Snapshots: Golgo 13 April 12
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The rest of this year’s anime can be cancelled, all you need is Golgo 13 (ゴルゴ13), 50 rock hard episodes on Fridays at 25:23, broadcast by TV Tokyo.
Golgo 13 is not like other titles. Saitou Takao’s manga started its publication in 1968, and now, at age 71, he’s still leading the staff working on what has become a 148 volume monstrosity. In terms of volumes published, it’s probably only rivalled by Akimoto’s Kochikame at 159, also still running. Over the years there have been two live-action movies, one animated feature film and one OVA, but now the time has finally come for an animated series. Picked to direct it is Ooga Shunji, a veteran who’s worked on a number of Soreike! Anpanman movies. The script writing is coordinated by another veteran, Iioka Junichi, who’s worked on Lupin III and Detective Conan.
The entire show revolves around Duke Tougou, an assassin for hire who goes by the codename “Golgo 13″ - a top class sniper with a heavily modified M16 as favourite weapon. His origin remains unknown to the world’s intelligence agencies, but he’s commonly believed to be oriental, with MI6, CIA and KGB assuming at least partial Japanese heritage, and he’s estimated to speak at least 18 languages. The series is of episodic nature, with each week chronicling how Golgo 13 goes through preparations and execution of his mission. Hopefully this short summary of the first episode will be helpful: Golgo 13 is hired for an assassination at a joint request by the FBI and the CIA, orders a custom made sniper rifle, fucks a hooker so hard she wants another go, kills off five mafioso on a revenge strike, picks up the modified rifle, flies over to the site in a propeller plane, then pops the target between the eyes at a distance of 2 km.
The animation is done by The Answer studio, who have only really got FLAG behind them, and they’ve produced a dark and gritty show, where the coarseness is increased through the addition of what looks like a noise filter. It isn’t pretty, but it works to the show’s advantage. Character design is particularly interesting, with Golgo 13 himself frozen in a perpetual scowl that sends chills down your spine. For the role of Duke Tougou they’ve cast established actor and singer Tachi Hiroshi, who’s played in a number of TV dramas and films, here making his debut in anime. It’s a cold voice, and the character rarely speaks unless it’s really necessary, but it’s efficient when he does. The rest of the cast is made up of veterans like Arimoto Kinryuu and Tanaka Kan, who populate the various characters the protagonist meets without standing out. Bonus points if you spot the woman Fujimura Ayumi (Nene in Touka Gettan) plays.
The emperor has arrived. Few shows can manage to be this hard-boiled, with sex and violence fitting smoothly within the setting of the series, not feeling tacked on and gratuitous. It makes it clear from the get-go that Duke is the meanest bastard you’ll ever see, and someone you’d only mess with once in your lifetime. It’s dead serious without a speck of humour, and it’s refreshing to see a production like this in a time where it seems impossible to make a thriller without splicing in a bit of comic relief. Instead testosterone oozes out of every frame, leaving me with a grin from ear to ear. Golgo 13 is a series to enjoy.
Personal note: I’ve been writing these snapshots for nearly a year now, starting with the lovely Dennou Coil, hoping to introduce TV anime Omni didn’t have time to cover. However, these past couple of weeks have made it clear that my style isn’t suited for the audience of Random Curiosity, making the section’s continued existence pointless. This will be my final entry, and I wish Omni the best of luck with the blog.
GlG at 12:18 am on April 12th, 2008
not too good but first comment
frubam at 12:26 am on April 12th, 2008
Ahh, you let the stupidity get to you huh? Well, I, for one, thank you for your contributions. It did feel like this season brought out some asshats here, but maybe thats just me >.>
Anyways,I couldn’t get into Golgo 13 back when MB had licensed/released it. Of course, it was probably too mature for me at the time, so maybe its time to see what all the hype was about(assuming this was as good as people said the original was).
dxanato at 12:30 am on April 12th, 2008
I like snapshot section and sad to hear it will stop. I enjoy reading anime that is not always the most commonly known. Well I wish you the best of luck.
finalnight at 12:35 am on April 12th, 2008
yeah, too bad your quitting, was nice to get all the new series in one spot. looking forward to golgo.
asdas at 12:37 am on April 12th, 2008
i will taste it
flou at 12:37 am on April 12th, 2008
Thank you for your contributions. I wish you would stay on since I really enjoyed reading your entries, but I guess the idiots have the last say D:
kadian1364 at 12:40 am on April 12th, 2008
Ah well Patrik, what you wish to do with your time is your own personal decision. Some people don’t appreciate that you’re doing a service for them, and think they’re entitled to things they don’t deserve. Thanks for your hard work during your time here.
GDP at 12:46 am on April 12th, 2008
Hmm, no more snapshots? That’s a bit of a shame. Probably wouldn’t have heard of many of these anime without ‘em. At any rate, thanks for the snapshots writing that you’ve done up ’til now.
