Ga Rei Zero Blu Ray Review
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Ga Rei Zero is a prequel of sorts -- one which resulted
from the success of a manga series known as The Enchanted
Spiritual Beast Ga-Rei. The first episode of the 2008 anime sets
things up dramatically only to prove to be a false switch for a
different kind of storyline altogether. The setup involves government
forces that are fighting supernatural beings and occurrences in order
to protect the citizens of Japan. What's the twist, you ask? The story
focuses on the relationship between two girls: Kagura and Yomo, who
have similar family backgrounds. Ga Rei Zero is actually a
story about the importance of friendship and what happens when the
bonds of friendship are broken. The story is hard to describe without
giving certain elements away (and some aspects are actually more
convoluted than well written). The bottom line: Despite heavy action
and a preference for characters this is a decidedly uneven series that
attempts to blend intense action with the flair of dramatics.
The subpar direction by Ei Aoki is the element that bothered me the
most with the entire series. The dramatic sequences as seen throughout
the show move along at a place even slower than an especially slow
snail. Little is done to enhance those moments visually to make them
more interesting for viewers to behold. Then there are action sequences
which are also poorly framed with too much emphasis placed on quick
editing and poorly paced moments of ridiculously over the top fighting
that seems familiar when compared to any generic action anime series.
Nothing seemed differentiated enough to become particularly interesting
for any discerning anime fans. The direction feels distanced from the
production to enough of a degree that it even feels as though it might
be merely an example of Aoki going through the motions.
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The characterization is the element which could help set this series
apart from the drearily familiar landscape the plot lives within and
yet this element also managed to fall completely on its own pompously
ill-conceived face. I honestly expected the series to do a good job of
introducing the characters and I felt that the writing could help
improve the generic nature of the directing. Instead, the series begins
with an episode that focuses almost exclusively on mindless action
sequences and a poorly laid out storyline that seems to aim at exciting
but provokes disinterest more thoroughly instead. This notably
haphazard introduction to the series was something that turned me off
of the show almost immediately.
Ga Rei Zero seemed poised to become more interesting around the
third episode. By then the characters were coming into focus more and
the emphasis on action started to become downplayed. Many sequences
seemed to try to emphasis characterization. Attempts were being made to
try and add a nice dramatic layer to the story backbone but the little
details learned about the characters were underplayed and helped make
them seem even more like cardboard cutouts than before. The most
disappointing aspect about this is that the characters themselves seem
to feel just as generic and uninvolving as the action sequences felt. I
had felt no genuine emotional investment in these characters and that
was detrimental to enjoying the show.
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The character designs are a bit bland. I guess it's only natural
that this element wouldn't seem as noticeable or appreciable for the
makers given the other elements that felt weak and uninvolving. The
background animation was notably superior though and the overall
production design for the animation was impressive. It's easy to see
how some viewers would become more absorbed in the show based upon the
overall look of the show itself. This is definitely a slick looking
production; one that feels like a high quality effort by the animation
department even if the other elements that should contribute to the
animation's success (solid direction and character design) come up
short.
The conclusion actually picks things up somewhat and makes for a
more solidly enjoyable experience for a mostly mediocre show. Any last
minute saving graces felt (as the saying goes) "too little -- too
late". It's a shame too. I had high hopes for Ga Rei Zero and
those hopes were not met with full satisfaction. Here is a series that
coasts on mediocrity and a sustainable level of mild interest that
helps to propel it to an inevitable conclusion.
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The Blu-ray/DVD combo:
Video:
Ga Rei Zero is presented on Blu-ray with an up-converted
Standard Definition source to 1080p High Definition that preserves the
original 1:85:1 aspect ratio from television broadcast. The improvement
is clear between the two versions - the Blu-ray has a slightly more
stable image, visibly smoother, and free of any compression issues
quite often prevalent on the DVD format. The DVD release is not quite
as clear and the colors seem slightly better with the Blu-ray version
too. However, the improvements do remain marginal when one considers
the standard definition source of the up-covert which is well
replicated on the included DVD's.
Audio:
The series is well represented with two impressive lossless Dolby
TrueHD audio options. The 2.0 Japanese language dub sounds strong for a
2.0 mix and while it is obviously limited to front activity it was
still a relatively robust mix. The 5.1 English language dub is more
impressive with more noteworthy activity in the sound field - the bass
is notably stronger, and the sound effects seem more prominent. I
enjoyed both dub options but preferred the English language track for
having ultimately superior qualities. Either option should be fairly
pleasing to fans ears though.
Additional Screenshots:
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Extras:
There isn't anything too amazing that can be found in the extras
department of Ga Rei Zero. However, it certainly contains a
more copious amount of extras than some anime releases have. The
biggest inclusion is a series of Location Specials. These six special
documentary-style videos take viewers to the locations which were used
for inspiration in creating the animated backgrounds featured
throughout the entire series. The PQ/AQ isn't great on these specials,
but that isn't really the point -- it's an inside look into what the
pre-production process can often look like for anime artists looking
for a framework to help them create the foundations of their show.
While I was never particularly enthralled by these specials, the
inclusion of this behind the scenes material is impressive and it is
worth watching at least once to learn more about this important
process. The combined run time for these six specials is a little over
two hours in length. English subtitles are included.
Rounding out the extras are textless opening/closing credits, a
promotional video for the series first episode, and promotional videos
promoting the Japanese DVD release. I was disappointed to see that the
promo clip for the Japanese media release indicated more extras than
what was found on this US release.
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Final Thoughts:
Fans of the original manga series from which this anime was
inspired may find notable reasons to experience this anime prequel.
Many newcomers would perhaps find some elements that are enjoyable as
well (the premise is particularly appealing). Yet good intentions and a
few interesting ideas does not necessarily equate to energetic and
thoughtful television. As disheartening as it is to say this, I feel I
have been left with no choice: I found the series surprisingly
underwhelming - dull, idiotic, and quite frankly, unnecessary in
execution from beginning to end. The Blu-ray release is also decidedly
average as an up-convert. The good side of this release is that the
series is now available in a standard Blu-ray sized case and with a
Blu-ray sized slipcover too.
Fans of Ga Rei Zero will want to own this edition as it's
the best edition on the marketplace, but everyone else should take a
rain-check and consider this a rental-at-best first. I just couldn't
get into the series, and I think most of the viewers unfamiliar with the
manga that is connected to it will not enjoy the series much. Fans of
the manga and those who can still call themselves fans after seeing
this anime series can make a purchase while everyone else can Skip
It.
Neil Lumbard is a lifelong fan of cinema, and a student who aspires to make movies. He loves writing, and currently does in Texas.
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