Golgo 13 Collection 1 Episodes 1-13 -A review

When I first saw this on Netflix instant I just had to watch it. When I first got into Anime back in the late 90s one of the first Anime that I saw was The Professional Golgo 13. I really enjoyed it. The story was compelling, if a bit thin, the super tower beer sign shot from near the end made me like the movie. I even didn't mind the early 80s CGI used with the helicopter. Even though it was so poorly done that  it took you straight out of the story. At times even the animation was lax. I didn't care. It was a manly movie. So when I find the first 13 Episodes on Netflix I have to give them a watch.

Duke Togo more commonly known by the pseudonym Golgo 13, a professional assassin. He is stated to be a very large Asian man and he rarely ever talks. You never really learn anything about his past. All you really know is that he is the best assassin ever. Capable of pulling of the proverbial impossible shot. Outside of a standard handgun he only seems to ever use a HIGHLY modified AR-15/M-16. --After Jump--

Based on the Manga by Takao Saito

Directed By Shunji Oga

           Written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara

               Junichi Iioka

            Studio: Answer Studio Company

         Licensed By: Sentai Filmworks

Golgo 13: Collection 1 Episodes 1-13 (2010) (amazon)

Golgo 13 DVD Collection 1 (Right Stuff)

When I watched this series I was hit by a large wave of nostalgia so I knew I might not be the most objective on this. Watching this was like having a old friend return to me. What I wanted when I watched this was insane plot , insane shot from a gun and EXTREME manliness. What I got was exactly that and ALL from the First episode. So what do I expect from the next episode with all of that in the first.

What I got with Episode 2 was the exact same thing as I had in the first episode and so on all the way to the 13th episode. There in lies one of the greatest issues with this show. It is 13 independent episodes with no over arching story. As it is easy to pick up and put down. The stories have very little if any tension. This is a show that needs a overarching story of some sort. Basically what you end up doing is watching the episode to see him pull off the "impossible" shot. That is fine for the first few but after that it gets stale. I'm not even sure how this show ended up with 50 episodes.

Finally If you want a cheesy, campy reminder of the Original Golgo 13 movie or the the OVA from 1998 you will get it here and when you start watching episode 3 and realize that its the same thing over and over again you're gonna get bored. Well you will unless you're presently playing Dynasty Warriors 206 or whatever number that series is on. If you're a fan of the character then give this a run if not then pass.

On a 1 to 5 scale 

3 out of 5 (generic)