Review of Gungrave: Vol. 3

Introduction

For an anime inspired by a Playstation game this has no business being as good as it is. It`s a really first-class piece of storytelling with a richness often missing from this type of high-octane anime.

This latest volume is no exception, with four episodes that move the story along almost to where we first came in. (All episodes after the first are in flash-back).

The first episode takes up the story precisely where we left it (at a funeral) but then leaps forward in time to some grim developments that start to make sense of the opening episode where we see Brandon as a man called back from the dead, unstoppable with his deadly guns, wreaking bloody revenge for crimes that we (at that time) didn`t understand.
So look away if a very brief episode synopsis will spoil your enjoyment.

• Episode Nine: "Dispute"
Blood War, a crazed and unstoppable psychopath, is released from prison after eight long and `boring` years. He`s ready for some excitement so meets up with his old comrade Cannon Vulcan, now head honcho of the Lightning criminal organization, an organisation that (until now) is no match for the much more omni-present Millenion organisation. We soon discover that Vulcan has `persuaded` a group of scientists to develop a Frankenstein like regeneration process known as `Necrolyzation`. Blood War is impressed when a dead dog is turned into a ferocious fighting beat. No longer bored, he`s ready to team up with Cannon and his proposed army of the dead. When he tells his followers of his plans one asks a question too many and, despite becoming a father just days before, is coldly murdered by Blood to become the first fresh dead body for the Necrolyzation process. The ultimate aim for Blood and Cannon is to take on the Millenion organisation..

• Episode Ten: "Conflict"
Blood War takes on Brandon and Bunji, to let them know about his planned war on Millenion. The undead warriors are soon on the warpath attacking Millenion. Things don`t look good for Brandon and Harry who don`t know what to do to stop this indestructible army. After all, how do you kill a dead man? Harry also discovers that one his buddies is secretly working for Cannon and Blood.

• Episode Eleven: "Heat"
Slow talking Brandon convinces Blood War that he`ll join forces with Lightning, and he sets up a rendevouz. Once the cat is out the bag Blood summons up his zombie army. Bunji turns up to support Brandon and there`s a helluva shoot-out, with Bunji taking a bullet in the process. Meanwhile, Harry convinces his buddy turned mole to help him get access to Lightning`s Necrolyzation technology.

• Episode Twelve: "Hope"
Brandon and Bunji form True Heat, a crack-team within Millenion brought together to tackle the toughest jobs. There`s pathos too - when Bear Walken Bear discovers that Harry is seeing his `daughter` Sherry. Ever protective he forbids the relationship though Sherry finally stands up to him saying she`d die for Harry. Harry in the meantime meets up with Dr. Tokiaka, the `Professor Frankenstein` behind the creation of the Necrolyzation process, and offers to fund the doctor`s efforts if he`ll ally with him.

Video

Widescreen 1.85:1, which is nice (as so many anime discs are OVA`s or TV episodes in 4:3) and the presentation is flawless with simply stunning picture quality and amazing detail. Fantastic!

Audio

5.1 Dolby Digital for the English soundtrack, and it`s well done. A good choice of voice in general, and a nice audio mix that veers towards gaming when the action starts - and man, do they make some use of the speaker spread! The fights will have you leaping from your chair as this puts you at the heart of the action, with ricochet shots springing from one speaker to the next.

Also worthy of mention is Tsuneo Imahori`s score, which is really unusual for this type of anime. Almost ambient jazz, it`s an odd choice and yet somehow works.

Features

There`s a healthy portion of artwork here for those who like to use the stills as manga drawing reference material. For the rest of us though, these always seem a little dull compared to the anime.

Then there is a short cluster of trailers. So no surprises, pleasant or otherwise, here.

Conclusion

Gungrave` may have been inspired by the video game of the same title, but it`s not a series that`s happy to rely on relentless shoot `em up action. Whilst there`s plenty of that there`s also some clever characterisation.

At round about 25 minutes an episode they move through at such a pace that it`s hard to believe that the time has passed, and there`s no doubt that will have fans of the genre panting for more.
The animation is intelligently and creatively handled, with interesting perspectives, colouring and mood - and the picture quality here is just incredible.

My only gripe is that this is a single disc with just four short episodes. Perhaps this makes good sense from a marketing point of view, allowing fans to build the series an affordable disc at a time, though I can`t help feeling that a complete box set would be infinitely more satisfying, and would also provide some good value economies of scale.

That said, `Gungrave` far surpassed my initial preconceptions, and I for one can`t wait for the next four episodes.