History Anime / DieBuster

** "[[spoiler:Welcome Home]]."

* AttemptedRape: Episode 5.

A six-volume OVA that serves as a sequel to ''GunBuster'', released as a [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] project for Creator/StudioGainax. With director Creator/KazuyaTsurumaki at the helm, who also directed ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'', this series could easily be described as the love-child of the two series. While its source material is very story-centric, ''[=DieBuster=]'' maintains a strong overarching story while including more action and style that would set the groundwork for ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' three years later.

The parallels between ''GunBuster'' and ''[=DieBuster=]'' are readily apparent. Both series focus on two girls - one, a hyperactive girl with natural talent but no actual skill; the other, a more stoic figure, a veteran of training, and the one person her compatriot idolizes. Both stories revolve around human emotion and the draining effect a drawn-out war can have on the combatants and their relationships. They both idealize the principle, common to the SuperRobot genre, that with hard work and determination, and ThePowerOfFriendship, anything is possible. Finally, they also realize, rather poignantly, that even with incredible power, [[PyrrhicVictory sacrifices must be made]]. The duology is a testament to the Mecha genre, and the talent of Creator/StudioGainax, and should definitely be watched by any anime fan.

''Anime/DieBuster'' was released in the US by Creator/DiscotekMedia under the name ''GunBuster 2''. It remains to be seen if they'll also rerelease the original GunBuster.

** This is rather significant because [[spoiler:"Nonoriri" is a bastardization of "Noriko", the protagonist from GunBuster]].

** In episode 5, we find out that [[spoiler:The last space monster is trapped in a black hole, and is attempting to break out of it. Not only does it succeed despite Nono's best efforts, but it OVERCOMES the black hole in size and uses it as it's POWER SOURCE. Note that the black hole is the one created in GunBuster with the self-destruction of the Excelion.]]

** What became of the flagships in GunBuster.

* [[spoiler:LegendaryInTheSequel: The mystery behind the term "Nonoriri" is that it is an homage to Noriko from GunBuster.]]

* SelfParody: A drama CD track gathers up the voice actors from Anime/DieBuster and GunBuster to have them make a mock trailer for a {{troperrific}}, FakeCrossOver of the two. Or [[TheyPlottedAPerfectlyGoodWaste at least the audio of it]]. Narrated by [[NorioWakamoto Coach]]. Rather than be faithful to either, it brings in things like the unimplemented Buster Homerun and [[EnsembleDarkhorse made up kaiju]] on the old GunBuster soundtrack cover with [[AffectionateParody even more ridiculous]] [[CallingYourAttacks shouted attacks]]. Sure, we got the movie that showed the [[AdaptationDistillation distilled versions]] side by side, but imagine if they made this [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin literal GunBuster vs Anime/DieBuster]] instead.

* TheFuture: [[spoiler:About ''12,000 years'' after the events of ''GunBuster''. The endings line up, though.]]

* WhamEpisode: Episode 4 turns ''everything'' on its head. The Topless [[spoiler:are actually the first stage of humanity's evolution into Space Monsters]]. The Space Monsters [[spoiler:are actually the ''good guys'', an automated defense system that mistook the Topless for Space Monsters]]. The Variable Gravity Well [[spoiler:is actually a ''real'' Space Monster, from ''GunBuster'', and way out of Fraternity's league]]. And Nono [[spoiler:is not just some android -- she's Buster Machine No. 7, ''the most powerful fighting machine in existence'']].

''DieBuster'' was released in the US by Creator/DiscotekMedia under the name ''GunBuster 2''. It remains to be seen if they'll also rerelease the original GunBuster.

