(L) Ga-rei -Zero-

[Chastain]

This is the first show I've actually finished in three years. Watched it from start to finish over the past two days.
The action was kind of generic anime stuff, and didn't do much for me, but the character interaction was great. It's what I've missed in recent shows.
One thing annoyed the hell out of me though.. well, two things actually. The minor thing would be the badguy. I'm just sick and tired of sinister little kids being bad guys, but he didn't play much of a part, so let's ignore that.

No, what really annoyed me was Kagura. If there was a character who should never have become an exorcist, it's her. Her timidness and refusal to do the right thing killed countless people. I mean, she refuses to fight, even if it means her close friends will be in extreme danger (in the tunnel with the zombies, for example). She refuses to accept responsibility. She abandons her closest friend when she needs her the most, and is almost directly responsible for Yomi being corrupted. Later, she refuses to kill zombie Yomi, even though she knows she's not her real self anymore. She later refuses to kill her again, and as a result, her father dies, along with dozens of other soldiers, and several members of her team. Yomi even gives her countless opportunities and clearly signals that she wants to die, so that she doesn't have to be forced into killing by the death stone.

In the end, Kagura's indecisiveness and cowardness has corrupted her closest friend, killed her father and dozens upon dozens of soldiers and team members. I'd hardly say "character developement" jusifies this, considering she's the indirect reason for more deaths than the average James Bond supervillain.

Yomi on the other hand, seems to be doing her best to fight the power of the stone, and is mostly innocent of her crimes. Hell, the only reason Yomi finally died, was because she gave Kagura (and Nori) countless opportunities to kill her. Granted, I'm not sure if it was made clear if she accepted the stone, or if it was forced upon her.

In conclusion, Kagura is the real villain. It's kinda annoying to see her indirectly slaughter her way through the anime, only to end up the heroine in the manga, while Yomi gets the shaft.

[Suika-Esper]

This show was a surprise. The first episode killed off the entire main cast, then the second one seemed to do the same, then came the obvious tone change from the first two episodes, and it kept you wondering all along whether Kagura was really dead. I have to say, this show isn't for everyone. It's got some weird themes that you have to have the taste for, but I liked it. I would've liked to have seen the first team in action in the in between episodes in addition to giving the second team's background story, but seeing how close Yomi and Kagura were did build up a lot of momentum and kept you wondering how Yomi could've hated her so much.


The kid with the Death Stone- I really wanted to see him get what was coming to him, but he got away scot-free without any consequence for his horrible actions. He basically took the lives of Yomi and Mei and played with them, dangling them on a string. I really wanted him to pay for his cruelty.


The fighting was impressive with the swordplay, bike-fu, wheelchair blades, and other specialized attacks the different members of the Agency had. I wanted to see Michael 13 see a little more action though.


I wasn't familiar with the manga before this, so everything came as a surprise. I didn't know who survived in the end, who would die, or anything. I thought when Kagura stabbed Yomi with the two-sided weapon and they were hugging, that she couldn't bear to live without Yomi and so she killed them both, which would've been symbolic of the pocky and their connection as almost sisters. I'm happy she lived on though and grew stronger in the end.


In the end, it was an enjoyable show and very well-made. Great music all throughout too. The OP is addictive.

[Master Chibi]

Originally Posted by Chastain

In conclusion, Kagura is the real villain. It's kinda annoying to see her indirectly slaughter her way through the anime, only to end up the heroine in the manga, while Yomi gets the shaft.

Dude, you are completely reading my mind here. I mean, word for word. You should my thoughts a page (or two?) back.

It's the reason why I felt absolutely NO sympathy for Kagura at all, and was on the verge of crying like a little girl with what was happening to Yomi.

The problem here is that Kagura was originally a level headed, emotionless fill in for her father. It wasn't until she met Yomi that she actually 'opened up' and dropped her previous personality to become a quivering little bitch instead. So if you think about it, Yomi is actually in-directly responsible for the entire ordeal.

[Chastain]

Chibi: Nah, I don't think Yomi brought out the crybaby in her. I think it was always there, but she was trying to hide it.

Anyway, my favorite characters seem to always get the shaft.

[Hmm....]

I agree with Master Chibi here. Kagura's crybaby-self may be with her all along.
but she did a good job restain it. until Yomi come and say "it's ok let it loose,I'll spoil u til the end of time"
that's why Kagura become the way we saw her. ^^"

[Malkuth]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

Not as sad as Yomi. She got her real parents killed, foster parent killed, became paralyse, ditch by her boyfriend, turned into a specter, killed her friends and colleagues and finally killed by the one she loved most.

