Gate Keepers

Genre: Action / Mecha
Parental Guidance Recommended
2000 Hiroshi Yamaguchi. (Original story and concept.) Kadokawa Shoten.

SHOPPING:

Gate Keepers DVDs Everything Gate Keepers

Cover Description:
1969. Stranger invaders threaten Japan's recovery from the devastation of World War II with a shocking form of guerilla warfare. Fortunately, a new type of hero has been discovered among the teenage population of Japan - the Gatekeepers! Able to channel "gates" to other dimensions, this new generation of heroes are the only thing standing between Earth and total annihilation!

(26 episodes)

One of the better Game to Anime conversions. >>> by Kenryoku Maxis
Now, I'm the first to admit, I almost didn't watch Nadesico because of the art style. It downright scared me in the beginning, mainly their eyes. But I never try to judge a show before I see it so I gave it a chance. Turns out the character style and look has much in common from Nadesico to Gatekeepers, but they way that they were made almost completly opposite.

Yes, this show was created by Kia Asamiya and the character design once again goes to Keiji Goto, but as for the plot and feel of the show, it is nothing at all like Nadesico.Where Nadesico was first an Anime which spanned to include many games and a movie, Gatekeepers was originally a Playstation game that became an Anime, and one I might add that kept most of the same feel and style from the game itself once it changed into an Anime. The comedy is good, not as strong as Slayers or Kare Kano, but much more like a slower episode of DiGiCharat. The characters who all have great voices that fit them extremly well are sent to perform tasks that one would normally find in a video game. Most games that make their way to being an anime are somewhat watered down as some of the other reviewers on this site have stated for other game to anime shows. This anime is more like a game trying to portray all the various stages in a realistic way, while still keeping many of the odd and sometimes hillarious powers and skills that obviously are fiction. But to sum up my view of the character design from before, it is outstanding. The use of the large round eyes from Nadesico have a whole new perpose in this show, acually portraying a part of their powers much like the symbols found on the Sailor Senshi or perhaps Ashitaka's disease from Mononoke hime , although my examples are not at all similar in apperance... The show has a small and somewhat corny plot, but this show is more about the characters then the mission (I can still hear Alec in my head from watching Goldeneye last week as he says "For England James?"). True, they are trying to save Japan from yet another alien form, but with such great characters and a comedic twist to the peope who are trying to save the world, it's like having James Bond without him knowing how to use his gadgets. No, this is a very funny show and if I had to go by graphics alone, I would say some of the characters are downright cute....mainly the lead female star of the show. I liked it alot and plan to watch it again.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 10; Story 7; Characters 10; Sounds 9