Zegapain

[Twoducks]

Anybody know what this is about? It's supposed to start airing soon and is made by Sunrise (Gundam).

The offical page is up but only shows the characters and some neon colored mecha. As always, the main character is a kid (at least he doesn't look like a crybaby).

http://www.zegapain.net/

[the white drew carey]

I don't know, but that is one fugly mecha design.

[wolfx]

Looks like its gonna be some kinda cyber hacking series or something. Like Baldr Force.

[Fort Max]

Shoji fans should wait for "Glass No Kantai" to surface.

[Sdf-1]

As always, the main character is a kid (at least he doesn't look like a crybaby).

373029[/snapback]

Somebody should do an anime about mecha pilot's elderly days, his struggle against hurting back and shaking hands, falling asleep in cockpit in the middle of the battle. That would be so intense.

[Project Phoenix]

As always, the main character is a kid (at least he doesn't look like a crybaby).

373029[/snapback]

Somebody should do an anime about mecha pilot's elderly days, his struggle against hurting back and shaking hands, falling asleep in cockpit in the middle of the battle. That would be so intense.

373097[/snapback]

They did. Zone of the Enders: Dolores, i.

But James Links didn't fall asleep though.

[Sdf-1]

Sounds pretty cool actually, but is it good?

[Fort Max]

As always, the main character is a kid (at least he doesn't look like a crybaby).

373029[/snapback]

Somebody should do an anime about mecha pilot's elderly days, his struggle against hurting back and shaking hands, falling asleep in cockpit in the middle of the battle. That would be so intense.

373097[/snapback]

You should check out Gun X Sword sometime, it's only in one ep but episode four has exactly what you decsribed in the form of an aging sentai team.

[wolfx]

As always, the main character is a kid (at least he doesn't look like a crybaby).

373029[/snapback]

Somebody should do an anime about mecha pilot's elderly days, his struggle against hurting back and shaking hands, falling asleep in cockpit in the middle of the battle. That would be so intense.

373097[/snapback]

You should check out Gun X Sword sometime, it's only in one ep but episode four has exactly what you decsribed in the form of an aging sentai team.

373207[/snapback]

That ep was hilarious!

[chrono]

I don't know, but that is one fugly mecha design.

373034[/snapback]

Oh yeah BIGTIME!! It makes me wonder if they changed the title name from MEGA-PAIN.

[wolfx]

Just seen episode 1. Granted that the mecha designs are kinda "WTF" just like how i thought the LFOs were when i laid eyes on them, but i think it will grow on people.

I don't know when the show takes place, but it definately is the future. There seems to be a highschool which trains up pilots or something....i dunno...the student council seeem to be important people in the military or something.

<standard mecha-anime template here>

Well anyway, genki teenager boy sees a pretty girl at the school pool, she jumps into it and he follows suit and can't find her in the pool. Ghost maybe? (I'm reminded of Mishima Reika of Rahxephon) So like suddenly she appears to him again, teleports him to the pool again where they jump in and he suddenly appears in a giant robot, The ZegaPain. SO naturally main guy has some hesitations, but before he knows it, he's kicking butt with the robot while the commanders watching from a distance comment on his greatness. (ho hum)

The mecha in the series seem to have a weird green crystal as the main torso with limbs coming out of it. Somewhat like Z.O.E, it can materialise weapons out of thin-air with a sorta "digital" effect. There are computer-related terms thrown out like "Tokyo Server" which might hint they are in a virtual computer world. *shrug*

Not much can be said about the show yet, but its action scenes and CG were alright.

[Fort Max]

Maybe I was spoilt rotten by Eureka Seven but Zegapain is megadull, I've seen two episodes so far and nothing has really engaged me on any level. The cgi battlescenes are so bland and clinical that they suck any excitemnt out of the situaition.

I'm now looking forward to (get this!) Mamoru Naganos first TV anime "Gothicmade", it looks very similar in style to Five Star Stories but that's no bad thing, it will laso be zero cgi.

http://www.gothicmade.com/

[Ginrai]

How is it Mamoru Nagano's first TV anime when he worked on both L-Gaim and Zeta Gundam?

[Fort Max]

Because he was only mecha designer on those, this is his own project, he's writing, character/mecha designing, directing, etc, etc.

Some info from Gunota,

GOTHICMADE

A bit late, but Mamoru Nagano of Five Star Stories will be starting a new original anime titled, "GOTHICMADE". The current announced staff is Nagano himself as he will be in charge of original story, director, scenario, animator, and photography for this series. GOTHICMADE will be non-CG animation. The official site has a brief intro of this tale and 2 characters. Meanwhile this month's issue of Newtype magazine has details on the main mecha, Die Eis KAISERIN, and other minor characters.

Edit, Gunota also has news of an Super Robot Wars Original Generation TV anime, sweet!

"Super Robot Wars Original Generation: The TV series

Officially announced the other day at the Steel OG Festival, with details via Moonphase:

Super Robot Wars Original Generation - Fall 2006

Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou

CG advisor/special director: Ichiro Itano

Series composition: Takanobu Terada

Animation: OLM

Their miscellaneous notes site says the story will mainly follow the SRX team with Ryusei as the protagonist."

