Gun x Sword

Imperial · Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:30 pm

I began watching this show recently, and I have to wonder how it's managed to stay under the radar.

It has top notch animation, striking character and mecha designs, great music, engaging characters, a quirky sense of humor, and just about anything else you could ask for from the genre. I'm stunned I don't see it praised more often.

Granted, I haven't finished it just yet, so maybe it has an awful ending that negates all of the wonderful things I've seen so far. However, that seems unlikely, given how strong the writing has been so far. I'm paticularly impressed by how the writers were able to take what could have been filler material, and work it into the greater tapestry of the show, be it in the data log Carmen obtained way back when or the cheap swimsuit episode actually having relevance in Fasalina's dealings with the queen. Even the episode with the stupid pair of love birds wound up being something, as it ended with the revelation they had been closer to their goals than they first thought.

Yes, I'm being a fanboy, but it's hard not to be when I'm watching a show like this. Am I alone in thinking it's a fantastic series?

Sume Gai · Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:02 pm

I just recently saw this one.

the ending was (IMHO) pretty solid

I was hooked after episode 3 (ElDura Sol)

a very good series from Geneon with a strong dub to boot

OutLawSuit · Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:09 am

Been a while since I've seen it but the thing I remember about it was that the first half of the series was great, after the midway point things started going down hill. When all is said and done I'd rate it above average. If the second half was more like the first, it'd probably end up being a more memorable anime.

V2 · Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:13 am

pretty great series.

i'd recommend this to everyone.

Recon 5 · Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:00 am

OutLawSuit wrote:Been a while since I've seen it but the thing I remember about it was that the first half of the series was great, after the midway point things started going down hill.

You mean it began going downhill after it stopped being a widget series and focused on its main plot? I don't really agree with you if thats what you meant, but I can see where you are coming from. "MUST KILL CLAW MAN" isn't exactly the most complex and engaging of stories even with all the additional things they stuck on.

yinle · Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:58 am

But overall it's still a worth watching anime.

Ascension · Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:53 pm

It takes a while to warm up to Van, but it is a really fun series. I enjoyed the ending myself, especially since almost everybody the protagonists helped throughout the series ends up showing up to help in the last episodes. The Eldora Soul folks never stop being hilarious, either.

It's not a perfect series by any means, but I think it takes a lot of undeserved flak. Sure a great number of things don't make sense, but it's just plain fun.

I personally found out about it through TV Tropes when I noticed it kept getting cited as a source of cool things. It doesn't disappoint.

If you need any more recommendation, I'll say this: Thanks to this show, every now and then I feel the urge to walk outside and shout "WAKE UP, DANN!" for no apparent reason. Any show that makes me want to shout things at random is a good show.

Recon 5 · Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:04 am

Ascension wrote:Any show that makes me want to shout things at random is a good show.

And do you have the urge to shout "MANLY IGNITION!!!" every now and then, too?

Ascension · Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:42 am

Recon 5 wrote:And do you have the urge to shout "MANLY IGNITION!!!" every now and then, too?

I get the urge to shout a lot of things. While I love Ash Like Snow, the main reason I'm glad 00 changed OPs is so that I'd stop singing "My wishes over your airspaaaaaaace" in a high-pitched voice at incredibly inappropriate moments. Daybreak Bell ruined my life.

X10A-Freedom · Thu May 01, 2008 1:15 pm

Its definatly a awesome series with a good ending and great VAs. I was just talking with someone about why it isn't more popular and they brought up the point that it's about a guy looking for revenge a girl looking for her brother traveling with the guy and theres giant robots. It sounds like a OK anime thats not that original. But those who have seen it know differently. After watching this did anyone else get the erg to put every condiment they had on there food even though you knew it would be awful?

Imperial · Thu May 01, 2008 1:52 pm

I actually find that aspect has enhanced the show for me.

It stars out rather generic, with a lot of things we've seen before time and time again. But what sets Gun x Sword apart is how it takes all those familiar elements and spins them into something novel and entertaining.

I can understand why people might drop the show in the first dozen episodes, but once it hits episode 13, everything comes together and you realize it hasn't been so trivial. Even Van, who seems fairly straightforward with his vengeance bent, wound up getting a lot of development in episode 15, where he displayed very human fears and doubts. The whole show is a fantastic bait-and-switch.

Randall Miyashiro · Thu May 01, 2008 10:01 pm

I rarely enjoy super robot series so I was presently surprised by Gun X Sword. Most SR shows feel a bit juvenile and monster of the week. Gun X Sword did a nice job covering all the different eras of SR. I love how those old guys pilot the gattai mecha which is a nice contrast to Dan. I wish there were more "cool" super robot series out there.