The appeal and reviews of Burst Angel -INFINITY-: A thorough explanation of the depth of the action and story

The charm and depth of Burst Angel -INFINITY-: The whole story of the completely new OVA

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

March 23, 2007

■Release and sales

・Publisher: IMAGICA Imageworks ・Distributor: Media Factory

■Frequencies

34 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

GONZO

■ Director

Koichi Ohata

■ Production

・Animation Production: GONZO
Produced by Bakuten Keikaku (IMAGICA Imageworks, GDH)

■Works

©2003・2007 GONZO/Bakuten Project

■ Story

In the year 20XX, a crime occurred in the Westland district of New York. A murderer wields a sharp blade and indiscriminately kills people in the slums... A young girl happens to witness the murder scene. She stands there trembling in fear as the terrifying weapon is mercilessly swung down on her!

Meg returns to the town with Jo. This is to celebrate the "birthday" of Shirley, who used to live with Meg. Meg and Shirley were orphans and decided that the day they first met would be their "birthday." Meg was taking care of Shirley and three other small children in the same situation, but an incident led to her meeting Jo. After that, Shirley and the others were adopted by Sam, a police officer with a strong sense of justice, and they were supposed to be living a fairly happy life.

Meg and Joe earn some money by helping others, buy a present for Shirley, and visit Sam at the precinct. However, something seems a bit strange about Sam. Suspicious, the two question him, and Sam tells them that Shirley was attacked by a murderer and seriously injured. To a saddened and angry Meg, Joe says, "Let's avenge Shirley!"

But at that time, the murderer's evil hand was gradually creeping up on the two of them. A cold, black gaze stares at Joe and Meg... And a dark conspiracy threatens to cover them, Sam, and the whole town!

■Explanation

Episode #14 of the TV series depicts the first meeting between Joe and Meg... This is a completely new story that depicts "what happened to the two of them afterwards."

A vicious killer terrorizes the skyscrapers of New York. Shirley, who used to live with Meg, becomes his target and is severely injured. The two set out to investigate and seek revenge, but they find themselves caught up in the clutches of an invisible enemy... How will the two deal with a powerful enemy that is ineffective against the Desert Eagle dual pistols? Joe and Meg find themselves in a desperate situation!

Joe, an emotionless human weapon known as the "Genocide Angel," begins to change when he comes into contact with Meg's desire to protect those she loves. Meanwhile, Meg, who used to be reckless and self-confident and treats Joe like a stray cat, learns to depend on and trust Joe when he encourages and saves her when she is on the brink of death and in despair. This is how the bond between Joe and Meg deepens.

Why did Meg leave her familiar New York home and move to Tokyo with Jo? Why did Jo's hair, which was once long, get cut short? Episode "Zero" depicts mysteries from the past that were not depicted in the TV series.

The secret story behind the birth of this legendary duo is now revealed!

■Cast

・Joe/Akino Watanabe ・Meg/Megumi Toyoguchi ・Sam/Masayuki Komuro ・Shirley/Kozue Yoshizumi

■ Main staff

・Original work: GONZO
・Director / Koichi Ohata・Screenplay / Maruo Keizuka・Character design original / Uzuki Shiraa・Animation character design, layout main character supervision / Osamu Horiuchi・Mechanical design / Masaki Koizumi・Set design / Tomoyuki Aoki・Product design / Seiji Uda・Director / Jiro Fujimoto・Chief animation director / Kenji Fukasawa・Color design / Keiko Kai・Art / Hiromasa Ogura・Editing / Mutsumi Takemiya・Music / Masala Nishida・Sound director / Yota Tsuruoka・Animation production / GONZO
Producers: Toshio Hatanaka, Hisashi Imamoto Production: Bakuten Keikaku (IMAGICA Imageworks, GDH)

■ Main Characters

Joe
17 years old. An unknown, skilled young gunfighter. She has long silver hair, red eyes, and a mysterious mark on her left arm. She has no memory of who she is, where she was born, or anything else. Due to an incident, she meets an orphan named Meg, and they begin to travel together. Her gun skills and reflexes are top-notch, but she has no common sense, which often leaves Meg dumbfounded.

Meg
15 years old. An orphan girl living in New York. She makes a living by pretending to be a thief while taking care of other young children in the same situation. One day, she picks up a drifter named Jo and gets caught up in a terrible incident, after which she separates from her children and lives with Jo. She is the type who acts before thinking. Although Jo often causes her trouble, she looks after him like a big sister.

Sam
38 years old. A police officer with the New York Police Department. He has a strong sense of justice. He is raising the three children who used to live with Meg. Shirley is one of them.

Shirley
5 years old. Sam's adopted daughter, originally an orphan. When she was living with Meg, she was the one who met Joe. She adores Meg.

Fred: A cold-hearted man who enjoys playing deadly games with a mysterious murderer.

Mayor Norman, Mayor of New York City. Wishing for the growth and stability of the city, he is devoted to normalizing dangerous areas.

- Police Chief Sam's boss and the precinct chief of the town in which the story takes place.

