n the opening moments of the 26-episode series Gilgamesh, a scientific organization called Heaven's Gate announces its plans to shut down within the year in order to prevent its research from causing "a disaster unparalleled in human history." The decision is apparently based on a report by a Dr. Terumichi Madoka, but shortly thereafter the same Dr. Madoka breaches security, heading for a sealed cave under what is thought to be the tomb of the legendary Gilgamesh. And then the world changes. The sky disappears behind an opaque, shimmering wall of electromagnetic energy, all computers and wireless communication devices stop functioning, and the resulting riots, wars, famine and disease wipe out a significant chunk of Earth's population.
Fifteen years later, 17-year-old Kiyoko and her 14-year-old brother Tatsuya hide from thugs attempting to collect an immense debt incurred by their late mother; the collectors announce that since they can't pay, Kiyoko will be prostituted and Tatsuya will become an organ donor to earn the money. When the siblings flee, they encounter three placid, eerie, exaggeratedly tall and thin young men who casually take care of the thugs, then invite them to come help fight "the devil children." While Kiyoko and Tatsuya are coming to terms with that, the so-called devil children attack, and one of the gangly boys morphs into a horrific monster for the violent telekinetic battle that ensues. Kiyoko and Tatsuya pass out, and wake up in a limo with the friendly "devil children," who are on their way home to their guardian, known as "the Countess."
The Countess makes it clear that Kiyoko and Tatsuya are valuable for their connection to Dr. Madoka (now known as Enkidu) and are needed to fight Gilgamesh, the gangly transforming boys. More battles follow, and Tatsuya shows his own power potential while Kiyoko resists the Countess' control. Kiyoko and Tatsuya clash over what to do next, but in a dark, dangerous world with no sky and an increasing number of immensely powerful and manipulative figures, their options seem fairly limited, at least until they get some sense of what's actually going on.
Anti-heroes on all sides
Gilgamesh's series tagline, "Whose side are you on?", is apt and significant. In this broody gothic landscape, neither side is clearly good or evil, though neither seems particularly wholesome. The Gilgamesh psychics transform into demonic horrors, and they seem perfectly willing to kill innocents to accomplish their ends. Still, they're polite, helpful and even reassuring to Kiyoko and Tatsuya, and they clearly believe their goals are noble. Meanwhile, the Countess doesn't mind engaging in blackmail, kidnapping, child abuse and slavery to achieve her own ends. She initially seems like a mother hen on the side of right, but the fear and contempt she generates in her stable of powerful telekinetic children suggest her true character. Both sides seem to be entirely short on heroes or even consistent good intentions.
And the series is as visually dark and grim as the characters. The "Sheltering Sky" effect blanketing the world hides the sun and diminishes the light, and appropriately, most of the characters look like vampires: pallid, cold and corpselike. Their fixed faces and rigid hair seem plastic, and the nearly monochromatic color scheme emphasizes the stark designs. Gilgamesh's bloodless look is strikingly unique, so much so that it may take a couple of viewings to realize how minimal the animation is, even during fight sequences: Characters in combat tend to stand perfectly still as forces shimmer around them, and the camera often cuts away just before the resulting explosion. It's a clever trick, and it fits perfectly with the series' languid, emotionally intense but physically repressed tone. But by half a dozen episodes in, it's easy to want more.
Fortunately, the end of Vol. 2 gives every indication that more is on the way. Both of the initial Gilgamesh DVDs end on startling cliffhangers that highly encourage future viewing and that take the story in new and more dynamic directions. Gilgamesh is worth watching just for its many visual and textual novelties: Series this consistently grave and adult are as rare as series with such an unusual design. But as the plot keeps opening up, it also promises that there's far more going on than has yet met the eye.
ADV includes an immensely helpful glossary of terms in the liner notes for Vol. 1 of Gilgamesh, but you might want to avoid them if you'd prefer the series to have some mystery. Still, the cryptic opening sequences make a lot more sense if you read up on what's going on. The DVDs' other main extra, little features summarizing previous volumes and providing teasers for upcoming ones, are also concise and helpful.
— Tasha
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