Nightside Tokusatsu: GARO

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2006-03-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

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2006-02-10T12:51:00.000-08:00

So I know it's been a while since the last installment, but I'm getting back to it, I promise! Ep 7 is coming soon.

Garo 6: BEAUTY

2005-11-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

Makai Psalm Number Thirty:

That shadow, that darkness, At the end of time, as it goes to Hell, The desperate efforts of darkness are not needed, It whispers to thee "You're destined to slowly run out of time", The dark planet's Yin self will come and obtain a new soul, Nails are the "truth", Teeth are the "past", When the colors of the rainbow bridge become pitch black, The damage from within will not disappear.

At night in the woods Kouga is chasing down a Horror. They have a running fight through and up the trees until they wind up in a Western style graveyard. The Horror is able to levitate several gravestones and hurl them at Kouga, who deflects them with his sword. As he leaps through the air and lands with his sword in the ground dispatching the hidden demon, a small dagger is flung from the shadows of the woods, which Kouga catches just before it hits him. Blood drips from his hand from catching it by the blade. He sees nothing as he looks around, Zaruba saying whoever it was already got away. As he looks at the blade he hears a man screaming in the distance.

Further into the graveyard a man is being pummeled by what looks to be a Lady of the Evening in a white Prince Valiant wig as the man's two escorts look on in horror. After being beat to unconsciousness she grabs his wallet and also the pocketbooks of the two girls. As they run away with their beaten friend Kouga appears, his Madou lighter shining its green light in her face. When he sees that she is not a Horror he turns and leaves.

Alone the woman hears a voice in her head saying she is what he needs, a black, solitary soul wandering the darkness. It offers for her to join with him, her blood and flesh will overflow with joy. She screams as the Horror possesses her.

At Kouga's mansion Kaoru is preparing to leave as Kouga walks in, his bandaged hand bleeding. Kaoru grabs his hand exclaiming that he is hurt and he pulls his hand away telling her not to touch. Gonza asks what happened and Kouga offers him the dagger. He is stunned by what he sees.

In the study Kaoru runs in complaining about the lack of first aid in the house. Gonza is saying this is a Haja Dagger, which can kill a human within minutes after being cut by it. In ancient times the Dagger killed many Makai Knights. Kaoru is running around panicking saying maybe they should call an ambulance and she runs out of the room again. As she leave Kouga tells Gonza it is time to use the Reverter. Gonza brings a box with assorted odd-looking vials and vessels, picking out one, which he gives to Kouga to drink. After drinking it Kouga uses the Madou lighter on the wound, holding it under his hand the green flame engulfs his palm, which completely heals. Kouga leaves, saying he is going to go see "the three little guard dogs".

At a dark and dingy nightclub the Lady of the Evening is drinking alone. The owner of the bar walks up and says she's had enough to drink. She goes into the bathroom where she looks at herself in the mirror and sees the Horror that has possessed her. Her head plunges down and comes back up with a different, younger and more attractive face.

Out in the parking lot the beautiful woman picks up a man who starts grabbing and kissing her. She says she is inviting him to Hell and grabbing him, sucks the life out of his body, which then explodes into fleshy chunks.

Suddenly all three of the fairy guardians wake up in their chairs. Kouga throws the Haja Dagger at the glowing girls and is intercepted by their "butler" Kodama. They ask how and why Kouga has it. He looks at them accusingly; saying the only one who can use it is a Makai Knight. They feign ignorance, asking if a comrade is after him. He turns from them saying "just add it to your collection".

Kaoru is getting ready for another job interview when some young thugs start hassling her. They start to drag her away to their car, trying to kidnap her when one is grabbed and thrown by a stranger in a long dark leather coat. The rest of the thug's gang shows up and tries to take him on. He deals with each of them easily and viciously. He really seems to enjoy beating up all six assailants. As they run away he walks over to Kaoru and asks if she will come with him.

He grabs her, noticing the ring that Kouga tracks her with and tries to pull it off, saying it's too cheap for her. She breaks away asking what he thinks he's doing. Showing more menace in his face, he replies that she is cute and her face suits her, but her screams will fit her better. "The next time we meet let's go on a date. Night would be best, for many reasons." He walks off leaving Kaoru wondering what the heck he is talking about and then realizes she is late for her interview.

On the way to the interview she talks to Dr. Ryuuzaki on her cell phone. He reassures her that her youth and vitality will assure her success with her dreams.

Back at the nightclub the owner is talking to the Lady of the Evening, saying that at this rate she'll have no more customers and that this club is the only place she can find business. They are interrupted by Kaoru, who is there for a job interview.

In a side room the owner tells Kaoru that the girls that work there tend to steal tips and cause trouble, but she assures him that she will be on the up and up. He has her start working right away.

In Kouga's training room Gonza asks who owns the Haja Dagger and Kouga replies that it doesn't matter, whoever it is he'll deal with him in kind. Zaruba interrupts to tell Kouga that "that girl" Kaoru is near a Horror.

At the nightclub Kaoru is working as a bartender. The owner asks her for a glass of water, but when she offers it a beautiful young woman take the glass before he can grab it. She drinks it all and flirts with him, then walks away. Like a magnate he is attracted to her and follows. In a back room he grabs her, when suddenly he sees it's the Lady of the Evening. Kaoru walks just as the Horror grabs the man and starts feeding until his body explodes into pieces. "Again?" she asks herself and starts running.

Out on a pier the Lady of the Evening has chased Kaoru to the water's edge. As the Horror takes some casual swings at her Kouga arrives, sword in hand. He tells Kaoru to run and without another word he and the Horror start fighting. Sitting on top of him, through a series of acrobatic moves she is able to wrap her legs around Kouga's neck, she asks, "doesn't that feel good?" The fight continues and the Horror is able to create hovering gravestones, which she stands on like a flying carpet, commanding the rest to pummel Kouga who fends them off with his sword.

