First Impression: Garo Vanishing Line

Synopsis

This is world where monstrous beings known as “Horrors” exist and roam the night consuming people. Fighting against these monsters is a man named Sword with his partner Zaruba. In one mission he meets a young girl named Sophie, someone who too is looking into the mystery that is “El Dorado”. Though they go different ways their path is the same and thus their story begins.

The Good

When it comes to anime trying to merge in with certain Western themes, most often than not it either turns out rather stereotypical or rather awkward depending on the series. Not only does this series manage to find a balance. From the set-up to even the side characters that show up just once to the style of the camera movement and music, it alll holds a certain urban appeal to it and it was all in just one episode. It was almost like a mix between an action movie and a supernatural anime.

Then there is the protagonist, who, from appearance to personality s a refreshing change from the usual type of protagonist in this type of story. Usually we get either a regular joe protagonist who ends up getting dragged into the situation before something special is discovered about him or we get a brooding veteran, all tall and lean and mysterious. Not with this guy, what we get is this big muscular tank of a man with love for woman with big chests and food. Add to the fact that he has a talking ring/motorcycle companion and this writer can’t help but want to cry out “finally!” for something this different yet classic with a twist.

In terms of art, as stated the entire thing just has an urban feel to it. The dark tones, the angular lines and general style of the episode showed an interesting mix of western and classic art and resulting in something of a graphic novel coming to life. The same can be said about the monsters, with their distorted figures and surreal design they really stand out when going against the hero.

The Bad

While the main character established a strong execution and solid personality introduction, the same cannot be said about one of the clear female leads of the show. When Sophie was first introduced she seemed like a strong minded and determined girl who knew her way around the web and held a good amount of fighting skill under her small stature. But then she meets the enemy and yes, she manages to fight her way to an escape but at the same time she ends up as a typical damsel in distress.

Then there is also the factor of the hero’s explanation of his job and, “the horrors”, there could have been a more concrete exposition to the mechanics of the supernatural taking place. Like with the concept of his job and why exactly does he get his messages from a diner he frequents. Another flaw to find is with the execution of the action scenes. While it may suit with the general feel of character, there are moments when the action goes so fast that you can’t truly appreciate it. But then as a first episode, there is only so much judgement you can dish out when there is so room for growth and development

Conclusion

This is truly a supernatural action series with high potential to watch for the season. From its urban style to its adrenalin rushing music, there is much excitement to find with this series from just one episode shows much potential for the series. While the female character didn’t show the much of a good impression and the action scenes could have been laid out better, there is still room for the series to grow. With a refreshing new type but classic protagonist and an interesting story, you can expect a lot from the series.

Rating: 8.5/10