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Summary: Gungrave, best tittle of its genre.
Review: Brandon and Harry are best friends since the times they were in the orphanage. But after seeing the tragic dead of their friends they decide to change their way of living. Harry wants to rise to the top, and from above watch everything he has accomplished. Brandon wants to be close to Maria, his girlfriend, who after her dad's dead was taken in by her father's old friend, Big Daddy, the boss of Millenium. Millenium is the mafia that controls the city. In order for Harry to rise to the top he needs to enter that Mafia and form part of the ring of friends of Big Daddy ("the family"). Harry wants Brandon to come with him, after all they are duo. Brandon accepts, but only because in that way, he'll be able to see Maria.
Both are facing to the sky, running towards the top, chasing their dreams. But in Millenium there is only one rule, it's called the Iron Law, "To protect is to never betray", whoever fails to follow that rule, will be considered a traitor and consequently eliminated. Gungrave is definitely the best tittle of its genre, forget about Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Noir (this latter one is my favorite anime by the way), none of the them can rival the excellent storyline, the amazing characterization and the blending of both. Don't be fooled by the guy on the cover of the first dvd, "Beyond the Grave", he only appears in the first episode, and doesn't come back till the second half of the series. And don't worry about the first episode sucking really bad. Because the people who have already watched this anime will agree with me, that this first episode is one of the worst in anime history, but also, don't worry, that episode is only a brief and bad introduction to what will happen later in the series, the same episode is remade in the second half of the series, and that time is done well. From episode two and on is when the story begins. Two young punks experiencing the hardships of living in a tough city with no one to support them, they can only steal and sell what they rob in order to live. But that's to change when they decide to enter the local Mafia, Millenium.
The story is like no other, and the character development is superbly done. This you won't regret buying. A real action-drama with a small sci-fi twist, great animation, and an excellent soundtrack.
From the creator of Trigun, an anime with the feeling of Berserk, the style of Noir, and the looks of Cowboy Bebop. I highly reccomend it.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Anime!
Review: Buy this. This anime sucks you in and will leave you glued to the screen from start to finish. Its a sad tale about friendship, betrayal, and revenge. for those familiar with Cowboy Bebop I'd say it reminds me of what Spike and Vicious's backstory would have been like. Its very dark, very thought provoking and moving. Its a mafia/sci-fi story about two childhood friends who join the mob, one to protect the one he cares for, and the other so that he can be free and raise himself up out of the gutter. Decisions each of them make lead to good times but also to actions they regret. A definate must see!
Rating: 
Summary: well it's good and bad
Review: first off i hate this whole empty box with 1 dvd idea and the pricing is stupid....
this is one series that might actually sound better in english...
the story sems to take place in the future and everything is pretty much westernized, but all their mannerisms r extremely japanese... the first episode is completely boring and does not spark any interest for me to continue watchin... but i did... thru the flashbacks, the story gets to take on a lot of depth, it follows the lives of these characters thru decades... and it was very surprisingly good, the character and plot development... but since this series is based off a videogame, a lot of its depth and thoughtfulness is undercut by fights that seems completely ridiculous and videogame like... overall it's nicely done series...
but i hate the outrageous prices of the american licensed anime dvds
Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Animes of All Time
Review: Gungrave is, without a doubt, one of the best animes I have ever seen. It rivals Cowboy Bebop in complexity and gunplay, if you're into that sort of thing.
Gungrave centers around Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowel, best friends who live aimlessly on the street, doing whatever they can just to get by. But after they pick a fight with the brother of a newly made Mafioso, they find themselves fleeing for their lives. This leads them on a path to joining the syndicate known as Millenion, and here is where the story really begins.
The first episode might put you off, but after you watch the second episode you'll know that this series is something special. The first episode is, rather, a look forward in the series.
There is a Gungrave video game, but this anime is not based on that. Rather, it is its own, rich story which has many differences from the game, and has its own flavor.
The Trigun animation style is clearly evident, but the story far eclipses that of Trigun in story depth, and the music is also well done.
All anime fans, new and old alike, should see this series. Gungrave is one of those shows that only comes once in a while, and truly brings something special to the table.
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Summary: Stylish, moody, and explosive! Makes you want more!
Review: I didn't know what to think when I saw this on the shelves of my dvd store. I loved Trigun with every fiber of my being and I knew from my experience with videogames that Gungrave was made by Yasuhiro Nightow, the creater of the revered Trigun. Well I bought the box set, just because that's the only way I could find it. Anyway I heard that the game was known for lots of style, lots of action, and lots of shallowness.
I was pleasently surprised. I'm not one to like tooooo much action, and story is almost everything to me as long as it's not boring. The first episode started with a near perfect mix of story and action! From introducing Grave to showing his companions and the city they were in, I was drawn in. I was a little aggitated by his lack of speech, but then I remembered not only is he dead, but in some rpg's I've played, the main character didn't speak and it didn't bother me.
Well that episode was beautiful and interesting to me at least... The next episodes took me by surprise. It was all about Bradon (Grave) and his friends as they struggle to survive in a town where death is common and breaking the law is no longer considered "bad". This story makes you emotionally involved in the still quiet Brandon and his gang friends.
Unfortunately, this is where it ends. I would have liked more Beyond the Grave action and story parts, but hopefully the next one has. I'm very excited for the next one!
The bottom line is, if you like a gritty dark story of betrayal and redemption (sounds familiar, doesn't it?) you will enjoy this. No more goofiness like Trigun, but it's still good in it's own right. Check it out on your own!
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Summary: Anime Paydirt!
