Gungrave

Gungrave is a rags to riches story of two friends, Harry and Brandon. This show starts off in the middle of a big action scene before jumping back in time, unfortunately it takes most of the series to arrive back to this more part of the story that I was hooked on. The two main characters of this show are very cliche and play heavily into male fantasy, trying to be edgy/cool. This is par for the course for a show from 2003, so I don't think that can be entirely held against it. I'll get the good out of the way first. First, the designs of Grave, his weapons, and the superiors in the final quarter of this show are really a treat. Now and especially for their time the style and presentation of these things are the highlight for me. Secondly, the themes of loyalty and betrayal are used reasonably well, but at other times feel overblown. Thirdly, there are some solid funny moments in this show which are definitely unintentional. For example there are multiple scenes of the characters at gun ranges, and almost every time they are dual wielding pistols unloading as fast as possible like it's totally normal to do that *crying laughing emoji". Another funny scene is when two executive guys touch tips with their guns at sunset in a somewhat homo-erotic way and hug very sensually, it's just kind of out of nowhere with the themeing of the show up until that point. The music is ok. Oh, I also like the guy who eats the chicken wings and stuff, he's the blonde dude who is supposed to be an intelligence person the organization. I don't care enough to look up his name. He was the only comic relief in the serious/edgy themeing. Now for the bad Harry is the most insufferable cliche character I've had the discomfort of watching in a long time. This dude kills his own family, friends, dozens of leaders of the organization he has sworn loyalty to on a whim, he then creates a sort of bio weapon to make his followers slaves, and the cherry on top, he is shown having intimate relations with a child which he then marries. And when everything finally comes crashing down on him he has the balls to say "where did I ever go wrong?". I am absolutely disgusted that they give him a noble ending *3x skull emoji* Brandon is the counterpart to Harry, conflicted with his loyalty to Harry and also the organization, this results in Brandon having a lot of internal struggle. Unfortunately, seeing how ridiculous and terribly written Brandon is it ruins his character arc when he chooses to side with him over the organization. One of Brandon's other main motivations is a woman named Marie, who he is absolutely obsessed with because she's pretty and they hung out like one time lol. Marie is swept up by the head of the organization and Brandon for real becomes one of the biggest cucks in anime history, so much so that when Marie has a child with the head of the organization, he actually goes out of his way to raise the bastard child because he likes Marie so much. What a loser *clown emoji*. The escalation of events in this show is nearly comical, people are dying non-stop and a lot of the time it feels like it's practically for no reason. There is no order in this organization which is supposed to feel powerful and competent but they literally just keep having their executives/members murdered without any way to stop it. Although there are a couple cool fight scenes, the animation quality is almost always bad. Between 2000-2007 I deem this a sour spot for animation as a whole, the anime industry during this time was adapting from hand drawn techniques to more software driven techniques. I think a lot of shows had their visual quality impacted from this including Gungrave.

After watching Gungrave I was left feeling somewhat odd about it, even though I had been thoroughly entertained throughout the show as you can tell by my score of this review. I couldn't quite shake the feeling that it was missing something, while I realized that it was rather the opposite. Gungrave is a good show. The story, a sort of modern-mafia tale with supernatural elements, is interesting to follow, the art is great and in some cases I was quite amazed at the quality of it. The sound/music was not something I really got into that much, it did its job, but there was nothing memorable in there for me. I loved how much the characters developed throughout the show and changed (for better or for worse) leaving me interested in seeing what would happen next. It made me feel something for the characters, so that's a major plus. My only problem with the anime was really the length, and I might be in the minority about this, but I felt it dragged on by the end. The pacing was great I thought up until perhaps the last 5 or 6 episodes, and to top it all of I'm not sure I really liked the ending. However, I have no problem recommending this show to anyone.

I've watched this piece of work four years ago and I remember hating its first episode. I really can't remember why I decided to watch the second one but I did it and there, immediately, my opinion changed; we go back to another timeline, several years ago and meet characters we have no idea about but seem interesting at least. This show takes your hand and walk you down to a world you actually didn't expect after watching episode one. There we go, straight through a mafia story that Scorsese himself would enjoy watching. I still can't say if this show is for everyone, but I'm sure it perfectly suits those who have a taste for the mafia genre; family, priorities, ambition, betrayal and the perfect formula for what the show wants to offer. We follow the characters for a long period of time, their whole lives basically and even though I, myself, couldn't really relate to any of them particullary, they all seem legit and you end up following them as you'd be following a friend of yours, someone you really care about. One thing I really love about Gun Grave is: the characters are presented as human beings; not villains, not heroes, not machines without emotions, just people doing what they can with what they have at the moment. It's easy to empathize; even if the watcher doesn't agree with certain actions, he will surely understand its particular meaning. After 15 episodes we enter kind of a sci-fi line and the show had a real rough time keeping it together and blending it with the rest of the story that was already there. This is the main issue and to me, it didn't spoiled anything at all. The rhythm gets ironically -- cause the action is the main focus -- slower. But at the end, the heavily well constructed dramatization makes it all worth it: the physical dehumanization is overshadowed by the emotional development. This anime is a cult classic now and I feel like it would never be more than that -- not that I hope it would -- and yet, a masterpiece of storytelling that any anime fan should experience.