* SelfParody: A drama CD track gathers up the voice actors from DieBuster and GunBuster to have them make a mock trailer for a {{troperrific}}, FakeCrossOver of the two. Or [[TheyPlottedAPerfectlyGoodWaste at least the audio of it]]. Narrated by [[NorioWakamoto Coach]]. Rather than be faithful to either, it brings in things like the unimplemented Buster Homerun and [[EnsembleDarkhorse made up kaiju]] on the old GunBuster soundtrack cover with [[AffectionateParody even more ridiculous]] [[CallingYourAttacks shouted attacks]]. Sure, we got the movie that showed the [[AdaptationDistillation distilled versions]] side by side, but imagine if they made this [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin literal GunBuster vs DieBuster]] instead.

* OfficialFanSubmittedContent: All of the previously unseen Topless and Buster Machines in the final episode, including [[EasterEgg easy to miss appearances]] like on a wall of photographs.

A six-volume OVA that serves as a sequel to ''GunBuster'', released as a [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] project for StudioGainax. With director Creator/KazuyaTsurumaki at the helm, who also directed ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'', this series could easily be described as the love-child of the two series. While its source material is very story-centric, ''[=DieBuster=]'' maintains a strong overarching story while including more action and style that would set the groundwork for ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' three years later.

The parallels between ''GunBuster'' and ''[=DieBuster=]'' are readily apparent. Both series focus on two girls - one, a hyperactive girl with natural talent but no actual skill; the other, a more stoic figure, a veteran of training, and the one person her compatriot idolizes. Both stories revolve around human emotion and the draining effect a drawn-out war can have on the combatants and their relationships. They both idealize the principle, common to the SuperRobot genre, that with hard work and determination, and ThePowerOfFriendship, anything is possible. Finally, they also realize, rather poignantly, that even with incredible power, [[PyrrhicVictory sacrifices must be made]]. The duology is a testament to the Mecha genre, and the talent of StudioGainax, and should definitely be watched by any anime fan.

*** There's an EndOfEvangelion one in the final episode, [[spoiler:When Lal'C and Nono are pulled into the Singularity. Nono takes Lal'C's hand and shoves it through her right breast, a la Gendo starting Insturmentality with Rei. Luckily, nobody turns into Tang; it's a gift of Nono's singularity, in the form of a paper crane.]]

* UnrealisticBlackHole: But hey, at least they admit that the laws of physics has been thrown out the window.

A six-volume OVA that serves as a sequel to ''GunBuster'', released as a [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] project for StudioGainax. With director Creator/KazuyaTsurumaki at the helm, who also directed ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'', this series could easily be described as the love-child of the two series. While its source material is very story-centric, ''[=DieBuster=]'' maintains a strong overarching story while including more action and style that would set the groundwork for ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' three years later (fans even joke that [[spoiler:Nono]] is the TTGL protagonists' mom).

A six-volume OVA that serves as a sequel to ''GunBuster'', released as a [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] project for StudioGainax. With director Creator/KazuyaTsurumaki at the helm, who also directed ''{{FLCL}}'', this series could easily be described as the love-child of the two series. While its source material is very story-centric, ''[=DieBuster=]'' maintains a strong overarching story while including more action and style that would set the groundwork for ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' three years later (fans even joke that [[spoiler:Nono]] is the TTGL protagonists' mom).

** Many elements from {{FLCL}} show up again.

* HeyItsThatVoice: Nono is [[TengenToppaGurrenLagann Nia]]. That is all.

* RidiculouslyHumanRobot [[RobotGirl Girl]] - Nono, who doesn't display a single remotely "robotic" characteristic until the end of Episode 4.
** [[FridgeLogic On the other hand]] she [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace can breathe in space]] and [[ConvectionSchmonvection not suffer burns]] from a rocket blasting off. Then there's the mechanical light in her eyes when she [[spoiler:unknowingly commands the first monster to take her out to space.]]

* RoseHairedGirl: Nono fits the bill perfectly.

A six-volume OVA that serves as a sequel to ''{{GunBuster}}'', released as a [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] project for StudioGainax. With director Creator/KazuyaTsurumaki at the helm, who also directed ''{{FLCL}}'', this series could easily be described as the love-child of the two series. While its source material is very story-centric, ''{{DieBuster}}'' maintains a strong overarching story while including more action and style that would set the groundwork for ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' three years later (fans even joke that [[spoiler:Nono]] is the TTGL protagonists' mom).

