Okinawa
Year 2032
G r a d u a t i o n
C e r e m o n y
July 31st
Diploma presentation.
Number of Graduates ..... 2
Earth Imperial Space Force,
Okinawa Girls' Space Pilot High School,
Senior Class 2, Cadet #2...
Amano Kazumi.
Yes!
Awaiting us upon our return from space...
was our high school graduation.
How rushed it all seemed.
Summer holidays start today!!
I've only 4 months of memories on this campus.
But on Earth, 10 years have already passed.
Even Kashihara-san is now an instructor here.
All my old classmates are gone.
Kimiko's gone, too.
Space is a vacuum of memories, too.
And from Senior Class 1...
Takaya Noriko.
Y... Yes!
Episode 5
Graduation at age 17...
I should feel privileged, huh?
You don't get it, do you?
According to your birth certificate, you should be 27 now.
Hmm...
So, I'm supposed to be around the age to have kids or something?
Excuse me, aren't you?
Takaya Noriko-san?
Kimiko?
Hmm... So, Hii-chan and Ritsuko both got married?
I guess I've been left behind.
And now you're a mother, on top of all that.
How old is Takami-chan?
She'll turn 3 soon.
Ah...
What's that?
It's the Eltreum.
Eh... So that's it?
Fifth-Generation Space Battleship
Yes.
You can make out its shape with binoculars even from down here.
Wow, it's huge.
I hear it's over 70 kilometres long.
It's supposed to be an Earth evacuation ship.
What?
Rumors say that since the military takes priority...
a civilian's chances of getting aboard are 4,000 to 1.
That's...
You can look down on me for asking you this...
Noriko, could you use your connections to get Takami a place on board?
I want for her...
...to have a future.
Kimiko...
Akai Kimiko
(Be sure to call before 10!)
Hello, Kimiko?
Um no... Is Kimiko-san there?
Ah, Takami-chan? This is Noriko Onee-chan.
No, don't call me "Auntie" just yet!
Is your Mama there?
Oh, she's out with Papa?
So you're watching the house all by yourself?
Good girl!
Okay then, Takami-chan...
please tell your Mama that Noriko said she's sorry.
Right.
Okay, bye-bye.
A future for Takami-chan...
Kimiko really has become a mother.
All this time has passed me by while I was in space...
leaving me behind, all by myself.
Papa...
Is this how you felt whenever you came back from space?
This bleak feeling of isolation?
August 6th
4:15 am
Palomar Observatory
Eh? What?
Space Force Intelligence Bureau
I can't hear you!
Eh? The Constellation Lyra?
Near Area 3-26?
A huge mass of enemies?!
Surveillance Satellite
That's right.
There's so many of them they're blotting out our view of space.
Seven parts enemy, three parts black! Got that?!
I repeat! Seven parts enemy, three parts black!
Examining the degeneracy radar's data, due to the enemy's heavy concentration...
General Staff HQ Small Conference Room
6:20 am
We are unable to get an accurate count of them.
Head of Observation Department
We estimate their number to be over 100 million extending over approximately 80 astronomical units.
Their ETA to reach our Absolute Defence Line is unknown at this time.
80 astronomical units? I can't imagine...
Indeed, imagine the diameter of Pluto's orbit.
What?
I don't quite follow...
Admiral Tashiro
They're...
finally here.
Beach with Jung
Meet Kimiko at 10:00
In other news...
the anti-space monsters force formed 11 years ago...
Top Squadron Dismissed
The "Top Squadron," has officially announced that it is disbanding.
Sub-Lieutenant Takaya. Sub-Lieutenant Takaya.
Commander Ohta has requested your presence.
Please report to the staff office immediately.
Rain?
You're too self-centred.
You're always like this! You never care about me!
Then don't bother coming here!
Onee-sama?
Coach!
Hello! Hello!
This is Okinawa Girls' Space Pilot High School...
Coach, what are you doing?
D-Don't tell Amano about this.
If you do...
you're dead.
Coach!
Please, hang on!
Coach! Coach!!
Next Day
Noriko, I've decided to find a new love.
I'm giving up on Coach.
Two people can't live the same life.
