牙狼〈GARO〉THE ORIGINAL

It has almost been 11 years ago (2005年10月7日 - 2006年3月31日（25回）, 7 th October, 2005 ~ 31 st March, 2006. 25 episodes) since the first episode of Garo (絵本) was broadcast on テレビ東京 Tokyo TV and actor 小西 遼生Kounishi Ryousei (real name 小西 大樹 Kounishi Hiroki) became our new late night tokusatsu hero. It was new and exciting to me. Garo is a "dark" tokusatsu series and more for mature audience. I have always been a big fan for "dark" tokusatsu (one of my reasons for liking Kuuga which is a darker tokusatsu in 平成 Heisei era).

The cast for the original series includes:

小西遼生 (Kounishi Ryousei as 冴島鋼牙 Kouga , Garo)
肘井美佳 (Hijii Mika as 御月カオル Kaoru)
藤田玲 (Fujita Rei as 涼邑零 Zero, Garo is his second tokusatsu show after Kamen Rider Faiz 555 in 2003 as  ドラゴンオルフェノク/仮面ライダーデルタ Dragon Orphenoch / Kamen Rider Delta.
京本政樹 (Kyoumoto Masaki who is also a fan for Tokusatsu shows as 龍崎駈音 Kiba)
螢 雪次朗 (Hotaru Yukijirou as the butler 倉橋ゴンザ Gonza )

and of course , the hyperactive Dragonball / Superrobots theme songs singer turns Garo theme songs singer - 影山ヒロノブ Hageyama Hironobu as 魔導輪ザルバ , Madou Ring Zaruba.

There are also many well-known Japanese drama actors in the series.

Suit actors for : 

黄金騎士・牙狼 Garo : 大西雅樹 Oonishi Masaki
銀牙騎士・絶狼 Zero :  マーク武蔵 Mark Musashi
暗黒魔戒騎 Kiba : 前田浩 Maeda Hiroshi
魔獣装甲コダマ Kodama : 秋山智彦 AkiyamaTomohiko
ホラー Horror : 大橋明 Oohashi Akira


Garo , the original series has been re-broadcast in HD remaster since July, 2016 and current at episode 11, 遊戯 Game.

The popularity of Garo has spurred a long list of sequels , movies and  spin-offs:

GARO 外伝 笑顔 ( Garo, Smile , a  Gaiden side story,  only available on Garo DVD vol.7 )
牙狼〈GARO〉スペシャル 白夜の魔獣』（前編：2006年12月15日、後編：2006年12月22日 ） Garo Special Majuu of White Night : 2 chapters, both broadcast in December, 2006). This is where Garo form 鷹麟牙狼 (Eagle and Kirin Garo) appears.

This also introduces another Makai Knight - 山刀翼 Tsubasa , actor : 山本匠馬 Yamamoto Shouma whp is also in Kamen Rider Kiba 2008 as 登太牙 / 仮面ライダーサガ（声） / 仮面ライダーダークキバ Kamen  Rider Saga and Dark Kiba. Yamamoto is also in another 雨宮慶太 Amemiya Keita directed tokusatsu series 衝撃ゴウライガン 2013 , Shougeki Gouraigan as ガン Gan.

牙狼-GARO- 〜RED REQUIEM〜 2010年10月30日 . Garo first movie in October,  2010.
This introduced more Makai priests:

魔戒法師 烈花 Rekka  - 松山メアリ Actress Matsuyama Meari
魔戒法師 シグト Shigto - 倉貫匡弘 Actor Kuranuki Masahiko
魔戒法師 アカザ Akaza - 斎藤洋介 Actor Saito Yousuke

This is where 竜陣牙狼 Garo Dragon form appears.


呀〈KIBA〉 〜暗黒騎士鎧伝〜  2011年9月7日DVD/BD  . Kiba ,a movie and a DVD/Blu-Ray release in September, 2011.

牙狼〈GARO〉 〜MAKAISENKI〜 2011年10月6日 - 2012年3月22日（24回） . A 2011 sequel to the original series . 24 episodes.

This introduced twins 布道レオ Leo and 布道シグマ Sigma, actor for both - 中村織央 Nakamura Ozuno.

さとうやすえ Satou Yasue reprised her role as 邪美 Jabi.