“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead. Walk beside me… just be my friend” ― Albert Camus. Friendship is one of the main themes of this anime and perhaps the way it is portrayed is the only reason for you to watch it. While Gungrave does not focus on a nakama team of pirates, this anime has its own ace in a sleeve and finding this ace, this gem, will be for you to do. First things first, as you might know, this anime is based on a video game. Yes, I know what you are thinking; however, Gungrave is one of the best video game adaptations you will ever see. Yet, I cannot say that this anime is absolutely flawless; nothing is flawless and Gungrave is not something that will make you go wow, but if you take time and enjoy this anime like a bottle of your favorite whiskey, or whatever you like, this anime will reward you. Yes, I guarantee you that. Let us return back to the flaws of this anime… The only thing that I want to recommend you, no, I am insisting on it, DO NOT WATCH THE FIRST EPISODE. Just forget it; it does not exist; it has NEVER existed. So, what I am trying to say is that the watching order for this anime will be: 2nd-3rd-4th…-26th episodes. After finishing the anime, you can watch the first episode and see for yourself if I am right, or wrong. Now let us touch the anime’s components. Gungrave takes place in an undisclosed town that feels and looks like somewhere in Europe. The anime focuses on a group of friends that tries by committing petty crimes to earn enough money and to perhaps, one day, become high in the social scale. However, the world of crime is very cruel and it will wait patiently to find a good opportunity to crush you once and for all. Sooner or later our heroes will have to pay for entering this cruel domain; they will pay a very high price and they will undergo some serious character changes, but, in the end, they will find a way out. The group of friends, of brothers, achieves their dream and they become members of an influential mafia organization. This organization is powerful enough to control everything and by everything I mean everything. Gungrave will tell you a story of how power and influence change people. And believe me, the final episode of this anime will not leave you untouched; this anime is worth it! The animation of Gungrave is very disturbing and real. As opposed to some newer series with vivid-colored character designs, Gungrave opted for the more realistic look. Some characters looked very realistic and you will surely like it, other characters; however, looked weird and unusual. The anime also covers a period of 30 something years, so most of the characters will change to reflect their age. Background visuals were top-notch, as well; they looked very realistic and it will surely help you to dive in the world of this anime. The anime’s OST is unique, but I would not download it. Yes, it did help to understand this series better, it did one hell of a job. But the OST is far from being something that I would recommend you to download. You might find 2-3 good tracks, though... Anyways, it’s not annoying and it will definitely help you to understand this anime better. The voice acting; however, is absolutely splendid. You can watch this anime either in English, or in Japanese. The Japanese version is slightly better, though. The main appeal of this anime is its characters, its main characters, to be precise. While many of the supporting characters feel a little undeveloped, the anime’s protagonists, Brandon and Harry, are amazingly well-developed. Brandon and Harry grow up together, fight together, and rise to the top together. Their friendship is so strong that it might seem that no force will be able to destroy it. However, I would not say that all supporting characters are uninteresting. Some sub characters have a story, and you become empathic towards them. Anyways, I would not call it a huge flaw. All in all, this anime deserves to be called a masterpiece. Yes, it is not flawless and I cannot guarantee you that you will like it. Nothing is flawless in this world and, alack, I am not a person with extrasensory perception. However, I can guarantee you that if you are patient, if you like anime like Texhnolyze and Monster, and if you are able to think and analyze characters’ actions, I am sure that Gungrave will not disappoint you. Please remember that you SHOULD NOT watch the first episode. I hope that you will enjoy Gungrave!

Now before killing me for giving such a rating to a classic anime let me explain myself. Story: Gungrave is a story of friendship and betrayal. It's like Berserk only a little less dark and slow paced. The first episode was boring because you couldn't understad what's going on. From the second and then it became better but still the pace was slow. If you start this anime you have to wait until it reach its climax which is in episode 10 I believe. Right in the middle the anime gets a supernatural aspect which kinda bagged me a lot. Anyway the anime starts of slow and it develops its storyline little by little. Art: This is an anime made by Madhouse so the anime is guaranteed to have very good animation. But still I had some problems with it. Even though the anime is old so the fllows in the animation can be ignored I had a little problem with the character design. From a specific angle the faces were very distorted. Apart from that the animation is pretty good and it helps built the anime's atmosphere. Sound: The opening is instrumental and kind of boring in my oppinion. The ending was a nice blues that kinda reminded me of Bebop. The voice actors did an amazing job there were times I was forgetting that I was watching an anime. Character: The main reason to watch this anime. It had one of the best character developments I have ever seen not ony in the main but also in the minor characters. From the rise and fall of Harry McDowell to Big Daddy's dreams and ambitions this anime delivers every character with his virtues and vices something that most of today's anime unfortuatelly luck (cough-cough Akame ga kill.. okay I stop XD.) PS: Also Harry McDowel is one of the best villains I have ever seen in anime. Enjoyment: Well as I was saying even though I loved the characters I had some problems with the story. It starts of slow, becomes interesting right in the middle, looses interest again and then comes back with some awesome last episode's. So I can't say I enjoyed it so much but I definetly had a good time. Overall: If you are an otaku who is looking for a well-written story with sane amounts of action and dialogue and some awesome character development then go watch this anime right now!!!

what can i say about gungrave? well we start to this nice intro,kind of jazzt kind acool vibe,its nothing but good old tsueno imahori,who is definitely the best part of the series,his music sets the mood for the show which i will now continue to review Show Well we start with an old scientist and this young woman being persecuted by a bunch of zombies,so after they release a guy from some cryogenic device,he completely blasts the zombies away and the first episode ends then we have an 11 episode flashback,now ypou would ask,this is kind of bad right?well exactly the opposite,this 11 episodes are some of the best episodes i have seen in anime,i was totally turned on,it has a sort of combination between scarface and the godfather,but then we are explained how brandon is turned in this sort of alucard style of hero and how the monsters-zombie like came to be,which it wasnt bad when you continue the anime you see some great fights but it doesnt have the complexity of the mobster like episodes, well i got to episode 26 and i was completely dissapointed the last twist of the viewer gets,it was all of vengeance up until the very end,and i totally hated it the art and animation well the art is good the animation flows out only in the fight scenes its so so not that bad but not excellent Voices- they do have some memorable scenes but they arent bad overall i judge anime on 3 things music and story and voices music is good,the voices are ok,but the downfall for this series is the ending which is in fact a total piece of crap if you are a newbie,AVOID IT,if you arent,enter at your own risk of getting pissed off

