Golgo 13 is not his real name. Then again, neither is Duke Togo, Tadashi Togo, or any number of the aliases he goes by. A man of mystery, not even the world's most prominent intelligence agencies can determine who Golgo really is, or just where he came from. But all agree that his skills are nothing short of legendary.
Armed with a custom M16, Golgo is willing to take any job for any agency, from the FBI to the KGB. He has completed every contract he has ever taken and will work for anyone who can meet his price. He is both the greatest weapon and the greatest threat to any nation; no one is safe once they are in Golgo’s sights.
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Verdict
As I finally came across the entire subtitled series, it is time to update the review I posted quite some time ago. To start with, this is an anime that gives off an oldschool-ish feeling and that is to be expected, since the manga started publishing about 40 years ago. The drawing style clearly shows it: all characters have very serious and rough faces, showing each and every wrinkle. The scenery is quite good. Even though it might lack detail, it clearly isn't the type you would shove off as a picture-based-and-streched-over-the-horizon background. There are no major problems with the sound either. At first it mightfeel as if there is a lack of music, but as the series goes on, you will probably start to notice the recurring tones. Some might find them a tad repetitive, but considering the retro feeling this anime gives off, some repetitiveness could actually be considered as a tool to emphasize that special kind of feel. I have no complaints about the opening themes or the ending themes either.
When it comes to the characters, it is quite difficult to provide an evaluation. As this show is centered on Duke Tougou (a.k.a. Golgo 13) going on solo assignments, you will not be seeing any other major characters. There is not much to say about character development either. I mean, we have a cold-blooded sniper with nearly inhumane skills, unwavering principles and, most of the time, a perfect example of a poker face. He is certainly the most silent protagonist I have ever seen and we can't "hear" his thoughts either, so what is there to develop (not to mention how)? Still, it feels like Golgo becomes a tad more talkative and expressive towards the end of the series, so it is possible to interpret it as a slight emotional shift, though the reason for it is anyone's guess. Despite this, though, all the characters feel quite real and alive; they all have individual personalities and different attitudes towards Golgo, so the anime does not lose ground on this aspect either.
Where it does, though, is the story. Or, more precisely, the lack thereof. The series is episodic and there is no relation between the assignments whatsoever. In fact, if your younger sibling wanted to make a prank and rearranged the playlist while you were making a sandwich, you would not even notice it. I am guessing the studio picked the missions from the manga randomly, hence the lack of cohesion. Yet, despite the anime not having a coherent plot as a whole, every episode has a different and unique story, various circumstances and characters that continue to pique the viewers interest and provide tons of entertainment.
To conclude, anime series with no plot tend to lose their appeal very quickly. However, Golgo 13 is quite enjoyable. It just has something in it that makes you look forward to Tougou's next assignment and keeps you wondering, just how he is going to demonstrate his prowess. When his enemies underestimate him or make wrong deductions, you just get the proud feeling "That's my Golgo! Those bastards don't have a chance! Show them who's boss!", or something along those lines.
If you are a fan of super-manliness, protagonists having nearly inhumane skills and an oldschool feel wrapping it all up, this is one show you should definitely watch.
Paski
Well the Final Episode has finally been subbed, so it feels like time for a full review. Welcome to Golgo 13, The epitome of anime manliness. A masterful sniper who can take out any target, from nearly any distance with a single shot. Story: 6 Each episode is non-sequential, and has no bearing on future or previous episodes so you can essentially watch the episodes in no particular order and have more or less the same enjoyment. Each episode begins with Duke Togo aka Golgo 13, receiving a request to kill a target, and the rest of the episode usually involves Golgo 13 undertaking somemasterful feat to accomplish his goal. There is no story overall other than following Golgo 13's exploits, however each individual story is fairly unique in regards to how it is presented, each supporting character's backdrops and storylines. That being said, each episode falls back into same formula and you essentially know how each episode will end.
Characters: 7
Ah characters... or should i say "character" as each episode introduces us to only one character who returns every episode. (excluding the gun craftsman who appears a few times). As previously stated, Golgo 13 is the best sniper in the world, he can take out any target, regardless of the circumstances. Also a master in hand to hand combat and short ranged armed combat. Golgo 13 has the outward appearance of a cold emotionless killer, amazingly well built, and has his share of battle scars from earlier days. Quite possibly the manliest man of anime. That being said though, he undergoes very little character development over the entire series. There is a plethora of other characters introduced, usually with unique stories, or backgrounds, however many either end up dead (targets) or will never appear again throughout the series.
