History Anime / GunBuster

''[=GunBuster=]'' is a six-volume {{OVA}} from 1988 directed by Creator/HideakiAnno. The series really put Creator/StudioGainax on the map, and is fondly remembered by old school otaku. While it's a bit of a rough diamond, viewers today can still see why it stood out then, where it led Gainax, and where Gainax took the ideas they started in it. It's also considered somewhat of a spiritual predecessor to ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' and ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', as it contains a lot of elements that would later be used in those shows.

What words can only hint at is the sheer sincerity and passion put into all these rather hoary old tropes. The plotting is not that well paced and all over the place (writer Toshio Okada has commented that he put in EVERY idea he had). Much of the characterization is perfunctory (and the archetypes used are from another age, especially Ohta and the other military men). The science is fairly silly[[note]] Although by the standards of most anime it's fairly hard and even earned [[Website/AtomicRockets the Atomic Rockets Seal of Approval]] for respectful use of real science. [[/note]] and the dialog hoary, but the big moments pull you in, and the angsty ones will make you cry (the climax of episode 6 can pull tears from some of the toughest otaku). More than anything else, it showed that the team from Gainax could pull off "popular" anime (their debut work ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise'' had run into a buzzsaw called ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'') and that they would be a force to be reckoned with.

Noriko's life becomes harder still when "Coach", who is also the sole survivor of the Luxion fleet (Noriko's father saved his life), sees something in Noriko that no one else does. Because of this, he selects her as Kazumi's partner to graduate early and participate in a secret project -- over ''all'' the other students, and the objections of both Kazumi and Noriko. Days of bullying, several speeches, a couple of {{training montage}}s, and one robot {{catfight}} later, Noriko and "big sister" are shipping out for advanced training in earth orbit. Here they find [[TheRival a rival]], "genius" Soviet pilot Jung Freud, who starts by challenging Kazumi to a duel, then settles into a snippy sort of friendship.

That's the first two episodes. The middle two show our heroines shipping out with the fleet, tapped to try out the new "Buster Machine" giant robot. If Noriko's angst and fear doesn't derail them first. Episode Five is Kazumi's turn to get put through the wringer. The Final episode is elegiac and deeply angst-ridden (not that the previous episodes were a barrel of laughs). In fact, it's so serious that [[DeliberatelyMonochrome it was animated in black and white, on color film]].

In 2004, Creator/StudioGainax released a sequel series, Anime/DieBuster, as its 15th anniversary project. This was released in R1 as ''Gunbuster 2''. A third entry in the series is reportedly in production as well. Additionally, a little known work known as ''Aim for the Top! Next Generation'' (consisting of novels and manga) bridges some gaps between ''Gunbuster'' and ''Diebuster''.

* TimeSkip: Multiple times.

* SerialEscalation: In-between and after her [[HeroicBSOD occasional]] {{break|TheCutie}}s, each of Noriko's battles is more awesome than the last. [[TearJerker Except episode 3]].

* SlasherSmile: Kashiwara during her fight with Noriko.
* SpaceElevator: Space ''cable-cars'' in episode six.
* SpaceIsAnOcean: At least how Noriko sees it.
* SpaceIsNoisy

* StarfishAliens / EldritchAbomination: The spacemonsters are among the biggest echinoderm/Giger-inspired horrors in fiction.

* SuperRobot: The Gunbuster

* {{Bowdlerized}}: The original Japanese videotape release is notorious for showing Noriko's pubic hair in a bath scene, subsequently trimmed in future releases.

** There are some not-quite-so-subtle hints, like the poster for ''Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato'' on her wall.

** Ironically, the breast physics in this anime are realistic when compared to later Gainax series like ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', which take their breast physics to ridiculous extremes.

* [[WorldOfCardboardSpeech World Of Cardboard Monologue]]: While in the combined Gunbuster in episode 5, Kazumi gives a short inner monologue about how she'll fight for the last six months, because that's the only way she can live in the same timeframe as [[spoiler:the dying]] Coach Ohta.

