Line #131 Anime/GaReiZero


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/garei0.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:[[TragicHero Yomi]] and [[BreakTheCutie Kagura]]]]
3
4	->''"Will you kill someone you love, because of love?"''
5	-->--The show's ArcWords
6
7	This anime series is a {{Prequel}} to ''Manga/GaRei'', depicting the life of Yomi before her [[StartOfDarkness fall to evil]], and her strong sisterly bond to Kagura. The two girls' relationship is the central focus of the story, emphasizing why Kagura's heart often wavers while fighting Yomi throughout the course of the original manga. Its tone is considerably different from that of the manga, making the anime more {{Seinen}} than {{Shonen}}. The show is probably most notable for throwing off viewers with its first two episodes by [[DecoyProtagonist killing everyone off]]. The focus is instead on Yomi, making a character who was originally a rather average villain into a highly sympathetic, tragic heroine.
8
9	The anime first aired in 2008 for 12 episodes, later being licensed by Creator/{{Funimation}} in August 2010 and released to DVD and Blu-Ray in April 2011.
10
11	----
12	!!Tropes employed by this series are:
13
14	* AbsurdlySharpBlade: The Shishio and Michael 12 are capable of easily slicing through yokai and other supernatural creatures in a single slash.
15	* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: [[TruthInTelevision True]], it's called Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, a.k.a. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-Cans_project G-cans project]]. Its main function is to keep Tokyo metropolitan area's sewage system from overflowing during rainy season, by storing excessive rainwater in those giant underground chambers.
16	* ActionDad: Kagura's father almost manages to defeat Yomi one on one.
17	* ActionGirl: Yomi and Kagura are skilled swordswomen.
18	%%* {{Aesoptinum}}: The Bane Stones.
19	* AltarDiplomacy: Noriyuki's father arranged his marriage with Yomi in order to gain access to the Isayama clan's high social standing. [[spoiler:After Mei usurps the leadership of the clan, Noriyuki's father cancels the marriage just as the two of them were starting to reciprocate feelings.]]
20	* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:Yomi's vocal chords were destroyed and her tendons severed by Mitogawa in episode 9, and she can't defend herself against accusations of Mei's death. Not that she could have otherwise, since she did indeed kill her. She could have legitimately argued for extenuating circumstances, what with the whole murder, fraud, and Slave To Evil thing that her enemy had going on]].
21	* AndTheAdventureContinues: The last episode ends off by segueing into the manga, with Kagura 2 years older, partnered with newcomer Kensuke, releasing Byakurei into battle.
22	* AnyoneCanDie:
23	** The squad in the promotional posters are dead ''by the end of the first episode''.
24	** [[spoiler:Mei, first thought to be a major rival to Yomi, gets killed 2 episodes after being properly introduced... then she is revived as a puppet of evil, only to get KilledOffForReal another 2 episodes later. Turns out her spot in the opening was justified.]]
25	** [[spoiler:Kazuki... couldn't even properly show off his briefcases in an important fight.]]
26	** [[spoiler:Ah heck, almost every supporting character with a cool weapon or fighting style gets killed off in his or her first big battle.]]
27	** [[spoiler:Yomi herself, arguably the main protagonist of the whole show. She at least made it all the way to the final episode, though.]]
28	* ArrangedMarriage: Yomi's adoptive father, Naraku, arranged one with Noriyuki's father. He offers to call it off since the two were so unenthusiastic, but Yomi agrees to go through with it out of a sense of duty. During an argument, Nori states he's only going along with it because he can't disobey his father.
29	* ArtifactOfDeath: The only way for Byakuei's wielder to part with it is through death. And they don't live long either, because Byakuei's connection to the Bane Stone constantly saps its master's physical and spiritual strength. This doesn't seem to be the case with Ranguren, who is sealed into a katana rather than its owner's body.
30	%%* AsLongAsThereIsEvil: Vital to the BigBad's schemes.
31	* AssholeVictim: Yomi's uncle, who was disdainful towards her for being adopted and usurped her position as clan head against his late brother's wishes.
32	* TheAtoner: Ayame, although it's not revealed until much later. In the finale (and manga), Noriyuki become some sort of this.
33	* BackFromTheDead: Yomi returns as an evil spirit in the ''Manga/GaRei'' manga, where she is the antagonist of the first arc.