Art: 8
Clean artwork, great colouring and shading. I was a big fan of the gloomy atmosphere that the shading gives the series. even in the bright and sunshining days, there still exists that sort of darkness. Character design is somewhat lacking however in this series. Although for the first few episodes you don't really notice it, a general trend starts to develop... A lot of the supporting characters start to look the same. There are soo many supporting characters introduced throughout the series, that most of the henchmen,a few of the targets, and many of the supporting/extra women throughout tend to look nearly identical to each other. Fluid animations throughout, amazing backdrops, and overall pretty good stuff
Sound: 9
the First Opening: "take the wave" from naifu was actually quite catchy, Also a big fan of " Glass no Highway from doa. other op and eds were alright. I thought the seiyu for Golgo 13; Tachi Hiroshi did a great job voicing Duke Togo (Golgo 13), It was a cold emotionless voice that just fit the character perfectly.
Enjoyment: 8
This series was fairly enjoyable, The viewing experience was over a period of 8 or so months, so there was a decent gap inbetween watching, Although thinking about it now, This likely isn't one of those anime where you can just keep watching all the episodes back to back and in 1-4 sittings, Each episode will tend to get very repetitive over time. But as a simple, sit back and watch every now and then show, this anime has merit
Overall: 8
A pretty good experience to watch, Has some pretty enjoyable moments, and a few twists and turns along the way. Check it out if you find the time
Karhu
The name is 13. Golgo 13. Our main dude happens when James Bond meets terminator and then everything gets turned more Japan and more manly. Golgo is an elite sniper. Man with a mission. All you need is 3 million USD and he will make any of your wishes happen. Need to embarrass a violist during his play? No worries! Golgo can shoot the string of a moving instrument from 500 feet away, eyes closed while parrying flying katanas. Here's a meme. Who would win? Bulletproof, 30 inch thick class wall or one big boy with a toy gun? There is literally nothing this dudecan't make happen.
Story-wise, Golgo 13 is entirely episodic show. One man, one mission, one episode. The best part is how consistently fucking amazing the writing is. For example, during one episode, he trolls the police forces in 5 different ways and they all fall under his master troll, but it is not a keikaku doori tier meme, everything is planned, shown to the viewer. and works because the police officers are doing their job in the exact way they are supposed to. This other time, our dude got a life sentence in prison just to break out of the "unbreakable" jail with an inmate, purely to shoot him moments later. There are only 7 episodes that were more mediocre than amazing, which leaves similar shows such as City Hunter in absolute shame. Nearly every episode is unique and so different from one another that watching the show becomes nothing less than hooking. It's impressive how knowledgeable the writer is of so many different subject and how he manages to create such successful episodes around all of them.
During the run, the amount of times Golgo smiles is 0. He does not smile. This is a serious anime. So. Damn. Serious. No matter how ridiculously awesome and amusing the events get, there is absolutely no room for character centric comedy. He also has sex with something like 34 different women during the run, and no matter how much he likes these women, he never shows it in any other way than sex. He never speaks, he never answers their feelings nor shows an expression of any sort, and in case they happen to witness him practicing his profession, there is no soft spot in his hard. Any witness dies. There is no limit to how Man and how loyal to himself this dude is. If there ever was a person who doesn't break his character, it is him.
What really serves this series is the English dub which made the thing incredibly enjoyable to watch. Golgo himself is voiced with a guy who sounds like a real professional killer. Especially meaningless side characters have been voiced according to their character archetype. Different English pronunciation have not been left out as there are everything from "oi m8" aussies to Irish drunktards. Some of the dialog has been seasoned with insane puns and more of the witty side banter. Like in one episodes, there is this guy - who is paralyzed below the weist - being targeted by Golgo 13, so he flees on an island and covers the entire island with bulletproof matter. When Golgo 13 arrives there with his helicopter, this dude's friends and bodyguards go to him and say "Looks like you can't even take one step out of this island." Pure comedic gold.
Art-wise, here's a tip: the bluray is a disaster. Not as bad as, let's say Death Note remaster, but it was a failed attempt. Get the DVD instead. The art itself follows the more classic side seen on mature anime series that were made with 90's style without the typical anime bs. Gungrave, Speed Grapher and practically every old Gonzo production are good example of the familiar and welcoming art style this anime has. In terms of animation, compromises are rarely ever made. Story telling and visuals are prioritized over cheap effects and atmosphere killing tricks that mainly would remind the viewer that they are, indeed, watching an anime.
I highly recommend Golgo 13 to people who like their anime manly and mature, served ice cold with nothing but respect towards the audience.
