GATE KEEPERS review: Exploring the appeal of supernatural battles and the depth of the characters

The Gatekeepers: A 1969 tale of science and war

"Gatekeepers" is a TV anime series that aired in 2000 and is an original work produced by GONZO. Set in Japan in 1969, it depicts the battle to protect the Earth from an unknown enemy called "Invaders." The story revolves around the exploits of "Gatekeepers," warriors with special abilities, against the backdrop of scientific progress and the contradictions that come with it.

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 3, 2000 - September 18, 2000

■Broadcasting station

WOWOW

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

・Original story/Yamaguchi Hiroshi

■ Director

・General Director: Junichi Sato ・Director: Koichi Chiaki

■ Production

・Animation production: GONZO
・Production: GK Project (Kadokawa Shoten, Bandai Visual, Pony Canyon, GONZO)

■Works

©GONZO・Kadokawa Shoten/GK Project

■ Story

The year is 1969. Humanity has acquired the great power of science. On the one hand, they are engaged in military expansion for destruction, while on the other hand, they are striving for economic growth for production. As if to exploit this contradiction, an unknown enemy called "Invaders" appears. To counter the Invaders, the Earth Defense Organization AEGIS is secretly formed. Under the command of the United Nations, they gather warriors with special abilities called "Gatekeepers" as the last trump card for the defense of the Earth. One day, a very ordinary high school student, Shun Ukiya, has his dormant Gatekeeper abilities discovered by AEGIS. He is then appointed as the commander of the special guerrilla unit. When the boy's Gate abilities blossom, a new battle story begins.

■Explanation

This work depicts the exploits of the Earth Defense Organization "Aegis," which protects peace from the evil clutches of "Invaders," who blend into human society and carry out destructive activities, and its members, the "Gatekeepers." The super-scientific designs, such as the CG bus transformation, the Gate Robo launch catapult, the portable bow and arrow, and the gale-force wooden sword, would have been impossible to realize with the technology of 1969, but they have been depicted as realistic sculptures. Welcoming Junichi Sato of "Ojamajo Doremi" as general director, this work is brought to you by GONZO's finest staff. Please enjoy it.

■Cast

・Ukiya Shun/Sakurai Takahiro/Ikuzawa Ruriko/Kawasumi Ayako/Fen Fei Ling/Nishimura Chinami/Tetsue/Aikawa Rikako/Kageyama Reiji/Seki Tomokazu/Asagiri Reiko/Iizuka Mayumi/Konoe Kaoru/Takano Naoko/Banba Chotaro/Koyasu Takehito

■ Main staff

・Original work: GONZO
・Original concept, series composition: Hiroshi Yamaguchi ・Character design: Keiji Goto ・Art director: Masanori Kikuchi ・Super science design: Masahiro Maeda ・Sound director: Yota Tsuruoka ・Music: Kohei Tanaka ・Director: Koichi Chiaki ・General director: Junichi Sato ・Production: GONZO

