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Gungrave (TV series)

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Gungrave (TV series)
File:Gungrave 01.jpg
GenreAction, Drama, Gangster, Sci-Fi, Supernatural
Anime
Directed byToshiyuki Tsuru
StudioMadhouse

Gungrave is an anime adaption of the third-person shooter video game created by Sega with original characters designed by Yasuhiro Nightow.

In 2003, an anime television series was created based on the Gungrave PlayStation 2 video game. The story expands on the universe created in the first game, and follows the lives of Brandon Heat (also known as "Beyond the Grave") and his friend Harry MacDowell as they rise through the ranks of the criminal organisation, "Millenion". The series involves many of the same characters, and seiyū (voice actors) found in the original game.

It was produced by anime studio Madhouse, and included many of the same staff involved with the game and creator Yasuhiro Nightow’s other notable series, Trigun.

The anime began broadcasting in Japan on October 6, 2003 on TV Tokyo and ended on March 29 2004, running for 26 episodes. In the U.S. it airs periodically on G4 and on Anime Unleashed, originally debuting in October 2004.

Plot overview

File:Gungrave screenshot12.jpg
The relentless and unforgiving hitman, Beyond the Grave.

The first half of the series (if one doesn’t count the first episode) explores the relationship of a young Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowell, fifteen years before the start of the original game. The primary story follows the pair, small-time criminals entering the big-league, a syndicate known as Millenion. The group emphasizes loyalty among its members, but Brandon and Harry’s strong relationship is disrupted by Harry’s lust for power. Secondary to the main story is that of the relationship between Brandon and his love interest, Maria. In these early episodes, Brandon struggles to decide who is more important to him; his true love, the Millennion organization, or his best friend. This course of events shows just how Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowell become ‘Beyond the Grave’ and “Bloody” Harry.

The second half of the series picks up fifteen years after Brandon's death, when he is revived by Dr. T to protect Maria's daughter Mika, and exact revenge on the Millenion Organization by stopping Harry's ambitions. This portion of the story follows the vein of the original game, and expands on characters and events to add to that story.

Template:Spoiler The ending seems to have taken a different, more emotional path than the game. Beyond the Grave (Brandon Heat's name after his resurrection) sets out to destroy Millennion's rotten apples. Like in the game, he kills plenty of Orgmen in the process, and also the 4 henchmen of Harry MacDowell. These are, in order, Bob Poundmax, Balladbird Lee, Bear Walken and Bunji Kugashira - all of who had been powered up by to Superiors. After losing his most trusted aides, Harry has fallen out of grace inside Millenion, and he is conspired against. Many attempts to kill him are undertaken, which ultimately kill the Overkills (Bear Walken's elite squad who stayed loyal to Harry) and his wife Sherry. At the very end, Harry meets a near-dead Brandon, and they both go to their old bar to reminisce. By now the usurpers have taken complete control of Millennion and have sent out troops to kill Harry. For reasons unbeknownst, Brandon fights off the Millennion goons to the very end to protect Harry. It is then hinted at that they both, mortally wounded, kill each-other. Template:Endspoiler

Episode List

Main Article: List of Gungrave Episodes

Following are the titles of the 26 episodes of Gungrave with the episodes preview monologue used after the credits of the previous episode (as used in the English language version).

(NB: In the case of Episode 1, the monologue used in the pre-title sequence is listed.)


1) 黄昏の破壊者 (Destroyer in the Dusk)

"Were we wrong? Did we make the wrong decision after all? I can’t seem to remember when things started to take a turn for the worse. In the end it turned out like this. Still…"

2) Young Dogs

"A city of destruction. A place where you live with death everyday. There’s no future there, no hope, and yet I was fine. Back then I had no problem with that."

3) Rain

"All of a sudden he was gone, leaving nothing but a vague memory. Now it's raining on places where there is no freedom. Raining endlessly, as if it will was our lives away."

4) Go

"The bells of Requiem are ringing. The bells of regret. The bells of sadness. And the ringing of those bells may be an indication of what the future holds for us all."

5) Millennion

"Millenion. The largest criminal organization in the city. Here, I can't live like normal people, but I've still got to find a way to survive because my friend, my dearest friend is here too."

6) Big Daddy

"Harry belonged to Millennion. Maria belonged to Millennion. Everyone important to me was a part of Millennion. So I had no choice but to fight, to protectect what was important, to protect the ones I loved."

7) 5 Years Later

"The man pulls the trigger in silence. A blight deadly flash takes another soul. Brandon Heat of millenion, the man they call the Sweeper."

8) Family

"You shall not betray your organization, your family. The penalty for betrayal is death - no exceptions. That's the rule. Iron-clad and unchangeable. That's Millennion."

9) Dispute

"The man appeared suddenly, blocking Brandon's path. The man stood in front of Millennion, baring his way. The man is Blood War - a man who summons bloody warfare."

10) Conflict

"Blood War and Cannon Vulcan will turn this city into a war-zone. They'll try to destroy everything in sight which Millennion can not allow. Which Brandon Heat will not alloy."

11) Heat

"Why do I belong to the organization? Why do I pull the trigger? Screaming as I face something inhuman, because this is Millennion, the Code of Iron."

12) Kind

"What have I attained in the last 3 years? Is it hope? Or is it regret? We run and run and keep on running, without ever stopping."

13) Betrayal

"She was looking for comfort. She was wishing for happiness. But I cannot respond to her needs, because what I want is on the other side."

14) Die

"We were best friends. We laughed together. We promised each other that we'd climb the ladder together. Harry MacDowell, I believed in you."

15) Harry

"Brandon Heat died - and a dark gritty wind swept over Millennion. His feelings smothered by the very air we breath. A sign of things to come."

16) Letter

"Dear Big Daddy - When you read this letter I will no longer exist in your world. But that was my choice. I have no regrets. No regrets."

17) Mika

"13 years is long enough to change peoples hearts. But there's one man who stopped time. He hasn't changed at all. He just keeps sleeping."

18) Grave

19) Superior

20) Brother

21) Duty

22) Remorse

23) Daughter

24) Last Bullet

25) Then

26) Twilight of Destruction

Trivia

  • The time and setting of the anime shifts through the use of flashbacks. Episodes one and seventeen through twenty six are considered the present and expand on the story of the first game. Episodes two through sixteen show Brandon and Harry's rise through the organization fifteen years in the past.
  • In episode 5, you can see strange ostrich like creatures being raced in a TV screen where Brandon is working. These are in fact Tomases, creatures ridden by Meryl and Millie in the early stages of Nightow’s previous series Trigun.
  • In the same sequence in episode 5 the names of the riders in the race are called out by commentators as "Michael Stampede" and "Black Chapel". This is likely another reference to the main characters in Trigun, Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood (who takes on the name Chapel in the Trigun Manga).
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