■ Related works

・Explosion Angel

The charm and depth of Burst Angel -INFINITY-: The whole story of the completely new OVA

"Burst Angel -INFINITY-" is an OVA released in 2007, and is positioned as a spin-off of the anime series "Burst Angel" produced by GONZO. This work is a completely new work that depicts the "aftermath" of the story that begins with the meeting of Joe and Megu depicted in episode #14 of the TV series, and is an important episode that shows the process of the two's deepening bond and unravels the unsolved mystery of the past.

The appeal of the story

The story of this film begins with the presence of a killer who repeatedly kills indiscriminately in the Westland district of New York. While being exposed to the terror of this killer, Meg and Jo return to the city to celebrate Shirley's birthday. However, when they find out that Shirley has been attacked and seriously injured by the killer, the two choose the path of revenge. The story depicts how the two confront a dark conspiracy that is gradually revealed as they pursue the identity of the killer.

The appeal of this story lies not only in the action, but also in the deepening of the human relationship between Joe and Meg. Joe is portrayed as an emotionless human weapon known as the "Genocide Angel," but he undergoes a change of heart when he comes into contact with Meg's desire to protect those she loves. Meanwhile, Meg learns to depend on and trust Joe, and the bond between the two of them is movingly depicted.

Character Appeal

Zhou appears as an unidentified young gunfighter. Her long silver hair, red eyes, and the mysterious mark on her left arm create a strong visual impact. Her character, who has no memory of her past, gives viewers a sense of mystery and heightens their interest in the story. Her gun skills and reflexes are an overwhelming presence in the battle scenes, drawing viewers in.

Meg is an orphaned girl living in New York. Her reckless and confident personality creates a contrast with Jo and enriches their relationship. The way Meg looks after Jo as if she were her guardian resonates with viewers and is an important element in deepening the bond between the two.

Sam and Shirley are important characters that support the story of Meg and Jo. Sam's righteous attitude as a police officer and Shirley's innocent presence add depth to the story. In addition, characters such as Fred, Mayor Norman, and the police chief play an important role in drawing the plot of the story.

The appeal of production

The film is directed by Koichi Ohata, whose directing skills heighten the tension of the story. Maruo Keizuka, who wrote the screenplay, carefully portrays the relationship between Jo and Megu, stirring the emotions of the viewer. The designs by Uzuki Shiraa, who was in charge of the original character design, bring out the individuality of the characters and enhance their visual appeal. In addition, the technical skills of Osamu Horiuchi, who was in charge of animation character design and layout supervision of the main characters, enhance the impact of the battle scenes.

The designs of mechanic designer Masaki Koizumi enrich the worldview of the story and stimulate the imagination of the viewer. Set designer Tomoyuki Aoki's designs realistically recreate the streets of New York, solidifying the setting of the story. Product designer Seiji Uda's designs are an important element in heightening the tension of the story.

The directing skills of director Fujimoto Jiro make the story unfold smoothly and capture the viewer's interest. The technical skills of animation director Fukasawa Kenji realistically depict the character movements and stir the viewer's emotions. The designs of color designer Kai Keiko enrich the atmosphere of the story and enhance the viewer's emotions. The designs of art director Ogura Hiromasa enrich the worldview of the story and stimulate the viewer's imagination. The editing skills of editor Takemiya Mutsumi make the story unfold smoothly and capture the viewer's interest. The music of music composer Nishida Masara enriches the atmosphere of the story and stirs the viewer's emotions. The sound technique of sound director Tsuruoka Yota heightens the tension of the story and enhances the viewer's emotions.

Viewer reactions and ratings

"Burst Angel -Infinity-" has been highly praised by viewers. In particular, episode "Zero," which deepens the relationship between Joe and Meg and reveals an unsolved mystery of the past, left a strong impression on viewers. In addition, the intensity of the battle scenes and the realistic reproduction of the New York cityscape have also been highly praised by viewers.

Many viewers have responded with comments such as, "It was moving to see the bond between Joe and Meg deepen," "The battle scenes were powerful," and "The New York cityscape was so realistic that I was drawn into the world of the story." Additionally, many have commented that, "The mystery of the past that was revealed in Episode 'Zero' was intriguing," and "The change in Joe's heart was moving."

Recommendations and related works

"Burst Angel -INFINITY-" is highly recommended not only for fans of "Burst Angel" but also for viewers who want to enjoy action anime and human drama. In particular, episode "Zero", in which the relationship between Joe and Meg deepens and the unsolved mysteries of the past are revealed, will leave a strong impression on viewers. In addition, the intensity of the battle scenes and the realistic reproduction of the New York cityscape are also elements that will attract viewers.

A related work is "Burst Angel". "Burst Angel" is a story that begins with the meeting of Joe and Meg, and is a prequel to "Burst Angel -INFINITY-". By watching "Burst Angel", you will be able to understand the story of "Burst Angel -INFINITY-" more deeply. You will also be able to enjoy the world view and characters of "Burst Angel" even more.

Conclusion

"Burst Angel -INFINITY-" is a brand new OVA work that depicts the deepening relationship between Joe and Meg, and episode "Zero" where unsolved mysteries of the past are revealed. The powerful battle scenes and the realistic reproduction of the New York cityscape are also elements that attract viewers. It is highly recommended not only for fans of "Burst Angel", but also for viewers who want to enjoy action anime and human drama. By watching it together with "Burst Angel", you will be able to enjoy the world view of the story and the charm of the characters even more.