Other dogs get their time to shine as well; from John's acceptance of the pack to Hyena's new sense of justice.
What the anime lacks in animation it more than makes up for in story-telling and enjoyment. The immense cast of characters and the way everything mixes together makes for an anime everyone can take something from. Truely, the plot is straightforward and simple, but out of that simplicity comes the innocence childern fans cling to and the epic-adventure story adult fans cling to. The background music is also simple, but very catchy. Usually, as variations of the opening and ending theme songs, the background music gets stuck in your head quickly and effectively. It is hard not to hum to the victory tune that plays in the last episode or the battle tune that plays during the action-oriented scenes.
And does GNG have the action scenes! I assure you, if you are looking for action, you'll definitely get your fill here! Since GNG was animated by the same guys that brought you Dragon Ball, the fighting animations are very fluid and amazing. And staying true to the original manga, the anime occasionally has many freeze-frames of colored manga scenes. (This is a common aspect to GNG, and newer anime sometimes reference this.)
But GNG is also known as one of the most violent anime ever; from decapitations to eyes popping out of a dog's head. To me this does not hinder the enjoyment of the series, rather, it adds a more realistic feel to it. (As far as dogs fighting giant, demonic bears go.)
Even if this series was before your time, I ask that you give it a chance. It has that old-school feel that is so satisfying that you might just find yourself watching it over and over again.