After all, "Meeting is the start of saying good-bye."
We only get one life to live, you know...
I don't want to waste even a minute.
"Time stops for no man."
But anyway, you're very gloomy.
That time of the month?
Silly girl.
"Two people can't live the same life."
So, we have to live our lives for ourselves...
Coach! Coach!!
Hang on!
Coach!
Takaya, mankind is facing its greatest threat...
since life began on Earth.
Forget that now...
Shut up and listen!
The enemy fleet is closing in.
The largest attack ever.
Humanity itself only has one minuscule chance of surviving...
and that's your Gunbuster.
Coach!
Takaya!
Triumph!
To save the Earth and our people...
Gunbuster must triumph!
Listen, Takaya.
Yes.
You and Amano, alone, are mere flames.
Flame
Together, you are an inferno.
Inferno
And the Gunbuster as an inferno is...
...invincible!
Coach.
You're the two I chose.
Together, you can overcome anything!
Yes, Coach!
Takaya.
Yes.
Back then, I intended to protect Admiral Takaya with my life.
But the reality was the opposite.
I feel that I've done you a grave disservice.
Don't say that, Coach. You shouldn't...
The reason I've lived up until now...
is to pass down the future the Admiral entrusted me with...
along with Gunbuster, to the two of you.
But that, too, will end soon.
Takaya...
Yes...
Don't tell Amano about my illness.
She's weak.
If she knew, she wouldn't be able to fight.
Takaya, please.
Protect Amano.
Protect her, please...
Me? Protect Onee-sama?
Tears?
So she already knows... Onee-sama...
Imperial Tokyo
Earth Defence Agency
The main point is that the enemy has arrived!
Meeting in progress
Emergency Countermeasures Meeting
All we can do is intercept them with everything we have!
Chief of General Staff
What's the status of our last resort, the Eltreum?
Head of Shipbuilding Division
It's currently 16% fitted.
The day after tomorrow, 1,500 new support members will...
That's no use at all!
Chief of Ship R&D Division
There's no way it can launch!
Deputy Chief of General Staff
An unfitted battleship is nothing more than a glorified statue.
First (tactical) Division Head
But at our present strength...
we don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning.
Vice-Minister of the Space Force
Then what do we do?
The enemy could cross our Absolute Defence Line by as early as tomorrow.
I have a proposal!
Commander Ohta?!
Send the decommissioned Exelion into the centre of the enemy forces, unmanned.
Release the Kingston valve...
and send the degeneracy generator that acts as a warp engine into overload.
And the generator will become an artificial black hole...
after 2 minutes, 40 seconds due to the Void effect...
and then it'll swallow the enemy fleet near Jupiter 2...
along with the entire planetoid.
We can use the Buster Machines as its escort.
Ohta-kun...
That's sheer insanity...
The enemy's numbers are in the hundreds of millions!
With only one Gunbuster completed, do we have any workable alternatives?
It's the only way!
Ultra-Hikari Express for Tokyo
Train No. 061, Car No. 10
This is your conductor.
We have just passed by Neo Okayama Station as scheduled.
Our estimated time for arrival at Shin-Osaka Station is 9:31 am.
Okayama's specialities, Kibi dumplings and Momiji cakes?
We also have telephone cards.
Onee-sama, it's finally time to go.
You didn't bring much luggage, did you?
Neither did you.
After all, we'll be back before we know it.
Not quite that soon.
On Earth...
...6 months will pass.
Space Base bound ESCAR
Onee-sama.
Um, about Coach's condition...
I know.
But right now, we should be more concerned about the billions of lives at stake here than the life of one person.
We have to keep our chins up.
Yeah... You're right.
I'm relieved... You're still your same old self.
Fuji Space Force Base
Buster Machine 1
Cockpit
Pilot: Sub-Lieutenant Takaya
Buster Machine 2
Cockpit
Pilot: Lieutenant Amano"
Is that Coach?
I knew it!
Onee-sama, Coach is here.
He looks fine.
Say, Onee-sama.
Maybe you two will get married when we come back.
What do you say?
Well? Did I nail it?
You two make a perfect couple...
and Coach needs someone to take care of him. Right?
