1 ) What happens after you die could be Heaven or Hell , could be nothing , or it could be something else entirely that no one has considered before
2 ) Young men tend to be more horny than have sense . ( Amazing how for some reason this just isn't projected most times there are teenagers around )
3 ) Materialist idea of ' you ' or ' I ' . It appears that almost all of the characters in the show are ' captured ' at the time of their death and recorded and transported to Gantz . This either implies that the soul is recordable and recreatable or that the soul is unnecessary in the recreation of a person .
4 ) The weaponry appears to be fairly original .
Kei Kurono is certainly the most interesting character in the series . He can be annoying and is certainly obsessed with sex , but I think that merely makes him a relatively accurrate depiction of a teenage male .
One of the key points in this very violent series is that violence is real and although the activities in the Gantz games are certainly violent , you can't get away from violence even in a place that should be safe like home . This is demonstrated by Kato's little brother being beaten by their Aunt that is taking care of them because their parents are dead .
The effects of violence at home , rather than violence in the Gantz activities are what appear to motivate Kato to incredible rages . Kato , who is the most reasoning character in the series . Kato , who is unable to kill in order to survive or even protect his friends - is driven by the violence at home and school to beat people insensible .
The series is neat . Not all questions are answered in the first series . Nor , I suspect are they answered completely in the second season . Some questions perhaps we do not have the answers . Some answers are held in the Manga and possibly Japanese Anime versions of the show .
I hope they continue to produce Gantz Anime , and perhaps some of those answers will be revealed . Perhaps it will be like the original Guyver series . One of the best Anime I've watched and I was horrified that the end , was in fact the end . Clearly a show ( just as Gantz ) that there is plently of material to continue the story .
While I'd love to continue reading the story in the Manga , it appears to currently not be available in English .
I will hope that people will be able to watch this show and not be put off by the sex and violence contained within it - just as they are contained in real life . It certainly provided me with a nice diversion .
Oh , and yes , I hate the fact that there are only 2 episodes per disk . Who makes that kind of decision ? I have anime with 5 episodes per disk , 2 episodes per disk but most commonly 4 episodes per disk .
Don't waste resources people ! 13 episodes could have easily fit on 3 disks compared to 6 ! The extra disks , cost to the manufacturer , extra materials for disk holders and the large box - man - it just makes sense to shave some cents off the cost of the series and sell it for the same amount and make more money than waste all those disks with 2 episodes each .
Blech . Good thing I really like the series .
Atheists , agnostics and secular humanists will probably enjoy this series as well as people who are fairly moderate in temperance .
Folks that take their religion too seriously , don't like anime , don't like sex or feel that there is too much violence on TV - need not apply .
Funny how this is a Japanese animation , with so much blood , guts and sex and they have lower incidences of violence in their country than in the USA . Must not be the violence and sex on TV that causes the problems , folks ! If blood , guts and sex on TV causes it in reality then Japan must be overrun with roving gangs , rapes and thousands of murders , but we know this is not true .
001 4 Gantz is a lot of fun , despite being shockingly rude and gruesome in places . One day on his way back home from school , Kei , our anti-hero sees a tramp fall onto the rail tracks in the Underground station . Despite not wanting to get involved he is pressured into helping a former friend of his to rescue the tramp . Unfortunately it does not go well as he and his friend are torn to shreds by a train . However , instead of dying , they find themselves transported to a strange sealed room filled with people and a black round ball named Gantz . It turns out that each person in the room was in the process of dying when they were all transported to this room , including a suicidal girl , gangster , and school teacher . They have been given a second chance to live provided that they follow the orders given by Gantz .
Although it is the thoughts of the main character Kei who we hear it is difficult to call him a hero as he is so self-absorbed . His thoughts are filled with apathy at the world around him and the people in it . He does not want to get involved with anything or anybody and only helps others when he is forced to by others , by his own guilt , or if he thinks he has something to gain from the situation . His main motivations always seem to be lust-filled and he is constantly mentally undressing his female companions . However , by equal turns he is a very likable character and has refreshingly honest feelings . He friend on the other hand is our moral compass - he goes out of his way to help others and empathizes with the people around him .
These two contradicting old friends find themselves forced together again when the strange Gantz machine supplies them with weapons and orders them to kill an alien . And just when you thought the series could not get any stranger , we are greeted with a green onion loving ( and looking ) alien . What follows is a tension ridden series , full of action , bloody scenes with limbs torn apart , and some graphic nude sequences . It is by turns unpredictable , mysterious , emotionally disturbing , and exciting . The series forces you to ask yourself what you would do in their situation and recalls the feeling of Neon Genesis Evangelion in that we are faced with teenagers who are forced into battles and have to risk their lives unwillingly .
The graphics are excellent and are supplied by Gonzo . The music and dubbing are also very good , with a cast that includes Chris Patton ( from Full Metal Panic ) and Spike Spencer ( from NGE fame ) . If you enjoyed Paranoia Agent , Neon Genesis , or just want to see a compulsive character-driven action series that does not include robots , you will enjoy this . Due to the content it is recommended for those over 18 years . This complete box set contains the first 13 episodes in a thin-pack set .
