Beyond The Grave

or just Grave is a fictional character in the Third-person shooter video game and the anime series Gungrave created by Yasuhiro Nightow as the main protagonist of the franchise. Grave's real identity was Brandon Heat, a small-time criminal who later became a well-known assassin in the underworld. He was betrayed and then killed by his best friend Harry MacDowell, and was later Necro-Rised back to life to confront Harry.

Grave in the game
Beyond The Grave first awoke when Mika Asagi's mother was killed. Mika went to see Dr.Tokioka, who had Necro-Rised Grave. While hearing Mika's story, Grave wakes up and interrupts Harry's ascension party on the airship Freidrich. Grave later kills The Big Four. As he confronts his former best friend, Harry unleashes his trump-card, an Orgmen created from Millennion's previous boss, "Big Daddy" Asagi. The "Big Daddy" Orgmen is taken down by Grave, he later kills Harry as well and leaves the city with Mika.

Three years later, when the event of Gungrave: Overdose takes place, Grave awakes once again when Mika was attacked by a group of Orgmen. Grave was accompanied by Mika's new friend Spike Hubie and later two new characters, a deadman named Juji Kabane and Rocketbilly Redcadillac the ghost. The team was trying to track down where the Seed came from. After a few stages, it turned out the Seed was came from the Corsione mafia syndicate. Grave alongside with Juji and Billy soon took down the Corsione family. If the player choose Grave, he (Grave) will have a small chat with his student, Bunji Kugashira and Harry MacDowel's wife, Sherri Walken (now an undead like him). At the end of Gungrave: Overdose, the Corsione was destroyed; Juji and Billy left, continue on their journey, and Grave went back to his sleep, continue travelling with Mika.

Grave in the anime
Character biography
Unlike the game, Brandon shares a closer relationship with Harry, Maria, Big Daddy and the period he spent in Millennion. As Brandon Heat, he is described as a tall and silent young man while he was much more sociable with Mika following his death. There are three different "appearances" of Brandon Heat. The first as he and Harry joined Millennion; the second was five years after he joined Millennion, his appearance was similar to the first except he had much longer hair which he kept in a pony tail; the last one was three years after, right up to when Harry killed him, which at that point he would lose his left eye as a result of Harry shooting him in the head. Brandon is described as a broad shouldered man, with medium black hair, a cold and calculating personality, who never hesitated to do the not so pretty hits; especially in the neighborhood of betrayal. At the time of his death, Brandon looses his left eye; when he returned as Grave, he has hidden it with a black tinted lens with a white cross over it set in his glasses. He is the consummate professional, however he takes no pleasure in the death of his targets.

As Brandon Heat
Joining Millennion

Brandon and Harry lead their small time criminal gang, living their normal life with their beloved friends, according to Harry; it was the happiest time they ever had. Brandon, after saving from street punks, quickly fell in love with Maria, and she with him. When a bigshot criminal killed their friends and Maria's foster father, Harry and Brandon intend to leave the town while Big Daddy comes to invite Maria to his mansion. As it just so happened, the two friends soon found out Maria was in Millennion. Hearing rumours about Millennion, Harry immediately joins the organization since he thinks it was the chance for him to go up. Brandon accompanies Harry, and joins the organization for Harry's sake; as he would never leave his best friend's side.

In Millennion
Brandon, after joining Millenion, befriends two new partners; Richie and Gary. He later meets Harry and the people who are soon to become Millenion's Big Four. When Brandon found out about Maria, he immediately goes and meets her; soon after that, Big Daddy invites him for a fishing trip with him, they quickly become friends.

When an organization known as "Lightning" goes against Millenion, they send a hitman to assassinate Big Daddy. Brandon accidentally stumbles onto this as he was checking the bodies of two Millenion Operatives, Big Daddy's assailant ends up shooting one man, pinning Randy (one of big daddy's Inner Circle) to the ground. Brandon then takes a bullet for Big Daddy, cradling his head Big Daddy asks Brandon why he protected him. He then becomes a Sweeper those who protect, and eliminate enemies of Millenion.

Five years later, Brandon has become a professional Sweeper, who works with Harry. They are invited to join Big Daddy's Family. Brandon encounters , who later becomes a valuable asset and friend to Brandon Heat. When Brad Wong a.k.a Blood War was released, the Lightning organization ordered him to go against Millenion. Wong's friend, Cannon Vulcan shows him an example of Necrolization created by Dr.Tokioka, who mysteriously disappeared a few years ago. Surprised by the new invention, Wong later uses Necrolize on himself and his followers, he wages a war against Millenion (primarily to kill Brandon Heat). Brandon goes alone to face Blood War in an abandoned warehouse. He was attacked by a numerous group of Necrolizers, the Necrolizers soon reach their limit as they can't exist more than one week, Bunji shows up during this fight and evens the odds slightly in favor of Brandon's side. Harry and Lee show up a short time later. Eventually all four of them are saved by Bear Walken.

Death

Three years later, Brandon becomes an even more emotionally distant calculating assassin. He also becomes increasingly distant from Maria; Harry forces Dr.Tokioka to continue on the Necrolize project with a new breed of Necrolizers. That was when Big Daddy decided to retire, people were expecting Harry to become his successor. However, Daddy sees he probably will be the man who leads to the destruction of Millennion; with that thought in mind, Big Daddy appoints another member of the Family to become the new boss, but three months later, the new boss was taken mysteriously ill.

Harry and Brandon return to Millenion Headquarters, where Harry asks Brandon to kill Big Daddy, if he would, Maria will surely become his. Brandon, angered by his friend's proposal, punches and points his gun at him, but he can't kill his best friend so he drops his gun and guard. Harry, seeing this, draws his gun and shoots Brandon, firing several shots, the last shot piercing Brandon's left eye. Brandon's body then falls from the elevator towards the streets below.

Tragedy in Millennion
Brandon Heat is dead, Harry MacDowell has became Millennion's new boss, covering his best friend's death by saying Brandon is a traitor, and Maria has now become pregnant. Later, an incident occurred in Dr.Tokioka's lab, causing the new deadmen to go berserk, but they are soon gunned down by a silver-hair Necro-Riser. Maria, while visiting Brandon's grave, meets Richie and Gary (who accidentally slips his mouth about Brandon's betrayal).
Shocked from hearing the truth, Maria attempts to kill Harry while Big Daddy meets up with Dr.Tokioka. Tokioka gives Daddy Brandon's last letter, then tells him he knows everything about Harry's betrayal, and if he were to die, Dr. Tokioka would be the one to Necro-Rise him. Big Daddy then asks Dr. Tokioka to seal Brandon forever, to let him continue sleeping. Big Daddy later goes to Harry's building to stop Maria, before he leaves her, he asks her to raise their child and if anything might happen, she would go meet Dr. Tokioka with the case which contains the Cerberus. Big Daddy goes and confronts Harry, in an attempt to kill him, but was killed by Harry instead.

Harry, angered by Big Daddy's last words, soon came to rule the city.

As Beyond The Grave
Meeting Mika

Thirteen years later, Harry, now having become old, from time, orders his men to assassinate Maria. Maria while protecting her daughter, Mika, was gunned down. Mika goes and meet Dr.Tokioka, tells him everything, but Orgmen attacked them, and Grave now awoke, using his Cerberus, takes down the Orgmen. A photo of Grave later was sent to Harry, revealing that his dead friend has been Necro-Rised.

The Big Four Act
Grave, due to death and resurrection, now suffers from a case of amnesia. When he hears about a party being held by Millenion's top executives, he goes to investigate. He confronts his former best friend along with the Big Four, Harry then orders Bob Poundmax to kill him. At the beginning of their fight, Poundmax gives a still weary Grave a taste of his Superior powers. Grave, taken aback by the transformed Poundmax started out at a disadvantage during the battle, Grave eventually gets his footing and using Cerberus, defeats Bob using Bob's own powers against him.

Upon hearing of Bob's death at the hands of Grave, Balladbird Lee, also a Superior goes on a slight rampage, swearing up and down he will kill Grave, and get his revenge on him for killing Bob and betraying Harry. At this point, Grave and Mika return to Grave's former haunts from well before he was in Millenion.

Grave and Mika then go to his old partner Richie's house, the friends explain everything has happened. Gary (like he did with Maria before), slips his mouth about Big Daddy was killed by Harry, Grave shocked by this, asks his two friends to watch over Mika while he goes to face Harry alone.
As soon as Grave departs, Lee shows up and murders both Richie and Gary; Mika is captured at this point. Grave returns to the house with Dr.Tokioka; upon seeing what Lee had done to his friends, Grave fell to his knees and screamed in agony. Soon after Tokioka replenishes him, he goes to face off with Lee and rescue Mika in an old subway Station.

