Noriko's farewell in the original still hits harder than most finales ever will, because you watched her grow from terrified to unstoppable, then asked her to choose between the person she became and the people she loves. Die Buster swings for something weirder and more uncertain, trading the clean heroism of the first series for characters who are still figuring out what they're fighting for. This double feature is built for people who believe mecha can be about something besides spectacle, who want their robot shows to break your heart, then laugh at you for crying about giant robots.

Two parts share one theatrical release, separated by a musical intermission. The first part squeezes the six episodes of the original Gunbuster OVA into a 95-minute film, with a fresh 5.1 sound mix and new dialogue recorded by the original Japanese cast. The second part recuts much of the Diebuster OVA, adding some changed or newly animated scenes. Earth's final weapon has already been used, yet the war against the space monsters goes on. As the monsters grow stronger and strike Earth, humanity's hopes fall on children with supernatural abilities known as Topless, who pilot Buster Machines as the crew Fraternity. Nono left her rural home hoping to become a space force pilot and now works as a clumsy waitress at a diner near the spaceport. There she meets Lal'C, the finest Topless pilot, and at once looks up to her as her Onee-sama. Alongside teammates Nicola and Tycho, they fight to free their homeland in a mix of mecha action, comedy and drama.