Gungrave Vol. 7

Hoo boy.

It's a very final farewell to the world of Gungrave in this seventh volume, and those of us who have been here from the beginning are going to need the hankies.

These 3 episodes are more remarkable for what they leave out than what they put in - there's no maurading horde of Orgmen, no more silly cowboy outfits and no more minions. This is about Brandon and Harry coming to terms with their past, and it's an absoloute masterpeice.

With Millenion under new management, Brandon's Necrolysed form running out of time, and the last obstacles removed, the two men finally meet, and in a piece of storywriting genius, the two men face off - together, against Millenion's henchmen, in a Butch and Sundance style last stand. And it's a truly glorious sight to behold.

Okay, perhaps I'm overselling it, but for anyone who has been hooked by what I think is one of the best UK releases in the past decade, this disc really pays off - all the loose ends are tied up and the story comes full circle, via flashbacks, hallucinations and some startling character moments. True, some character conclusions were predictable, and the direction may linger a little too long in places, but the characterisation that made us mourn Grave's enemies and former friends is abundantly evident here, and if the ending doesn't leave a lump in your throat... well, maybe you're an Orgman.

Faults? Perhaps some of the scenes are a little laboured in an effort to get you bawling like a big soft baby, but given the wonderful characterisation to date, you'd need a heart of stone not to be affected. It's a testament to the writers that the ending is so bittersweet - you leave Brandon and Harry's last hurrah with heavy heart but somehow lifted too.

Thank you boys.