Two best friends, the ambitious and sharp Harry McDowell and the stoically quiet Brandon Heat, climb the ranks of a crime syndicate, and experience cataclysmic events that follows their respective fates as friends, partners…and enemies. The summary of Gungrave’s plot intrigued me, for an abashedly simple purpose. It was the titular adaptation of a videogame bearing the same name. Now I want to make it clear that I haven’t played the game, nor have I found the apparently short premise featuring a zombie gunman rising from the dead to avenge his murder by killing mutant monsters to reach his best friend, who coincidentally his murderer and a powerful crime boss interesting enough. (okay it actually was). But seeing this anime being so heavily recommended over its original source material made me wonder…is it possible that someone adapted a videogame properly into a medium for viewing entertainment? Well the guy who made Trigun made this one too, and served as a producer for creating the anime in the first place. Should that be a good reason enough? Good enough to revisit another brainchild of Yasuhiro Nightow? What I got was…totally unexpected. I dare say, far better than Trigun. Plot: The entire premise of this anime relies on three parts. The first part initially narrates the exploits of two young men, Harry and Brandon, who make ends meet by performing petty crimes and odd jobs with their other comrades, when suddenly an altercation with a rival leads to a violent event that rips their once tranquil lives into pieces, and tragedies which then befall the ones dear to them. However an unexpected coincidence in this vicious event gives Harry a reason to capitalize on his destiny, and Brandon becomes a steadfast follower of Harry’s goal to reach the top. The second part kicks off when a sole criminal intent on taking down Millenion initiates a dastardly scheme with his brother in arms to resurrect the dead and use these ‘necrolyzed’ monsters called Orgmen against Millenion. From there on out, this event proves to be catalytic for both Harry and Brandon’s lives, as Harry’s ambition finally reaches a turning point and Brandon’s line of work and dedication to Millenion towards protecting those he cares about affects everyone else around him. Until the arc ends with Brandon’s shocking death. And the third part then narrates about Brandon’s return from beyond the grave to apparently avenge his death, whilst protecting the late daughter of Maria, Mika Asagi from the hands of Harry’s Millenion, and from there on out it’s where the series draws onto a more shoot em’ playwright with emphasis on the emotional culmination of Brandon and Harry’s journey, with a shocker of an ending. Now the plotline here sounds really mashed up at first, and the first episode might throw you off as it takes place in another timeline. The anime actually relies on an initial flashback narrative before it crosses over to the current timeline, letting the viewer put their imagination in the mix to connect the dots. Safe to say, this form of storytelling in this anime is written well and has excellent, straightforward pacing, as expected from a story with the vibe and tone that draws off the playbooks of names like Scarface, The Godfather, or Pulp Fiction, with characters that are both grounded with realism while having some interesting quirks and their own storylines and motives added to the mix that does not detract from the viewing experiences, only adding on to it, thus encouraging you to keep watching until the very end. Three particular themes that stand out, and intertwine each other throughout the anime are loyalty, trust, and friendship, in which the latter two are more heavily played out in direct notion whilst the third one is more emphasized in an emotional aspect for the two main cast members of the series, Brandon and Harry. Loyalty in this anime comes down to a matter of perspective. Millenion’s ‘code of iron’ dictates loyalty and trust through file and order design. No member should betray Millenion and do nothing that could tarnish the image of the organization. Break the rule, and the punishment is death. The majority of Millenion’s role in the anime showcases a lot of how this loyalty is demonstrated by characters such as Bear Walken, a long time sweeper and Randy who’s a loyal associate of the organization’s leader, Big Daddy, who created this code in order to protect not just the members of the mafia, but to protect the citizens of the city where Millenion rules over and to protect the people they care about. Pretty much what you’d expect from a mafia organization. However loyalty and trust is also demonstrated on a more personal side through the thick and thin of Brandon’s devotion to his best friend and his cause to achieve glory despite being unequivocally loyal towards Millenion’s cause, and loyalty is also earned from certain members of the organization like Balladbird Lee, Bob Poundmax and Bunji Kagashira, who start to become loyal to Harry’s cause after he proves himself an integral player in the game with a common goal they can get behind with. What’s really interesting about how these two interconnecting themes really that plays out in this anime how loyalty by design clashes with loyalty by sentiment, while both having their own justifications, ignites streams of conflict that forces certain characters caught into this web up to a wall, irrevocably tearing through the bonds once built on trust, creating events that end up in tragedy. The initial crime aspect of the story, while it showcases brutally paced drama with sufficient amounts of action…the bizarrely added mix of sci-fic elements of questionable moral standards surprisingly works together for one good reason. It knows when and where to cut corners without suppressing or overexerting both story aspects, and it combines to create a believable forerunning motive in the show that plays well in influencing the characterization and the progression of the plotline for a huge part of the series. The justifiably strong writing put to work for the plotline however isn’t perfect, as most of the focus is centred towards making a coherently brutal and emotional tale about two friends joining a crime syndicate and the events that transpire in this tale, which in my books is filled with applaud and nothing else. Being leniently vague about the sci-fi aspect of the story, however, other than adding some thrown in biological factors is a minor niggle if you’re willing to overlook that factor in favour of the human characters and their struggles. Plot: 8/10. Characters: Top tier characterization done right. Every character in this series has some form of importance that keeps their roles and presence relevant enough to be remembered, which kind of reminiscent of another anime I’ve watched which is called Monster (I highly recommend that one), though Monster had 74 episodes worth of content compared to this… Here you have characters that fit into the mold and heart of the series who each have their own interesting branching storylines into the main plot like the innocent and sweet Maria Asagi, the old school valued and strict Big Daddy, the misanthropic assassin Bunji Kagashira, and even the morally conflicted Dr Tokiyoka…and the tragically affected Mika Asagi whose presence invokes the most sympathy is stated in the second half of the series. But the awards go out to the two main characters for employing the very reason why this anime is worth the watch. We see the anime mostly through the eyes of one Brandon Heat, who is every bit as calm, kind, loyal to a fault…and notably a man of few words. You might think of him as the silent badass archetype what with his involvement as a sweeper in Millenion’s ranks, but don’t let that fool you. Brandon is a character that leaves impressions on people, despite having an unorthodox way of doing it. He might be socially awkward due to his silent nat…

