I can't say I'm too well-versed when it comes to the mafia. My knowledge primarily stems from popular culture, which I'm sure glamorizes some aspects and trivializes others. However, I'm confident that the most vital element in the mafia is the concept of trust. When you're doing illegal activities, for your own sake or for someone else's, a traitor can easily collapse an insurmountable amount of hard work. The mafia in Gungrave are no exception. The members of Millennion, the mafia that rules the underground activities of the city Billion, are all bound by the "Code of Iron". This code has a simple definition - never betray lest you be killed. Simple in theory, but in practice, the message can be blurred or disobeyed when members feel they are above the code. Gungrave, for better or for worse, documents these decisions in a tale that tackles trust, friendship, freedom and family over the course of 26 episodes.

The hardest part of reviewing Gungrave stems from its first episode. Unlike some introductions, where they tease what's to come or try to hint at the protagonist's success, Gungrave flat out tells the viewer of many spoilers of what happens and can ruin the buildup of key plot points. For this review, I will be pretending this first episode doesn't exist so as to avoid any "spoilers". I suggest new viewers to do the same until they reach Episode 18.

Gungrave documents two young men, Harry MacDowel and Brandon Heat, as they rise from the dirty slums of Billion City through the ranks of Millennion. While Harry's goal is to obtain a Robin Hood like freedom, being able to take and give away as much as he wants, Brandon is along initially for support and for the chance to see his crush, Maria, more often. These roles are reflected in their personalities, with Harry being a charismatic individual while Brandon is a quiet, near mute figure. It can be a bit worrisome when a character is silent a majority of the time in a work, as they can feel more like a "blank canvas" than an actual character. Fortunately, Brandon's actions do a far better job voicing his feelings. His loyalty to Millennion is shown early on by accomplishing unpleasant internal affairs as well as risking his life as a sweeper more often than most in the business. Harry and Brandon play off of each other as you'd expect good friends to and their opposite behaviors form a nice contrast that makes them great to watch.

Of course, the other characters of the story are no small fry either. Initially, the characters of Millennion show interesting and human characteristics that make the story feel more real. Big Daddy, the leader of Millennion, is not a scary power-fueled boss as much as a guy who started the organization to protect the ones he cares about (the irony is dampened when Millennion's trust is put in focus). Bunji Kugashira is a lone wolf "assassin for hire" who thinks he's above all else in talent, but finds respect in Brandon's abilities and even looks up to him as a older brother. It's true that we don't go too in detail for the supporting cast - after all, this is Brandon and Harry's story - but I did enjoy the early company of these characters just as much as the main characters and was excited to learn more with each episode.

These character moments aren't just pleasant to watch - they are important for Brandon and Harry. They learn from others what the mafia business is really like and they learn the strengths and weaknesses of each individual working in it. It becomes quite clear that an organization is only as strong as the people who make it up. When underhanded deals and betrayals are made, the impact can not only affect the others in the business but also the ones behind it. Gungrave makes it clear that it isn't a happy story and even when the "right call" is made, it can often lead to the despair or downfall of another person. These moments are when the show is the most powerful and interesting. It's not so much a feeling of anguish or sadness as much as it is that of solemn behavior. There's no time to grieve - the show and business must go on.

Unfortunately, Gungrave runs into a dilemma in its story that can either make or break the anime to some. Gungrave's main focus is a serious mafia story but it also dabbles in science fiction. A key element of the show is found in the process of "Necrolyzation", a term meaning to bring back those from the dead into strong zombie-men that have high defenses. Like the struggles within Millennion, the show struggles to maintain its story and characters as more of these concepts leak in. I felt that the characters became more "one-note" and lost some of their appeal during the second half of the show and the zombie technology and transformations ("Orgmen") became a bit ridiculous. I could see some people feeling the show was a bit dry and this was a way for it to carve its own identity versus other stories, but I really enjoyed the non sci-fi elements of the show the most. At the very least, the pacing is kept up and the episodes are still enjoyable to watch, even when the show becomes a "Orgmen of the week" series.

Another big flaw of Gungrave stems from its animation. I usually am more forgiving towards a series if the animation and pacing are good - it gets me immersed and ready for action! Sadly, Madhouse does a B-grade job when it comes to Gungrave's animation. Some fights during the second half are pretty clean and the use of shading is nice but the lack of fluidity and occasionally awkward drawing can hurt the series more than it should. It's not bad enough to be laughable but it sure isn't the best that Madhouse has done. The music for the show is a bit of an odd one to discuss. I never really felt a strong emotion or power from it - it acted more like a "texture" to a scene, trying to enhance it without being noticed (sad violin, expressive guitar, forlorn horn). They don't really work standalone either - I suppose Tsuneo Imahori (who did the music for the series) just wanted it to be support and nothing more. The voice actors do a real good job. They convey emotion well and are very expressive. Major props go to Ryuuzaburou Ootomo for Bear Walken's bass voice and the flamboyant Takehito Koyasu who does the voice of Balladbird Lee.

An interesting aspect of Gungrave comes from the fact that Madhouse adapted it from a video game, rather than a manga or light novel like usual adaptations. The Gungrave video game, funnily enough, scored only middling reviews and was praised most for its character designs by Yasuhiro Nightow (of Trigun fame). A glance through some of the gameplay mechanics shows this game is more combat heavy and features even stranger twists than what's shown in the anime. I suppose that director Toshiyuki Tsuru wanted to focus more on the story and character interactions - a smart move considering you can't play an anime.

Overall, I give Gungrave a 6.0 out of 10. It's an addictive and fun show to watch, but I wish it was a bit more down-to-earth overall instead of trying to be a strange sci-fi thriller. However, I may be in the minority - if a mafia tale with a twist sounds like your thing, you should definitely check this one out!

Do you like or dislike this anime? If you haven't watched it, are you encouraged to watch it or not? Leave a comment on my profile telling me what you think of the anime and/or my review.

Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!