The parallels between ''{{GunBuster}}'' and ''{{DieBuster}}'' are readily apparent. Both series focus on two girls - one, a hyperactive girl with natural talent but no actual skill; the other, a more stoic figure, a veteran of training, and the one person her compatriot idolizes. Both stories revolve around human emotion and the draining effect a drawn-out war can have on the combatants and their relationships. They both idealize the principle, common to the SuperRobot genre, that with hard work and determination, and ThePowerOfFriendship, anything is possible. Finally, they also realize, rather poignantly, that even with incredible power, [[PyrrhicVictory sacrifices must be made.]] The duology is a testament to the Mecha genre, and the talent of StudioGainax, and should definitely be watched by any anime fan.

* AbsurdlySharpBlade -- [[spoiler: Or Absurdly Sharp Buster Beam, as the case may be.]]
* ArcWords -- Nono wishes to become "a Nonoriri." [[spoiler:It's actually "like Nonoriri."]]
** This is rather significant because [[spoiler:"Nonoriri" is a bastardization of "Noriko", the protagonist from GunBuster.]]
** "[[spoiler: Welcome Home]]."
* AlsoSprachZarathustra: Before battles a mash-up of this and the tune played in ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'' in those scenes is played.
* ArtificialHuman -- [[spoiler: Nono]] is revealed to be a robot at the end of the first episode and another [[spoiler:ordinary]] one shows up as a naval advisor (this one male)
* ArtisticLicensePhysics - {{justified|Trope}} by having a very literal device called Physical Canceller.
* AttemptedRape -- Episode 5.
* BackStory -- A few short ones. Guess [[http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/541/171top2.jpg who]] used to be a {{Meganekko}}?
* BadassAdorable -- Nono.
* BadassLongcoat -- Buster Machine No. 19, Dix-Neuf.
* BeamSpam -- The Space Force battleships in episode 2.
* {{BFS}} -- Buster Machine No. 27, Vingt-Sept.

** In episode 5, we find out that [[spoiler:The last space monster is trapped in a black hole, and is attempting to break out of it. Not only does it succeed despite Nono's best efforts, but it OVERCOMES the black hole in size and uses it as it's POWER SOURCE. Note that the black hole is the one created in {{Gunbuster}} with the self-destruction of the Excelion.]]

** Summed up nicely with this line: [[spoiler: The black hole is splitting....that's not allowed in this universe..."]]
* BigDamnHeroes -- The ending of episode 4.
* BittersweetEnding -- [[spoiler:Lal'C loses Nono for real in the end]].
* BirdRun -- Done by Nono in Episode 3.
* CallingYourAttacks -- INAZUMA KICK!!
* ChekhovsSkill -- In the first episode, Nono mentions, almost as a joke, that she's good at splitting things in half when she breaks a plate and an apple with absolutely no effort. This is almost immediately forgotten until [[spoiler:the fourth episode where she bisects Saturn's moon Titan and in the final episode where she uses the same power to destroy a black hole.]] The 3rd eye-patch also instantly splits in half and falls off of Nono's forehead when Lal'C applied one to see if Nono could become Topless in episode 1.
* ComingOfAgeStory -- Though the cast is on the brink of adulthood, the Topless's world is filled with numerous references to childhood. Their power involves [[RealityWarper bending the world]] to some degree and growing up means losing it, heavily coupling things with GrowingUpSucks.

