martin_merelesc

Good adaptation. Not slavish adaptation, but actually good adaptation. Things are swapped around and changed to accommodate episode length and season length limitations, thus having a proper story arc in 12-episodes format. Between the things that are the point of anime medium - fight scenes choreography, music, voice acting - the former two are great. And while the latter is nothing to write home about, hearing Priestess say Goburin Sureiya-san is a reason enough for an anime adaptation to exist. Also, the main character's model is CGI, and it looks fine unless you hate CGI on religious principle, not based on how it looks. For those who desire faithfulness, the anime is more faithful than the manga, which has an annoying manner of randomly changing characters' reactions/behavior, therefore changing the characters themselves and making them look inconsistently written.

When it comes down to it, GATE is a show that opens a gate with wealth of interests. There's the certain "it" factor that makes this show stand out with both sides of the world. It blurs between the lines of fiction and reality with what it has to offer. And to be quite honest, GATE does it quite well on most parts with its creativity. This show is definitely not one that matches anyone's tastes, though. Certain audiences such as those interested in political or military affairs may find this more enjoyable than others. For action junkies, GATE can appeal to that side as well, although it's not a main investment of the story. When it comes to characters, there's a colorful range of them and by the end of the season, there's likely one or more that you may like to find out more. The first season is set as 12 episodes, but many of the ideas and concepts opens up potentially for more.

Well, I can't say that season 2 of GATE is miles better than what the first season offered. However, what it does have is concrete storytelling that builds more and more. It makes viewers anticipate what's to happen next while skillfully adapt with some of its controversial content. I am a bit disappointed that it does omit certain content, though. (read the LN and manga for more details) And to add on to the fire, GATE still has characters that can make people pull their hairs out. That aside, GATE Season 2 maintains a nice balance of storytelling and characters. With less comedy and more serious business picking up, it's a show that just keeps on giving.

It's kind of hard to like Gantz because it's such a dark and absurd show. There are really no likeable characters apart from Kato and maybe Kishimoto. The worst thing is how deliberate it all is. Characters are ALWAYS slow to make up their minds about ANYTHING. It's really a bit misleading that way. They look like a badass action squad, but they are actually an overly talkative and indecisive INACTION squad. For example, in this episode, they spend the entire time arguing about whether they should wear their super-powered suits. Sheesh. The only thing one can really get out of watching Gantz is perhaps appreciating him for his harsh portrayals of reality, or enjoying his scattershot brutality and unbridled depravity of him.

Gantz part two is a mixed bag in that it contains one of the best quests it has to offer (the Buddha quest), but it also contains a lackluster ending to the anime that has people scratching their heads. Buddha's quest picks up where the first season left off, and is very addictive and fun to watch. It contains everything I love about Gantz; the unpredictability of who will live; no one is really safe in the world of Gantz, even if you're a main character. The music is even more intense than the first season as you listen to guitar beats as the characters battle aliens. Everything about these quests is great!