First of all: Of all Mafia Animes and Mangas is this Masterpiece really one of the best out there. Story 8/10 The Story of Gungrave is of the PS2 Game Gungrave. The Anime tells the story of Brandon Heat and his best Friend and enemy Harry Macdowel. You could say Harry is his biggest enemy. But not always, the series starts harmless and with some dramatic scenes. And to the end the feels are strong for rage and many more feelings. If you take anything from one Person , and also his Life. The Consequences are horrible and very dangerous for the living ones. So Brandon and Harry will fight to the End. But be warned its a dramatic Crime Festival with alot of unexepted Things. Art 8/10 What Can I say ? Just look at it, its not comparable. Just look a Trigun and you should looked satisfied. The Producer made Trigun before. And it was a huge Sucess. So its the same with Gungrave, he adapted his own Desire and Art in this Series and also poured some old Wine from a Old Cellar with many Treasures in it. Its just an eyesore , You will love the retro Anime of 2003/4. I Cannot describe in Words how much was done to it. Sound 10/10 The Hitman Shoots and dont stop. Gunfire everywhere you see. And you hear a loud Shoot, loud explosions and alot of blood flatter. The evil Laughs. and the Desire to rule the Town. Anything more to say ? Be ready for the mess of your Ears. Characters 10/10 One thing I Surely hated is the Love of Brandon Heat. He puts his Friendship over all. And you will see why and you will also say like me. Thats dissapointing , but still its just great how good the characters are looking at each other. And Friendship , trust, and loyalty will just show you the true color of their agony and dark sides. Love, Hate, And many violence are the main attractions of this Characters. Brandon would say Silence is golden. Lol Enjoyment 9/10 I Really enjoyed Gungrave till the last minute only a few things are bad. And the bad things are fast forgotten. The Enjoyment will pour into your Blood till first second you started watching this Anime. You will feel it , trust me. And you cant stop watching it. Prepare for a long Night. Maybe you longest Night in your Life. But prepare Yourself maybe Brandon is still fighting outside. maybe you getting harmed in the gunfire. Overall 9/10 To put it in simple words. There is nothing better than gungrave in crime section and Mafia Trees. And Gangster. You will found everything dark about crimes and Mafia. And the loyalty of the Family. Just like in Marlon brandons The Godfather. Godfather is still better than Gungrave but well you cant compare real life Movie with Anime. Mafia is Mafia and its just wow. Your Hours you will spent on Gungrave are not wasted. They will fill you with pleasure you wont stop watching it. You will start a Marathon of watching all Episodes on one day :D. Have fun with Gungrave. May Brandon heat be with you. be warned, bring alot of Handkerchiefs or you room will be underwater.

Gungrave is a crime epic which offers some excellent moments, although it is not without it's failings as well. First of all a note on the viewing order: The first episode is timed near the end of the series, effectively spoiling the plot; just like Berserk did, but Gungrave's spoilers have a bigger impact. I suggest skipping the first episode; it repeats on episode 18 anyway. The artwork is superb. Everyone's favorite studio Madhouse, delivers one more time. Although the anime is a little bit old (2003-2004) the artwork is better than most of the fall 2015 season's anime; I have a perpetual nightmare where the cgi armor from Garo chases me and screams to me in a digitized voice “Behold the future”. Returning to Gungrave, it begins as a strict seinen work, meaning the pace is little slower and the bullets actually find their intended home, but unfortunately, beginning in episode 18 the anime degenerates into it's shounen roots -it is based on a FPS game for PS2 after all. So the third -and last- act being a collection of shounen clishes, really hurts the quality of the anime. That phenomenon continues up until the climax, but it manages to deliver a fulfilling ending in my opinion. One third of the episodes sucking, usually manages to damage the anime irredeemably, but Gungrave's characters manage to save the day; Brandon and Harry grow older, mature, and face tough decisions through beautiful storytelling, making them complete, fleshed out characters, in sharp contrast with the stereotypes Japanese writers love to serve us. The supporting cast, for the little time it manages to stay alive, is memorable, making Gungrave a collection of real characters. The aforementioned collection brings us to Gungrave's core, which is the bonds. Gungrave for all it's mafioso glory is a study on the bonds between characters. It offers plenty of emotional scenes where painstakingly forged bonds are put into the test, demand increasingly larger sacrifices in order to survive, and collide with other bonds to find which one is the stronger; it's like the bonds have a mind of their own and want to imitate the mafiosos in a deadly zero-sum game to find who will sit on the top. Of course, all those beautiful depictions of character interactions are made possible by the great characters. No one cares about the conflicts and tribulations of paper thin characters, but Gungrave's characters, although they are all morally bankrupt by any common standard, manage to snatch an emotional investment from the viewer. The characters and the bonds they form between them manage to salvage this flawed anime to a 7/10. I don't think Gungrave has an anime equivalent; sure is shares some elements with Berserk, Cowboy bebop , and Trigun -Also, Gangsta is clearly inspired by Gungrave I think- but none of them manage to capture the Mafia essence which drives the story. Oh and I know Black lagoon has also a rotten city and lots of handguns, but that's where the similarities stop. Black lagoon's silly (and very entertaining!) action does not compare with Gungrave's seinen-ness. So, if you liked Gungrave, I suggest taping on the rich mafia works of the live-action medium: The godfather trilogy, anything Scorcese made with De Niro, and the TV-show Sopranos.

After watching the first episode I didn't hold particularly high hopes for the show, it didn't really appeal to me, however I like to give a show at least 3 episodes to get going, so I carried on watching.....and I'm very glad I did. The story is fantastic, the writing is very good, you can feel the bond between all the main characters and how the unfolding events really affect them. As the story progresses you can sense how they are changing and how their relationships also change. I preferred the first "act" to the second as it was more grounded in reality and felt that the show became a little farfetched towards the end but the emotion in the characters and the purpose behind their actions was still very well thought our and delivered. The music in the show is also very good, it blends very well with the setting and genre. Definitely worth watching if you like an anime with a very good story.

Another Studio Madhouse anime and another one with an unknown director. This time they got Toshiyuki Tsuru. He has really only previously worked on various shows doing the odd storyboard or key animation here and there. Interestingly enough, the character desigs are from the Trigun series creator Yasuhiro Nightow. For an anime based on a third person shooting PS2 game by Sega, and how most anime based on games turn out very lack-luster, hopes were not high heading into this one. With Madhouse working on almost everything of note in this era and a director with zero experience, expectations could not have been lower. However, Gungrave sets itself apart from other game-based anime and somehow manages an interesting story out of a pretty dry plot. Gungrave starts off with a bang. A man code named “Beyond the Grave” is brought into a crazy zombie-esc battle to kick some tail and take names. Then the story back tracks a couple decades for about half of the 26 episode series. The audience then gets to learn about Beyond the Grave before he was given that code name to a time when he was known as Brandon Heat. There, Brandon and his best friend Harry MacDowel are shown from their early street gang days and due to exceptional events lead to their rise in the massive criminal organisation known as “Millenion.” We see immediately from that first episode that Harry does betray Brandon, and the buildup in that first arc is fantastic. The audience slowly see a series of dominoes slowly falling into place ranging from when the street gang dissolves to Harry’s personality change within organized crime. The characters throughout the show are rather interesting other than Brandon. Harry and the people within in and out of Millenion go through various build-ups and life events all while Brandon remain the silent loyal follower of both Millenion and his best friend Harry. There is even a love relationship thrown in with Brandon from the start. This in itself adds to that unfolding deck of cards. Then, after Harry’s inevitable betrayal of Brandon, the second arc starts. This is where the show falls heavily. After all of that build and after riding the emotional roller coaster, fans are rewarded with zombies, resurrecting bodies, Resident Evil style T-virus mutations for stronger soldiers, and finally a conclusion. At least the story does have a conclusive ending. This second half just does not live up to the first. The writing is absent and replaced by run and gun monster of the week encounters. This is probably where the source brings the show down. There is plenty of repetitive action for some entertainment along with bro-love moments and lost love moments. The animation and music are nothing outstanding nor memorable. It was the writing and the lure of that first arc which made Gungrave so interesting and fun. Then when the story turns into a plot for revenge, the anime loses what made it so fun in the first place. When a mob story turns into a sci-fi plot straight out of a zombie shooter, it just cannot hold a high place. Together Gungrave turns out to be slightly above average. If a mob story is of interest then arc one is almost perfect. If nonsensical sci-fi gun violence is fun, then arc two is below average.

