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Gunbuster (OAV)

Have you seen this? want to / seen some / seen all

© BANDAI, VICTOR, GAINAX


Alternative title:
Aim for the Top! Gunbuster
Punta al Top! Gunbuster (Italian)
Top o Nerae! Gunbuster
トップをねらえ! (Japanese)
勇往直前 (Chinese (Taiwan))
Objectionable content: Significant
Plot Summary: Noriko Takaya's dream is to become a space pilot like her father, Admiral Yuzo Takaya. He died when she was still a little girl due to an attack of alien forces in deep space. After entering Okinawa Girls Space Pilot High School, Noriko is handpicked by instructor Kouichiro Ohta as someone with great potential. She must then persuade everyone, especially herself, that she can indeed fulfill her goal and become an accomplished pilot despite being just an ordinary girl.
User Ratings: 1288 ratings have been given [details]
 Masterpiece: 276 votes (sub:246, dub:8, raw:7, ?:7, others:8
3 Spanish subtitled
2 Italian subtitled
1 Russian subtitled
1 French subtitled
1 German subtitled
)
 Excellent: 339 votes (sub:300, dub:16, raw:7, others:16
8 Spanish subtitled
3 Russian subtitled
2 Italian subtitled
2 French subtitled
1 German subtitled
)
 Very good: 311 votes (sub:275, dub:18, raw:4, ?:2, others:12
5 French subtitled
5 Spanish subtitled
1 Russian subtitled
1 Italian subtitled
)
 Good: 198 votes (sub:171, dub:16, raw:3, ?:3, others:5
2 Spanish subtitled
1 French subtitled
1 Chinese Mandarin subtitled
1 Italian subtitled
)
 Decent: 81 votes (sub:63, dub:12, ?:1, raw:1, others:4
2 Spanish subtitled
2 French subtitled
)
 So-so: 36 votes (sub:32, dub:3, others:1
1 Italian dubbed
)
 Not really good: 17 votes (sub:16, dub:1)
 Weak: 13 votes (sub:12, dub:1)
 Bad: 9 votes (sub:7, dub:1, others:1
1 French subtitled
)
 Awful: 4 votes (sub:4)
 Worst ever: 4 votes (sub:4)
Seen in part or in whole by 2155 users, rank: #541 (of 9508)
Median rating: Very good
Arithmetic mean: 8.137 (Very good), std. dev.: 1.6806, rank: #446 (of 9647)
Weighted mean: 8.095 (Very good), rank: #438 (of 9647) (seen all: 8.14 / seen some: 7.30 / won't finish: 3.53)
Bayesian estimate: 8.088 (Very good), rank: #289 (of 7268)
Running time: 30 minutes per episode
Number of episodes: 6
Episode titles: We have 6
Vintage: 1988-10-07
Release dates: We have 20
Opening Theme:
"Active Heart" (アクティブ・ハート) by Noriko Sakai (eps 1-3)
Ending Theme:
#1: "Try Again...!" (トライAgain…!) by Noriko Sakai (eps 1-3)
#2: "Active Heart" (アクティブ・ハート) by Noriko Sakai (ep 4)
#3: "Toki no Kawa o Koete…" (時の河を越えて…; "The Timeless Stream") by Kouhei Tanaka (instrumental; ep 6)
Insert song:
"Otoko to Onna no Love Game" (男と女のラブゲーム; A Man and a Woman's Love Game) by Norio Wakamoto and Rei Sakuma (ep 3)
"Top o Nerae! ~Fly High~" (トップをねらえ! 〜Fly High〜; Aim for the Top! Fly High) by Noriko Hidaka and Rei Sakuma (ep 5)
Links: We have 4
Trivia: We have 31
Comment:
Hideaki Anno's directorial debut.
Reviews:
Gunbuster Blu-ray (Jun 13, 2023)
Gunbuster Sub.DVD (Feb 26, 2007)
News: Show:
Kabaneri Released Monday (Dec 9, 2018)
Anime Central 2006 (May 9, 2006)
Game Trailers (Oct 27, 2004)
Gunbuster Web Update (Jun 18, 2004)
More on Gunbuster 2 (May 7, 2004)
Gunbuster 2 details (May 6, 2004)
Broccoli USA (Apr 22, 2004)
Otaking at MIT (Sep 28, 2003)
More Acen Guests (Mar 13, 2003)
Katsucon News (Feb 18, 2003)
Manga Entertainment (Sep 7, 2002)
Katsucon Entrance Cap? (Feb 9, 2002)
New Gunbuster Confirmed (Oct 29, 2001)
Gunbuster is on Fire (Sep 30, 2001)
Marionette Generation (Sep 19, 2000)
Anime Expo 2000 Day 2/3 (Jul 8, 2000)
Other articles: Show:
30 Years of Gunbuster (Sep 21, 2018)
Theron Martin (Jul 1, 2012)
Shelf Life - One Love (May 10, 2010)
Hey, Answerman! (Mar 20, 2009)
Shelf Life - Gunbusted (Dec 15, 2008)
Hey, Answerman! (Nov 13, 2008)
The X Button - Wild Gift (Sep 17, 2008)
Hey, Answerman! (Aug 15, 2008)
Hey, Answerman! (Feb 8, 2008)
Hey, Answerman! (Jun 15, 2007)
Hey, Answerman! (Apr 27, 2007)
Answerman: Scream! (Apr 29, 2001)
You can contribute information to this page, but first you must login or register

