Gantz  Recommended
Publisher
ADV / MVM
Production
GONZO
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes / 25 minutes
Year
2005
Gantz Volume 2: Aftershocks
By otaku_kei
4th Feb 06  The game returns for another four episodes - but just what does Gantz have in store for us this time around? After the brutal hunt for the Green Onion Aliens in the last volume that saw only a handful of gamers survive - how have their lives been effected by this game? As the survivors have to come to terms with their actions from the last game will those same actions come back to haunt them in the 'real' world! But with all the controversy surrounding this show just how graphic and depraved is it? Well if Volume 1 was all about mindless violence and large breasts, this second volume is slightly more cerebral but still gives a fair share of its time over to big tits! When Kurono returns home he finds his life exactly as he left it - a lonely apartment and an alienated life! Trying to fit back into school or at hom,e is a real struggle as he finds so much of his waking life now tainted by the knowledge of Gantz! Kurono's life is further disrupted by the arrival of Kishimoto who is fleeing the remnants of her shattered life! Her existence is called into question when she finds out that her original body was found just before death and has survived, meaning that the woman running around in Gantz is nothing more than a facsimile! Kato is also experiencing difficulty in reintegrating back into his life. His desire to look after his little brother and protect him from their abusive aunt are overwhelming, but these wants are darkened by the knowledge of Gantz and how fickle it could be before he is snatched from his brother. This show thrives on its internal monologues for these main characters, monologues that present these characters as all too human. Kurono is obsessing over his own mortality as well as his desire to lose his virginity before he dies. His thoughts make him anything but a respectable hero to be admired, but also makes this character very real. The close of this volume also brings a new mission from Gantz and with it a whole new host of characters who I am sure will have troubles surviving! Nishi and all his snide comments also make a return as he mocks all of those who have no idea just what Gantz has in store for them. The action does not start in this volume, but it is a nice set-up into the gratuitous violence that is sure to occur in the next volume. I found this volume a much better experience than the previous effort as it gave a depth to characters that had so far lacked any. The gore-hounds amongst you may find yourselves bored with the lack of violence and blood, but the psychological repercussions from the first mission make for an intriguing addition to this show. The main achievement of these episodes was to make the audience actually connect with the central trio of characters and make us care about their fates. Hopefully this improvement will be carried across into the rest of this series.
R2 DVD Notes
Features: English Language 5.1; Japanese Language 2.0; English Language Subtitles; Textless Opening & Closing; Japanese Cast Talk Show #1 & #2; MVM Trailers
Release information: OUT NOW
Notes: Not really much to say about this release. The quality of the audio and visuals are what you would expect from such a recent release. The extras are nothing I would really bother with personally. Generally this release shows once again how MVM are releasing premium shows packaged very nicely.
-- otaku_kei 4th Feb 06
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