“Swimmer Kyou jumps into pool, enters war-torn world piloting Zegas against aliens, questioning reality and his existence.”
Zegapain
ゼーガペイン
Would You Love or Hate This?
AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Swimmer Kyou jumps into pool, enters war-torn world piloting Zegas against aliens, questioning reality and his existence.
Average high school student Kyou Sogoru is an avid swimmer living in beautiful Maihama City. He spends his days hanging out with friends, swimming, and playing video games. However, his normal life turns upside down when a beautiful and mysterious girl named Shizuno Misaki approaches him with a strange request—jump into their school's pool together. This fateful leap transports Kyou into a war-torn world where humans pilot impressive humanoid robots known as Zegas to fight against malicious aliens known as Gards-Orm. To spearhead this endeavor, humans have formed Cerebrum, a rebel organization working to prevent the Gards-Orm from eradicating humankind. As Kyou participates in combat operations, meets his fellow Zega pilots, and witnesses countless deaths, he begins to question the true nature of this world as well as his own life.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 27 sampled reviews
What 27 viewers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.57 · some divergence
4.2 pts
Recommenders 8.2 · others 4.0
↓ 0.44
Running avg · Dec 2007 → Jul 2025
- 8 “I started this series without really expecting anything and I was completely taken off guard. The first few episodes are a little confusing, but not enough to deter you from continuing, in fact...”
- 8 “In the early stages of the series, it is extremely easy to dismiss it as not only derivative with how the main character is dumped in the pilot seat of a mecha without any preparation or warning,...”
- 10 “Zegapain stands the test of time as an anime that leaves an indelible mark long after the screen fades. Even a decade after watching it, memories of this masterpiece continue to evoke goosebumps,...”
Watch Order & Related
Explore the Zegapain universe
Cast
See all →Trailers & videos
See all →Gallery
See all →If you stay for this, you'll stay for these
See all →The community pairs this with
See all →Made by
See all credits →Production slate
- Format 26 × 23′ eps × min
- Total runtime 9h 58m all episodes
- Aired Apr 2006 – Sep 2006 Spring 2006
- Source Tv media type
- Rated PG 13 - Teens 13 or older
- Ref. BS-0794 catalog
Produced by
- TV Tokyo Producer
- Dentsu Producer
- Atelier Musa Producer
Licensed by
- Bandai Entertainment Licensor
- Sentai Filmworks Licensor
- Discotek Media Licensor