This may sound silly but this is an anime series that makes you feel alive and I guarantee that by the end of the series you will not be able to stop yourself singing to the main opening credits song . Totally addictive .
002 4 Gantz is a tense , emotion wringing story with a lot of blood and a side portion of sex . Unless you are very tolerant of hardship , blood and sex this isn't for young children . Parents won't want their children to watch these episodes until they are 18 , teenagers will love watching the show when they are 15 and perhaps even a bit younger and will miraculously be totally unharmed except being exposed to a couple of interesting ideas .
Ideas ( certainly not comprehensive ) :
1 ) What happens after you die could be Heaven or Hell , could be nothing , or it could be something else entirely that no one has considered before
2 ) Young men tend to be more horny than have sense . ( Amazing how for some reason this just isn't projected most times there are teenagers around )
3 ) Materialist idea of ' you ' or ' I ' . It appears that almost all of the characters in the show are ' captured ' at the time of their death and recorded and transported to Gantz . This either implies that the soul is recordable and recreatable or that the soul is unnecessary in the recreation of a person .
4 ) The weaponry appears to be fairly original .
Kei Kurono is certainly the most interesting character in the series . He can be annoying and is certainly obsessed with sex , but I think that merely makes him a relatively accurrate depiction of a teenage male .
One of the key points in this very violent series is that violence is real and although the activities in the Gantz games are certainly violent , you can't get away from violence even in a place that should be safe like home . This is demonstrated by Kato's little brother being beaten by their Aunt that is taking care of them because their parents are dead .
The effects of violence at home , rather than violence in the Gantz activities are what appear to motivate Kato to incredible rages . Kato , who is the most reasoning character in the series . Kato , who is unable to kill in order to survive or even protect his friends - is driven by the violence at home and school to beat people insensible .
The series is neat . Not all questions are answered in the first series . Nor , I suspect are they answered completely in the second season . Some questions perhaps we do not have the answers . Some answers are held in the Manga and possibly Japanese Anime versions of the show .
I hope they continue to produce Gantz Anime , and perhaps some of those answers will be revealed . Perhaps it will be like the original Guyver series . One of the best Anime I've watched and I was horrified that the end , was in fact the end . Clearly a show ( just as Gantz ) that there is plently of material to continue the story .
While I'd love to continue reading the story in the Manga , it appears to currently not be available in English .
I will hope that people will be able to watch this show and not be put off by the sex and violence contained within it - just as they are contained in real life . It certainly provided me with a nice diversion .
Oh , and yes , I hate the fact that there are only 2 episodes per disk . Who makes that kind of decision ? I have anime with 5 episodes per disk , 2 episodes per disk but most commonly 4 episodes per disk .
Don't waste resources people ! 13 episodes could have easily fit on 3 disks compared to 6 ! The extra disks , cost to the manufacturer , extra materials for disk holders and the large box - man - it just makes sense to shave some cents off the cost of the series and sell it for the same amount and make more money than waste all those disks with 2 episodes each .
Blech . Good thing I really like the series .
Atheists , agnostics and secular humanists will probably enjoy this series as well as people who are fairly moderate in temperance .
Folks that take their religion too seriously , don't like anime , don't like sex or feel that there is too much violence on TV - need not apply .
Funny how this is a Japanese animation , with so much blood , guts and sex and they have lower incidences of violence in their country than in the USA . Must not be the violence and sex on TV that causes the problems , folks ! If blood , guts and sex on TV causes it in reality then Japan must be overrun with roving gangs , rapes and thousands of murders , but we know this is not true .
004 4 This review is from :
Gantz Season 1 Box Set ( DVD )
Well where to begin ?
What it has going for it : Very original , good animation , gory , gritty story line , a lot of nudity ( if that's your thing )
what's NOT going for it : Crappy action scenes , infuriatingly stupid characters , unlikable characters , really dumb unfulfilling ending .
I gave it 2 stars for good animation , original story line , and ( largely failed ) potential . I'm sure if they kept the general story , but cut out damn near everything else they would have had decent show .
005 4 Well where to begin ?
What it has going for it : Very original , good animation , gory , gritty story line , a lot of nudity ( if that's your thing )
what's NOT going for it : Crappy action scenes , infuriatingly stupid characters , unlikable characters , really dumb unfulfilling ending .
I gave it 2 stars for good animation , original story line , and ( largely failed ) potential . I'm sure if they kept the general story , but cut out damn near everything else they would have had decent show .
006 4 This review is from :
Gantz Season 1 Box Set ( DVD )
I'm gonna have to give this the lowest rating .
Maybe because I read Gantz comicbook first , maybe because it stretched what's worth 2 comicbooks into a 6 - DVD series .
Excuse my English , I'll try to do my best .
Story line is 99% same as the book . nothing new or indepth story line . Some of the still shots are exactly the same as the manga .
But it contains so much empty stares and still moments ( reminds me of Dragon Ball series ) it is really annoying . Even the characters movement sometimes is unrealistically slow ( ie , standing up from a chair or reaching for something )
When it finally gets to action sequences , movements gets little better , but not much . And again , empty stares while groaning and yelling , ( charaters just stands there and groans and makes mean faces when they should move on to the next sequence ) It really cuts the flow of the movie and makes me yell What the fvck are they doing ! ! ! ! !
