Garo: Honoo no Kokuin

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: Under the influence of his trusted adviser Mendosa (Hashi, Takaya), the king of Valiante initiates a massive witch hunt in order to exterminate both the Makai Knights and the Makai Alchemists after the king’s health was threatened by the curse of a witch. As she was burned at the stake, the witch in question gave birth to a son, Leon Luis (Namikawa, Daisuke) who was then spirited away by his father and Makai Knight Luis Herman. Many years later Leon returns with his father to exact his revenge on those responsible for his mother’s death and ... a young, escaped prince, Alfonso Variante (Nomura, Katsuhito), seeks to take back his kingdom from Mendosa’s twisted influence.

[Characters]:

I think that Garo had a perfectly sized cast for the story it set out to tell. It concerned itself most with the two protagonists Leon and Alfonso however a good deal of screen time is also given to Herman and a Makai Alchemist named Emma Guzman. The other members of the cast vary a decent amount however a good many are citizens of Valiante and help to reinforce the themes of the show in different ways without needing extensive character investigations themselves.

Leon is a pretty decent character overall and has considerable and overt development over the course of the show. He occupies a fairly static attitude and mindset for the first half of the show however the latter half spends a great deal of time nurturing his development and he ultimately becomes a better character because of it. While he is bent on revenge, he doesn’t quite embody the trait to the degree some other protagonists have and while his revenge may consume him from time to time, it does not define him as it does some characters from other shows.

Alfonso brings with him the usual traits of the crown prince of a kingdom – he is righteous, courageous, and a skilled swordsman and so in this way he is a little typical while being appealing for the same reasons. He isn’t as complex as Leon nor does he have the same level of development because of how his character starts off however he is not unpleasant and his straightforwardness alongside Leon helps contrast the two characters quite well. He improves a decent amount for me once he takes on a mentor and his active pursuit in saving his kingdom makes the character quite endearing.

Herman, Leon’s father, is mostly a comedic character because of his relaxed attitude and his frequent visits to town brothels however he has a few serious moments throughout the show and possesses agency within the plot. I didn’t care for him very much because he had more screen time than I thought his antics deserved, much of it taking place during a slight lull in the show’s pacing where I think it would have been much better for the show to have focused on Leon or perhaps Alfonso.

Lastly, Mendoza, like Alfonso, strikes me as a pretty typical character – this is not the first time we’ve seen a twisted, needlessly evil, adviser to the king and his ambitions and goals are nothing to write home about either. While he is pretty simplistically evil, his backstory is interesting enough and makes the character more acceptable in my eyes however it too is not great work of fiction. Someone I want to make special note of is Mendoza’s attendant Octavia who also serves as a maid to the king. She has nearly no presence in the first half of the show however in the second half she shows surprising innovation and intelligence in her actions. Because of these traits, I found her to be one of the more compelling characters around at that time despite her infrequent appearances and her light presence in the earlier half of the show. Her worship of Mendoza and her reasons for doing so are well-founded and sincere and made her quite an enjoyable character after she starts receiving some attention.

[Art/Animation]:

The first thing to talk about when it comes to the animation in Garo is most definitely the suits of Makai armor donned by the main characters – Garo, Zoro, Gaia (to name a few). While they look fantastic by themselves, their CG depiction by is both hard to initially swallow and contrasts heavily with the show’s environments and sometimes enemies. I wish I could say it gets easier to watch as the show progresses and that you get used to the over-the-top, brilliantly shining, metal suits however I never really felt at home with them and ultimately found them a bit distracting – somewhat damaging the otherwise well executed action sequences. The show also uses CG for the Horrors, the often present enemies of the Makai Knights, and so when both the heroes and enemies are done in CG it makes the whole scene a tad more acceptable as they are no longer clashing however this is not always the case and it still doesn’t fix the stark difference between the armors and their animated environments.

CG aside, the character designs in Garo have an interesting style to them. They are vibrant designs which go together with the over-the-top nature of the show however at times I felt things started to look and feel a bit ridiculous. The characters are extremely simplistic in their design points however also outlandish enough with their hair and body proportions to be called vibrant. The Horrors are not always humanoid and are often more bestial in design; I would even go as far to say they are somewhat abstract at times which makes them feel a bit odd given their large range of depictions and as an antagonistic presence within the show it was hard to pin them down and even take them seriously at times. The character designs would occasionally falter in quality but not too noticeably and not enough to continuously distract the viewer. The action sequences had good animation, somewhat attributed to their use of CG, however there were a few notable fights of importance that I would even call excellent in their execution.

