Burst Angel: A perfect balance of action and humor

A comprehensive review and recommendation of Bakuretsu Tenshi

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 6, 2004 - September 21, 2004 TV Asahi series April 6, 2004 - September 14, 2004 (Episodes 1-24) Every Tuesday 27:12-27:42

■Broadcasting station

TV Asahi

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 24

■Original Story

GONZO

■ Director

Koichi Ohata

■ Production

・Animation Production: GONZO

■Works

©2003 GONZO/Bakuten Project

■ Story

The year is 20XX, Shinjuku, Tokyo...
In this country and city where the worsening security situation has led to the perpetration of gun ownership, there are mysterious assassins whose names even make the thugs of the underground syndicates that are enemies of each other frighten each other.
Four girls: Jo, Meg, Sei, and Amy.
She may look like a young girl, but she has top-notch skills and courage. She will mercilessly fire her gun at anyone who gets in the way of her work.
Among them is the taciturn Joe, who rides in a dual-wielding robot and crushes his enemies with incredible fighting power.
No one knows where they come from, who they are, or what their purpose is.
One day, Kyohei, a boy attending culinary school, sees a sign advertising a part-time cook position and comes to see the four of them.
He was living an ordinary life when he suddenly became embroiled in a military weapons theft case and was drawn into a violent world where bullets were flying.
A fierce gun action story set in the chaotic city of Tokyo.
With Shinjuku and Tokyo as the stage, the battle between the Hell's Angels has finally begun!

*Quoted from the GONZO official website

■Explanation

"Girls×GUN×GONZO-3D" A near-future Tokyo Western brought to you by GONZO!!

※Quoted from d Anime Store

■Cast

・Jo/Akino Watanabe ・Meg/Megumi Toyoguchi ・Amy/Mikako Takahashi ・Sei/Rie Tanaka ・Kyohei Tachibanam/Yuji Ueda

■ Main staff

・Original work: GONZO
・Director / Koichi Ohata・Assistant Director / Yasunori Urata・Series Composition / Fumihiko Shimo・Character Design Original Concept / Uzuki Shiraa・Animation Character Design / Osamu Horiuchi, Kanetoshi Kamimoto・Mechanic Design / Kanetake Ebikawa・Set Design / Tomoyuki Aoki・Product Design / Seiji Uda・Color Design / Keiko Kai・Director of Photography / Tadashi Kitaoka・Art Director / Toshikazu Ishiwata, Aki Maaki・Editor / Mutsumi Takemiya・Music / Masala Nishida・Sound Director / Yota Tsuruoka・Animation Production / GONZO
Producers: Toshio Hatanaka, Hisashi Imamoto, Naomi Nishiguchi Production: Bakuten Keikaku (IMAGICA Entertainment, GDH)

■ Main Characters

Joe
17 years old. Unknown, but a skilled young gunslinger. Wielding two Desert Eagles, her aim is unmatched. Her skills in operating the cyborg "Django" are also first-rate. She is usually low-spirited, expressionless, and unfriendly, but when it comes to fighting, she changes completely with a ferocious smile. When the mark on her body appears, her momentum is unstoppable. Her hobby is watching horror videos. She is nicknamed "The Angel from Hell."
Meg
15 years old. An uninvited assistant who follows around Jo without regard for the trouble he causes him. Although he is supposed to be a support, he is always caught by the enemy and tied up, and ends up playing the hostage role. He is also skilled with his hands and can handle machines. Apparently, Jo helped him in the past.
Amy
11 years old. A genius girl who uses a stuffed toy computer to hack into everything. Her computer skills are top-notch, and she can hack into military systems as easily as going to a convenience store. Her cute appearance tends to fool you, but she also has the most sarcastic remarks of all time.
・Sei
19 years old. She is the leader who looks after the work of the group, and also sponsors the trailers they live in and the weapons they use. She is the daughter of an influential member of the Chinese group "Byakuran", and in this world of chaotic struggle, she uses the group for the organization, but she is also torn between her loyalty to the organization and her friendship with the group.
・Kyohei
18 years old. A boy who is studying at a culinary school with the goal of becoming a pastry chef. He goes to work part-time at Sei's trailer, and by some stroke of luck, he gets caught up in their troubles. After preparing the meal, he runs away, but because the four girls notice his cooking skills, he ends up being kidnapped and taken back to the trailer every time.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Hell Comes Quietly Episode 2: Heartless Gun Fighter Episode 3: The City Where Beasts Roar Episode 4: Brothers Die at Dawn Episode 5: The Mansion Where the Evil God Lurks Episode 6: Wash This Garden With Blood!
・Episode 7/Black Sky・Episode 8/The Scarred Fugitive・Episode 9/Party of the Dragon・Episode 10/Cyber ​​Bangaichi・Episode 11/Angel of the East, Hawk of the West・Episode 12/Tsutenkaku is Wet with Tears・Episode 13/Bloody Battle! Naniwa Gurentai・Episode 14/Wild Kids・Episode 15/The Sea, Swimsuits, and Great Sea Beasts・Episode 16/The Demonic War Demon・Episode 17/Clash! Two Angels・Episode 18/The Immortal Classmate・Episode 19/24 Hours of Conspiracy・Episode 20/The Highway of Massacre・Episode 21/A Bullet for the Iron Gravestone・Episode 22/Devil in Love・Episode 23/The Red Sea Execution Ground・Episode 24/Angel Explodes!

