Top wo Nerae 2 Diebuster | Anime Review | Pinnedupink.com

Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster

Space Mecha anime are usually jam-packed with great action and even a good dose of drama. Together, these elements serve to highlight each other and bring out an excellent story for its eager viewers. Be it a Prequel, Sequel, Stand-alone, or Side series, the producers put in a decent amount of effort to emphasize the elements fans love. While a series can have many related titles, not all of them are guaranteed to be as good as your favorite of the crop. For better or for worse, they exist. So are they worth the watch?

“Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster”, also known as “Gunbuster 2”, “Aim for the Top! 2,” and “DieBuster” is the sequel series to the “Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster” series. Much like its predecessor, Diebuster is a six-episode OVA series. It started airing on the 3rd of October 2004 and ran until the 25th of August, 2006.

The series was produced by Bandai Visual, licensed by Discotek Media and Bandai Visual USA, and brought to life by Studio Gainax. The main staff behind its creation were Tsurumaki Kazuya (Director, Episode Director, Storyboard, Planning and Key Animation), Nishigori Atsushi (Episode Director, Animation Director, Key Animation and Assistant Animation Director), Nakano Tooru (Sound Director), and Ootsuka Masahiko (Episode Director, Assistant Director). The series featured the genres of Action, Sci-Fi, Space, Comedy, Drama, and last but not least, Mecha and is Rated R+ for its Mild Nudity, being best for mature audiences.

Top wo Nerae 2 Diebuster Anime Review - Pinnedupink.com

As mentioned before, Diebuster is the Sequel series to the “Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster” (“Top wo Nerae!”, “Aim for the Top!’ or “Gunbuster”) series, which was also a six-episode OVA series that aired back in October 1988 by the same Studio. Diebuster itself was an original series adapted from the “Top wo Nerae 2!” (“Diebuster,” “Aim for the Top 2!” or “Gunbuster 2”) single volume Manga, which was published back in 2006 by Artist Akane Kotetsu.

Additionally, Diebuster was adapted from the “Top wo Nerae! Next Generation” two-volume Manga was published back in March 2007. An alternative version to Diebuster was released in the form of a two-part movie titled “Top wo Nerae! & Top wo Nerae 2! Gattai Movie!!” (“Gunbuster vs. Diebuster,” “Top wo Nerae! Gekijouban”, “Diebuster Movie,” “Gunbuster Movie,” “Top wo Nerae!”, “Gunbuster 2 Movie” or “Top wo Nerae! 2 Movie”) in October 2006 by the same Studio.

A three-episode Special series was also released by the title “Top wo Nerae 2! Kagaku Kouza” (“Diebuster Science Course” or “Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster! Science Lesson”) in June 2012. Finally, a sequel for Diebuster has been announced in the form of an OVA series as well, titled “Top wo Nerae 3!” (“Aim for the Top! 3” or “Gunbuster 3”). Not much is known about this sequel, but it will be handled by Studio Gaina and feature similar genres to its predecessors.

The Story of Diebuster is set after several generations had passed since the beginning of the war with the Alien Space Monsters. Humanity at this point no longer remembers how it all began, with all those possessing the memories long gone. What’s worse is that even the very records of those times are exceedingly scarce now.

The war has become a seemingly lost cause, yet humanity continues to cling to survival in this brutal battle against these hostile Aliens. They have but one group to rely on: the "Topless,” who are a set of elite space pilots possessing special powers that let them use the Buster Machines, which are the very last hope they have against the Space Monsters.

The series looks at protagonist Nono, a girl hailing from a remote Martian town, who has heard many stories about the legendary pilot "Nono-Riri" throughout her days. Now she wishes for nothing more than to leave her humble town life behind and follow in the footsteps of her hero, whom she idolizes so much.

She has no idea of the imminent dangers that lie ahead on this path she had chosen, but she is determined to let nothing stop her from achieving her goal. Despite this, Nono has no luck whatsoever in that regard until one fateful day; she happens to come across the lonesome Topless pilot Lal'C Melk Mark. Seeing her chance, Nono decides to stake her entire future and goal on simply following Lal'C, and she is ready to do so no matter the cost.

Diebuster ought to be viewed as an indirect sequel to Gunbuster. The story is presented really well, much like its predecessor, and does not drag on with useless content. Instead, within the span of 6 episodes, it gets straight to the point and goes with it consistently.

A highlight is that a majority of the scenes showcase multiple different conflicts, regardless of their scales, which are all interconnected and ultimately converge with the main storyline rather nicely. The story is well-paced too. If there was a weakness to point out, it's that some of the details portrayed are quickly forgotten as the series progresses.

In terms of Characters, Diebuster has many similarities to its predecessor. The significant roles established and strengthened in the prequel are recreated and carried over into this series. This is a nice nostalgic effect for Gunbuster fans, but it robs the show of its characters’ uniqueness. Ultimately, it even seems that the new characters were just underdeveloped and not as relatable as their predecessors. Regardless, Diebuster’s characters delve deeper into the darker side of humanity. On this note, the characters show decent development over the series as they come to terms with their own dark sides.

They are a great representation of raw humanity during trying times. The two main characters had the most work put into them while the others just lagged behind. Even so, the supporting cast played out their respective roles well but were in no way memorable. Also, for the most part, the main cast are far from being stereotypical anime personalities.

The Art and Animation of Diebuster are impressive. It manages to bring out multiple atmospheres and vibes using its visuals. This is a 2004 anime, so the animation is reminiscent of that, but overall it possessed some key animations that proved to be quite memorable. The action scenes are very fluid and manage to flow harmoniously. It does a great job conveying different emotions via the visuals and does so side by side with great character designs. They use a simple suit as a base and convert it to match each character’s unique style.

The Sound and Music of Diebuster are excellent. The OSTs were all pretty great and fitting, despite not being all that memorable. The voice acting was outstanding, too, with each performance carrying so much emotion. Even minor audio effects live up to standard, and they go well with the OSTs. The Opening theme is “Groovin' Magic" by ROUND TABLE featuring Nino, and the Ending themes are "Hoshikuzu Namida" by ACKO and "Tatsu Tori Ato wo Nigosazu" by Kouhei Tanaka. All of these match the series well, especially the Opening, and are catchy as well. The visuals for the music followed suit.

Overall, Diebuster is an excellent watch for Gunbuster fans, which hosted its share of memorable moments. It keeps its hotblooded epicness going from its predecessor. Even if you haven’t watched the prequel, this series will be a nice watch for fans of Mecha and Shounen genres. This is an enjoyable show which talks about overcoming hardships amidst one’s own darkness. All in all, recommended.