THEAnimeHERO
If you don't mind a MANLY episodic anime then it should be a badass experience. Golgo 13 follows the many assignments of the assassin Golgo 13 aka Duke Togo. This series is "character heavy" meaning don't expect any huge arcs or some sort of masterpiece but instead we have episodes where we learn about the lead character. Much of the appeal of this show is Golgo & his mysterious motives. While his origin remains a secret to this day we do learn a bit about him as he is committed to his employment; displaying various traits on what it means to be a coldhearted assassin.With each episode being its own story, most tales revolve around the following (1. Golgo 13 Vs Assassin, 2. The Clients POV, 3. The targets POV, 4 Golgo's motives. )
While it is a formula, it still remains inviting as each episode reveals a side of Golgo we haven't seen before or what challenges he faces & overcomes. Being inspired by James Bond, Golgo 13 does have that suave yet stoic attitude as he tends to sleep with various women or other times kill even the best of hitmen. This anime is essentially a Man's show, where we see action, nude babes, passionate sex & a badass character. Certainly is a required taste to really enjoy this series or to even like Duke Togo.
Sadly the anime isn't as stylish as its movie "The Professional" but it still has a crime noir theme that is a rarity in most animes. Golgo 13 is the epitome of crime seinen & features the credentials needed to be a full fledged hitman. Whether you like this anime completely depends on the main character himself. The highlight of this collection of episodes is the assassin life & its society as we witness the various vices of humans who want to kill others either for selfish reasons or noble ones. Set in a real world, Golgo 13 explores the subtleties of human behavior & its corrupt populace in a similar fashion to the "Hell Girl/Jigoku Shojo" anime.
To some this series can be bland to others this anime can be a cool ride, however I personally find it fascinating to see Golgo 13; a human being who is feared as a grim reaper bringing death to whoever his client chooses. There is no wavering only the most effective killing weapon that is the assassin codenamed Golgo 13.
ktulu007
Golgo 13 is an ongoing manga written by Saito Takao. A really long running manga at that. It started in 1968. It wasn't until 2008-2009 that it finally got a proper anime adaptation, although it got an OVA in 1998 and an anime film in 1983. The fifty episode series was handled by The Answer Studio, which I don't believe I've ever seen anything else by them. So, after a forty year wait is this anime any good? Story: Golgo 13 is one of those series without a major narrative. It's episodic with none of the episodes really affecting what comes after. You could actually watch themin a completely random order and it wouldn't matter in the slightest. The basic set-up is that Duke Togo, the titular Golgo 13, is a professional assassin, quite possibly the best there is, who charges three million per hit. Each episode shows a different mission
That leads me to the biggest issue with the series. Mainly, it's very formulaic. You can start an episode and know that Golgo is going to face some kind of challenge and kill his target. It's the type of thing you encounter with “monster of the week” series, except with a lot more machismo and a lot of those series are for younger audiences which makes the formula more acceptable. We also get quite a few sex scenes that exist solely for the sake of showing how manly and amazing Golgo is. He can just lie back and think of England, completely stone-faced, while she writhes on top of him, feeling great pleasure. From a meta standpoint, it makes sense. This series is pretty blatantly intended to be a power fantasy for us men, after all. However, the scenes largely don't actually do anything. They're mostly just an excuse to have bare breasts.
That being said, I will praise the series for actually having a lot of episode variety. It is quite good at devising creative scenarios for Golgo's missions. You know he's going to win in the end, but there are times that you're really curious about how he's going to do it. The episodes also take varied approaches. Some focus on the people around Golgo, including his intended victim for the episode. Some focus on his preparations or on building up the difficulty of the scenario. Some put the focus on building up an antagonist for Golgo. And, to the series credit, a lot of the scenarios are really intense and compelling, in spite of you knowing what the end result is going to be. I'll give the series full credit for that. I will also say that the whole aesthetic of exaggerated machismo can be pretty entertaining.
Characters:
Golgo, as a character, isn't particularly compelling. He's the epitome of machismo but there's really not much to his character aside from that. Which is clearly what the series is going for. The series also strives to develop some of the one shot characters in order to make you hate his targets or feel for them, depending on the episode. Or in order to try and make the world around our macho protagonist fleshed out and lend it credence. The success of those efforts varies quite a bit. In some episodes, it really works. In others it comes across as forced and falls flat. To the series' credit I will say that they succeed more often than they fail.
Art:
The art is mostly really nice with detailed background, strong character designs, and visually interesting action sequences. That being said, there are some weaknesses to it. There are points where they get lazy with the characters and the people Golgo kills frequently have unintentionally silly expressions on their faces when they get shot. It's like the folks at Answer were under the impression that people spontaneously decide to enter a silly face contest right before bullets hit them and their faces just instantly undergo rigor mortis.
