Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant? Definitely. Overlooked? Absolutely
Review: So many people have written off Gasaraki as a clone of Eva, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Gasaraki takes the mecha formula in a new direction with realistic portrayal - the Tactical Armors are believable, unlike the Evas - and mixes it with a gripping story of global turmoil, personal journeys, and supernatural weirdness. It also contains probably the best animation I've ever seen, made more incredible by the fact that very little of it is fantasy-based. The world of Gasaraki is presented in a manner that makes you consider that it could really happen, unlike the majority of fantastic anime. Sadly, the very realism of Gasaraki probably cost it many fans, which is too bad - they missed out on a great achievement. I will not include any final plot developments here, but I will say that unlike Eva, the ending is definitely satisfying and straightforward, while still allowing room for interpretation. Expect the unexpected, which should be easy if you've watched the series from the beginning. The final confrontations are anything but cliched - I was not close to disappointed, which is more than I could say for Eva. The only regrettable thing was that the series has now reached closure. Putting together the superb animation and plot, the extras on the DVD, the better-than-average dub, and most of all, the relentless atmosphere gives you the best anime series since Cowboy Bebop, in my opinion. The only downfall of Gasaraki is the somewhat stunted character development, but that's easily forgivable given the complex storyline. It's surprising that Gasaraki didn't reach the exposure level of more popular series, but that's certainly not because it's anything less than brilliant. Fans of mature, convoluted storylines a la Serial Experiments Lain will find a new home with Gasaraki.
Rating:
Summary: January 29?
Review: The storyline IS complicated, but thats what the booklets that come with the DVDs are for (if you look at them, they explain just about everything you should know). Gasaraki made sense the first time through, whereas i've watched NG Evangelion 3 times and i'm still trying to get it straight in my mind (Still love EVA, though). If you're willing to pay attention, you'll love it. Try watching it with subtitles and reading the background conversations, instead of the main characters.
| 