Blu-ray (Region A)
    Gunbuster - The Complete OVA Series (Blu-ray) 2023-05-30 (from $29.52)
Blu-ray (Region B)
    Gunbuster - Complete OVA Collection [Collector's Edition][UK] (Blu-ray) 2023-08-28
    Gunbuster - Complete OVA Collection [UK] (Blu-ray) 2023-11-13
DVD (Region 0)
    Gunbuster [UK] (DVD) 2001-04-20
    Gunbuster [Kinokuniya USA Exclusive] (Jp.DVD) 2006-11-24
DVD (Region 1)
    Gunbuster (Sub.DVD) 2007-02-20 (from $88.41)
VHS
    Gunbuster (Sub.VHS 1) 1990-02-01
    Gunbuster (Sub.VHS 1) 1996-08-20
    Gunbuster (Sub.VHS 2) 1991-08-21
    Gunbuster (Sub.VHS 2) 1996-09-24
    Gunbuster (Sub.VHS 3) 1991-12-01
    Gunbuster (Sub.VHS 3) 1996-10-22

Japanese staff
Japanese cast
Director:
Hideaki Anno
Kazuya Tsurumaki (New Science Lessons)
Screenplay:
Hideaki Anno (New Science Lessons; eps 5-6)
Hiroyuki Yamaga (uncredited)
Kazuya Tsurumaki (New Science Lessons)
Toshio Okada (eps 1-6)
Storyboard:
Hideaki Anno (eps 1-6)
Kazuya Tsurumaki (New Science Lessons)
Shinji Higuchi (eps 1-6)
Music: Kōhei Tanaka
Original creator: Toshio Okada
Original Character Design: Haruhiko Mikimoto
Art: Kimiko Higuchi (ED 1-3)
Chief Animation Director: Toshiyuki Kubooka
Animation Director:
Toshiyuki Kubooka (eps 1, 4)
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (eps 5-6)
Yūji Moriyama (eps 2-3)
Animation Character Design: Toshiyuki Kubooka
Producer:
Hiroaki Inoue
Minoru Takanashi
Satoshi Kohno (New Science Lessons)
Shigeru Watanabe (New Science Lessons)
Shiro Sasaki
Takeshi Sawamura (New Science Lessons)
Toshio Azami (New Science Lessons)