He is able to destroy the gravestone she is standing on and hits her to the ground. As he readies for the finishing blow he senses something behind him and quickly moves his sword around to deflect another Haja Dagger. The mysterious stranger has returned. Kaoru recognizes him as her savior from early that day. He jokes, telling her that he said they would have a night date. With that he pulls out two short swords, holding them out like giant fangs.

He runs past Kouga, taking a swing at him as he passes and then attacks the Horror. He hits her several times and as she falls to the ground Kouga asks who he is. "Can't you tell? We are in the same profession." Kaoru is stunned "Another Makai Knight?" Kouga says the Dagger of Haja is his.

They both run at the Horror who transforms into its monstrous demonic form, defending and kicking both Makai Knights to the ground. They both recover quickly and while attacking the Horror they throw intentional swings at each other. The Horror picks up the Dagger and throws it at Kouga, who deflects it again with it almost hitting the interloping Makai Knight. Kouga transforms into GARO. The dark clad Makai Knight is about to transform as well when a voice very similar to Zaruba's but female intercedes, saying that tonight they are just observing.

Again the Horror blasts several flying gravestones at GARO who jumps up and uses the blocks as stepping-stones, jumping from one to another, leading towards the demon. He jumps from the final one down to the Horror, where he splits in half with the GARO Blade, and slices it again through the waist. The Horror reverts to the form of the beautiful woman and then to the older Lady of the Evening. As she dies she asks for help. She doesn't want to be a monster. GARO responds that it is too late, "that once you let a Horror possess you, your body is destroyed." She disintegrates into the night sky.

Zaruba comments on the poor woman, saying that if her thoughts had been more beautiful the Horror wouldn't have gone after her.

Kouga turns his attention to the dark-clad Makai Knight. He introduces himself as Rei Suzumura, otherwise known as ZERO. "ZERO?" Kouga asks. [Editor's note: "Rei" is a Japanese word for "zero"] Rei walks towards him saying, "You don't get the joke do you? Golden Knights sure are dense. I bet you don't know what I'm after either." He grabs Kaoru and asks "What if this is my target?" and kisses her hand. She slaps him hard and runs behind Kouga. Rei turns and walks away with a sly smile.

Kouga stares after him, a look of concern and determination etched in his face.

Garo 5: MOONLIGHT

2005-11-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Kouga is walking down a crowded urban street at night. He overhears bits of many different conversations. It seems there are stories and legends starting to circulate around town about shadowy demons and a golden knight who fights them.

A girl is walking down a darkened street talking on her cell phone about monsters that have been lurking in the city and possessing people. As she is talking she is grabbed from behind, her cell phone falling to the ground.

At Kouga's mansion Kaoru is drawing a portrait of Gonza standing in an awkward tai-chi type pose. Not able to take it anymore he falls to the floor as Kouga enters the room. He wants to know why Kaoru is there. She explains she was kicked out of her apartment and needs a place to stay, reminding Kouga that he wants her to stay close by. Kouga says she will have to work to earn her keep at the mansion.

Later Kaoru brings out a soup that she has prepared for Kouga. But he has Gonzo taste it first, unfortunately for him as he runs off gagging from the bad taste. Kouga tries it, saying it's terrible.

In Kaoru's room she starts on a new painting, a portrait of Kouga. Her thoughts drift to her parents, who died when she was young. Since being alone for so long she's not gotten along very well with family or boyfriends. As she works the radio in the background announces a murder that has taken place. 23 year old Reiko Sagashi was found dead in her apartment, the suspect was a man who also lived in the building, pharmacist Shitoshi Morino.

In a deserted industrial workspace the pharmacist Morino holds the cell phone girl captive. He has her in a headlock, threatening her with a needle with deadly poison in it. He says he does not intend to harm her but as she asks why, the door busts in and a cop, Detective Hanesawa runs in. He tells Morino to not add to his crimes and to let her go. Morino says he did not kill Reiko and that Hanesawa just has a personal grudge against him. The Detective says that Morino never changes and has been using the same excuse since high school.

Kouga is deflecting automated weapon attacks in his dungeon-like workout room when Gonza enters with a card. He stops his practice to walk over and pick it up.

Back at the stand off the Det. Hanesawa is trying to make a call, but he can't get through. He says he is not calling for backup anyway and wants to finish this man to man. Morino says he was dating Reiko, is that so unforgivable? Hanesawa says he's chasing him because he thinks he's the murderer and that he should surrender now. Morino counters that he has no motive for killing Reiko. As the argument between these two old school-mates goes back and forth the girl hostage gets fed up and starts yelling at them to stop fighting with her in the middle of it. She's not involved.

Suddenly Hanesawa's composure changes. He looks into the darkness beyond the pharmacist and hostage, seeing a shadow creeping along the back wall. Morino and the girl seeing his expression also look. Then a hand drifts across a windowpane behind the detective. All three look around nervously.

Out on an old, wooden, countryside bridge Zaruba is telling Kouga that this is bad, a Horror is already on the loose. A handbag lying on the bridge was left by a woman taken over by the Horror. Kouga ask why it's way out here and Zaruba answers that humans like this place. It seems it is known as a spot for committing suicide. As they talk a moth flutters by, leaving an iridescent trail of dust behind it. Zaruba says the woman's thoughts are bundled into it. Kouga says it is trying to tell him something and Zaruba replies that is it saying, "I don't want to die by becoming a monster. Cut off my dark half." Kouga decides to follow the moth.

At the industrial workspace the three are trying to break out of the building, but it seems to be impossible for them to open the doors and windows. The two high school rivals continue to argue back and forth. The angry girl wonders how after all that is happening they can keep this bickering up, they are not even thinking about the dead girl.

