Gunbuster 

A young pilot, daughter of a deceased space captain, is selected to pilot a colossal robot as the key point of Earth's defence in a space war.

Stars:

Noriko Hidaka, Rei Sakuma, Norio Wakamoto

Cast

Series cast summary:
Noriko Hidaka	...	Noriko Takaya unknown episodes

Storyline

In the future, Earth is under attack by gigantic aliens. Noriko Takaya, daughter of a famous captain in the battle against the aliens, enlists in the military to combat the aliens, but must struggle with her memories, the pressures of training, the ridicule of her classmates, and herself to make herself ready to be a mech pilot. She is eventually partnered up with her rival/idol, and given control of one of two Gunbuster mechs, Earth's most powerful weapon to combat the aliens. With the fate of the earth in her hands, Noriko flies off to meet her destiny...

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Plot Keywords:

outer space | training | robot | space war | tv mini series | 

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Gainax Net [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

7 October 1988 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Gunbuster

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bandai Visual Company,Gainax,Victor Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min (6 episodes)

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title, Aim for the Top! Gunbuster, is a reference to both the 1970s manga Aim for the Ace, as well as the 1986 film Top Gun.

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Quotes

Tatsumi Tashiro (Captain of Excelion): Executive officer do you believe in God?
Executive Officer: No, Not me, sir.
Tatsumi Tashiro (Captain of Excelion): Well, I do. Take a look. At this close distance... they shouldn't be able to warp any closer. We'll beat them by 12 minutes.
Executive Officer: That's what I'd call a miracle.
Tatsumi Tashiro (Captain of Excelion): A miracle... That's a word God created for us, just for this moment.

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Connections

Referenced in Otaku no video (1991)

User Reviews

Perfect

I rarely deliver 10 out of 10s. Such a work must be ambitious, highly produced, realistic, relateable, emotional. Essentially flawless. So when I say Gunbuster is great, it comes from the bottom of my heart. Its the best anime I've watched, and even beats almost all movies I've seen.

At first, Gunbuster seems like standard fare. Hostile aliens have entered our galaxy, so the nations of Earth must prepare for battle. Noriko is an inexperienced high school student, forced to be something more by a stern, biased coach. Can she succeed - or even survive - in the vast vacuum of space? Alien invasion stories have been done dozens of times, but none are as focused on character, nor have such a perfect aesthetic.

Despite technically a mecha/super robot anime, there are surprisingly few fight scenes. Its a character-driven series, where we see Noriko deal with her hardships and mature. The other characters are also very solid, likable, and three-dimensional. Nobody is annoying or contrived. When they succeed, you are cheering in your seat. When they are devastated, it feels like a jackhammer to your heart.

If you're a fan of 80s/90s anime, Gunbuster's animation is among the best. Especially the detail! The attention on spaceships, mechs, consoles, and aliens is great. If you loved the art of Cowboy Bebop, you should love this. And the score! The pop and "space opera" pieces excellently convey the tone. Gunbuster has the rare moments where the actions and emotion on screen synch perfectly with the soundtrack in our ears. I couldn't image the best moments of the series without this!

I cannot recommend Gunbuster highly enough. Its short length (6 episodes) means you have little to lose, but so much to gain. Its emotional, beautiful, even awesome...and the only movie/anime/television series to make me cry. An unmatched masterpiece