Gantz: Episode 03

I sure would like to get hold of the uncut DVD of this series as soon as it gets released, although I’m not sure if this might not be sort of anime usually licensed here in the US. I hate to admit this but I have an affinity to watching excessive blood and gore. Since I’m normally a non-confrontational type of person, it’s the inner rage that’s dying to come out.

A few explanation to the endless riddles are slowly revealed by creepy guy Nishi. Instead of enlightening my confused mind, they posed another set of questions. As Nishi explained, individuals who showed up in the mysterious room are not quite dead yet but close. Once they survived the strange game within the time limit and accomplish the mission, they are free to walk out the door and go back to their normal lives. Nishi then surprised them again by admitting to participating a few times before and has met dozens of people who failed to finish the task. And if the only way to make it to the room is to be close to death, Nishi likely killed himself over and over again just to participate the strange game. He is one messed up dude, unless the price at the end is high enough to make him act this way. However, it seems that his main motivation is the satisfaction of surviving and beating the game. Creepy yet an interesting fellow.

Predictably, Masaru came back alive with Kei and the strange girl named Kishimoto. He is one of the main characters so he can’t be dead yet. I do wonder about him being an alien, though. Meanwhile, Kishimoto kept on screaming and said unnecessary lines that I once again found irritating. If only she had a fiery personality, I would’ve seen her as an intriguing woman with a mysterious past rather an annoying girl who falls in love at first sight with Masaru. Kei, on the other hand, is confused with all the taunting and mocking from Nishi. He refused to see the similarities in their attitudes but worried that Nishi could be right after all. Kei fascinates me in the sense that he is a flawed individual. He is jaded, cynical, and unlike the typical male lead with rough manner but a heart of gold. I find his attitude quite real.

Some funny bits caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting the odd humor of the sphere (Nishi called the man inside Gantz) where he made outrageous comments on the performances of each person who survived the ordeal. While the drawing style is growing on me, the awkward use of 3D and the dizzying camera movements could use some improvements. I’m still impartial to the OP but absolutely loving the ED — Bonnie Pink’s Last Kiss — ignoring the fact the accompanying video is just plain unimaginative.