--GUNGRAVE--
First posted 10/5/01, last updated 1/18/02
The hottest Nightow news from Japan is
a mysterious new project from Trigun creator Yasuhiro Nightow and anime/game planning company Red Entertainment Corporation (of Sakura Taisen fame).
The URL appeared with little fanfare in October 2001, with small banner ads on both Nightow and Red Entertainment's official websites, and in the back of Trigun Maximum vol. 6.
The site consists of an enigmatic movie clip, and a disclaimer at the bottom reading "We cannot answer questions about this title. Please wait, for the time being."
There's really nothing to do but wait and see, but I'll bet this is what Madhouse Producer Maruyama was talking about at Otakon. I'm guessing that Gungrave will probably be a video game (since Red Entertainment is involved, and since the Gungrave teaser site got a blurb in a Japanese gaming magazine), and wishful thinking aside, I don't think it'll be related to Trigun.
By the way, zealous Japanese websurfing turns up a PC girlie game with a Western setting also called Gungrave, but I don't think there's any connection with the new Nightow project.
Translation of Gungrave preview movie 1 (10/01-12/01):
Rain and death do not discriminate.
Both of them come to everyone equally.
GUNGRAVE
The dirge by the name of 'revenge' is beginning.
TWO WATCHDOGS
CARVE THE BEAT OF BLOOD AND GUNSMOKE
"Harry MacDowel+ has joined hands with 'something.'
At the very least, it's no 'thing' of this world*.
He's not the same man he used to be.
That's why we're* going to kill him."
"You can do that, can't you?"
A RAVE OF BULLETS TEARING THE DARKNESS
THE SOUND OF DEATH IS ABOUT TO FALL
GUNGRAVE
COMING SOON+In my first draft, I misinterpreted this name as "Harry MacDougal," leading to speculation that Gungrave would somehow cross over with Outlaw Star, but the correct name is "Harry MacDowel."
*Asterisks indicate iffy translations (the Japanese is vague on subject and pronoun).
Translation of Gungrave preview movie 2 (1/02-present):
GUNGRAVE
BEYOND THE GRAVE
Doctor... He's...
Because it's a promise... It's...
YASUHIRO NIGHTOW
So it's you, Grave.
You've got no class--How many times do I have to kill you!!
KOHSUKE FUJISHIMA
The four big bosses of the 'family'
Unsolved suspicious deaths, one after another
Don't think you were able to get rid of me.
SEED
We hate this town,
Day after day we struggled.
HARRY MACDOWEL
BOB MARIA BD BUNJI BEAR
Destroy it all, Grave.
COMING SOON...Again, this is a pretty rough translation. This second trailer clears up the "Harry MacDowel" mistake, showing the name written in English, and adds Kohsuke Fujishima (of Aa! Megami-sama, Sakura Taisen, and Taiho Shichau Zo! fame) to the credits. You've got to wonder what Fujishima-sensei will be adding to the mix--so far, the visuals have all been very Nightow.