In the sanctuary of the three fairy guardians Keiru, Bell and Rose talk amongst themselves about the full moon. At its zenith the Horror, Lunarkin,will start to feed.

Kouga continues to follow the luminescent moth while Zaruba tells him that Lunarkin will lay dormant in the human host until the moon is full, in one hour.

Hanesawa is laying face down on the floor, he has been tripped by a disembodied hand. As he lays there, a horrid, ghostly woman's face flashes next to him. As Morino and the girl scream in terror, hands grip the pharmacist's shoulders and the ghostly head appears just in-between his feet. More hands grab at the hair of the terrified girl as the apparitions face appears above her as well. The whole place is invaded by the dead woman's shade.

The ghost grabs the girl and starts to drag her into the shadows, but she is able to break free. As she does the Detective draws his revolver and fires several shots into the cadaverous figure, which of course has no effect. Then Morino tries to stab her with his syringe of poison but is easily thrown across the room.

Unexpectedly the monster goes down as the screaming ex-hostage girl smashes its skull repeatedly with a large piece of wood. As the three recompose themselves Kouga tries entering the building but faces a supernatural barrier. He and Zaruba discuss the problems. The barrier is easy to penetrate, but the fact that there are humans trapped with the horror is troublesome since he does not want to reveal GARO to anymore people. The rumors are already getting pretty bad.

The three again try to escape, but as the full moon reaches its zenith the corpse girl springs back to life, this time covered in a cocoon of thousands of moths. Kouga enters and quickly attaches a piece of paper with a runic symbol to the foreheads of the three hostages, which causes them to pass out. As he faces the moth cocoon they explode away revealing the Horror Lunarkin, which unlike most other horrors is in the form of a beautiful woman swathed in a warm glow accentuating the very bright reds, blues and greens of her dress and red hair. At her command is a small levitating ball that looks like a miniature cratered moon but glowing orange and red, like molten lava.

She points at Kouga and the lava ball instantly shoots out, hitting him in the mid-section and smashing him against a wall. He pulls his Makai Blade to fend off the ball, which grows out viscous spikes that try to impale him. While fighting off the spiked ball he finds a chance opening and leaps at Lunarkin to slice her with his blade, but she easily defends with a force shield that tosses Kouga away like a rag doll. It is time to summon the GARO armor.

Kouga transforms into GARO, jumping at Lunarkin again. She tries to defend with her shield but it shatters under the GARO blade. She disintegrates into thousands of moths, which fly behind GARO and reforms again. She commands her spiked ball to make another attack but this time the GARO Blade pierces it, pinning it in mid-air.

This also affects Lunarkin who as she struggles painfully tells him "you don't understand a woman's anger or suffering". GARO retorts that he just doesn't understand a woman's heart, with that he twists the sword, making the glowing orb explode and in the same instant slashes the blade through the Horror. She disintegrates into thousands of moths again which also disintegrate. Zaruba says that the woman probably had troubles with a man, which created her dark half, which could be possessed by Lunarkin. Zaruba muses that though it is troublesome, the relationships between men and women are very interesting. Kouga simply says "To me, it's all nonsense".

At Kouga's mansion Gonza is setting the dinner table as Kaoru asks him about Kouga. She asks why he's always in such a bad mood, but Gonza says it's more like he is "cool". She says it's too flattering and he doesn't understand women and that he is weird. More thoughtfully Gonza tells her that Kouga lost his parents at an early age and that his only family is him, his butler. That's why he doesn't involve himself with other people.

In Kaoru's room she stares silently out the window at the moon. In the center of the room stands the finished painting of Kouga.

In a car mostly likely heading to the police station, the pharmacist Morino, the girl and Detective Hanesawa listen to the radio news. There is breaking news that the case of Reiko Sagashi has been solved. It seems an unemployed man had broken into her apartment to burglarize it. Reiko caught him in the act so he murdered her. The police offer their apologies to Morino. Later, in a public phone booth the girl continues her conversation with her friend from before the kidnapping, saying that she lost her cell phone. When asked about the city legends she says she has forgotten.

Garo 4: DINNER

2005-11-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

At a rural, countryside hospital a recovering patient talks to Doctor Tategami. He is awestruck with how the doctor has cured him. He puts a present on an in-table and says goodnight. As the patient walks towards the door the doctor sprouts hoses and tubes from the back of his head. Each is tipped with a pair of scissors, a scalpel or various other sharp surgical instruments. The tentacles grab the hapless patient and tear him to shreds. The doctor's tubes suck up the blood from the carnage. Two nurses arrive and finish off the scraps in a frenzied, bloody feast. Outside of the hospital Salva tells Kouga that he cannot detect the Horror within, he feels there is something very wrong about the place. They will come back tonight.

Since being thrown out of her old apartment for lack of rent, Kaoru Mitsuki has moved into her friend Asami's condo, but all is not going well. Her paint supplies have taken over the whole place. She offers Asami some soup for dinner and says she'll find a room soon. Asami takes a bite of Kaoru's meal, her expression turns to shock. Asami is being wheeled on a gurney through the halls of the hospital suffering from severe stomach pains. On another floor Kouga is wandering the halls, looking for the Horror he knows must be here. Salva tells him there must be a special force influencing the whole hospital, and blocking his powers. As Kouga walks up a flight of stairs he passes the doctor and two nurses, feeling something when passing them. He turns and tries to use his lighter to detect the Horror, but the flame dissipates in an unusable wisp. A nurse runs up and tells him he must not smoke in the hospital.