Like I said before , 2 books worth of storyline stretched into freaking SIX DVDs . .
Next complaint is the Illustration Quality . It just SUCKS . Not much effort went into the drawing of this animation .
Characters sometimes appear cross-eyed and out of proportion . Their shapes constantly change . Eventhough some CG's were used for background , they aren't that good . This animation reminds me of poorly funded TV anime series from 90 ' s .
Oh , by the way , Comicbook Season 1 ( which is known as Phase 1 ) does not correspond with Animation Season 1 . Animation Season 1 and 2 contains about 2 / 3 of the Phase 1 storyline . Again , not much effot went into this anime . or the producer decided not to spent much effort on this project . I guess they figured that the name Gantz was enough to return the revenue .
For such an amazingly original manga , this anime was a huge disapointment . If Evangelion scored 8 / 10 in my book , Gantz would score 3 / 10 .
007 4 I'm gonna have to give this the lowest rating .
Maybe because I read Gantz comicbook first , maybe because it stretched what's worth 2 comicbooks into a 6 - DVD series .
Excuse my English , I'll try to do my best .
Story line is 99% same as the book . nothing new or indepth story line . Some of the still shots are exactly the same as the manga .
But it contains so much empty stares and still moments ( reminds me of Dragon Ball series ) it is really annoying . Even the characters movement sometimes is unrealistically slow ( ie , standing up from a chair or reaching for something )
When it finally gets to action sequences , movements gets little better , but not much . And again , empty stares while groaning and yelling , ( charaters just stands there and groans and makes mean faces when they should move on to the next sequence ) It really cuts the flow of the movie and makes me yell What the fvck are they doing ! ! ! ! !
Like I said before , 2 books worth of storyline stretched into freaking SIX DVDs . .
Next complaint is the Illustration Quality . It just SUCKS . Not much effort went into the drawing of this animation .
Characters sometimes appear cross-eyed and out of proportion . Their shapes constantly change . Eventhough some CG's were used for background , they aren't that good . This animation reminds me of poorly funded TV anime series from 90 ' s .
Oh , by the way , Comicbook Season 1 ( which is known as Phase 1 ) does not correspond with Animation Season 1 . Animation Season 1 and 2 contains about 2 / 3 of the Phase 1 storyline . Again , not much effot went into this anime . or the producer decided not to spent much effort on this project . I guess they figured that the name Gantz was enough to return the revenue .
For such an amazingly original manga , this anime was a huge disapointment . If Evangelion scored 8 / 10 in my book , Gantz would score 3 / 10 .
008 4 This anime definitely is one of the best out there for your money . I've seen many animes over my time ( Fist of the North Star , Blue Gender etc ) but Gantz is really unique , A cross between Brainstorm , Aliens and Matrix : has stunning visuals , good character development , lots of action , violence and sex to satisfy anime fans .
The plot is pretty simple but explaining the rest of the series isn't . Kurono and Kato try to save a homeless man on the subway . They are apparently killed and decapitated or are they ? They are transpored to a strange world that looks like their own with the exception that they have strange new powers and must kill aliens around them if they don't kill each other first . They meet Gantz a computer like being who makes them play this game of kill or be killed . We are introduced to other characters in this world like Nishi whose basically a villain watching his own back likes seeing people die .
Gantz is a great anime and you will definitely want to rewatch the episodes to pick up new things and enjoy it's development . Keichan is a pretty decent reluctant hero , Kishimoto is sweet and kind . Kato while initially a coward becomes brave . The DVD doesn't have any great special features but if you haven't seen the anime you have to pick it up .
009 4 Gantz is probably one of the best anime I've watched this year , not the best but it's up there . I don't know where to start but I think I'll try to explain what Gantz is all about first . Gantz is a sphere located in an apartment . The only thing people recognize is Tokyo tower right outside the window . Gantz has a mind of its own but no conscience or feelings . The sphere has a huge arsenal of futuristic weapons that pop out of it including special suits . It also holds a man who looks like he's on life support inside of it ; he resembles the crazy old man in the film Saw 3 . It's not said if the man is of any importance in the first season cause he never moves or talks but maybe some info will be given in the second season .
Gantz collects people right after they've died on earth but only a select few . When the people get to the room Gantz informs them that their lives have ended with the words written on the black surface of the sphere . Gantz also writes what you do with your new lives is entirely up to me . And they begin to play a game for their lives but who knows if it ever ends . The objective is to kill a bunch of insane aliens that Gantz finds or picks out , who knows how it finds them but it does .
The story's main character is Kei Kurono but he is far from anyone's hero and really only cares about himself . As a matter of fact Kei spends a lot of time in the series trying to lose something , If you know what I mean ? Kei runs into his old friend Kato in the subway but their conversation is cut short when a man falls on the tracks . Kato immediately wants to help the man and asks for Kei's help , it takes a few minutes for Kei to stop being selfish and help the man . The two help get the man off the tracks but end up putting themselves into danger and well let's just say that's when the anime starts to get a little messy .
Not every anime is perfect and I had some problems this first season . I think Gantz is amazing but it does have some problems that maybe could have been avoided . For one like a lot of people said it does have bad pacing . Gantz will spend unneeded minutes on conversations and even battles . A character could be getting ready to shoot the alien but takes 5 minutes to think about things like the past . Another problem is that for some reason the weapons are too complicated for these guys and it takes a number of episodes before anyone gets trigger-happy . The story also takes a little too long to develop for every episode . It's hard to realize in the middle the series if it's still one that has puzzle pieces in each episode that add up at the end or if the other episodes meant nothing at all . The main reason for those problems can most likely be chalked up to this anime being made while the Manga was still in its early stages .
No matter what even through the bad pacing something about Gantz is addicting and I think it's mostly the unique and edgy style it has . Kei is a great main character because he actually grows up with the series and even looks like he'll turn into one of the best players . Plus it has an ability to intrigue you ; you want to know what's going to happen to Kei and Kato . You want to know what happens to the other characters that actually made it through Gantz's firsts stages . The voice acting is great and so is the music , which fits perfect for the Gantz style . The animation is very cool and is actually one of the things that attracted me to the series most . I think the first season is a perfect 4 stars because no matter the flaws it still holds you and makes you hunger for season 2 .
010 4 This is the first time I have ever written a review about an anime . That is because I've never hated an anime as much as this one . This was the biggest waste of time ever , and this is coming from a 19 year old who has enjoyed almost every anime . I have seen almost all animes including unheard of ones , like Generator Gawl and 3x3 Eyes , to more popular ones like Bleach or Naruto .
This pretty much sums it up
The Bad :
1 . takes a whole episode ( literally ) to decide whether to shoot an alien who is killing everyone by tearing them limb to limb
2 . the only reason the main character does anything is because he just wants to do this other girl
3 . the storyline details are never revealed ( you are trying to figure out what the whole point of the whole story is from beginning to end ) Whatever details you do get are from people trying to figure it out , but they never actually tell you what is going on .
4 . ( Spoiler ) Everyone who goes into the room dies .
5 . absolutely no point of the story since it's not even people who go there when they die , they are just copies ( WTF right ? )
6 . Same story repeats throughout the series : 1 ) people die , 2 ) they get transported to the room , 3 ) they are confused , 4 ) they get told what is going on by the other people who have been there before and don't believe them , 5 ) almost all of them get killed
The Good :
1 . decent animation
2 . if you like to see boobs I guess ? lots of hentai
3 . if you like wasting money
011 4 Let me start by saying I have not even finished this anime , nor will I . I stopped around episode 16 , with the giant statues . I also won't go into further detail on plot because I do not want to give anything away to those poor souls who are actually looking forward to this garbage .
I heard great things about this series in my scouting of new shows to watch so I decided to give this one a shot . Boy was I wrong to even consider this . It's not the asinine plot that goes nowhere episode after episode that disappoints me . Or the state of the art animation which blends CG and hand drawn about as well as scat and ice cream . Its the ridiculously slow pacing .
In some cases , the character spend half the episode ( no joke ) debating whether or not to shoot an alien that is threating their lives . In the show , the characters are granted these amazing weapons that appear to have unlimited ammo , no recoil , really no faults . So what do our awesome heroes do ? Nothing . Thats right , nothing ! The creators are obviously trying to build suspense , but ultimately fail and , instead , create a very boring and uninteresting cartoon .
Despite what most say , the animation is horrible . The CG is primarily used for scrolling backgrounds when the characters run . Its more of a lazy trick than an actual attempt to do something worthwhile .
If you have morals or a weak stomach ( both of which I lack ) than steer clear of this train wreck regardless . It has everything from rape , to gory deaths , to very questionable ethics . If these things disturb you , don't say I did not warn you . It doesn't bother more so than infuriate me with the way they use these shock tools . An example is the main character . All he thinks about is getting laid . Its entertaining once or twice to throw that in there . Its funny ! But the protagonist literally eats sleeps and breaths this obsession . Its sad to watch . No one , I mean no one acts like that . Nice try to spice it up team Gantz . I'm not buying it .
Speaking of which , neither should you . I give this the lowest rating I have ever given anything . At least the opening song is catchy . . .
012 4 I don't think a series has ever made me feel as disturbed as Gantz has . Still , that's what makes the show compelling .
A bunch of people are gathered together to fight aliens by a black orb . That's pretty much the shortest synopsis I can give without giving away parts of the story . I'll just say this , the plot is original .
The actual anime is very well done . The animation is top notch . What really marks the series though is it's characters . Sure , some of them are stereotypical . For the most part though , they are interesting . Kei is obsessed with sex , which is funny . Still , there are so many instances where he steps up . I think the end of episode 6 is perfectly done , as the animation and music coincide perfectly . Also , we get a glimpse of how the characters are evolving . What's more interesting is the way in which new characters are brought in . In episode 7 , we are introduced to many characters . They are introduced through their interactions around Kei , but they aren't in direct contact with Kei . Somehow , the creators of the show were able to introduce so many characters and still have them be relevant to the show . That takes talent .