Spoiler for from the manga:

Only to return as a true specter for a second round of carnage

[Chastain]

I don't think she was spoiled. She was just weak willed by nature, and since her mother had died, and her father was overly strict, she had no one to talk to or care for her. If Yomi hadn't gotten to her, she would have probably ended up like that crazy guy in Full Metal Jacket.

[jtstellar]

Originally Posted by Chastain

In conclusion, Kagura is the real villain. It's kinda annoying to see her indirectly slaughter her way through the anime, only to end up the heroine in the manga, while Yomi gets the shaft.

what.. not sure what you're on about here. kagura's personality in anime is one of the most realistic personalities by design in the whole series. in real life, many people just do things with no idea of what they are getting into, and they just carry on until they realize it's too late. the problem is most give up in this situation and run away like noriyuki (i think that's yomi's bf's name?). kagura overcame, and that was the whole point and also one of the major themes in the series' character development department. people seldom overcome their weakness in real life, but kagura did. in that aspect she is as much a heroine as anyone else. i don't know about you guys who kept wishing kagura never existed, but i don't fantasize a story (or world) filled with only people i recognize. maybe that's the difference. no offense intended.

[MartianMage]

About Kagura. I agree that she's a bit annoying because she hesitates on attacking zombies but I do think that her hesitation in killing Yomi is justified. Yomi is probably the most important person to her and wouldn't you hesitate if you find yourself in Kagura's shoes? Wouldn't you try to find a way to save the one you love without resorting to killing him/her?

I saw a thread in crunchyroll asking the question "would you kill the one you love because of love?" and a lot of people are saying yes. I suppose on a logical discussion it is very easy to say yes but me personally... I really don't know if I can or I can't. I suppose I can only know if something like in Ga-rei happened to me and god forbid the time that actually comes.

Oh and as for this anime. I LOVE THIS ANIME. I'm amazed how they were able to create such a great anime based on a manga that reeks of stereotypical shounen(stereotypical as it is I've been reading it and I've been waiting for newer scans for a long time now x_X) setting. Great action and it's very emotional. I really love Yomi and Kagura. This is probably one of the best titles for 2008 aaand more people should be watching this.

[SkoolRumble4Ya]

I finally finish it last night man I'm gonna miss Ga-Rei Zero please let there be a second season. Why is it always the kid in alot of shows that are powerful. Hopefully he gets what's coming to him.

I agree about hesitiating about killing your loves one because it's somebody you know not some stranger on the street. I have a hard time if I should beat the shit out of my friend or not for some shit he did.

[Chastain]

jtstellar: I strongly disagree. She's in a line of business that can be compared to the military, police or special forces, if we want to draw parallells to real life. You don't get a second chance in those professions, since many many lives are at stake. If you fuck up and cause countless people to die, you're out.
Kagura was given chance after chance after chance, and continually fucked up. In real life, people don't get that many chances.

She had no business being an exorcist, and when her cowardice cost dozens of people, including her best friend, her father, her team members and lots of random soldiers their lives, there's really no excuse. Yomi on the other hand, did everything right from the very beginning, and only made one mistake, after her father had been killed, she had been permanently crippled and thinking her friends and fiancè had abandonen her.

The thing about killing someone you love, of course it's difficult. But if that person can't be saved, if she's begging for you to kill her to end her suffering, and if she's about to kill another person you love, then any remotely sane person would do it, especially if they're trained fighters.

I don't really dislike Kagura. She made a good partner to Yomi and was a nice "little sister" type. I mean, their relationship was what made the show. But as an action character, I couldn't stand her, particularly one who's supposed to be legendary. It would never happen in a million years.

[Zippicus]

Originally Posted by Chastain

jtstellar: I strongly disagree. She's in a line of business that can be compared to the military, police or special forces, if we want to draw parallells to real life. You don't get a second chance in those professions, since many many lives are at stake. If you fuck up and cause countless people to die, you're out.
Kagura was given chance after chance after chance, and continually fucked up. In real life, people don't get that many chances.

She had no business being an exorcist, and when her cowardice cost dozens of people, including her best friend, her father, her team members and lots of random soldiers their lives, there's really no excuse. Yomi on the other hand, did everything right from the very beginning, and only made one mistake, after her father had been killed, she had been permanently crippled and thinking her friends and fiancè had abandonen her.

