勇者王ガオガイガー

YUUSHA-OU GAOGAIGAR

ANIME

STATUS
COMPLETE
EPISODES
49
RELEASE
January 31, 1998
LENGTH
25 min

DESCRIPTION

In the year 2005, a race of alien monsters called Zonders emerge from underground and launch a series of attacks on the city of Tokyo. The only defense against these creatures is the secret agency known as the Gutsy Geoid Guard (or 3G) and their ultimate weapon, the awesome giant robot GaoGaiGar. GaoGaiGar's pilot, Guy Shishio, is a former astronaut who was nearly killed two years before when the Zonders first crashed to earth. Guy's life was spared when a mysterious robot lion called Galeon pulled him from the burning shuttle and brought him to Earth. Guy's father, Leo, then used Galeon's technology to rebuild his shattered son as a cyborg, in the hopes that he could stop the aliens when they appear. Now, with Galeon as its core, GaoGaiGar fights to protect Earth. He is aided by a team of transforming robots and by a young boy named Mamoru, who has the power to purify the Zonders' cores, and seems to be connected to the mysterious Galeon.

(Source: Anime News Network)

CAST

Guy Shishiou
Nobuyuki Hiyama
Mamoru Amami
Maiko Itou
Narrator
Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Soldat J
Mitsuaki Madono
Mikoto Utsugi
Tomoe Hanba
Swan White
Miki Narahashi
Mic Sounders the 13th
Mitsuo Iwata
VolFogg
Katsuyuki Konishi
Koutarou Taiga
Kouji Ishii
ChoRyuJin
Shinichi Yamada
Hana Hatsuno
Konami Yoshida
GoldyMarg
Hisao Egawa
Hyuuma Geki
Hisao Egawa
Leo Shishiou
Kenichi Ogata
Pagliaccio
Konami Yoshida

EPISODES

Dubbed

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RELATED TO YUUSHA-OU GAOGAIGAR

REVIEWS

math3001
50/100
I thought visually it was a gorgeous show but it lacked any interesting episodic plots or characters to invest in.
I watched this for a rec exchange thing and over a year later but I finally finished it lol. The tl;dr is that I didn't enjoy it. I thought visually it was a gorgeous show but just watching it I often found myself just very bored and uninterested. Also the score at the bottom is not a real score, just the default anilist puts. I don't number value my experiences.

So the crux of my issue with this show, at least for the first 30 or so episodes, is just all the episodic plots are so boring and feel undercooked. And I don't mean this in a way to hate on episodic content. I just think the motws of those episodes aren't much of a focus other than having a thing to fight. There's not much of a care to delve into any charaacter or problem of the week to invest in. But then it also doesnt try to use much of those episodes to develop or explore the many many characters this show has. Maybe get a short unrelated scene or two but nothing feeling concrete. Nor do they try to develop some grand overarching narrative in this. It's all just background stuff. So it all ends up leaving each episode feeling kinda like this monster shows up and they beat it but nothing more substantial in that episode for me to grab onto. Like most shows that are most similar to this that I could compare to aren't anime but rather toku. So maybe there's some nuances there that I'm unfairly innately comparing. but in those shows often times even the episodic content will try to bring in a guest character and have them have an issue that they try tor esolve. this leaves the episodic content feeling like it has some weight and then maybe even the flesh some of the characterisation for the main cast in conjunction with the episodic stuff. I guess that's more of what I enjoy and I didn't feel like I got any of that here.

Then when it takes the big turn in the 30s I'm just kind of checked out. Like there's lots of big events going on and it start to be more continuous rather than episodic. But it's kind of still to me just felt like things were happening. i didn't really have a connection to care about the characters or threats. just felt like set piece after set piece. And don't get me wrong some of it looked really good. I'm not above hurrahing cool giant robo action. But it wasn't actually enough to keep my interest. I still never felt like I got a good sense of any of the characters. There were some vague notions pointed towards but nothing it ever actually delved into. And this is the end of the show too so I'm pretty much just checked out and a lot of it was just me going through the motions. I know a lot of people love this part but without having at all found anything to care about in the first part this second does not have much for me. It felt like something I would much more enjoy if the show had already done the legwork in getting me invested.

Anyways this is a bit more rambly and I've got some more nitpicks that I won't delve into as I think a lot of those just felt worse with my major concerns with the show and I probably wouldn't have cared as much in a show I was otherwise enjoying. But hey it looked cool. And it feels like I keep saying this but legit the only thing I liked lol. Didn't have a lot of "epic sakuga" moments but the way everything was framed, colours, and everything was just very pleasing. Really loved the goldion hammer attack especially. (Just the mech action part, I hated the command centre exaggerated summon). LIke it's very repetitive in how it looks and performs each time, but I didn't mind. Cause goddamn the visuals and framing they chose for it was sick as hell.
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Ionliosite2
84/100
A hidden gem, the ultimate super robot
Ever wanted to feel like a kid again? Well, I have good news for you, because The King of Braves GaoGaiGar is a show tailor made for that. Made in the aftermath of Neon Genesis Evangelion's cataclysmic effect on the mecha genre, GaoGaiGar is a throw back to classic super robot shows of the 70s ala Mazinger Z and Getter Robo, but its execution of its simple ideas turn it into an effective celebration of the genre, leading it to inspire Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and other future shows.

