GARO (2005 - 2006)

GARO The Golden Knight

Since ancient times creatures called Horrors have preyed on mankind. Possessing terrible strength, magical powers, and the ability to shape-shift, Horrors have been the stuff of nightmares. Mankind's only defense against these creatures are the Makai Knights; human beings who possess superb martial arts skills and powerful magic. Over the centuries, the Makai Knights have been successful in repelling these monsters, and to the people of today Horrors and Makai Knights are just obscure myths. However, the threat of Horrors is very much real and now as they stand on the edge of complete annihilation, they will call on Messiah the Origin of All Horrors to exterminate mankind forever. Only one man can stop the Horrors from bringing about their terrible plan. That man is Saejima Kouga. That man is Garo The Golden Knight.

Name: Saejima Kouga, Occupation: Undisputed BADASS

Created in 2005 by Keita Amemiya, GARO is a dark fantasy set in the modern era. More so than its successive series, Garo is a masterful blend of horror, fantasy, drama, and martial arts that creates a tokusatsu that is on par with many Kamen Rider series, and speaking as someone who feels Kamen Rider is the greatest tokusatsu out there that is no small statement. The cast, presentation, and writing go a long way in making this show standout. There is a lot of world building that uses small details like introducing terms such as Makai Knights, hoshi, madou fire, watchdogs and so forth to gradually and effectively build a captivating horror fantasy. I thought taking in all the complex terms and rules of this world would be daunting at first but by the second or third episode I knew a great deal about this world and never felt lost as the series went on. The show follows Saejima Kouga (Garo) who is played by Hiroki Konishi who seems to be channeling his inner-Blade era Wesley Snipes. We get the feeling very early on that despite Kouga's archetypal construction there's more to his character than he lets on. While he's mostly a reserved badass, Kouga usually has a witty quip or cold remark which in addition to suiting a particular situation, also goes a long way in exploring his hidden depths.

Kouga, Gonza, and Kaoru

When he's not cutting down Horrors, Kouga isn't particularly outspoken and I feel that Konishi does an absolutely amazing job with this character in communicating his thoughts and feelings with non-verbals. Whether it's the speed of his gait, his posture, facial expressions, or just certain glares or glances of his eyes, Konishi's acting enables Kouga to speak the most when he's not saying anything at all. It's a quiet performance that's hardly silent. As a character Kouga is all business and has little interest in anything outside of his duties as a Makai Knight and this either by whole or in part has stunted how he associates with other people. In doing so, it builds a believable wall between our male and female leads.

Sleeping Beauty

Played by Mika Hijii, Kaoru Mitsuki serves as our female lead who strangely enough, is effective because she's completely average. Kaoru is a starving artist who is trying to achieve her dream of becoming a world class painter and has to take odd jobs in order to eat and pay her rent to the best of her ability. At her core she's a single woman trying to make it out here. She has an unfortunate encounter with a Horror and while Garo prevents Kaoru from being killed, he doesn't technically save her life. Kaoru gets stained with the blood of a Horror which infects her body and attracts other Horror to her like a beacon. And even if they don't kill her, in 100 days she'll turn into a Horror herself so it goes without saying Kaoru's days are numbered. What's compelling is that despite being hunted by these monsters Kaoru refuses to give up. She keeps aiming for her dream while at the same-time, trying to unravel the mystery of her father's final masterpiece which is an unfinished picture book of a strangely familiar figure in golden armor.

Character development. We don't have this in the states.

Kaoru builds a believable, albeit predictable romance subplot with Kouga which I actually didn't mind much to my own surprise. It doesn't feel shoehorned into the plot and the relationship is a very slowburn as Kouga's character arc has to take him from the person he is i.e. someone who doesn't care about forming bonds and is solely dedicated to being a Makai Knight, to the person he needs to be i.e. someone who is compassionate and understands that the monsters in his own heart are every bit as dangerous as the Horrors themselves. I point this out because it is Kouga's relationship with Kaoru that forces him to reflect on who he is and why he is and opens the door to further characterization and bits about his background. As the story progresses, we encounter other characters including rival Makai Knights.

Suzumura Rei The Silver Knight

Played by Dustz lead singer Ray Fujita, Suzumura Rei serves as Kouga's bitter rival, foil, and unwilling ally depending on the situation and his mood which is liable to change in a heartbeat. Rei can best be described as ruthlessly efficient as he'll cut down Horrors (and anyone tainted by Horrors) with merciless ferocity. He develops an interest in Kaoru that some times takes a left turn into creepy land, and he also holds a grudge against the Golden Knight for reasons known only to himself. The script (and the franchise as a whole) gets a lot of mileage out of Rei's character right from his introduction because it shows us that Kouga isn't the only Makai Knight and there are others fighting against the Horrors. It also shows us that different Makai Knights have different regions of the world they're supposed to defend and they're not actually supposed to crossover into each other's jurisdiction. On top of that, the inclusion of Rei helps the plot move closer to the larger conflict.

Power Up!!

