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

Genre: Sci-Fi / Action / Mecha
Parental Guidance Recommended
Credits: Hiroshi Yamaguchi. (Original story and concept.) Kadokawa Shoten.
Shop: Gate Keepers Artbooks and Manga, DVD, VHS

Cover Description:
Old enemies return… Ayane Isuzu, a high school student, also works as an invader hunter for the AEGIS Network run by the mysterious tycoon, Reiji Kageyama. Ayane attempts to recruit her classmate Miyu, but once Miyu discovers that the Invaders are humans, she tries to go back to living a normal life… Meanwhile, relentless attack by the invaders lead by the mysterious Ghost Girl and the revived Kaiser Kikai continues… Why is Ayane reluctant to use her gate- a legacy of her father, Shun Ukiya?

(6 episodes)

First of all, I’d like to start by saying I’m a Gatekeepers fan. I loved the character designs and lighthearted and fun tone of the series. I loved the story and character developments. I even liked the mecha… no matter how, until this day, the idea of a giant piano for the GateRobot “made especially for this kind of situation” still has me rolling my eyes every time I see that episode.

News of Gatekeepers 21 had me anticipating a great series. I wanted to know what happened to the Gatekeepers cast. Are they still fighting the Invaders? Did Ruriko and Shun ever hook up? (Like, duh?) Was Megumi punished for her betrayal? (And no, I’m not thinking of something perverted here…) What happened to Reiko, Fei, and Kaoru? What about Bancho?

If you’re like me and you’re expecting to know more about what happened to the characters by catching Gatekeepers 21 …

…you’re probably better off reading a fanfic.

Contrary to expectations, Gatekeepers 21 does not continue directly from where the first series left off. You will not get to see Megumi, Fei, Reiko, Kaoru, Bancho… and even Ruriko. If you’re expecting a direct sequel with the same characters, like I said, you’re better off reading a fanfic because you won’t find them here.

What Gatekeepers 21 does give you is a darker, more serious story with new characters and a few familiar faces. The story follows high school student Ayane Isuzu, an Invader Hunter, who can access the power of the Gates using cellphones. Ayane is also a natural Gatekeeper, with a gate that fans of the original will immediately find familiar.

Ayane immediately recruits Miyu Manadrazu on orders from her AEGIS contact, Nazu (a shadowy yet familiar figure). Throughout the series they fight the ever familiar invaders and even some familiar generals. The pair are joined in the fourth episode by Satoka, a Gatekeeper with a big-ass sword. The series itself reaches a peak in the fifth and sixth episode, culminating in a final fight with the Phantom Girl.

The first two episodes clearly illustrate how this world differs from the world we were familiar with. Ayane, who harbors a strange resentment to her father, is loner, preferring to fight the Invaders alone. Gatekeepers are rare, but gate powers can be accessed through laptops and cellphones (which is usually how Ayane accesses them). A.E.G.I.S. is non-existent, the only remnants of it are the high school and the ruins of the base beneath the school. A mysterious person, Nazu, provides Ayane with money for every Invader crystal she brings from the Invaders she destroys. The city of Tokyo depicted here is dark, dirty, and gloomy.

While the overall tone of the series is darker, the character designs are still easy on the eyes. Familiar faces like the mysterious Yukino and certain Ukiya family members are pleasant surprises for fans of the original and the mysterious Nazu is liable to turn into a fan favorite for his cool “returned from the dead” origin. To avoid spoiling it, I’m not going to go into detail into Ayane’s parentage, but I initially thought she was the daughter of Megumi. She certainly acted a lot like Megumi…

Visually, Gatekeepers 21 packs a punch. The smooth OAV-quality animation and special effects are astounding. Plus, the Invaders’ visual presence has been upgraded. Their onscreen persona are actually more intimidating this time around.

Sound-wise, I don’t have cause to complain. The soundtrack is sufficiently moody and the background music during action sequences are appropriate without being too loud. I liked how the opening sequence presents a hopeful picture, despite the somber series. I’ll go into this later.

Gatekeepers 21 ’s story is gripping. Of course, one way it grips you and compels you to watch is the way it slowly peels the story and reveals the characters’ backgrounds slowly… Oh, how agonizingly slow! You also tend to pay attention because, while sparse and few, specific scenes fill in the blanks on what happened between the first series and this one.

