Gasaraki - The Summoning (Vol. 1)

Amazon.com

Although only recently released in the U.S., Gasaraki is already dividing viewers into enthusiastic admirers and detractors who dismiss it as dull and needlessly complicated. In the not-too-distant future, a conflict modeled on the Gulf War rages in the Middle Eastern nation of Belgistan. The defeat of the American-led U.N. ground forces suggests that dictator Colonel Stilbanov has somehow acquired breakthrough weaponry. Meanwhile the powerful Japanese Gowa family is conducting elaborate experiments that combine a Noh dance performance by the Yushiro, the youngest of the brothers, the development of bipedal battle mecha, and an attempt to contact an extremely powerful force from another dimension. Their efforts are thwarted by Miharu, a young woman who can communicate with both Yushiro and the mysterious power. Miharu is a prisoner of the sinister cabal who control Stilbanov. Gasaraki offers some polished animation and interesting mecha designs. But director Ryusuke Takahashi has the unenviable task of setting a convoluted plot in motion while introducing more than a dozen characters, some of whom have very similar names, while others remain unnamed. The story is initially difficult to follow, and Toru Nazaki's script wastes the viewer's time with pseudotechnical instrument readouts and military jargon. Contains these episodes: 1. "On the Ancient Stage of Stone," 2. "Opening Movement," 3. "Tantric Circle," 4. "Mirage." Unrated; suitable for ages 12 and up for violence, largely restricted to machine versus machine, and occasional profanity. --Charles Solomon

Description

ry: For a thousand years, the Gowa family has secretly manipulated the fate of Japan, first through political intrigue and now through the manufacture of a frightening new weapons system. In a world in which giant robots are real, however, the most powerful weapon of all lurks within a human mind. Combining the hard edge of modern military thrillers with the frightening reality of tomorrow's super-science, "Gasaraki's" multi-layered story and unique blend of apocalyptic carnage and surreal mysticism promise that the world of Japanese animation will never be the same!

Customer Reviews:

Close to perfect as it gets...........2005-02-23

The first thing you'll think when you watch this DVD it is: "What the heck are they doing with those robots". But by the fourt episode you will fully understand the story and will get into it.

I'm a fan of big robots and military stories, so if you're into this type of anime go ahead and get it. The main character is misterious and instantly drags you into the plot, and without you thinking about it you'll want to know what the purpose of the TA system really is. I give it four stars since the anime is a little too old for me.

Over all Gasaraki is one of the best looking anime of recent years and any fan of big robots and well chorographed action secuences will more than enjoy this series.

Starts off strong but goes nowhere slowly.......2005-02-08

As far as overall review: not worth paying for. (but watch it on TV or borrow it from a friend)

`Gasaraki' starts off slowly but has a nice narrative hook. A very original universe. The UN sends in troops to stop ethnic war in a Bosnia type country. A real life universe! (with only the names changed) But American armored units, Abrams Tanks and Bradley APCs (for those of you not up to date in war news, Abrams and Bradleys are light years ahead of any other tank) suffer a drastic defeat at the hands of enemy mobile suits. That's right, real life mobile suits!!! In a real army!!! In a real war!!!

Fortunately for the UN a giant Japanese corporation Gowa has been developing giant mobile suits for just such a war. But now Gowa has its sights set on more than just being soldiers for hire. Gowa wants to AVENGE JAPAN'S LOSS IN WWII.

The plot is further complicated by the mobile suit pilots' digging further into the Gasaraki mobile suit program. It turns out that mobile suits are not entirely the result of science. They are the result of conjuring Japanese demons and giving them physical form.

`Gasaraki' starts off with some very original concepts, what if mobile suits really did exist? Would evil dictators try to take on the UN and fear no one? Would global corporations fear no one? And most importantly, with enough power, would the Japanese ever try to avenge WWII? These are the burning questions which kept me interested throughout `Gasaraki'. It was very realistic; I recall only one joke during the entire series.

None of these questions are answered by `Gasaraki'. The story slowly goes nowhere. There is no war, there are no battles. `Gasaraki' degenerates into a boring mindscape into the human soul. If Cartoon Network ever runs this, it might be worth your time but `Gasaraki' is not worth your money.

I strongly recommend `Full Metal Panic.' It's a similar story, except a comedy.

Episode List (not on DVD cases).......2003-04-24

Gasaraki - "The Summoning" (Vol. 1) DVD
1. "On the Ancient Stage of Stone"
2. "Opening Movement"
3. "Tantric Circle"
4. "Mirage"
Gasaraki - "The Circle Opens ..." (Vol. 2) DVD
5. "The Touching"
6. "The Puppet"
7. "Return"
Gasaraki - "Betrayal" (Vol. 3) DVD
8. Inferno
9. Storehouse
10. Kugai
Gasaraki - "From the Ashes ..." (Vol. 4) DVD
11. Ties
12. Unravel
13. Disembark
Gasaraki - "Revelations" (Vol. 5) DVD
14. Companions
15. The Threshold
16. Karma
Gasaraki - "Fires of War ..." (Vol. 6) DVD
17. Chaos
18. Rear Window
19. Wails
Gasaraki - "In the Spider's Web" (Vol. 7) DVD
20. Upheaval
21. Run
22. Personification
Gasaraki - "To Be a Kai" (Vol. 8) DVD
23. Eternal
24. Punctuation
25. Gasara

Waste of time.......2002-09-01

I'm not one to write off a confusing Anime. I still don't fully understand Lain or Boogiepop Phantom. But at least with these animes I understood the basic idea of the story and by the end I had resolution. Gasaraki just left me dazed and confused. Don't waste your time with this. There are tons of anime out there and most of them are way more worth spending time on then this one. Honestly I wouldn't even give it one star. Please, please, please go check out something else like Lain, Boogiepop Phantom, Trigun, GTO, Bubblegum Crisis 2040, Cowboy Bepop, Ranma 1/2, Tenchi, Samurai X. Need anymore suggestions?

Very boring...stay away from this one!.......2002-08-11

I've seen and have many Japanese animation titles and believe me, don't waste your time with this one. I don't know where these other people reviewing this are coming from, but this was so boring that I could hardly stay awake. The plot, characters and animation is very bad...whoever said the animation is great in this is full of it! You want to see good animation? Watch "Ghost in the Shell" or "Blue Submarine #6" and both of those have GREAT stories to boot. Other good ones are "Trigun", "Akira", "Outlaw Star", "Cowboy Beebop", and "Escaflowne: The Movie" just to name a few. Save your money and time and STAY away from this one.

Average customer rating:

Gasaraki - Perfect Collection (8 Pack)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

Volume 1: The Summoning - 100 Min Volume 2: The Circle Opens - 75 Min Volume 3: Betrayal - 75 Min Volume 4: From the ashes... - 75 Min Volume 5: Revelations - 75 Min Volume 6: Fires of War - 75 Min Volume 7: In The Spider's Web - 75 Min Volume 8: To Be a Kai - 75 Min

DVD:

DVD

DVD