When a friend told me about this series i was like pfft this looks a little to similar to all the other non-stop shooters that i have seen,but my friend kept bugging me about it and i was like sure i'll watch it just so he would shut up about! then i watched it and was pleasantly thrilled to find out that there was more to it then just raging violence.it has a great plot,good storyline,interesting characters,and when i was done with it i was sad that there wasn't anymore to watch. but all in all i give it 5/5 and recommend it to anyone that likes to watch a anime and learn a lesson about life in it.

Warning! Emo's Beware. This is one of the darkest, most depressing anime I have ever seen, but I ain't complaining. Having just watched this anime from start to finish I have to say that this has to be one of the most heart felt and emotional stories available on DVD, not just anime. But this also presents a possible downfall. While the story is involving and easy to follow, it does get very dark and heavy near the end, which will put off those hoping for an easy viewing, 100mph action revenge thriller. Aside from this all is on a par with all great anime. Brilliant animation with a nice mix of new age business district and old west shanty town as well as lovable characters. The only grievence with any of the characters is with Brandon Heat. He needs to say more. Overall this is a good anime. It is not for those looking for a romp, but is weel worth considering by a lover of all anime and those looking for a good, solid, emotional tale.

Gun-Grave is simply a forgotten piece. To large extent there has to be a credit given to the story progression and characters. However, due to few minor miscommunication and intentions by the director misses to be a great anime. Due to how the show concluded I'd gave a little bump for recommendation. I would like to depict my enjoyment and frustration with this show. The first episode is a insert of later episode around episode 20ish (its been long since I watched it). Starting show from midst of an action, which brings huge downfall of interest to the plot as it becomes stale. From second episode it picks up with great backstories and serves a great time building up to the climax. But excels at throwing all of that in the trash can, that only the shows closure could come to redeeming its disaster. Ergo, it does come close to the Phantom Requiem for the Phantom level. But still both over shadowed by Cowboy bebop and such anime at the time. My suggestion is to watch this show if you run out of anime to watch.

OVERALL: 9/10 Gungrave has some of the best writings I've ever come across in anime, thanks to its carefully constructed character development, neatly paced across 26 episodes. Underneath all the gang violence & vile/bizarre monsters lies a touching story about family, friendship and love. If you're looking for a mature, challenging anime, rather than quick action-packed mafia flicks, don't be thrown off by the MAL score. This story has so much to offer. STORY: 10/10 Gungrave follows the lives of Brandon and Harry from their teens until their 40s. At its core, the story is about their entwined bond. Both characters are well developed, each driven by their beliefs which evolved in opposite direction over time. There's some sci-fi element, which might seem like an odd addition, but I think it pushed the story and exaggerated the contrast between Brandon and Harry. In a few words, the story is about love & greed, family & power, protection & betrayal. ART: 6/10 The art did not age well at all, but it didn't throw me off too much. Admittedly its action sequences could have been done much better, but I think it's to be expected for this time period. SOUND: 7/10 Not much to say about sound here. I enjoy the music & voice acting, but otherwise nothing outstanding CHARACTER: 10/10 Aside from our two main characters, the supporting cast also got great writing. They all have conflicts, beliefs & desires, not one dimensional. I have a lot of empathy for all of them. ENJOYMENT: 10/10 It's a gripping story that left me in tears by the end, topped off with a great conclusion. I'll be recommending this anime to everyone for a while now.

