Gantz Recommended

Publisher
ADV / MVM
Production
GONZO
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes / 25 minutes
Year
2005

Gantz Volume 3: Process Of Elimination

By otaku_kei
24th Feb 06

The game is back and there is a new batch of recruits for Gantz to play with! Returning survivors Kurono, Kato, Kishimoto and Nishi all know what is awaiting them on this next mission, but can the newbies be convinced of what lies in store? So get ready for some more brutal violence, alien menaces and large, bouncing breasts! But will all the character development from the last volume be carried through on this, or will the personal stories be forsaken and offered up as sacrifices to the gore-hounds amongst you? Gantz will assuredly provide some action though for all of you who were so disappointed by the slow-moving previous volume!

Before the mission can even begin we have to get to grips with the new players! Last time we had callous Yakuza who threw their weight around, this time we get a gang of biker punks! Previously we had incredulous businessmen who refused to see what was in store for them, this time the numbers are made up by an elderly grandmother and her spoilt grandson, a self-involved model who is all looks and no brains, and rounding off this group is a shy girl that tries to stay out of everyone's way. And the dog is back. This line up almost exactly reflects the same line up as the previous mission, could this be a sign that we are in for nothing but the same? Hints that this volume is just going to be nothing but more of the same seem to be confirmed once again when Kishimoto ends up being sexually harassed once again at Gantz HQ! This plays out almost exactly the same as the first volume, with only slight incidentals changed. The arguments and general disbelief of the situation is also reminiscent of the reactions at the opening of the first mission!

Yet once the fighting gets underway we are back in familiar Gatnz territory with drawn out fights, lots of internal monologues filled with introspection and self-doubt, and an above average amount of blood-letting! The aliens this time around a bunch of bowler haircut sporting robots! But as unassuming as they look they pack a nasty sonic blaster, and a freakish secret. We get to learn more about how the Gantz system works in this volume, the limitations of the equipment that Gantz arms the participants with, as well as hints of how to free yourself from this ongoing battle! But before they can even contemplate freedom the gamers must face off against this missions threat, but as the gamers start to die one by one the future is looking pretty bleak! Kurono, Kato and Kishimoto must also fight their personal battles against the fears that all but paralyse them when in the midst of a battle.

After the last volume spent its time on characterisation, I found myself largely enjoying this volume much more than the opening mission. The actions that these characters must take, and their own doubts over whether those actions can ever really be morally justifiable, offers the audience an opportunity to do its own soul-searching. What would you do if forced into a similar situation? Would you become as hardened and self-involved as Nishi? Or would you act like Kato and try to save everyone stuck in this waking nightmare? You may just find yourself thinking these exact same thoughts, or perhaps you will just be swept into the growing horror of this show, but whilst this may be a better volume than the opening act it still has its problems.

As I have already hinted at much of this volume plays out with more than a little dose of familiarity from the first mission. From the all too friendly dog, through to sexual misconduct, stereotypical troublemakers, the constant second-guessing and insecurities of the main characters, and then their futile deaths! It is a retreading of the path set down by the opening episodes. But the most frustrating part of this show is its insistence on dragging out scenes long after the dramatic tension should have broken. This gets especially annoying during the prolonged fight scenes, which are constantly interrupted by internal monologues, delaying the resolution of the fight in a typically brutal Gantz fashion with a diminished emotional impact for the audience. This padding to the events also effects the moments of dialogue with each scene being dragged out through multiple close-ups and panning shots. For a show that could really be pushing the boundaries of action these delays stand out starkly against the pace and flow of the building tension!

This volume offers a lot more promise for series that I initially found far from engaging as it takes all the benefits of the second volumes characterisation as well as still delivering the visceral, gratuitous violence that has cultivated s much of the controversy that surrounds this show! It is certainly not the best show on the market at the moment, or my personal favourite, but there is a lot to enjoy here. Clearly for anyone who has been enjoying this show so far then there will be little to dissuade you from picking up this latest volume, but this volume really does reenergise this show for those of you who were doubting whether this was going to work!

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English Language 5.1; Japanese Language 2.0; English Language Subtitles; Textless Opening & Closing; Japanese TV Spots; MVM Trailers

Release information: COMING SOON - 13th March 2006

Notes: This show continues to get the good treatment that all shows that pass through MVM's hands receive. We also get extras that generally come as standard on any UK release. The Japanese TV spots do seem to drag on for an interminable amount of time, but if you like young Japanese women in oversize school jackets then you may get some enjoyment from these adverts.

-- otaku_kei 24th Feb 06

Gantz Images