Review: I have been waiting a very long time to get my hands on this series and it was worth every minute of the wait time! A tale of loyalty, trust, and the ultimate betrayal, Gungrave is a seriously driven character story with enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat. In the opening episode, Beyond the Grave awakens to seriously kick the ass of a multitude of undead creatures. From his stylish attire to his awesome display of firepower, Grave is the type of guy who shoots first and makes damn sure no one is left to answer any questions. Grave makes Vash the Stampede look like a rank amateur when it comes down to serious gunplay. Later in the volume, we meet Brandon and Harry, a couple of young street punks trying to make it along with their small gang on the tough streets of their town. Through a series of fights and shoot-outs with the local crime boss and rival gangs, we see Harry and Brandon as they step into the world of organized crime. I would almost say that this tale would be akin to a cross between Hellsing and Trigun, only much better. Grab your guns and extra ammo, kiddies. It looks like Gungrave will be a hell of a ride. P.S. As a parent, I would NOT recommend this for younger children. The anime is rated for 16 and up. There are sexual innuendoes, brief nudity, and graphic violence. Purchase this based on your child's maturity level. (I let my 12 and 13 year old watch this and they are still raving about how good the story is!)
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Summary: The BEST anime EVER
Review: i saw some fan sub-titled episodes of this anime. Its realy the best one i ever saw. this is the first review i ever write cuase it realy deserve it. i wont say anithing about the story (you must see it your self) but it has a real solid one that will make u go insane and cant wait for the next episode (26 in total), sadly we will have to wait so long for there releases. but it is really worth it.
Rating: 
Summary: The quality of the anime in the game is better. Much better.
Review: I was psyched for Gungrave, largely because I really enjoyed the anime segments of the videogame. The character design and atmosphere was phenomenal, and despite there being less than twenty minutes of total anime sequences in the game, it was obvious that this could have been translated into a stunning miniseries.
Imagine my surprise when this first disc fell flat on its face.
Where to begin? The writing is completely overwrought, and so melodramatic it removes any potential that one might actually relate to the characters. Brandon Heat is nearly mute, to the point where it becomes quite irritating. The visual style is different than the game, which though obviously for technical reasons, is inferior in every way.
The first episode is the only episode where the character is "Beyond the Grave" - the unstoppable main character of the videogame. In the remaining three episodes, it tells his origin, as an aimless street punk named Brandon. The problem with this is that Brandon is a nearly mute yutz. He can apparently fight well enough, but beyond that there's no reason to care about him, or his other stereotypical friends.
The main problem with the anime is that the game was fundamentally about style. Whether it was the main character striking a pose, or wading through your enemies with unlimited ammo, Gungrave made its mark because it had a unique style. The anime is completely devoid of anything even remotely approaching the quality of the anime contained in the game. If you want a Gungrave anime series, I'd suggest you play the game, then imagine what *you* would do with an anime series based on the same subject matter. I have no doubt that whatever you're thinking, it's better than what's on this disc.
Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Grave
Review: I wasn't sure what to expect with Gungrave. Anime made from video games is notorious for having less than engaging plot lines. Yet I was pleasantly surprised by Gungrave, a video game adaption that works as an anime very well.
The action starts in the middle, with a massive gunman in a cowboy hat and gothic wardrobe coming to life and wiping out creatures attacking him and a young woman and scientist living in a van. The scientist tells the young woman, Mika, to refer to the man as Beyond the Grave since he is no longer the person he was in life, Brandon Heat, a man in love with Mika's mother long ago. Grave can clean up and apparently doesn't talk, though Brandon rarely talked either, so that's probably not all that odd. All this happens in the first episode, leaving the next three to be flashbacks of Brandon's younger days when he was best friends with Harry Macdowell, now the crime lord of the city, and when he was in love with Maria, who has been murdered apparently after Brandon himself was. It seems that Brandon was a Sweeper for the mob in his younger years, a person responsible for cleaning up the mafia's messes when needed. He is also referred to as being the best Sweeper there ever was, something the fashbacks haven't gotten to thus far.
Brandon and Grave, since they're one in the same, are good guys. They might fight to survive and be good at that, but they're kind people and very loyal and don't seem to be wild about the violence, at least Brandon doesn't since Grave seems to not have a care in the world about killing the bad guys. Brandon is the driving force of the series, it's his story, which is a little odd since he says all of six sentences in the entire four episodes. He's a man of very few words apparently. While the series is made to deal with Grave trying to save Mika, there is really little known about that plot line and more emphasis on Brandon as a young man leading to his betrayal by his best friend.
The series is great to look at, as should be expected from the creators of Trigun. Grave is an entirely new look for a main character, with the goth cowboy gear. The main problem is that Brandon *doesn't* talk, even when it seems he should. Other characters ask him questions and all he'll do is nod or look at them. Grave himself doesn't talk at all. We hear some internal monologue from the characters, but Brandon/Grave just doesn't talk except for a few isolated incedents, which makes you wonder how he every won over Maria, even though he obviously loves her and he's obviously handsome. There was also a very small amount of Grave, considering the series is called Gungrave. Hopefully the back story will be over soon and Grave will become the main character again.
Gungrave is a good series is spite of all that. It's interesting and Grave is a wonderfully unique character. It's possibly the best series based on a video game.
Rating:
Summary: Wow. If only the DVD was released before the game.
Review: If it had I think that the game, a game which I thought was vastly underated, would have sold a lot better than it did. Also in terms of the Amazon.com editor saying that the character of Beyond The Grave, or Brandon if you will, being too stoic, and uninteresting. Those who played game already knew that this particualar character is definantly no Vash the Stampede. He is a killing machine pure and simple, and while This DVD may have arrived to late to boost the last game I hope it will provide a nice lift for Gungrave OD.
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