As per the norm with tokusatsu the villains of the series tend to be your Monster of the Week variety starting off. Kouga receives assignments from the Watchdogs (his bosses) and intel about Horrors while other times he must hunt them on his own with absolutely no information to go on. These Horrors lure humans often targeting them based on their character flaw such as greed or taking advantage of people's desperation or regret on other occasions. Essentially if there's someone out there that has a psychological, emotional, or spiritual weakness there's a Horror that will prey on them. Some of the scenarios in which people fall victim to Horrors makes perfect sense such as when a Horror poses as a doctor and kills people in his private hospital because it would go unnoticed if there was a mishap on the operating table. Other scenarios do seem contrived such as when one Horror poses as a broker and attacks the people she meets. But she meets people out in the opening, at night. Who meets a broker in the dead of night? I admit these are minor gripes and this is typical of most series of this kind. It's not a jab at the convention but I do wish the reasoning behind some encounters was more creative.

The Dark Knight Returns

Around the halfway point Kouga learns that his father's nemesis Barago is not only alive but in his very city. The conflict between the two not only turns the world of Garo upside down but brings the city to its knees. The action is top notch due in large part to excellent choreography, some creative wire work, and relatively simple use of CG except for the most over the top battles. One of the things I appreciated about this Garo and a major advantage it has over its successive sequels is that it uses costumed stunt men for most of its fight scenes. I feel the action is more effective in this manner not only because its the tradition of tokusatsu but also because by not using CG, the battles look more real and the combat is a lot more interesting because even with the use of wires, there is still a guy in a suit executing these moves rather than a CG model. It also says a lot about the presentation and the remarkable level of care put into this series because Horrors and armor worn by the Makai Knights all look really complicated so there was certainly a lot of effort that went into building this world.

Garo is ready for action!

When CG is used it's done where it makes sense such as in the creation of some two story tall Horrors and fight scenes which could not have been done any other way. Perhaps the most jaw-dropping use of CG combined with live action comes during the series climax which I won't spoil but I will say it was the most stylish, action packed finish I've seen this side of Karas. Simply put, Platinum wishes they made something this over the top.

"He fights battles and doesn't afraid of anything."

The series isn't perfect. Some of the writing toward the end gets inconsistent, for some viewers it may take too long to set up the ultimate conflict, and series villain Barago doesn't get a lot of characterization. While he does get an entire movie dedicated to his story (Kiba Gaiden), I feel that he should have been explored more thoroughly in the series in which he was introduced and not a separate movie. However, what is here is quite good. Opening and ending themes by Jam Project (The Soultaker) along with a fantastic score by Shinji Kinoshita and Kōichi Ōta gives each scene a life and a mood of its own. Garo blends drama, horror, martial arts, and transforming super heroes to create an imaginative series that launched an entire franchise and for very good reason. Like an RKO out of nowhere Garo definitely took me by surprise and it's a series I won't forget anytime soon. While I can't vouch for some of the later entries, the original Garo is very much a must see.

Veritas (2005)

And you thought Crows was BADASS!!

Set in a near future in Seoul, Korea, Veritas is centered on a delinquent named Ma Gangryong. One day when Gangryong let's his mouth and bad attitude get the better of him, he finds himself facing down a gang and a serious beating. Just when things look hopeless a mysterious man known only as Lightning Tiger shows up and defeats the gang in seconds. Gangryong learns that Lightning Tiger practices an ancient art known as Enlightenment of Thunder and Lightning (EOTL). Having witnessed these incredible feats, Gangryong jumps at the opportunity to learn such a powerful art and after much convincing, eventually persuades Lightning Tiger to take him on as his apprentice.

Badass Bookworm? Close enough.

After training for some months and becoming a proficient EOTL user himself, Gangryong is entering a high school called Reunion which is named after the mega conglomerate which owns the school and pretty much everything else in Seoul. However, before Gangryong can even pass the front gate, suits from Reunion approach Gangryong and delivers to him the charred arm of his master and inform him that Lightning Tiger is dead. Who could have killed one of the most powerful martial arts masters in the world? Is Reunion connected? And why is Reunion using a high school to gather the most skilled martial artists of this generation? Gangryong enters the school with the resolve the beat the answers out of everyone he comes across.

The gauntlet is thrown!

Veritas is set in a world of badasses where the rule of cool is definitely on display. On its own, this approach isn't all that unique but Veritas is able to shine because it constantly defies conventions when it comes to dialogue, narrative, fight scenes, and even character development. When reading the manhwa the first thing one notices about Gangryong is how dissimilar he is to shonen heroes. He has a bad attitude, he's unapologetic, he's not altruistic, and he is more of a anti-hero than anything else. Another aspect of Gangryong I found interesting is either in whole or in part, often times his character traits play on conventional virtues. For example, Gangryong believes men and women are equal  and because they're equal he's fully justified in fighting a woman with the same ferocity and ruthlessness with which he'd fight a man. While this might offend some people I found it a very interesting character trait and I thought it was very creative how these traits carried over in the story and fight scenes.

Think Gangryong won't hit a girl? I'm afraid I've got some bad news.

