Garo: Crimson Moon

About Garo: Crimson Moon

Garo: Crimson Moon (牙狼〈GARO〉-紅蓮ノ月-) blends action, fantasy and supernatural by MAPPA (2015). Below is a fresh retelling of what the story is about. At its core: In the capital metropolis of an elegant, feudal society, a formidable spiritual barrier protects people from demonic monsters known as “horrors”—at least, those lucky enough to live in the northern part of the metropolis. For the commoners who live to the south, it’s a completely different story.

As things develop, as soon as night falls, the horrors begin their dark hunt, feasting on the souls of any humans who cross their path. Against unbeatable odds, the fate of the city will fall to a small group of warriors dedicated to protecting the citizens and fighting through the night.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Zaruba (Hironobu Kageyama) and Fujiwara no Yasusuke (Daisuke Namikawa) are two of the characters you will meet early. This one is best suited to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. The run is 23 episodes in total, so you know what you are signing up for.

Production & Appeal

MAPPA is the studio behind Garo: Crimson Moon, and its direction shapes everything from character design to motion. Within the action category, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. With a 5.4/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. On the casting side, Hironobu Kageyama voicing Zaruba gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2015, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.