■ Related works

・ Burst Angel -INFINITY-

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Loosey
1 to 24
・Lyrics by HIDEBOH
・Composer: HIDEBOH
・Arrangement/Shibuichi Abe ・Song/THE STRiPES

・ED1
・Under the Sky
1 to 24
Lyrics: BYS
・Composition: BYS
Arrangement: BYS
・Song: cloudica

■ Evaluation

"Burst Angel" is an anime series produced by GONZO that aired in 2004, depicting gun action set in a near-future Tokyo. As it is an original anime, there is a high degree of freedom in the story and character settings, creating a fascinating world view that draws viewers in.

First, let's talk about the story. Set in Shinjuku, Tokyo in the year 20XX, a city with a deteriorating security situation, four girls, Jo, Meg, Sei, and Amy, are active. They are feared by the underworld syndicate, and Jo's battle scenes are particularly impressive. The sight of her operating two Desert Eagles is visually very impactful, and you can fully enjoy the thrill of gun action. In addition, the story progresses from the perspective of Kyohei, a boy attending culinary school, and the horror of the underworld from the perspective of an ordinary citizen and the humanity of the four girls are deeply depicted.

The characters' backgrounds and personalities are also well-drawn, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. The contrast between Jo's bluntness and her ferocity in battle, Meg's humorous side as an assistant who was forced to stay put, Amy's genius hacking skills and sharp tongue, Sei's struggle between loyalty to the organization and friendship, and Kyohei's growth as a hero who gets caught up in things all add to the charm of each character, enriching the story.

Visually, GONZO's 3D animation technology is utilized, and the intensity of the battle scenes is particularly noteworthy. The realistic depiction of near-future Tokyo succeeds in giving the viewer a strong sense of the world. The character designs are also unique, and Joe's design in particular has a dark charm that is worthy of his nickname "Angel from Hell."

The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. The opening theme "Loosey" is a rock-style song that helps to raise the tension of the work. The ending theme "Under the Sky" is a beautiful song that conveys the sadness and hope behind the story, and resonates deeply with the viewers.

Overall, Burst Angel is a worthwhile work that combines gun action with the charm of the characters. The dark world view set in a near-future Tokyo and the exploits of the four girls leave a strong impression on the viewer. I would highly recommend this work to anyone who likes gun action and action anime.

■Recommendation

Here are some recommended points to help you enjoy "Burst Angel".

1. **For fans of gun action**: The fighting scenes with Joe's two pistols are a must-see for fans of gun action. In particular, the fighting scenes set in a near-future Tokyo have a huge visual impact.

2. **For those who are attracted to the charm of the characters**: The backgrounds and growth of unique characters such as Jo, Megu, Sei, Amy, and Kyohei are well depicted, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. In particular, the contrast between Jo's unsociableness and his ferocity in battle is captivating and draws the viewer in.

3. **For those who like the near-future world**: The near-future world set in Shinjuku, Tokyo in the year 20XX, a city where public safety has deteriorated, gives viewers a strong sense of reality. Don't miss the visuals, which make use of GONZO's 3D animation technology.

4. **For music fans**: The opening theme "Loosey" and the ending theme "Under the Sky" are important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the work. The ending theme in particular is a beautiful song that conveys the sadness and hope behind the story, and resonates deeply in the hearts of viewers.

5. **For those who like original anime works**: Because it is an original anime, there is a high degree of freedom in the story and character settings, and it creates an attractive world view that draws the viewer in. It is especially recommended for those who like GONZO's works.

Above, we have provided a comprehensive review and recommendation of "Burst Angel". If you have not seen this work yet, please give it a watch. You will enjoy a work that is worth watching, combining gun action and the charm of the characters.