Diebuster


DieBuster, also known as Aim for the Top 2! and GunBuster 2, is a Japanese original video animation series directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, written by Yōji Enokido and animated by Gainax. It was created to commemorate the studio's 20th anniversary in 2004, and is a sequel to their 1988 OVA GunBuster.
A compilation film, titled Aim for the Top! & Aim for the Top 2! The Gattai Movie!!, which condenses GunBuster and DieBuster into two feature-length films, was released on October 1, 2006.
It was licensed for American release by Bandai Visual USA as GunBuster 2. Discotek Media has since re-licensed DieBuster as GunBuster 2: DieBuster and was released on May 21, 2013. A manga adaptation of the series is available in Japan.

Story

Top o Nerae 2! DieBuster follows the story of Nono, a country girl who dreams of becoming a space pilot who, due to a chance encounter with an actual space pilot, finds herself becoming part of the elite Fraternity. Made up of teenage pilots called Topless, and armed with quasi-humanoid weapons called Buster Machines, the Fraternity's mission is to protect the people of the Solar System from attack by swarms of space monsters.
After dealing with swarms of space monsters, and the personal conflicts of the Topless themselves, the empire discovers a threat of a real space monster when the Serpentine Sisters attempt to awaken something they call "an eternal Topless", which could destroy the space monsters for them and provide them with a way to keep from ever losing their Topless power. This so-called "Topless" is a true space monster, as Lal'C learns when she witnesses its vicious attacks against her comrades. During these events, Nono's potent powers as Buster Machine no. 7 awaken, and she and the Topless defeat the real space monster. They encounter the last of the space monsters carrying a black hole and using it as an warping method.
The Space Monster warps closer to Earth, and Nono suddenly departs with the Solar Defence Force, seemingly vanishing from the system. The empire decides to use Earth as a weapon to destroy the final Space Monster to ensure their survival. She and the remainder of the Topless prepare for the Space Monster's arrival and the timely intervention of Nono, who now becomes the mega android DieBuster. Just as she is about to land a finishing blow using Douze-Mille's reformed components as a Buster Machine, her Topless powers suddenly expire. "DieBuster" attempts to attack the Space Monster, with no effect, but the monster vaporizes "DieBuster's" hands. Dix-Neuf moves on his own to help Lal'C access the true cockpit in his brain, activating his true form and coaxing Nono to come out of the disintegrating "DieBuster" and fight with her. With the two girls together once more and Dix-Neuf's new powers, they defeat the final Space Monster with a Double Inazuma Kick.
The black hole tears open due to the Space Monster's death. Nono and Lal'C share one last moment, their hopes, dreams, and futures if they had survived, and Nono finally gives Lal'C a piece of her generator, or singularity, in the form of an origami crane, before using the remnants of the Alternate Buster Machines that comprised "DieBuster" to warp the black hole and herself away from Earth. Dix-Neuf saves Lal'C and brings her back to civilization, where she weeps at the loss of Nono.
Ten years later, Lal'C becomes an environmentalist and her Topless comrades have moved on from their previous life. She stays on a hilltop on the Okinawan coastline, musing about Nono before the city's lights shut off. She stares into the starry sky, and it is revealed all along that Nono and Lal'C's timeline is the setting of the last episode of the first GunBuster OVA, as explicitly said by Lal'C when she first muses about Nono. Its two pilots, Noriko Takaya and Kazumi Amano, descend from the remnants of the first-ever Buster Machine, and Lal'C vows to tell Noriko about Nono's life and her sacrifice.

Characters

;Nono
;Lal'C Mellk Mal
;Nicola Vacheron
;Tycho Science
;Casio Takashiro
;The Serpentine Sisters

Episode list

Music and theme songs

The music was composed and conducted by Kōhei Tanaka, the composer of Gunbuster.
Opening Theme
Ending Theme
  • "Hoshikuzu Namida", by Acko

    Reception

Joseph Luster of Otaku USA Magazine stated that Kazuya Tsurumaki's work on FLCL strongly influenced the presentation of Diebuster and that fans of FLCL would appreciate Diebuster. He also said that Diebuster is "unlike any children-pilot-mechs-and-fight-aliens show before it." He praised the visual designs and motion of the anime and compared this anime to Gunbuster and Gad Guard. Niels Matthijs of Screen Anarchy said that Diebuster is "an update of the source material to match the need of anime viewer". He compared the appearance of Diebuster to that of FLCL and Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, thought Diebusters story was typical for an anime, criticized the decline in quality of the animation, called the soundtrack "quite forgettable", and considered the voice acting lackluster.