Sound:
The actors in this do fine. Tachi Hiroshi pulls off the very stoic attitude of Golgo well. Although one could make the point that it's not difficult since he just has to refrain from emoting. When it comes to all of the characters who show up for an episode, which is most of them, the performances range from decent to really good. The music is nicely done and really complements the whole aesthetic nicely. I especially like the little victory composition.
Ho-yay:
There isn't any in this series.
Final Thoughts:
So, that's Golgo 13. What did I think of it a a whole? Well, it certainly has its problems but it also provides some interesting scenarios that make you wonder how Golgo is going to manage and its overly macho execution can be entertaining. My advice is, if the concept sounds like it could be entertaining viewing to you, give it a go but don't try to watch a lot of episodes in one sitting. For myself, I actually did mostly enjoy it and my final rating is going to be a solid 7/10. Next week, Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl.
herbeey
So much to say... Golgo 13 tv show and the two anime films are all incredibly awesome. HOWEVER, what differentiates this SHINING GEM is THE DUB for this. They did many INCREDIBLY silly script changes and silly voices and managed to do it while somehow flying just under the radar... it is masterful, and incredible. I hope no one gets in trouble in the dubbing company for me exposing this coz it is genuinely amazing and mostly noticeable when you look for it... I bet it was THE MOST fun dubbing for this show. Anyway, before that - the basics. This is a VERY episodic animefollowing the ultra manly Golgo 13 who, with his trusty modified m16 assault rifle is the best assassin ever. EVER. With the thickest manliest eyebrows EVER. He is a never-changing FACT - everything bends around HIM. Forget about his origins... they are UNKNOWN and that is all that can be known of them. This anime starts really slow with a very underwhelming first episode, but stick with it. I recommend watching the two anime movies if you need help getting into GOLGO. Each episode follows what happens to the neighbourhood when the unchanging Golgo turns up in town with elaborate impossible plans. Impossible for anyone without his supreme skill. 3 million is all it costs to secure his services, and he NEVER fails a job. He seems to resent speaking, never moves a muscle during sex which is always THE BEST SEX EVER for whoever he is with (even the sex workers seem to be blown away by his sexual prowess and from all i can tell are generally NOT faking it, which is surreal)... So the anime is a story about different people every week, coz his job takes him all over the world... especially the USA for some reason. Only the arms dealer and some fbi nobody seem to turn up in more than one episode. And they aren't in many at all. The stories are variable but usually plenty entertaining with a twist usually waiting at the end. It looks decent, and I faintly recall that they vary the directors from episode to episode, i think, which is cool. One of the later episodes has a twist so good you will never forget it. Everyone has their own favourite episode. Mine is the wine one.
But what makes every episode really exciting to watch is having the DVD, which gives me access to both sub and dub at the same time, with the original japanese audio too... And when you watch the dub and start to notice when something seems off.. say, a weird silly laugh... and you go to the original audio and realise that laugh was never even there... And then you start checking for every line, and suddenly lines like 'what's up doc?' become suspicious, and you check and the sub doesn't say that... but surely that's just a turn of phrase not meant as a reference to bugs bunny? But then you start checking every possible turn of phrase and whilst some ridiculous stuff was in the original, SO MUCH of the ridiculous stuff is an insertion by these absolute WORDSMITHS.
There are SO many entertaining tropes to watch out for:
-ALMOST every episode (this is how they fly under the radar by not doing EVERY episode) there is usually at least one ridiculous voice. Often it's just a side character, but in some golden episodes they are voices of main characters. I, personally, am utterly electrified by the dub performance of the evil wheellchair dude in The Glass Fortress (Episode 19) - he sounds like he is on cocaine and is constantly trying to pretend that he isn't. It's incredible. The most memorable silly voice in my social circle has become the old lady in Indian Summer (Episode 20)... the way she says 'Hank' is just hilarious, especially watching in a group.
-Golgo's enemies praising him once they've been beaten/killed by him... it gets ridiculous.
-Golgalikes are people in the show who have a bizarrely similar appearance to Golgo. They usually mean business. There are a fair few of em. It's quite funny.
-Physical descriptions of Golgo are thrillingly entertaining. I'm compiling a list on my current watch through, and i haven't even got to the bit where a woman says 'he has an amazing japanese body that's made of steel'... but i remember it strongly... i will leave the rest for you to find.
-There's some really weird hammy racism towards 'asians' which from what i can tell was in the original, and the dub kinda amplified its toothless weird hammy clunky implementation... it's so ridiculous it is generally hilarious. which sounds messed up but it's just SO clunky that it becomes very silly.
-The theme tune for the first 25 episodes is the really good one. I recommend trying to sing along to it with a friend, either along to the english translation if it's offering you it that time, or try to sing along to the japanese which also sometimes appears... at least this is what you can do if you're using the dvd. it cost me 50 quid but i split it with a friend and it has been SO worth it. these are hugely entertaining to watch exploratively with company.
