GunBuster, known in Japan as , is a Japanese OVA anime series produced by Bandai, Victor, and Gainax and released from 1988 to 1989. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the creator and director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis manga and anime Aim for the Ace! and hit action drama film Top Gun, whose plot inspired GunBusters. To celebrate Gainax's 20th anniversary in 2004, a sequel to GunBuster, DieBuster (or GunBuster 2), was released as an OVA. The sequel features new characters and mecha, but retains the format and many of the concepts of the original series.
Plot
The human race's survival is threatened by a race of insectoid aliens, known as the Uchuu Kaijuu or Space Monsters which are approaching Earth. To combat the threat, Humanity developed spaceships and giant mecha. Among these are RX-7, advanced single-pilot fighting suits, and the new version dubbed Gunbusters. Pilot candidates are trained in various training schools and selected from Earth and the Lunar colony.
The story begins in the year 2023, six years after the first battles with the aliens and centers on Noriko Takaya (タカヤ・ノリコ Takaya Noriko) (voice: Noriko Hidaka), who attends a training school in Okinawa. Daughter of the famous admiral Takaya who went missing after one of the first battles, Noriko's talents as a pilot are lacking compared to other students, who refer to her as the "daughter of defeat." Her instructor, Kōichirō Ōta ("Coach Ōta") (voice: Norio Wakamoto), one of Admiral Takaya's crew, believes she will overcome her clumsiness. Knowing Noriko's admiration for Kazumi Amano (アマノ・カズミ Amano Kazumi) (voice: Rei Sakuma), the top RX-7 pilot at the school, coach Ōta shows Noriko the extra training that Amano imposes upon herself.
Two trainees from the school will be selected to pilot Gunbusters. The first slot goes to Amano. Noriko is thrilled to be chosen for the second slot. However, the second-best RX-7 pilot at the school publicly challenges her to a one-on-one fight, unwilling to accept the selection.
During the battle, the older student overwhelms her and humiliates her over the radio. As her RX-7 is pummeled, Noriko realizes she suffers from sensory overload: she is getting too much information from the electronic monitoring systems. She turns off her monitors, enraging her opponent with the perceived insult. As the final blow approaches, Noriko unleashes a Thunder Kick, an advanced maneuver not taught to trainees, destroying her opponent's RX-7. Witnessing the outcome, Ōta is convinced Noriko is the right choice.
Along with Coach Ōta and Amano, Noriko is sent into space to train with other representatives to prepare for the attack upon the space monsters. There they are introduced to a Soviet pilot from the Moon base by the name of Jung Freud (voice: Maria Kawamura).
On their first training mission, Jung challenges Takaya and Amano to a duel. Amano and Jung become completely involved in the fight, as Noriko trails along, and all three get lost within the machinery of the space station. The fight stops midway when all three come in contact with the first space monster that was defeated and captured. Upon their return, they are reprimanded by their coaches but are ultimately let go with a warning. Jung later apologizes for her challenge and thus begins a friendship with the two.
As they move farther into space, the young pilots are placed in their quarters for subspace traveling. On a dare, Takaya is sent into the hangars and meets a male space pilot named Toren Smith (voice: Kazuki Yao). Amano comes into doubt of Takaya's abilities and asks the Coach to end their partnership. Takaya overhears the conversation and ends up partnering with Smith instead.
The first true battle between the aliens begins, and the humans realize how vastly outmaneuvered and outnumbered they are. They are able to retreat with limited casualties, but Takaya has lost Smith and gained an uncontrollable fear of deep space combat. As their second battle approaches, Takaya is determined to improve and asks the Coach for private lessons. Jung finds out and thinking that she doing so to control Gunbuster, challenges her in space. But even before they are able to fight, Takaya breaks down in her suit and is taken to the infirmary.