Ah, we are finally upon the third and last volume of the series that started it all (for me, anyway). I have always enjoyed the third volume more than the others. It's really not that the first four are really terrible, it's just that I've seen Gunbuster about six times, and so there really isn't anything new for me to see. Since episode 5 has the coolest action of the series, and episode 6 the best story development, I have probably watched volume 3 an additional three or four times. Hey, what can I say? Gunbuster, Bubblegum Crisis, and the first Patlabor movie were my only titles for quite a while. So it stands to reason that I would watch them a lot :-).

Episode 5 is entitled Please, Save Some Time for Love!, and it is quite rightly named. Some feature plot developments in episode 5 include the climax and conclusion of the Jung/Amano/Coach love triangle and a reunion with Kimiko! However, my personal favorite event is the unveiling of the completed Gunbuster! It is truly a very mighty machine (can we say, Gunbuster versus 250 million enemy units?).

At the End of the Endless Stream is the catchy title to episode 6, and it is a very fitting title. Finally, we get to see the end of the war that started with the death of Noriko's father. How fitting that she gets to play a major part in the conclusion of this lengthy war. Episode 6 is especially interesting in that Gainax obviously ran out of money while concluding Gunbuster. Episode 6 is letterboxed, in black and white, and contains quite a few areas that are literally animated sketches. However, the most emotional scenes and background music tracks are in this episode. On the informative side, episode 6 introduces a new mecha type, the Sizzlers (no, they are not mobile all-you-can-eat diners). Essentially, the Sizzlers are mass-production Gunbusters. Not as lethal and armored as the Gunbuster, they are still a huge step up from the machines used in the earlier episodes.

In conclusion, it is my personal opinion that the final two episodes of Gunbuster are a great conclusion to the series. It's got the best music, action, and plot development. What more could one want? Oh, I should warn you about the ending. You may find it strange and totally unbelievable, as I did when I first finished Gunbuster, but with a little reflection, I found that it filled me with hope for mankind.