-Golgo has a secret love of ferris wheels in fairgrounds. he just loves anything like that. if you want his attention, invite him to a fairground to do your dirty deal rather than paying lots for opera tickets or something. golgo's inner child screams with unbridled glee at fairgrounds. he never shows it, but he does end up contriving reasons to bei in such places a suspicious amount. he's a big softy inside.
-Everyone lives in penthouses with bulletproof glass, and if they do leave their pentahouse, it will be in a car that is 'practically a tank'.
The final episode is the wrong final episode. Episode 48, Black Pupils, Ebony Eyes should've been the last one. I recommend you watch them with that in mind. omg, in that episode a character says 'you've never had kids coz you're a dick!' and guess what, the sub doesn't have the 'coz you're a dick!' bit... also Ron is amazing in that episode ahhhh i love it....
Okay, fan theory time. There is a woman around the halfway point in the series who i believe golgo develops feelings for, and he ends up killing her... but i think this decision haunts him and he ends up questioning everything that he is doing. obviously he is super manly and doesn't let this show and it is subtle character development, but when he questions the motives of the wine person for example - he takes on SO MANY underhanded jobs, so WHY does he question THIS person's actions? There is only one true answer.
Content warning for shitty abusive including sexually abusive things happening to women from time to time. it's often uncomfortable but most episodes are fine... but yeh it's a thing. soz.
land161
After finishing all of the episodes of Golgo 13, and since no one has reviewed the show in a while, I thought it's time to for me to give a review on this show. The main character of the show, Duke Togo aka Golgo 13, is portrayed as a mysterious and intimidating figure throughout the show. Not much is know about his past, and he rarely says anything or shows any emotion. Golgo's emotionless and non-existent personality adds a different and interesting touch to the show compared to other anime shows, and one is easily able to draw speculations and theories about Golgo's origin. Each episodehas its own story, and there are no multi-episode arcs in the series. Because of this, there isn't any other specific characters that appear in the show other than the gunsman that makes weapons for Golgo. While the show lacks a consistent story, each of the Golgo episodes feels unique and different due to characters' interactions with Golgo, and due to how Golgo's actions will affect the characters. Some of the stories in certain episodes could've been better and are a bit similar to other episodes, but nearly every episode of the show is enjoyable to watch.
The animation of the show looks a bit dated compared to other anime at the time, but it seems like that this was intentionally done to give the show more of an old-school and vintage feel. Most of the scenes are decently animated, and none of the faults in the animation severely hinders the show. Most of the characters in the show kind of look similar to each other, and some of the kind of even look like Golgo. This wasn't really a big problem for me, since the different personalities of each character makes up for it.
The OST for the show isn't anything spectacular, but it's decent, and the song played at the end of the episode before the ending is catchy. The first opening song, "Take The Wave", was a good fit for the show, and it's a good song. The second opening song, "So Faraway", doesn't really fit the show, but it's still a good song, and the animation of the second opening is a lot better than the animation for the first opening. The ending songs are also good, and I like when the endings are connected together, it tells a mini-story between all of them.
Overall, it was refreshing to watch a show that's a lot more different and unique than other anime shows. If you are fan of action anime, or shows that are more realistic, and takes places in modern settings, then I would recommended you to watch this show.
AlecTaylor
You've all seen series where the protagonist kills someone; and then you follow their emotional trauma supervening? — Well this isn't one of those anime. Duke Togo (a.k.a.: Golgo 13) is an assassin-for-hire. He continually pulls off incredible manoeuvres to kill his target(s) and anyone who gets in his way. ★★★★★
EmiliaHoarfrost
Golgo 13 (TV) represents an adaptation from same name's manga. Every arc lasts one or so episodes, in the professional hitman field where "Golgo 13" sounds as legendary nickname, of an hitman who never failed at bringing down his target. This fly through fifty episodes and more movies to enjoy might please you as much as it did for me. This is your typical seinen anime, stand-alone series you binge before every sleeps. Might it be this anime settle another level in japanese animation to your eyes? It definitely did for me. Story (8) : Every episodes are standalones, though sometimes it will take on two episodes. Itoften stars with the setting of the place, then the demand of murder from clients. Or the way round, introducing the different characters of this special case. In despite of the simplicity of the timeline, some characters introduced earlier on will be more important later on.
Simplistic scheme, for absolute en-joy-ment.
Art (7) :
It doesn't stand out as most anime from 2008, the character design was rather sufficient by its own, probably copying what was settled in the manga, nothing much to say. As for the animation it was average, zooming, special effects and bullet flying through the screen. Perhaps a little lack of blood, if anything should be really said.