** Dix-Neuf is decked out like a teenage ruffian [[spoiler: but sheds the frivolous decor to reveal a mature, clean-shaven appearance before [[HeroicResolve heading to his death.]]]]
* ConspicuousCG -- It's not a major problem, but the CG does date the animation.
* ColonyDrop: As a desperate measure, the humans wanted to [[spoiler: drop the entire planet Earth at the space monster, but, luckily, Nono had another solution.]]
* ContinuityNod -- Both girls make themselves [[IncrediblyLamePun Topless]] like Noriko does during Gunbuster's final episode as bookends: Nono does it in episode 1, [[spoiler: and Lal'C does it in episode 6, after taking in a degeneracy engine.]] They both precede [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Inazuma Kicks]].

** The numbering of one Buster Machine and mankind's current predicament imply the little known [[CutShort manga sequel]] to Gunbuster is canon. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by the [[WordOfGod creators]]. [[spoiler: The manga featured three new Buster Machines, bringing the number before Nono to 6. They battled an enemy [[CosmicHorrorStory more than scary]] enough to drain mankind's resources and/or frighten it into curling up in its solar system.]]
* CreepyTwins -- The Serpentine Twins.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass -- Nono is happy, friendly and goofy most of the time. When she ''stops'' being happy, friendly and goofy, [[spoiler:property values on [[EarthShatteringKaboom Titan]] start falling in a hurry. ]]
* CurbStompBattle -- [[spoiler: Episode 4, when the Variable Gravity Well awakens and mops the floor with the assembled Topless and their Buster Machines]]...and then again when [[spoiler:Nono merely uses it to punctuate her [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome speech]]]]
* DarkSkinnedBlond - Lal'C.
* DistantFinale -- Ten years later. There's a moment of realization about halfway through that may be the series's finest moment.
* EarthShatteringKaboom -- Occurs at the end of Episode 4.
* EmpathicWeapon -- The Buster Machines.
* EnergyBall -- Quatre-Vingt-Dix's (No. 90's) Buster Smash fires energy tennis balls from a racket!
** In episode 4 [[spoiler: Nono uses one to warp. It's actually a micro black hole; [[FridgeLogic having no degeneracy reactor]], she creates one outside her body whenever she needs one]].
* {{Expy}} -- The two protagonists are clearly based off their precursors in ''Gunbuster''.

* FanService -- It's Gainax. Enough said.
* ForeShadowing -- "The only thing I'm good at is splitting things". [[spoiler: She probably wasn't thinking about ''black holes''.]]
* GenkiGirl -- Nono.
* GratuitousFrench -- The Buster Machines are numbered in French, and use the Vigesimal numeric system.
* GrowingUpSucks -- The Topless lose their powers after adolescence.
* HeroicBSOD -- Everybody who isn't Nono has at least one.
* HeroicSacrifice -- [[spoiler: Nono sacrifices her life to get rid of the black hole created by the climactic battle.]]
* HeyItsThatVoice -- Nono is [[TengenToppaGurrenLagann Nia]]. That is all.
* HourglassPlot -- Their attitudes don't shift much, but [[spoiler:Nono goes from minor curiosity allowed to tag along with Fraternity to humanity's one hope for survival as Lal'C goes from being the most elite of the elite to ''a girl with a disease'']]

* HugeGuyTinyGirl -- Nicola and lal'c.
* HumongousMecha -- Puts Gunbuster to ''shame''.
* IdiotHair -- Nono has an ''epic'' ahoge. (It only gets more so when she's in [[spoiler:Buster Machine 7 mode]].)
* InformedAbility -- The cast has had traits including their hobbies and favorite foods listed online since the series began. Some, like Lal'C's love of cocoa and Nicola's action figure collection, would appear in side material. Why Nono likes Japanese food would come up in the main series. It's still played for laughs on the side, since she does not know [[AmnesiacDissonance or remember]] how [[GratuitousJapanese any of it works]], making it a [[CloudCuckooLander strange hobby]].
* ItMakesSenseInContext -- The term Topless sounds rather suggestive, but it does make a degree of sense. The powers disappear when someone reaches the peak of their growth, and the [[LostInTranslation Japanese phrase]] for 'expire' works as a pun for 'reaching the top.' When [[spoiler:Lal'C reaches hers, she overcomes the devastation to bring back the original's theme of actually [[TitleDrop aiming for the top]].]]