** [[FrickinLaserBeams BUSTAAH BEAAAMU!]]

* MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness: About a 3, leaning towards a 2 at times. There's FTL and "ether," a thoroughly discredited theory of physics but both are used very deliberately and with a fair degree of consistency and the show has been noted for its fairly consistent use of real theories relating to relativity and black holes as well as the use of [[FrickinLaserBeams lasers that are relatively close to real-life concepts instead of Star Wars style ray guns]]. It even earned the [[Website/AtomicRockets Atomic Rockets Seal of Approval]]. Notably, a very large sum of the information in the science lecture extras is fairly accurate.

* BittersweetEnding: On the one hand, [[spoiler:the fact that they are recognized after TWELVE THOUSAND YEARS, that humanity still remembers their sacrifice and welcomes them back, makes some viewers baww like a baby.]] On the other hand, [[spoiler:the fact that twelve thousand years have passed means that all of their loved ones are dead.]]... that's pretty much the definition of a BittersweetEnding.

* {{Adorkable}}: Noriko.

* GuiltFreeExterminationWar: The space monsters are seen as the galaxy's "immune system" that in turn sees humanity as a disease that must be wiped out. And with that knowledge, the humans know that there is [[FinalSolution no other choice but to wipe out the aliens for them to survive]]. However, it is averted in Episode 6 where there is a discussion of whether or not humanity is right in taking these steps.

''[=GunBuster=]'' is a six-volume {{OAV}} from 1988 directed by Creator/HideakiAnno. The series really put Creator/StudioGainax on the map, and is fondly remembered by old school otaku. While it's a bit of a rough diamond, viewers today can still see why it stood out then, where it led Gainax, and where Gainax took the ideas they started in it. It's also considered somewhat of a spiritual predecessor to ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' and ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', as it contains a lot of elements that would later be used in those shows.

* TrainingFromHell

** Strangely, though, this does not appear to be averted [[spoiler:when they destroy the centre of the galaxy]], however, it may be that after [[spoiler:12,000 years]], humanity may have found a way to protect themselves [[ClarkesThirdLaw that we today couldn't possibly comprehend]]. As the center of the galaxy is about 25,000 light-years away, [[spoiler:the effects may also just be less than halfway to Earth by the ending.]]

** Strangely, though, this does not appear to be averted [[spoiler:when they destroy the centre of the galaxy]], however, it may be that after [[spoiler:12,000 years]], humanity may have found a way to protect themselves [[ClarkesThirdLaw that we today couldn't possibly comprehend]].

* ShoutOut:
** In the next episode preview for Episode 3, Noriko begins her narration "The sea of space is my sea!" which is the famous first line of the opening to ''Anime/CaptainHarlock''.
** One scene in Episode 5 with Noriko in her room is full of these, including posters for ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'' and ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' and a Music/VanHalen calender.
** During one of the later Science Lesson episodes (done for the laser-disc release), Coach tells Noriko to name off all of the planets in the solar system, which she does while [[InstantCostumeChange instantly cosplaying]] as each corresponding ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' character (inner planets only, the outer senshi hadn't appeared yet).
** As is usual for Gainax, Gunbuster carries a fair number of references to ''Manga/GetterRobo''. The titular mech owes a few design cues to the Getter Dragon from Getter Robo G; the legs and chest are extremely similar in design, the Buster Beam fires from the mech's head, much like the Dragon's Getter Beam (the other Getter machines had their beams fire from the stomach) and, as mentioned above, the Gunbuster was initially meant to dual-wield Axes similarly to the Dragon. Moreover, [[spoiler:the way Gunbuster removes its Degeneracy reactor to kickstart the Jupiter Bomb is heavily inspired by [[http://mangafox.me/manga/getter_robo/v02/c006/9.html Musashi's]] [[http://mangafox.me/manga/getter_robo/v02/c006/10.html legendary]] [[http://mangafox.me/manga/getter_robo/v02/c006/11.html sacrifice]] in the original Getter manga]].
** Gunbuster's FingerFirearm move copies the stance and missile colors the title character of the Live Action ''Manga/GiantRobo'' had.

* HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace: {{Averted|Trope}} - Jung is only telling scary stories during hyperspace jump. Noriko doesn't take them well.

** There are some not-quite-so-subtle hints, like the poster for ''SpaceBattleshipYamato'' on her wall.

That's the first two episodes. The middle two show our heroines shipping out with the fleet, tapped to try out the new "Buster Machine" giant robot. If Noriko's angst and fear doesn't derail them first. Episode Five is Kazumi's turn to get put through the wringer. The Final episode is elegiac and deeply angst-ridden (not that the previous episodes were a barrel of laughs). In fact, it's so serious that [[DeliberatelyMonochrome it was animated in black and white]].

In 2004, Creator/StudioGainax released a sequel series, Anime/DieBuster, as its 15th anniversary project. This was released in R1 as ''Gunbuster 2''.

* CosmicHorrorStory / LovecraftLite: An arguable example albeit an unusual one in that it makes no references or obvious [[ShoutOut shout outs]] to Lovecraft. [[spoiler: Like the antagonists of many Lovecraftian tales the Space Monsters don't appear to be particularly malicious [[note]] It's speculated several times they regard humanity as little more than a pernicious infection and not as an enemy per se [[/note]] but are so frightfully powerful and alien that they nonetheless represent an existential risk to humanity. [[note]] They reproduce by laying eggs ''in stars'' and can shrug off the elimination of a fleet the size of Neptune's orbit. [[/note]] Nonetheless, unlike a traditional CosmicHorrorStory humanity rises to the challenge and is able to fight back, however desperately, making this a borderline case of either CosmicHorrorStory or LovecraftLite.]]

* CurbStompBattle: A lone Gunbuster versus enough space aliens to span the diameter of ''Pluto's orbit''? Yeah.... the aliens don't stand a chance.

* DeconReconSwitch: The early episodes tread the line between deconstructing the genre and playing it straight; the last episode, though, is entirely serious.

** [[spoiler: The sequel not only shows that humanity has advanced to a point where it is now completely alien to what Noriko and Kasumi were familiar with, and that much was sacrificed to ensure there was an Earth left for them to return to in the first place.]]

What words can only hint at is the sheer sincerity and passion put into all these rather hoary old tropes. The plotting is not that well paced and all over the place (writer Toshio Okada has commented that he put in EVERY idea he had). Much of the characterization is perfunctory (and the archetypes used are from another age, especially Ohta and the other military men). The science is silly and the dialog hoary, but the big moments pull you in, and the angsty ones will make you cry (the climax of episode 6 can pull tears from some of the toughest otaku). More than anything else, it showed that the team from Gainax could pull off "popular" anime (their debut work ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise'' had run into a buzzsaw called ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'') and that they would be a force to be reckoned with.

In 2004, Creator/StudioGainax released a sequel series, Anime/DieBuster, as its 15th anniversary project. [[spoiler:The two series have converging endings]]. This was released in R1 as ''Gunbuster 2''.

That's the first two episodes. The middle two show our heroines shipping out with the fleet, tapped to try out the new "Buster Machine" giant robot. If Noriko's angst and fear doesn't derail them first.

Episode Five is Kazumi's turn to get put through the wringer. [[spoiler:She's decided she loves "Coach" Ohta. Unfortunately, he's dying of radiation sickness, and their next mission will take them away for years of earth time. Fortunately, Noriko's grown enough of a backbone to keep her in line.]]

The Final episode is elegiac and deeply angst-ridden (not that the previous episodes were a barrel of laughs). In fact, it's so serious that [[DeliberatelyMonochrome it was animated in black and white]]. [[spoiler:"Big Sis" Kazumi is now "[[ObaSan auntie]]" Kazumi, [[OlderAndWiser teaching the children of her old classmates at her old school]]. She gets the call to go back into space for a final mission to destroy the aliens once and for all (using a bomb built from the planet Jupiter. Yes, you read that right). She rejoins Noriko and Jung, who have been in space all this time and have hardly aged at all. Sacrifices will be made, angst will flow, people will forget how to spell, and you'll know beyond doubt that you've seen something made by genuine ''fans'' of the genre(s).]]

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