Assistant Animation Director:
Kinji Yoshimoto (ep 2)
Satoshi Urushihara (ep 2)
Assistant Episode Director: Masakazu Amiya (eps 1, 5-6)
Background Art:
Satoshi Hirono (eps 1-3, 5-6)
Takashi Watabe (eps 5-6)
Tatsuya Kushida (eps 5-6)
Yōji Takeshige (eps 1-2, 5-6)
Yūsuke Takeda (Bihou; DVD SP2-3)
CG Graphics: Hiroyuki Yamaga (New Science Lessons)
Digital Art:
Hiroshi Sasaki (New Science Lessons)
Masanori Kikuchi (New Science Lessons)
Effects: Shizuo Kurahashi (Toyo Onkyo)
Finishing: Tomomi Nakamaru (New Science Lessons)
Harmony: Noriko Takaya
Illustration:
Kimiko Higuchi (ED 1-3)
Mahiro Maeda (all for ED)
In-Between Animation:
Hiroko Onoki (eps 1-2, 4)
Hirotsugu Yamada (eps 1-2)
Kazuya Kuroda (eps 1-2, 4-6)
Keiji Gotō (eps 1-2)
Koichi Nakaochi (eps 1-2)
Koji Sugiura (ep 4)
Masayuki Ota (ep 3)
Naoki Katō (eps 1-2)
Naoki Kitamura (ep 3)
Natsuko Goto (Shaft; DVD SP1-3)
Shinya Yamamoto (eps 1-2)
Suzuko Watanabe (eps 4-6)
Takashi Nagayama (ep 3)
Takehiro Nakayama (eps 1-2)
Takeshi Honda (eps 1-2)
Takeshi Yamamoto (ep 3)
Tomoaki Kado (eps 1-2)
Yasuhito Kikuchi (ep 4)
Yoshiaki Iwasaki (eps 4-6)
In-Between Check:
Hajime Yoshida (eps 3-4)
Hiroshi Yoneda (eps 1-2)
Junichi Nagano (eps 3-4)
Takehiro Nakayama (eps 5-6)
Yasuhito Kikuchi (eps 5-6)
Insert Song Arrangement: Kōhei Tanaka
Insert Song Composition:
Kōhei Tanaka ("Top o Nerae! ~Fly High~")
Kōji Makaino ("Otoko to Onna no Love Game")
Insert Song Lyrics:
Ben Uozumi ("Otoko to Onna no Love Game")
Kyōko Matsumiya ("Top o Nerae! ~Fly High~")
Insert Song Performance:
Noriko Hidaka
Norio Wakamoto
Rei Sakuma
Key Animation:
Atsushi Takeuchi (eps 5-6)
Eiji Suganuma (eps 5-6)
Eisaku Inoue (ep 3)
Fumio Iida (eps 5-6)
Hideaki Anno (eps 5-6)
Hideki Futamura (eps 3-4)
Hidenori Matsubara (eps 1, 4-6)
Hidetoshi Yoshida (eps 2-6)
Hiroaki Gōda (eps 1, 4-6)
Hiroyuki Kitakubo (eps 4-6)
Jiro Kanai (eps 5-6)
Kazuya Tsurumaki (New Science Lessons)
Keisuke Fukuda (eps 1-2, 5-6)
Kōichi Hashimoto (ep 4)
Koji Sugiura (eps 5-6)
Mahiro Maeda (eps 1, 4-6)
Makoto Kanai (OAV 2)
Masami Ōbari (eps 5-6)
Masayuki (eps 5-6)
Norifumi Kiyozumi (eps 5-6)
Osamu Ōkubo (eps 5-6)
Sadami Morikawa (eps 5-6)
Shinji Hashimoto (ep 4)
Shōichi Masuo (eps 2, 4-6)
Shunji Suzuki (eps 4-6)
Takahiro Kishida (eps 2-3, 5-6)
Takahiro Ōmori (eps 5-6)
Takehiro Nakayama (eps 2-6)
Takeshi Honda (eps 3-6)
Toshiyuki Kubooka (ep 2)
Yasuhito Kikuchi (eps 5-6)
Yoshiaki Takei (eps 1-6)
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (eps 1, 4-6)
Yūji Moriyama (ep 2)
Music Performance:
Hikaru Yamanaka (Violin)
Kazuki Chiba (Contrabass)
Opening Animation: Masayuki
Photography: Hidetoshi Watanabe (New Science Lessons)
Planning:
Hideaki Anno (New Science Lessons)
Isamu Senda
Minoru Takanashi (New Science Lessons)
Shin Unozawa
Shiro Sasaki (New Science Lessons)
Toshio Okada
Production Assistant: Ken Ando (New Science Lessons)
Production manager:
Ayumi Enomoto (eps 2-3)
Shouji Murahama (eps 1-3, 5-6)
Yasuhiro Takeda (New Science Lessons)
Production Office: Kazumi Okada
Recording: Kunio Andō (Aoi Studio)
Recording Assistant: Nobuyoshi Uebayashi
Recording engineer:
Kaori Hiyamizu (New Science Lessons)
Norio Nishizawa (New Science Lessons)
Scientific Study: Yūji Moriyama
Setting:
Hiroshi Sasaki (eps 1-6)
Ikuto Yamashita (eps 5-6)
Mahiro Maeda (eps 1-6)
Masanori Kikuchi (eps 1-6)
Shinji Higuchi (eps 5-6)
Takashi Watabe (eps 5-6)
Takehiko Itō (eps 5-6)
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (eps 1-6)
Sound Effects:
Hideaki Anno (New Science Lessons) 
Shizuo Kurahashi
Special Effects:
Satoru Hirono (eps 3-6)
Yuki Okumura (eps 1-6)
Technical Director: Shōichi Masuo
Theme Song Arrangement: Motoki Funayama
Theme Song Composition: Eiji Nishiki
Theme Song Lyrics:
Hiromi Mori (OP, ED2)
Megumi Ogura (ED1)
Theme Song Performance: Noriko Sakai (OP/ED 1-2)
Noriko Hidaka as Noriko Takaya
Norio Wakamoto as Kōichirō "Coach" Ohta
Rei Sakuma as Kazumi "Onēama" Amano

