He appears to be on top of the world. Boasting a picturesque cleft chin surrounded by a legion of followers that fervently scream his name and a trio of women that lovingly caress his shoulders this man seems to be the center of attention and hes not only aware of this but he enjoys it as well. This man is Lucky Roulette the ringleader of a gang known as the Wild Bunch. Theyre a nasty assortment of thugs mugging murdering and inflaming anyone or anything that obstructs their path to riches and renown. The Wild Bunch migrate from one town to the next mercilessly pillaging the inhabitants resources before moving to the next locale. Their acts of destruction are all overseen by Lucky who views each undertaking as an opportunity to assess how much luck he possesses. Its the one thing in Gods domain. No training to it. No honing of ones skills. Nothing. Thats why I want to test it. I want to find out just what God thinks of me Lucky To that end he endeavors into each heist without abandon which simultaneously endangers his life and pushes the boundaries of his good fortune. Cackling maniacally twirling his pair of revolvers Lucky obliterates everything in his line of sight and through pure luck he finishes with nary a scratch on him. Because of this Lucky feels as though hes not only fortunate but exceptional as well. He believes that no matter what activity he partakes in hes guaranteed to succeed because of his luck. However it is when Lucky begins terrorizing the small town of Evergreen and encounters a hopeless drifter named Vahn that everything changes for him. When Lucky learns that Vahn injured a few of his members during one of their raids he coerces Vahn into playing a simple card game with him as a method of uncovering how talented Vahn is. In the middle of this game he promises Vahn that no harm will come to him if he wins. Lucky also claims through a lengthy monologue that attacking Vahn would contradict his personal code of honor stating that he only engages in fair fights. However when Lucky loses the card game he reneges on the promise he made. Valuing his good fortune above all else Lucky believes that during the card game Vahn deprived him of what he cherishes most. As a result he ambushes Vahn in a dark alley and drenches him with steaming hot lead which not only triggers his ultimate downfall but also tarnishes the moral principles he claimed to protect. Lucky Roulettes characterization is a blatant argument against the concept of an honorable criminal. He discourses at great length on righteousness claiming to support his moral code but when circumstances demand he prove where his loyalties lie he abandons his beliefs. Stripped of his noble platitudes Lucky is your typical bandit just as petty selfabsorbed and shortsighted as his peers if not more so. Luckys proclamations of honor only serve to emphasize the extents his hypocrisy reach which makes him all the more fascinating to watch during his brief appearance in Gun x Sword. In the context of this show and what it aims to accomplish Lucky Roulette is but a oneoff villain defeated in its very first episode never seen nor referred to again he is a pawn unwittingly participating in a scheme far bigger than he could ever fathom. Luckys role is minor yes but it does carry some level of significance. With each episode Gun x Sword would burrow further and further into the concept of an honorable criminal exploring the nuances of this idea through various individuals each with their own unique moral code before ultimately confronting it via its main antagonist who is arguably the most complex honorable criminal of them all. However this thematic exploration all begins with Lucky and his card games. Honestly the fact that Gun x Sword created such an insignificant character and used him to establish the groundwork for one of its most essential concepts speaks volumes about the level of writing were dealing with here. Its difficult not to marvel at the scope of this shows vision. Gun x Sword GxS is ambitious an anime aiming to integrate a myriad of themes and concepts into a narrative that seamlessly transitions from episodic smallscale events to a far larger plotline what GxS accomplishes with the idea of an honorable criminal is but one of many feats its storytelling achieves. During this transition it ceaselessly diversifies the intent of its individual vignettes each episode unique in its own right serving as an experiment for GxSs overall purpose. While one episode is a Pulp Fiction parody another is a highstakes mecha tournament. This is an anime that can dedicate one episode to elaborating on the dangers of childhood nostalgia and an entirely different episode to waxing poetic on the merits of bathing suits. It is this wondrously creative writing that highlights the adventures of Gun x Swords protagonists Wendy and Vahn. Established on the Earthlike planet known as the Endless Illusion GxS is an anime thats partially defined by its scenic backgrounds by its gorgeous fight scenes and by its devastating plot twists but what guides all of this forward are the motives of this shows