Ga-Rei-Zero

This review is technically spoiler free, but if the names, Yomi or Kagura, are unfamiliar to you, I would suggest watching the first two episodes before reading any of the reviews. Admittedly, when I first read the show's description (which purposely reads generic), I didn't think the show was going to be that good. So when I gave it a shot, the first episode certainly drew my attention, but I expected once the shocking cliffhangers wore off it’d be a pretty generic, demon-hunting, hero-coming-of-age shounen. Man, I was dead wrong. GRZ turned out to be biggest surprise of the fall season, and one of the bestdamn shows I’ve seen, hands down. Story/Characters: GRZ has a simple story at its heart. The whole demon hunting setting is really just a conveniently action/guro-friendly wrapper for the real story: The making and the breakdown of a strong friendship. What makes the show so powerful is the great job the writers did in exploring and developing the relationship between Kagura and Yomi – that’s when the show really starts to become something special. Unfortunately, the short 12 episode season doesn’t allow them to provide much background on the other characters and also leaves some loose plot ends hanging (which is probably to be expected, since it’s a prequel to the Ga-rei manga). But all that’s forgivable, because everything is really all just a foil to Kagura and Yomi in the end. The dynamic between the two drives the whole show. The comedy, the action, the drama and ultimately, the tragedy – everything – hinges on how much you come to like their characters and relationship. Art: The battle scenes were well-animated and ranged from stylistic to quick and brutal, which despite the fantastic setting, made the show feel more realistic. The character designs were streamlined and attractive, with particular attention paid to Kagura and Yomi's cuteness/hotness. The monster designs were pretty generic, but they make up for it by making the mythical creatures, Ranguren and Byakuei, look appropriately fierce and majestic. Sound: The producers of GRZ took some bold sound design chances - such as forgoing the OP/ED in the initial episode - that helped to amp up the show's atmosphere. The music also stood out throughout the series, especially during the battle scenes: ranging from a rock/techno mix during the exciting, stylistic battles, to the haunting and emotional, vocal-driven arrangement during the final battle. It always seemed to hit the right chord. Voice work was very good with special kudos due to Kaoru Mizuhara (Misao in Lucky Star) and Minori Chihara (Yuki Nagato in TMoHS), as Yomi and Kagura, doing excellent jobs in roles that I wouldn’t have expected from them. Enjoyment/Overall: If you're looking for a well-written, action-oriented show (admittedly, not for the squeamish) with really strong character development, I highly recommend GRZ. Hopefully this review was helpful to you. (Positive/negative) feedback is always appreciated. Thanks!

~Note~ - This will be my first anime review. - Might contain spoilers. Ga-Rei: Zero, is one of those anime that blew my expectations away; truly an anime I wished I discovered sooner. This anime is so underrated, I hope this review does some good. "Will you kill someone you love, because of love?" That quote was what got me interested, and I watched to find the answer. -Story: Basically two girls, Yomi and Kagura, that has experienced deaths of loved ones by demons. They both belong to families that are destined to be exorcists. They do their best to live up to their family names. One day theymet and began to live together as "sisters". They then go and hunt and exorcise demons, which no ordinary human can see, under an agency that specializes in fighting demons. -Art: I thought the animations were good for an anime that aired in 2008. Byakuei and Ranguren looked awesome. The fighting scenes are well executed. I also really enjoyed the final fight scene. I have to say that the first episode's animation could of been more appealing. -Sound: I don't pay attention to the sound effects as much, but I said they were good. I really liked the opening song, probably one of the few I don't skip. -Character: I say this is one of the good aspect of Ga-Rei: Zero. Within the flashbacks, you really get the chance to know more about Yomi and Kagura. You get to find out what their families expect from them, what they been through, and you get to see the change from when they first met to the last scene. Yomi and Kagura were well developed, but supporting characters were not as much. Maybe due to the fact that a bunch of characters got killed in one episode. There was also this white haired kid (forgot his name or wasn't even mentioned) which did some evil stuff and then disappeared 2-3 times. Also got to mention Yomi is my favorite character! -Enjoyment: I really enjoyed this anime. Enjoyed the fight scenes, the sisters moments, and the family drama. This anime did its job of the demon-exorcist story, but also added overpowered "spiritual beasts" that wrecked stuff up, which was enjoyable. -Overall: This anime is a without a doubt, a must see anime. You will definitely enjoy this anime if you watch it with an open mind, and don't pay attention on the small things. This anime started from an anime that I missed out on to being one of my all time favorites. What's even better is this is a prequel so it only contains a small amount of the whole story since it continues in the manga. So some things such as character development might be resolved there.

