Zegapain - 01

What exactly is a Zegapain? Is it an anime so full of cliches and CG that makes me want to Zegapain the main character ? Or is it a word that the producers thought would describe the Xbox 360's grandeur presence in Japan? We'll never know for sure - but one thing I do know is that mecha Zegapain looks like a HUEG Xbox with wings.



Meet Kyo, he is your typical anime stereotype hero. He has the spiky hair, that brash attitude and most of all - he's an idiot! But that's ok, he's going to save the world in his big mecha regardless!
Now we begin this tale with what looks like the destruction of Zegapain and Kyo degenerating at the same time. Cliche 01 Mysterious Girl appears and says her goodbyes - she will find him again! We flick to present day to a Mai-HiMe styled school and Kyo doesn't remember a thing. Just typical! His friends are doing a Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya style video but without all the crap. Then Kyo gets the brilliant idea for his friend to videotape this girl he sees at the school pool, so he can promote his swim club. Much to his friends despair - His testerone levels go sky high and he strips down and runs to the pool. Good doggy!



The girl at the pool is the Mysterious Girl we saw at the beginning of the anime. Kyo instantly falls in love with her and asks her what she is doing there. Write the answer on the back of a postcard please! ;) Mysterious Girl words some answers before diving into more mystery. The school council overlooks Kyo's presence - they are obviously onto something here. Kyo's hopelessly, devoted childhood friend wonders what on earth that was about and they leave to go home. Yep, we are all just about as confused!
They stop outside a petshop and we get a glimpse of what their world is like - mordern day with a bit more shiny things. Best friend takes delight seeing the puppies on sale but Kyo couldn't care less, he has a hawt chick on his mind for now! I can see childhood friend taking a jealous fit in a few episodes time!



Kyo is up in the middle of the night and he remembers what the mysterious girl said to him. SAVE THE WORLD! How cheesy can it get? But the mysterious girl appears out of nowhere and tells him to just do that. Kyo agrees as long as the girl goes into pr0n swimming tape. The swimming pool appears out of nowhere and as they jump into this 'videogame world'. Probably going to be some real-life thing set in the future when he realises he is killing people! Kyo and mysterious girl (who introduces herself as Shizuno) are now inside this mecha, she says it is called...ZEGAPAIN.



This being based on a videogame for the Xbox 360 , shows up at this point. Zegapain looks like a mecha Xbox! The focus points on their foreheads seem to indicate their class: Kyo is a 'Gunner' while Shizuno is a 'Wizard' but I suppose Shizuno can be easily replaced by any random female. Kyo is probably the only one who can pilot a 1337 mecha such Zegapain - being a schoolboy with no redeeming qualities and all. Kyo and Shizuno take out some drones to show off the CG productions which puts Tank Police S.W.A.T. to shame! It isn't hard to do! A few conversations later, they help out another gunner and wizard on another machine. They gasp in amazement as Shizuno tells them who is piloting it..it's Kyo! (Didn't he die at the start?) ;) After all that commotion, Kyo and Shizuno return to 'present day' and they kiss. It was fine until they did!



Zegapain had some nice touches among the cliches. At least it was futuristic which is always better than boring slice-of-life anime (Honey & Clover I'm looking to you!). I feel that Shizuno is hitting on Kyo far too quickly - even if they are destinied/have met before. While Kyo himself is so cliched that I can't be bothered even writing about him. Just look at any other spiky haired 'hero'.
I think I know the whole story even before it hits the second episode! *hint* Kyo from the future dies and they travel back to get him again. Will it end up in the same way? Maybe not, but that's my prediction!
The CG effects was well done on the whole and the action was decent. However it's lacking something..perhaps a likable character!

Overall: 6/10

Not bad. Not great. Just average.