Well, Garo has once again done something not many shows I can say have done; both surprise me with the twists its ending gives while also actually being really fulfilling and worthwhile. You don’t see that often, and I really find this to be an amazing ending to the story (barring a second season, movie, etc.) Its just..fantastic from start to finish. But I suppose a greater explanation is in order.
First off, we have the horrifying sight of Anima blending people into human paste and absorbing them into its body. It really makes it such a horrifying creature and its creepy seeing how it can just mince people and take them.
However, then we get to learn what Mendoza’s real plan was. He didn’t just raise this creature to devour humans, but devour it. Through some sort of dark spell, he finds a way to absorb and merge with it to be reborn into some immortal being.
This..is really really brilliant. We already have seen Leon and Alfonso fight giant Horrors and monsters, especially during the end of the first part, so this keeps from retreading old ground. Now instead of this monster we know little about, its our main antagonist which is our final boss. Furthermore, its a great design and the way his powers work, literally making fists out of nowhere, does seem so godlike and powerful. In his new super godlike form, he not only has incredible powers, but can no-sell any of Leon’s attacks. He can’t be damaged, and his power is enough to easily take on Leon.
However, while he gets his ass kicked, Alfonso and Emma wake up and go to action. Alfonso has a really nice heartwarming scene with the spirit of Rafael, and together they get something and I didn’t even think the show would go this route. They hand Leon Herman’s other blade so that Leon could summon both armors into this awesome super epic mode.
Now some out here might be fans of the live action show and say how this is impossible. I won’t argue about hat, because I don’t care its really really cool. This entire series has been really really cool.
He easily now can overwhelm and overpower Mendoza, but he still can’t kill him; any injury he takes he regenerates from. So then, seeing the open portal and like a total badass, knows exactly what to do.
How undeniably badass is that? He knows he can’t kill him, so he chains him to a pyre, and literally drags them both straight to hell in order to defeat he enemy. Its so freaking metal and awesome and cool and yes. Not wanting Leon to be trapped forever in a horrible hellscape, Emma and Alfonso struggle to keep the portal open, even though Leon knows that to ensure Mendoza doesn’t escape, there is no way out.
However, it looks pretty dark. As they descend, its clear that Mendoza might still have the las laugh, and Leon will be trapped, having sacrificed everything to protect humanity. Until suddenly, the flames that have been inside Leon awaken…but this time in a very different way as they engulf Mendoza.
Holy shit. Anna’s spirit shows itself and sets Mendoza ablaze, keeping him perpetually burning for all eternity in Makai, making sure he can never escape. There’s no better revenge, and no more beautiful a way for her to protect her son, and its heart wrenching and sad and awesome seeing Anna and Leon have these moments as he has to leave and go back, continue fighting. Even more, he gets a vision of his dad as well helping him to get back to the other side.
Once he’s back, it cuts to things having settled down. Alfonso is helping his people rebuild again, now with more girls teased as possible future queens. Leon and Emma have a strange moment, where she leaves due to wanting to return to her home, and he lets her. It feels odd, like somehow their relationship was like a fluke, or an off again on again thing. Granted, with their personalities, I understand why they’re not swooning over each other, but really, it makes me wish Lara were here.
The series ends showing that Herman left his mark before he left, having gotten Ximena with a baby, the future Zoro. This ties in with his character, and also the core idea the show presents, of people living on through the next generation, in passing on their will, their hopes, their dreams and goals. It feels proper, even as it is sad and here’s much that could be done. Honestly, this finale was very very good. The good stuff was throug the roof phenomenally good, and even he less good stuff was still handled expertly. I love the way action and emotions are so perfectly blended and makes everything so easy to get invested in. This was a great way to end things, if only for the time being.
Final Overall Impressions.
If you haven’t been reading my posts on the blog on Garo, here is the short version: GARO IS AWESOME GO WATCH IT!
Shows like this were part of what made me excited for the blog (though my lackluster updates would show otherwise, and I apologize for that.) Its a show that I might have never seen, but I found and loved. It has a few bad or weird episodes, but most anime often do. And even then, the quality of the story as a whole works well. Its an action show and the fight scenes are utterly spectacular and great, and work perfectly with the story. By the end, I loved and was invested in every character (except Garm…fuck you Garm.) Leon’s character growth was a marvel to see, I’m a sucker for redemption stories and this was a spectacular one. It was dark and cool and action filled and had deep meanings and ideas and wrapped them up altogether. Even with the few dud episodes, the show manages to keep you hooked and i never drops the ball at the important parts. It never ceases to entertain and its easily broken into my top 10 favorite anime of all time,
My final rating 9/10
If you like action, fantasy, good dramatic storytelling with amazing fight scenes, you will like this show. Funimation, you have the rights to it. If you read this post, dub this anime quickly, it’s brilliant. I will pay money to own it on dvd and bluray. It will sell well, go for it. And as for the rest of you, GO SEEEE IIT!!!
Some parts were slightly predictable (I guessed correctly about Herman having another child), but the scene with Mendoza burning in eternity wasn’t expected. Overall, a very good finale and series.
I do wonder if Alfonso still remains a Makai Knight. Not too sure if his sword survived that last ordeal (since I don’t recall if it being shown after his vision with his master).
Ps. Mendoza had a 3-4 inch long earlobe. LOL.
Yeah, I believe he is, since the sword remained, you see it damaged, but I think he still has Gaia. And as for the earlobe, I’ve seen it in other ‘god-like” characters, I think its something on version of Buddha has, and its really interesting seeing how much of an eastern design God-doza has, with his hat, ears, poses.