* LookWhatICanDoNow -- [[spoiler:Nono as Buster Machine No. 7]].
* LostInTranslation -- Like SpellMyNameWithAnS below, several jokes and references to the original got lost. This might border on a [[BlindIdiotTranslation bad translation]].
* LostTechnology -- Warp technology was purposefully suppressed thousands of years before, when humanity stopped trying to explore the galaxy. Then, of course, there's [[spoiler:Nono]].

* MoreDakka -- One of the Topless Buster Machines has that as a basic weapon
* MeaningfulName -- Nono, which has the same root as her ambition, "Nonoriri." It also sounds a bit like [[spoiler:[[SevenIsNana Nana]]]].
** Also a LineOfSightName -- sort of. Nono is the named after the first things she said when she was found by an asteroid prospector: No no ri ri. [[spoiler:Well, actually "No...no...ri...ri...'''k'''o."]]

* OneeSama -- Lal'C's position with Nono.

* ThePowerOfFriendship -- The eventual resolution to the series.
* RammingAlwaysWorks -- They try to pull this off with [[spoiler:''the planet Earth'']].
* RealityWarper -- All major combatants, to a mild degree. Used to [[HandWave "explain"]] the RuleOfCool in battles.

* RedBaron -- Lal'C, the "Curve Breaker". [[spoiler:And later, the "Mover of Planets".]]

* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship -- Nono continually tries to forge one between her and her reluctant OneeSama Lal'C.

* SelfParody -- A drama CD track gathers up the voice actors from DieBuster and GunBuster to have them make a mock trailer for a {{troperrific}}, [[FakeCrossOver fake crossover]] of the two. Or [[TheyPlottedAPerfectlyGoodWaste at least the audio of it]]. Narrated by [[NorioWakamoto Coach]]. Rather than be faithful to either, it brings in things like the unimplemented Buster Homerun and [[EnsembleDarkhorse made up kaiju]] on the old GunBuster soundtrack cover with [[AffectionateParody even more ridiculous]] [[CallingYourAttacks shouted attacks]]. Sure, we got the movie that showed the [[AdaptationDistillation distilled versions]] side by side, but imagine if they made this [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin literal GunBuster vs DieBuster]] instead.
* ShoutOut -- Gainax loves to self reference.
** Dix-Neuf's old war wounds parallel the [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Eva-01]]'s major injuries. [[spoiler: Spike through the right eye going out the back of the head from Sachiel, lost left arm complete with grafted replacement from Zeruel. While not an injury Dix-Neuf replaces his Collapsing Generator by tearing it out of another and absorbing it into himself, like an S2 Organ.]]
*** There's an EndOfEvangelion one in the final episode, [[spoiler: When Lal'C and Nono are pulled into the Singularity. Nono takes Lal'C's hand and shoves it through her right breast, a la Gendo starting Insturmentality with Rei. Luckily, nobody turns into Tang; it's a gift of Nono's singularity, in the form of a paper crane.]]