Ga-Rei -Zero- is set as the prequel to Ga-Rei the manga. The manga, itself, is a supernatural action shounen so Ga-Rei -Zero- is set in the same way. While knowing the setting of the manga helps to understand the anime better, it is definitely not required to read the manga beforehand to enjoy Ga-Rei -Zero-. This viewer had never heard of Ga-Rei before the anime, yet was still able to enjoy the Ga-Rei -Zero-. For those not familiar with the Ga-Rei setting, it is essentially about an agency that hunts rogue spirits using exorcists. A Ga-Rei is a spirit beast that exorcists use in addition toother exotic weapons and traditional swords to fight supernatural enemies. Story: The storytelling for Ga-Rei was nothing short of amazing. The first two episodes occur chronologically towards the end of the series, but set up a conflict during which the rest of the series tries to explain how events lead up to such a conflict. This leaves the viewer constantly guessing throughout the series, giving enjoyment through suspense. At the same time, the viewer is greeted with several humorous scenes through the show that help lighten the mood and make you enjoy the characters. Art: The animation for Ga-Rei isn't extraordinary or anything. It gets the job done. The supernatural enemies look disgusting and allow you to develop a hatred for them. The characters are drawn in a way that you develop interest in them. The action looks fluid and is pleasing to watch. Sound: What really stood out to me in Ga-Rei was the sound. The background music really fit the mood well and after every episode, it left me questioning when the OST would come out. Furthermore, the Ga-Rei anime comes out with an amazing image and insert song CD, many of the songs which are used in fitting moments throughout Ga-Rei. Both the OP and ED fit the anime as well. Character: Ga-Rei really focuses on developing the two main characters, Kagura and Yomi. While I feel that the other characters weren't developed as much as I would have liked, the story is really focused on Kagura and Yomi and only their development is crucial to the story. The way Kagura and Yomi interact together and towards other characters seems appropriate for their age and their past experiences and because of their interaction with each other, they change and part of the story is watching their growth. Enjoyment: The combination of a great storyline as well as well-done action sequences put to an outstanding soundtrack makes this anime incredibly enjoyable for me. Once you start the anime, at least for the first couple of episodes, it's almost impossible to stop. The first few episodes demand the viewer to watch them one after another. Combined with the humorous yuri moments and other cute moments, Ga-Rei does its best to tell a story that can both standalone, but at the same time, persuade the viewer to continue the series into the manga.

After rewatching this series for the third time, I thought it was only fair to give Ga rei zero a proper review. Note that I’ll try to keep this as spoiler free as possible. Ga rei zero was a pleasant surprise, defying my expectations of it based on its generic trailer and description. The first episode, in particular, was a “wtfwhathappenediwanttowatchmore!” attention grabber. One of the better shows that aired in fall of 2008, Ga rei zero tells a tale of two young girls, Kagura and Yomi, their lives as they grow older, and the resulting tragedy that ensues. Ga rei zero stands out for it’s wellwritten plot, strong character development, and exorcism action. Ga rei zero can be depressing, somewhat disturbing, and very violent, yet overall has a very compelling story that keeps you going. Ga rei zero is the prequel to the manga Ga rei. It provides an extensive backstory between Isayama Yomi and Tsuchimiya Kagura, who appear in the manga Ga rei. The true strength of this show is most definitely the story and characters. This anime plays out as a epic human drama, exploring how family obligations, social norms, revenge, friendship, betrayal, love, hate, and intrigue all intertwine, with sometimes tragic results. What makes this story so powerful is how the writers deeply explore the heart warming (and heart wrenching) development of the relationship between Kagura and Yomi in painstaking detail; This fundamental relationship, and the conflicts that emerge from it, drives the entirety of the show. The story explores the making and breaking of a strong friendship, in this case the relationship between Yomi and Kagura. The sheer normalcy of the character’s personalities shines through, creating genuinely great characters. This makes it all the more heartwrenching when the relationships in this series slowly, yet surely, are torn asunder. Ga rei zero is a simple, yet powerfully human tale at heart. Ga rei zero proves that it can define characters that go beyond simple good or evil. Instead, it shows us characters with multi-dimensional, complex characters, somewhat similar to how Miyazaki portrays his antagonists; as being a mix of both good and bad. As for art, Ga rei zero has quite a bit of flashy fight scenes and battles; This series is almost certainly an action series in that regard. Ga rei zero is filled with battles between majestic mystical beasts, exceptional swordwielders, and … a fighter who uses a clothes iron as a weapon? Quite honestly, some of the weapons used in this show are the most unique weapons (such as a suitcase) I’ve ever seen. As dubious as some of these weapons are, the action sequences are solid. The quick, and brutal, action packed scenes will almost definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. The music was somewhat generic, although quite fitting for the scenes in the anime. It always seems to hit the right sound when needed, contributing to the exciting, and sometimes haunting, scenes littered throughout the show. Soundtracks are always a crucial part of any anime, and I think it’s safe to say that the music definitely outdid itself in Ga rei zero. Final Score: 8.5/10 (rounded up to a 9 on myanimelist) Ga rei zero is by no means a perfect show, but it delivers where it counts; a solid plot that is unusual enough to catch your attention, but not so complicated that you get confused or bored of the series. If you’re looking for an action oriented series with a powerful, well developed story with excellent character development, Ga Rei zero could potentially fit the bill. My expectations with this show went from little expectation, to curiosity, to awe as the plot culminated into a delightfully lovable, yet tragic story. And for those who do watch, I leave you a quote oft found in this series to think about: “Will you kill someone you love because of love?” This is a copy of my original review, which can be found (somewhere ^.^;) at: https://blogs.emory.edu/animec/ comments/feedback are welcome :]