I wouldn't say everything about Gantz is perfect , but so many things are great about it . From the animation , to the plot , to the music , there is alot to like .
013 4 Well , I have to say , this definately had it's good points and definately bad points .
First of all , the first season came without the first volume , which upset me very much . But when I started watching the second I could tell that I didn't miss much anyway . They started off very slow and there was nothing but screaming and confusion . No one knew what to do except Nishi , a sixth grader who committed suicide and ended up in the room with Gantz and other dead people .
The story . Gantz is a black sphere with a comatose guy in it who picks certain people who have died and copies them and brings them into an invisible world where they have to play a deadly game and defeat various alien foes . When they are in the game they have an hour to accomplish this . Kurono and his friend Kato were taken after they tried to save a bum from an oncoming train and paid with their lives . Kishimoto is a vuluptuous virgin vixen who tries to commit suicide because her mother has no faith in her abilities to go to school . There are others but , well , you'll see .
There is a lot of dialog and indecisiveness amongst the characters when they first start the game and most of the time they just stand there with their mouths open and wondering what to do . The thing that igged me was how slow they caught on . There is not much of a fight going on until the end of the season .
I purchased both seasons and in the second season . . . well I won't spoil it too much , but , I can tell you there is more action ( sexual included ) and more surprises .
One thing though make sure when you purchase anything from here check it and makesure you're not missing any disks or get repeated disks , as in my case . I got two volume threes and no volume one , I was really mad . Enjoy !
014 4 In GANTZ , several individuals from various walks of life , who have each met with an untimely demise , find themselves resurrected in a Tokyo apartment that is empty except for a mysterious large black sphere . As they are trying to sort out their confusion , the sphere opens , revealing combat suits and advanced weaponry . They are then transported to a kind of twilight Tokyo where they cannot be seen ( though their physical effects can be felt ) and instructed to kill a series of increasingly bizarre and deadly aliens which exist in the city .
The story primarily revolves around three characters : Kei and Kato , two schoolmates who are run down by a subway train after they save a homeless man from the same fate , and a young woman named Kei as well , a suicide . Also important to the earlier missions is Nishi , a veteran of the games who lords his experience over the others , but is willing to share information when it suits him .
This series is paced very badly and it really suffers for it . There is an extraordinary amount of padding , so much that I estimate it could have been told in half as many episodes if it was laid out better . There are far too many scenes where characters stand around arguing , delivering the same dialogue back and forth endlessly . When battles are in progress , too , characters often do nothing , and this inaction results in the needless deaths of many team members . There is no character development going on in these scenes . It's pointless and extremely frustrating .
If I hadn't been so curious to find out what Gantz was and why it was doing all this , I likely would have quit after the first couple volumes . As it turns out , neither we nor the players ever learn any more about their situation than they knew in the beginning . After putting us through twenty-some episodes , that's unforgivable . It's sad to see such an interesting idea executed so poorly . Visually the show looks quite nice . It just goes nowhere .
015 4 When I was thinking that a great part of the animes were looking similar , I watched this one with no great expectations . I got surprised with the realism of the characters ' actions . OK the history is NOT the most incredible that I've seen in my life but that's not the point . I love the strong language , bloody violence , thats the way the characters show their feelings in the worst situations .
016 4 Not top rated but fun to watch . The plot is a bit weak . The art is excellent . Dubbing is well done . Lots of humor , action , blood and gratuitous nudity with some silly sexual inuendo . Just what you would expect with the 16 year old school boy , hero who seems to be a bit preoccupied with the wrong problem ; he is dead ! But that doesn't seem to faze him one bit . I'm going to have to buy season 2 . It's that funny .
The only problem is that there are only two episodes per disk and it seemed I was always getting up to put the next disk in . I ended up watching the whole thing in one sitting .
Don't pay retail for this one but do get it for the discounted price from one of the Top Sellers and you won't be disappointed .
017 4 Really people , 5 stars ? While the plot of Gantz seems like it would make a great series , what was achieved in two seasons could have been done in two DVDs . I kept wanting to yell at the TV , GET ON WITH IT ! I wanted to know more about the characters and I wanted to see how they would overcome this strange situation they were thrust into and I wanted to see more monsters . But alas , all I got was DBZ feeling fights going on for many episodes and endlessly whining characters .
The art in Gantz is beautiful . The concept is so cool . The characters are rich and feeling . It just takes too long to get to the point and then leaves you empty with a confusing ending and bad plot holes .
Definatly NOT 5 stars .
018 4 First the good -
1 ) Action . Lots of it .
2 ) It keeps your attention and can be unpredictable at times . A good story , good voice acting and did I mention action ?
3 ) There is some nice animation here . You can tell the production values were pretty high for this series .
4 ) What's it about ? Well , that's a tough one . There is this big black metal ball in this empty room that teleports the recently dead to it . They are alive and have to kill aliens or be killed . The ball provides a protective costume and a gun to each , if they can figure it out and don't kill each other , they get to go back and live again for a while . Until the next time Gantz ( the ball ) calls them
Oh , also there is someone inside Gantz . Which leads to . . . .
