Any opinions on Gasaraki?

Just wrapped up a two week period where I watched all of Gasaraki from start to finish for the first time (well technically not the entire series for the first time since I bought the first few DVDs a few years ago, but didn't get the entire series until this month) and I'm quite pleased with the show, Sunrise turns out yet another great mecha anime. I know I'm quite late regarding the show, since its already been released here in America a few years ago but I would like to see if anyone else has any comments on it.

Various observations:

-With the ridiculously large cast I was expecting a kill em all ending a la Tomino or RahXephon and was pleased to see that they did not take that route in the end, killing off only a few characters. Leaves the show open for a sequel I guess

-Having seen many mecha shows this seems to be about the most realistic one I've seen, in regards to the mecha and their abilities. The creators said in their interview on the extras portion of the DVD that this was what they were trying to accomplish and I'd say they did it with flying colors, nothing I've seen can hold a candle to this show in that regard.

-For all the 'Gasaraki is an Eva ripoff' stuff I've heard in the past few years before I've seen the show in its entirety I've got yet another reason to add to the pile of why that comment is ridiculous regarding all shows. None of the characters were all that similar, even the Rei-Miharu comparison (Miharu's got much more depth to her than Rei can ever hope to and is much hotter ); the robots of course were as far apart as you can get and Gasaraki was way more toned down in the supernatural aspects.

-Was able to figure out that white haired guy was the leader of symbol an episode or two before they actually revealed it to us, certainly helped in part by the fact that both he and the deep voice that talks to Meth which ends up being him vanished throughout the entire middle portion of the series and reappear at the end.

-Great japanese voice cast! Really liked the VAs for Miharu, Misuzu, Ataka and Meth. Now time to try the dub...

-My only big complaint? When Miharu went Key on us for a while late in the series.

I saw part of the first disk at Katsucon 7, then its entirety later that year at Worldcon 2001, and finally rented the whole thing from Netflix in early 2002.

The deluge of terminology in the first four eps was a bit offputting, until I ramped up my 'juggle all the puzzle pieces until enough arrive to connect' threshhold.

It fairly quickly became obvious that 'Mile One' was a muscle molecule of alien origin, what with the 'ceremony to summon a wormhole' dance. Why they were trying to find information encoded in it, I don't know.

The design and use of the mecha (eg aerial deployment) looked very cool. I'm told the combat between the Symbol mecha and the US tank battallion completely misrepresented the capabilities of modern tanks. The Symbol mechs' wrist-mounted gear (lasers, explosive foam sprayer, tentacular mini-manipulator) were especially neat-o. The ankle-bomber thingies on the Fakes had precedent in 'Armored Trooper VOTOMS' (which I also screened that year).

The last few episodes, which attempted to explain the origin of the samurai-styled proto-mechs

That was a mixed force, though, and out in the open

I'm told the combat between the Symbol mecha and the >>US tank battallion completely misrepresented the capabilities of >>modern tanks. This I don't agree with. The tanks sent were playing up to their strengths out on open terrain. Unfortunately the TA's also were playing up to theirs also. Namely speed, cover, and surprise to get in close enough so that the tanks weapons were useless, and theirs weren't. Plus add maneuvability as th hey could (and did) sidestep rounds that were aimed at them. Plus could and were using infratry tactics when attacking tanks. It' just that these infratry were larger and packed tank armor and weapons. So I do think it was a fairly realistic look at mecha vs tank warfare. It's just that in this case the TA's use their strength's better than the tanks.

(enough ranting)

Well judging from the power of the TA's weapons, and the skill of their pilots in knowning where to hit. I have to say it was realistic despite the M1 real world preformance. Hell a Challenger (which has even tougher armor would have faired the same.

The M-256 is not a howitzer

it is not publicly known if it is tougher because M1's >armor composition is secret.

So is the Challengers. But the sources I've heard still says the Challengers beats it hands down. The thing the M1 has over it is speed and lightness. of small anti-armor rockets. The autocannon and rifle are not likely

Unless the TAs rife has AP rounds in it and uses enhanced ammo. Then it could pentintrate the armor. Especially if it uses it's superiour manevabilty to go for the week spots. Like the top or back.

And on that point I'm politely ending it here as this is coming down to the point of perferance. You say the M1's would come out on top. I say the TA's neither is going to convince the other otherwise.

Whatevere makes you happy.