Brent P. Newhall's Blog
Anime review - gunparade march
[Gunparade March]

This is a difficult show to review. I have to write two reviews.

First, this is a difficult one to watch. A main character dies.

It's the story of an alternate present in which xenophobic aliens have been invading Earth for fifty years. Where there are so few soldiers left that teenagers now man the front lines.

And that's what makes this show unique. It really feels like these characters are in the middle of a slog of a war. People think in terms of military rations and air raid sirens. But it's the story of high school students, with all the petty frustrations and halting romances and uneven relationships that goes along with it. The two main characters spend several episodes realizing that they fundamentally dislike each other, then argue for several episodes more.

Thankfully, the show makes clear that these characters don't have much time. They indulge in annoyance despite how little time they really have to spend together.

And yet, the show doesn't slather black depression on every scene. It can be very sad, but much of the show focuses on how the characters relate and grow and, basically, become better people.

Indeed, one of the most remarkable features of Gunparade March is its ability to shift moods. One episode can be very depressing, then the next will have a lighter mood. A few episodes later, the show is nearly a romantic comedy.

But that's life. There are dark times and light times. It takes real guts to show both ends of the spectrum, and real skill to show them both effectively. And Gunparade March manages it.

...and strangely enough, that ability to effectively show both ends of the spectrum is the big surprise. Because the last half of the series is almost entirely a romance. Almost no action, and very little drama. Two characters fall in love, and we see how that turns out.

And, that's it. All the intense war stuff from the first half fades away, and the show focuses almost entirely on this primary relationship. It ends with a big romantic finale. (Note that I'm not revealing the nature of that finale.)

And it's a good romance. I felt fully connected to the show throughout it. I was just shocked at an ending that felt so out-of-character with the rest of the show.

But perhaps that's the point, that even in the darkest of times, things change. Our lives focus on other things.