Bokurano

[Zati]

This looks interesting and sounds similar to Gantz. Gonzo will be doing this hopefully it will be good, haven't read the manga yet.

Bokurano - Episode 01 - The Game - subbed by Triad

Bokurano Anime (2006-12-03 12:21:42)
Bokurano, a science fiction / horror manga by Mohiro Kitoh (of Narutaru fame) and currently serializing in Shogagkukan's Ikki, will be animated by Gonzo in 2007, with two of its main staff from The Cat Returns: director Hiroyuki Morita and composer Yuuji Nomi. According to Japanese website Moon Phase, the format should be a Bokurano TV series.

This plot summary contains important information not yet revealed in the show itself (as of episode 3). This public info isn't a spoiler, but it gives away MAJOR plot elements. View at own risk.

Plot Summary: On a typical day during a summer vacation, a group of 15 children discovered a mysterious man living in a seashore cave, along with his high-tech gadgets. The man claimed to be a game developer creating a video game with 15 giant robots defending Earth from alien invaders and asked those childs to test the game for him. The kids agreed happily at first, but soon they began to find the game horrifying, not only because of its realism but also for the first fatality among them happened right after their first victory. Worse yet, they had no idea how to stop or leave the "game." (From ANN)

The rules of the game:

1. If the pilot is beaten or he can’t settle the battle within 48 yours, the Earth will be destroyed, and not only human races but the whole life will die.
2. The operator is chosen from the persons who have contacted in advance. The operator must be one person, and he can't change off with another person.
3. The robot is worked by the life of the operator. One battle deprives the operator of his life. (From AnimeNfo)

Links :
AnimeNfo
AniDB
ANN
Official site

[Death13a]

Nnnnnniiiiiiccccceeeee I like the manga. it intresting as each one deals with imminet death. "if you going to die might as well take 10 billion people with you" or someone in specific.

[Lucifus]

Have no idea what to expect of this one. Hopefully it'll turn out interesting.=P

[Munsu]

This is from the mangaka of Narutaru, and the manga has been on my to read list for a while now. I hope this brings more interest to Narutaru in the future and they do a sequel.

[kooshi]

Whoo, the story does seem pretty kickass. I certainly like the concept of 1 victory = 1 death. The one thing that is bugging me is how the kids are going to die, no matter what, but they have the choice of trying to fight in order to save the world or just take the world with them. Out of 15 kids, I think there is a strong possibility that at least one kid will have that kind of mindset.

[kAi]

This has an interesting concept, I'll be giving this a look when it's released.

I might go have a look at the manga before hand.

[Death13a]

Triad - Bokurano 11

[Yukimura]

Woot! Been a while since we've seen any kids dying or giant robots getting beat down.

[shinta|hikari]

You mean kids dying WHILE (well, after) giant robots getting beat down.

[masamuneehs]

i freakin' cried. this show just does it to me... i feel like i'm about to be in tears just as the OP closes...

Moji was my favorite... Heroic beyond words, and brains to boot.

That had to be the hardest fight they've had yet; basically a two on one, with a false core and giant freakin swords. (I was confused though, as I thought Blue was defending, and Yellow cut off Zearth's head, but then Moji yells about how that means the non-attacker is a coward, and the core, and then stabs Yellow? I was confused...) Although I think I understand, that the enemy defending its 'fake core' thought Moji was doing the same thing, and so attacked the head instead, revealing that the one which wasn't defending actually did have the core... a pretty risky strategy...

Was Moji actually protecting his core? We still don't know where it is...

Dung Beetle was so nasty early on in the episode (though you knew he would grant Moji's wish, this show isn't that twisted) and Ushiro seriously needs to get beat the fuck up... I can't stand him.

[shinta|hikari]

It was insanely risky. What if the core had been in the head?

[Board of Command]

I'm pretty sure Zearth's core is in its chest. Dung Beetle, despite being a twisted little fella, seemed to confirm that.

[masamuneehs]

Double dose of angst, giant robots, and dying kids
Bokurano - The Triad - Episode 12 - avi
Bokurano - The Triad - Episode 13 - avi

[Death13a]

They sure expanding manga's content but i like that they doing it while staying true to characters. The truth about Zearth and battles was reviled.

[Lucifus]

WowZorz! Those two episodes were teh shyt. Won't spoil anyone just yet. Love the plot. Christ, I love how they develop the characters. Awesome ending.

[kenren]

Pure awesomeness!
Seriously, I love the concept of the battles. I've always thought Zearth would be battling robots from other countries.I can't wait for more =)

[masamuneehs]

talking about episode 12 and 13...
wow, that is NOT what I expected to be going on AT ALL!

Just when it felt pretty safe to guess that the opponents going againt Zearth were aliens, we get this bomb dropped on us. For me this was the most gripping fight so far. Moji's was a little more tactically interesting to me, and I never really cared much for Ano, but seeing the 'other humans' cheering on their fighter and then actually seeing the actual enemy pilots was really something else... I got shivers when the stars started to disappear...

Funny that the whole 'parallel universes' was just discussed in This thread and now these two episodes came out... Now I know what Kokopelli meant when in the first manga chapter he mentioned that he was "human, but not from this Earth". Seems like whoever served as the Dung Beetle for the enemies in 13 told them the truth and that information then got passed on to the public... makes 'our reality' look not so great by comparison...

Weeding out future universes... what a premise...

Ano's otaku dad was really funny to me. Episode 12 felt a little off, and I didn't care for the music, but it was nice to have some slice-of-life humor (only in a show like this does a 13 year old girl getting spanked by her dad qualify as humor). Episode 13 was absolute craziness. And that ending!

the new ED is very good. I'm glad they didn't replace the OP either.

[Board of Command]

So basically, we're just watching an anime version of The One. Same concept but a lot more interesting.

[masamuneehs]

So basically, we're just watching an anime version of The One. Same concept but a lot more interesting.

only on the very broad level of 'Zearth' vs. 'Alternate Earths'. they make it pretty clear, the battle is between different worlds. While they look similar at times and are all populated by humans, the actual people fighting are all different. Ano says it herself in Episode 13 when, "but this Earth doesn't have my mom or dad or baby brother on it".

I will grant that the concepts have some similarities, though...

but i'd rather take slow, plodding giant mecha battles over fast-paced martial arts, provided the former has an excellent story (or stories, as this series seems to be composed of lots of little stories weaved into a larger one), while Jet Li's flick was, um, well, it didn't leave me 'moved', that's for sure...

[Board of Command]

We don't know if the different universes have different people or not. Like The One, it could be the exact same people living different lives in parallel universes. Ano didn't mean that literally, since there's no way for her to have such knowledge. She meant her family, the one that raised her and cared for her, doesn't exist in this parallel universe. There might be another Ano in this universe. There might not. We don't know that yet.