Gunparade March Collection
Released By: MVM
Rating: 12
Running Time: 300 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: Out Now!
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

The emphasis seems to be on anime that are based on video games lately, so this is no different and is actually a pleasant surprise. Gunparade March, based on the PlayStation game of the same name is a DVD that contains the first twelve episodes for this action-packed sci-fi series. Many have remarked of its similarity to Love Hina and Neon Genesis Evangelion combined, and in part is very true, it has an absorbing sci-fi element complete with dangerous aliens hell-bent on destroying the earth, with humorous undertones from certain central characters.

Set in 1945 at the end of the Second World War, aliens invaded and all the people in the world had to group together, forget their differences and fight for survival against the alien threat. Later in time, after fifty years, too many human lives have been lost, so the military enlists sixteen and twenty-one year olds to fight their battles for them using tanks built like familiar mecha, Humanoid Walking Tanks, as they are called and the anime chronicles the life and times of Unit 5121, a bunch of very daring and strong men and women who have completed their stint at high school and went to fight - yet this series is not so much about the fighting, but the lives of the men and women in question.

Gunparade March has thrills and comedy alongside a sci-fi setting that many viewers will enjoy greatly. The DVD comes as a 3 disc set slim case with wraparound cover art that's catchy and impressive. It contains all 12 episodes in the series and has information on the back cover along with DVD special features and also includes aspect ratio and disc format info. Ideal for children of 12 years and over it contains infrequent moderate injury detail.

This is straight from the director of Revolutionary Girl Utena, Katsushi Sakurabi who gives this anime a very realistic and endearing feel fans will adore. With the DVD box set being in a slim case, it is much easier for the viewer to store away on the shelf along with all the other DVD's in the collection. The extras are a nice bonus for the viewer that they might not have got normally, with text less opening and closing animations being a nice touch, and a production art gallery to go with it it makes for a really exciting set to marvel over.


Bonus Material: Bonus material for this title consists of these DVD features: Text less Opening and Closing animations, Trailers, Production Art Gallery and Japanese TV Commercials.

Verdict: Endearing, funny and captivating - an anime to choose when you want to relax.