The plot is simple enough for the first half: Guy Shishioh is a cyborg member of the Earth defense force GGG, who can fuse with alien machines powered by courage that turn him into the giant robot GaoGaiGar, and alongside the mysterious superpowered kid Mamoru Amami, the duo have to take down and purify the people transformed into evil monsters known as Zonder, the soldiers of Pasder and his Four Machine Kings in their plan to take over Earth. As you can see, it's a basic mecha plot, with other GGG Brave Robots joining our main duo across the series to form the obvious toyline the series is promoting, and yet, the show never feels like a cynical toy commercial thanks to its sheer eagerness and sincerity on presenting long-used super robot tropes in the most straight and epic way possible. It starts monster of the week like its inspirations, but it gets more plot heavy and darker in the second half, but even then the Zonder battles are always entertaining and never feel like they overstay their welcome.

Aside from its aforementioned simple but engaging plot, another highlight of GaoGaiGar is its endearing cast, starting with the star of the show himself Guy. He's an ideal hero, always determined, optimistic and idealistic, in addition to just being a really badass pilot so hot-blooded he'd make Kamina blush, but he also has a calmer more and intimate side to him the show touches on, showing how he's still a sensitive man even with his bombastic displays. Mamoru starts as a meek kid, filled with insecurities and fear, but his character development towards a true hero thanks to Guy's influence clearly show how he inspired Simon, and I think that it's his arc that serves as the overall emotional core of the show. Other characters aren't touched in as much as this duo, but their lack of depth doesn't stop them from getting a place in your heart, from the incredibly loud but gentle leader Taiga, to the jerk with a heart of gold Kaido, the cool and stoic Soldato-J serving as a foil to Guy, the show is filled with a likable side cast that always help out on the action.

Speaking of action, any fan of super robots has to check out what GaoGaiGar has to offer, as its one of the most hype mecha shows you'll find. From Sunrise, the studio behind other mecha juggernauts such as the earlier Gundam and the latter Code Geass, the beautiful robot action always comes with high energy battles that never fail to showcase the scale of GaoGaiGar's super moves, of which he has a big variety that make anyone familiar with other super robots scream alongside Guy. In particular, Nobuyuki Hiyama's acting as Guy is just electrifying, bringing the much needed vitality these high paced fights need, and by the end of the show certain cries such as "HELL AND HEAVEN!" and "HIKARI NI NARE!" are going to get stuck on your head thanks to his excellent performance. On the topic of sound, the series has no shortage of good OST, particularly GGG's and J's themes, but the amazing opening theme and nostalgic ending theme are such great songs even the sequel would get mileage out of them, I seriously could listen to that "Gagaga Gagaga" for hours on repeat.

Overall, I can't recommend GaoGaiGar enough. It's really nothing deep, and people who don't like monster of the week will find the first 20 episodes too slow, but it deserves its spot in the mecha pantheon as an eternally fun, legitimately well executed homage of the show that gave birth to the entire genre, so for anyone who's into super robots, this show is a must watch, and even if you aren't into them, check it out, you'll be surprised what the King of Braves can offer.

Thank you for reading
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MC45436G
100/100
The ultimate Super Robot and one of the most entertaning anime of all time
Sometimes when we consume pieces of media, we often forget the reasons why we do so in the first place. Among all the motives one could have for interacting with a story, there is a certain element that gets overshadowed the more media one consumes. That quality in question is pure entertainment. While those who have experienced a vast amount of stories rarely rate this aspect to the same degree as complexity or the quality of writing, it is still an extremely valuable part of any work of fiction. At the end of the day, a primary goal of any story should be to entertain the audience and it should always be taken into account when creating one. There are times when we aren’t in mood for a highly sophisticated narrative with rich characters and themes, instead we just want to have fun with a story. In the eternity of anime, there are few genres that can consistently evoke that level of excitement than Super Robots.

One of the most iconic tropes in the whole medium are these metal behemoths possessing crazy powers and exerting pure hot-blooded passion and joy. Since the beginning of anime itself these superheroes made of steel have been a source of entertainment for countless viewers. Of course that has traits of more elaborate and complex stories over the course of this genre’s history. Some of them even being among the most influential and highly regarded series in all of anime. However, the feeling of pure fun and excitement watching a giant perform over the top feats is the defining element of this genre. Among the many great works that have come under its umbrella, one stands as the shining example of what makes it so enjoyable and appealing. It is none other than the tribute to the whole lineage, the king of the Braves himself: GAOGAIGAR!!!!!

