Garo GOLDSTORM Shō, episode 1: "Sword"

[Toku Prime]

OK, it's the fifth live action Garo series, the sequel the Yami o Terasu Mono / The One Who Shines in The Darkness. And as I'm ever the optimist I thought I'd make a thread again.

Shall we get the headlines out of the way first? Yes, there is a physical Garo suit in this series and yes, Ryuga wears the armour for more than just performing the final blow. In addition last week's 'making of' special promised that Goldstorm would completely ditch the episodic nature of previous Garo series in favour of being an ongoing serial.

Ryuga's suit has had an upgrade since the end of 'Yami' (I assume that he received it in the Goldstorm movie, which serves as an "episode 0" for this series). Even Zaruba got a visual upgrade. Despite bringing back the physical suit, I'd say the CGI in this episode is up there as a good contender for the best we've seen yet in the Garo franchise. It also cheered me greatly to hear that JAM Project are back on form with the opening theme.

And yes, in the year in which Garo celebrates it's 10th birthday they hired the actor who played Kamen Rider Decade. The irony.

 

[Hangyakuno]

YEAHH!!! Love this series!

Actually they already try to ditch that episodic nature in Yami. That is what make Yami feel so different from its prequel beside armor problem.
But I don't know if they still hold on rule "Enemy's big boss isn't true big boss" because this is first time for Garo's main badguy identity come out too early. Even in Makai Senki, Sigma still use mask to hide his face.

 

[Zensrive]

Yay, Ryuga and gang is back!
Despite its many kamen rider-esque feels, I like YamiTeruMo

 

[Toku Prime]

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the end theme and visuals. I kinda liked the little skits of Kaoru painting or Mayuri exploring the Saezima mansion.

Actually they already try to ditch that episodic nature in Yami. That is what make Yami feel so different from its prequel beside armor problem.

The making of special seemed to disagree. And I recall Yami as being pretty episodic, though I must admit I haven't re-watched it since it finished airing. One of the things Garo does a lot is introduce the arc in the first episode, then for the next three quarters of the series they just mention it every other episode without adding any extra information or advancing that plot in any way. Makai Senki was the one where it annoyed me the most (he has a magic timebomb attached to him, but apparently it's not worth his time to do anything about it) but Yami was also rather fond of repeating the same old "this is what we know" speech. Thankfully the anime largely did away with that in favour of an actual ongoing plot (the heroes win, the heroes lose, they learn and grow and come back stronger) and I hope that this series will follow suit.

But I don't know if they still hold on rule "Enemy's big boss isn't true big boss" because this is first time for Garo's main badguy identity come out too early. Even in Makai Senki, Sigma still use mask to hide his face.

I don't think Decade and his gf will be the big boss. The pre-series description described him as more of a 'rival' character. Just judging by the first episode I'd say whatever that sword in the stone was keeping sealed away is more likely to be the big final Horror.

 

[Dragonfan]

I am surprised about how a lot of people consider selfcontained or episodic narrative a flaw, when, like or not, it's a choice as good as any other.

Talking about this episode, the fact that both horrors of the episode are CG is coincidence or we really going back to that? Because if it is the later, that would be even worse, considering that we have a real suit but only for the summoning part, because there is no real suit for it to interact with.

Well, looking at the bright side, at least this time they have different designs...

 

[lazycoconut]

Rian is ghastly. She was ghastly in the last series, and she's ghastly now. I wasn't wild about Takeru and Aguri but at least when the camera was on them, it wasn't on Rian. Ryuga still does not appeal to me much more than he did last year although I think his actor has improved. Jinga and Amily might well be the saving grace of this show for me, I'm a sucker for sexy villain duos

 

[Toku Prime]

I am surprised about how a lot of people consider selfcontained or episodic narrative a flaw, when, like or not, it's a choice as good as any other.

I agree that one isn't inherently better than the other. I just get wound up by the way Garo in particular has done their over-arching plots in the past (and I couldn't tell you why it winds me up for Garo when most Rider and Sentai shows do the exact same thing and it doesn't bother me). I was more positive than most about the last live action series, Flower of Makai, because I think it had some of the best stand-alone episodes in the franchise.

Talking about this episode, the fact that both horrors of the episode are CG is coincidence or we really going back to that?

We've had mostly CGI Horrors ever since the first Garo series. The only time I can think of when Garo got a lot of in-suit Horrors are when they start relying on the generic footsoldier type for a number of episodes.

 

[Dragonfan]

We've had mostly CGI Horrors ever since the first Garo series. The only time I can think of when Garo got a lot of in-suit Horrors are when they start relying on the generic footsoldier type for a number of episodes.

That's... not true. Garo, Garo Makai Senki and Garo Makai no hana have almost every horror done with a suit.

In the first season the only horrors I remember who where CGi are the clock one, the clown, and the dragon guardian if we want to count that (even Humpty, that giant one, was done with a real suit).

I should look at the other two seasons, but more or less that's the count, 2 or 3 by season.

On the other hand, Yami wo terasu mono had all of them CGi (except the basic ones, that didn't appear as much), so that's why I'm worried about. Even more considering that this is the first time the show us the new suit, so the best option should've been use it a lot to boast a bit, not just a second and then CGI all the way.

 

[Hangyakuno]

That's... not true. Garo, Garo Makai Senki and Garo Makai no hana have almost every horror done with a suit.

In the first season the only horrors I remember who where CGi are the clock one, the clown, and the dragon guardian if we want to count that (even Humpty, that giant one, was done with a real suit).

I should look at the other two seasons, but more or less that's the count, 2 or 3 by season.

On the other hand, Yami wo terasu mono had all of them CGi (except the basic ones, that didn't appear as much), so that's why I'm worried about. Even more considering that this is the first time the show us the new suit, so the best option should've been use it a lot to boast a bit, not just a second and then CGI all the way.

There is real costume Horror in eps 00. Maybe it will appear later in series.

Non-CGI-Horror usually is just normal human actor with terrifying make up or dress.
When they try make it as real costume, sometimes it is not as scary as actor with ghost make up

 

[cosmos89]

Is it just me or the actress who plays Rian looks abit different from before?
I feel she looks better in the first series.