34	%%* BackToBackBadasses: Yomi and Kagura.
35	%%* BadassBiker: Natsuki [[CarFu fights spirits with her bike]]!
36	* BarbieDollAnatomy: Aside from the bath scene in episode 4, none of the naked girls have any attributes.
37	* BarehandedBladeBlock: Kagura catches Yomi's sword strike by sheathing it with her sword's sheath.
38	* BecauseDestinySaysSo: Kagura can't escape inheriting Byakuei.
39	* BelligerentSexualTension: Yomi and Noriyuki are engaged, but don't particularly get along too well at first.
40	%%* BenevolentBoss: Ayame Zinguji. Office dynamics exist.
41	* BerserkerTears: Kagura cries tears of rage when letting rip with Byakuei against a horde of Category Ds at the climax to episode 12.
42	* {{BFG}}: The Nabuu brothers wield massive guns that fire purifying bullets.
43	* BigBad: Mitogawa Kazuhiro is responsible for everything bad that happens in the series. [[spoiler:[[KarmaHoudini He gets away with it]], too, by virtue of being an antagonist in the manga.]]
44	%%* BigDamnHeroes: Kagura's father. ''Twice''.
45	* BigSisterMentor: When they first meet, Yomi declares herself Kagura's big sister and helps train her.
46	* BitchInSheepsClothing: Mei intervenes when her father tries to persuade Naraku to make her the leader of the Isayama clan, and says that Yomi is a much better choice despite not being blood related. [[spoiler:She later reveals that she did so intending for Yomi to have a tragic "accident" so that she could take over. After she's killed by Mitogawa and is resurrected with a Bane Stone, she kills her uncle under the Sesshoseki's control and later taunts Yomi over it.]]
47	%%* BittersweetEnding: So bitter, it borders on DownerEnding!
48	* BlackSwordsAreBetter: Yomi wields the Shishio, a long black-bladed katana containing the spirit of a ''nue'' called Ranguren.
49	%%* BodyHorror
50	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Anyone with a Latcher attached to their head. Especially horrific with [[spoiler:Mami, as it makes her [[DissonantSerenity disturbing calm]] as she's telling the rest of the squad how fucked they all are before [[LaughingMad gleefully]] committing suicide.]]
51	* BrandX: Yomi plays on a "Dreambox" (Sega Dreamcast).
52	* BreakTheCutie: Yomi endures a massive amount of suffering in the second half of the series, setting up her transformation into the villain of the first arc of the manga. [[spoiler:Her father is murdered, and her uncle -- who disliked Yomi due to her being adopted -- harshly berates Yomi for her shortcomings, usurps leadership of the Isayama clan, and passes it to her cousin, Mei. Mei then kicks 13-year-old Kagura out of the house and takes the family heirloom katana, which had been given to Yomi by her father, while rubbing Yomi's losses in her face. Mei later ambushes Yomi, tries to kill her, and admits to killing her father out of ambition and hatred. After Yomi kills Mei, Mitogawa reveals he was behind everything that had been going on, points out that she killed Mei out of hatred and anger rather than genuine self-defence, and cripples her. She spends two months in a coma and wakes up to find herself accused of murdering Mei out of jealousy and mutilating herself to appear innocent, that Kagura no longer needs her assistance as a Vanquisher, and that her fiancé's father has broken off their marriage due to the murder accusations and the fact that Yomi can no longer look after herself. Kagura running away after realizing that Yomi did in fact kill Mei out of anger is what causes her to break down in despair and accept Mitogawa's offer of a Bane Stone.]]
53	* BreakoutCharacter: [[spoiler: Yomi. Went from a minor villain killed off early in manga to no consequence to the star of the vastly more popular prequel anime so much so that she was resurrected in the manga. Kagura also received more prominence afterward]].
54	* BreatherEpisode: Arguably Episode 5, which solely concerns Kagura's plan to get engaged couple Yomi and Nori to like each other. It is nearly all comedic in nature. Also, the relaxing moments where everything seems to be going well for the main characters before [[spoiler:the murder of Yomi's father, the point where everything in the series gets worse.]]
55	* BunnyEarsLawyer: Master Michael, a master blacksmith who parades around wearing only a ''fundoshi'', and whose creations include a weaponized steam iron and a boiler too large to be practically wielded, all of which are bizarrely named.
56	%%* ButterflyOfDeathAndRebirth: They're obviously ''evil''.