[Story]:

The story was not the area where Garo most excelled as the show primarily felt like a vehicle for glossy, stylistic, CG action sequences with some added backstories, character interests, and plot points to frame them. This is not to dismiss the attempt that Garo made to build a narrative framework for its action scenes and it doesn’t do an abhorrent job of it as the overarching story is not all that bad however it lacks complexity in an extreme way. Where the plot of the show really suffers in my opinion is in the episodes that feel a bit episodic and self-contained.

There is a clear story being told between Leon wanting revenge for the death of his mother, Alfonso wanting to take back his kingdom and restore it to glory, and Mendoza wanting to… commit atrocities – however every few episodes (and sometimes more frequently) we are given a story about a local demon that needs to be dealt with and we watch how the characters cope with it. The horrors don’t have any direct relevance to the greater plot however their extermination falls under the tasks issued to the Makai Knights and so it feels like we are doing necessary work when we watch our heroes confront them despite the fact that they have no explicit ties to a greater enemy. This combined with the lull in pacing around the midsection of the show can make the greater narrative feel a bit distant at times however when it shows up it is not displeasing and the short stories are by no means unwatchable (at least the majority of them). I will submit that the slow pacing in the middle gives birth to some of the better scenes in the show when all is said and done and that once things pick back up that the show gets progressively better and finishes in good form.

One problem I did have was with the way the show laid out its concepts. It does a decent enough job of establishing what the Makai Knights are and even Makai Alchemists however beyond that the Makai Rings, Leon’s markings, and the Watch Dogs are all a bit under-explained and a little hard to make sense of when they are introduced. The rings especially confused me because as Zaruba, Leon’s ring, is introduced, it seems like it is supposed to manage his emotional state however the other Makai Knights also have them and Zaruba’s own purpose within the show seems to alter drastically in the second half where he receives far more dialogue and can actively aid his wearer in combat.

[Music]:

The music was pretty decent all throughout and was probably what one would expect given the nature of the show. The music is often played up during the action scenes (appropriately so) but also did well during the more dramatic and somber scenes. In short I would say that the soundtrack felt at home within the action of the show and avoided falling short or feeling out of place when the show was focused elsewhere. A success coming from MONACA and a strong point for the show.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

I think Garo was a fun show despite its often dark tones and tragic circumstances. While it was a little hamfisted in the way it explored it’s themes, they meshed well with the characters and provided at least something of interest that ran throughout the framework of the narrative. At the end of the day I can’t help but feel like the show was more or less an action showcase however I find myself somewhat surprised by how well it did in other areas while still not quite impressing me to the point of the show being ‘good’.

Rating: 6

I gave Garo a 6 because of its fun and over-the-top action scenes, it’s sometimes dark subject matter, and because of a few infrequent triumphs within the plot. What held it back was its sometimes poor pacing, its lackluster characters outside of the main duo and the occasional side character, and because of its rather jarring implementation of CG. It was a fun show and I don’t regret watching it however it lacks both a solid presentation and other areas of interest in order to make it out.

[Recommendations]:

As long as they aren’t turned off by the overt use of CG to accomplish the task, I would recommend Garo to any fans of the action genre because the fights are both frequent and fun. Fans of fantasy and magic would not do wrong to pick up the show however there wasn’t as much magic as I myself was hoping for – the show opting to mainly focus on the armored Makai Knights rather than flame-throwing magicians. The drama is by no means bad and a few of the more memorable moments of the show exist in this area and so I feel confident in recommending it for this reason although it is intermittently present in the show and not the ultimate focus.

The anime reminds me of the Bruce Springsteen song "Blinded by the Light" (1973) and I don't mean that in a positive way. However, as a spin-off from the live-action series, the anime is not convincing as it takes a different direction than the source material. At best, action fans will enjoy the short CG-enhanced combat spectacles and overlook the fact that the anime as a whole is simply much ado about nothing.