Character (9) :
Okay, deal with it altogether but Duke Togoh must be the most inspiring character I've seen from far. A sniper that never misses once, muscled and strong at martial art. The assurance emanating from him, we feel secured having him on screen. Perhaps we could also argue this very powerfulness from him is killing the thriller kind of feels we were supposed to get, but I don't think so.
For the other characters, they're not nearly seen enough to talk upon them, maybe the weapon seller appears secondly more?
Enjoyment (9) :
This anime, I'm keen on, as favorite, it's gone. Nothing more to say, but I got feelings from that anime, which is hundred percent what I seeks. It featured weapons, what I looked for back when I found this pearl. The hero is undying, always strong. Therefore I must accept it, I loved him. I loved every shots, I adored every premises, cases, murders, lethal five hundred meters away shots from my favorite sniper.
Overall (9) :
There is nothing more to say, if you read every lines, this is the just perfect anime for my tastes. Literally, an unexpected experience, even on the already unenvisaged anime passion I had one and half a year ago.
Setting a basic for every hitman kind of focused on anime, that I strongly recommend to anyone wanting to fill his free time.
JuneNephthys
Golgo 13 is THE PROFESSIONAL at seinen-flavored, satirical camp; much like Kazuo Koike’s Wounded Man and Crying Freeman. An extreme portrayal of masculinity that is meant to revel in as it unveils its strange sincerity. Whether he’s in the bedroom with a woman or sniping an enemy, Golgo’s mask of an expression is stuck in a frozen ennui of eternal botox. This series probably wouldn’t have received any sort of cult following if it hadn’t been for Golgo’s face! • Golgo is similar to Daisuke Jigen from Lupin III, in the way that he’s the best hitman who ever lived and whatnot―while Jigen is praised as thebest shot, Golgo is an uncomplaining “gary stu,” in the way that he’s good at everything that he touches, whether that be weapons or women! There’s not much to say about this iconic, stone-faced MANLY MAN other than JESUS, HE’S MANLY. Golgo’s characterization is some of the worst writing that I’ve seen for a protagonist, I truly believe that Kirito (from Sword Art Online fame) has more memorable character traits.
•The Golgo 13 (TV) is an unneeded sequel to the multi-part OVA series; the series practically recapitulated the same story over and over again with a hilarious English dub, if you don’t know what I’m referring to, see the: “you’ll shoot your blind eyes out” scene on YouTube! Don’t watch Golgo if you’re not going to make fun of it! This series is not quite on the level of MD Geist, but it’s close!
•The Queen Bee OVA is, hands down, the best and actually characterizes a female lead without making the main memorable asset to her personality being that she bangs the eternally stoic Golgo! The original OVA is fun in its own right: there’s a B-movie assassin duo, one of them screeches like a banshee, and the cheapest CG helicopter scene that you will ever seen―an old Windows screensaver is more technologically advanced than the computer graphics in this “memorable/highly iconic” scene! The original OVA was my induction to the weird iconicism of the emotionless-manly-man trope; thereafter, I evolved into my spirited Hokuto no Ken/Fist of the North Star/“at-ta-ta-ta-ta” phase.
Overall, Golgo is an atypical rough-around-the-edges alpha male with the lingering, beleaguered implication that he might be a (somewhat) good person when he occasionally does the right thing… especially if he’s sleeping with the person who needs help, otherwise, fuck you, he’s a hitman. Life lessons be damned, I suppose. If you do watch Golgo 13, I would stick to the OVAs; I found the TV series to be a yawn-inducing addition to the franchise, with a few good episodes. I give the TV series a 4/10, the first OVA a 3/10, and Killer Bee a 5/10.
SN: I bought the BD collection for the TV series from Sentai Filmworks and the set isn’t worth purchasing, it’s not a good series and there’s no special features included in the set.
SCLFI
Golgo 13 tells the story of the titular character, Golgo 13, who often goes by the alias of Duke Togo. Golgo is a highly skilled mercenary, who travels the world killing for money. He has no moral alignment, but he will follow his jobs through to the end, even if his client dies. Of course, he has conducted so many jobs that he could very easily move away and live a peaceful life and never work again, especially as his identity seems to remain unknown by international intelligence agencies, but I personally feel as though Golgo continues his endeavours because he enjoys the thrill ofthe hunt, though there isn't really any evidence to support this. Throughout the show, Golgo travels to a variety of exotic locations, from New York, to London, to the Amazon, and his targets are just as varied: mafiosos, government officials, violinists, and even a wealthy businessman by the name of Ronald Crump on one occasion. Naturally, a comparison one may make to another piece of media would be James Bond, and understandably so, Golgo certainly meets the same niche, but I personally would consider a comparison to Sherlock Holmes to be more appropriate. Golgo doesn't need any fancy gadgets or gimmicks or anything of the sort to get the job done. Just himself, his wits and intuition, and one shot from his M16 assault rifle.
