Oh My God! That's pretty much my reaction after watching the first two episode of Ga-Rei Zero. The reason for that is simple really the entire promoted cast was wiped out at the end of both episodes. Episode three was looking like the same thing was going to happen then when episode four aired it went into flash back mode giving us the reason why the second lead character Yomi killed off the casts of the previous two episodes. Ga-Rei Zero is actually a prequel anime to the manga series Ga-Rei or The Enchanted Spiritual Beast Ga-Rei.
The rest of the anime that follows the third episode shows us the back history of Kagura the main lead in the manga and her friend Yomi as they develop their friendship over time until Yomi is corrupted by the death stone and starts to kill off the entire Agency that the two of them belonged to. Around the last four episodes it comes full swing back to the ending of the third episode and the fight from the third episode continues. At the end of the last episode it tosses us two years into the future with Kagura and her new partner as they begin the fight that is shown in the first chapter of the manga. After Kagura kills Yomi the person responsible for turning Yomi in the first place wonders if the stone did grant Yomi's wish to protect Kagura as Kagura finally gained the strength necessary to kill anything in her path since she killed the most important person to her. I think it did.
Ga-Rei Zero was definitely one of the more out there shows of the year with the way they dealt with the first promotions of the series but I really think it worked out for the better for those that stuck around after the third episode (I heard a lot of people dropped it because the didn't want to see one cast after another killed off) if you're one of those people who didn't stick around to finish off the show you really do owe it to yourself to finish the series. It definitely made me interested in the manga which might have been the entire point behind the show in the first place who knows. I also wouldn't mind seeing more Ga-Rei anime either but I don't know if that will happen. Haven't heard anything about licensing of either the manga or the anime so I don't have high hopes for seeing it released state side but think it might do alright if it did.
On an entirely unrelated issue though were the weapon designs. Have to say they were definitely some of the more original ideas that I've seen in a while and the lady in the wheelchair with the minigun leg was downright freaking awesome. It was actually nice to see that those two characters survived their battle with Yomi as well at the end.
The rest of the anime that follows the third episode shows us the back history of Kagura the main lead in the manga and her friend Yomi as they develop their friendship over time until Yomi is corrupted by the death stone and starts to kill off the entire Agency that the two of them belonged to. Around the last four episodes it comes full swing back to the ending of the third episode and the fight from the third episode continues. At the end of the last episode it tosses us two years into the future with Kagura and her new partner as they begin the fight that is shown in the first chapter of the manga. After Kagura kills Yomi the person responsible for turning Yomi in the first place wonders if the stone did grant Yomi's wish to protect Kagura as Kagura finally gained the strength necessary to kill anything in her path since she killed the most important person to her. I think it did.
Ga-Rei Zero was definitely one of the more out there shows of the year with the way they dealt with the first promotions of the series but I really think it worked out for the better for those that stuck around after the third episode (I heard a lot of people dropped it because the didn't want to see one cast after another killed off) if you're one of those people who didn't stick around to finish off the show you really do owe it to yourself to finish the series. It definitely made me interested in the manga which might have been the entire point behind the show in the first place who knows. I also wouldn't mind seeing more Ga-Rei anime either but I don't know if that will happen. Haven't heard anything about licensing of either the manga or the anime so I don't have high hopes for seeing it released state side but think it might do alright if it did.
On an entirely unrelated issue though were the weapon designs. Have to say they were definitely some of the more original ideas that I've seen in a while and the lady in the wheelchair with the minigun leg was downright freaking awesome. It was actually nice to see that those two characters survived their battle with Yomi as well at the end.