As Dr. Tategami walks away a woman confronts him, saying that her husband had been cured by him, and had come by to thank him but never came home. The doctor denies knowing what she's talking about. As he leaves Kouga walks up the woman and talks to her. She says the doctor saved her husband's life. "His operations are said to be 'God-like'. He works alone and no one is allowed to watch him as he operates". But she has heard a rumor that those who Tategami saves later die mysteriously.

In an operating room a body lies on a table as Dr. Tategami stands over it. As the tentacle-like tubes and hoses spring from the back of his head so he can operate, Kouga steps into the room. He confronts Tategami with his sword drawn, accusing him of eating people. But the doctor retorts that he is offering lost causes some time of happiness. But goes on to say that these people are now so happy to be alive that their bodies are full of life and vitality, which is of the finest delicacy, full of the greatest flavor.

With that Kouga attacks, but is held back by the nurses. He knocks them away long enough to spin his Makai Blade in the air in order to become GARO... but it does not work. The rift fades and vanishes with Kouga still standing there in astonishment. Tategami jokes, "smoking and summoning armor is not allowed in the hospital". The Horror shows its true demonic form, clashing with Kouga and sending him through a window to the lawn outside. Kouga tries to summon his armor again to no avail. Salva says the barrier is preventing his transformation. As Kouga fights off the nurses Salva scans the area, finding that a weather vane on top of the building is the source of the barrier's power. Kouga jumps to the roof but is hit by bolts of electricity and knocked back to the ground by a protective barrier around the weather vane. Tategami tells him that a Makai Knight cannot go near his totems. Salva talks Kouga into making a strategic withdrawal. At the black hall of the three fairies they taunt Kouga relentlessly for running away from such a weak enemy. While they talk the butler upgrades his Madou Flame lighter with a stronger green fire. Salva asks how he will attack the doctor and he says the totems will have to come down. Since a Makai Knight can't approach them, there's no way a human could either. But Kouga knows of someone who might be able to, someone who isn't a normal human. In a public park Kouga sees the woman from the hospital trying to comfort her son about his father disappearing. Kouga has a flashback to a little boy calling out for his Dad. He then walks over to the woman's son, telling him to be strong, then turns and marches off in earnest. Kaoru is talking to Asami in her hospital room when she accidentally cuts her finger. She runs out to look for a bandage but then runs into Dr. Tategami, who sucks on the cut. He senses that she is bathed in the blood of a Horror and then asks her to come with him. As he bandages her finger he says she is a very important patient for him. He says she is looking a little pale and offers to give her an examination. In a hallway Kaoru runs into Kouga who grabs her hand and leads her outside. He tells her that because she has been bathed in the blood of a Horror that she is the only one who can remove the totems from the weather vane. But as they talk the doctor shows up. He tells Kouga to hand over the exquisite meal. Kouga draws his sword and tells Kaoru to go quickly. The fight starts as she runs for the stairs leading to the roof. As Kouga grapples with the Tategami, the doctor asks if Saejima Tairo is Kouga's father. He says that Horrors devoured that last Golden Knight, and that it was a slow death. Tategami turns into the demonic Horror that he actually is, attacking Kouga with his surgical tentacles as the nurses attack him as well. Meanwhile Kaoru is struggling at the weather vane to get the paper totems off, but a nurse is grabbing her foot and trying to pull her down. She is able to knock the demon away and remove the totems. As the barrier goes down Kouga very quickly dispatches the nurses and swings the Makai Blade above his head, transforming into GARO. Now in his GARO armor Kouga smashes into the Horror. But it tells him that he brings joy to his patients. Their lives are heightened and they die at the climax of their happiness. Again Kouga has a flashback to a child calling out to his father. Enraged he shouts, "People who are killed do not feel joy!". As they clash Kouga ignites the upgraded Madou Flame under his sword. The green fire envelopes the blade, which he flashes through the air in an X pattern, creating a cross of green fire that flies through the air, smashing into the Horror. The green X flame then returns to GARO, enveloping him in a green flaming aura. GARO sweeps the GARO Blade towards the Horror, shooting the green flame in a tidal wave at it and cutting the demon in half. It turns human again, Doctor Tategami dragging himself towards Kaoru, asking to eat her as his last meal. Kouga curses him and cuts the Horror down.

As the GARO armor dematerializes Kouga falls to the ground. Kaoru runs to him asking if he is ok. He says "yeah... I'm starved."

"There are still many mysteries concerning the man, Saejima Kouga, but I'm sure of this much... He continues to fight to protect humanity. And that explosion of emotion, 'People who are killed do not feel joy!' ... it was a mix of sadness and anger. Those emotions made him seem very human."

Garo 3: CLOCK

2005-11-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

There are demonic beasts known as "Horrors" lurking in the darkness of the world. This is the story of a Makai Knight who hunts the Horrors. Do not avert your eyes from it.

Episode 3: CLOCK

On a rooftop overlooking a bustling downtown intersection Kouga waits for a Horror to appear. Salva says it will be hard to spot amongst all the people. Kouga muses as to why they are all in such a hurry. Salva pinpoints the Horror, directing them to an alley below. Kouga jumps.

In a subway tube two buddies are walking along when one finds a watch on the ground. As the finder puts in on and admires it, saying how it looks just like the one his Dad had given him as a kid, the watch springs out spider-like legs that burrow into the man's arm. He writhes in pain until his body is vivisected, falling into pieces which turn to dust as they hit the ground. His horrified friend runs in terror as Kouga arrives on the scene. He gives chase, catching the poor slob quickly. Kouga holds up his lighter, the green flame revealing the guy is not the Horror.

Mitsuki is on one of her many jobs, this time as a bicycle messenger. She is in a hurry and thinks to herself about how there is never enough time for anything and how it is passing her by.