Kazuki Yao as Smith Toren (ep 3)
Maria Kawamura as Jung Freud
Masako Katsuki as
Kimiko Akai (eps 5-6)
Reiko Kashiwara (eps 1, 6)
Tamio Ohki as Captain Tatsumi Tashiro
Tomomichi Nishimura as Tashiro's Executive Officer
Yuriko Fuchizaki as
Kimiko Higuchi (ep 1)
Takami Akai

Ayako Shiraishi as
Linda Yamamoto (ep 4)
Operator Woman 1 (eps 2-3)
Woman 1 (ep 2)
Ayumi Hashimoto as
Classmate ɣ (ep 1)
Female Top A (eps 3-4)
Daiki Nakamura as
Radar Operator Σ (ep 4)
Speaker (ep 3)
Junko Asami as Female Student A (ep 1)
Kazuo Oka as Engineer (ep 2)
Kouji Tsujitani as Operator (eps 3-4)
Kyōko Minami as
Classmate (ep 1)
Female Top Γ (ep 4)
Operator (ep 3)
Kyousei Tsukui as Man 1 (ep 2)
Masashi Hirose as Admiral Yūzō Takaya (ep 2)
Masayuki Omoro as
Masanori Kikuchi (ep 4)
Operator Man #1 (ep 3)
Miharu Yokota as Classmate β (ep 1)
Mitsuaki Hoshino as announcer (ep 2)
Nobuyuki Furuta as Sailor (ep 2)
Sakurako Kishiro as
Announcer Woman (ep 3)
Female Top B (ep 4)
Takkō Ishimori as Principal Hiroaki Inoue (eps 1, 5)