The thing about killing someone you love, of course it's difficult. But if that person can't be saved, if she's begging for you to kill her to end her suffering, and if she's about to kill another person you love, then any remotely sane person would do it, especially if they're trained fighters.

I don't really dislike Kagura. She made a good partner to Yomi and was a nice "little sister" type. I mean, their relationship was what made the show. But as an action character, I couldn't stand her, particularly one who's supposed to be legendary. It would never happen in a million years.

Speaking as someone who has been in a wartime situation, it's not as easy to pull the trigger as many people seem to think it is. It's something that each person has to come to terms with on their own and some people handle it better than others. And honestly you don't know if you can do it until the moment of truth comes despite what you might think you know about yourself beforehand. In most cases the self preservation instinct kicks in and allows people to do what they need to in order to survive. Sometimes it takes more than that. I think the writers did a fair job of conveying that kind of feeling that doesn't normally get addressed in works of fiction.

[Chastain]

Zippicus: But then you would also agree that you'd be severely punished if you didn't do your job and let dozens of civilians die. Especially if you did this in 3 or 4 missions in a row.

[Slick_rick]

Originally Posted by Chastain

jtstellar: I strongly disagree. She's in a line of business that can be compared to the military, police or special forces, if we want to draw parallells to real life. You don't get a second chance in those professions, since many many lives are at stake. If you fuck up and cause countless people to die, you're out.
Kagura was given chance after chance after chance, and continually fucked up. In real life, people don't get that many chances.

Yes, and like in the military etc. mistakes have caused lives but those people actually have the opinion to choice. Kagura has no say in her future. She is the only child of a family of exorcists. She didn't join voluntarily and can't quit. Her fate is one to be pitied because she will have to live a life killing and fighting and has no say in it. She unlike you and me she can't ever have a "normal" life.

She had no business being an exorcist, and when her cowardice cost dozens of people, including her best friend, her father, her team members and lots of random soldiers their lives, there's really no excuse. Yomi on the other hand, did everything right from the very beginning, and only made one mistake, after her father had been killed, she had been permanently crippled and thinking her friends and fiancè had abandonen her.

I love Yomi but she is to blame for own fall and the lives she herself took. Even she knew it, that's why she was trying to killing herself. Hell, you can blame Yomi for Kagura's inability to kill humans. Yomi was the one who sheltered her the most from such tasks as she herself most likely remembers how hard a thing it was to do.

The thing about killing someone you love, of course it's difficult. But if that person can't be saved, if she's begging for you to kill her to end her suffering, and if she's about to kill another person you love, then any remotely sane person would do it, especially if they're trained fighters.

Who says that Yomi couldn't have been saved? Yomi was still technically alive so chances are that their could have been remove the influence of the death stone. I'm certain most people would look to avoid killing someone they loved and instead try to stop them without killing, though that may not always works and people may die in the meantime. Life is cruel sometimes. Being trained to fight is also different that being someone who can kill another person.

[Chastain]

It was made clear many times that it was impossible to save anyone who had been turned.

Also, the lives she took can't be blamed on her. It was quite clear that when she managed to break through the power of the stone, she hated herself and couldn't understand what she had done. She tried killing herself, but was unable to, which more or less proved that she couldn't control her own actions.

Can't blame Kagura's behaviour on Yomi. If Yomi hadn't come to help her, she would have become warped. Shutting ones emotions inside, when having a huge burden on your shoulders will mess you up.
Either way, I disrespect Kagura for commiting all those mistakes and getting away with it, while Yomi did everything in her power to make the right choices, and got fucked over for one mistake (which wasn't really confirmed being hers, considering she didn't seem to take the stone voluntarily).

[Zippicus]

Originally Posted by Chastain

Zippicus: But then you would also agree that you'd be severely punished if you didn't do your job and let dozens of civilians die. Especially if you did this in 3 or 4 missions in a row.

It would probably depend on the situation. Inaction would probably get you fired or reassigned in a real life situation but I don't think either of those options are available to the exorcists in this story. They didn't really give us enough context to say for sure, but it seemed like they don't have much choice in the matter.

[[DOT].L]

Kagura didn't get away with anything. She's paid plenty by the end of series, and continues to carry the burden of her actions. That much should be pretty damn obvious. In contrast, Yomi had it easy. She just died. Kagura's the one who has to deal with the guilt.

[Slick_rick]

Originally Posted by Chastain

It was made clear many times that it was impossible to save anyone who had been turned.

