When I was growing up, the local video store had a small anime section. Back in the eighties, this was rare and to be appreciated. I was lucky enough to able to afford to see things like Akira and Bubblegum Crisis. Some of the anime seemed a little *too* adult for me, so I avoided Gunbuster and The Humanoid. Avoiding the 'noid was probably a good idea, but I realized later that not viewing Gunbuster was a cardinal sin. Gunbuster, or "Aim for the Ace" as it was originally called is a cornerstone of Gainax and by proxy, all of modern anime.
At six episodes, it's not long for a series, but long enough to be grander than an epic movie (except LOTR). Great animation, characters, and design are all expected of a company as great as Gainax, but what makes this show unique is it's plot progression. It ropes the audience in with campy silliness. However, by the time we reach the finale, everything has become so deathly serious it makes Stanley Kubrick's 2001 look like Tim Allen's Galaxy Quest.
There have been few moments when watching a show has caused me to tear up, and Gunbuster is one of them. I can't recommend it enough, so what are you waiting for?
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