One of the best fight scenes in the manhwa takes places between Ma Gangryong and Eunhwa Lee and without spoiling anything it is a fierce battle to behold with Lee not trying to play on her gender and Gangryong really not caring either way. It's quite telling because not only are both fighters highly skilled, but Gangryong shows another aspect of his character through his commitment to being the Dirtiest Player in the Game. If he had powder in his track pants you can rest assured he would have used it.

When Vera ties her hair back people die.

It's a good thing our protagonist isn't afraid to Ric Flair it up if it gets him the victory because he has to contend with a student body composed of fighters just as good if not better than himself. One student in particular, Vera Linus not only stands at the apex but also serves as our primary antagonist.

Told you.

In addition to serving as the student council president, Vera is also the leader of Reunion - the group responsible for the death of Gangryong's master. Vera is quite the chessmaster, she has influence inside and outside Reunion, and is always calm in the most cold, almost mechanical fashion I've seen from an antagonist in quite some-time. Not only that but in a school full of martial arts masters from around the world no one has even attempted to challenge her supremacy in years. Yes. She is That. Damn. Bad. However, she isn't evil in a traditional sense so much as she is Machiavellian and I felt that this was a unique way to characterize Vera in lieu of making her a megalomaniac or "the victim" as we've seen in far too many titles already. It's scenarios like this and many others where Veritas makes the reader think it's going to stick to convention and then makes a left turn.

Boy meets girl? Not quite.

There is a refreshing sense of unpredictability here because there's less of a reliance on tropes and more of an emphasis on organic story telling where the narrative is driven by believable characters. Further still, it challenges our views on these characters as well. Not every pretty face is a good girl and a few of the females in this manga are outright monsters. Likewise, not everyone who looks like a bully or a jock actually is one. "Don't judge a book by its cover", while not a blatant theme in this manhwa, definitely comes across because the characters are so different from what you might expect especially if you aim to compare Veritas with other comics out there.

Boy meets drunk girl? Not on Gangryong's watch!

Because Veritas doesn't stick to convention there is a lot of suspense in many of the scenes - more so than many titles in the marital arts genre where tension is usually only present in fight scenes. Sometimes two characters might share verbal jabs and things erupt into a violent fist fight. Other times characters who have had as much as they can stand of each other just come to blows and level the parking lot. Then there are those times where characters only exchange thinly veiled threats and you just know things are going to get dire in the very near future.

That one-time the call should've gone to voicemail.

Veritas's commitment to defying convention also comes across in its intense martial arts battles. This isn't one of those comics where the main character is always going to win because he's the MC. Veritas is a little more complicated than that partially because while many of the martial feats in the manhwa are outlandish there is some believable logic behind the ebb and flow of many battles. Ma Gangryong picks up on techniques quickly, he's a combat genius, and he's a really dirty fighter, but a guy who just started practicing martial arts a short time ago isn't going to best fighters who have been training since they were children simply because he's the protagonist.

Fire Dragon vs Ma Gangryong! Hypefest 2005!

Unlike other titles, winners and losers aren't a foregone conclusion in Veritas and that is what makes the fights intensely satisfying no matter who wins or loses because you simply don't know. Maybe Gangryong enters a battle with a clear cut advantage and takes an L out of nowhere. Maybe he goes up against someone who completely outclasses him and pulls out a win. You never know until the battle is over and that is what's so refreshing about the fights in this manhwa. Other pros of these battles is that while Gangryong is the main character he's not the only student who has a bone to pick with Reunion.

Stand Alone Complex pose.

Other characters have their own issues with Reunion, Vera, the other students on the council, or the school system as a whole. I won't go into everyone's back story but for some the reasons involve bringing down the entire conglomerate while for others revenge is motivation enough. And then there are those characters who keep their cards to the chest and no one knows what their true motives are. Just as these characters have their own motivations for entering Reunion, and fighting against Reunion, they also have their own fighting styles to boot. Sure you have your fragile speedsters, your powerhouses, and so on but there are also fighters who use techniques you wouldn't expect judging from their appearance. The outcome of many battles in Veritas are decided based on factors such as experience, real-time strategy, and unpredictability, and rarely does one move guarantee a victory.

"Let's watch this city burn, from the skylines on top of the world".

For the negative aspects of the manga, some demographics might be put-off by some of the suggestive themes. Fanservice consists of some female characters wearing really short skirts or shirts with low necklines which for me wasn't a big deal as there are many shonen titles which show off a lot more skin than you see in Veritas, but I felt I should mention it for certain audiences.

"We'll show those punks from Cromartie what happens when you mess with Bass High".

Veritas is a martial arts manhwa filled to the brim with BADASSITUDE. From the fight scenes, to the dialogue, and character interaction it's a title overflowing with style but it also has a great deal of substance too. The plot gets deeper and deeper as the chapter progresses but it never crosses that line where a comic can go from believable to absurd. It has a large cast of characters and while not everyone gets as much development as Gangryong, you do learn a lot about them. The art style is very eye-catching, the battles are surprising and even unconventional at times, and while the manga is fairly serious there's some comedy involved too - usually when Gangryong is doing what he does best. This is definitely one of the best martial arts comics I've ever read and it was Veritas that got me into The Breaker. This manhwa gets a very high recommendation. Fun stuff.