Review of Gun X Sword: Vol. 2 - Abandoned Past

Introduction

The first volume of `Gun X Sword` (with a silent, but prominent `X`) went some length to proving that a hodgepodge of anime styles and clichés, mixed in with a little post-`Firefly`/`Cowboy Bebop` space western cabbaging wasn`t something to be scoffed at. In amongst its sense of pleasant familiarity was a zany humour, likeable characters, sharp writing and a sparkling level of polish, meaning there was something appealing and enjoyable for even the most conversant fans of the various anime stylings; and boy are they legion.

Volume two pretty much ignores the semi-cliffhanger, or cliff-looker-overer, that brought the curtain down on volume one. Instead, it opens with Vash, sorry, Van and Wendy heading into a town that appears to be divided and at odds with one another. It`s here that we later learn the nature of the mysterious man who appeared on the doorstep of the clinic at the end of episode 4. At first he appears to be an enemy, but it later transpires that he and Van have a lot more in common than they first think. The volume also takes in a comedy episode where the pair are hunted down by an unlikely duo, a glum and moody trip to a lush tropical paradise, and a volume cap where new friends and old enemies appear to fight a enormous and powerful armour that has some correlation to the evasive, one-armed antagonist Claw.

Episodes:

5. Twin`s Guard
6. Light My Fire
7. The Vengeance Within
8. Bound by Blood

Video

A top-notch 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, probably the best you`ll see that doesn`t have the words `Ghost` or `Shell` in the title. Beautifully crisp and brilliantly hued with deeply saturated chroma and great contrast, `GXS` sports one of the brightest, most vivid colour palettes outside the works of Miyazaki. There`s a fleeting hint of aliasing now and again, but you have to try really hard to care. What may not be to everyone`s tastes is the choice of character design for Van, which is a sort of amalgam of traditional action anime design and the elongated, disproportionate characters that designer and director Masami Obari (`Virus Buster Serge`, `Fatal Fury`) likes to employ. But Van is the only main character to be drawn this way, if flashbacks of `Virus Buster Serge` and its overstated body models and gangly legs come crashing back to haunt you. All in all, `GXS` is a particularly stylish looking anime, particularly the anime-meets-James Bond opening credits, and the transfer is difficult to fault.

Audio

Your choices are three-fold when it comes to soundtracks. A native Japanese DTS 5.1 or Dolby Digital 2.0, and an English dub presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. The surround tracks are excellent. There`s sufficient directional implementation to remind you anime can do something special with 5.1 when it comes to travelling a soundstage, the dialogue is exceptionally clear through the centre, and both the DD and DTS really know how to work a sub-woofer with the show`s gamut of various explosions, thuds and crunches.

The English translation from Californian dub house New Generation Pictures is spot on, and for the first time in a long time succeeds in representing a teenage girl in anime without having her sound either inherently whiny and annoying or shy and reserved. Wendy`s dub is full of youthful exuberance and character, and although Van is a stock tough-guy-loner, all terse and laconic, his performance doesn`t sound samey or feel overly contrived. As the show is set on an Earth-like planet with English featuring exclusively in the signposting and in towns, the English track could be considered the lead track in this instance.

Features

Micro-series `Gun X Sword-san` reaches episodes 3 and 4, and it`s as violent, funny and self-knowing as the first two episodes. There`s then the usual assortment of small MVM extras; a Japanese trailer for the show, trailers for various O.S.T CDs, an art gallery and trailers for MVM fare `Ergo Proxy` and `Elemental Gelade`.

Conclusion

Volume two of `Gun X Sword` is just as much fun as its predecessor, as the mix of pastiche - both knowing and not so - and the action-packed stand alone episodes invariably deliver a sense of finely-tuned fun. There`s no doubt as to how much cribbing has been done from various sources, both anime and non-anime, but whether this is viewed a source of irritation, playful homage or neither of the above depends on the individual. The sense of humour abound throughout the show, the level of polish and some unique ideas of its own prove that Gorō Taniguchi wasn`t out for an easy ride when he came up with the intentions behind `GXS`.

The introduction of new character Ray is one of main elements to this set of episodes. Essentially Van`s dark self, his aims are identical to that of the show`s protagonist, yet the methods are completely different; Ray being the callous, devil may care, collateral damage type. His arrival gives the show a shot in the arm, with the single-minded yet dangerously ambiguous character acting as a more pressing villain than the One-Clawed Man, whose presence is always in the distance as more of a destination than part of the journey. Speaking of which, there is a feeling of progress in our heroes` travels this volume despite the stand-alone nature of the episodes. Just narrowly missing Claw in one of the episodes, there`s a better sense of the show moving along its path than in the first volume, and as it`s essentially a journey anime, this brings it closer to fulfilling its mission statement, not just being a guy and a gal wandering around aimlessly getting into big robot fights in a new frontier environment

Not that these mecha battles are a problem; it`s not a mecha anime, more of anime with mechas in it. However, the way in which they`re utilised lends the show an air of foregone conclusion that no doubt most viewers could live without. It`s always at the end that there`s a big showdown between armours, and it takes away the element of not knowing what`s coming next from the denouement of each episode. How about a little mecha action at the episode`s outset? Or maybe one where Van`s armour can`t best his enemies into a steaming pile of scrap metal? Interestingly, we do get an armour-free 22-minutes, a `spot the movie homage` comedy episode where two love-struck teens, Honeycherry and Sweetgrapes, and a crime boss named Tony Montana aren`t deemed worthy of the bother, but that doesn`t really address the issue that the mechas are cool, but the predictable way they`re being used isn`t. There`s also a contentious shoe-horning of the quirky condiment habit into Van`s rather sullen and drab demeanour to add a little character that seems oddly out of place and a case of trying to hard. All things considered though, `GXS` is flat out fun that`s always enjoyable, and there`s enough deviation in setting, tone and characters between episodes to ensure that, even should it continue as an `armour of the week` show, a new volume is always worth 100-minutes of your time.