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Every now and again a series completely unlike anything you
have seen before appears and blows you away. For me Gilgamesh was
one of those series. The pace for the most part is pretty slow, and this may not appeal to everyone, but it is anything but dull. Gilgamesh vol 2 draws you in even more than the first volume, and the feeling of brooding darkness - both in the crumbling dystopian city and the characters' own emotional states - is perfectly pitched. The contrast between the abandoned shell of the former metropolis and the elegant, palatial hotel that the Countess and Orga inhabit is striking, and the life Orga live when not fighting seems like a surreal relic from another age. It's a brilliant juxtaposition of old world order and post-apocalyptic dystopianism, and the story that's building within it is intriguing to say the least. Kidnapping, pitched battles, tortured pasts, the shaky journey to a possibly brighter future... sci-fi drama staples they may be but they are executed perfectly. The story has some cavernous emotional depth too, in particular the psychological battle between Kiyoko and the Countess brings out the personal conflict and deep seated pain that both hide beneath cool exteriors. What is Kiyoko really running from? Is she trying to protect Tatsuya for his sake or is she just scared of being alone? Even the Countess - aloof, controlled, otherworldly - allows her mask to slip, revealing hints at some deep despair. Her reasons for wanting Tatsuya are even more murky than Kiyoko's, but as yet they have not been entirely revealed. It's this mystery that underpins Gilgamesh, but it's the awesome design and elegant gothic style that really hits you when you watch it. Everything from the setting to the character design is different and breathtakingly beautiful, moodily picked out in muted colours under the shimmering mirror sky. The flashes of colour, Tatsuya's scarf, the splatter of blood, stand out in stark contrast to the dark colours, and have real visual impact. For sheer imagination and style there are few series that even come close visually and it's impossible not to get drawn into the striking world. The scope of the series is dramatically increased in this volume too, with glimpses given into the pasts of several characters and the introduction of a part of the city that has retained some of its former glory. There are some intriguing ideas on show - particularly on how a group of scientists get around the electromagnetic effect the mirrored sky has on computers - and you begin to get a feel for the wider world the series is set in. It looks like there is a lot more intrigue and action to come if some of the plot strands began in volume are anything to go by, and I can't wait! It would have been easy for a series that can be very slow paced and thoughtful to get too wrapped up in itself and forget to be entertaining, but thankfully this one doesn't. Gilgamesh vol 2 builds on a great opening volume with plenty of depth, some superb character development and, of course, some great action scenes. Motives of nearly all the characters remain unclear and there are some interesting ideas and plot developments throughout. The breathtakingly cool gothic style is unchanged and coupled with some clever settings and brilliant scripting it provides a unique sheen to the latest volume in what is one of the most essential anime series of the year so far. Extras: ADV are always good value extras-wise, and alongside the usual trailers and galleries we get a host of interesting extras on this DVD. Clean opening and closing animations are joined by a recap of the last volume and a preview of the next, as well as an interesting 'behind the scenes' feature where the US voice actors give their opinions on the series and characters. The DVD also randomly includes alternative German menus, subtitles and a dub, and the DVD sleeve features some background series info on the reverse. Great stuff! Ratings Feature:
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