I know some people might whine and complain that this was not in the spirit of the original series, but I liked this darker edge to the Gatekeepers story. And I’d like to rebut anyone who says it doesn’t capture the original’s spirit. The original Gatekeepers, despite the threat of Invaders, was a fairly lighthearted story. Gatekeepers 21 takes the story to another level with its somber mood, dark story, and great visuals. But beneath that dark exterior, 21 has an underlying message of hope that runs through the entire series. This is best exemplified by Miyu, the Gatekeeper whom Ayane recruits. Miyu’s gate is the Gate of Jump that gives her the ability to… well, jump. (Shades of Card Captor Sakura anyone?) As an Invader Hunter, she slowly learns the truth about the Invaders they hunt. But, despite all that she saw and experienced — and how much Ayane puts her down — Miyu continues to put on a smiling front and remain true to her friends… which is why, as I said earlier, I found the opening sequence likable and not out of place.

I loved this series. I only wished there were more episodes of it. Six episodes is much too short. Watching the credits roll on the sixth episode, I felt that I wanted to find the animators and threaten them with rabid weasels if they didn’t make more! MORE! MORE! *Starts to froth in the mouth*

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 8; Story 7; Characters 9; Sounds 8

Genre: Mecha / Sci-Fi
General Audience
Credits: 1998 Tatsunoko Productions
Shop: Generator Gawl DVD, VHS

Cover Description:
October 2007: Professor Takuma Nekasa uncovers a gene that unlocks the human body. This discovery leads to the creation of human “generators” who can transform themselves and unlock incredible power.

Working to continually improve these generators, teams of 2 young scientists and 1 experimental subject (the generator) were created. But when Ryo, Koji, and Gawl discover that the true purpose behind the experiments is to not to help mankind, but to lead them into another war, the team decides to travel back in time to try to stop Professor Nekasa.

But they’re not the only ones with a close eye on Nekasa’s work! Can they stop Nekasa before it’s too late?

It took me more than a year to complete Generator Gawl. The last episode I’ve seen has been stored in my memory for the last 11 months, nearly fading from the lack of follow-ups. Now that I’ve finally been able to get hold of the last four episodes, all I can say is that it has been a satisfying watch.

The characters are the first things that struck me here, and I’m not just saying this because of the obvious existence of bishounen. Sure, there is something to be said for the near perfect intelligent beings such as the dark and brooding Koji, the soft-spoken Ryo, and the brash and completely unsophisticated protagonist who calls himself Gawl. There’s also something noticeable about Masami, the proverbial love interest of our lead character, even though she seems more like an add-on accessory than an important piece of the puzzle. But the figure that is most striking here is the pink-haired cotton candy Natsume, who ironically just plays a minor role in the entire series. At first you’d dismiss her for another bubblegum teenager who might just be the Generator Gawl’s resident doormat, yet, despite her minimal exposure, the creators were able to make her play an essential role in the mystery that our three boys have to unravel.

The art and animation aren’t really mind-blowing, but the engaging battle scenes, especially when Gawl transforms into the organic mech called a “generator”, are something to behold. The fast pace of events as well as the play of conflict merge well enough to keep one glued to one’s seat. While I do have a complaint about how the staggering plot twists are all stuffed into the last episode-not leaving enough room for a definite resolution-the complex philosophies backing Generator Gawl more than makes up for this anime’s weaknesses.

English dubbing is decent and the opening song “I Want Out” is certainly catchy. Expect a lot of rowdy bickering and action-packed sequences-even when the characters are not in battle mode.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 7; Story 8; Characters 8; Sounds 7

Genre: Sci-Fi
Parental Guidance Recommended
Credits: 2001 Kazuki Akane (director) Nao Tokimura/Miya Asa
Shop: Geneshaft DVD

Skysenshi’s Description:
23rd Century - 200 years after the near annihilation of mankind, humans have been forced to evolve to a level no longer near their true nature. Genetically governed society with superior DNA lives only to establish the permanence of the human race. Each being lives with this purpose that has become distorted over the passage of time.

This near perfection breeds chaos. The Senate, headed by the “Immortals”, seeks to maintain this audacious balance. The terrorists pursue the return of humanity to nature. And others just have something else altogether in their twisted minds.

(13 episodes)

Imagine a world where blood relationships are eliminated because these connections destroy the ability to make calm decisions. Or a society where the ratio of men to women is 1:9, and the males’ sole purpose is to be decision makers while the women do most of the action. Or a government that represses destructive genes in every person’s genetic make-up. Or having a life span that lasts for 45 years. Words such as love, desire, family, siblings are concepts that only the ancients are familiar with.

In this near perfect environment, a team is forged by a group of people with the best DNA, the only oddity of which is Mika Seido. Mika is a “white”, a member of a lowly gene pool, who, for some strange reason landed on this special mission with the rest of the superior DNA holders. Mika makes for an interesting protagonist, being at the bottom of the gene pool hierarchy without coming off as another rags-to-riches story. With her are formidable teammates Sofia the Teddy Bear, also known as the Gray Bear of Lunar Surface, Remmy Levistrauss a.k.a Medusa of the Desert, Hiroto Amagiwa the ultimate decision-making captain, Mario Musicanova the back-up captain, and Mir Lotus, the woman with the most outstanding DNA in existence.