GGG proudly proclaims itself as the hallmark super robot incorporating many elements of its predecessors into one of the most fun rides in all of anime. It is not a show that concerns itself with having a deep storyline with complex characters and development, instead it is pure entertainment done right. A show made for kids, but has so much heart and passion that everyone of all ages can enjoy it. This series is the perfect introduction to all the classic elements of super robots and why these shows are such a treat to consume. It highlights all the key aspects of the genre and just provides such good popcorn entertainment. Sometimes a simple and very fun story is all you need and this series is perfect for that. In the spirit of the show, I shall not cover such boring elements in great detail as they aren’t the main focus here.

This show is the most mecha anime ever made for all the good reasons. It is a love letter to the whole genre as it takes so many iconic elements from countless titles. Mazinger Z’s most famous attack, the Rocket Punch, is GGG's BROKEN MAGNUM. A trait across all the Braves series are the combination sequences and drills being a prominent feature is present as ever here which are hommages to Getter Robo. An alien mech originating from space coming to Earth coming from Grendizer, and giving humanity the knowledge to build their own mechs in order to fight an invading force is a reference to the start of Macross. A hint of politics and later a space faring plot are emblematic of Gundam. A whole team outside the mechs supporting the Braves in various ways like in Gaiking. The writers saw Evangelion and decided to make the complete opposite show while still adding some nods to it. There are a lot of directorial choices that are quite similar to EVA but instead, this series can be seen as the alternate reality where it kept to its super robots the whole way through. All these alongside so many more serve to make Gaogaigar one of the most celebratory pieces in all of mecha. It is pure unapologetic fanservice to the genre and knowing how much inspired this series will deepen your appreciation. Unlike heavily derivative stories, this show uses these hommages to its advantage as they are used to effectively enhance the whole experience and strengthen the foundation that was already there.

On that note, Final Fusion is the absolute peak of mecha combination sequences:

GGG simultaneously goes back to the roots of classic super robots but adds many small touches to make it feel more cohesive. Showcasing that it is possible for a show of this nature to still be refined with newer elements. The first arc follows the typical monster of the week structure of classic series but tweaks in special ways. For one, there is constant development happening every episode despite its segmented structure. Be it large or small, some kind of progression is always happening making the plot flow much more smoothly than in a regular episodic anime. New characters, power-ups and other elements slowly get introduced overtime which allows for greater engagement. That being said, the traditional formula is still handled in a good and refined manner. Each new treat is unique and requires a different solution in order to defeat it. Every battle and enemy is unique and the different strategies being used allows for a larger variety of encounters.

They also have really good designs considering they are mostly to one per episode. There are very few super robots that have an equal of diversity and creativity when it comes to monster fights. The creators even went the extra mile of creating 2 unique eyecatch images for every single episode. Another factor contributing to the sheer of the series is the amazing OST. So many tracks that evoke the feeling of epicness and excitement. Having been at the tail end of the 90s GGG has some of the best classic cell animation for a TV show in mecha. It helps that it is the one show in the Brave series that has gained enough popularity to be well preserved. Most of its original quality has remained and its expressiveness can be put on full display. There even are some early uses of digital effects to help enhance some scenes. I do have to warn you that they went a bit too overboard with the use of effects in some scenes. This show may need an epilepsy warning for the intensity of flashing lights during certain sequences.

While characters and their development is not the strongest part of the show, they are still elements that help make it so fun. What the cast lacks in complexity makes up for in diversity, personality and charm. There is a wide range of likable and distinct characters in the whole world. Their simplicity on how they are written is almost an advantage as their individual characteristics get to shine a lot more. A good majority of the cast have straightforward but endearing traits and designs that still make them memorable even with not much depth. This extends past the human characters to the Brave mechs themselves. J-decker may have the best robot cast in the franchise, this entry is a close second with most of the Yusha shining in their own unique ways.

After the already great first arc, the show goes even further beyond with its later 2 storylines. Adopting a more serialized progression and amping up the intensity. The story may get dumber and more absurd overtime, what is getting better is just how enjoyable it is. Thinking is not what you want to do in the latter parts of the show, instead you sit back and have a good time being entertained by the sheer madness happening on screen. It is pure turn your brain off experience with just how ridiculous the story evolves into.

Gaogaigar is an excellent showcase of heart over mind. It is undoubtedly a kids show meant to advertise toys that the creators put all their passion into. Very few super robots are as hype, hot-blooded and highly entertaining to watch as this series. This one show pays tribute to the amazing genre with countless references and highlighting what makes these stories so fun and memorable. Sometimes, there comes a mood when all a story needs to do in order to make an impression, is to be the purest form of entertainment. All hail the King of Braves!!

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