Product Details

• Actors: Nobuyuki Hiyama, Chris Patton, Andy McAvin, Kelly Manison, Heather Bryson
• Directors: Ryôsuke Takahashi
• Writers: Chiaki Konaka, Toru Nozaki
• Producers: John Ledford, Matt Greenfield
• Format: Animated, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Unknown), Japanese (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Section 23
• DVD Release Date: November 28, 2000
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004YA10
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,022 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Gasaraki - The Circle Opens (Vol. 2)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As the story unfolds, director Ryusuke Takahashi and writer Toru Nazaki begin to fill in some of the blanks from the first four episodes. The bipedal robot-suits of the Gowa Corporation ("Tactical Armor" or "T.A.'s") fight the similar weapons of the Belgistani dictator, Colonel Stilbanov. During the skirmish, the Gowa team obtains samples of the rival mechanisms' synthetic muscle, which could reveal valuable secret information. Stilbanov's mecha were supplied by the transnational conglomerate Symbol. Having used Belgistan as a testing ground for their weapons experiments, the Symbol leaders assassinate the dictator and rig a coup d'état, ending the war. Their attention shifts to recapturing the muscle samples--by any means necessary. T.A. pilot Yushiro Gowa and Miharu, the female "invitator" held by Symbol, remain inexplicably drawn to each other. During a brief meeting at a church, she once again warns him not to let "the Terror return." Symbol's attempts to kidnap Yushiro prevent her from explaining what the Terror may be. Like the Gundam pilots, Yushiro is so stoic and taciturn he's not very compelling as a character. Gasaraki would be more exciting (and easier to follow) if the viewer knew more about what he's thinking and feeling. Contains these episodes: 5. "The Touching," 6. "The Puppet," 7. "Return." Unrated; suitable for ages 12 and up for violence, largely restricted to machine versus machine, and occasional profanity. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Orginial and Unique...Gasaraki, December 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gasaraki - The Circle Opens (Vol. 2) (DVD)

This is the second installment in the soon to be long running series, Gasaraki. The previous review seemed to be comparing this particular volume to future episodes of the anime. Well, I haven't seen future episodes and can only base it on what I see now. True, Gasaraki isn't packed full of action sequence, after action sequence. But what it is packed full of is a deep and intricate plot. Within the current stage of anime, we see plots that have had crappy cliched story lines and bubbly characters that almost none of us can actually relate to (there just kind of funny to watch). Gasaraki takes a giant step away from this premise and has a deep, serious, and engaging story line. If there's not mechs or tanks duking it out on screen. Your watching the characters interact and watching how this interesting plot begins to unfold. Despite the intimate conversations taking place, Gasaraki does have quite a few action sequences. The action sequences are tense and suspenseful and are animated very nicely. One of Gasaraki's highlights is its animation. After viewing the first two volumes I can easily say this has the best animation I've seen in an on going series. Gasaraki is one of the most unique and original anime's I have seen in a while. I greatly look forward to the next installments. I would recommend the series to anyone who like's deep original plots. The first 2 volumes so far set up the stage for something wonderful. There characters all seem to have many different personalities, I look forward to finding out what they are. After viewing the first two volumes, I can tell you I definitely will be purchasing future volumes and you should do so as well.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Next Robotech(Macross), January 23, 2001

By 

"uber_gamer" (Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gasaraki - The Circle Opens (Vol. 2) (DVD)

The series is deeper than most out there, and more interesting as well. The storyline and character development are in-line with quality of other great anime titles like Macross. The animation is very good, excellent for an on-going series. The story is the most original of it's type since Macross, due to the overpopulated anime world of mechs. The characters are not cute little furrys and strange looking bug eyed types of alot of anime, but more in tone with mature audiences, characters you can relate to more than just emotionally but physically. The mechs for instance aren't as anime as Macross in that they are more like Metal Gear, military types with restrictions on what they can do. They are not skyscraper size yet agile, they are machines, extensions of the pilots as if they were real. They are under more real physics than alot of other mechs in anime, they actually malfunction when they get clogged with sand in the desert in this particular volume. Very entertaining and very interesting original story as well as well developed characters.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As realistic as giant robots will ever get., February 17, 2001

By 

Stephane Adam - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gasaraki - The Circle Opens (Vol. 2) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you saw the first tape, you know the drill. If not, that's what Gasaraki is in a nutshell: if you want cool acrobatics, ninja action, or see the whimpy hero grow a spine to save that good looking girl you'll have to pass this one up. It's not how it works in real life, and Gasaraki closely follows the way things are in our world. The show to this point is about real people living in a real world, politics, blurry lines between right or wrong, battles where you survive by luck as much as by skill. In this world, sandstorms will affect tanks and mechas, just like real life.

What it means, though, is that when something weird happens, it really feels weird! When was the last time you were surprised in Tenchi Muyo? There's many tidbits that will leave you wondering. Half glimpsed images of things that just can't be. Strange people with secret agendas. The fact that the main characters aren't invincible really add to the suspense though.

I've seen later episodes, and I can tell it gets even better, if you hadn't checked this series out, do it. It's unique.