Story: Not bad, but too predictable & uninspired, doesn't hit the right tone for the target group (5/10)
The story opens with a scene that feels like a glimpse into the darkest chapter of ... European history. A woman has been found guilty of witchcraft and burned at the stake. The anime uses the theme of the medieval witch hunt. Surprisingly, it is portrayed in the right light, as a cruel, inhuman means to an end that only serves to eliminate anyone who presents themselves as an obstacle. In the Middle Ages, the so-called witches were mostly women who knew a little about the healing qualities of herbs. The church saw it as a threat and opposed it with the witch hunt. In the anime, the template is taken up in such a way that the royal advisor Mendōsa pursues his own goals and the witches and wizards are a thorn in his side. In essence, the story is greatly simplified, but still accurately depicted. The story is basically not the problem, but the realisation of the plot in the anime. Set against the backdrop of the Middle Ages, the theme of witch hunts, it is a gloomy story aimed at an older audience. However, the plot elements are kept simple, such as the easy distinction between good and evil, the one-dimensional and overpowering antagonist and the hero who simply doesn't dare in the beginning and is only set on the right path by a twist of fate towards the end. These are all rather plot elements for a shounen, but this anime is simply not intended for this target group because of its depiction of violence. The basic idea of the story had potential. Unfortunately, this was wasted due to the fundamental mistake that the producers had financial success in mind and tried to make the anime attractive for two target groups (shounen and seinen).

Cast: A bunch of clichéd characters that couldn't be more boring (4/10)
The characters are typical for a shounen, but as I said, it doesn't fit the story, and on top of that, the individual characters are unoriginal and the little development that few of them get is so trivial that it hurts.
Luis, Leon:
Leon is the 17-year-old son of the Makai knight German Luis and the Makai alchemist Anna. By birth he bears the title of the golden knight Garo, but due to the circumstances of his birth he is haunted by visions of his mother's death. Under the yoke of these visions, he grows into an expressionless and distrustful young man. He is naive and quick to anger. His greed for revenge and his burning anger over the past make social interaction and trust almost impossible for him. Personally, I wonder how it is possible for someone in this mental state to even put on the Makai armour?
Luis, German:
He is Leon's father and a Makai knight (Zetsuei Kishi Zoro). His character is given a dizzying complexity, consisting of an outward playboy with good manners, but which seem more like pompous antics. But when the situation calls for it, he displays virtues like empathy and courage. Nevertheless, he is not suitable as a father figure, as his antics not only make him a bad role model, but also offer his son neither guidance nor support. Please don't get me wrong, it is basically not bad to let the boy find his own way, but as a father he should at least give instructions. The distorted image of "shounen" versus "seinen" is particularly evident in this character. The outward behaviour is the typical shounen character of a womanizer, but the more hidden values and the way of upbringing would rather fit into a seinen-anime.
San Valiante, Alfonso:
He is the crown prince of the kingdom of Valiante, a noble and brave young man who will do anything to protect his kingdom and people. He can do no wrong, which is as one-dimensional as Leon's incompetence as a hero out of anger and a vague desire to become stronger. What really irks me is that the Alfonso-Leon combination had potential. But instead of making them opponents and growing from their rivalry, they become something like buddies. The described opponent scenario would also have been a shounen cliché, but at this point it would have actually contributed to the credibility of the two characters and also offered the opportunity to tactfully omit the superfluous father, who is only used for the repetitive comedy anyway.
Guzman, Emma:
Her character is the most clichéd, with the strongest shounen characteristics. On the other hand, she is the most interesting character of the ensemble, which is as amusing as it is sad. She is smart, brave, has the skills of a Makai alchemist and is also good at hand-to-hand combat, making her well prepared to pursue her goals as a lone wolf with cunning and feminine finesse. As an experienced woman, she allows herself to playfully tease Leon. Her character and motivation initially revolve around something mysterious that lies in her past. Unfortunately, the more of this is revealed, the more her shounen traits are highlighted. As if that wasn't enough, her character is also stripped of her inner strength, towards the end of the series. If this were a josei anime, this event could offer potential for a whole season, but here the scenario has been reduced to throwaway, really sad, isn't it?
Mendōsa:
He is a villain, he is evil and thinks he is superior to everyone else. That would not be wrong as a starting point, but unfortunately he remains one-dimensional, as is typical for a shounen. He is introduced into the story and everyone knows he is the bad guy. He looks sinister and speaks with clea malice. For those who wonder why his true nature is not revealed and the intrigue is not uncovered, there is a simple explanation. Typically for the target audience, there are only heroes or villains, in between only people who are friendly and open-minded but have no ambitions. Nobody asks questions, no soldier or palace guard to ponder whether something is wrong in the state of Denmark.
Octavia:
Her character also fits very well into the unbalanced overall picture of the characters. Although there are no critical voices, there is always an obsessive support for the villain. This is Octavia's role and you have to admit, she plays it with a dedication and an almost perfidious cunning that you find her most threatening.
One could continue with more examples of the characters, but what I wanted to explain is already apparent. Much more important is a fundamental aspect that makes it difficult to grasp the characters properly. The characters are embedded in a story that vacillates between episodic plot points and short arcs, and there is also a lack of explanation. The horrors are briefly explained, but not the belief system and world-building in its entirety. Sure, some of these archetypes may seem boring if you've known the story since the beginning in 2005. But since the structure is somewhat different, the world building would have been an important question to answer in order to engage the audience.