central characters. Wendy is an insecure yet assertive young girl an individual whose arc is focused on retrieving her older brother Michael from the clutches of The Claw GxSs main antagonist alongside surviving and maturing in a world that doesnt favor her small stature. Vahn is the stereotypical antihero a poor mans Spike Spiegel thats pursuing The Claw because he murdered his wife at their wedding three years before this show takes place as a memento Vahn still wears the tuxedo from that day. Together Wendy Vahn and their motives are the foundation for Gun x Sword and all that it aspires to do. They are also the nucleus of an anime that prioritizes its ambitions far too often for its own good. With its wings stretched behind it and its chest puffed out in front of it Gun x Sword is Icarus grasping the heavens above but ignoring virtually everything outside of its line of sight. This show propels its narrative and the multitude of ideas embedded within it into increasingly innovative directions but in the process it mishandles and at times neglects more than a few impactful plot elements. Focused on the bigger picture Gun x Sword doesnt apply the same attention to the smaller pieces of the puzzle. This show is one that attempts juggling several concepts at once but though this pursuit is admirable it doesnt always succeed. While its understandable that GxS struggles under this workload the degree to which this show fumbles with some of its ideas is at times baffling. For starters there is a certain subplot involving a watchdog and its two puppies that exudes the stench of a halfhearted effort. Gun x Sword tries positioning these characters as devices for an overarching message on the human condition but it doesnt dedicate enough time to properly develop this idea and the result is naturally less than ideal. Then there are the unsettling implications contained within the dynamic between Wendy who is in her early teens and Vahn who is in his midtwenties that Gun x Sword never bothers exploring. I dont expect this show to present a detailed opinion on underaged relationships but if youre going to portray your protagonists with a considerable age difference as a couple and dear God is GxS guilty of this then a comment or two on how you feel about this topic shouldnt be too much to ask for. Naturally there are other concepts that GxS fails to flesh out in one way or another of particular interest is episode 14s tragically underdeveloped viewpoint of massproduced machines but in the grand scheme of things they and the deficiencies I mentioned earlier are inessential. When examined individually that might not appear to be the case. However in the context of all that Gun x Sword represents and accomplishes their importance is downsized considerably. What this show forfeits on a conceptual level by botching several of the themes it tackles it more than compensates by emphasizing its force of personality. Gun x Sword has quite the theatrical flair. This show doesnt merely advance its plot lines to thrilling peaks it revels in those dramatic highs. GxS throws itself wholeheartedly into exploiting each and every twist and turn its story takes for maximum effect. The result is a show whose overdramatic approach is simply irresistible to watch. And for something like this it requires a soundtrack thats worthy of its efforts. GxS needs a soundtrack thats just as gloriously overthetop as it is a soundtrack that not only complements the tone of this series but elevates its theatrics to new heights. Luckily Kotaro Nakagawa famed composer of the soundtracks for Code Geass and Planetes among others is here to make this possible. Its his experience with creating uniquely cinematic scores that allows GxSs music to flourish. Primarily reliant on a combination of orchestral and jazz this shows score is highlighted by the intensity of its sound. Nakagawas saxophone riffs awaken with the fervor of a firework display while his violin solos roar with a Hans Zimmeresque selfimportance but GxSs score really shines in his efforts with Hitomi Kuroishi. A frequent collaborator on Nakagawas projects and a musician Ive long admired Kuroishi provides her harp her drums and of course her angelic voice to this shows soundtrack with her songs Paradiso and La Speranza. As aweinspiring as the songs created by Nakagawa and Kuroishi are it is Gun x Swords opening theme thats truly the pinnacle of its musical brilliance. Backed by a symphony of trumpets and drums it is a series of climaxes energetically transitioning from one to the next. It is also a marriage between flute solos and background vocals. Last but not least it is an opportunity for Gun x Swords supporting cast to be properly introduced. In the opening theme they are nothing more than silhouettes. However in the viewpoint of first impressions they seem to be nothing more than plot devices they appear to be mouthpieces masquerading as characters and not very talented mouthpieces at that. Every message GxS conveys through its supporting cast makes for an unappetizing watch. Shallow at its best and heavyhanded at its