I’m going to spend the introduction drawing parallels between Berserk and Ga-Rei-Zero because that’s just the kind of guy I am. After all, I am always saying that I want more things like Berserk to get made. Well Ga-Rei-Zero is kind of the thing I’m looking for, though not in the manner I intended. Berserk is a medieval dark fantasy story filled with swords demons, while Ga-Rei-Zero is a modern supernatural story filled with swords and ghosts. The similarity is actually in the story structure and certain plot elements. Both series tell their story in a circular manner; starting in the present, then jumping to the past and working their way back to the present. Both spend the parts that deal with the past exploring the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist, and how they ultimately became enemies. Both also have an evil little red crystal serving as the catalyst for everything going straight to hell. It’s like someone somewhere heard that I wanted more things like Berserk, but misinterpreted what I meant by that. Now that that’s out of the way…
Ga-Rei-Zero is a prequel to the manga series, Ga-Rei, and focuses on the past of the characters Kagura and Yomi. The two of them are members of the Supernatural Disasters Countermeasures Division known as Vanquishers, tasked with destroying evil spirits. When a squad sent out to deal with a large group of spirits is mysteriously wiped out, Kagura and her allies are shocked to find that Yomi was the one who killed them. The ensuing battle pits the two former sisters against one another, as Kagura is left with no other option than to kill Yomi.
Blog of the Hawk 