Gantz

This is an awesome series unlike some people think. Yeah i think they could have taken it farther since the Manga goes on Forever, but i think it was a great series altogether. The voice actors a well done and the animation is great. Nothing is forgotten by these animators and i think that is great. I would recommend this DVD series to the most die hard Anime fans (meaning the like more then Naruto and Inyuasha great but not the best anime's.) So if you like blood, death, and maybe a little sex in an anime this is the perfect one for you. just know you have to watch the last episodes a few time before you completely get what happens unless your some1 who catches on fast.

The Gantz anime series is an amalgamation of events that occurred in the first few volumes of the manga. It's an introduction to the Gantz universe and its inhabitants--most notably, the aliens and their human hunters. Like the manga, the anime centers around the growth and emergence of Kurono (Chrono) as a hero and his effort to win and survive at all costs. There's a good deal of sex and violence as well as long stretches of philosophical banter and social critique, but it often comes across as being so self-righteous and ultimately defeatist that most messages would only be appealing to audiences that already had the same beliefs.

The artwork is dark and is true to Oru Hiroya's concepts down to the intricately detailed weapons and power suits. The characters range from the sexually eager and aggressive Kurono, to the gallant Katou, to the buxom Kishimoto. The animation is mostly satisfying. Since Hiroya's artwork uses 3d models for scale and proportion, they can seem stiff and often lack fluidity. That same flaw is evident in the anime as well.

The story is intriguing, at the least, and seems to be inspired by movies such as The Cube. The sci-fi aspects are cool and even I would like to run around in a power suit for a day or two.

Altogether, it has some great ingredients that are marred by plodding progression and preachy characters. The fan-service is there, though not to an excess, but this is certainly not for children or those that are easily offended by violence, gore, or opinions diametrically opposed to your own. It's definitely worth watching and depending on who you are, you might just like it a lot.

I don't like to use the word 'masterpiece'...but it wouldn't be an insane adjective to use to describe Gantz. This is one of the best all around anime I've ever seen.

It has an extremely interesting and rather unique concept that is thoroughly explored and discussed through the characters. It has the surface level 'low brow' entertainment like extreme amounts of violence and a pretty hefty amount of nudity. It does an excellent job of going against the typical story clichés. Moments of character empowerment are shot down in the flash, people who seem like throwaway characters come back later, and none of the characters are safe from harm.

Speaking of the characters, they are very dynamic and what makes this show last. Good guy heroes often come off as cowardly, douchebags save the day, etc etc. The characters also come across plenty of moral dilemmas and have plenty of discussions about the nature of society.

Some say they hate the ending, or that it is confusing. I don't see why, if you just pay attention a little bit to the visuals and how the fundamentals of the whole thing works...it's quite clear. Yes, there are some things that aren't fully explained...but the end result, what happens to our hero(and/or heroes) is quite clear.

In conclusion, it's an anime with a great concept, great characters to explore it, great animation, a ton of violence, plenty of nudity, a decent amount of action and some good social commentary. Regardless of the manga, if you've read it or what you think of it, Gantz is a fantastic stand alone anime...and I think I'd prefer THAT to a seemingly endless story.

GANTZ has somewhat interesting start but there are a few annoying things that I couldn't continue past episode 6.

First if all, the atmosphere is jumpy between serious and teenage comedy. There is a lot of talking in wrong places like an action scene is extended to half episode by some blabber. The sexual component is straight up repelling. Closest comparision to this anime I guess would be Elfen Lied but even that show at least had some common atmosphere and feeling, while GANTZ felt just.. flat. Nothing.

It has come to my attention that the last reviewer for this Anime series must have been someone between the ages of 12 and 14, still stuck on the "DragonballZ fight, fight fight!" mentality and simply ignored the bigger picture. While this show has it's fair share of action, the show focuses on the inner livings of diverse human types being put through varying dangerous situations. The show presents humanity for what it (in the mind of the creator, that is), a huge group of cowards, glory seekers, murderers and all together selfish people. Among them are thrown a few gems, innocent bystanders (children and the elderly) and people that follow a humane moral code; of course, their only role is to provide hope to the viewer, to show that humanity does have it's good sides, however insignificant.

I am left with the impression that Gantz is in itself, purgatory. Passing judgment on the humans he "saves" from absolute death by forcing them to go through a series of trials. Those worthy, the ones that "survive" the trials, regardless of past crimes, will be rewarded, and those that fail will continue their lifeline by resuming their deaths.