57	* CallingYourAttacks: The Ga-Reis are commanded much like Pokemon.
58	* CarFu: Motorcycle with holy treads, anyone? And then there's that spectacularly awesome wheelchair...
59	* CartesianKarma: Yomi goes through this, with her going berserk and only having Kagura to stop her. In the anime it ends tragically. The entire concept of Bane Stone victims often plays into this.
60	%%* CastingGag: Funimation cast many of their ''most popular'' voice actors to play the five Agency squad members in Episode 01 ''only''. [[spoiler:Why Episode 01 only? ....because they all get killed off! Could be a bit of dark humor on Funimation's part.]]
61	* CensorSteam: In the Japanese broadcast, this was done ridiculously with [[spoiler: Kazuki's death at Yomi's hands]]. Averted in the DVD version.
62	%%* {{Cliffhanger}}
63	* ConsummateProfessional: Kiri is this, but we get to see her professional mask slip several times. Once in episode 5 where she has to make Noriyuki look like he is cheating on Yomi. Another time in episode 11 [[spoiler:as Yomi has [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice run Kiri through with her sword]], and is about to kill Kiri and director Ayame together.]]
64	* CoolBigSis: Yomi and Mei.
65	* CoolSword: Swords made by Master Michael, but especially Michael 13. It uses shotgun shells to increase the power of its swing.
66	* TheCorrupter: Mitogawa serves as this to several characters. [[spoiler:He kills Mei and resurrects her with a Bane Stone that causes her to kill her uncle. When she protests that this isn't what she wanted, Mitogawa says it's too late to turn back and the only course she has is to succumb to her hatred and ambition. He also serves as this to Yomi, calling her out on killing Mei after she was incapacitated and begging for mercy as a means of breaking her.]]
67	* TheCorruption: The Bane Stones, shards of a cursed gem that grant whoever uses them immense power but corrupt them in the process.
68	* DarkerAndEdgier: Just try comparing the manga and the anime.
69	%%* DarkestHour
70	* TheDarkSide: Anyone who works with Bane Stones are vulnerable to this.
71	%%* DeadStarWalking: [[spoiler: The squad from episode 1.]]
72	%%* DealWithTheDevil
73	* DecoyProtagonist: Interestingly enough, the apparent villain becomes the actual protagonist after killing the decoys in the first episode, as a result of the show being a flashback showing how things got to that point. To put it more accurately, there is not just a DecoyProtagonist, there is a Decoy ''Cast''.
74	* DespairEventHorizon: Yomi's FaceHeelTurn was a result of nearly everything good in her life being systematically taken from her, leaving her with nothing but rage and hatred.
75	* DiabolusExMachina: This series can be called DiabolusExMachina: The Anime.
76	* DisturbedDoves: In the opening.
77	* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: [[spoiler: During the final episode, when Yomi stabs Kagura.]] Not to mention [[spoiler: Mitogawa's]] scene with Yomi in the hospital in episode 9, which [[SarcasmMode totally doesn't look like rape whatsoever]].
78	* DoomedByCanon: Since this is a prequel, there's quite a high body count.
79	* TheDragon: When someone falls to the lure of the Bane Stones.
80	* DudeWheresMyReward: Evil Yomi. As pointed out to her by Mitogawa, she had good reasons for her FaceHeelTurn.
81	* DyingAsYourself: [[spoiler:Mei regains control of herself from the Bane Stone just in time to be stabbed through the face by an enraged Yomi, who disregards her attempt to explain what happened and plead for mercy.]]
82	* EpisodeZeroTheBeginning: The anime serves as a prequel to [[Manga/GaRei the manga]].
83	* EtTuBrute: The final few episodes are a series of betrayals. [[spoiler:Yomi is betrayed by her cousin Mei, who murders her father under the influence of the Bane Stone. Mei's father goes against Naraku's will by naming his daughter as the clan leader instead of Yomi, and Mei proceeds to rob Yomi of her remaining sources of happiness. When Mei reveals she killed Yomi's father, Yomi kills her and is delivered a BreakingSpeech by Mitogawa, who then cripples her. As a result, the father of her fiancé calls off their marriage as she is no longer the clan head and is suspected of murder, and her fiancé himself neglects to visit her. The straw that breaks the camel's back is Kagura running out on Yomi after realizing she did kill Mei.]]
