Do you like giant robots, big guns, and pretty girls? If so, it seems studo Gonzo has you all figured out. Directed by Koichi Ohata, Burst Angel aims to be a veritable feast of all the things teenage boys lust after. A big expensive animation budget coupled with gorgeous artwork may just give you your fill with this A list title.
Sadly I must admit this show left me just a little bit unfulfilled. There is no question what the creators were going for when they dreamt up Burst Angel. They were looking to rake in the dough by catering to the perversions of the male demographic. I can stand up proudly and say “I don’t have a problem with that.” Here’s what I do have a problem with: They spent so much time stuffing in goodies and eye catchers that they forgot to take time and put in all the fine detail that makes a show great. Don’t get me wrong, the show isn’t bad. It just isn’t great. Burst angel is obvioustly meant for a younger audience. I mean younger in the mental sense, not the physical sense.
With a majority of the show dedicated to finding ways to show off pretty girls in cute costumes, not a bad thing I might add, I expected a bit more comedy. I didn’t find any gut bursting moments, but there was the occasional chuckle here and there. For the most part the show was serious and to the point. The leader of the Burst Angels, Sei, found opportunity to show off her lofty endowments in new costumes with virtually every episode. The other characters seemed to wear the same outfits almost completely throuought the series. Apart from the occasional swimsuit or party dress the characters started to feel a bit tired. I expected a bit more costume variety. They left the service out of fan service
As for a story, they did take the time to develop a decent concept. It doesn’t respect a traditional storyline flow and It doesn’t feel broken. Burst angel isn’t the type of show where each episode builds tension and makes you want to watch the next one to see what happens. Nonetheless each episode does contribute to the overall plot in the end. There did seem to be some elements in the show that got introduced and then had nothing done with them. Kyohei a chef in training is introduced in the first episode as a main character. While he is in every episode he doesn’t add anything to the show. If they hadn’t written him in everything would have turned out the same. I expected a bit of a harem anime element betwen him and the girls. Sadly that influence wasn’t felt.
The overall plot of Burst Angel makes a big deal of how bad japan has gotten and how RAPT a corrupt police force is taking over. From my perspective it looks to me like the Angels are more of a criminal element than anything they ever run into. The main character Jo was written with zero personality. It makes most every scene she is in feel kind of dry. Meg and Amy both are overflowing with character but the story rarely finds time to let them shine.
If you are reading my review to decide on whether to rent or to buy Burst Angel, Here is a tactic I might suggest. Head over to your local retailer and put a disc in your hand. If you look at the cover and think to yourself “cool artwork, hot chick, big gun, awesome…” Then Burst Angel “might” be worth buying. 
If you find yourself thinking “I wonder what the story is about…” then Burst angel is only worth a rental. if its even worth that… There’s a half decent story and a sprinkle of fan service, just not a full helping of either. Burst angel just ended up too far into the “average” category to really be worth reccomending.
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