In the black chamber with the three glowing girls Kouga is antagonistically chided and admonished by them for letting the Horror get away. He explains that this is not a usual Horror and that it eats people from the inside. That the Horror possessed another object, then entered the human and ate it. The girls congratulate him on figuring this out, telling him the Horror's name is Morax. They wonder what item it could have possessed as Kouga says that time is up and he must hunt it now. They chide him about Mitsuki again, reminding him that she must die. He reminds them that she is bait for the hunt, but then confirms that he will kill her when the time comes.

At Kouga's castle he and his butler Gonza are pouring through arcane books looking for information on Morax. Gonza finds a reference to "A Horror created by the Shade of time". They realize it possesses clocks and how difficult this will be since most everyone carries a watch, so it could be on anyone. They read further seeing that Morax destroyed an entire town in one night.

Mitsuki is on a messenger run which leads her to a magnificent western-style castle. She wonders what kind of person would live in such a place. She is greeted at the door by Gonza, who says he has been waiting for her. As she marvels at the interior Kouga comes down the stairs and Mitsuki, exasperated, turns to leave saying she must have the wrong address. Kouga says it's the right place as he called for the errand.

He tells her to keep away from all watches and in fact takes hers. She complains that time is very important for her job. He ignores this and says that also she must stay close to him. "It's troublesome if you keep wandering about" he says. Mitsuki is taken aback by this, not really understanding what he means and tells him she won't marry him.

As they bicker back and forth Salva interrupts saying it will be dark soon and he can feel the Horror moving. Mitsuki is startled again, this time wondering where that voice came from. She meets Salva, Kouga's talking ring. Instead of being frightened she is more amused and interested. Salva tells her that he is capable of sensing the location of Horrors and that the ring Kouga gave her previously is a part of him, so they know her location at all times. As she talks to Salva, Kouga interrupts saying there is no time for this, as he has to hunt.

On a high school sports track two girls are running a race. One girl, Ayano, sprints far ahead at a remarkable speed. The timekeeper is astonished as Ayano sets a new all time record.

In the locker room she talks about finding the watch and how it is her good luck charm. It helped her win the race. But as she is getting dressed Ayano starts laughing maniacally, her voice deepening demonically. Her legs turn to dust and she looks desperately at her friends, then completely explodes into a cloud of dust.

Just then Kouga enters the room. He sees the remains on the ground and quickly cuts all the watches off of each frightened girl. Salva says it's none of the watches he cut. As Kouga looks around the room a girl's hand touches a stopwatch, which springs out its spidery arms and latches onto her. She is immediately possessed, jumping out of a window to get away from Kouga.

He pursues her in an energetic and action filled chase full of acrobatic leaps and bounds through darkened alleyways and walkways.

At Dr Ryuuzaki's place he gives Mitsuki a manuscript for his new book that much be delivered immediately.

Kouga has cornered the possessed girl on a bridge. They fight, the girl throwing a powerful, superhuman kick that smashes Kouga against a railing. It gives her time to leap away, but unfortunately she leaps straight in front of a truck, which slams into her. The horror tries to drag the broken body away, complaining about how fragile humans are.

She climbs on top of the bridge railing and threatens to throw the body over if Kouga comes any closer. It realizes Kouga's weak point is that he holds human life precious. It laughs and jumps off the bridge. But Kouga jumps after her, smacking the possessed watch away from the girls wrist. He lands her safely on a passageway below. But only just in time for another passerby to pick up the watch and quickly become possessed.

There is a quick struggle but Kouga pins the Horror and pulls his sword. The Horror says to go ahead and kill her, knowing that he won't. But suddenly the watch pops off, falling into the river below.

A lost Mitsuki looks at a map while trying to find her way to the publishing company. As she passes a sewer drain a spider-legged watch sneaks out of it and starts following her, trying to jump onto her bicycle.

Kouga is running as Salva tells him to hurry because Morax is closing in on Mitsuki. As he reaches a clock tower he looks around for her, seeing just her bike lying on the ground. He looks up at the giant clock as Salva tells him the Horror is in there.

Inside the clock tower Kouga sees Mitsuki tied to a chair, which he quickly goes to so he can release her. He is cut off by a massive clockwork tentacle with an axe-like blade at the end of it. Kouga jumps away, tracking where the tentacle came from. The clock itself has contorted and twisted into a mechanical demonic face. It tells Kouga he is the first Makai Knight in history to get caught up inside of a Horror. Morax says that Mitsuki will be the finest of meals and he will rip her apart while savoring her flavor.

Not able to take any more Kouga draws his sword and charges the clockwork monster. But more and more mechanical tentacles, each with a different weapon attached, attacks him. He is only barely able to stave off the attacks, getting cut up and thrown to the ground. The Horror senses that Mitsuki is tainted by Horror blood and says that she must die anyway, so why not let him eat her. As Kouga continues fighting off the vicious attacks of the tentacles he says that even with only a little time left, humans have the right to live it to the end, "I won't let you have her!"

Kouga swings his sword above his head, opening the dimensional gate allowing his GARO armor to transform him. He has 99.9 seconds in his armor before it "changes".

With the added energy of the golden armor, GARO takes to the air with a powerful leap forward, crashing through the clockwork appendages, destroying them as he closes in on the giant clock face. As he reaches it, his sword slams into its forehead, shooting out sparks like a welding torch. The Horror realizes it is finished and asks what Kouga sees in humans. He replies they are worthy of his protection and pushes the sword all the way through Morax's clock face. He pulls the true body of the Horror out of the clock with his sword. "I will stop your evil time!" Kouga growls as the demon tries to fly free, only to be cloven in half by the GARO blade.

Kouga frees Mitsuki just as the clock tower collapses into rubble. She wakes up in his arms and starts struggling so he lets her fall to the ground. He puts her watch back on her wrist and tells her "use your time preciously" and walks away. She starts after him but realizes she is going to be late delivering her package and runs off on her bike.