84	%%* EverybodysDeadDave
85	* EyesAlwaysShut: Kagura's father.
86	* EyeScream: [[spoiler:Yomi and Iwahata both lose an eye by the end.]]
87	* EvolvingCredits: An extremely symbolic one starting episode 9. [[spoiler:Kagura doesn't catch up with Yomi. Yomi doesn't look back; she keeps walking.]]
88	* FaceHeelTurn: Yomi, and since this a prequel, [[StartOfDarkness we get to witness her fall]].
89	* FanDisservice: The fanservice in episode 9 can be pretty {{squick}}y due to the context.
90	* {{Fanservice}}: Episode 4 shows Yomi kissing Kagura, and them bathing together without BarbieDollAnatomy.
91	* FearfulSymmetry: One of the spirits gone up against is a MonsterClown that mimics a person's appearance and actions.
92	* FirstKiss: Averted hilariously when Kagura tells Nori and Yomi to make up by kissing. Nori agrees to it, but Yomi responds by throwing him instead.
93	* FlashBack: The majority of the anime takes place before the first episode.
94	* FourIsDeath:
95	** First episode: [[spoiler:4th Squadron is completely killed off.]]
96	** The SDCD's car has the license plate number 4-4-4-4
97	* FreezeFrameBonus: Several characters in the OP are holding feathers. [[spoiler:They die by the end of the anime.]]
98	* FullFrontalAssault [[spoiler:Evil Yomi fights her way out of the hospital naked in episode 10.]]
99	* FuroScene: In some of the episodes - most gratuitously Episode 4 - Yomi and Kagura are shown bathing.
100	* GeckoEnding: The final battle is depicted differently from in ''Manga/GaRei''.
101	* GirlOnGirlIsHot: Kazuki is... distracted when Yomi kisses Kagura to swipe the last bite of Pocky from her and starts suggestively tickling her. Yomi boots him in the face and calls him a pervert.
102	* GoodEyesEvilEyes: Kind of. Kagura does sport some noticeable TaremeEyes, while Yomi has distinctive Asurimeeyes
103	* GoryDiscretionShot: [[spoiler: Nurse Misuzu's death.]] Also, Yomi stabbing [[spoiler: Mei]] in the face, but just barely.
104	* HandicappedBadass: Being in a wheelchair doesn't prevent Ayame from [[spoiler: putting up a good fight against Yomi.]]
105	* HeroicBSOD: Kagura got lite-version of this [[spoiler:after she's forced to kill the school nurse, whom she's fond of.]] Toru never recovers fully from this [[spoiler:and this eventually led to his demise, as nightmarish flashbacks come haunting him at the most unfortunate moment]].
106	* HowWeGotHere: After the first episode, the series details how Yomi and Kagura met each other, and the former's downfall into evil; before carrying on from where the first episode ended.
107	* ICannotSelfTerminate: [[spoiler:Yomi tries to cut her own throat and commit seppuku in Episode 11, but cannot due to the Bane Stone.]]
108	* IDidWhatIHadToDo: Most of the squad members are this way, with various levels of determination.
109	* IJustWantToBeNormal: Kagura laments at Yomi how they couldn't be just like normal sisters. [[spoiler:Repeated in the final battle when Kagura has to kill Yomi.]]
110	* ImmuneToBullets: Category-B and above. Even if the bullets are spiritually-powered.
111	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: [[spoiler:What Yomi realized in her final moment in life is that she only wishes to protect Kagura.]]
112	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Kazuhiro, Mei, Yomi, Kiri...]]
113	* ImprobableWeaponUser:
114	** When Yomi's spirit katana is out of order she has to choose a replacement weapon among: A spirit iron (as in, ironing your clothes), a spirit chainsaw, a spirit jackhammer and a spirit boiler. She decides to use the iron -- although the chainsaw [[ChainsawGood would have been much more awesome]], she didn't think it was practical.
115	** A sword that can launch from its sheathe at the press of a trigger. Can also be linked to its sheathe via chain so it can swing through enemies and come back to the user. Has the slightly more mundane use of making its cutting force even higher at the press of a button due to pressurized air in the sheathe. [[spoiler:Gets upgraded to be able to increase its cutting force with ''shotgun shells'']]
116	** DualWielding Briefcases. ''Machine-gun'' Briefcases with CD Players for sacred mantras!