Lee challenges Grave to a duel at an abandoned subway station, before Grave arrives, Lee tells Mika about Big Daddy, he barks Grave is nothing but a fool trying to protect someone's daughter, making Mika to shout at him; soon after that, Beyond The Grave appears and fights Lee. Lee threatens that he will kill Mika, making Grave just stand there and take a beating. Dr.Tokioka later shows up, frees Mika, and aids in her escape with the use of the subway itself. During the fight Tokioka is mortally wounded, but not before he gives Grave the Anti-Superior ammunition which he uses immediately on Lee and later on . The battle ended with Lee's defeat, and demise as well, however it came at a price, Tokioka finally succumbed to his wounds and died, however not before he replenished Grave's body, giving him only ten more days to survive.

Soon after that, challenges Grave to a duel at his dojo, Bear too, has become a Superior, and upon revealing his Superior power, he becomes cocky., Unfortunately for Bear, Grave acts on this and uses the Anti-Superior ammo to defeat Bear.

Downfall of Harry MacDowell
With the defeat of the Big Four, Millennion's remaining Board of Executives turn against Harry. Later on down the line, maybe a day or so, Harry and Sherry (his wife) are attacked presumably by a hired hitman, Sherry dies on the scene. Harry, after having buried his wife, ordered all the Orgmen to kill the traitors.

Grave, knowing he may not be able to live much longer, leaves Mika and goes to Millenion HQ where he confronts Bunji. The two former friends engage one another in a fantastic duel. However, as when they are satisfied, Grave's body begins to break down due to lack of fresh fluids , Bunji and Grave agree to take it down to one shot to settle their score once and for all. In the end, Bunji is shown as an equal to Grave but he still met his demise. As soon as Grave enters Harry's office, he found a few pictures on Harry's desk of the old times. At this point, Grave's left arm is now out of commission.

Death again

Grave found Harry at their old town, the two friends have a talk about the years they had spent in Millennion at their old hideout, the conversation seems to veer between two different conversations almost thirteen years apart, so it seems. At this point the name "Grave" or "Beyond the Grave" is discarded, and Harry refers to "Grave" as Brandon or Brandon Heat depending on the situation. At this point the Millenion operatives open fire on them, but not before Brandon shoots one, and tosses two of them out the door. A gun fight ensues, a grenade is tossed, Brandon covers Harry and resurfaces after the explosion. Grave stands up and takes a shower of bullets, after Harry is almost shot to death.

Harry, knowing he won't live any longer, asks Brandon to go back with him to the old time where everything was free. Brandon still believed in his best friend, even until his death. In the end, Harry and Brandon make amends and decide to end each other's lives instead of being killed by Millenion's agents. Mika somehow manages to convince the remaining Executives to call off the attack, however it is unclear by the last scene whether or not Mika was too late. However, Mika smiles at the last scene, this might suggested that Brandon may have survived.

The last scene is shown Brandon and Harry reunite with their friends and beloved, and the first time they met as children.

Difference between the game and the anime
* Grave talks in the anime (Alhough he still speaks tersely), where as in the game he remains mute.
* Grave's hair is black in the game, but in the anime it's silver and it's only turns black once when he battles Ballardbird Lee.
* He requires a special bullet to kill the Superiors. For the most part, he only use's his demolition shots on Bob Poundmax and the coffin was destroyed after that.
* In the game, Grave needs Mika's blood for healing while in the anime he doesn't.

Powers & Skills
As one of the most powerful 3rd generation deadman, Grave employs his exceptional sweeper skills to obliterate his opponents. Grave's two firearms; Right Head and Left Head; as well as the coffin-like weapon act as his signature armaments. By using the coffin, Grave can perform a special attack called a Demolition Shot, in Gungrave: Overdose he can performs nine Demolition Shots:
*Death Blow — Grave fires a rocket that explodes and kills enemies.
*Fatality Bringer — Grave fires a machine instantly, this move can breakthrough enemies' armor easily.
*Bullet Dance — Grave release a machine gun and spins in a 360° circle, destroying everything around him.
*Doom's Rain — Grave fires multiple rockets that take down everything on their path, causing greater damage than Death Blow.
*Cerberus O.D — The most powerful move, Grave combines his Cerberus and coffin to launch a fireball that destroys everything on its path, creating a nuclear-like explosion. This move can take a good chunk of life from a Boss.
*Executioner's Blood — Grave fires his Cerberus instantly while spinning around, creating great damage to the enemies but little to the Boss.
*Dawn of the Grave, Day of the Grave, and Night of the Grave - Time slows down, allowing for more precise combat, with a certain portion of health recovered depending on how many enemies were defeated during the alloted period. The higher level Demolition Shots have a longer amount of time. Other Demolition shots can be used while these are active.

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See Also

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