** A notable non-Gainax reference involves [[spoiler: Nono slicing Titan in half with her Buster Beam]], similar to episode 38 of ''Anime/SpaceRunawayIdeon''.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS -- Oh, lordy. Most of the Topless, and Lal'C is worst of all.
* SuperPrototype -- Each Buster Machine is unique and powerful, but [[spoiler:Buster Machine 7]] stands out as the oldest and most powerful in this series. The previous model [[CutShort lost in series mythos]] may have been even stronger.
* SuperRobot -- Buster Machines are now semi-mass-produced, and No. 7's final form is an extreme instance of this trope.
* TechnicolorEyes -- Nono has starburst-shaped pupils, [[spoiler: possibly hinting at her non-human nature.]]
* TheFuture -- [[spoiler:About ''12,000 years'' after the events of ''{{GunBuster}}''. The endings line up, though.]]
* TheReveal -- In addition to the Wham below...what does "Nonoriri" actually mean? [[spoiler:Try "who"]] -- [[spoiler:Noriko Takaya herself]].
* TheSingularity -- [[spoiler:Back in Gunbuster. Nowadays, the solar system is backwater and doesn't even know it. Or just why it's even isolated from the rest of the galaxy. It does not help that its AI defense system was lost due to a slight malfunction. Some of it might be due to the previous generation honestly thinking the information [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow should not be passed on]].]]
* TitleDrop -- In the final episode. [[spoiler:Except the title mecha doesn't [[CurbstompBattle succeed at]] [[MoodWhiplash what it was meant for]]]].
* WhamEpisode -- Episode 4 turns ''everything'' on its head. The Topless [[spoiler:are actually the first stage of humanity's evolution into Space Monsters]]. The Space Monsters [[spoiler:are actually the ''good guys'', an automated defense system that mistook the Topless for Space Monsters]]. The Variable Gravity Well [[spoiler:is actually a ''real'' Space Monster, from ''{{GunBuster}}'', and way out of Fraternity's league]]. And Nono [[spoiler:is not just some android -- she's Buster Machine No. 7, ''the most powerful fighting machine in existence'']].

** One thing that stays consistent is Nono's PinocchioSyndrome, but the reasons behind it change. At first she's CursedWithAwesome as being an advanced, indestructible android has the drawback of not letting her become a Topless. Later, she is [[spoiler:BlessedWithSuck as she makes the Topless obsolete, is looked at with [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy and spite]], and her responsibilities of protecting humanity drives other schisms between them. Whether it is inaccessible or she is [[PhysicalGod flung far beyond it]], she doesn't get to aim for the top like her idol.]]

** One thing that stays consistent is Nono's PinocchioSyndrome, but the reasons behind it change. At first she's BlessedWithSuck as being an advanced android has the drawback of not letting her become a Topless. Later, she is [[spoiler:CursedWithAwesome as she makes the Topless obsolete, is looked at with [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy and spite]], and her responsibilities of protecting humanity drives other schisms between them. Whether it is inaccessible or she is [[PhysicalGod flung far beyond it]], she doesn't get to aim for the top like her idol.]]

** The Topless struggling with running out of time are named after watches. [[spoiler:''Casio'', Captain ''Hattori Seiko'', Nicola ''Vacheron Constantin'', ''Jaeger LeCoultre'', and ''Piaget''.]] The luxury brands also point to their higher social status.

* AlsoSprachZarathustra: Before battles a mash-up of this and the tune played in ''Anime/Gunbuster'' in those scenes is played.

A six-volume OVA that serves as a sequel to ''{{GunBuster}}'', released as a [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] project for StudioGainax. With director KazuyaTsurumaki at the helm, who also directed ''{{FLCL}}'', this series could easily be described as the love-child of the two series. While its source material is very story-centric, ''{{DieBuster}}'' maintains a strong overarching story while including more action and style that would set the groundwork for ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' three years later (fans even joke that [[spoiler:Nono]] is the TTGL protagonists' mom).

''DieBuster'' was released in the US by DiscotekMedia under the name ''GunBuster 2''. It remains to be seen if they'll also rerelease the original GunBuster.

* ChekhovsSkill -- In the first episode, Nono mentions, almost as a joke, that she's good at splitting things in half when she breaks a plate and an apple with absolutely no effort. This is almost immediately forgotten until [[spoiler:the fourth episode where she bisects Saturn's moon Titan and in the final episode where she uses the same power to destroy a black hole.]]

''DieBuster'' was released in the US by Discotek Media under the name ''GunBuster 2''. It remains to be seen if they'll also rerelease the original GunBuster.

''DieBuster'' was released in the US by Discotek Media under the name ''GunBuster 2''. It remains to be seen if they'll also rerelease the original Gunbuster.