Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Swordgai the Animation – Complete Collection (2018)

Because “Swordgai the Animation” is condensed into 24 episodes, it’s an anime series that one can easily watch and enjoy and not worry that it will last many seasons.  For those who enjoy action anime series, then this is a series worth considering!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

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ANIME SERIES: Swordgai the Animation – Complete Collection

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 2018

DURATION: Episode 1-24 (742 Minutes)

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Japanese, English and Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATED: TV MA VSL

Release Date: July 6, 2021

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Original Creator: Kine Osamu/Inoue Toshiki

Directed by Naka Tomohiko

Series Composition by Inoue Toshiki

Music by Nakagawa Kotaro

Character Design by Nakajima Atsuko

Art Director: Akashi Seiko

Anime Production: DLE, LandQ Studios, Production I.G.

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Featuring the following voice talent:

Uemura Yuto/Khoi Dao as Gai Ogata

Umehara Yuichiro/Billy Kametz as Seiya Ichijo

Aisaka Yuka/Kayli Mills as Sayaka Ogata

Hamada Kenji/Austin Lee Matthews as Tatsumi

Toriumi Kousuke/Chris Hackney as Hakim

Kuroda Takaya/Chris Tergliafera as Grimms

Satou Rina/Erica Lindbeck as Kyoka Kagami

Sakura Ayane/Faye Mata as Midoriko

Sugita Tomokazu/Greg Chun as Miki Naoki

Shimazaki Nobunaga/Griffin Burns as Shin Matoba

Takano Urara/Jessica Gee-George as Yasuko Tanaka

Shimamura Yu/Mela Lee as Mina Hiraya

Neya Michiko/Michelle Ruff as Arnys

Seki Toshihiko/Patrick Seitz as Takuma Miura

Shimamoto Sumi/Philece Sampler as Kei

Hashi Takuya/Richard Epcar as Kazuma Matoba

Murakami Kohei/Steve Cannon as Issei Ariga

Nakata Jouji/Taylor Henry as Amon Ogata

Shimono Hiro/Zach Aguilar as Marcus Lithos

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Infernal Weapons grant their wielders incredible power, but as each blade and hammer hosts an evil spirit, contracting their services requires a price few are willing to pay. Even the few who can master a demonic weapon without becoming its slave, the Chrysalis, are destined to slowly lose their humanity, transforming into beings of pure violence known as Busoma.

For years, the secretive Shoshidai have sought to gather all such devices and hide them away, but not even they can always resist the temptation to take the weapons for themselves. What chance, then, does young Gai Ogata stand after his dying mother, possessed by the sword, Shiryu, leaves it for his infant hands? And when his own arm is destroyed and replaced with one made from that same sword, all hell will be unleashed!

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Back in 2012, mangaka Inoue Toshiki and illustrators Amemiya Keita and Kine Wosamu created the manga series “Swordgai”.

Serialized for “Monthly Hero”, the manga would last from 2012-2015 and would receive a total of six graphic novel releases.

An anime adaptation was released on Netflix in 2018 and the 24-episode anime series would be released on Blu-ray courtesy of Sentai Filmworks.

The concept of “Swordgai” is that legendary weapons of the past would give one great power, but while one possesses that power, they (who are known as “Chrysalis” before they are turned to 100% armored monsters known as “Busoma”) are taken over and all they want to do is kill anything that lives.

Trying to collect all these weapons is an organization known as Shohidai, while the Chrysalis who possessed these weapons are treated by putting them in a cryogenic cold sleep, slowing their conversion in becoming a full-on busoma.

The problems of these cursed weapons from the past, continue to be a problem today.  As Shohidai director, Miura hears the cursed weapon Zsoltgewinn calling out for him and Miura, who is entranced, puts his hand on it and becoming a Busoma.

Meanwhile, the cursed sword known as Shiryu is receiving its spiritual prayer to continue to seal its power.  But when one of the people involved in the cleansing of the blade messes up, he becomes cursed by Shiryu, wanting to kill everything.

Meanwhile, a couple in Japan are awaiting the birth of their child.  When the man taken over by Shiryu comes across the couple, he kills the father but before he could kill the woman, he drops the sword after seeing how much killing he has done.  The woman grabs the sword and kills the man, but is taken over as well.

But the woman still maintains a little of herself and wanting her baby to live.  The woman takes her life, but leaving the blade next to her newborn baby.

The baby is found by weaponsmith Ogata Amon and he raises the baby, named Gai as his own child.  Gai is unaware of the sword, but holds resentment towards his mother for leaving him.

While Gai is kindhearted, especially towards Sayaka, Amon’s daughter, who he grew up with. Amon knows that the sword is cursed and he will someday need to tell Gai the truth about it.  But when something bad happens to Gai, which ends up with him losing his right arm, Amon takes the cursed Shiryu and forges it into a prosthetic limb for Gai.  Not knowing by doing so, he will slowly become a Chrystalis and the ability to fuse with his weapon.

But now the Shohidai and other Chrysalis want to target Gai and can Gai prevent himself from turning into a Busoma or will he be fully consumed by Shiryu?

For the most part, “Swordgai the Animation” is an entertaining action anime series.  But unfortunately, it does have its flaws.

While the first season shows a strong story (and without spoiling the storyline, I just want to emphasize, don’t get to drawn into the characters), the second half seems to disregard the character building storyline and tries to throw in another important character way too late in the series.

So, pacing is one of the problems this series faces.  While trying to showcase so many other characters, the primary characters of season two are not yet fully featured and when they are, they are only featured prominently in the final six episodes.

Needless to say, I do like the animation , I do like the overall character designs and artwork but I wonder if the production team were expecting more episodes for season two or perhaps a third season?  It just seems that the second half was rushed and even the way the series ended, kind of fell flat.

I do enjoy the concept, I did enjoy the series but unfortunately, there are flaws in the storyline and pacing problems that made what was an anime series with a lot of potential for season one, go downhill a bit for season two and partly due to its poor execution of a major character that is introduced way too late.

But because “Swordgai the Animation” is condensed into 24 episodes, it’s an anime series that one can easily watch and enjoy and not worry that it will last many seasons.  For those who enjoy action anime series, then this is a series worth considering!

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Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon