Gilgamesh: Tablet 1- Orphans of the Apocalypse

Reviewed By: Carla Land

ADV DVD

Review based on first volume (episodes 1-5)

Rating TV 14

What it’s (basically) all about: Kiyoko and Tetsuya, sister and brother, are orphans living after Twin X- a terrorist attack that created an electromagnetic shield around the earth, stopping progress in its tracks and setting the world back several years.  After being protected from yakuza (mobsters) by a group known as Gilgamesh, they are thrown into the middle of an epic battle between those who want to save the earth, and those who want to destroy it. The side they chose decides the fate of the world, but which is the right one?

Nitty Gritty: This anime is one of few that I have seen that starts at the beginning and lets’ you know what’s going on from the start. We see the terrorist attack happen that created chaos on the planet, and from the beginning there are literary tie-ins to The Epic of Gilgamesh. One thing to note is that there don’t seem to be any good guys other than Kiyoko and Tetsuya- everyone they meet wants to use them for their own agenda, and the siblings know it.

There are some creepy monsters, and even though they are teenagers Kiyoko and Tetsuya faint every now and then. On the first volume there isn’t too much violence other than sonic waves blowing up buildings and monsters getting attacked by other teenagers, but the vibe of the show indicated that things will progress into a more violent vein. There is some disturbing imagery, and the whole show has an almost gothic vibe to it. It’s very black, white, and gray.

So far there also haven’t been any sexual situations, but the yakuza were going to make Kiyoko prostitute herself out to pay off the family debt, and the Countess asks one of her young henchmen if he wants to sleep in her bed with her (more of a motherly situation, but the kid is about fifteen). Language has also been mild, the strongest word used in the dubbed version is sh*t, and that only appears in episode one.

Special features include a volume 2 preview (that also plays after the end of the last episode), clean open/ closing animation, production and character art/ sketches, and DVD credits. ADV previews include Peacemaker, Area 88, Elfen Lied, Full Metal Panic? FUMOFFU, Yugo the Negotiator, and Gantz. The disk also opens with Newtype Magazine and Anime Network promos.

Survey says: It’s a little hard to follow, and it has the potential to get a lot more violent. This is okay for older teens, but would probably fare best in an adult collection.

Personal Ad: I wasn’t into it. I read The Epic of Gilgamesh in college (didn’t we all?) and it was neat to see it explained and talked about in something that teens would be into, but I didn’t particularly care for the show.