Ayako Shiraishi (eps 5-6)
Hiromi Nakamura (eps 5-6)
Hōchū Ohtsuka (eps 5-6)
Kenyuu Horiuchi (eps 5-6)
Kinryuu Arimoto (eps 5-6)
Kiyonobu Suzuki (eps 5-6)
Masaru Ikeda (eps 5-6)
Shinya Ohtaki (eps 5-6)
Yuzuru Fujimoto (eps 5-6)
Japanese companies
Backgrounds: Apple
Development: Tokyo Laboratory
Finish Animation:
Animation Time (eps 3-4)
Just (eps 5-6)
Kitty Films (ep 1)
Lee Production (eps 5-6)
Magic Bus (eps 5-6)
Studio 88 (eps 5-6)
Studio CATS (ep 1)
Studio Kuma (eps 1-6)
Studio Step (ep 1)
In-Between Animation:
AIC (eps 5-6)
Artland (eps 5-6)
D.A.S.T Corporation (eps 5-6)
Daume (ep 3)
Doga Kobo (ep 1)
Dragon Production (ep 2)
Group Donguri (eps 2, 5-6)
Magic Bus (ep 3)
Mushi Production (ep 4)
Nishiko Pro (ep 2)
Project Team Muu (eps 1, 5-6)
Studio 88 (ep 1)
Studio ArgoShip (ep 1)
Studio Kuma (eps 3-4)
Studio Mark (eps 1, 5-6)
Studio Max (ep 4)
Studio Mu (eps 1, 3, 5-6)
Studio Outside (eps 4-6)
Studio Rod (ep 3)
Studio Wombat (eps 2-3)
Sunshine Corporation (eps 1, 5-6)
Usagi-ya (eps 2-3)
Mechanical Design: Studio Nue
Music Production: Victor Entertainment
Music Production Cooperation: IMAGINE
Opening Titles: Maki Production
Photography: T. Nishimura
Production Cooperation: Studio Fantasia
Recording Studio: Aoi Studio
Sound Effects: Toyo Sound
Sound Production: Tohokushinsha Film Corporation
English staff
English cast
ADR Director: Marissa Lenti
Art Director: Brady Hartel (Discotek Media)
Translation:
Deborah Grant (U.S. Renditions; eps 1-2)
Glova Corporation (Bandai Visual USA eps 1-6)
Ken Iyadomi (U.S. Renditions; eps 1-2)
Noelle Siddall (Discotek Media)
Stuart J. Walton (Bandai Visual USA)
Toshifumi Yoshida (U.S. Renditions; eps 3-6)
Trish Ledoux (U.S. Renditions; eps 3-6)
Yoshiyuki Karahashi (U.S.Renditions Science Lessons)
Yūki Nakajima (U.S. Renditions; eps 1-2)
Executive producer:
Tatsunori Konno (Bandai Visual USA)
Yoshinori Ueno (Bandai Visual USA)
Producer:
Amber Lee Connors (Sound Cadence)
Brady Hartel (Discotek Media)
David Keith Riddick (U.S. Renditions)
Justin Sevakis (Discotek Media)
Naoko Ueki (Bandai Visual USA)
Takenari Maeda (Bandai Visual USA)

