When there are transformation scenes as wild as The Guyver, and it sticks to a premise simple enough for younger viewers, it’s a visceral element I can enjoy. Here, our hero, Taiga Saejima (Hiroyuki Watanabe) must retrieve a stolen artifact housing the souls of four elementals. They can help him face his rival, Jado (Toshiki Seto), or hinder him. When this individual is too powerful to face alone, Taiga will need help from other Makai Knights for help.
The opening act feels short, and it gets to the point to reveal information necessary for newcomers. Starting in medias res might have confused anyone unfamiliar with the franchise. By transitioning from a Shaw Brothers style intro with the child still training with his father to that of an adult in a different visual treatment is all I need to get invested! Technically, the television series, Golden Knight Garo, is much more important in setting up the world; Kouga Saejima is the first Makai Knight who earned the title of Garo! And with this film, we see him passing on his knowledge to his son, Taiga, to battle demonic entities called Horrors.
Although the naming convention is so generic, I wonder if that was a translation error. When I hear that word in the dialogue, all I can do is shrug. It’s a kids’ film after all, and what’s presented is more than another Karate Kid meets Power Rangers knockoff. The film offers moments familiar; however, I feel there’s more to this tale than meets the eye.
Compared with other live-action adaptations, this movie strikes a different chord. While the anime has its own tone, it doesn’t match the stylized intensity of something like Hellsing. That anime set a high visual benchmark with its kinetic direction—one this film aims for but doesn’t always reach. Though both series feature anti-heroes in gothic worlds, their moral codes diverge: Taiga lives by a creed; Alucard does not.
And in the way the armor appears, it symbolizes a spiritual awakening of sorts. It manifests only when the hero is ready to be a knight–inner purity. This theme’s skillful handling, as a key motif in the larger franchise, deepens the lore. The world he inhabits is dark and brutal. While live-action limits how far the visuals can go, I prefer the anime approach—amped up with more detailed gore and stylized violence. I suspect creator Keita Amemiya prefers more guts too. But when considering the target audience is for youths, the effects department can only go so far. Anime fans may remember him as the director of the live-action Iria: Zeiram from long ago.
Though this IP isn’t globally mainstream, this film could be the turning point that earns it a broader fanbase.
4 Stars out of 5