I can't say I'm too well-versed when it comes to the mafia. My knowledge primarily stems from popular culture, which I'm sure glamorizes some aspects and trivializes others. However, I'm confident that the most vital element in the mafia is the concept of trust. When you're doing illegal activities, for your own sake or for someone else's, a traitor can easily collapse an insurmountable amount of hard work. The mafia in Gungrave are no exception. The members of Millennion, the mafia that rules the underground activities of the city Billion, are all bound by the "Code of Iron". This code has a simple definition - never betray lest you be killed. Simple in theory, but in practice, the message can be blurred or disobeyed when members feel they are above the code. Gungrave, for better or for worse, documents these decisions in a tale that tackles trust, friendship, freedom and family over the course of 26 episodes. The hardest part of reviewing Gungrave stems from its first episode. Unlike some introductions, where they tease what's to come or try to hint at the protagonist's success, Gungrave flat out tells the viewer of many spoilers of what happens and can ruin the buildup of key plot points. For this review, I will be pretending this first episode doesn't exist so as to avoid any "spoilers". I suggest new viewers to do the same until they reach Episode 18. Gungrave documents two young men, Harry MacDowel and Brandon Heat, as they rise from the dirty slums of Billion City through the ranks of Millennion. While Harry's goal is to obtain a Robin Hood like freedom, being able to take and give away as much as he wants, Brandon is along initially for support and for the chance to see his crush, Maria, more often. These roles are reflected in their personalities, with Harry being a charismatic individual while Brandon is a quiet, near mute figure. It can be a bit worrisome when a character is silent a majority of the time in a work, as they can feel more like a "blank canvas" than an actual character. Fortunately, Brandon's actions do a far better job voicing his feelings. His loyalty to Millennion is shown early on by accomplishing unpleasant internal affairs as well as risking his life as a sweeper more often than most in the business. Harry and Brandon play off of each other as you'd expect good friends to and their opposite behaviors form a nice contrast that makes them great to watch. Of course, the other characters of the story are no small fry either. Initially, the characters of Millennion show interesting and human characteristics that make the story feel more real. Big Daddy, the leader of Millennion, is not a scary power-fueled boss as much as a guy who started the organization to protect the ones he cares about (the irony is dampened when Millennion's trust is put in focus). Bunji Kugashira is a lone wolf "assassin for hire" who thinks he's above all else in talent, but finds respect in Brandon's abilities and even looks up to him as a older brother. It's true that we don't go too in detail for the supporting cast - after all, this is Brandon and Harry's story - but I did enjoy the early company of these characters just as much as the main characters and was excited to learn more with each episode. These character moments aren't just pleasant to watch - they are important for Brandon and Harry. They learn from others what the mafia business is really like and they learn the strengths and weaknesses of each individual working in it. It becomes quite clear that an organization is only as strong as the people who make it up. When underhanded deals and betrayals are made, the impact can not only affect the others in the business but also the ones behind it. Gungrave makes it clear that it isn't a happy story and even when the "right call" is made, it can often lead to the despair or downfall of another person. These moments are when the show is the most powerful and interesting. It's not so much a feeling of anguish or sadness as much as it is that of solemn behavior. There's no time to grieve - the show and business must go on. Unfortunately, Gungrave runs into a dilemma in its story that can either make or break the anime to some. Gungrave's main focus is a serious mafia story but it also dabbles in science fiction. A key element of the show is found in the process of "Necrolyzation", a term meaning to bring back those from the dead into strong zombie-men that have high defenses. Like the struggles within Millennion, the show struggles to maintain its story and characters as more of these concepts leak in. I felt that the characters became more "one-note" and lost some of their appeal during the second half of the show and the zombie technology and transformations ("Orgmen") became a bit ridiculous. I could see some people feeling the show was a bit dry and this was a way for it to carve its own identity versus other stories, but I really enjoyed the non sci-fi elements of the show the most. At the very least, the pacing is kept up and the episodes are still enjoyable to watch, even when the show becomes a "Orgmen of the week" series. Another big flaw of Gungrave stems from its animation. I usually am more forgiving towards a series if the animation and pacing are good - it gets me immersed and ready for action! Sadly, Madhouse does a B-grade job when it comes to Gungrave's animation. Some fights during the second half are pretty clean and the use of shading is nice but the lack of fluidity and occasionally awkward drawing can hurt the series more than it should. It's not bad enough to be laughable but it sure isn't the best that Madhouse has done. The music for the show is a bit of an odd one to discuss. I never really felt a strong emotion or power from it - it acted more like a "texture" to a scene, trying to enhance it without being noticed (sad violin, expressive guitar, forlorn horn). They don't really work standalone either - I suppose Tsuneo Imahori (who did the music for the series) just wanted it to be support and nothing more. The voice actors do a real good job. They convey emotion well and are very expressive. Major props go to Ryuuzaburou Ootomo for Bear Walken's bass voice and the flamboyant Takehito Koyasu who does the voice of Balladbird Lee. An interesting aspect of Gungrave comes from the fact that Madhouse adapted it from a video game, rather than a manga or light novel like usual adaptations. The Gungrave video game, funnily enough, scored only middling reviews and was praised most for its character designs by Yasuhiro Nightow (of Trigun fame). A glance through some of the gameplay mechanics shows this game is more combat heavy and features even stranger twists than what's shown in the anime. I suppose that director Toshiyuki Tsuru wanted to focus more on the story and character interactions - a smart move considering you can't play an anime. Overall, I give Gungrave a 6.0 out of 10. It's an addictive and fun show to watch, but I wish it was a bit more down-to-earth overall instead of trying to be a strange sci-fi thriller. However, I may be in the minority - if a mafia tale with a twist sounds like your thing, you should definitely check this one out! Do you like or dislike this anime? If you haven't watched it, are you encouraged to watch it or not? Leave a comment on my profile telling me what you think of the anime and/or my review. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!

“And above all, never ever betray the family. All traitors face the same fate, death.” – The code of Iron Wow, that took me a good solid 24 hour to melt and process. Gungrave really managed to get under my skin, and not in a bad way, but in that emotionally rollercoaster kind. It´s surely is reasons for Gungrave to be called a cult classic, with everything from the thick mafia atmosphere that literally oozed out from the screen, the mass gun shootings, the dynamic between the two main characters Brandon and Harry, to the conclusive ending. Gungrave isn´t the kind of show that will leave you with happy thoughts about life, but in true mobster flick style, leave you with a hole in your heart (pun intended). I didn´t manage to see the whole thing in one go, because despite the fact that I really enjoyed the show, there’s few bright or happy moments in this story. I needed a break or two, to get my shit together and take deep breath for the next round. Easily put, the show is divided into two acts, where act one are the first half of the show, and works like the character and story building platform for act two. Act two is basically the climax of everything act one has built up to. Gungrave is a mobster action drama through and through, but did the gamble to put in a super natural element as big factor. This could be appealing to some viewers, and off putting to others, that highly depends how you will perceive genetically altered corpses that look like big white aliens. But the mafia atmosphere is always percent, highlighted by classical jazz and blues music. And as all great mobster movies and series, themes such as friendship, loyalty, betrayal, family, and trust is high on the agenda. And of course, a lot of guns blazing shoot offs, heart breaking deaths, and a lot of bloodied hands. We are get to follow Brandon and Harry, and their journey from young underdog men in the slum, and their climb on the hierarchy ladder within the mafia organization Millennion, led by Big Daddy. They join for completely different reasons, but are determined to climb the ladder together, they are close as brothers and have a unique connection and understanding for each other. They complete each other in a way that seldom are showcased this well on screen. Brandon is the stoic nontalkative kind of guy, and rarely expresses emotions or what he is thinking. Most of his character you have to read through his body language, and how this is done is nothing but amazing, cred to the creators. Brandon was the character that managed to pull the most emotions out of me. To see his kind eyes and smile, grow colder and more distant, was more heart breaking when you could understand his reasons for doing all of what he did. That he had to emotionally cut himself off, and not once ever did he do something for himself, and never got a taste of what true happiness would feel like. Brandon joins the Millennion, to get the power to protect the people close to him, and not for any personal gain. It´s the same reason that keeps him from his one and only true love, to protect her he keeps her at an arm’s length at all times. Harry joins the Millennion for his own reasons, he has ambitions, he wants to climb high, so high that he can be free and able to take what he wants, and give what he wants, when he wants it. Harry is the more outgoing type, who has no problem to scam women to get to their money, make shady deals, blackmailing people, or to step over corpses to get what he wants, and does it all with his characteristic smile. To put it simple, Harry has ambitions, and won´t let anything to come between him and his goal. Just how far he is willing to go to for fill his dream and goals, will be clear throughout the show. And as mentioned before, the dynamic between Harry and Brandon are such a treat. Such dynamic is rarely ever portrayed as well in any medium, as it is done Gungrave. From the start to finish, this is what truly shines throughout the show. All other characters are good as well, ranging from classical mobster stereotypes done well, to very interesting and well portrayed, such as Bear Walken. Many have their motivations and reasons to do what they do, and are to me very believable. I also enjoyed much of the dialogue between the characters, which ranged from moral discussions, the hardship of living with the choices they made, plans to get to their goals, to every day conversations. Or in Brandon´s case, what he didn´t say, and still managed to say with no words. With just a light body language, and his actions, his character was utterly brought forth, and showcased what kind of guy he was. And an extra nice touch was, that you got to follow some of the characters thought path, how they felt or thought about a subject or person, but was never spoken out loud. It made them feel real, like it´s were true meaning and feelings behind it all. Gungrave is 2003-04, production and are for its time very well done. The mafia atmosphere was created with a natural colour palette, and with little important details in every frame. From the suites, cars, cigars, liquor bottles, graffiti on the walls, sunglasses, to the guns. The action scenes were fluid and suspension packed, and the bullets were popping and clattering on the ground. Well done, very well done indeed. Gungrave is for every one of you out there, that love a god mobster action drama, and don´t mind super natural elements thrown into the mix. I truly enjoyed the show, I bit my nails in response to all the tension, cried for the unfairness, got excited for all the action and suspenseful scenes, had my heart warmed and crushed of the sacrifices that was made for others, and raged at the betrayals. So, if you haven´t had the pleasure to sit down with the most famous mafia anime yet, I highly recommend that you do so now.