"I want to open a personal exhibition and become an accomplished artist as soon as possible. But, I am just beginning to realize that in front of me an even bigger wall is building up."

Garo 2: SHADE

2005-10-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

There are demonic beasts known as "Horrors" lurking in the darkness of the world. This is the story of a Makai Knight who hunts the Horrors. Do not avert your eyes from it.

Episode 2: SHADE

Out in a secluded junkyard a businessman is talking to a sharply dressed woman about financial dealings. Before they had broken up he had given her 2 million Yen. She says not to worry because she can return twenty times that amount in a year. He is dubious and tells her he has researched the company that she works for and that it doesn't exist. He demands his money back or he'll contact the police. She says to be man and give it up and starts to walk away when shadows seep out of the ground and ensnare her legs. The shadows become chains and a Horror rises out of the ground to "eat" her. The businessman misses this because he has fallen. When he gets back up his Ex is standing there. She says she is hungry. He asks "for what?". And she says "YOU". Chains shoot out of her mouth and pierce the man as he screams into the night.

Mitsuki wakes up with a start from a bad dream. A man is banging on her door demanding money that she owes him. She jumps up and leaves on her bicycle. Later she is working at a "Melon Bread" stand when she sees Kouga walking by on the street. She follows after him just in time to see him disappear into a solid brick wall.

Inside Kouga faces another butler who stands silently watching him. He takes out his sword and inserts it into the mouth of a statue of a howling wolves head. Three glowing girls drift down out of the darkness. As Kouga withdraws his sword a small ornate dagger-looking device appears which the butler takes to the girls. "This is the twelfth one. Twelve is a number that can command demons. They will be sealed in Hell." Kouga turns to go. A girl says a new horror has appeared and the butler hands him an envelope, which Kouga burns with the green flame. The runic symbols form a message in the air" "A HORROR CREATED BY ATTACHMENT TO WEALTH. USES CHAINS AS ITS GATE" As Kouga leaves they ask why he did not kill the girl bathed in the blood of the Horror. He responds that she is now bait to lure the other Horrors. They approve of his intentions but remind him that he will have to kill her eventually and to not get too involved with her. "Be careful or you will die like your father did."

Mitsuki runs into Kouga on the street. He puts a ring on her finger, it is a present. He walks away while she reminds him to pay for her painting. "I will pay for it eventually".

The sharp-dressed woman from earlier is out in a remote area with a young woman. The girl wants to start a company and build a fortune just like Ms. Kujou has. Kujou says it looks like that dream will not come true. "Dreams should just die as dreams," she says as she throws money into the air. Her face shows the girl the Horror that she is and in utter terror the girl tries to run away. The Horror's chains shoot out to grab the girl and "eat" her as she dissolves into rivulets of streaming flesh.

Kujou stops abruptly as she senses something and bounds away with superhuman jumps. Just as she disappears Kouga shows up and inspects the area. There is money lying on the ground. He talks to Salva about using money to lure humans to their doom. He figures that losing one's life over money, the person would have gotten eaten anyway. "You have no interest in money? Since ages past, money has been the worst drug for mankind." Kouga says no, not interested. Salva retorts "So it's that woman rather than money, huh?"

Mitsuki is talking to a friend who is looking at her paintings. She says they are very good and will pay her at the end of the month. Mitsuki dreamily wonders to herself if there's an easy way to make lots of money. The woman tells her about an IT company that is looking for investors. "Supposedly she'll pay you back twenty time the same amount in a year!" Mitsuki thinks it sounds too good to be true and is suspicious. But her friend insists it's true.

Later at a seminar Ms. Kujou is describing how investors will make money from her company. Mitsuki is there and asks what the lowest amount to invest is. Kujou says 100,000 at which Mitsuki is taken aback. Kujou senses the Horror blood on Mistuki and her hunger is evident in her twisted, scheming smile. Outside of the seminar Ms. Kujou offers to give Mitsuki an opt-in at only 50,000, which she jumps at. They will meet later that night to exchange the money.

That night after Mitsuki has gotten an advance payment from her friend, we see Kouga at the seminar building. Salva is surprised to not only sense the Horror there but also Mitsuki. Inside Mitsuki hands 25,000 over to Ms. Kujou saying she'll have the rest later. She talks of her dreams to open a personal art exhibition. As Mitsuki heads into an elevator Kujou steps hungrily after but then stops when she feels a presence nearby.

She turns to see Kouga. "What do we have here? Who are you?" she asks haughtily. Kouga steps towards her stating "Your natural enemy." With that Ms. Kujou shoots chains out of her mouth at Kouga, which he easily avoids. Realizing this is not a regular human she runs. A running fight through the building ensues as she repeatedly tries to strike Kouga down with her chains.

As Ms. Kujou escapes, Salva says that the human the Horror has taken over is very athletic and that Kouga better get serious. He agrees and follows her to a parking garage where he demands Mitsuki's money back. Not because he cares about money, but it's for her future. "If you want it, then come and take it." Kouga draws his sword.

The fight starts in earnest with both opponents throwing punches and kicks, hurtling through the garage and landing on top of a car. Still they fight until Kouga jumps away from the car as Ms. Kujou changes into her true form.

The Horror sends out a barrage of barb tipped chains to attack Kouga, who can barely hold them back with his sword. She pushes forward bearing down on him with a combination of chain attacks and high-flying kicks.

Kouga knows it is time to ramp things up, spinning his sword in the air he opens the dimensional gate, creating the GARO armor around him. He has 99.9 seconds to fight in this form. He tells her "I will cut down your Shade for trampling on her dreams!"

Instead of waiting for GARO to take advantage she attacks first by snaring a car in her chains and throwing it him. GARO bursts through the car, shattering it as he slams into Kujou.

