Ok, it seems like we're finally reaching some sort of conclusion to the Osaka Mission (although it seems like an entire story arc to me), and it's been obvious that Oku has been trying to get across a message about the nature and ways of people put into these situations. For the majority of the mission it seemed like the Tokyo team had been too soft; too weak; and too reliant on single, strong team members with the others pulling their weight...just not much of it.

In contrast to this you have the Osaka team: a rough that hardly can even be called a 'team'. They hold the exact opposite attitudes the Tokyo team have. They don't rely on each other, they hold strength with respect, they'll do anything to get stronger and not run away from the game-aspect of the missions. It was like Oku was trying to tell us that the reality of Gantz just didn't fit the Tokyo team, that after the way they'd spent points at the conclusion of the Oni mission was wrong - that he was trying to show them the need for raw, consistent power.

However the Osaskan's made a crucial mistake: being powerful is good, but not recognising that the aliens will always be inherently stronger was a massive mistake that cost them their lives and - in the case of Kuwabara - a lot more :S Plus it seems like team-work, and not strength, is what is going to win this battle.

So what do you think the message is, here? That the Osakan's strength is still the way to go, or that the Tokyo team (with issues to sort out tactically and team-wise (Inaba/Takeshi, namely)) were always in the right?

^ Yeah, I was thinking about that, more or less.

Each mission has a development:

(these are all centered in Kurono for the moment)

Onion alien mission:
Kurono finds a goal (screw Kishimoto)
Kurono realizes he's not completely insignificant (due to Katou)
Kurono realizes remembers he used to have guts
Kurono realizes there are really twisted fuckers in this world (due to Nishi)

Tanaka mission:
Kurono realizes the vital importance of the suit.
Kurono manages without the suit - important factor for following missions (although at first he wouldn't remember his feat, as we all know)
Kurono grows accustomed to death.
The team learn about the need for 100 points.
The team learn a thing or two about the radar.

Budha mission:
Kurono becomes a bad-ass wannabe, with bastardish and show off moments; uses Sei to lose his virginity, has a cold Nishi like attitude.
Kurono feels the loss of people who were close to him. (as opposed to having no one to care about, like he used to be in the beginning)

Chibi mission:
Kurono realizes a certain vileness in killing the aliens due to remembering Katou.
Kurono soon re-discovers he has to kill the aliens nevertheless or he's the one who'll be killed.
Kurono experiences defeat and utter fear once again. (might help as being a drive to get stronger and survive without passing through that kind of situation again)

Dino mission:
(off-mission)due to his feelings for Tae and the massacre caused by Izumi, Kurono develops a certain "good guy" side antagonic to Izumi's attitude.
Kurono decides on helping the people in the room.
Kurono discovers the swords and bikes room. (thanks to Izumi)
Kurono has more confidence (having survived once suitless, he isn't as panicked as before)
Kurono accidentally kills the boss child even though it didn't attack beforehand.
Kurono takes the role of leader.
The team is seen during a mission for the first time, and also targeted (vampires)

Ring/Tae mission:
No mercy is shown.
The team suffer no losses (aside from the one who got his picture taken by Tae)
The team splits between ruthless people and caring people (lame denomination, I know)
Kurono finds about the 100 points menu
Kurono sets his mind on reviving the ones he care about.

Oni mission:
The aliens are now completely disguised as humans and visible to the hunters and normal people alike.
Reika tries to dialogue with the aliens to no avail.
The rules change.
Most of the team gets 100 points for the first time.
Kurono goes free.
The mission is recorded and common people become aware of the Gantz team, which would bring the attention of reporters such as Kikuchi.
The team needs a new leader.

(post-Kurono)
Nurarihyon mission:
The team is sent to a different location, and they become aware of the existence of other teams.
Reika comes to realize they should worry more about themselves and decides not to help the civilians.
Katou faces a hard time buying Reika's leadership and eventually once again sets his goody-goody resolve and alien sending attitude.
Katou learns the other team is far superior in strength, due to having beaten the game more than once and choosing to stay with more powerful weapons.
The legend of Oka Hachirou is known and destroyed not so soon after.
Upon seeing the ruin of the Osakan team, and after a great deal of chapters, the team finally decides to work together.
Katou talks to Nuri about God.
(and of course, more significative developments should arise as soon as this mission is over)

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It's interesting how this dicotomy is played;
The Tokyo team should be more like the Osaka team; gain points and power and kill kill kill
The Osaka team should be more like the Tokyo team; watch each others back and gang up on almost-invincible enemies

The weak Tokyo team survives, and the strong Osaka team is nearing complete erasure.

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IMHO The message IS Gantz (OKU) is in control. Strength and team work don't mean squat. We can point out the obvious (Tokyo lacks power and Osaka lacks teamwork blah, blah, blah...) but in the end, no matter what, Gantz wins. It told us that at the very beginning. Sure the character development was/is engaging, but in the end Gantz wins.

I guess the lesson we learned from the Osaka arc is that team work is better than lone star warriors. It may be, that Gantz wanted to find out which team is the stronger and put them in an awesome fight together to see who survives in the end. The Osaka team seemed to be of failure though they had several fighters who got multi 100 points.

@Cali: I wouldn't reduce Gantz only to the arcs. It was important too, what happened between the arcs (regarding the Kurono/Tae relationship).

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^ I know, that's why there's this mention here, for instance:
"Dino mission:
(off-mission)due to his feelings for Tae and the massacre caused by Izumi, Kurono develops a certain "good guy" side antagonic to Izumi's attitude."

Anyway, even though the off-room time is important as well, I was trying to point out some developments that depended on the missions to happen. I'm not sure if it's a very functional analysis but...

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I think the Osaska mission foreshadows the Tokyo gantzers fate if Kato was not on the team.

The longer then stay in Gantz the more then lose their humanity. I bet Nishi and Izumi were normal kids before they start doing missions.The first step in my opinion was that the Tokyo gantzers were more concerned with themselves then with civilians.

Nishi said he committed suicide the first time we see him in the room. If that's true, I doubt he's anywhere near normal.

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etufo: HS is most likely going to die sooner or later. Who will kill the cool character killer?

Popo: well, obviously going by that logic, HS will have to kill himself...

That was in the anime. In the manga he claimed to fallen to his death.

^^ That's not so, suicidal Nishi was anime Nishi.
Manga Nishi died from a fall while running away from some cops or something; check Gantz Otaku for the info, taken from the manual.

EDIT:
Oh...

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Really, he ran away from cops? Could please you send me the link .