You don't get it, do you?
Coach has space radiation syndrome.
He might not last another 6 months.
I... may never see him again.
That can't be. Coach...
Coach!
We may never see them again.
Okinawa
Is Noriko Onee-chan in that?
Yes, your Mama's very best friend is piloting that to ensure a future for you.
When you're older, I'll tell you everything.
Eh? Mama, are you crying?
It's nothing...
It's really nothing.
Space Battleship Exelion
Acceleration in 15 minutes.
Buster Machines, move into position.
Earth Time
Earth time is on top.
We're still sharing the same time as Earth...
But soon, Onee-sama and I will slip into a time stream of our own.
Acceleration in 10 seconds.
8, 7...
6, 5...
4, 3...
2, 1.
216 astronomical units to enemy centre.
Earth Time
On Earth, 3 days have already passed... No, 4 days!
Planetoid Jupiter 2
Approaching enemy fleet.
Intercept the front line.
Approximately 250 million enemy units.
Lead is secured.
Here we go, Noriko!
Roger!
3.8 billion kilometres to go.
Noriko, keep going, straight to the centre!
Roger!
1 billion kilometres to go.
4 months gone already?
I've had enough! I don't want to go any further!
Onee-sama!
I can't.
I just can't go on.
Onee-sama...
He's going to die...
Even if I make it back to the Earth, he'll no longer be there.
I never even told him.
I never said, "I love you..."
or, "Hold me."
I've never said a single thing to him!
Back then, I truly hoped that he would kiss me...
...and embrace me.
I wanted him to say he loved me.
But...
even then...
I'll never, ever see him again.
No, I just can't take it!
Onee-sama, pull yourself together!
Otherwise, they'll slaughter us.
What about Coach's last 6 months?
Don't you think he wants to be with you?!
His final 6 months!
Don't you think he wanted to hold you and not let you leave?!
But he had to deny himself...
and stake everything on those last 6 months!
On you, and me, and Gunbuster!
These are his last 6 months! Onee-sama!
No, they're not just his!
Kimiko, Jung, and everyone else have pinned their very futures...
on the two of us!
If we lose now...
what's the reason that everyone stayed alive up to now?
We must...
We must win at all costs!
Please, Kazumi!
Fight!!
All right, Noriko, I understand.
Let's combine!
Onee-sama!
Your 6 months...
These 6 months, I'll fight for you.
It's the only way to share this time with you.
GUNBUSTER!!!
Noriko, the Exelion is still intact.
It's below us, on your port side.
Onee-sama, let's use it!
Yes, let's.
Super Inazuma Kick!!!
Don't think the combined Gunbuster...
is just some ordinary machine!
It has Coach's...
It has Coach's heart beating within it!
Noriko, enemy units directly above you, coming down fast!
Incoming from below! Around 3,000 of them!
HOMING LASER!!
Everyone's future... Our future!
I'll pave the way for it with Gunbuster!
Precisely! So don't get in our way!
BUSTER MISSILE!!
Noriko, pull back! We're in their defence zone.
Incoming counterattack. Draw them towards us!
Get as many of them as far away as we can!
Incoming concentrated fire! Around 20,000 rounds!
BUSTER SHIELD!!
You think that's enough to take us down?!
20 million kilometres to go. Just hold out until then.
Below, too?!
I had no idea they had things like these.
Who could've imagined it?
They're pretty good.
But don't underestimate Coach's Gunbuster!
DOUBLE BUSTER COLLIDER!!
The Exelion has reached the centre.
It's reaching the gravitational radius now.
It's starting...
Farewell, Exelion...
General Staff HQ
The mission was a success.
As of 10:45 pm.
The Palomar Observatory has detected type-G X-rays.
We estimate at present that 99,89% of the enemy forces have all ready been wiped out.
The shockwave is expected to reach us in 6 months' time.
This time, we're saved.
Hakone Space Force Hospital
Coach...
Coach!
I love you, Koichiro-san...
Sorry... I'm sorry, Smith.
I promised I wouldn't cry any more.
But I think Kimiko would be proud.
Right, Papa?
To Be Continued