The show is very episodic. You could watch every episode out of order, and it really wouldn't change your viewing experience much. The episodes are all rather similar: Golgo is hired for a job, he takes it, and completes it, and the episode ends. There are no recurring characters other than Golgo, with the exception of a single man who provides him with weapons, as well as modifications to them, and his identity is as secret as Golgo's. Of course, with 50 episodes in total, variation is necessary to keep the viewer entertained, and the show suffices very well in this regard, with not only the very different situations Golgo finds himself in, but sometimes just simple changes to ordering. The beginning of an episode will sometimes show Golgo taking on the job, sometimes the moments before he takes the shot, or sometimes the way the target acted in a way that warranted someone to send Golgo after them. All in all, it's very well done.
Golgo 13 is definitively action, with no real merges between other genres, and so it is critical that in this case, the action is well orchestrated. Fortunately, it is, and I have absolutely no complaints in this regard. Though some people may be critical of the situations Golgo finds himself in and how they can be a bit over the top (e.g. 10 mafia mobsters all firing fully automatic weapons at him behind cover but not a single shot hits), but it is all splendidly done. Perhaps if you've got a degree in physics you might find some of the shots he makes to be beyond the boundaries of realism, but for the most part, they seemed realistic enough. The sound and character design are equally strong, and I did notice a few recurring songs, which I did enjoy the presence of, and they did help to build up suspense with their formation in a manner which I'm afraid I do not have the musical expertise to describe. In anime fashion, there is frequent usage of classical music throughout, and I did get an aura of Prokofiev in at least one instance, just don't quote me on that one. The characters are equally strong, and we get a variety of different people, with different characterisation. Notably, the women in Golgo 13 are very realistic, and do not conform to moe. They are the wives to mafia bosses, prostitutes, or female assassins wanting to kill Golgo. And as a proud woman hater, I was very fond of how every last one would attempt to allure Golgo with their bodies as a last attempt to salvage their lives, which in all cases ended with a 5.56mm square in the forehead.
To conclude, Golgo 13 is a terrific anime. Some of the best modern criminal action I've seen, with a protagonist that doesn't yield to anyone or anything, a great soundtrack, brilliant suspense, variety and solid animation. A strong 9/10, and a must watch for any fan of action anime. There are two more points I must address, however, which are Golgo 13: Queen Bee and Golgo 13: The Professional, and I will do so now.
Golgo 13: Queen Bee is a 1 hour long OVA released in the early 1980s. Queen Bee is the name given to the woman in charge of a South American gang who is attempting to assassinate the Democratic U.S. Presidential nominee with a hard stance on drugs (as this would be very detrimental to her gang's funding), and Golgo has been tasked with stopping her from doing so. In complete honesty, Queen Bee isn't particularly good. The action is permissible, but this does not make up for the very poor plot that follows the show around, which was very tarnishing. I'd give Queen Bee a 5/10. Not terrible, but I'd stick to the episodic anime and The Professional.
Golgo 13: The Professional is a film released also in the 1980s. Golgo assassinates the son of an oil baron, and later an ex-Nazi (the reason for which he was of importance is never stated, sadly enough, and the only information the viewer is given is that he is an ex-Nazi, and Golgo was commissioned by a holocaust survivor) which greatly angers the man in charge of this oil company, who has contacts with the CIA and Pentagon. These men then send their forces on a nationwide manhunt for Golgo, as he attempts to escape from them and just fend for his life. As previously stated, the film was released in the 1980s, and it very strongly shows. The colour scheme and style of animation is very much like that of the era, and I think it worked very well for a series like Golgo 13, with the bright neon lights and skyscrapers of New York and California, as well as the blue ocean of Sicily. The soundtrack I believe is stronger than that of the anime, with heavy usage of electronic music with pulsations very fitting for the high octane action scenes presented. Golgo 13: The Professional is a solid film, and worthy of a watch, though I preferred it when it was kept more in touch with reality, I felt having Golgo struggle against other highly skilled hitmen was more compelling than against lizard-people. The animation is very impressive for the time, pre-dating Akira, and much like with the anime, I'd recommend it to any appreciator of action anime.