Shows adapted from games are rarely good, with most of them being mediocre to downright awful; some of the prime examples include Ragnarok the Animation and Shining Tears X Wind, hence why I was feeling cautious when I approached Gungrave. Nevertheless, since the show was backed by Madhouse, along with Yasuhiro Nightow as character designer, it was too good for me to pass without a glance. Contrary to my expectations however, Gungrave was not only good, it was an immediate classic in my book. For simplicity’s sake, you can divide the show in three major arcs, beginning with prologue on the first episode. While the introduction was a little shaky with the Sci-Fi monsters and some exaggerating gunplay, it did the job in foreshadowing the plot, as well as piqued my interest in what occurred before. For much of the second arc, it was focused on the past, detailing the chronicles of Harry MacDowel and Brandon Heat. From their early days as mere street punks, their rise to fame in the mafia syndicate – Millennion, then the subsequent events that lead back to the prologue. This is essentially the anime equivalent of the Godfather, though much of it was predictable from the onset, it was still a gripping ride for its entire duration. There were a lot of subtle contrasts throughout the show as well, which is what made this segment so special. There were differences in ideology between Harry and Big Daddy, differences in raison d’etre between Brandon and Bunji, as well as differences in understanding sacrifices between Bear Walken and Maria. I can go on and on in much greater length, but I’ll stop here to prevent spoilers, you get the point. Brandon is a rare instance where a silence protagonist was done well, the art style managed to convey his emotions well. For the occasions where he did spoke, it was usually profound and necessary, thanks to the excellent voice acting from the original cast. Harry was genuinely deep too, though the basis of his character never changed, his outlook and conduct was radically altered throughout the events, driven by his desire for freedom and absolute power. Despite the knowledge of tragedy from the start, you just can’t help but to cheer for every triumph, or be saddened for every setback. The tension was built in a befitting manner for this segment, all in sync with the show’s pacing, ending in a confrontation that goes a full circle, returning to the start. The third and final arc had Brandon going up against the demons of the syndicate, as well as some demons of his own. This time however, with full knowledge of what occurred before, it felt more assertive, more apprehended. There was one thing that I concur with the other reviewers however, is that some of the monsters were way too overblown, they actually took some magic of the show away in their appearance. I knew the writer had to adhere to the source, but sometimes one thing that might have worked in one medium may not transfer so well into another, which is a blemish in an otherwise perfect show. The ending too was masterfully done. In my humble opinion, it was more aptly written than the game’s conclusion. It was great that it finished in a blast, along with some mending in the process. It emphasised the folly of men in their relentless pursuit for desires, while losing sight of what should have been cherished the most. It was such an eminent peak that it deserves a mention at the least. Though not without its flaws, this anime should be classified as a masterpiece, definitely worth watching for the plot alone. If not, then you’ll still be equally entertained by the action instead. The small viewer base is unjust to its legacy.

Vintage stuff, especially the anime art, also the music. In short, its the sort of story expected in the 80s and 90s, with gangsters and mafia control in cities. But if you get put off by that, you're gonna miss out on an intriguing tale of love, honor, trust, camaraderie and above all else, betrayal. The story is a classic one, but properly fleshed out, with solid character backgrounds and highly compatible plot devices. This is a tale of two best friends who grow up together and make their way up in a cutthroat world of the Mafia, drugs and gangster lifestyle. The story highlights their progression through their late teens to their middle age. The two friends, though brothers by trade, have differing mentalities, which would be instrumental in plot twists later in the story. Values of brotherhood, honor, trust and camaraderie are highlighted. Navigating the mafia world requires a honed survivor instinct, and the protagonists are not lacking ion that aspect. The double lives of the mafia members and the less-than-unsavory things they do to earn money and influence are quite well portrayed. There are some intense fight scenes. Being a mafia themed series has its fair share of violence and gore. Some action scenes are quite embellished with the heroes performing some near-impossible feats to stay alive. Its not pleasant to watch such hero stuff though, well, for me anyway. :) Lots of sci-fi and borderline fantasy stuff are included which are crucial plot devices, as the genre of this anime show includes 'super power'. The action scenes are quite well shown and are worth a watch. What's truly important for this show, is the psychology of the characters, which makes all the difference from this being 'another gangster show'. Guns and fights are all well and good, but its hardly the highlight of the show. The relationships between the two protagonists and their evolution into completely different men is what is the main plot device. Power can corrupt and sever the best of friendships and hence betrayal is the highlight of this show. There's a certain Brutus-Caesar likeness to the story, although maybe that's quite enough spoilers. The soundtrack is aptly chosen for the setting. Madhouse did an excellent job with 'Monster' and Gungrave is no different. The anime art is vintage and reminiscent of 90s animation, despite this show airing in the 2000s. Overall, its a good anime and worth a watch. Monster recommended this show and I must say I was quite pleased after finishing the show. Still gives me the goosebumps when I play the game Gungrave on which this anime is based.

