AKA: ガサラキ

Genre: Mecha / occult action suspense drama

Length: Television series, 26 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Currently licensed by Right Stuf International

Content Rating: PG-13 (violence, mature content)

Related Series: N/A

Also Recommended: Neon Genesis Evangelion, RahXephon

Notes: Although this review was written prior to Isaac's, his is the first complete review of the series we have and thus supplants this older, incomplete review.

Rating:

Gasaraki

Synopsis

With ceremony rooted in Noh drama, some guy learns to compress gravity. Meanwhile, mentally controlled mecha are tested for some reason. And people run around talking about synchronization levels. Umm, sure. We haven't seen *this* before.

Review

Yick indeed! Noh drama and mecha? Here's what it sounds like.

(cue sound of Noh chant, followed rapidly by the sounds of gunfire)

YOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOooo~ *tingtingtingtingting* BANGBANGBANGrattlerattlerattle

Well, it could've been an interesting premise, but if the first episode is any indication.... well, I wouldn't say you should avoid it like the plague. In fact, I'd rather have a plague rat absorbed into my body through lobotomy than watch this over again. Never before has a series gone so far out of its way to be obtuse. And yes, I've seen End of Evangelion. (Three times.) Not even cool mecha can save this, as this is as close to a badly-done Eva clone as I've ever seen, and believe me when I say this: Eva-heads, stick to Lain. That has a far more interesting plot and premise than this bizarre thing. You could hope for Gasaraki to get better...or you could watch something (anything) else and guarantee you'll have a good time.

What's more annoying is the fact that the characters are so totally unmemorable - I know one (or more) of them's named Gowa, but which one was he? The character designs are nothing short of generic.

Okay, so it's no Anno (after all, at least he ended up doing His and Her Circumstances!). Actually, it's the work of Takahashi Ryousuke, better known for the mecha epic Armored Trooper VOTOMS and one of the episodes of the excellent war drama The Cockpit. However, this is hardly the best of his work so far...I daresay Sailor Moon combined Shinto with popular anime with far more entertaining results (and I didn't even like Sailor Mars!).

Surely this series will get better, but frankly, I don't have the time or patience to go any further than three episodes. — Carlos/Giancarla Ross

Recommended Audience: Teens and up, due to violence and some adult themes.