Gene Shaft has the feel of Vandread and Pilot Candidates. With mechs rendered beautifully in 3D CG and tension charged battle sequences, the only element that makes a big difference is that Gene Shaft can be grim and bloody. Amidst all the light-hearted fun, usually originating from Mika’s “unusual” attitude (unusual in Gene Shaft standards) lay dark and depressing overtones. Characterization is minimal, but heartrending in its subtlety. Inner conflict arises with the dawning of the realization that human race is losing the true essence of humanity… and that they have been reduced to mere creations with no true will of their own. The most poignant of experiences is by Maaya Sakamoto’s (Hitomi of Escaflowne) portrayal of Beatrice Ratio, the Register. Registers are born for their intuition and logic, which are supposed to be unfailing. They never rest. They never love. Their emotions are turned off because these “bugs” will go against their flow of logic. A breach in the system means disaster, and this event happening to Mika, Captain Hiroto, and especially Beatrice, triggers a series of consequences that pulls them into an emotional roller coaster that crosses over space and time.

The artwork is exquisite and the animation flows smoothly. The sounds? The only adjective I can actually use for this is “kick-ass”, especially the opening theme and the battle BGM. I swear, if it weren’t for the Kurt Kobain wannabe who sang the ending theme, I would have given Gene Shaft’s music a grade of 10.

Skysenshi’s Note : If you notice, I have a soft spot for Beatrice partly because she is my namesake. C’mon, how many anime babes do you know that has the name Beatrice…and one played by Maaya Sakamoto to boot!

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 10; Story 8; Characters 8; Sounds 9

Genre: Cyberpunk
R-18 (contains nudity and violence)
Credits: 1993 ARTMIC, BANDAI, PLEX
Shop: Genocyber DVD, VHS

Cover Description:
As the nations of the world begin to merge, world peace is threatened by the private armies of individual corporations. The Kuryu Group has just discovered a weapon that will tip world power in their favor. The Genocyber: a nightmarish combination of cybernetics and psychic potential. Many desire to control this monstrosity, but can its hatred be contained? Battle erupts, and the cyberpunk world of the future is about to explode with violence!

(5 episodes )

The very first Genocyber OAV released was quite long, twice as long as each of the next succeeding episodes. That one feature alone can actually stand on its own, like a movie release of an action anime that may have had a large following. Judging from its quality, it was able to tap the interest of many an anime fan due to its philosophical nature and complicated action-packed scenes. Dig the scenario: two sisters become veritable ping-pong balls tossed back and forth amongst power-hungry madmen. One sister’s misfortune is to be born with the mind of a lower being, while the other is denied control of her muscular functions. What they have in common are minds so powerful they could bring about utmost destruction. Couple this with a strangely enchanting violin-based background music that ironically makes a stark contrast to the excessive gorefest, and you have something utterly inimitable in the palm of your hands. Concepts like these make for one good watch. Indeed they do.

The rest of the volumes that followed, however, seem to go off-track. No longer does Genocyber focus on the two most abused gifted children. It switches on to the different eras that these two find themselves in, wallowing in the lives that they touch. Suddenly religion, politics and issues such as moral dilemma join the fray. A nice combination to be sure, but the loss of focus in the main storyline suddenly reminds me of an off-balanced anime website that tries to cover too many things beyond the realm of its grasp.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 9; Story 8; Characters 8; Sounds 8

Genre: Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi, Action
Parental Guidance Recommended
Credits: 1995 Shirow Masamune, Mamoru Oshii
Shop: Ghost in the Shell Artbooks, Manga, and Game Guides, DVD, VHS, Game Shop, Toys and Accessories, Music

Cover Description:
Major Motoko Kusanagi is an officer in the Section 9 security force with a cybernetic body so heavily modified that she begins to doubt her own humanity. With her partners Bateau and Togusa, Kusanagi follows the trail of the mysterious and elusive hacker known as the Puppet Master. Under analysis, the Puppet Master reveals himself and demands political asylum, but before Section 9 can investigate further, however, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the shadowy Section 6, interferes and captures the Puppet Master’s shell. Kusanagi and Bateau quickly give chase, attempting to recover the Puppet Master. Section 6, however, is determined to keep him.

What is the true nature of the Puppet Master? Why is he so interested in Kusanagi? what drives Section 6 and why do they want the Puppet Master so badly?

–
NOTE: This description was written sometime in 2001. Unfortunately the database would not accept non-numerical values, so this review is now dated January 01, 2001 by default.