Ginga Nagareboshi Gin is arguably one of the most out-there animes there is. Don't let the cute puppy protagonist fool you; this show is full of violence and testosterone, and it's certainly not for everyone. However, if you can push past the rampant sexism and justified animal abuse, then this show might just provide you with a wild and fun experience. It's certainly worthwhile for anyone looking for a fresh and different anime.
The Story: 7/10
Ginga Nagareboshi Gin follows an Akita puppy on his journey to "become a man". It is in a way a classic shounen anime, but from the perspective of animals. The first third of the anime focuses more on the human characters' perspective, and then switches to the perspective of the dogs. The dog characters do not start talking until the perspective switches and this sort of causes a weird shift in the anime's tone. (It should be noted that in the manga, the author did not intend for the dogs to ever talk, but the publishers pushed him to change this, making it a bit of an awkward transition.)
The story never strays from the objective set at the beginning of the anime; defeat the man-eating bear Akakabuto. This to me is ideal, because many stories (anime and otherwise) often lose sight of the original objective and throw in distractions. This is never an issue in the anime, and is perhaps an improvement from the manga that awkwardly tacks on a second arc that contains major tonal shifts.
The Art: 7/10
Anyone who knows me knows I love the art style of Yoshihiro Takahashi, the author of Ginga Nagareboshi Gin and it's expansive universe. The anime does his manga style justice, adding that classic 80's anime flare to it. Despite this, it does not get a perfect score. With a low budget anime comes awkward animation and strange off model shots. Perhaps with a better budget, this section could have managed a 10.
Sound: 10/10
The soundtrack is perhaps one of the strongest parts of Ginga Nagareboshi Gin. Having originally watched this anime as a child, I still remembered the soundtrack many years later, even after forgetting integral parts of the story (Before rewatching it of course).
Character: 6/10
Characters are perhaps the weakest part of Ginga Nagareboshi Gin. This is not to say there aren't likable, memorable, and well written characters (and the interesting dog designs are certainly a plus!), but the series throws in more characters than it knows what to do with. This leads to a plethora of flat and forgettable cast along side the few that truly stand out. Not to mention, many of the protagonists (especially the less memorable ones) act and behave very similar, making only their designs and names the things that set them apart.
Enjoyment: 9/10
As I've mentioned before, this anime is probably one of the most unique anime you'll come across. Despite it's clear flaws, not many people can deny the entertainment the absurdity of this anime brings along with it, and the best part is you get immersed in it and you manage to take things seriously. Ninja dogs? Giant monster bears? Dogs spinning in the air? It's all there.
