Search - Gantz - Game of Death (Vol. 1) on DVD

Unique...

M. Randall | Allen Park, MI | 02/11/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If there is a positive note about GANTZ, its that its incredibly unique and unlike any anime you've ever seen. The swearing, sexual content and image it provides is something you won't be expecting. Some scenes are so oddly intense that you can't help but giggle to yourself asking what is wrong with you for watching it, but at the same time it makes you want to see more.



The most interesting thing I noticed is that it deals a lot with what people are really thinking in life. You'll notice this quite a bit from the characters as it often narrates what they think to themself before or after what they say outloud... Often exposing whether the person is being truthful or not... Just like someone would in real life.



The show deserves a 3, but I give it one more for originality. However I subtracted a star due to the marketing... Why in the world is ADV releasing this 2 episodes per DVD stretched across 13 DVDS? The DVD costs 10 bucks and a 3 or 4 episode DVD usually runs 20 to 25... So why do it this way? Seems like their losing money with the extra packaging, material and ink.



The extras are good, but somehow I imagine that the creditless opening and closing will be on every DVD... so DVDs to come won't seem as interesting in the extra features."

Not for everyone, but brilliant

Keith Rice | NY, USA | 12/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gantz is about life, death, and the nature of reality. Let me start this review by saying that if you dislike R-rated content, and flinch at nudity this anime is not for you. It is graphic in the best sense of the word - violence and sex have a dark purpose in this anime, and they are omnipresent.



GANTZ is a looking-glass version of life itself. It is a game with obscure objectives and fatal consequences for failure. Information is pathetically limited, though the players have the tools they need. Those who can't adapt, die. Anyone who doesn't see a metaphor for the real world here is missing a large point.



Into this world come two unlikely heroes (unlikely in both background and temperment) - students who save a homeless man from a train at the cost of their lives. Throughout it we see their dark counterparts, two students who beat homeless people to death for fun. In the second season we see a twisted counterpart of the first, where the dark duo takes command of the group through intimidation and fear (as opposed to courage and charisma). The final evaluation on which version of life and leadership was superior? For those who have seen it, they know the fates of the group, and which fate was the better one.



For those who don't - watch GANTZ. Philosophy, action, suspense, interesting characters, and absolutely nothing resembling child-like morality and situations that make up the usual fare in TV. Nihilistic could be used to describe it, but the description does not give it justice. Worth watching, even if it won't cheer you up."

In Defense of `Gantz'

C. Chow | Leesburg VA | 05/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ask any anime fan today what the best current anime is, and you'll hear, "Full Metal Alchemist, and Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex." I've never heard such a unanimous answer in all of anime history. Everyone agrees these are the two best current anime. This tells me that not enough people have been watching `Gantz' otherwise it'd be on their list.



The plot: I'm not sure a description of the plot will really persuade you to buy `Gantz' but here it is. A perverted teenage boy is killed and finds himself along with other recently deceased being forced by a machine Gantz to assassinate aliens living in Tokyo's slums.



It's not so much the plot of `Gantz' but its characters that make it work. Our hero is a high school nerd; he's worried more about bullies and having enough money for porn than he is about aliens. His goal is sex, not protection of the human race. As you might guess this leads to laugh out loud scenes.



Yes `Gantz' has TONS of sex, violence, and profanity, but it really does have context. We care very deeply for our hero, even if his biggest adventure of the day is buying porn.



I can't really compare `Gantz' to any other anime except in terms of production quality. THE BEST I'VE EVER SEEN! And yes I've seen them all, yes even better than `Last Exile' or `Ghost In the Shell' or `Night Shift Nurses'.



The only reason I can think of as to why so few of my fellow anime fans on Amazon are giving `Gantz' a low rating is that they've never seen or just don't care for R rated or boarder line X-rated anime like `Gantz'.



NEWCOMERS NOTE: Volume 1 is not the best volume to start `Gantz' because as with all stories there's an introduction. Start with volume 3, you can catch up and trust me! After the first five minutes of volume 3, you'll be ordering every volume of `Gantz' there is.





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Come play the Devil's game.

John W. Leon | USA | 12/20/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A world of ultra-violence, demonic aliens, mouths filthier than a Quentin Tarantino film, gratuitous nudity, and a sadistic black ball named Gantz who decides to bring back people from the dead (after experiancing horrific fatalities) to play a game for their lives. As it has been already stated this series is what you would get it Tarantino and Kubrick ever made an anime together. But fortunately the violence here is not to the extreme of other anime like MD Geist or Genocyber where the violence is used to cover a horrible story. Here the story holds up on its own. You cant help but continue to watch each new episode to find out who survives in the end. And surprisingly there is definately character developement amongst the barrage of violence and language and sex (in the form of nudity and language, there surprisingly is virtualy no sex in the whole series...at least not up to volume 5, havent seen anything after that).



Definately for mature audiances only! Get ready for the hardcore thriller that took Japan by storm. Will you survive the Gantz?"