Additional Contributions: Carl Gustav Horn (Bandai Visual USA)
ADR Lyric Adaptation: Dawn M. Bennett
ADR Prep: Ry McKeand
ADR Script Supervisor: J. Michael Tatum
Artwork Restoration:
Chris Flores (Discotek Media)
Jonathan Kim (Discotek Media)
Assistant ADR Director: Amber Lee Connors
Associate producer:
Elaine Morland (Discotek Media)
Logan Rebholz (Discotek Media)
Marc Levy (Discotek Media)
Audio Restoration:
Brady Hartel (Discotek Media)
Elaine Morland (Discotek Media)
Justin Sevakis (Discotek Media)
Blu-Ray Authoring:
David Miranda (Discotek Media)
Justin Sevakis (Discotek Media)
Blu-Ray Compression:
David Miranda (Discotek Media)
Justin Sevakis (Discotek Media)
Blu-ray Menu Breakdown: Gary Swarer (Discotek Media)
Commentary: Jonathan Clements (Discotek Media)
Consultant: David Keith Riddick (U.S. Renditions)
Copy And Promotion: Michael Toole (Discotek Media)
DVD Encoding & Authoring: Takashi Saita (Video-Tech)
Extra Feature Translation: Elizabeth Ellis (Discotek Media)
Lead ADR Engineer: Natalie Van Sistine
Line Producer: Amber Lee Connors
Mixing & Mastering Engineer:
Atlr Audio
Jacob Craner
Music Director: Dawn M. Bennett
Production Assistant:
Ai Takai (Bandai Visual USA)
Ashley Goodheart (Discotek Media)
Ian Wright (Discotek Media)
Jeremy Vasquez (Discotek Media)
Michiko Kumagai (Bandai Visual USA)
Production Coordination: Kumiko Moriyama (Video-Tech)
Production Supervision: Upton S. Redmonton (U.S. Renditions)
Quality Control Manager: Marc Levy (Discotek Media)
Script Editing: Robert Napton (U.S. Renditions)
Special Thanks To: Christina Rose (Discotek Media)
Subtitle Editing:
Brady Hartel (Discotek Media)
Noelle Siddall (Discotek Media)
Subtitle Styling:
Ian Wright (Discotek Media)
Logan Rebholz (Discotek Media)
Subtitle Timing:
Ian Wright (Discotek Media)
Logan Rebholz (Discotek Media)
Tomoko Imazu (Video-Tech)
Talent Coordination: Sarah Poulsen
Translation Adviser:
Christina Rose (Bandai Visual USA)
Kousetsu Tateno (T.O.Y. International)
Shin Okada (Bandai Visual USA)
Bradley Gareth as Koichiro Ohta
Kiane Chula King as Noriko Takaya
Melissa Sternenberg as Kazumi Amano

Alexandra Yastishock as Jung Freud
Bill Jenkins as Tatsumi Tashiro
Ernesto Jason Liebrecht as Smith Toren
Krystal LaPorte as Reiko Kashiwara
Lisa Ortiz as Kimiko Higuchi

Brett Weaver as Yuzo Takaya
Cristina Vee as Takami Akai
Edwyn Tiong as Carneades Chief
Gianni Matragrano as Observation Department Head
Jim Foronda as Principal
Justin Briner as Vice-Minister
Kai Kennedy as Masanori Kikuchi
Kamran Nikhad as Chief of Naval R&D
Marissa Lenti as Head of Operations
Nola Klop as Linda Yamamoto
Steven Kelly as Chief of Staff
Valentine Stokes as Carneades Commander
Xander Mobus as Head of Shipbuilding

English companies
Adaptation: Video-Tech (Bandai Visual USA version)
ADR Production: Sound Cadence Studios (Discotek release)
Distributor: Kiseki Films (UK - Expired)
DVD Mastering: Video-Tech (Bandai Visual USA version)
DVD Menu Design: THESEDAYS (Bandai Visual USA version)
DVD Production: Image Entertainment (Bandai Visual USA version)
Internet Streaming: Crunchyroll (via Discotek Media)
Licensed by:
Anime Limited (UK, 2023)
Bandai Visual USA (2006; Expired)
Discotek Media (2021)
Manga Entertainment (License Expired)
U.S. Renditions (License Expired)
Post-Production Services: TwistyGadget (Discotek release)
Production: U.S. Renditions (1990-1991 Release)
Subtitles: E & C Productions (US Renditions)
Translation: Synch-Point (Bandai Visual USA version)
Korean staff
Korean companies
(none)
Distributor: Nova Media
Korean cast
(none)
French cast
French staff
Translation: Stéphane Lapie
Executive producer: Carlo Levy
(none)
French companies
Broadcaster: Nolife
Distributor: Beez Entertainment
Spanish staff
Spanish companies
(none)
Distributor: Dynamic SK (Spain; subtitled)
Subtitles: Cristal Media (Dynamic SK)
Spanish cast
(none)
Italian cast
Italian staff
Marketing Director: Giorgio Pulini (italian edition)
(none)
Italian companies
Licensed by: Dynit
German staff
German cast
(none)
German companies
Distributor:
Anime-Virtual
Kazé Germany (now)
Chinese (Taiwan) staff
Chinese (Taiwan) companies
(none)
Chinese (Taiwan) cast
(none)

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