At first, I've never known what Gungrave is (both anime and game). But since I enjoyed Trigun and found it from someone whose favorite animes are similar to me, I decided to check it out. And I was glad I did. Never had I been so engrossed with an anime. Story: The core theme of Gungrave is loyalty. To be loyal and never betray may sound easy, but in practice, it's more complex than one may think. It is an interesting concept to say the least, because when making choices, one will end up betraying someone. There are times when one will find it difficult to make decisions if one tries not to betray anyone in life, and this is just perfectly portrayed throughout the anime. It shows how conflicted the characters are when faced with this problem. The entire storyline is, to sum it up in a sentence, it's rags to riches followed with betrayal, revenge, and redemption. The rags to riches concept may just be something usual, but it doesn't end when the characters have reached the top. There's an incredible plot twist afterwards that one probably has seen it coming (even if the in medias res first episode is skipped) before it happens, but is still surprising and unexpected. Now, how are those bare bones depicted? Through mafia drama and sci-fi elements. The first half (barring the first episode) features mafia drama. One gets to see how a crime organization operates, which includes extorting people, shady business, etc. Despite the lack of action, this is probably the strongest part of the anime. Aside from being realistic, it develops the characters and introduces the rule of executing traitors when found, which just fits the show's theme in general: loyalty. The second half features sci-fi wonders. This is where it goes downhill as the character development and the main theme are kind of left out (except episode 20, which actually leaves out most of the sci-fi elements and focuses more on the theme: loyalty). The genre shift is still rather abrupt even after watching the first episode. Why? Because it has been focused on the drama and character development for around 16 episodes, and then it becomes a full-blown action anime (and said action is not too great, because some fights are really one-sided). Gungrave is fine with some actions, but if they are too much and over-the-top, the actions will feel out of place, just like how the sci-fi elements are. Also, while I'm okay with the Necrolyzation technology because it still plays a role in the depiction of a character's ambition and the entire plot, it gets ridiculous when Superior is introduced. It feels out of place and just serves to move the plot. However, the last few episodes reduce the sci-fi weirdness and return to the main theme: loyalty. This is when the show becomes better again. Also, the ending is just beautiful and satisfying. It just sits right with the concept of loyalty and doesn't leave one hanging. The execution itself has some flaws. The first episode is in medias res. Not that it's a bad thing, but it starts out like some standard monster-shooting action anime. While this does make the genre shift in the middle of the show less abrupt, it can be off-putting due to its cliched and over-the-top nature. I first thought of dropping this anime because of the strange first episode, but I decided to give it more chance. Yes, the patience worth it, because the concept of loyalty is just portrayed very well until the finale. Art: The art is fitting to the realistic setting. There's no colorful hair and cute big eyes. Most of the characters wear suits, ties, and/or shades, and said outfit just fits the content of the anime because it's related to crime organization and whatnot. While there are exceptions about the mobster outfit, none of them feel out of place (except Grave's cowboy outfit, which is actually cool but borderlines being out of place). The art for the setting is fine too. Tall buildings for the city, rickety buildings for the slum; they are all fitting. However, the Superior is just too over-the-top, even more than the Orgmen. Okay, maybe a spider-like monster and a multi-armed swordsman are still tolerable, but a gigantic blob that flies with a propeller and shoots skull-shaped bombs from the stomach? I doubt it. As far as the animation goes, it's just fine. It does feel rather forced at some places. Sound: The OP and ED themes are great, but the strength in the soundtracks of the anime is not there. While there are only a few soundtracks that play during the show, they can evoke powerful emotions. For example, the theme that plays at the very end of the series is especially effective in bringing the emotional value. As for the characters' voices, I'll just talk about the sub since I'm not a good English listener due to having English as second language. They are just right and fit to the realistic setting and how the character is feeling. Most of the male characters have gruff voices, except for Brandon (still pretty deep though) and young Harry. I especially like Harry's voice; when he's young, he sounds rather laid-back, but slowly, a twinge of viciousness starts to show. As for the female casts, the voice is fine too. Maria sounds gentle and mature, while Mika is peppy but neither too childish nor loud (in short, it just fits her age and her character). The flaw in the voice is that the screeching of the Orgmen can get annoying at times. Characters: This is probably the anime's strongest point (to the point it can be difficult to determine who is the villain in the show). The main characters are easy to relate to, while the supporting casts mostly have just enough characterization to identify with. I won't go too detailed to keep spoilers minimum (if there are any). Brandon Heat is a silent protagonist, just like some usual game protagonists (the anime is an adaptation from a game after all). But no, Brandon is not that bland. He's a very relate-able character despite speaking very little throughout the anime. He may be quiet and stoic outside, but he is a loyal and caring man inside. Simply put, Brandon's actions speak louder than his words; his entire personality is shown through how he acts and reacts. But of course, Brandon has a flaw in his character: he always puts others' happiness above him. He makes his decision based on how others feel, not him. Although his intention is always good, his decision is often terrible, but this is a flaw which makes him likeable and easy to sympathize with. Throughout the anime, one will see him grow from a gentle street thug into an unforgiving killer, although he still retains immense loyalty and some degree of gentleness. Then there's Harry MacDowel, who is arguably the deepest character in the show. At a glance, he is like the opposite of Brandon: suave and nice outside, cunning and manipulative inside. Unlike Brandon, Harry does not bring how others feel when making decision, which makes him much better in deciding but can be ruthless in doing so. Harry himself has immense character development. He starts out as a laid-back street thug, but throughout the anime, he slowly grows into an ambitious man... A very ambitious and vicious man. Despite that, he remains as a fairly suave person outside, and behind his ambitious nature, he still has some kindness within. This makes him still easy to sympathize with despite not being as innocent and pure like Brandon. As far as the supporting casts go, most of them are decent and have their own personalities, but the notable ones are Bear Walken and Bunji Kugashira. Bear isn't just an intelligent and charismatic man in a crime organization; he is also a caring father to his daughter. While that doesn't sound like Bear is an especially deep character, how his character is portrayed throughout the show is amazing, which makes him a respectable character. Bunji is a ruthless, lonely gangster, but that's just his exterior. He has a strong sense of honor and shows a streak …