A thread about Gantz- because I have nowhere else to talk ab

[Forlorn Drifter]

So, I've been busy last week. I had time, and wanted to get in some before a weeks worth of work in the cold (yay temp jobs...) So, I decided to watch the original anime adaptation and the read the manga for Gantz.

I'll start with the anime- it's not great by any means. I'd argue it's decent, possibly even good, but I liked it much more than I should have because of my tastes. I'll be honest the main character is cla complete jackass, and few are truly likeable besides Kato. But overall, it's my kind of stuff- violence, some Blood and gore, women in skin tight latex- unknown, the works. But then I get to the last five episodes- the part where it veers away from the manga to make an ending. Again- I liked all of this except the ending itself. Nothing explained, and we don't even know what happened to the main character.

Then we turn to the manga- everyone is talked to said it was better. As far as my personal feelings? They ended the anime in the rights spot, because despite one or two cool battles, the rest of the manga sucks. I'd argue due to two major flaws- building up characters that add nothing to the plot, and plot threads that go nowhere. We have multiple chances to bring characters back, yet Kei Kishimoto and Sei are always skipped over for someone who died more recently. The whole plot line with the psychics adds nothing, the same can be said of the vampire plot line. The only important revelation that comes from the Osaka team is that there are, in fact, other teams. Reikas plotline never really went anywhere, and Tae is a great plot device, but horrible character.

Sorry if I sound rants and confusing, but I'm doing this during short breaks at work and I'm frustrated I spent the week so focused on something that disappointed me so much.

Overall, I'd say the best part of the story of Gantz is from the beginning until Kurono returns to the ball room alone. The rest... seems like it was always trying to hard or forgot what happened the last chapter.

[Anapan]

I really enjoyed the anime. The characters are so different and stuck together that it makes for a great show. I read a lot of good stuff about the manga, despite never even trying to read it. I like that

*everyone* dies in the manga. I don't think it'd bother me that they build up the characters just to suddenly smush them to goo or whatever.

I haven't watched the live action movies, but skipping through it seems they actually did a decent job of adapting it. The CG is really good.

[Forlorn Drifter]

I really enjoyed the anime. The characters are so different and stuck together that it makes for a great show. I read a lot of good stuff about the manga, despite never even trying to read it. I like that

*everyone* dies in the manga. I don't think it'd bother me that they build up the characters just to suddenly smush them to goo or whatever.

I haven't watched the live action movies, but skipping through it seems they actually did a decent job of adapting it. The CG is really good.

In the manga, it's less about building them up to kill them off than it is that the characters who do live (excluding two) aren't built up nearly as well as the early characters. It really feels like the first third or so of the story was well planned, and after that the story got popular and they just kind of put stuff out to keep the money rolling in. Honestly, that's how I view most manga that breaks 100 chapters- after a while I just want them to finish out the story. I know it's a bit hypocritical to say that when I like stuff like Berserk and FOTNS, but it is what it is.

EDIT: I just watched Gantz:0, which is as really good. The changes were a bit interesting, some of them being done to just set this up as a stand alone movie. One of the characters they cut is honestly for the better, as he was only used in the manga for shock value.