinokuniya.

On February 20, 2007, Bandai Visual USA officially released the remastered R1 DVD box set under their Honneamise label, with the series spanned over three discs like the R2 and R0. However, the set lacked the fourth disc of the previous R0, which contained the rough episode five and unmatted episode six, along with other period extras.

[edit] Region 1 DVD Controversy

On the original video release of episode 1, Noriko's training montage was accompanied by music composer Kohei Tanaka's rendition of a piece inspired by Vangelis' theme from Chariots of Fire. Unlike the R0, in which this scene is completely intact, this set, while visually uncut, has this piece of background music replaced with a piece of score from later in the series[3]There was a bit of a controversy regarding this change, due to lack of info as to why, along with no official announcement made until after a fan discovery.

The reasoning behind the change is still unclear. During a panel at Anime Los Angeles 2007, where the change was discovered, Tatsunori Konno, president of Bandai Visual USA, was unsure of the circumstances regarding the change. It appeared as if the fact of its existence had slipped his mind. After the panel, he stated to a fan that he believed it was due to fears of copyright infringement. Fans have speculated that this was due possibly to its similarity to Vangelis' score, given that the piece was a homage. The official letter of response from Bandai Visual USA, written by Takenari Maeda, was that it was something "the Japanese producers thought they needed to do for the US release" with no other reason as to why given. They offered the alternative of purchasing the more expensive, limited R0 release for "stickler" fans. [4]While the minimal dialog in the scene remains, this change also omits the sound effects in the scene as no isolated Foley reel exists.

It was later discovered that this act of sound manipulation also had an adverse effect on the overall audio quality of episode 1, causing the track to sound somewhat "muffled" in comparison to the Japanese release's audio. This is probably due to some kind of audio noise reduction process, or the act of reencoding the audio to accommodate the change.

Upon being informed of the alteration at Fanimecon 2007, Gainax President Hiroyuki Yamaga stated that he was unaware until that moment, even checking with a colleague before responding. His opinion was that, from a business perspective, one altered foreign release of a show they did twenty years prior did not affect him. However, from the perspective of a fellow anime fan, he could sympathize with American fans over the alteration. He likened it to feelings he had over changes Yoshiyuki Tomino had made to his landmark first Gundam series.

Whilst it is common for anime released in North America to come with an English-dubbed audio track, no English-language audio track has been released. In an interview with Anime on DVD, Jonathan Clements stated that "the Music & Effects track has been lost, and [an English dub] would need to be reconstructed from the ground up".[5] However, in 2006, a theatrical version of Gunbuster was released in Japan featuring a 5.1 soundtrack, containing new sound effects, the original score and re-recorded dialogue by the original Japanese voice actors. The feature-length film is an abridged version of the original OVA, and uses the same animated footage as the original. This film (along with the theatrical version of Diebuster, which was released theatrically as a double feature with the Gunbuster theatrical edition) has been licensed for North American distribution by Bandai Visual.[6]

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Gunbuster was originally going to be a TV series, but due to problems with sponsors, was shortened into an OVA.
  • The character of Smith Toren is actually the name of a real person, Toren Smith (reversed to fit Japanese name patterns). Smith was a key figure in popularizing anime and manga in the United States. Once the owner of Studio Proteus (which has now been absorbed by the publishing company Dark Horse Comics), also provided the voice of an anonymous bridge operator during one episode of the OVA.
  • Episode five features a scene in which the sumbarine Proteus from the 20th Century-Fox movie Fantastic Voyage is seen floating over the hull of the decommissioned Exelion.
  • The main title of Gunbuster, Top wo Nerae! (Aim for the Top!), is a humorous reference to the film Top Gun and the 1970s anime series Ace wo Nerae! (Aim for the Ace!). Gunbuster's plot is heavily influenced by the series.
  • Writer Rick Sternbach of Star Trek: The Next Generation is such a professed fan of Aim for the Top! that he created a race of sentient whales which served aboard all Galaxy-Class vessels. They were known as Takaya's Whales (Orcinus orca takayai), named for Gunbuster's lead female character, Noriko Takaya. Sternbach apparently liked the idea of sentient whales and porpoises used aboard the Eltreum in episode six of Gunbuster. While never officially written into an episode due to budgetary constraints, they are hinted at in the episode Yesterday's Enterprise when an intercom call was heard asking Dr. Joshua Kim to report to Cetacean Ops. It should also be known that Sternbach also references the Exelion in the TNG Technical Manual in the compound excelion-infused carbonitrium.
  • The Sizzler mecha was named after a toy car made by Mattel for the Japanese market. The head is based on the evil bird-like monsters Gyaos as seen in the Gamera movies.
  • Hiroyuki Yamaga, who is one of the uncredited writers of Aim for the Top!, and who is currently the president of Gainax, is mentioned by name in the science lessons as an author of a fan letter.
  • In episode five, the Eltreum can be seen being constructed from an orbital gantry resembling a large sprue tree, such as those used by plastic model producers. This was an inside joke, as Gainax used to co-produce high quality resin garage kits along with model producers General Products before absorbing the company in 1990.
  • All of the named moves and weapons used by the RX-7 Machine Weapons and the Gunbuster itself are pastiches on similar things from noted science-fiction series such as Ultraman and Gundam. The name RX-7 is an homage to the Japanese sports car of the same name, built by Mazda.
  • On the final chapter of the New Science Lesson, "The True Solar System", as Noriko recites the planets of the Solar System, planets Mercury to Jupiter are accompanied by her cosplaying as a Sailor Senshi (from Sailor Moon) representing each planet.
  • All the characters are named in some part for members of the production staff, with the exception of Jung Freud, who was named after two famed psychologists: Carl Jung of Switzerland, and Sigmund Freud of Austria. An example of this is Amano Kazumi, the maiden name of Okada Kazumi, the wife of Okada Toshio, one of the founders of Gainax and its first president. She also worked on the show.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Steven Hiu. Gunbuster DVD Review. Anime on DVD. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
  2. ^ GUNBUSTER Official Site (2006-11-24). Retrieved on 2007-08-28. “Exclusive! Authentic!! And collectible!!! Gunbuster straight from 2004 release! Heck, it seems Gunbuster made it through Rip van Winkle effect! (@_@) But why did it end up arriving in the US now? (Was it supposed to land on Feb. 20?!) Hrm, it decided to land now because it wanted to announce that a very special re-issue of the Japanese Gunbuster Remastered Edition box set is now on sale for the die-hard US fans! This remastered edition was originally sold in Japan for one year only in 2004 and is currently no longer available anywhere in the world…except for the US! Now, here comes the important part. Everything but region code is exactly the same as the one sold in Japan. Even the booklet is all in Japanese. Where to get it? At Kinokuniya! Limited quantities though, the Kinokuniya Book stores in the U.S. (and also through Kinokuniya online ordering) are selling the edition! If you are Gunbuster collector, this is another one you should add to your collection! (^_-)-☆”
  3. ^ GUNBUSTER Official Site (2007-02-01). Retrieved on 2007-04-22. “The original producers of “Gunbuster” decided to change less than two minutes of music in the first episode. This change was made by the producers with the full consent of the director and composer.”
  4. ^ Bandai Visual USA response letter, as posted by the inquirer on Macross World Forums (2007-01-31). Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
  5. ^ Jonathan Clements Interview, Part 3. Anime on DVD (2005-02-04). Retrieved on 2007-04-22.
  6. ^ "Gunbuster vs. Diebuster Licensed by Bandai Visual USA", Anime News Network, 2007-05-26. Retrieved on 2007-05-30. 

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