Gantz Recommended

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

Gantz Volume 4: Fatal Attractions

By otaku_kei
15th May 06

Sex. Violence. Possibly the two most marketable aspects of anything ever! All around the modern world just about every single product around is sold to the market on the basis of either one or the other. The Western world venerates both aspects through our entertainment industry and we are constantly bombarded with images of both. So when Gantz came along to such a cacophony of controversy it surely had to mean that this show was breaking new barriers of decency on both fronts? So of course the marketing machine kicks into overdrive and has done nothing but hype the 'extreme' nature of this show. But is this on the money? Is Gantz as shocking as you've been told, or is it a success story of marketing over substance?

When we last left this show Kurono was left without his combat suit in a run down building filled with aliens. Kato and Kishimoto were also locked in their own life and death struggle with the bird aliens. One almighty scrap mater and the survivors of this latest mission are back once again to their normal lives trying to come to terms with this bizarre double life that they are forced to lead. Kurono and Kishimoto still have their rather awkward living arrangements to deal with, and Kato still has to contend with looking after his younger brother and the abusive aunt that fate has forced him to live with.

For me it is these bits that ring most true for the characters. How they react in these situations shows just who they are, and just how flawed these people can be. Sure there is a lot of action once again as the next mission kicks off later in the volume, but how these characters act when back in the real world, in the full knowledge that they could be snatched back by Gantz at any moment this is where these characters show their inner turmoil and conflict. The most radical change in any character though would have to be Kurono. Across the arc of this volume Kurono finally gets pushed too far by Gantz and strikes back. This was the answer to my prayers. One of my main complaints with the show has been the characters indecisiveness, but with Kurono finally deciding to embrace the hunt it looks like that attitude is all set to change.

It deserves a mention seeing as this show is hyped for it, but Volume 4 finally has some sex. That's right; Kurono finally gets some in this volume. And if you find yourself enjoying cartoon sex then I pity you. So finally Gantz can manage to tick both the boxes of controversy, violence and sex are both on offer in this latest volume of this show. Time to be outraged; clearly the very foundations of society are under siege.

Gantz continues to be that odd beast of a show. The characters are either boring, 2 -dimensional or stereotypes with behavioural problems, the show suffers from far too many internal monologues that break up the pace of the show, the animation is below the standard we really have come to expect from Gonzo studios, and yet I find myself strangely drawn to each volume now. Why with so many things that really don't work do I find myself wanting to know what comes next? Well apart satisfying from the gratuitous gore hound within, as I said the character moments work to really connect us to the characters. This is never going to be one of the greatest shows around, but it is a lot of fun and leaves every volume on a great cliffhanger ending that just demands the viewer to come back for the next instalment to find out what has happened to these unfortunate souls. Let the game commence...

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English Language 5.1; Japanese Language 2.0; English Language Subtitles; Textless Opening & Closing; TV Spot for Gantz Videogame; Interview with Creator Hiroya Oku & Actress Chiaki Kuriyama; Interview with Director Ichiro Itano & CG Director Yasuhiro Kato; MVM Trailers

Release information: OUT NOW

Notes: Gantz continues to be one of the shows from MVM that consistently has quite a breadth of extras on each volume. Couple that with the excellent work done on the A/V aspects of the show and this is yet another quality disc.

-- otaku_kei 15th May 06

Gantz Images