Gantz Volume 8: Deathwatch (DVD) - Anime Reviews


	Number of Episodes 3 Language Options English/Japanese/English Subtitles Released by ADV Films Extras - Clean Opening/Closing Animation - Gantz Music Video
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Gantz Volume 8: Deathwatch (DVD)

This time, they thought they were ready for anything the Gantz could throw at them. They were wrong. The third horrifying game rips into the resurrectees, decimating their ranks as wave after wave of deadly opponents exact their bloody toll. No one is spared, no one is safe, and for any of the players to survive, one of their number will have to make the ultimate sacrifice. And even then, it may all be for nothing. The gods of death walk the earth in the eighth electrifying volume of GANTZ!

The third mission has just started, and the team is already facing off against 2 giant statues that are keeping the team from mounting any kind of attack. Kei is leading the counter-attack, but how will he fare against these behemoths?

Episode 18: Welcome Back

Kei’s counter-attack has crippled one of the large statues, and he uses both his two guns and suit to bring down the powerful opponent. With the giant dropped to the ground, he delivers the coup-de-grace, and finishes off the monster. Kato and Kei-chan are stunned at the violent attack by Kei and the efficiency that he used to do it. Everyone else has become energized and the pall of loss has been replaced with the realization that they can win. The otaku and the two toughs charge the last statue, and Kei rushes ahead of them to lead the charge. The rest of the suited players are astonished by Kei’s change and are too shocked to respond immediately – once they realize that they should act, they join everyone else. The team manages to damage one of the statue’s legs, but it sinks the exposed bone into the ground and remains standing – it has learned from the previous fight and is changing tactics. Kei charges anyways and takes off one of its’ arms, but is caught in the other hand and is being crushed. Everyone on the ground is afraid to fire out of fear of hitting Kei, but he’s saved when the non-descript man (who has been missing up to this point) uses his rifle like a sniper and hits the monster’s head. Kei is now free and finishes the job.

The team sits to catch their collective breath – Kei is talking with Sei, and Kei-chan is spending time next to Kato. Sei is now enamored with the strong Kei and wants to be his girlfriend from this point on – he seems satisfied with that but not particularly excited with it. Kei-chan and Kato finally seem to be getting closer and less formal with each other. Meanwhile, the toughs have started to look around and they have identified the next enemies – a series of bronze statues (man-sized) has appeared on the buildings around the courtyard. The team is now surrounded.

Episode 19: What The Hell Is That?

Everyone starts to jump into the fray against the numerous opponents, then the situation manages to get worse. A giant Buddha statue comes to life and tears apart the main temple – it is actually larger than the previous statues and all shots merely

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scratch its’ surface. Katoorders all non-suited people to fight the smaller statues, while everyone with a suit attacks the Buddha. Kei rushes it and is knocked away violently, and Sei rushes to his side. Making things more interesting – while this Buddha starts moving, Kei’s homeroom teacher appears with her boyfriend (another teacher who is cheating on his wife) and start walking through the damaged courtyard (unable to see the battle going on) and are about to be stepped on by the

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statue. Kato, Kei-chan, and Hojo all run to catch the foot and save the civilians. They are losing the battle of strength vs weight, and so Sayoko actually comes in to help… and Hojo discovers that his stalker is actually an attractive girl. As the Buddha starts to increase its weight, the surrounding area starts to crack. The teachers then run away from the damage, but the foursome cannot escape from underneath the foot. The statue overcomes their resistance and walks over them – but because of their suits, they are merely driven into the ground and unharmed.

The suited players start concentrating fire on the giant Buddha, and Kei actually manages to dent its’ forehead with a precise shot. But no significant damage is occurring from their continuing blasting. While wandering around, the otaku wanders into range of the statue and it picks him off the ground… and bites him in half (not a pretty way to go). Kei comes up with a new plan – he runs at full speed at the statue then jumps all the way to its’ forehead. Hitting the forehead at full steam, he breaches the skull then disappears. The giant staggers then falls to the ground, and out of the mouth comes Kei. Sei runs up to him and hugs him. There are 2 groups of aliens remaining and so the team is going to split up and attack both groups simultaneously, as they only have 30 minutes remaining.

Episode 20: Just Shoot Me!

Two teams have been formed – Kei, Kei-chan, Kato, Sei and the sniper are the first team; Hojo is leading everyone else in the second team. Hojo comes across their target – a room with a Bronze Shiva statue and four additional statues surrounding it. The martial artist moves to attack the nearest statue, but his attacks are not only rendered ineffective, he is killed in a matter of seconds. Hojo orders everyone not wearing a suit out of the room. Kei’s team has found their target, another stone statue that is human sized but moves extraordinarily fast. Kato manages to tackle the thing, but it jumps into the air. The sniper manages to pick the statue off in mid-air, and the team heads over to where the first team is fighting.

Hojo and Sayoko spring the two toughs but are now surrounded by enemies, and his gun is knocked away. As Shiva approaches the pair, Sayoko and Hojo share a kiss. Kei’s team kicks in the door and finds the bisected pair of players, still sharing their moment. Kei-chan starts crying out and Kei goes to comfort her; Kato rushes in and manages to fire at Shiva. The shot connects but does no damage, and Shiva throws a green substance at him. Kei-chan then runs in and jumps in front of Kato – the green substance quickly eats through her torso killing her. Kato stares down at the upper torso of Kei-chan that is still holding on to him.

Kei is furious, knocks over Shiva and begins pumping shot after shot into its’ head. Sei rushes in as well and takes out the remaining statues. The statues does not die however, and Shiva’s head rebuilds from the scattered components. Shiva uses the green liquid again and dissolves Kei’s left leg, then cuts off his right arm. Sei yells at Kato for help, grabs Kei’s body and the pair leave. Not only is Kei seriously injured, the wound from the green liquid continues to dissolve his leg and he is loosing blood quickly. Kato ties off his arm but doesn’t know what to do about his leg… especially when Kei keeps insisting that he shoot him.

This disc of Gantz has been the highlight so far – extremely intense! We have 2 discs to go and I’m wondering how much farther they are going to go in this series. It’s going to be an exciting finish.

- Tazman

(November 7, 2005)

"DIE! DIE! DIE! So that you may know peace."

- Stan (American Dad)


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