Many other Makai knights appear in this sequel:
白夜騎士・打無 White Knight Kishi  Dan
雷鳴騎士・破狼 Thunder Kishi Baron
閃光騎士・狼怒 Flash kishi Roudo


魔導馬・震月（しんげつ）Madou Horse Shingetsu


牙狼-GARO- 〜蒼哭ノ魔竜〜 2013年2月23日. Garo Soukoku no maryuu , Garo 's second movie , February, 2013 .

This is where 蒼竜牙狼 Blue Dragon Garo appears.


牙狼〈GARO〉 〜闇を照らす者〜  ,  2013年4月5日 - 9月20日（25回）. A new Garo TV series (5 th April, 2013 - 20 th September, 2013. 25 episodes) and a new actor for the new version of Garo. 雨宮慶太, Amemiya is not the director for this. 横山 誠 Yokoyama Makoto is.

The Garo armour is inherited by 道外 流牙（Dougai Ryuuga, a new comer actor 栗山 航 , Kuriyama Wataru) with 池田純矢 , Ikeda Junya, also known for 海賊戦隊ゴーカイジャー（2011年6月12日）伊狩鎧 / ゴーカイシルバー Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger , Gokai Silver who also appeared in the Sentai series 1999, 2000 th episodes in Doubutsu Sentai Juuouger ep 28 and 29.

Also appeared in the series is 楠神哀空吏 - 青木玄徳 (actor Aoki Tsunenori who is also 仮面ライダーデューク Kamen Rider Duke in 仮面ライダー鎧武 Kamen Rider Gaim ) .

A New Makai priest was introduced

莉杏 - 南里美希 Rian actress Nanri Miki


Other actors include well known singer  大友康平 (Oomoto Kouhei) as 符礼 (Burai) and well know actor / martial artist 倉田 保昭 (Kurada Yasuaki) as 尊士 Sonshi.


牙狼外伝 桃幻の笛 ,2013年7月20日. Another side story  concentrated on Makai priests such as 邪美 (Jabi) , 烈花 (Rekka) with  Makai Knight ケンギ  (Kengi, actor 津田寛治 Tsuda Kanji)


絶狼〈ZERO〉 -BLACK BLOOD-. 2014年3月8日（白ノ章） 2014年3月22日（黒ノ章）. 8 th March, 2014. There are two chapters : White and Black chapters.  A four part movie about Zero starring 藤田 玲 Fujita Rei who is returning as Zero once more in 絶狼〈ZERO〉 -DRAGON BLOOD-」（2017年）, Zero , Dragon Blood , 2017.

牙狼〈GARO〉 -魔戒ノ花-  2014年4月4日 - 2014年9月26日（25回） The flower of Makai, 25 episodes.

The story of Garo is returned to Kouga's son ,  冴島雷牙(Raiga), actor 中山 麻聖 (Nakayama Masei , real name 中山 麻生 , also pronounced Nakayama Masei) whose first tokusatsu acting show was 仮面ライダー響鬼  Kamen Rider Hibiki . He also voiced 雷吼 (Raikou) in 牙狼 -紅蓮ノ月-  2015年10月 Garo Crimson Moon, the first Garo anime in 2015.

This series introduces クロウ - 水石亜飛夢 (Crow , actor Mizuishi  Atomu) and 石橋 菜津美 (Ishibashi Natsumi) as マユリMayuri . Ishibashi was also in 仮面ライダーフォーゼ 2011 (TV and movie 仮面ライダーフォーゼ THE MOVIE みんなで宇宙キターッ! , 2012)

Other  Makai priests were introduced also:

ジイル - 護あさな  Jiiru , actor Mamoru Asana
媚空 - 秋元才加  Bikuu , actress Akimoto Sayaka


牙狼〈GARO〉-炎の刻印- 2014年10月 - 2015年3月 （25回）. Garo Honoo no kokuin (October, 2014 ~ March, 2015 , 24 episodes ) is the second Garo anime . It is directed by 林 祐一郎 Hayashi Yuuichirou.


牙狼-GARO- -GOLD STORM- 翔 (特撮映画) 2015年3月28日, 2015年4月から9月までテレビ東京放送された連続特撮テレビドラマ .

First came the movie (28 th March, 2015) followed by a TV series between April and September the same year.

