GUN×SWORD: An Elderly Yuusha Team Wrapped in a Western Mecha Action Flick
Machine-translated from Traditional Chinese
In this 2005 series, GUN×SWORD, viewers see a familiar setup: mecha, wasteland, duels, powerful enemies, plus a silent, goal-oriented protagonist. Within minutes, the brain automatically concludes that this is probably a fast-paced, straightforward action flick.
The protagonist is calm, decisive, and taciturn, with a goal so clear it's almost single-minded. The world is a lawless frontier planet with simple, brutal rules: might makes right. The battle pacing is also brisk, barely giving you time to catch your breath. These elements together easily evoke a familiar genre: a blend of Western and mecha action.
Most mecha or hot-blooded works design a growth curve. The protagonist gets lost, adjusts, levels up, and the goal shifts as the world opens up. This anime almost does the opposite: the protagonist starts near completion, doesn't need to learn, rarely hesitates, and never strays from his path. His world is compressed into a straight line, moving forward until revenge is complete.
The protagonist barely changes, which instead makes the people around him constantly change. Some are influenced, some are consumed, and others see their own end in him—this is the narrative charm of the work.
However, what's really worth raving about is the elderly Yuusha team that appears. The combined mecha they pilot has a completely different art style from the mecha designs in this world, going for a pure Yuusha-style design. The mecha is named EL DORA V, which actually sounds a bit like Blue Comet. Although the combination scenes are crude, within the limited budget, it doesn't diminish EL DORA V's appearances or special move performances, making it a major highlight of this anime.
This work is included in the rosters of Super Robot Wars K, Super Robot Wars T, and Super Robot Wars 30.
Does anyone still remember this? Old fans should know the value of EL DORA V, right~
The protagonist is calm, decisive, and taciturn, with a goal so clear it's almost single-minded. The world is a lawless frontier planet with simple, brutal rules: might makes right. The battle pacing is also brisk, barely giving you time to catch your breath. These elements together easily evoke a familiar genre: a blend of Western and mecha action.
Most mecha or hot-blooded works design a growth curve. The protagonist gets lost, adjusts, levels up, and the goal shifts as the world opens up. This anime almost does the opposite: the protagonist starts near completion, doesn't need to learn, rarely hesitates, and never strays from his path. His world is compressed into a straight line, moving forward until revenge is complete.
The protagonist barely changes, which instead makes the people around him constantly change. Some are influenced, some are consumed, and others see their own end in him—this is the narrative charm of the work.
However, what's really worth raving about is the elderly Yuusha team that appears. The combined mecha they pilot has a completely different art style from the mecha designs in this world, going for a pure Yuusha-style design. The mecha is named EL DORA V, which actually sounds a bit like Blue Comet. Although the combination scenes are crude, within the limited budget, it doesn't diminish EL DORA V's appearances or special move performances, making it a major highlight of this anime.
This work is included in the rosters of Super Robot Wars K, Super Robot Wars T, and Super Robot Wars 30.
Does anyone still remember this? Old fans should know the value of EL DORA V, right~
