Gad Guard

Synopsis:

Trailer:

Streaming Platforms:

• Crunchyroll

Episodes:

• Episode 1: Looking Up At the Same Sky
• Episode 2: Putting the Pieces Together
• Episode 3: On a Street Corner in Night Town
• Episode 4: With Bright Eyes
• Episode 5: And Then the Rain Will Fall
• ... and 21 more episodes

Characters:

• Harmony, Aiko Mary (Main) - Voice Actors: Ruff, Michelle, Kurata, Masayo
• Katana (Main) - Voice Actors: Suwabe, Junichi, Wittenberg, Dave
• Kisaragi, Takumi (Main) - Voice Actors: Taylor, Julie Ann, Satou, Yuuko
• Sanada, Hajiki (Main) - Voice Actors: Suzumura, Kenichi, Oliver, Tony
• Shinozuka, Arashi (Main) - Voice Actors: Orikasa, Fumiko, Wahlgren, Kari
• Flaubert, Catherine (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Inoue, Kikuko, Strassman, Karen
• Hachisuka, Kogoro (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Thornton, Kirk, Ishizuka, Unshou
• Melissa (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Chiba, Chiemi
• Sayuri (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Inohara, Shuri
• Seikai (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Seki, Tomokazu, Blum, Steven

Staff:

• Hamano, Takatoshi (Producer)
• Ikeguchi, Kazuhiko (Producer, Planning, Series Composition)
• Ishikawa, Shinichirou (Producer)
• Nagata, Katsuharu (Producer)
• Nishikiori, Hiroshi (Director, Episode Director, Storyboard, Original Creator, Series Composition)
• Mima, Masafumi (Sound Director, Sound Effects)
• Aizawa, Kagetsu (Episode Director, Chief Animation Director, Character Design, Animation Director)
• Bessho, Makoto (Episode Director)
• Hashimoto, Hideki (Episode Director, Key Animation)
• Hirata, Yutaka (Episode Director)
• Itagaki, Shin (Episode Director, Storyboard)
• Itou, Tatsufumi (Episode Director, Storyboard, Key Animation)
• Kobayashi, Osamu (Episode Director, Storyboard, Setting, Key Animation, Animation Director)
• Kou, Yuu (Episode Director)
• Miyake, Yuuichirou (Episode Director)
• Miyao, Yoshikazu (Episode Director, Storyboard)
• Nishiyama, Akihiko (Episode Director)
• Ooya, Mitsuko (Episode Director)
• Sano, Takashi (Episode Director, Storyboard)
• Aikawa, Shou (Script)
• Inari, Akihiko (Script)
• Murai, Sadayuki (Script)
• Nakase, Rika (Script)
• Sekijima, Mayori (Script)
• Yoshida, Reiko (Script)
• Imaishi, Hiroyuki (Storyboard, Key Animation)
• Masui, Souichi (Storyboard)
• Nishimura, Hiroyuki (Storyboard)
• Oohata, Kiyotaka (Storyboard)
• Sakata, Junichi (Storyboard)
• Satou, Hidekazu (Storyboard)
• Abiru, Tadashi (Key Animation, Assistant Animation Director)
• Ajiki, Kei (Key Animation)
• Akiyama, Yukiko (Animation Director, Key Animation, Assistant Animation Director)
• Arai, Nobuhiro (Key Animation)
• Chiba, Yuriko (Key Animation)
• Egami, Natsuki (Animation Director)
• Fujii, Fumino (Key Animation)
• Gonzo (Original Creator)
• Hashimoto, Takashi (Key Animation)
• Higashi, Junichi (Art Director)
• Hiramatsu, Tadashi (Key Animation)
• Hori, Motonobu (Animation Director)
• Hosogoe, Yuuji (Key Animation)
• Iijima, Hisaharu (Art Director)
• Imoto, Kazuaki (Key Animation)
• Ishida, Kenji (Key Animation)
• Ishii, Kumi (Key Animation, Animation Director)
• Itou, Hideki (Key Animation)
• Izuna, Yoshitsune (Mechanical Design, Original Character Design, Original Creator)
• ... and 39 more staff

Reviews:

• User ggultra2764 (Score: 7/10):
  I've seen a good number of people online call Gad Guard a mediocre title for one reason or another, which led me to rent the series via Netflix to see if there was any validity with those claims. While the series is far from being a masterpiece, I did see some meaningful elements to the series which at least made it watchable. The series ran on an ongoing theme of overcoming personal doubts and taking responsibility for ones own actions. This theme was conveyed through the Techodes that the central characters formed from GADs as the series comes to reveal the personal problems plaguing thecharacters and how these problems led their Techodes to manifest. The series does enough to flesh out these major characters to give one enough sense of their backgrounds, what they desire from their Techode and how they gradually come to develop as they meet one another and frequently clash over their differing beliefs with what responsibilities they should fulfill with their Techodes. Depending on the character, the series portrays a variety of differing moods from the seemingly mundane coming from Hajiki's deliveries to action-packed from Takumi's heroic vigilantism to dramatic with what we learn of the pasts of the characters.nnHowever, the show's shoddy plot development is what bogs the series down quite a bit. There are a number of glaring plot holes connected to elements of the series such as the origins of the GADs and some background concerning supporting characters encountered in the series is hardly explored, particularly Katana's connection with Sayuri and Catherine's connection to the GADs. In addition, the show often gets in the annoying habit of having some of its events occur too conveniently just to advance its plot, whether it be one character being saved in the nick of time or dealing with a seemingly impossible situation.nnIn terms of presentation, don't expect much out of the visuals. While the series does feature good-looking and diverse scenery shots from the dark and vast landscapes of Night Town to scenes in the countryside, character and mecha designs look rough in their details and the latter designs also looking fairly simple with said details. Also, animation shortcuts are apparent rather frequently during action scenes. In terms of the soundtrack, Gad Guard is notable for its upbeat jazz beats used for the show's OP sequence and some of the insert musical tracks of the series, which fit rather well with the varying moods that the series portrays with its characters.nnWhile far from a perfect title, don't let the reviews from other sites deter you from giving Gad Guard a try. While the show's plot is subpar in quality, its characterization coming from the developments of the central characters and their desires with the Techodes do enough to make up for the show's shortcomings with plot delivery.
• User TEWG (Score: 7/10):
  Gad Guard was a good anime while it lasted. The characters were all unique and nothing like most animes in which you wish you can punch (shoot) them and drop the show. I honestly thought this when I decided to watch this show. Thankfully no one was really like that... with an exception for Hajiki. The story was original but doesn't go into much depth. In the first and middle episodes you don't really get an explanation about the gads which is understandable because Gads are rare and nobody really knows anything about them except for small hints. The final episodes you get a fewmore hints and, in my opinion, a half-assed explanation. Some questions are also left unanswered. nnThe art is in the middle. It is not blown-in-your-face-holy-wow-that-is-good but not I-wish-the-animation-was-better. nnIn Gad Guard you mostly hear jazz music. I am not one for jazz myself but the music is incredible. I have caught myself humming to one of the songs numerous occasions. There are some times in which the music does not fit the scene, however. nnI give this a 7/10. It will be remembered like all the other animes but it will not hold a speacial place in my heart.
• User Arowind91 (Score: 5/10):
  Gad Guard had the potential to be a decent anime. The plot was interesting and the mood of the show was unique to say the least. I mean any show dealing with young kids obtaining Gun… I mean mechas has to be good right? Sadly the execution of the story elements left something to be desired. I’m getting ahead of myself so let’s start with the story. Gad Guard tells the story of Hajiki Sanada, a 16 year old street smart teenager working as a delivery boy in a city called Night Town. Due to the depletion of Earth resources cities have been separated into unitsand every night at midnight the electricity gets shut off. This leads to a surge in organized crime and black market deals. During one of his deliveries Hajiki gets involved with a cubed shaped object called a Gad and it seems that everyone wants it in the underworld. It’s during a skirmish for the Gad that it shows its true colors as it transforms into a Techode.nnLike I said before the story had a lot of potential. The contrast between futuristic mechas and the 1920’s mob crime made for an interesting plot in the beginning. Yet instead of focusing on this contrast other story elements are brought in that disrupt the balance. There were also many execution problems as well. nnWhile Gad Guard focuses on Techodes the show never truly gives the background story on the Gads and how they came to be until the end of the anime. Some of the characters also have a deep connection to the Gads and Techodes yet their stories are never brought up even though they hint at it throughout most of the anime. Most of the middle part of this anime was filled with episodic adventures that felt more like fillers than anything else. Lastly the ending goes so far on a tangent that it doesn’t feel like you’re watching the same anime.nnNow the animation isn’t going to win any awards but it wasn’t all bad. The saving grace in the animation department is the Techodes themselves. Each felt unique and well crafted to suit the owners as well as give off a futuristic hope in such a bleak environment. And when I mean bleak I really mean it. Night Town during the daytime looked like all the color was washed out except for gray and brown. During the night scenes everything was either too dark or blinded by the moonlight. It doesn’t help that until the near end of the show Night Town is the only location you’re going to be seeing so having to see nothing but brown and gray hurts the eyes. Needless to say you aren’t going to find great quality here and while I’m not saying it’s the worst it’s just that it feels that there is no originality in the series. nnThe music is practically nonexistent. In keeping with the 1920’s theme most of the music including the opening rely heavily…
• ... and 2 more reviews

Forum Topics:

• Gad Guard Episode 9 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 26 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 1 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 13 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 5 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 25 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 24 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 19 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 18 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 17 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 16 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 11 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 10 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 7 Discussion
• Gad Guard Episode 4 Discussion

External Links:

• Official Site
• AniDB
• ANN
• Wikipedia