Edited April 23, 2006 by Fort Max

[chrono]

I'm now looking forward to (get this!) Mamoru Naganos first TV anime "Gothicmade", it looks very similar in style to Five Star Stories but that's no bad thing, it will laso be zero cgi.

http://www.gothicmade.com/

393609[/snapback]

I'm looking at the characters right now, btw the site is all CGI and it loads slower then a monkey typing a Star Wars Script, and they are definately cgi. Also I know of no modern animation that is not cgi. I think that you meant 3D and not Computer Generated Images. Anyways it looks like it's gonna be a simple repeat of FSS's style, meh & fairly ugly. And it WILL BE CG because I doubt that he'll foot the extra 10-20 million that it would require otherwise.

But let's see where the mecha are.

[JELEINEN]

Zegapain is okay so far, but nothing great. I highly suspect that the whole thing is going to turn into some sort of Matrix parallel, where it turns out that the high school bits are all in some sort of artificial reality and the robot fights are the real part.

That Gothicmade has me very interested. What's the air date for it?

[Fort Max]

No idea as of yet, when more details come up I'll start a proper thread for it.

[wolfx]

Yeah pls do and keep this a Zegapain bashing/praising thread.

[fernarias]

I thought this was another anime about bread.

F.

[Kin]

Lol i thought (s)ega was dead.

[Fort Max]

Yeah pls do and keep this a Zegapain bashing/praising thread.

393769[/snapback]

When I see more Zegapain I'll post more bashing.

[wolfx]

I've been downloading but not watching the series for awhile. So i continued and kinda found it interesting as the story progressed beyond episode 5-6.

POSSIBLE SPOILER

Around episode 5-6, it is discovered that humanity has already been destroyed. The only thing remaining of humanity are the data of their conciousness backed up into Quantum Servers hidden around the world. The Holonic Armour aka Zegapain mecha are somewhat like a medium for them to interact with the real world.

So this plot allows for some good sci-fi and story telling here. I'm gonna follow this series from now on.

[chrono]

Yeah it does, but will they they? Unless there is something to prevent it from happening in the show, they make try the whole 'resurrection of man' thing.

[Dat Pinche Haro!]

well...let's just say, episode 14 clarifies a lotta things in the series...

[Dat Pinche Haro!]

does anyone know where to get a decent zegapain wallpaper? it's hard to find just regular images as it is...

[wolfx]

I'm really liking the series. Am now at episode 11. The love story was pretty well done too and believable unlike love story elements in most mecha shows. The series has the usual mecha-genre angst in it too, but just enough to sustain the drama and not over-angst the whole show ala Gundam Seed.

There's something odd about Ryoko Kanigami's voice which i find cute. I'm not sure if they wanted her to sound that way or is the seiyuu abit on the inexperienced side.

[wolfx]

Episode 14. Lots of stuff revealed....but i realise Megumi doesn't do proper translations. Even i could catch some errors or laziness on the translator's parts.

Haro, can you actually track through episodes IE: back track few minutes before to catch what you've missed in the video, or even skip through the beginning to somewhere in the middle? Cause i can't seem to track. Everytime i backtrack the video, it gets stuck, as if the file doesn't have indexes, which is weird. Pretty annoying since i have to watch the show right from the beginnning and get to that point which i needed some clarification.

[rnurmin]

Does the mecha transform?

[Dat Pinche Haro!]

Haro, can you actually track through episodes IE: back track few minutes before to catch what you've missed in the video, or even skip through the beginning to somewhere in the middle? Cause i can't seem to track. Everytime i backtrack the video, it gets stuck, as if the file doesn't have indexes, which is weird. Pretty annoying since i have to watch the show right from the beginnning and get to that point which i needed some clarification.

422188[/snapback]

i know i have a split second pause when i do that...i usually use vlc player or winamp to play these videos...

kinda funny with winamp tho...you have don't necessarily have to download a new codec for it, the mp4 video codec is already in there, you just have to set up winamp to play mp4 as video...

[wolfx]

Episode 23 and things heat up as the series comes closer to a close. Overall i think this series was pretty good. The mecha fights were abit uninspired though and the CG was pretty on the meh side. The Zegapain units should be much faster and nimbler than what is shown in the anime. (ie: The zegapains in the XBOX 360 game are much more awesome and have the speed and destructive power of an orbital frame in ZOE. Heck the game plays like ZOE)

But I feel at its core, Zegapain's mecha takes a backseat and paints an interesting story and dare i say "ALMOST" original. Sure they question existentialism ala Matrix and then angst of "Are we really human?" comes about......but overall i'd recommend this show to the average sci fi buff.

[Mephistopheles]

I'm tired of the boy/teenager piloting mecha; it usually makes things pretty cookie-cutter.

[wolfx]

I'm tired of the boy/teenager piloting mecha; it usually makes things pretty cookie-cutter.

I wouldn't recommend you something cookie cutter would I?

Well if it would make you feel better, the main char is probably a few hundred years old but he just looks like a teenage punk. Think of him as Neo.

[JB0]

My review: Needs more Kaminagi.

Seriously, I appreciated that while they did the "NOT REALLY DEAD FOOLED YOU LOL" routine, it wasn't a straight "So-and-so rises from their grave, and they all live happily ever after."

Yes, people die and come back. But there's major consequences for them.

Some plot issues were left lying for FAR too long. On the other hand, I wasn't expecting some of them to be dealt with at all.

Conclusion: It's been an interesting show, and a fun one. I'm looking forward to seeing how the remaining plot threads are resolved in the end.

[wolfx]

Well they sure took their time with episode 26. Finally the series ends, and generally the story was quite good.

Kaminagi wins.