Sunday, February 2, 2014

My Anime TOP 10: 8. Gungrave

SUMMARY: opens thirteen years after Brandon Heat is betrayed and killed by his best friend, . He is reborn through the use of Necro-rise as Beyond The Grave, and begins a quest of revenge against the crime syndicate. The series then backtracks to Brandon's youth, follows him and Harry as they rise through the , detailing the circumstances that led to their eventual falling-out.



WHY IT'S NUMBER 8:

Five older anime series for beginners.

*Cross posted from my sister blog.



Since I will soon be reviewing anime and manga for a popular website, I decided to do a quick post about five older series to introduce to fans of newer anime, or even those who are just looking for an introduction series.I made a point to choose each from a different genre so that comparing them to one another would be difficult.I also made sure that they were at least a decade old.I would have gone for much older series, however I just don't see a newbie watching Galaxy Express 999 without falling asleep, or Ranma 1/2 without feeling very confused.No offense to either of those mentioned.They each have merit in either artistic presentation or pure nostalgia depending on who you ask.However, what I am looking to talk about are accessible series with tangible story lines.I want to talk about relatable protagonists and villains that are recognizable as something more than a throwback from a saturday morning in the 80's.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Siege Spots

TODAY, DEAR READERS, I am going to talk to you about my favorite game in my PS2 library. Yes, I love it even more than Mister Mosquito.



THE GAME I SPEAK OF IS A HIDDEN GEM IN ITS OWN RIGHT. It's gained a cult following over the past few years, but is still relatively unknown. I might go so far as to say it's a legend; a beautiful, beautiful legend. Ladies and gentlemen, for the unaware, feast your eyes on Chaos Wars.

Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.