Review Gunparade march

In an alternate timeline it is the year 1999 and the earth has been fighting a buglike alien race known as the Genju for over fifty years. Things have gotten so desperate that the government now conscripts teenagers to pilot mechs known as HWTs. Enter into this maelstrom platoon 5121. They are simply another group of four soldiers and their mechanic and command squads. However they are getting a new pilot, a cold girl by the name of Mai Shibamura. How will Mai’s entrance into platoon 5121 affect the rest of the pilots? Could be that she is part of the Shibamura group, the company that designs the weapons that platoon 5121 uses?

Gunparade march is both a war story and a love story and with great skill manages to be both genres without either side stepping on the other’s toes. Even with the large cast necessitated by the fact that it is pseudo realistic war story there much to be had in the character development department. Gunparade march is a short television series clocking in at only twelve episodes. These episodes are spent very economically with almost no monster of the week or other kinds of filler episodes.

The animation for Gunparade march is decent given that the show is very recent. Everything is animated well but nothing truly spectacular. The music is enjoyable and the background themes are rather catchy.

Gunparade march is currently only available through fansubs. Given the quality of the show licensing and a second season are both on my wish list. This show is somewhat of the beaten path of mecha shows, featuring characters that while you may classify them as heroes, they are not the super heroes or world savers that are usually shown in anime. With all these factors going for it Gunparade march is one of those slightly underground shows that are very worthwhile. I give Gunparade march a rating of very good.

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