There are series that stay with you for years to come that you reflect on with great nostalgia. Then there are the shows that annoy you to the point that you look at them with malice and contempt (I’m looking at you Burst Angel). But there is another category of shows that are so bland and forgettable that is not until you find it mentioned elsewhere that you remember “Oh yeah I did see that.” This i s the case of Gasara.

Yushiro Gowa is a member of the a military squadron sent into the Middle East. On top of being a pilot of a TA (mecha of the series), Yushiro is also a member of the family that is helping to produce the machine and are set to make a high profit in the new battlefield. As Yushiro deploys he finds himself being drawn away spiritually by a rival pilot Miharu. As he dives deeper in to this spiritual connection he finds that his family, have unlocked a power from long ago that helped them to establish themselves in the world today. Now, he might find himself having to pay for his family’s sins.

Gasaraki is a series with serious pacing issues. It tries to be deep with its themes of mysticism and trying to tie them to modern robotics is stretched out and lost to the point they are rushing to explain the connection in the last episode. This is best shown in the series finale, where Yushior’s sister Misuzu is being absorbed by the demon armor (don’t really remember why and frankly don’t care to find out) but is saved at last minute by Yushiro right before the credits start to roll without letting us know how the revelation to the cast that this ancient mysticism helped to make their mechas. Not that we really get to know any of the characters in a proper manner. I still can’t remember a single name of any of the members of Yushior’s team.

As I stated in the opening this series falls in the middle in terms of the whole Good/Bad spectrum. Of course in this day and age of my anime watching that’s almost a greater sin then being terrible series. I mean think about it. Good series you adore, rally behind, and tell your friends about how much you enjoyed watching it. Bad series you hate on, pick apart, and complain to your friends about how terrible it was to suffer through. What do you do with the middle of the road series that are okay at best and forgettable at worst? Not much really. I was able to see this series because I borrowed it form a friend who got it off a bargain bin sale. If you are able to duplicates these circumstances when you watch this series then by all means go for it. If not then its probably best to stay away from this one.

RATING: C-