Visuals: Art the point that dazzles the most (6/10)
One can often read that the work of the art department is praised. My question on this is simply why? For the non-combat scenes, a normal D2 drawing style is used, which is not bad, but not spectacular either. For the fights, a lot of effort has been put into the CG. Especially the armour shines in CG mode. This may look great to some people and they may find the fights to be spectacular, but it doesn't really fit with the rest of the anime. Since the setting is medieval, the shiny armour looks out of place. Focusing only on the fights, the normal drawing style around it seems uninspired, which is a shame because the drawings aren't really bad. A large part of the budget went into the fight scenes, which in turn led to cuts in other basic artistic aspects. For example, sequences of movement that have nothing to do with the fights, or backgrounds where it has been well hidden that they are actually very simply constructed. This is especially evident when there is a fight with the flashy CG beforehand and then a drawn scene follows. As long as the objects are close enough, they also have drawn details, but as soon as there is potential for saving, this is used, for example by: Shadows, darkness and dim lighting. Also, many of the horrors often don't cut a good figure visually. Unfortunately, the 2D character designs with their subtle facial expressions do not match the 3D shiny and sharp CG models in garish colours and metallic sheen. Artistic reworking of the stilted CG would have been good to make the integration of the CG less questionable.

Sounds: The best element of the series, good BGM, great OPs and VA (8/10).
The BGM was composed by the music production studio MONACO, founded in October 2004 by composer Okabe, Keiichi. The music suits the anime well and enhances the moods of the scenarios. Overall, the soundtrack is dominated by tragic arrangements that bring darkness and fear very clearly to the fore and express the gloomy atmosphere through strong distortions and dissonances in the music. Examples of this are arrangements such as "Hai yoru kage", meaning creeping shadow, or "Inga aru tokoro horā araware", meaning "Where there is a shadow, there appears a horror ...". The arrangement "Majokari", which means witch hunt, has a fitting tragic melody realised by a full orchestra sound. In contrast, the character melody for "German" has a certain cheerful drive, which is evident in the interplay of guitar and oboe.
The two opening title songs of the anime are by JAM Project. The group was founded in 2000 by the Japanese singer and composer Mizuki, Ichirou. Mizuki-san has been composing countless anime and tokusatsu songs since the 1970s. This connection also explains the iconic retro design of the openings. The first track is called "Divine Flame" and is also a fittingly retro arrangement. The music is really catchy and puts you in a good mood. The name "JAM" here stands for "Japan Animation Song Makers" and all members are also known with solo careers in the anime music genre. Among the members are Kitadani Hiroshi, Okui Masami and of course Ichiro Mizuki as well as others. This background explains why the music is well received and it is not surprising that the second track "B.B." has a very similar style and also comes across well.
The first ED of the anime is the title "Chiastolite", sung by Sasaki, Sayaka. She has sung a few anime tracks before, but this synth/metal arrangement is not my cup of tea. Besides, the track doesn't really showcase Sasaki-san's voice.
The second ED track is called "Focus" and is sung by Morikubo, Shoutarou. I like the track better than the first ED, but the sometimes very inharmonious mixture doesn't really convince me. The vocals carry more, but the many confused music effects and tempo changes do not make listening a pleasure, at least for me.
And last but not least in the sound department, the dubbing actors. Many good Seiyū could be won for the anime, so the choice was not easy for me. Among the women, the voice of Park, Romi struck me as very pleasant. She voices the role of Emma and her performance expresses the characteristics well. Among the male characters, I would like to highlight two Seiyū. One is Tenjin, Hidetaka, who lends his voice to Raphael Banderas. The voice pitch is a little higher than one would have expected given Raphael's appearance, but the pronunciation is good and has an interesting intonation. The second voice I liked very much is that of Nomura, Katsuhito. He speaks Prince Alfonso, and although he is not as experienced as the other colleagues, I found his interpretation of the role very successful.

The dark fantasy story lacks substance. The series is a cliché and has nothing to make up for it. The characters suffer from stereotypical realisation, the narrative leaves the viewer in the dark about essential elements of world-building and also fails to settle on a target group. Furthermore, the art falls apart into two anime, a 2D frame and over-the-top 3D CG battles that just don't fit together visually. Despite the fact that the anime objectively receives an overall rating of (6/10) due to the good soundtrack, I don't recommend it as there are clearly better series out there.

As always, thanks for reading.