As they grapple she surrounds them both in chains and Salva warns that she is trying to take him with it.

With a burst of flexing strength he breaks free of the chains, leaping backwards into an attack stance. Instantly GARO leaps forward in a corkscrew dive, his sword flashing a red glow as it cuts through the Horror. Kujou explodes into shreds of shadow goo and broken chain. As he watches, the fragments of chain disintegrate into wisps of black smoke.

The next day Mitsuki is sitting on a bench outside, reading about the disappearance of Ms. Kujou when Kouga walks up. He hands her the money she had given to the Horror. She asks what happened to Ms. Kujou and he answers straightforward that a Horror had possessed her. "A Horror?" she asks. "A demonic beast that eats humans. It's my job to hunt them." She asks why monsters like that exist. "Since ancient times they've appeared through the evil and foolishness in human's hearts." Mitsuki is disheartened, "So I was targeted because of my heart is impure?". "No," he says, "You wish your dream to come true, your heart is pure." He turns to walk away. Mitsuki calls after him "What is this ring?" Kouga tells her it is a charm of protection and to take good care of it.

"As long as human's evil corrupts this world Horrors will keep appearing. So since ancient times the Makai Knights have been fighting them in secret. Saejima Kouga. I wonder why he saved me."

GARO 1: Picture Book

2005-10-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

There are demonic beasts known as "Horrors" lurking in the darkness of the world. This is the story of a Makai Knight who hunts the Horrors. Do not avert your eyes from it.Episode One: PICTURE BOOK

At an art gallery the proprietor is unpacking boxes when he hears a woman's laugh coming from within his warehouse. Looking around the laugh leads him to a box containing a painting of a beautiful nude woman. He is lustfully taken with her image. Then literally he is taken as the image comes to life and grabs him from the canvas. "Do you like young ones? Young women?" she asks. "Then you're the same as me," she says as she disintegrates into ribbons of black plasma and solid shadow. It invades the proprietor's body, taking possession of him.Somewhere in a darkened castle room we see Kouga fighting off giant swinging blades.

Lost in a dream, Mitsuki thinks back to her earliest memories as a child, which are of looking through a picture book about a knight in golden armor striking down terrifying monsters one after the other. But when she turns to the last page of the book, it is blank. Suddenly her vision turns dark as monsters of shadow crawl out of the ground. As they are about to engulf her they are struck down by a glowing figure.

Mitsuki wakes up in her apartment. She is an artist with her paintings hanging around and paint tools everywhere. Rapidly she starts sketching on a piece of paper. These sketches turn up at the art gallery as posters. She tells the possessed proprietor that she is in his debt for letting her hang them. He suddenly grabs her arm dragging her towards the warehouse, saying he has forgotten to clean back there. She breaks free of him because of a sudden vision of her childhood shadow monsters. She runs out of the building, visibly shaken.

Back at Kouga's "danger room" he staves off all manner of swinging blades.

Mitsuki is at Dr Ryuuzaki's house talking about her dreams of the monsters and the golden knight. It was her father who made the book. She wonders why he made it and why the last page is blank. Dr Ryuuzaki asks if she still has the book, thinking it is the key to solving the puzzle to her dreams. She doesn't have the book and he wonders if it was just an illusion in her mind. She says that she is nervous about how her new artwork is being received at the gallery. He says she is being "tormented by a monster called 'anxiety'".

At the art gallery a young woman asks indignantly about the weird paintings by Mitsuki. "You've laid your hands on her too, haven't you?" she accuses him. He smiles back, "If you want to go that far, then perhaps we should talk about this... over dinner". He grabs her by the wrists and starts to drag her towards the warehouse. She resists and he turns towards her. His face flashes, showing the Horror within him. "I've grown hungry" he says and grabs her as she starts to "unravel" ... her body becomes liquid and streams into his mouth.

Kouga ends his training session as his "butler" arrives. He says there is a new assignment. He hands Kouga an envelope, which he burns with a special lighter with a green flame. The envelope burst into flame and becomes a type of runic symbols floating in the air. The message reads: SIGNS OF CALAMITY ABOUND. A HORROR CREATED BY MAN'S INSOLENCE. SHOULD BE CUT DOWN AT ONCE.

Kouga stands outside of the art gallery, talking to his ring, Salva. It tells Kouga that they are close as it senses a strong aura of evil. Kouga steps confidently forward into the gallery.

Inside the gallery Mitsuki has also just shown up. She looks around for the proprietor but instead encounters Kouga. He roughly grabs her by the throat and braces her against a column as he brings out his lighter. He scans her with its green flame, finding nothing but a human girl. Just then the proprietor shows up, calling to her. She runs frightened from Kouga's grasp, hiding behind the proprietor.

"Do you need something, sir?" the owner asks. Kouga says he's looking for someone, but it looks like he mistook her for somebody else. The proprietor asks him to leave but Kouga says he is thinking of buying a painting. Excited by the prospect of selling her work Mitsuki hopes the owner will go ahead and sell now instead of waiting until tomorrow when the exhibit is to open.

Kouga steps up to a painting and says he wants this one. He wants to hang it in his house tonight and asks if she can deliver it right now. Then Kouga turns his attention to the proprietor stating it seems he has more interesting paintings. The proprietor leads him to the warehouse. Kouga asks about the box which had contained the painting of the nude. The proprietor says there's nothing in it. Kouga states, "you ate it... or, it ate you".

Surprised, the proprietor turns to face the green flame of Kouga's lighter. He is the one. The proprietor leaps away in a flash as a barrier goes up around the gallery.

Mitsuki tries to take the painting off of the wall but it wont budge. She tries the exit but the door won't budge either.