TheAzureSky
An action show that takes itself too seriously. It’s so bad it’s good. ★★☆☆ Golgo 13 is a rare show I will stop thinking for. To take it seriously would be a mistake. It’s not how you watch it. It’s a show that’s so bad that it’s good. There’s a campiness I don’t see in other shows. To describe Golgo 13: it’s a Japanese person’s interpretation of American action movies. The plots all involve fresh, exciting ideas like the mafia, the CIA, the military, assassins, politicians, beautiful women, exotic places. It’s the James Bond of anime. The main character is Golgo 13. His real name is Duke Togo.He’s so goddamn cool it hurts. He talks so little I swear he makes up 2% of the dialogue. He has very little back story. Even his code name, “Golgo 13”, is only rumored to be based off Golgotha from the bible. He has literally the same expression on his face every episode. I don’t think he ever smiled in the show. Even when he’s having sex his face never changes.
He’s a legendary sniper and hitman, costing 3 million per assignment. He never fails and he never misses. Since he never loses, there’s very little tension from if he’ll be able to accomplish the mission. The actual fun of the show comes from what the assignment is, how he’ll do it, and how he gets himself out of complicated situations. His assignment could be shooting the string off a violin; how is he gonna kill someone who never shows himself in public; or how is he going to break out of an Alcatraz prison? It’s just clever enough to be satisfying.
First, to really squeeze any entertainment from this show, you have to watch the dub. I swear they must be using the same three voice actors every episode. It’s the same gruff, tough guy voice for every mafia boss and henchmen. The dialogue isn’t anything to write home about it. There’s a lot of fascination with guns and how cool they are.
The animation is very bland and flat. Color doesn’t exist other gray and extra gray. There’s a lot of still frames. Poor guys must’ve been working with a budget of a high school play.
I never watch opening songs. I skip them even in shows I love, but for Golgo 13 I always do. It gets me pumped for the episode.
Golgo 13 is not a show you take seriously. It’s cheesy. It’s campy. The dialogue is stiff. The settings and stories are cliché. There’s plot holes everywhere. It tries very hard to be cool and takes itself very seriously. But even through all this it manages to be fun (and clever) enough to watch.
There’s 50 episodes. There’s no continuity so literally pick any at random and hope you’ll get a fun episode. Sit with your friends, get drunk, and poke fun at it. That’s how you watch Golgo 13.
lamaraptor
For this review it felt appropriate just to analyze the character of Duke Togo, or Golgo 13. Who is he? His background is intentionally left mysterious but if I had to make a pragmatic guess I'd say he was a military sniper. Other anime military dramas I've seen have always painted war veterans as being unable to assimilate back into civilian life, and always end up finding their way back into a world of guns and killing. Indeed we see many other characters in the show who end up in the same line of work as Golgo with that very background. Golgo is always painted asbeing somehow different from his criminal counterparts, though. He has his set of rules that he always abides by. #1 is to kill or otherwise leave dead every woman he's slept with. That's a joke, but it's seriously suspicious how often it happened. The only time I can think of where it didn't happen was in the first episode where he has the guy making the gun for him and finds a girl to bang while he kills time waiting for it to be finished. It's supposed to show that this guy fucks and this is the sort of thing he does when he has time to himself, but damn after watching the rest of the show I can only feel sorry for that girl because she's probably going to meet Golgo again sometime years later and end up getting shot.
Getting back to more serious stuff, though, you may be tempted to think Golgo a callous murderer who feels nothing at the deaths he causes. I think that the dude just has the most intense poker face ever, because his actions certainly say a lot more about what he's really feeling than his expression ever does. He does show affection for some of the women in his life, despite killing most of them. In the rare moments that he speaks he delivers poignant messages that give us a peak at the true man hiding behind that mask of stoicism. In an episode where he finds out he might have a son he goes out of his way to make sure the child lives even when literally everyone else at the scene gets shot. He isn't even sure it is his kid, but has that modicum of compassion just on the off-chance that it is.
Many many episodes end with that same jazzy riff as Golgo drives off into the sunset like a modern-day wild west hero. Often it's just after having to do something that, were he capable of showing human emotion, probably would have left him sobbing uncontrollably. I think he's been surrounded by death so long that he tries to numb himself to the pain that can come from it, but some of the things he does he wouldn't be able to if he truly felt nothing. In one episode he's attacked by people who have been conditioned to not feel fear. He tells them that fear it what keeps people alive.
This is interesting because his constant caution and paranoia when looked at through a different lens could just be seen as fear of dying. He is so terrified of the idea of death that he does everything in his power to stay alive at all costs, and it works. Some other assassins may look at death as an inevitability, an occupational hazard of their line of work. Golgo views it as nothing more than an end to be avoided.
He's like Batman, the Punisher and Sakamoto all in one. It's a fun ride if you like gangster movie aesthetic and shooting things. 8/10