Firseal at 12:49 am on April 12th, 2008
I regret seeing this section go. I don’t normally read (and never post) in comments, but its a must this time. I regret seeing this portion of the site abandoned, but if the stress of doing it (and it sounds like that stress is named and persistant) then you have to do what is best for you.
Good luck and Godspeed.
Ee at 12:53 am on April 12th, 2008
Oh, Patrik.
Thanks for everything you’ve done! I really hate to see you go.
Good luck wherever you go.
mikitoru at 1:00 am on April 12th, 2008
Snapshots is my favourite part of this blog ;______;
Thanks for writing it for thus long. It’s been a good year.
exar at 1:00 am on April 12th, 2008
i thank you deeply for you hard work…without you i would not have known much baout the series. Im hoping to watch this series. but like Ee, i also hate seeing go.
Good Luck
Mike at 1:06 am on April 12th, 2008
really a damn shame you leaving, thanks for doing what you did. It was an invaluable service.
Golgo_Fan at 1:11 am on April 12th, 2008
Omni: I hope you can keep this anime, becuase it’s alright. You said that “Golgo 13 is a manga series that started in 1968 and has been going ever since then” thats so awsome! Also you said that “The title character is an expert assassin who has no allegiances and no morals” i wonder if thats true.
I heard that “Nijuu Mensou no Musume” is a pretty great anime but for some reason i don’t really like the characters. “Itazura na Kiss” is for girls put i think it can be for guys also, it looks very Decent. Omni i don’t under stand why some animes come out 23:32 or 10:32 what does that mean. One day i was waiting for “Wagaya no Oinarisama” on Sunday at 11:00 but it did not come why is that? -confused-
“Zettai Karen Children” is very cool also, hey Omni did you watch any Disney movies when you were little if you did hears some news.
The Walt Disney Studios previewed 10 animated movies on Monday that it will release during the next four years, including further installments in the “Toy Story” and “Cars” series and two new fairy tales.
With the exception of “Wall.E,” a robot love story opening on June 28, and “The Princess and the Frog,” a hand-drawn animated fairy tale set in New Orleans and due to open Christmas 2009, the remaining eight movies will be made in digital 3-D.
“We’re excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way,” said John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. Digital 3-D still requires moviegoers to wear geeky glasses, but the left- and right-eye images are calibrated so finely that most viewers experience no headache or eyestrain.
The first Disney digital 3-D movie for release is “Bolt,” the story of a dog of the same name who thinks he has superhero powers. John Travolta gives voice to Bolt while hit teen singer/actress Miley Cyrus is voicing Bolt’s owner Penny in the movie, due to open on November 26.
“Up,” the story of an unlikely 78-year-old adventurer and his 8-year-old sidekick, is due to be released on May 29, 2009. “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2″ are due to be re-released in digital 3-D on October 2, 2009 and February 12, 2010 respectively, while “Toy Story 3″ is due to hit screens on June 18, 2010.
All the original cast from the previous “Toy Story” films, including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack, are returning for the third film, which picks up with Andy grown up and about the head off to college.
The classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Rapunzel,” about a girl trapped in a tower whose long golden hair is the only way for anyone to climb up to her, will be released at Christmas 2010.
Next comes “Newt,” a story of the last two blue-footed newts on the planet that aims to show that love is not a science, which is due to hit screens in summer 2011.
Another new original fairy tale, “The Bear and the Bow” — an action-adventure about a royal family in rugged and mythic Scotland — is slated to open Christmas 2011 starring the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson.
“Cars 2,” in which Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater bid to take on the world’s fastest cars, is due for release in summer 2012. “King of Elves,” based on a 1953 short story by Phillip K. Dick, will hit screens at Christmas 2012.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols)
Sarukah at 1:22 am on April 12th, 2008
Dang, that really sucks that you are leaving because of all those jerks
Im also one that really loved the Snapshots sections and it introduced me to many shows. Good Luck with whatever you decide to do from now on, you will be missed.
Matmat at 1:29 am on April 12th, 2008
Sad to see you go… But thank you for all of the articles you wrote and i wish you the best of luck wherever your travels take you.
Anonymouse at 1:30 am on April 12th, 2008
It’s a shame to see you go, Patrik. Thanks for mentioning Golgo 13, I’m considering watching it once I’m done with Kaiji.
Good luck!
Freelii at 1:35 am on April 12th, 2008
Sorry to see you go, I’ve enjoyed the snapshot entries as they help perk my interest on some titles not usually mentioned. Best of luck in what ever you set yourself to next!
Random muser at 1:39 am on April 12th, 2008
I find it absurd that the Random Curiosity community cannot accept your style of blog entries as I find them incredibly relevant and useful as Omni has already expressed.
It is ashame to see to all your efforts gone to waste.
TheChamp at 1:44 am on April 12th, 2008
good f-ing game. watched the golgo movies years ago and was blown away by them. I’m pumped to hear they’re bangin’ out a series. first time here, but I guess I’m glad to have gotten good news from ya on your way out, patrik, as I had no idea about this. thanks, and best of luck.