The Bad
1 ) Lots of unanswered questions . WAY too many . I mean , sure , I like a good mystery and I don't want Everything neat and answered , but questions keep popping up and are just left there . Where did Gantz come from ? Why is it doing this ?
Anyway , it is worth watching . The gore content is a bit high , btw . So it is not for those who are squemish . Perhaps there will be an OVA follow up in thwe future ?
019 4 Gantz is a very violent anime that aired on Japanese television only after SERIOUS editing . Gantz follows the story of Kei , a young student who somehow finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time . His long-lost friend , Kato , shows up in the subway where Kei is also waiting for a train , just in time to see a homeless man fall onto the tracks below . Being the kind soul that Kato is , he runs to the man's aid , and after spotting Kei on the platform , calls for his help as well . Peer pressure wins and Kei too joins the struggle . After saving the man , they are stuck on the tracks as a passing train comes barreling down the tracks at them . In a battle of legs versus wheels , it is obvious who wins , and the oncoming train almost instantly decapitates Kei and Kato .
At the very brink of death , Kei's last thoughts are why me ? which eventually leads to this is the way it's gotta be , as he see himself falling to the ground below . At the last possible instant , the machine known only as Gantz rescues Kei and Kato and places them in a room with other survivors . A countdown shows up on the large black globe known as Gantz , and the game begins . Kill or be killed . . . the once hunted has become the hunter , and Kei and Kato find themselves surrounded by bloodthirsty monsters that would love nothing more than to make them their next meal .
The bloodshed is enormous , the bodies are piling up , and behind it all is Gantz . While stuck in a purgatory state , Kei and Kato realize that they are neither truly alive nor truly dead . Live through the game and you are free to go , until the next round begins . Fail at the game , and you will face a fate worse than death .
Filled with LOTS of internal monologues on the part of Kei , Gantz is a series that allows for incredible character development . In the space between heaven and hell , Kei must fight his own demons as well as those that he is battling against . Loyalty and hormones come into question , and the battles continue as more survivors enter the mix .
Cursing and nudity are littered everywhere in this series , but it does nothing to take away from its quality . Gantz is definitely not something for the kiddies , but it is a great series for the anime junkie in all of us . Season two was recently released , so let the games continue . . .
020 4 Gantz is a purgatory-themed story that is based on a popular comic book in Japan . When people die in this anime world , they are dematerialized right before the impact of their death and their soul ( or a copy of their original form ) have the option to fight to perhaps rejoin the living and / or start anew . Unlike the supernatural supposition that is posed in the Haibane Renmei series , Gantz is a high tech machine sphere that assigns the group of the near - or newly dead on nasty alien extermination missions . The central characters of season one are of high school age and all manner of dysfunction are seen in their interactions with their classmates , family & relatives , and everyone else around them . What is different about this is the viewer gets an insight into what everyone in the room is thinking as though they were thinking aloud . The character , Kei , who has the best chance of beating whatever game Gantz is playing had been obliterated in a mostly graphic , gory way by an express train after helping a homeless drunk get off the rail tracks .
In the missions , characters can still die a most horrible death ( again ) , but if they manage to be even barely alive , Gantz will stitch them back as a whole person when it transports them from the mission area . So even if Kei were to gain the 100 mission points to salvation , it might just be all for nothing and perhaps that'll be explained in season 2 . There story gives glimpses into character personalities of those who have attempted suicide and failed , attempted suicide and succeeded , those who didn't make much of their lives and didn't expect to die so soon , etc . , and how these characters react to other people after the fact that they're pretty much dead and stuck in some alternate universe that no one really understands or cares to understand . The series poses interesting What if ? scenarios . Overall , the art was decent and the first person character perspective reminded me a lot of the Ghost Master pc game .
Violence : * * * * *
Character Development : * * *
Story : * * *
Art : * * * *
Music : N / A
Genre : Science Fiction
021 4 . . . But I love it . It's an odd story that grew on me . It's definitely one of the kinds of anime that you either love or hate . The ideas behind it is that Gantz has ' saved ' people from the second before death to hunt aliens . Gantz is a large black orb that has a man inside of it . The main people are a bunch of teenagers . One guy thinks almost solely about females . The other guy doesn't want to kill anyone and tries to save the 1st alien they come across . The last is a girl who hides a lot behind the 2nd guy . Even in the first season there is some growth in the characters . They think about what's important and what they are willing to do to save it . I even like ' dog ' , a mutt that has been ' saved ' by Gantz as well . The dog has zero points , but they need 100 points to be ' free ' . What they mean by free , is yet to be seen . It could be a cruel joke and free means that Gantz let you finally die . . . I'm going to pick up the next season : )
023 4 When I first found this boxed set at the store I was intrigued . I went out and did a lot of research , including using this site , to decide whether it was worth my time and money . Sadly , it was not worth either .
As stories go , Gantz has a good one . People being ' saved ' from death by a mysterious orb and then being forced to fight to live one more day is a compelling plot . The initial characters even have great backgrounds that run from self-absorbed loner to do-gooder .
