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Gunbuster

TV·1988–2006·2 seasons, 12 episodes·Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure·28m·7.7

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In the near future, humanity has taken its first steps towards journeying into the far reaches of the galaxy. Upon doing so they discover a huge race of insectoid aliens known as "Space Monsters." These aliens seem dedicated to the eradication of mankind as they near closer and closer to discovering Earth. In response, humanity develops giant fighting robots piloted by hand-picked youth from around the world. Shortly after the discovery of the aliens, Noriko Takaya, the daughter of a famous deceased space captain, enters a training school despite her questionable talents as a pilot. There, she meets her polar opposite, the beautiful and talented Kazumi Amano, and is unexpectedly made to work together with her as they attempt to overcome the trauma of war as well as their own emotions.

Highest-rated episodes all ranked

01Shock! Big-Sister and I are Going to be Pilots Together?!S01E01 · 9.0Noriko Takaya has spent barely had a month at a training school for giant robots. The school announces they are going to select two candidates to go to the Exelion spaceship for the real missions to fight against an invading mech army. One of the choices is obviously the beautiful and leading senior Kazumi Amano, but somehow Noriko is selected for the second spot! The other girls get jealous that Noriko got the spot, suspecting it's because she was the daughter of the Admiral in a previous mission. School rival Reiko Kashihara feels that's totally wrong, and challenges Noriko to a duel.
02Daring! The Girl Genius Challenger!!S01E02 · 8.0Noriko and Kazumi arrive at the space fleet led by the space battleship Exelion. The girls get introduced to a hot shot female fighter named Jung Freud. During one of their mech training sessions, Jung spars with Kazumi, and end up in a part of the station where they discover one of the mechs of their enemy. Later on, Noriko and Kazumi are sent to partake in a special mission to investigate an object traveling at near light speed. With the laws of quantum physics and time dilation, the mission that would normally take just a few minutes will span several months. But they discover the object is the Lexion, the ship that Noriko's dad used to command.
03First Love☆First SortieS01E03 · 8.0The Exelion prepares to jump through hyperspace. All the girls and guys are confined to their quarters during the mission, but Noriko loses a dare game, and has to wander off in the dark. She is surprised when a person shows up, but it turns out to be a charming guy named Toren Smith, who befriends Noriko. They get into some minor trouble for being out, and as punishment, they have to polish the lenses for the laser cannon array. But then the Exelion gets a surprise fly-by by the enemy. The fleet goes after them for a large battle at Leaf 64. Toren offers to be Noriko's partner for the next battle, since she has fallen out of favor from Kazumi. But trouble arises as they get overwhelmed by the sweeping enemy.

Castfull cast & details

Maaya SakamotoLal'C Melk Mark (voice)

Mitsuo IwataNicholsa Vacheron (voice)

Miyuki SawashiroTycho Science (voice)

Yukari FukuiNono (voice)

Hiroki TouchiNigo (voice)

Kiyoshi KawakuboAdmiral Dhorasoo (voice)

Sanae KobayashiPiaget Serpentine (voice)

Takumi YamazakiCasio Takashiro (voice)

Episodes by season

Season016Episodes1988–89Aired 7.7Season avg

S01E01Season's bestShock! Big-Sister and I are Going to be Pilots Together?!October 7, 1988 9.0Noriko Takaya has spent barely had a month at a training school for giant robots. The school announces they are going to select two candidat
S01E02Daring! The Girl Genius Challenger!!October 7, 1988 8.0Noriko and Kazumi arrive at the space fleet led by the space battleship Exelion. The girls get introduced to a hot shot female fighter named
S01E03First Love☆First SortieJanuary 1, 1989 8.0The Exelion prepares to jump through hyperspace. All the girls and guys are confined to their quarters during the mission, but Noriko loses
S01E04Launch!! The Incomplete Ultimate Weapon!January 1, 1989 8.0The fleet advisor tells Captain that the aliens are going to attack Earth. Coach has been training Noriko, but Jung wants to test Noriko by
S01E05Please!! Time Enough for Love!July 7, 1989 7.0Kazumi and Noriko return to Earth for their high school graduation. Even though they are still teenagers after all these months in space, th
S01E06At the End of Eternity...July 7, 1989 6.0Fifteen years later, Kazumi is called to another mission, to detonate a black hole bomb in the enemy's home galaxy. She joins Noriko and Jun

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season026Episodes2004–06Aired—Season avg

S02E01Please Let Me Call You Big Sister!October 3, 2004—Nono, a young girl from the country, moves to the big city in order to achieve her dream: becoming a space pilot!
S02E02I Don't Want to be Your Big Sister!February 24, 2005—Mars' Space Force isn't happy about space monsters showing up on their doorstep, and they blame the Fraternity.
S02E03I Hate the Topless!June 24, 2005—Tycho wrecks her Buster Machine, ruining her chance to reach top. Not to worry--there's another Buster Machine in the works.
S02E04Resurrection!! The Legendary Buster Machine!October 28, 2005—Nono's despair grows as her certainty that she'll get a Buster Machine fades.
S02E05Mover of PlanetsMarch 24, 2006—After the Titan incident, the world has changed. Topless are a disease, and humanity's last hope for salvation is the least likely person in
S02E06The Story of Your LifeAugust 25, 2006—With the survival of humanity itself at stake, one desperate plan remains: the sacrifice of the Earth, to strike at the beast! But where is