■ Main Characters

Shun Ukiya is a Gatekeeper and the captain of the Gatekeepers squad of the Aegis Far East Branch. He is a second-year student at Tategami High School. He is a hot-blooded young man with a strong sense of justice. He has the gate ability "Gale", which boasts the greatest attack power and can control the flow of air. He fights with his own special wooden sword. He pilots his own special pursuit vehicle "Yotahachi" and the pre-production model "Gate Robo".
A gatekeeper of the Aegis Far East Branch Gatekeepers Squad. A second-year student at Tategami High School. A well-behaved and popular girl with a stronger sense of mission than most to protect the Earth. She has the ability to use the "life" gate to heal injuries and illnesses. She uses her own super bow and arrow, and fights by converting that ability into attack power. She is childhood friends with Shun.
A gatekeeper of the Aegis Far East Gatekeepers. A third-year student at Tategami High School. A laid-back, childish, girly young lady. She has the gate ability of "illusion," which shows illusions to those who hear the sound of the piano. She plays on the grand piano and other instruments, giving the invaders nightmares and causing them to lose their will to fight.
A gatekeeper of the Aegis Far East Gatekeepers. A first-year student at Tategami High School. A cheerful girl who attacks Shun, who she has a crush on. She has the gate ability of "pursuit" that enhances her physical abilities. Her uniform during battles is gym clothes. She is the strongest in hand-to-hand combat, and uses techniques such as the "Kaoru Kick."
Feng Fei Ling is a gatekeeper who was transferred from the Aegis Shanghai branch to the Gatekeepers of the Far East branch. Her Chinese name is "Feng Fei Ling," and she is commonly known as "Fei." She is a first-year student at Shield God High School. Although she is only 12 years old, her academic ability is on par with that of a high school student. She has the "Red Heat" gate ability, which allows her to control flames. Her greatest technique is "Scorching Panda," which attacks with a flaming panda.
・Tetsu Kei A gatekeeper of the Aegis Far East Branch Gatekeepers Squad. A second-year student at Tategami High School. A twisted character with both high pride and complexes, she is not good at socializing. She has the "Iron Wall" gate ability that can block any attack. She is an intense rival of the intelligent and beautiful Ruriko.
・Hojo Yukino The gatekeeper with the greatest abilities that have been confirmed. A mysterious girl who appears from time to time and leaves cryptic murmurs for Shun and the others. She has the powerful "ice and snow" gate ability that can even freeze time. After parting ways with a loved one, she used her ability to freeze time, becoming a being that lives outside the flow of time.
The Commander is the highest-ranking officer in the Aegis Far East branch. His real name is Tetsuya Tokiwatari. He usually camouflages himself as the principal of Tategami High School. He is a survivor of the Ohka Unit that was active during the war, and fights the invaders with a mortal determination. He is a reliable commander who always leads the Gatekeepers with a calm and collected attitude.
Keiko Ochiai is the secretary to the Commander, who is the highest-ranking officer in the Aegis Far East Branch. Shun and the others call her "Secretary-san." She usually works as a school doctor at Tategami High School. Although she can be a bit airheaded at times, she is a capable and beautiful woman. For that reason, she is highly trusted by the Commander. In fact, it seems that there is someone she secretly yearns for...
・Chief mechanic of the Far East branch of Megane Aegis. His real name is Meguro Kanetake, and he is known by his nickname "Megane." He is a first-year student at Tategami High School. He is a young man who manages and maintains the latest mecha owned by the Far East branch of Aegis, such as Shun's special pursuit vehicle, the Yotahachi. Although he does not have gate abilities, he is a reliable ally of Shun and the others.
・Banba Chotaro A trainee member of the Aegis Far East Branch Gatekeepers. Nicknamed "Boss." A second-year student at Tategami High School. A cheerful young man who never forgets to joke around, no matter how difficult the situation. Possesses brute strength. He is selected as one of the Gatekeeper candidates, but he appears to simply possess brute strength and not have any gate powers. But in fact...
Kazuko Ukiya is the mother of Shun and his sister, Rumi. Although she can be absent-minded, she is a strong-willed woman with a strong core. Five years ago, her husband, Shunjiro, passed away at a young age. Since then, she has supported the family by doing dressmaking as a side job, and is raising Shun, a passionate young man with a strong sense of justice, and Rumi, a cheerful girl who is not shy around strangers, all by herself.
・Ukiyaro Mishun's younger sister. She has a bright personality and isn't shy around strangers, and is a reliable girl like her mother. Because of this personality, she becomes friends with Yukino, whom she meets at Tategami High School, where Shun attends. Although she is an unreliable older brother, she adores Shun, and always wears the red hair accessory that he gave her. She is interested in Tsuyoshi, a boy in her class.
・Reiji Kageyama An evil gatekeeper who cooperates with the Invaders. A mysterious young man who goes by the code name "Shadow". He transferred to Shun's class at Tategami High School. He has the "Jet Black" gate ability that controls shadows. He can summon gate techniques such as "Shadow Edge" and jet black gate robots. What is his hidden past?
・One of the three top executives of the Devil Count Invaders. A man of intelligence who is skilled in illusions, schemes, and mental attacks that manipulate the human mind. He can recover damage many times with his magic. He visits Japan to carry out the Invaders' ultimate goal, the "Human Ranch Plan." When Kageyama summons the jet-black Gate Robo, it is absorbed into his right chest.
・One of the three top executives of the Machine General Invader. A man who can fuse with machines and control them at will. A monster who has participated in numerous conflicts and wars, his catchphrase is "Heil Vader." He has a mechanized Invader unit under his command. When Kageyama summons the jet-black Gate Robo, it is absorbed into his left chest.

■ Main robot items

・Gate Robo (Unit 0)
The first mass-produced version of Gate Robo (Unit 0). It has the highest output in the limit range, but due to uneven output characteristics it was sealed away as a failure that could not be controlled. Later, it became Shun's personal machine. There are also mass-produced versions of Unit 0 that have been detuned (GM Unit 1, Jun Unit 2, and Misao Unit 3).
・Jet-black Gate Robo An evil Gate Robo colored in black. A machine materialized by Kageyama from Gate Energy. Therefore, strictly speaking, it is not a machine, and is different from Shun's Gate Robo. It absorbs the Devil Count in its right chest and the Machine General in its left chest. It can also amplify and unleash Kageyama's special move "Shadow Edge."
- Yotahachi Shun's special pursuit vehicle "UP15-13079". Nicknamed "Yotahachi", this machine is based on a '69 Toyota Sports 800 and has been lightly tuned. The deciding factor in choosing this vehicle was the ultra-lightweight body with excellent aerodynamic characteristics, which is a good match for Shun's gate ability, "Hayate".

