Gunnm

Battle Angel Alita, despite only being a 2-episode OVA, stakes its claim as a foundational piece of cyberpunk media, and is a well-known entry of the genre in anime form for a reason. On the surface, it just seems like a particularly impressive sci-fi OVA, but just under the surface is a poignant tale about poverty, meaning, and the destructive nature of ambition, told in a way which is utterly timeless. While it does feel stiff at times, and could use a little more polish, it still deserves its measure of notoriety, and honestly deserves a little more credit than ... I think it gets. Beginning with the story, as I said earlier, it is a powerful and well-constructed tale built around a clear moral lesson that doesn't feel contrived or preachy, and it is for this that the story is this anime's strongest aspect. It plays out in a potent, Shakespearean fashion, heavily character-focused in a fantastical and intriguing world that feels dark, bizarre, and somehow grounded all at the same time. The worldbuilding is so strong that it bleeds into every aspect of the story, from the secret profession of the kindly doctor Ido, to the struggle with identity that's at the heart of the mysterious cyborg Gally, and even the all-consuming obsession with the floating city of Zalem that defines Yugo's entire life. In this way, while you're witnessing each story unfold carefully and beautifully, you are totally immersed in a setting that is totally unique. Its brevity does rob it of some of its impact, but still. even at a mere 2 episodes it manages to deliver one hell of a narrative payload.

The art is just as ambitious as the story, though it doesn't manage to maintain the same quality throughout. It's got this unique, gritty 90s style that pairs so well with the cyberpunk genre, and a harsh use of color that makes everything feel all the more real and deep, be it the neon lighting of a public bounty or the dingy yellows of a busy alleyway, dingy and stalked by the lowest criminal scum. It even manages to soar to some really impressive heights in particular moments, namely scenes dealing with combat and mechanical destruction, displaying in these moments an absolute command of physics and speculative engineering. However, it is clear that they saved room in the budget for these scenes by cutting corners elsewhere, leading to some stiffly animated or awkwardly framed shots.

The sound is great, with minutely detailed sounds of life that makes the setting feel real and immersive, from the ubiquitous hum of a mechanized city to the quiet wet pattering of footsteps through the wet grime of a dark back alley. Adding to this general atmosphere, the voice work is vivid and emotional- a perfect fit for such a dramatic tale.

The characters are quite good, and rise to the occasion as perfect fits for the story they're in, feeling as though they have agency within it to drive the story forward. Of them, my favorites are Ido and Gally, Ido for his selfless yet badass moral code that dictates how he lives his life, and Gally for her defiantly optimistic outlook in a world of filth and crime, and of course her aptitude for combat, which can be summed up in a single word- bitchin'. Overall, Battle Angel Alita, while not perfect, is deserving of praise as an ambitious work of cyberpunk fiction, with a general appeal and deeper meaning that gives it the staying power of a true genre staple. As such, it is easy to recommend, even if you don't typically enjoy cyberpunk as a genre, as it has only all the best parts of it on display, and takes roughly an hour to finish. When something is so short and so good, there's almost no excuse not to watch it.

The only existing animated adaptation of the Battle Angel Alita manga, Gunnm is a 2-episode OVA from the early 90s. It covers pretty much the same ground as the Hollywood movie, minus some future arcs that the movie rushed in earlier. It's not terribly interesting, but it's also not a significant time investment. To fans of the genre or the manga, this will be time well spent.

For what it's worth, as opposed to the movie, the city (Iron City, I think it's called?) can clearly be seen for the post-apocalyptic desiccated hellhole that it is, not the relatively poor, but vibrant and bustling hipster paradise ... from the Hollywood production.

In keeping with the ethic of being appropriately dark, the dog death scene is way more explicit here, as well. Be warned.

Also, just as I recently found him in Genocyber, Ryuuzaburou Ootomo, the voice actor of Crocodile from One Piece, is here, as well. He seems to be part of an old guard of voice actors more likely to be found in old school shows.

Imo it wasn't that good. I know it came before but Alita is just a robot Sailor Saturn. I also didn't like the romance in this show since Hugo's a criminal but that doesn't seem to bother Gally at all. That makes me think she's a bitch. I don't have any sympathy for her. Hugo also seemed like a dick when he kissed Gally and said they're partners in crime now. Imo it's really tone deaf since he's a guy who rips peoples spines out to sell.

And I was really disappointed with the world. I thought it would be darker and more sci-fi but the ... world of BAA is more like Samurai Jack. It's very cartoony and the robot stuff is just a mish-mash.

I thought I'd read the manga but I doubt it. It's not my kind of story. I prefer a more serious one. Was interesting to see though how this inspired Texhnolyze with the privileged city above the dark one made of junk.

If Hugo was the OVA original character I probably would've read the manga but since Chiren was, who I thought was actually decent/compelling, there's no way I'd like the manga if the author can come up with a guy like Hugo. I'm surprised this is seinen. It's probably just another one of those shounen with x-rated violence and gore kind of seinen, like Tokyo Ghoul. I hate that type.