Overview
The Guyver is believe it or not is a Tokusatsu, (I know I was suspense to when I found out that this anime was a Toku too) what was the main inspiration for the Guyver and it being a Toku was the created of the manga Yoshiki Takaya, Takaya was a big fan of Toku himself and put in the best of 70's Toku in the Guyver. How the Guyver became popular and notes in America was the 2 live action movies, mind you the first movie was like crap and the 2nd one is well receive by many of it's fans. The anime it self has been well receive by both anime fans, and Toku fans for being dark, VIOLENT AS FUCK, and great writing, even tho the 2nd half is not the best (that will be explain latter on in the review). So is the Guyver as good as people say? Why is the 2nd half not so spectacular? And why is this so good? We'll armor up because this is the Guyver Review.
The Show
Episode 1 "Genesis of The Guyver": The show begins with an old man who is badly injured who looks like he is going to die and makes a phone call saying he has the Guyver units and will give them to a mysterious person who we latter see it is Agito Makishima. The old man is trying to keep the Guyver units away from Chronos who want to take over the world led by their leader Richer Guyot. Latter we see our main Charter Sho Fukamachi as well his friends Tetsuro and his sister Mizuki, the old man from earlier then decides to sacrifice himself when Zoanoids (the Zoanoids are muted monsters that can look like anything from reptiles, to mammals, to bugs) are after him, Sho was just one day walking home from school and decided to go through the forest with his friend Tetsuro and then he finds the Guyver 1 unit which transform (that semi tentrapes him) him into the Guyver (which means out of control). I really do love the Guyver's design, it's simplistic with the body but the head is complex with like a Guangzhou head fin and breathing tube son the sides of the head, also given the fact this suite is just about all organic this suite really looks cool in my option. But Sho and Tetsuro is faced by an Zoanoid until Sho fights for the first time as the Guyver and he slaughters him, seriously this show is super bloody and grim. We can also see that the Guyver has many attacks like his side blades, able to focus gravity in a ball, can fly (mutilate gravity but same thing) lasers from his head, he can also run as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog, and when times get serious his final weapon is his Mega Smasher which is a giant blast of energy from his chest that destroys anything. Also when the Guyver get's hurt he can heal himself as long as the control metal is in tact the Guyver can live, but if it's damage the controller will die and suffer a horrible death which is what happen to Guyver 2. Also at the end of an episode it also show data files on the Zoanoid and also when it shows the Zoanoids it uses the toys figures that were available at the time which I personally like. In the final episode when the Guyver dies by one of his most powerful enemy Enzyme (personally I like the 2nd season design looking both bug and animal) and both Tetsuro and Mizuki are kidnap and put into prison by Chronos, Agito reviles that he is Guyver 3 who has been helping Sho. And the Guyver unit shows that as long as control metal is intact and if you die you still can come back to life. The biggest twist if the show is Aliens created humans use for weapons (which I guess this means that Scientology really is the true religion after all), And then Sho and Agito fight to defeat Chronos tougher by using their Mega Smasher and defeats Chronos Japan. This was an excellent first season and it had a lot of realistic and insetting elements that made this enjoyable, this was a Toku and something different at the same time and both elements are well excited greatly but you then come to the 2nd season. Episode 7 "The Battle Begins": In the 2nd half is where things get's lack luster, what happen is that the 2nd half is where the animation budget get's cut in half it felt different, and it was not as the same as the first half, the most disappointing thing their is their was things introduce and then forgotten. In the 2nd half we are introduce to a new charter like Masaki Murakami who first appear is a guy in mystery and the only thing we learn about him his is a journals but also we learn about him he can control Zoanoids with thought and latter he is an Zoalord (nothing explain to us what a Zoalord is in this series). And their is also a new villain Dr. Hamilcar Barcas, the co-founder chronos (mainly that is the only thing about him), their is an new and powerful Zoanoid called Aptom which can turn into other Zoanoids and have their power too, and looks impressive in AptomII which is cool. And the show ends on a cleft hanger like it looks like Guyot coming back to life but like their was not another sequel expanding and it just ends, which makes this a GIANT lack luster of an ending.
