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'No Guns Life' Episode 1

What more can you ask for other than a giant gun for a head?

By BoblobV2Published 4 years ago 3 min read
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This was a show that I was watching for simple reasons. Firstly, it's a studio Madhouse production, and when they put their name to something, I will pay attention. Secondly, the main character has a massive revolver as a head. To be completely honest, what more could you possibly ask for from a show? In all seriousness though, I was quite looking forward to this as I have heard good things about the manga that it was based on, and that built up my anticipation all the more.

The story starts off simple enough; it is set in a neo-noir setting after a great war that changed the social landscape. It is a world where people can make cybernetic enhancements to their body so that they can be the best version of themselves in their eyes. Very Cyberpunk/Blade Runner in that aspect. The lead of the show is very much the surly private detective that smokes, has a problem with women getting close, and living in the car crash that is his office. He is reluctant, and pretends to not care, when in actuality, he cares a lot. As the episode progresses, he is caught up in something far larger than most of his usual cases put together, and he finds himself protecting a child on the run. He goes to great lengths to make sure the child is safe, going so far as to punch a bullet train in order to stop it so that he can retrieve him.

Visually the show looked great; the thick shadows, the muted colour scheme, and the thick character lines all went on to emphasize the neo-noir aspect of the show. The characters were all appealing, and there is a diverse range of characters present in this episode. Despite the fact that the lead character has a massive gun for a head, he is depicted as incredibly expressive. The work of the voice actor is definitely a contributing factor in this regard, as well as the animation team. Whenever he is embarrassed, the art style of the character shifts significantly 'til the line work is far softer, and the colour is a lot brighter to show when he is feeling as such. Both of these aspects, combined, make for a character that you instantly like and root for. This sentiment is only amplified when he refuses to take payment from a client and puts himself in danger by protecting a scared client who is begging for his help. It is this interaction that gets the narrative going.

We are given an understanding of what the power structure of this world is like and where the various factions belong. Our lead has a fair amount of respect from the people who live in the city, and while those in organizations that are higher up in the food chain try to intimidate him, there is an underlying fear of him that prevents them from following through on their threats and choosing to save face instead. This brings up the mysterious aspect of his past, and wondering what he had done to earn the reputation that he has. Then comes the organization at the peak that holds all the cards, going so far as to pose as an orphanage so that they could kidnap children and perform experiments on them so that they could test new robotic abilities.

The movement within the show is fantastic, as things become incredibly fluid when an action set piece is occurring. The buildup of power before a devastating attack is exhilarating to watch, and the attacks themselves are wonderfully animated, making it seem as if there is a weight to it.

This is an opening episode that manages to create an intriguing world as well as set up the lead character and and the basis of the narrative in an incredibly effective manner. I am looking forward to episode two, and next week cannot come fast enough.

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About the Creator

BoblobV2

Writing about anime, and anything else I find interesting.

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