worst this shows social commentary is one that not only offers nothing new to the issues it discusses but it also pushes to the forefront a rather limited perspective. When its characters state their opinions on topics like ageism classism and sexism their efforts betray a lack of knowledge on the subject matter. As more exposure is provided to the supporting cast these individuals are allowed opportunities to deviate from their mouthpiece roles and to distinguish themselves. While this show falters in communicating social themes through its supporting cast it shines in developing their personalities. With the benefit of a different approach in place its apparent that these characters are more than tools for GxS to employ however it desires they are people striving to preserve their beliefs and fulfill their ambitions. Enhanced by these intensely personal characteristics the supporting cast is rendered human which ultimately makes investing in their individual journeys far easier. The supporting cast truly is a collection of fascinating characters which consists of but certainly isnt limited to Ray Lundgren an enigmatic loner with a scathingly cold demeanor Michael Garrett a deconstruction of the shonen protagonist Joshua Lundgren a mechanic whose inferiority complex is played for laughs and Priscilla a confident tomboy that compensates a lack of intelligence with her zeal. Each of them is solidified as characters through their willingness to defend their beliefs and ways of life. As a result the fights that occur in GxS arent merely exchanges of blows. They are philosophical conflicts sprung to life by the determination of each combatant and their reliance on their principles. Not only does this cause the supporting cast to be all the more enjoyable but it also adds a layer of nuance to this shows overall theme of revenge. A hero falls victim to devastating circumstances resulting in the deprivation of everything he/she ever cherished. However instead of succumbing to sorrow the hero uses their most vulnerable moment as the driving force to settle the score with the cause of their despair. Revenge is a concept thats both exceptionally alluring... and exceptionally narrow. In comparison to ideas such as love power and prosperity which are broad and abstract concepts that can be defined however you wish revenge is specific and concrete which severely limits the extent to which you can explore it. To its credit Gun x Sword provides a valiant effort. Through Ray Lundgren and Vahn this show not only dissects the idea of revenge but how it consumes individuals alongside those around them and in the end it questions the benefit that results from revenge. However where GxS ultimately falters isnt in its thematic exploration but in the conclusion it reaches after its analysis. A useful aside: Its impossible to overstate how important revenge is to Gun x Sword as a whole. It isnt merely among the many themes this show builds upon. Revenge is THE theme of GxS the concept that everything else revolves around. Vahns pursuit of revenge allows him to encounter Lucky Roulette and Wendy in the town of Evergreen which causes this series to move forward. Without the idea of revenge none of what GxS accomplishes and wants to accomplish would be possible Revenge for its own sake is not unique nor is it entertaining. There must be a deeper meaning to the motive if you really want people to be invested in your character. For Ray a man whose wife was murdered because she remained loyal to her principles revenge is only part of what he desires. In pursuing his wifes killer Ray wants to uncover whether or not the choice she made was correct. For Vahn however its different. You see after all of the time Gun x Sword devotes to questioning the purpose behind Vahns pursuit the answer it reaches is the equivalent of a shoulder shrug. By not providing any depth for Vahns motive this shows development of the idea of revenge is a halffinished effort. If this flawed thematic exploration were an isolated incident it would be quite difficult but not impossible to properly appreciate everything else GxS has to offer. However factoring in the other underdeveloped concepts that are scattered throughout this show the various pieces of the puzzle that by themselves seem insignificant results in something too devastating to overlook. Gun x Sword leans far more towards style than it does substance this is an anime that amazes with the outlandish ideas it raises but underwhelms with how little its willing to develop them. It promotes itself as something of a thinking mans shonen/mecha but its efforts in justifying this title are inconsistent to say the least. I admire Gun x Sword. No it would be more accurate to say that I admire what Gun x Sword couldve been. With its joyously overdramatic approach its experimental narrative and the overwhelming ambitions it aimed to fulfill who cant appreciate the heights this show wanted to reach? When it involves potential few can compare to GxS. However when it involves realizing and maximizing that same potential this show ultimately falls short.