117	** Bike that engraves sacred runes on the street with its wheels.
118	** ThisIsADrill. Or rather two drills dual-wielded. Two RocketPunch drills.
119	** [[spoiler:A combat wheelchair with miniguns, blades and sacred wheels, which can engrave sacred runes on the street.]]
120	%%* InstantRunes
121	* InvisibleToNormals: The reason why Seekers technology had to be developed is that spirits are invisible to most humans.
122	* JustEatHim: Byakuei's primary means of disposing of threats is by eating them.
123	* KamehameHadoken: Ranguren's primary attack is spitting a beam of energy.
124	* KarmaHoudini: Pretty much the opposite of DoomedByCanon. [[spoiler:Mitogawa being a character in the manga means he gets off scot free until then. Fortunately, [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty his warranty expires in the manga proper.]]]]
125	* KatanasAreJustBetter: Only the sword-users have been seen to OHKO Category...
126	* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: When it seems like the worst things imaginable are happening to Yomi, even ''worse'' things happen just an episode later.
127	** One scene in Episode 9 in particular stands out as a nasty example of this. [[spoiler:Yomi has been left crippled and mute by the injuries she suffered confronting Mitogawa, and Noriyuki's father decides to break off his son's arranged marriage with her because of this and the murder accusations against her. So he visits Yomi in hospital to tell her that. To his credit, he doesn't seem completely ignorant of her distress, and even more or less tells her that she can blame him, but one still gets the impression the task was made much easier by the fact she couldn't say anything.]]
128	* KillTheOnesYouLove: The ArcWords. [[spoiler: Because Kagura loves Yomi, she kills her after her FaceHeelTurn. Easier said than done.]]
129	** It's a recurring theme. It was implied that Director Ayame Zinguji had to kill her husband because he came to be possessed by spirits in the past.
130	* KissingDiscretionShot: Whenever Yomi and Noriyuki kiss.
131	* LifeEnergy: Bane Stones provide its users with power to defy death for some time. However, its Japanese name, Sesshouseki, means "Death Stone" and will eventually corrupt the users and sap them of their life force, turning them into phantoms.
132	* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: Kagura and Yomi.
133	%%* LudicrousGibs
134	* LoveTriangle: A rather odd one. Yomi and Kagura like each other. Kagura also sees Noriyuki as a big brother. He cares for Kagura (probably not romantically). Yomi and Noriyuki aren't exactly getting along with each other but are engaged and do seem to show some interest in each other. Kagura wants them to make the engagement work, because she's idealistic.
135	* MachoCamp: Master Michael, or at least he acts it. Iwahata is open about it.
136	* MagicFromTechnology: Generating holy water by filtering sewage through special resonance devices. Also the mass-produced Seeker technology of the Defense Ministry.
137	** Don't forget the briefcases, which destroy demons via implanted CD players which recite holy mantras.
138	%%* MagicSkirt
139	* ManipulativeBastard:
140	** Mitogawa is behind everything.
141	** May was on the path to being one, [[spoiler:but it goes out the window once she's possessed by the Bane Stone -- she wanted to be the next heir, but not in the way she did]].
142	* MarshmallowHell: Yomi greets Kagura once with this.
143	* TheMenInBlack: Practically everyone who fights the evil spirits. Subverted in that most people understand what they're doing and just accept who they are.
144	* MentorArchetype: Yomi teaches Kagura the way of the Vanquishers.
145	* MineralMacGuffin: The Bane Stones, which are the crystallized fragments of [[AsianFoxSpirit a nine-tailed fox]].
146	* MirrorMatch: Echoer type spirits.
147	%%* MissionControl
148	* {{Mons}}: The titular Ga-Reis.
149	%%* MoreThanMindControl
150	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Bane Stone]] victims do this when they regain control temporarily.
151	** [[spoiler:Mei is horrified when she remembers killing her uncle and runs away, but succumbs to the Bane Stone's corruption due to Mitogawa.]]
152	** [[spoiler:After her rampage, Yomi regains control of herself and is horrified by her actions. She tries to kill herself, but is stopped by the Bane Stone.]]
153	* NaginatasAreFeminine: Mei uses one. For bonus femininity points, the other end of it even has a ParasolOfPrettiness that pops out.
154	* NightOfTheLivingMooks: Category Ds are essentially zombies.