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: Begin the defense of Earth!
Episode 2: Stand up for peace!
Episode 3: Play a captivating song!
・Episode 4: Find a new warrior!
Episode 5: Run towards your dreams!
・Episode 6: Infiltrate the terrifying girls' dormitory!
Episode 7: Shoot down enemies in the sky!
Episode 8: Find the invaders!
Episode 9: Break through the jet-black gate!
Episode 10: Shake off the devil's dreams!
Episode 11: Stop that Shinkansen!
・Episode 12: Fly to the Northern Lands!
・Episode 13/Defeat the two strongest executives!・Part 1 ・Episode 14/Defeat the two strongest executives!・Part 2 ・Episode 15/Crush matchmaking!
Episode 16: Gate Robo goes on the attack!
Episode 17: Run through the pathless world!
Episode 18: Protect the Invaders!?
Episode 19: Listen to Young's argument!
Episode 20: Leap into the new year!
Episode 21: Protect! The Festival of Progress and Harmony!
Episode 22: Destroy the Jet Black Robot!
Episode 23: Muster up the courage to fight!
・Episode 24/For a Smile Tomorrow

■ Related works

・Gatekeepers 21

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
For a Smile Tomorrow Lyrics: Junichi Sato Music: Kohei Tanaka Arrangement: Fuminori Iwasaki Singer: Yumi Matsuzawa

・ED1
From Today to Tomorrow Lyrics by Hiroshi Yamaguchi Music by Kohei Tanaka Arrangement by Fuminori Iwasaki Vocals by Yumi Matsuzawa

The appeal and evaluation of "Gatekeepers"

"Gatekeepers" is a science fiction action anime set in Japan in 1969, depicting the exploits of "Gatekeepers", warriors with special abilities, against the backdrop of scientific progress and the contradictions that come with it. This work is an original anime produced by GONZO, and is known for bringing together GONZO's strongest staff, with Junichi Sato of "Ojamajo Doremi" appointed as general director.

The story revolves around the battle to protect the Earth from the unknown enemy "Invaders." The protagonist, Shun Ukiya, is an ordinary high school student who awakens as a Gatekeeper and is appointed as the commander of the special attack unit of the Earth Defense Organization Aegis. His "Shifu" gate ability has a powerful offensive power that controls the flow of air, and he fights using his special wooden sword and pursuit vehicle "Yotahachi."

The appeal of this work lies in how it skillfully incorporates the historical background of 1969. It depicts the tension of the Cold War era and the advancement of science and technology, and the story unfolds in a way that reflects the social situation of the time. Another highlight is the super-scientific design that makes full use of CG, with realistic sculptures appearing, such as the transforming bus and the Gate Robo's launch catapult. These designs would have been impossible to achieve with the technology of 1969, but they are visually very appealing and enrich the worldview of the work.

The characters are also unique, each with a different gate ability, and you can see how they fight by making the most of their abilities. In particular, Ikuzawa Ruriko's "Life" gate ability and Asagiri Reiko's "Illusion" gate ability have a major impact not only on the battles but also on the story development. The characters on the Invader side are also fascinating, with the strong presence of the Demon Count and the Machine General, adding depth to the story.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. The opening theme "For Tomorrow's Smile" and the ending theme "From Today to Tomorrow" are impressive, with Yumi Matsuzawa's singing voice adding to the atmosphere of the work. The background music composed by Kohei Tanaka also effectively enhances the battle scenes and moving scenes.

"Gatekeepers" has a high level of quality in all elements, including the story, characters, design, and music, and has the power to draw viewers in. In particular, the sci-fi action that makes use of the historical background of 1969 has a unique appeal that is not found in other works. Also, do not miss the CG design, which fully demonstrates GONZO's technical capabilities.

This work is recommended not only for those who like sci-fi action anime, but also for those who are interested in Japan in 1969 and the history of the Cold War. In addition, it depicts human drama such as character growth, friendship, and romance, making it a work that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people.

There is also a related work called "Gatekeepers 21". It is a sequel to "Gatekeepers" and depicts a new battle in the 21st century. If you enjoyed "Gatekeepers", be sure to check out "Gatekeepers 21" as well.

"Gatekeepers" is a work that conveys the importance of peace and the power of friendship through a story of science and battle. It has provided viewers with a lot of emotion and excitement, and can be said to be a masterpiece loved by anime fans of the 2000s.