Burst Angel
Most anime fans love an excellent adventure anime, topped off with some great comedy. Sprinkle some mecha and sci-fi on the sides, and there lies a recipe for greatness. But anime series are mostly hit, miss, or somewhere in between, no matter how many promises they may hold.
Burst Angel, also known as Bakuretsu Tenshi, is a 24-episode original anime series that aired from April 7 through September 22, 2004. Produced by Gonzo, GDH, and TV Asahi, the series was later licensed in North America by Funimation and is now available to stream on Crunchyroll. It blends action, comedy, ecchi, mecha, sci-fi, and a touch of shoujo-ai into one chaotic package. The manga, Bakuretsu Tenshi: Angel’s Adolescence, was not the source material for the anime. It was a three-volume prequel manga by Minoru Murao, serialized in Dengeki Comic Gao! from 2004 to 2005. The 2007 OVA, Bakuretsu Tenshi: Infinity, is also not a prequel. It is a side story that follows the events of episode 14, “Wild Kids,” and works best after viewers have seen that episode.
The story is set in a not-too-distant future Japan where crime has become so widespread that the government legalizes firearms for citizens to use in self-defense. To deal with the resulting violence, the Recently Armed Police of Tokyo, or RAPT, has been given the authority to hunt criminals down with lethal force when necessary.
One of the protagonists, Kyohei Tachibana, is a gifted culinary student who dreams of saving enough money to become a pastry chef in France. But his life changes dramatically when four young mercenaries ask him to be their cook. He is now forced to make a very tough, decisive choice. The mercenaries in question, named Jo, Meg, Sei, and Amy, take on the bloodiest jobs in the overly chaotic city of Tokyo every day without batting an eyelid. I mean, someone’s gotta do it, right? Now Kyohei must prepare for an imminent descent into the city’s criminal underworld, and he’ll do much more than cook!
The story follows Kyohei Tachibana, who is in the middle of seeking employment. He seemingly does find a job as a cook for a family consisting of Jo, Meg, Amy, and Sei. Everything was okay at first, but it didn’t last for long, as this so-called “normal family” is actually a group of bloodied mercenaries, and now it was inevitable for him to get dragged along for the wild ride soon to begin. The premise is pretty engaging, but do not expect too much because it is mostly average. It is in no way terrible, but as quickly as the synopsis can hype a potential viewer up, it loses some luster once the watch actually begins. The synopsis covers the core plot, but for some reason the series focuses more on stand-alone episodes and filler than on the main story. This feature is a downside because it leaves viewers thirsting for the main plot, only to disappoint them when it finally arrives.
The characters of Burst Angel are practically stereotypical, and the lack of development is still one of the series’ biggest problems. Most of the group gets a few moments, but the show only seems truly interested in Jo’s past, her connection to Meg, and the roots of their relationship. Jo is more than the quiet gunslinger of the group, though. Her history as a Genocide Angel and her connection to Maria give the final stretch some real weight, especially once she decides to face RAPT on her own.
Kyohei, despite being the largely “normal” protagonist, has no role more significant than being the group’s cook. He gets one chance to become more interesting during the Akio Cyberoid storyline, but the series quickly puts him right back in the kitchen. That is a significant downfall because his dream of becoming a pastry chef in France makes him feel like he should have had a larger role in the story.
Then come the issues with Meg. Too often, it feels like she exists solely to get kidnapped or provide fan service. Still, the New York storyline gives her more humanity than the rest of the series does. Her history with Shirley, Sam, and the other kids shows that she is more than the loud girl in a cowgirl outfit, even if the show does not spend enough time with that side of her. Sei gets her clan conflict; Amy remains the group’s young hacker, and both are visually memorable, but neither gets the development they deserve. Even amid all this, Jo is still likable and a fan favorite. Compared to the other characters, she still comes across as pretty decent.
As expected of Studio Gonzo, the art and animation are unique, and so are the character designs. Gonzo was in a strong period during the mid-2000s, and Burst Angel has that familiar mix of bold character art, stylized action, and early CGI ambition. Director Kōichi Ōhata, known for works such as MD Geist and Genocyber, brings some of that rougher OVA energy to the series. The violence is messy, the gunplay is loud, and the mecha look more dangerous than heroic.
The characters are visual eye candy, but they are not without flaws. One big issue is that the setting is futuristic while several characters look very traditional and old-fashioned. This is especially evident in Meg, whose cowgirl-inspired outfit feels more like fan service than a natural part of the setting. There is no need to pretend that the ecchi is hidden, either. It is right there in the character designs, camera angles, and situations the girls are constantly placed in. There is also some inconsistency in the character animation, especially when body proportions change from scene to scene. Such moments can be weird and off-putting to watch. When it comes to the mecha designs, though, the series does a great job. Jo’s mech, Django, in particular, is badass and memorable. The animation itself ranges from decent to mediocre, but the better action scenes and CGI battles still have some punch.
The opening theme is “Loosey” by THE STRiPES, while the ending theme is “Under the Sky” by Cloudica. The sounds, music, and voice acting are decent, neither particularly impressive nor bad. The lively, catchy opening song, coupled with the pop ending, makes for a nice combo that captures the series’ feel.
The soundtrack also complements the anime’s themes, especially whenever the series leans into its Western-inspired gunfighter style. The cowboy music is catchy and fun, even for viewers who don’t usually like that kind of sound. The Japanese voice cast does a good job with the material, while the sound effects are serviceable and don’t stand out too much.
The ending of Burst Angel arrives when it is not entirely warranted, but it is also where the series finally shows some teeth. No character, whether they are a major part of the story or someone who only adds to the plot for a short time, is completely safe. That is one of the best aspects of this anime. Viewers often assume that the pretty main cast is protected by plot armor, but Burst Angel does not always play by those rules.
Maria’s death, Akio’s death in front of Kyohei, and Jo’s decision to walk into RAPT headquarters give the final episodes more impact than much of the filler-heavy middle. It has a little of that old-school feeling where the cast can be hurt, lost, or taken off the board when viewers least expect it. The ending does not hand everything over neatly, either, especially with Sei’s fate left unclear.
The CGI is actually pretty decent considering the era of the series. For a 2004 anime, the mecha battles can look surprisingly fluid and energetic when Gonzo is really putting effort into them. It is not consistently great, though. Plenty of battles are still overly clichéd, with the “good” robot blowing up the “bad” robot before the camera cuts away during the explosion. The better CGI moments are still fun and gripping enough to stand out from the anime’s weaker parts.
At first glance, Burst Angel promises viewers giant mecha robots, a large cast of female characters, and lots of guns of all varieties. It delivers in that regard; no complaints there. Kyohei and the other male characters can sometimes feel as if they were added to make the series seem less one-sided, but the show clearly belongs to Jo, Meg, Sei, and Amy.
The series has its ups and downs, and unfortunately, the downs often outnumber the ups. The plot takes too long to get moving, the character development is uneven, and too many episodes feel like filler when the larger story should be building momentum. But for fans of ecchi, girls-with-guns action, mecha, fan service, and a cast that is not always protected from death, Burst Angel is still worth checking out on Crunchyroll.
Just do not expect a tightly written story from beginning to end. Watch it for Jo, Django, the chaotic Gonzo action, the fan service, and those later moments when the series finally remembers it has stakes. On its own, Burst Angel is a flawed but entertaining action anime that can still scratch a particular early-2000s itch.
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