Gantz: the Complete Series

Home Theatre
Gantz: the Complete Series
By Chris Zimmerman
March 1, 2011 - 08:50

ISBN: 1-4210-2244-3
$49.98 US
Starring: Chris Ayres, Shannon Emerick and Emily Carter-Essex
Directed by: Matt Greenfield
Produced by: Gonzo
Running Time: 650 minutes
Release Date: Jan 25, 2011
Distributors: Funimation Entertainment

It’s no secret that Gonzo and I have a strained relationship. My feeling is that the studio’s recent efforts have been lackadaisical at best and atrocious at worst. Sometimes I get asked if I think I’m being to hard on them and for a moment I consider the possibility; then I watch a series like Gantz and I’m reminded all over why the studio infuriates me.

The series comes on the eve of the release of the live action adaptation that has been making its rounds in theatres. Regardless of whether Gantz re-release coming on the heels of its live action debut is coincidence or not, the show’s return to print was a long time coming. Spawned from the mind of Hiroya Oku, the series first saw life as a manga, before making the jump to television.

Gantz gained notoriety for its unrepentant use of blood. The series is violent. The gore employed might even cause some to forget the awesome story being told.

As Gantz opens, we’re introduced to Kei Kurono. He’s your average teenager with raging hormones. When he’s not gawking at girls, he’s imaging them naked. One day on his way home from school, he witnesses a man fall onto the tracks of a subway train. Kei, being the unsympathetic individual he is, only watches while his old friend Kato comes to the man’s aid. Seeing Kato lights a fire under him and the pair work to help the man. Unfortunately, the train arrives just at that moment, killing them both.

The series doesn’t end there however, as both find they have been given a second chance at life. After being transported to a strange room, they are introduced to Kie, along with several others selected by a black orb called Gantz. The group is then fitted with high-tech suits and armory and dispatched to hunt down an alien.

Of course, No one knows what to think but they comply with the mission non-the-less. As one would assume, their mission is filled with gore and mayhem. The alien proves more than a match for them and ultimately only a few make it back in one piece.

The group is allowed to return to their lives with a few guiding principles in place. They can’t mention Gantz, otherwise they’ll lose their heads (literally), and they are at the mercy of the orb’s beck and call. Kei’s life begins to spiral downward and he slowly becomes desensitized to the violence.

Gantz is a series that throws all expectations out the window. It’s story is impossible to predict as any rules set in place can be broken at anytime. The character’s status is always in question as you never know who might bite the dust. The show’s unpredictability offsets the overdose of gore, ensuring audiences will keep watching at the risk of up-heaving their meal.

For extras, we’re treated to the usual trailers and textless songs, along with director interviews and a nifty music video.

Gantz is a sublime taste of sci-fi, topped off with blood and sex. The series keeps audiences guessing right up till the very end. If you have the stomach for it, give Gantz a shot. Just don’t be surprised when it shoots back.

A-