155	* NoSympathy: When Kiri suggests that the Agency's harsh treatment pushed Yomi into succumbing to the Bane Stone's corruption, Ayame cuts her off and coldly retorts that regardless of Yomi's reasons, violating that taboo of obtaining a Bane Stone is impermissible and inexcusable.
156	* NotUsingTheZWord: No one ever calls the undead former humans "zombies".
157	* OneSteveLimit: Subverted with the Nabuu brothers, both of which are named Nabuu.
158	* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: [[spoiler: Kagura finally gains the resolve to kill Yomi once and for all.]]
159	* OperationJealousy: Kagura and the rest of the squad use Kiri to seduce Nori in order to get Yomi jealous and the two spend more time together. It works, but not the way Kagura had intended.
160	* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: Yomi and Noriyuki.
161	%%* PersonalSpaceInvader: The head-grabbing variety.
162	%%* PillarOfLight
163	* PoorCommunicationKills: Both Kagura and Noriyuki unintentionally [[spoiler: pushes Yomi into her DespairEventHorizon. Kagura, in a moment of weakness, wishing that she and Yomi could've been "real" sisters and running out of the room in tears when she believes that Yomi killed Mei. Noriyuki completely isolates himself from Yomi after the incident, unbeknownst to Yomi because he is obsessively investigating the incident that led to Mei's death and her hospitalization in hopes that he can prove her innocence.]]
164	* PowerCrystal: The Bane Stones.
165	* PowerLevels: The categories for spirits.
166	* ThePowerOfLove: [[spoiler: Yomi's love for Kagura is what allows her to be killed by Kagura as her greatest desire was to protect Kagura.]]
167	* PowerPerversionPotential: Noriyuki's pipe foxes are ''meant'' for spying.
168	* {{Prequel}}: To the manga.
169	* PurpleIsPowerful: Yomi has purple eyes, and is a powerful demon-slayer.
170	* RazorFloss: Kiri uses this to limit Yomi's mobility, keeping Yomi still while the director unleashes a stream of minigun bullets. [[spoiler:It does not work.]]
171	%%* RedemptionEqualsDeath
172	%%* RedEyesTakeWarning: May.
173	* RedOniBlueOni: Subverted: Yomi [[spoiler:and May]] who control the red monster Ranguren is calm. Kagura, who controls the white monster Byakuei, is prone to panicking.
174	* RedShirt: ''Anyone'' can be a RedShirt in this show.
175	* ReluctantFanserviceGirl: Kiri is roped into a staged love-drama between Yomi and Noriyuki in episode 5. She barely maintains her facade and hightails it out of the park the moment she is cleared to do so.
176	* {{Retcon}}: Issue 9 of the ''Ga Rei'' manga showed Mitogawa giving the Bane Stone to Yomi after turning her into a HumanPincushion. In the anime, he gives it to her in the hospital after having crippled her and pushed her to a DespairEventHorizon.
177	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler: May towards Yomi, which is reversed once May reveals she killed Yomi's father]]. Complete with matching insert song.
178	* RunningAwayToCry: Kagura in episode 9 [[spoiler:when she realises that Yomi ''did'' kill Mei all along.]]
179	* SecondEpisodeIntroduction: Everyone on the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Division Team except for Yomi.
180	* ShellShockedVeteran: Toru.
181	* ShootTheDog: Part of a Vanquisher's job.
182	* ShoutOut:
183	** In Episode 5, Kabuki's ImagineSpot is a reference to ''Anime/LupinIII'', while the Nabuu brothers' ImagineSpot has them dressed like thugs from ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', with Yomi being illustrated in a similar fashion.
184	%%* ShrinesAndTemples
185	* SlaveMooks: Category Ds [[spoiler:and Bane Stone users]] all count. [[spoiler:With the latter, see also ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil. If it could send Yomi that crazy, even May must have had a kind side somewhere.]]
186	* SleepCute: Yomi and Kagura, starting in the opening sequence.
187	%%* TheSquad: ''Two'' squads.
188	* StarCrossedLovers: Noriyuki was banned from seeing Yomi after the latter is crippled. Then everything went FromBadToWorse.
189	* StartOfDarkness: This anime is all about Yomi's.
190	* StraightGay: Iwahata, a burly serious ex-soldier, hits on Kabuki and says that if Yomi and Noriyuki break up he might pursue the latter.
