Copyright © TV Osaka, Sunrise, Bandai Visual

With an eclectic mix of the Shinto religion and mecha, Sunrise's newest anime, GASARAKI, is available on laserdisc. GASARAKI breaks some of the usual "mecha show" particulars as it incorporates Shintoism into its plotline. The story itself involves the powerful corporation Gowa Digital Systems, which manufactures and tests highly technological warfare implements for the Japan Special Self-Defense Force (JSSDF).
Gowa Kazukiyo is the eldest son of the Gowa clan and he works very closely with his father and the second eldest, Kiyotsugu, in observing the Tactical Armors in the simulations conducted by the Rapidity Development Force. Kazukiyo is closer to being second-in-command to his father and Kiyotsugu assists in a more technical aspect by translating to his father what the tests show. Daizaburo's third son, Gowa Kiyoharu, is a shrewd businessman acting as the hard-sell front man for Gowa Digital Systems. Kiyoharu goes to potential buyers and answers any questions about the products that Gowa Digital Systems can offer them.
The youngest of the Gowa clan, Gowa Misuzu, is not knowledgeable about the family business. She looks up to her older brother Yushiro for answers to her questions, but they go unanswered as he himself does not fully know what is going on. Then there is the matriarch of the Gowa Clan, Gowa Yukino, who is a very prim and proper Japanese mother and wife. Yukino does not care much for the matters of her husband's company and just takes care of any family matters that may arise.
The main character of GASARAKI is Yushiro, a quiet seventeen-year-old who has been recruited by his own father to pilot the Tactical Armor Type 17 mech in simulations run by the company. He is found to have a special power within him that helps him control the mech better than any normal human. Yushiro believes himself to be in command of the situation when he is asked to perform a Shintoist ritualist dance on a special cliff where a Shinto shrine previously stood.
Apparently, due to some mystic forces in that area, the shrine was destroyed and only parts of the support beams stand in its stead. After a simulation exercise, Yushiro dresses up in a ritualistic Shinto mask, headdress and robe then begins the dance upon the holy ground where the shrine once stood. Led by a venerable Shinto priest, Sorachi Kengyo, the group of Shintoists chant and play drums to call upon the spirits during the ritual. As Daizaburo looks on, a column of energy flows down towards the ground making perfect circular indents that seem to be getting smaller and more focused. Yushiro continues the ritual caught in a trance as he marches softly in place.
Yushiro suddenly gets a vision of a figure dressed in female Shinto costume that takes out a knife and tries to kill him. The vision tells him to stop the ritual now or suffer the consequences. The specter's identity becomes clear as the Shinto spiritual power reveals the face of the young girl in Yushiro's vision. Miharu is held someplace deep in the earth in an odd organic capsule made of a cocoon-like material. It seems as if she is trying to reach out to Yushiro through his ritualist vision to warn him. Miharu's role in the story remains to be seen as she is as mysterious as she is beautiful.
The first two episodes of GASARAKI do not shed much light on where the story is going; they merely introduce the Gowa clan and what their role is in the warfare industry. The series seems to be following in the footsteps of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION with its religious overtones. As for what Shintoism has to do with the development of the mechs is beyond this author's experience, but I'm sure as the story progresses more will be explained.
The art is beautifully done and the character designs are reminiscent of EVANGELION or GUNDAM WING. The main female character Miharu could very well be an Ayanami Rei clone, especially in that GASARAKI plug suit. The animation is very smooth and well done—there is a lot of action in the first two episodes contained on the LD that help to keep the viewer's attention. This author is not much of a mecha fan, but I did like the way the characters and mechs looked.
The music of GASARAKI is riddled with Shintoist chants, drums and other instruments. The opening song, "Message #9", is sung by Tomoko in English and has a very techno feel to it as exemplified by the synths used throughout the song. The ending song, "Love Song", also sung by Tomoko, has a more medieval sound to it as if it came from the RECORD OF LODOSS WARS.
A great cast of veteran seiyuu dons GASARAKI and they do wonderful jobs in their roles. Hiyama Nobuyuki (Hiei in YUU YUU HAKUSHO & William Matheson in MARMALADE BOY) plays the quiet, obedient protagonist, Gowa Yushiro. His role is very minor in the first two episodes, but I'm sure as the series progresses he will become more active. Kingetsu Mami (Izumi in PRINCESS NINE) makes a cameo role in episode one as the mysterious Miharu who has yet to reveal her role in the story.
GASARAKI is full of the drama and action that mecha fans truly enjoy. The first of the nine volume series of LDs was released on January 25th and contains the opening two episodes. The story has yet to start with this first volume, but it has a lot of promise to it. This volume comes with a LD-sized booklet containing some of the concept art as well as an explanation of the story and technical terms they use throughout the series. At the end of the LD are a promotional version of the opening, the no-credits opening and ending, plus commercial trailers for the show.
Full of action, GASARAKI promises to be one of Sunrise's most memorable TV series yet! I highly recommend it for those mecha fans that cannot get enough.

Bandai Emotion
1 LD, CLV, 55 minutes
BELL 1334
¥5000
Available now in Japan
Where to buy