The problems with Gantz start to come out once the characters have all been killed . The main character becomes a horny , whiner who's only motivation is to sleep with the girl with a larger then life chest . The girl spends all her time worrying about the do-gooder and the do-gooder is too obsessed with keeping everyone alive , and he gets people killed by doing nothing .
You've now been told bascially all of the character development you will find in this series . What you're really after is the fight sequences . Unfortunately , these boil down to the characters spending half their time arguing and the other half whining about not wanting to die . In the end you have a gun fight lasting multiple episodes , helped by the fact that the first 2 minutes of every episode is a rehash of the end of the previous one . Characters die in mere seconds and then the survivors spend up to 5 minutes staring in shock and saying ' this can't be happening ! '
The English voices of the characters are passable , except the main one . His whiny attitude is enhanced by a squeaky , childish voice . The art is very well done , the computer generated sequences aren't overbearing , and the music is unobtrusive .
Overall , the show is quite beautiful to watch except that the story falls very short . This entire series ( season 1 and 2 ) could've easily been compressed into a 2 hour film , and it would've been much easier to stomach .
Lastly , there are some major warnings here to anyone considering letting kids watch this with them . There are multiple sex scenes , all involving the underage ( he is 16 ) main character and other underage characters . There is also quite a bit of very graphic violence , including decapitations , dismemberment and the like . If you're into this type of thing and don't mind blowing money on a weak storyline that drags on and on , then by all means , please buy this today .
024 4 The most frustrating aspect of this series is when you're yelling at the screen for the fools to get on with their task . . . and you will do this for EVERY episode . The characters do a lot of standing around talking and , depending on whether the plot requires it or not , the villains will either patiently wait for them to finish , or take advantage of the inaction and kill someone .
While on missions , none of the characters react to their particular situations in a manner that is even imaginably believable . Yet , when they are returned to their normal lives , the story shifts to an endearingly humanistic spectrum . It is during these times that the writing is the best . Still , the mystery of Gantz is suppose to be the most compelling , but sadly , the writing in these areas just falls apart .
Aside from all that , the artwork is top-notch and the action , as rare as it may be , is pretty good .
025 4 Ever since I first heard about Ganz , I was intrigued by the concept - - the survival / contest / violence elements made me wonder if it was anything like one of my all-time favorite mangas , Battle Royale . I watched the first episode on youtube and was so appalled by one particular scene that I decided not to watch the series at that time .
This paragraph contains spoilers for the first episode . The scene that horrified me was the attempted rape of the main female character . Now let me just say that I watch a lot of horror and exploitation film and I have a pretty strong stomach . I actually love rape / revenge films like I Spit on Your Grave and Ms . 45 . It's the * revenge * I love ! Anyway , the Yakuza thug trying to rape this girl isn't what bothered me . The fact that no one tried to help her isn't what bothered me ( well , it bothers me , but I actually thought it was fascinatingly realistic ) . What bothered me is that 1 ) she didn't fight back at all ( nor does she ever fight back when an annoying dog tries to lick her naked crotch ) and 2 ) when the moralistic character * finally * screws his balls on and saves her , he tosses her his jacket and says put this on so * I * don't rape you . For some reason this just pissed me off to no end , and I decided not to watch the show .
. . . But something about it stuck with me . I really found myself wondering what happened . The premise of the show is just so good . . . and I was actually interested in how utterly despicable all the characters seemed . To make a long story short ( I know , too late ) , when I saw seasons 1 and 2 packaged together at Best Buy for a mere $30 , I caved and bought it .
I am so glad I did . Although I'm still really bothered by that episode 1 rape scene , this is one of the most compelling animes I've ever seen . The reason it's so good is , perversely , the same reason why I was so bothered by it in the first place : it's a disturbing show . It's one of the most cynical and pessimistic views of humanity I've encountered outside of a Bret Easton Ellis novel . But it constantly made me think and kept me on the edge of my couch ( I literally kept jumping so high that my cat would fall off my lap ) .
Two suggestions if you're thinking about watching this 1 ) don't judge the series by the first episode ( especially if you're a female viewer like me ) , and 2 ) watch it in Japanese . I switched to English in episode 4 just to see how the voice acting was , and Kei's ( the main male character ) voice was so awful and I switched back immediately . There is no way I could have gotten through the series with that voice !
More good things : The opening song is really great . There are some seriously scary moments , especially in the last two episodes ( of season 1 , all I've watched so far ) and some outstanding gore ! The characters kept me guessing - - I don't want to give away any major plot points , but I was really surprised by some of the developments . It's great to see a show where there are no heroes and no villains . There are only people who are utter and total cowards , who are just trying to get by , get laid , and live one more day . The utterly bizarre alien / machine Gantz they're up against is an apt symbolic representation of the utterly inexplicable , chaotic , and probably malevolent forces that rule our lives ; in this regard , it was , like the manga of Junji Ito , very similar to the universe described by H.P . Lovecraft . This does remind me of Battle Royale in its violent and clever reality show premise . However , it lacks the moral center provided by Shuya and Noriko in BR - - and , for me , that was actually what made this such a fascinating show .
A couple of bad things : Closing credits music sucks ( and doesn't fit the tone of the show ) . The ultra-weak , giant-breasted female lead was pretty annoying . But - - and again I'm talking mostly to fellow female otaku - - just stick with it . Stuff happens at the end that makes it worth the wait !