Kouga's ring Salva tells him that this is the Horror known as "Anglais". "The woman-eating type I hate..." he replies. There are paintings in this room, all of which are red figures, looking almost like different Kanji. Suddenly two of the paintings spring to life and a fight ensues between Kouga and these two red demonoids. He dispatches both with his sword and they explode like a water-splash.

Mitsuki is waiting in the main gallery when the owner shows up. He says Kouga is a degenerate and he has called the police. He says he'll take her home and then grabs Mitsuki and starts to walk away with her. They are stopped by Kouga who says he enjoyed the trap.

The Horror/proprietor finally realizes who Kouga is... "You're a Makai Knight, aren't you?" He grabs Mitsuki by the neck as a shield and then shoots green/black goo out of his mouth at Kouga. He easily dodges it, running for the Horror. The proprietor throws Mitsuki at him and she glances off of him, hitting the wall, knocked unconscious.

A viscous fight erupts as Kouga and the proprietor go hand to hand, hitting and kicking each other across the gallery. It ends with a hard strike of Kougas sword hilt in the owner's neck. He goes down. But suddenly he is jerked up as if a marionette on strings. His back expands like a balloon and then he bursts, showing the true form of "Anglais".

The demon jumps around the room and then becomes shadow, sliding around at super speed across the floor in order to lose Kouga's tracking of him. Then the shadow disappears into a painting, successfully losing Kouga's notice.

Kouga brings out his lighter and scans the room through its green flame. As it crosses one painting the flame flares up. This is the one. He blows the flame at the painting and on impact it starts to morph into the shape of the Horror Anglais. Kouga tells Mitsuki to run, but the doors still won't budge, so she hides behind a column. Kouga pulls his sword and whirls it above his head creating a dimensional rift from which his GARO armor forms around him.

Anglais tries to charge Kouga as the armor forms, but is blocked by GARO's sword. Anglais flies backwards across the room in a mess of tar-like shadow material. When GARO's transformation is complete Mitsuki has a flashback to the golden warrior of her picture book.

Anglais shoots stream after stream of tar-like material at GARO with no effect at all, the black goo vaporizing on contact. Anglais tries another attack by growing wings, but as he flies up in the air GARO jumps at him and uses his finishing blow to cut the Horror in half. Anglais explodes. The tarry shadow substance hits Mitsuki.

Mitsuki asks who GARO is. But instead of answering he raises his sword to her, asking why she didn't escape. "Those who touch the blood of Horrors shall be killed. That is the law." As he raises his sword to strike her down Mitsuki faints, the world goes dark.

Salva asks why he hesitates, the smell of blood on her will attract more Horrors. Kouga answers that the Horrors will appear close to her. If she lives the hunt will be easier. She is now bait.

Mitsuki wakes up in her apartment, thinking it was a dream. But Kouga is there, he tells her it's not a dream, but he will not kill her. She asks again who he is. He says he saved her and that's all the thanks he gets? "You carried me" she asks. "You are heavier than I thought" he responds. As she gets up in anger he says "You seem to be alright" and turns to leave. She is angry because she was about to have her first exhibit but now it's ruined. How can he just mess up people's lives and then leave?

He says he's sorry for deceiving her but he really does like the painting. He says it reminds him of his hometown. He will still buy it. Kouga walks off with it and Mitsuki suddenly realizes he didn't pay her.

"The Golden Knight that was painted in a picture book in my memories had suddenly appeared before me. But it was just the beginning to a new legend about to start."

GOLDEN KNIGHT GARO

2005-10-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

From ancient times the MAJU (Evil Beast) “Horror” have plagued mankind. There are those who have continued to protect mankind from the MAJU secretly. It is the single bloodline of the MAKAI Knights who have the power to defeat MAJU. A mysterious young man living in an old castle, Koga Saejima, has the proof of the highest ranked MAKAI Knight, the golden armor inherited by the Golden Knight GARO. The holy blade of the Golden Knight hunting down evil MAJU tears apart the nightside of the city... Koga transforms via a dimensional gateway opening to the MAKAI Realm of Spirits. As GARO, Koga has a time limit of 99.9 seconds. When the time limit is nears its end, his armor begins to change. When transforming, the sword Koga normally carries, the MAKAI Blade changes to GARO Blade. GARO was created by famed experimental director Keita Amemiya. His sometimes controversial productions include the brilliant Iron Armor Mikazuki, Zeiram I & II, Moon Over Tao, Hakaider, Mirai Ninja (known in the states as Cyber Ninja or Future Ninja) and the currently running anime series Tweeny Witches. Amemiya first came to my attention because of his extensive use of stop motion animation for his monsters in such productions as Kamen Rider ZO and Hakaider.

CREW:

Production and Story: Garo Production Committee

Project Supervision:Amemiya Keita

Script: Kaji Ken Ware; Kobayashi Yuuji; Taguchi Megumi

Action / Stunt Supervisor: Yokoyama Makoto

SFX Supervisor: Kosaka Ichi Jun (Omnibus Japan)

Executive Producers: Ninomiya Kiyotaka (Northeast New Corporation);Kubo Satoshi (Bandai Visual); Shiraishi Makoto (TV Tokyo Channel 12, Ltd)

Producers: Hattori Hiroyuki (Northeast New Corporation); Koichi Ishida (Broad Max); Nakagawa Junpei (TV Tokyo Channel 12, LTd)

CAST:

Kouga Saejima /Golden Knight Garo: Hiroki Konishi

Kaoru Mitsuki: Mika Hijii

Rei Suzumura / Silver Fang Knight Zero: Rei Fujita

Gonza Kurahashi: Yukijirou Hotaru

Kodama: Mark Musashi

Koichi Kato: Yu Tokui

Asami Shinohara: Mina Fukui

Kuon Ryuuzaki: Masaki Kyomoto