道外 流牙 (栗山航) Dougai Ryuuga (Actor Kuriyama Wakaru) continues his journey as Garo.



A new Makai character was introduced:
リュメ 龍女 -  桑江咲菜 Ryuume , actress Kuwae Sakina

牙狼 -紅蓮ノ月-  (2015年10月~2016年4月. 全24話). Garo Guren no tsuki (October, 2015 ~ April, 2016. 24 episodes) . A second Garo anime with 雷吼 as the protagonist Garo , voiced by Garo actor 中山麻聖 Nakamura Masei. This Garo has a more powerfull form 黄金騎士ガロ・陣 Garo, Jin - A heavy armoured Garo. Another Makai knight was introduced in the series 白蓮騎士ザンガ White Lotus kishi - Zanga.


媚空 -ビク 2015年11月14日特撮映画. Bikuu, another (Makai Priest related movie in  2015, 14 th November, 2015) , staring 秋元才加 Akimoto Sayaka as Bikuu. 雨宮慶太 Amemiya returned as the main director with 大橋明 Oohashi Akira as the action director.

牙狼〈GARO〉 -魔戒烈伝- 2016年4月9日 - 6月25日（12 回）. Garo Makai Retsuden (9 th April, 2016 ~ 25 th June, 2016. 12 episodes). This features the past stories of some of the previous Garo characters , explaining some of the missing tales not shown in previous Garo episodes. Original Garo 冴島鋼牙 and actor 小西 遼生 returned in ep 12 , the final episode of this series. Each episode starts with dialogue from 倉橋ゴンザ Garo's Butler , Gonza , actor 螢 雪次朗 (Hotaru Yukijirou).


牙狼〈GARO〉-阿修羅- 2016年7月1日（1回）. Garo Ashura. A 30-minute broadcast on 1 st July, 2016, celebrating Garo's 10 th Anniversary, with Japan professional wrestler 棚橋弘至 Tanahashi Hiroshi as Garo and another Japan professional wrestler 真壁刀義 Makabe Tougi as Horror Zarugin. 冴島カオル - 肘井美佳 Gouga 's wife or Raiga's mother , Kaoru (we assume) , actress Hijii Mika also guest-starred. Original Garo armour returned.

絶狼-ZERO- -DRAGON BLOOD- Zero , Dragon Blood, the next Garo-related series will be returned in 2017, starring 藤田玲 Fujita Rei as Zero, continuing from Black Blood.



小西遼生 Kounishi Ryousei (冴島鋼牙 Kouga , Garo) and 肘井美佳 Hijii Mika (御月カオル Kaoru) special message for Garo , the original series HD remaster broadcast (already started in July, 2016)



Various forms of Garo




JAM PROJECT ,is responsible for the theme songs of Garo. The hyperactive one is 影山 ヒロノブ Kageyama Hironobu who is also famous for Dragonball Z songs, he is one of the founding members of Jam Project (2000). Other members are :

遠藤正明 2000年 Endou Masaaki (also the founding member)
きただにひろ  2002年6月加入  Kitadanihiro , joined the group in June, 2002.
奥井雅美 2003年3月加入 Okui Masami, joined the group in March, 2003.
福山芳樹 2003年3月加入 Fukuyama Yoshiki , joined the group in March, 2003.

JAM PROJECT performing Garo's theme - Savior in the dark live :



Fan made music video of Savior in the dark.



Fan made Makai Senki music video



JAM PROJECT performing Makai Senki main theme live: 1:31




Both of these songs are my most favourite Garo theme songs.


In celebration of the HD broadcast of the original series, I  took some photos of this beloved , discontinued 12" toy 煌人牙狼（キラメキビト kirameki bito Garo） from Bandai. It is the very first toy of Garo. The price is very economical but probably caused Bandai to discontinue the production among other production problems of the toy. The articulation (joint design) is poor (as compared with S.H. Figuarts) but it is 12" and shiny as in the TV series (other Garo toys are painted with soil-gold-brown colour) .

I am waiting for the release of  魔戒可動 竜陣牙狼 Makaikadou Ryuujin Garo. It is probably another 魂ウェブ商店  Bandai Tamashii web shop release.




 
12" 煌人牙狼 kirameki bito Garo.
I self-made the cape.