191	* StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred: [[spoiler:May goads Yomi into doing this, before regaining her consciousness/sanity, then tries to plead with her not to do it. However, considering that May attacked and later told Yomi she killed Yomi's dad out of jealousy of her, it's not surprising that Yomi follows through with May's taunt.]]
192	* StringyHairedGhostGirl: ''Onryō'', called "phantoms" in the English dub, are Category A evil spirits. [[spoiler:Anyone who succumbs to a Bane Stone becomes one, even if they're still alive.]]
193	* SuicideByCop: It gets implied that the reason [[spoiler: Yomi spares both Kagura and Noriyuki after her corruption is because she was hoping that one of the two would MercyKill her.]]
194	* SurvivalMantra: It's a Vanquisher's duty to dispose of spirits that defile the natural order, it's a Vanquisher's duty to dispose of spirits that defile the natural order, it's a Vanquisher's duty to dispose of spirits that defile the natural order...
195	* SwissArmyWeapon: The other end of May's retractable naginata also contains an... umbrella.
196	* TakeUpMySword: Both Kagura and Yomi were being groomed for this, and the entire anime is an extended example. Yomi's adopted father hoped for a peaceful retirement and succession; after a DoubleSubversion, Yomi did inherit the sword. Kagura's father expected to fight to his last breath, so it was played straight when the time came.
197	* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Ayame Zinguji unleashes her minigun on a trapped Yomi to take her down. [[spoiler:It does not work.]]
198	* ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil: [[spoiler: The Bane Stone does this to anyone who gets caught by its 'pure' form. Yomi manages to break past it in the end.]]
199	* TragicBromance: Kagura and Yomi, a RareFemaleExample.
200	* TragicHero: The final fate of those who wield Ga-Rei, but especially Yomi. See [[http://yomi.ghost-lights.org/info_tragic.php here]] for a closer examination of Yomi as a tragic hero.
201	* TraumaInducedAmnesia: [[spoiler:Kiri]] reverts to the personality of a little girl after getting stabbed in the gut by [[spoiler:Yomi]]. The final episode shows that she is at least making progress towards recovery.
202	* {{Tsundere}}: Yomi and Noriyuki, a rare Tsundere couple.
203	* UnorthodoxSheathing: Kagura disables Yomi's attack by ''catching Yomi's sword with Kagura's sheath.'' The Michael 12 sheath has a lock which prevents Yomi from pulling her sword out.
204	* UnstoppableRage: [[spoiler:Yomi's reaction when May told her that she killed Yomi's foster father, and tortured him in the progress.]]
205	%%* VasquezAlwaysDies: [[spoiler:Yomi. Poor Yomi.]]
206	%%* TheWarRoom
207	* WeHaveReserves: As Ayame Zinguji points out to the military heads in episode 1, fighting the spirits with their current anti-spiritual forces is far too costly for the army to handle. At the current rates, they will burn through their men faster than can be replaced.
208	* WhamEpisode: How many shows have one of these for their ''very first episode?''
209	%%* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman
210	* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: The last episode of the anime flashes forward to the beginning of the manga.
211	%%* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Mitogawa.
212	* WildMan: Master Michael. To stay close with nature, he refuses to wear clothes except for fundoshi. [[{{Squick}} Even when he visits the city.]]
213	* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: [[spoiler: Yomi]], at least at ''some'' point during her StartOfDarkness.
214	* YourHeadAsplode: The safest way to kill Category D.
215	* YouShallNotPass: [[spoiler:In the final battle, Iwahata and the remaining Nabuu fight the mooks so that Kagura can concentrate on Yomi.]]
216	* {{Youkai}}:
217	** Byakuei, despite its dragon-like appearance, is an ''inugami''.
218	** Ranguren is a ''nue''.
219	** The Bane Stones were created from the scattered spiritual power of a ''kitsune'', in reference to the legend of Tamamo-no-Mae.
220	** ''Kasha'' are a common type of Category B monster, though they lack their usual cat-like appearance and instead appear as two-legged lizard monsters made of lava.
221	** A ''Tsuchigumo'' shows up as a Category B monster.
222	* ZenSurvivor: Ayame Zinguji. [[spoiler:She is recovering and looking after [[TraumaInducedAmnesia Kiri]] at the end of the anime.]]

Context Anime / GaReiZero