No, actually that's just the organization stance on the situation. They still hold her responsible for the lives she takes.

Also, the lives she took can't be blamed on her. It was quite clear that when she managed to break through the power of the stone, she hated herself and couldn't understand what she had done. She tried killing herself, but was unable to, which more or less proved that she couldn't control her own actions.

She was the one who accepted the death stone when offered to her. She might have regretted it after when it took control but it was still her own weakness which lead to her fall.

Can't blame Kagura's behaviour on Yomi. If Yomi hadn't come to help her, she would have become warped. Shutting ones emotions inside, when having a huge burden on your shoulders will mess you up.
Either way, I disrespect Kagura for commiting all those mistakes and getting away with it, while Yomi did everything in her power to make the right choices, and got fucked over for one mistake (which wasn't really confirmed being hers, considering she didn't seem to take the stone voluntarily).

So you're saying without Yomi she would have been a warped person with shutting away her emotions but with Yomi see became a innocent and naive person instead. So how's it Yomi not at fault? From my impression it seems you would have favored Kagura becoming some sort of warped person instead.

Yomi was not some mary sue like you seem to want to think of her as. She certainly made more than one mistake. When she figured out something was wrong she could have informed her department or asked Kagura to help her but instead she went by herself to face Mei. Her killing Mei was her biggest mistakes because she did it solely for revenge and not like Kagura, who didn't kill out of vengeance but love. She did take the stone voluntarily otherwise Mitogawa's talk would her would have been pointless. Her smile in the end was confirmation of her acceptance of the stone. Now after the stone was implanted she was completely taken over by her dark desires but those are still her desires.

[Chastain]

Slick: Eh. Kagura was always innocent and naive. It was a character trait, not something Yomi created. The only thing Yomi did, was to raise her self esteem, and give her someone to rely on, when she had no one.

Yomi killing Mei was the right thing to do. Mei had intended to kill Yomi or get rid of her somehow from the beginning. She clearly stated this in the car with her father. Basically, she was evil before getting the stone. Hell, it was Yomi's job to kill Mei, since she had been taken over by the stone, and was a specter.

And no, the feelings the stone brought out, weren't necessarily her desires. Throughout the series she was self sacrificing and kind, and never showed any desire to harm others. If anything, I think the stone simply exaggerated simple emotions. Say you're annoyed at someone you care about for something minor, then you'd end up wanting to murder them if you had the stone. That doesn't mean you ever had a real desire to kill them. In the end, her one real desire was what allowed Kagura to kill her.

Lastly, she tried to take her own life, but was unable to, which is a perfect indicator that she had no control over her actions, even when she was in her normal state of mind.

[Slick_rick]

Originally Posted by Chastain

Yomi killing Mei was the right thing to do. Mei had intended to kill Yomi or get rid of her somehow from the beginning. She clearly stated this in the car with her father. Basically, she was evil before getting the stone. Hell, it was Yomi's job to kill Mei, since she had been taken over by the stone, and was a specter.

Mei statement actually had more to do with her desire for Yomi to die not wanting to kill Yomi. It's certainly not a good thing to think about another person but certainly wouldn't call her evil. Yomi had the upperhand and had no reason to kill Mei. She saw knew something was strange. She just didn't care. She wanted revenge. It wasn't about the job at all and she knew it. You see this clearly in her Ep9 reactions when asked about it. Saying she was just doing her job is a cop-out.

And no, the feelings the stone brought out, weren't necessarily her desires. Throughout the series she was self sacrificing and kind, and never showed any desire to harm others. If anything, I think the stone simply exaggerated simple emotions. Say you're annoyed at someone you care about for something minor, then you'd end up wanting to murder them if you had the stone. That doesn't mean you ever had a real desire to kill them. In the end, her one real desire was what allowed Kagura to kill her.

Well we know very well that Yomi is capable of killing for vengeance so I don't think it exaggerated her emotions too much. She certainly did feel betrayed by the people in the department. This still doesn't change that it was her own fault she fell to her own dark emotions. In the end though she was able to overcome it and I'm happy she did.

Lastly, she tried to take her own life, but was unable to, which is a perfect indicator that she had no control over her actions, even when she was in her normal state of mind.

I know she wasn't in control but she was when she accepted it. You excuse Yomi mistakes and hold Kagura's mistakes too much against her. Both weren't perfect people and made mistakes in extremely tough situations. I like them both so much because of those flaws more than anything else.