The Charters
Sho/ Guyver 1: Sho can be describe as your average teenager who one day stumble a pond this great thing that gives him power, Sho is worrier that he himself could go out of control and murder everyone, he even says that when ever the Guyver meat someone he destroy them (or something like that). He always defeat the enemy and always find new trick to defeat them. Sho is voiced by Tom Fahn who also voiced Agumon from Digimon Adventure.
Side Charters: Sho is the only one who get's the most development as a charter and everyone else either have little charter or no charter at all.
Side Charters: Sho is the only one who get's the most development as a charter and everyone else either have little charter or no charter at all.
The Music
I sadly could not find too much on the music but I could be wrong on that (if you know the soundtracks for the show then please tell me because I would greatly approach it) but with that out of the way a lot of this music was pretty grate with all the insure songs being good for what they are. The Opening "Bio Booster Armor Guyver" (yes that is the name for the opening) starts off slow and then a loud sound of trumps of and dumb beats, the background singers also do a great job as well, then when the singer says "GUYVER you can't help your self to sing too. The guitar in the song is also great and same can said for the mysterious like sound in the song. "Guidepost -Alien's Messiah" (first end theme) I like but has weird opening till you get to the trumps and the drums, the song is laid back with mellow beats (but the first part is so weird) and you can't help yourself from a addicted beats. And now for Digi-Ranger Jukebox recommendation, "Guyver!! Another Me" (2nd End theme) it starts off slow and builts up to a rocken beat, it's addicted and I do love the stops on the song and it's just fantastic to hearer.
The Good
The Fight Scenes and Animation: The fight scenes are all well done with either looking like it's from a Toku or being super violent and bloody like it's something from Mortal Kombat, and each scene is very well animated that I do think some of this animation looks better then some other 90's anime.
The Designs: Their was a lot of fantastic looking Designs for this show like each Zoanoids looked unique and different, The Guyvers themselves all looked cool and Guyver 3 is the best looking, and my favorite looking Zoanoid have to be a beetle one called ZX-Tole (sometimes pronounce like Zecter from Kabuto).
The Writing: The writing for this show makes it a very realistic show and makes this that this could happen in real life. The realistic elements are like the Sho reviling he's the Guyver to other people, or Sifi elements like humans were created from Aliens, or darks elements like the Main hero killing his father. This is some very well done writing at it's great to watch it
The Villains: These are villains that you do not wana mess with, for Chronos their is no 2nd chances when you screw up you become a monster, these villains always come back stronger and more powerful then the last time, it's only because of the Guyver 3 that Sho can beat them, because other wise he die.
The Bad
The 2nd half: Like I said before the 2nd half is where the show is where things we're introduce and then dropped or forgotten and the worst part is that the ending is a Clift hanger and dosen't end the show properly, I sourta recommend just not counting the 2nd halfin general.
The Audio: The Adio for this show is really screw like it's bad. Sometimes the charters talked to soft or it had a glitch in the speaking but this is mainly for the English DUB. And speacing of which the DUB is not the best DUB their is even tho you gout voice actors like Sreve Blum, Melissa Fahn, and Derek Stephen Prince in this show.
Final Verdict
Normally I would give the Guyver an 8/10 This is a really good show but it has a 2nd half that hurts the show. But you know what the first half is really good that I give it a
10/10
and sence it's been forever sence I given this award The Guyver get's
Normally I would give the Guyver an 8/10 This is a really good show but it has a 2nd half that hurts the show. But you know what the first half is really good that I give it a
10/10
and sence it's been forever sence I given this award The Guyver get's
The Prodigious Award Seal of Approval™
an award reserved for only the best of the best and must be seen by all.
an award reserved for only the best of the best and must be seen by all.
This is without a doubt my favorite anime of all time and one of my top Tokusatsus of all time. If your tired of Tokues that are to kitty and want something different then this might be for you. Of you want another Dark and 80's Toku then I recommend Kamen Rider Black, and if you want anime with awesom fighting then their's always the classic Dragon ball.
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