I can't wait to see what season 2 has in store . . . and then I'll no doubt move on to the manga .
028 4 After hearing a lot of good things about this anime I decided to give it a shot . I must say after watching all the episodes , I was mildly impressed . Animation is top notch , pretty darn good if say so myself , but that script . . man . . . horrible . It almost seems as if a little kid wrote the script and gave to some adults . . . not impressed there , voice acting was bearable in Japanese , but in English ! Do yourself a favor and watch it in Japanese with subs . . . you'd enjoy it more that way . . . Not raggin ' on the voice actors ( love Chris Patton btw ) but it seems the script they had to work with wasn't that much better than the Japanese ones . . in fact it's worse ! Story line was ok until the end . . . kind of disappointed they couldn't keep it more faithful to the manga . . . but since it was done way to early in the stages of the manga that's what I'd expect . Frankly I thought they should have waited and let it be a 50 something episode series , IMO it would have been a better series that way . . . BTW , this show is definitely not for kids . . there is LOTS of gore , violence , an act of rape ( that was thwarted of course ) , and softcore sex scenes . . . so yeah . . not for those faint of heart or younger than 16 , I'd say . . . in all it was an ok anime , the violence really stuck out . . . but other than that . . . eh 3.5
030 4 I would like to start off by saying that this anime is clearly not for any one that likes happy bunnies , and silly things that make you laugh . This is a very heart wrenching experince that will keep you on your toes with anticipation of the things to come . There is some nudity , but the nudity wasnt there just for kicks , it was there for charcter development . This is a very interesting anime worthy of checking out .
( Plus its alittle bit bloody )
031 4 Gantz is a real surprising gem . There are some pacing problems and maybe a bit slow for many viewers . There's long philosophical debates that elongate fight scenes . However , if you can make it to the end it's an amazing story that is well thought out ( even though the ending of the series leaves much to be desired - apparently the manga has not ended so I'm curious if the anime will be extended ) .
The animation is extremely graphic in violence and has nudity so it's definitely designed for adults ( 18 + ) though the main charaacters are in high school . Which is a little weird because there's a bit of perverse / immature scenarios that would be more intended for a younger audience - so the tone doesn't quite match . However , that's not the main core of the series . It deals with some powerful and important themes - standing up for yourself , fighting for what you believe in , and self discovery .
If you want something that is a non-stop ride , do not get this . If you want something deeper , meditative and can wait for a longer resolution , this may interest you . If you liked Blood the Last Vampire anime - you'll dig this . The action is pretty cool and the character design is awesome .
032 4 Director Ichiro Itano presents a hellish vision of the afterlife in the brutal horror anime series GANTZ . High school student Kei and his childhood friend Kato are helping a hobo who has fallen onto the subway tracks when they are run over and violently decapitated by an oncoming train in a spectacularly grisly fashion . Transported to a strange post-death limbo , the pair find themselves in a barren room overlooking Tokyo with a motley group of strangers - - including two hotheaded gangsters and a naked young girl , whom they immediately try to rape - - as well as a mysterious black sphere known as Gantz . Kei and Kato soon discover that they and the room's occupants are all dead and have been brought there by Gantz as part of a secret government plot to kill criminal aliens that roam the earth - - and that if they refuse their deadly missions , they face a fate even worse than death . Moody , stylish , and animated with veritable buckets of crimson blood , GANTZ plays like a twisted hybrid of YU YU HAKUSHO and LA FEMME NIKITA , with graphic violence and nudity DEEMED TOO GRAPHIC to be aired on Japanese television without major edits and re-cropping . Produced by the team behind CHRONO CRUSADE and PEACEMAKER .
This is not for the faint of heart or those who are easily bothered by graphic depictions of gory death and dismemberment . Definitely NOT for children . That said , it's well done and does have a strong moral message about being selfish and self absorbed .
022 4 These anime series is a waste of time and energy . Truthfully , the first two episodes was intriguing . But then it look as if the writers lost the plot and it was just a load of nonsense , in which there was no answer in the end . I am so suprise that some reviewers gave it 5 stars . Are you kidding me or what ?
Trust me it is the worst anime I have ever seen in my life , I thought NOIR was rubbish , but it made NOIR look like the best anime I have ever seen
TRUST ME DO NOT WATCH GANTZ YOU WILL REGRET IT
SCORE - 100 / 100
026 4 THIS WAS AN SATISFACTORY AND VERY THRILLING MOVIE . I DIDN'T EXPECT MANY THINGS TO HAPPEN . IT HAD ME OFF THE EDGE OF MY SEAT EVERY SINGLE MOMENT . MUSIC AND ART WERE REALLY GOOD . I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOX SET TO ANYONE WHO LOVES THRILLING ANIME'S WITH VIOLENCE AND GORE . FIGHTING AND THE STORYLINE WERE OUTSTANDING . THE ONLY FAULT WAS THE RUN TIME . IT SEEMED A LITTLE SHORT TO BE A SERIES . BUT OVERALL IT WAS GREAT .
