This was probably one of the most neglected shows to air in the fall 2005-season. It’s imaginable why. After all, it’s a shounen-series featuring dogs battle each other. Most people wouldn’t even bother checking out such a stupid concept. Still, this anime definitely didn’t deserve this incredible lack of attention. Because yes, believe it or not, but it’s actually quite good. Some of the scenes it featured were amazing.
I have to admit, I laughed myself through the first couple of episodes. I just kept comparing it to Excel Saga, with hilarious results. The scenes were just too incredibly overdramatic to be taken seriously. We’ve got the son of the legendary leader of a pack of dogs, who’s been living with his mother ever since their homeplace was invaded by a huge bear. Now, one year later, Weed, our main character (appropriately named after a patch of weed), must go back to this homeplace, as another huge monster has invaded it. It indeed seemed like the standard pattern of a shounen-series, in which our main character would fight enemy by enemy.
But then I suddenly caught myself actually enjoying some of the scenes which were shown. The prediction at the previous paragraph was smattered as the series progressed. You see, this is an anime about fighting a war, with our main character as leader. Weed actually assembles an entire army of dogs, creating a huge cast of side-characters. All with their different story and motivation. We get to see some very interesting war tactics, which show that it isn’t that simple to just win a war. The creators also managed to create a number of very interesting bad guys. Who not only have interesting backgrounds, but also look scary at certain times.
There is one aspect in which Ginga Densetsu Weed really shines. Whenever a character dies, this anime is just incredible. The scenes are turned into an incredible spectacle, all dedicated to give the end of this protagonist or antagonist an as large impact as possible, and it works perfectly. At times, these really make you think about war ethics. If you combine this with the fact that this show’s got lots of characters, and lots of them die, then you’re in for something special.
Like I said, this anime has lots of characters. Surprisingly, most of them are just adults. Weed is one of the few kids among them. Another interesting fact it that the story likes to focus on characters other than Weed. There are plenty of chances in which he takes a step back, so that the story can focus at some of the interesting side-characters. Because of the huge quantity of diverse side-characters, this works great.
Still, this anime remains a shounen-series. Even though it breaks away from some clichés, it still follows others. We’ve got a young male in the lead. He’s got superpowers. He survives. Characters fight each other for too long. Weed’s whining and desire not to kill anyone can also get annoying at times, just like other parts of episodes, in which the characters are just having some fun.
The creators have tried an attempt to try and draw the dogs at a serious way, though it’s clear that they never tried to be realistic. After all, dogs would never do what was being shown in this anime. Dogs also don’t pant or do other things which is typical for dogs to do. When characters talk, their mouths don’t exactly move synchronic with the voices. Still, the background music does deliver. It contributes greatly to the overall mood.
Overall, the show’s got bad points, though the good and creative points totally make up for it. If you like anime centred around wars, you’ll probably like this, though you have to get used to the fact that the main characters are a bunch of dogs. ^^
I really agree. I only started watching this show out of curiosity during the superbowl when I got bored cuz Prince sucked. I had it on mute with english subtitles, so I didn’t know it was actually in japenese! I think that if you don’t understand the language, it’s better to just watch it on mute so you can give the characters their own voices. That what i did! I’ve seen the first eight eposodes and the last four, so I’m a bit uninformed. Oh well! Still waiting for someone on youtube to finish off the series for me! Thanks to those who have already posted eposodes there.
You should add more Ginga Densetsu pictures. You see, im am making a book on the charaters and i wanted to print out some pictures.
Heh, that’s an interesting request. Unfortunately, I’ve already deleted this series from my computer. Do you know how to make screenshots yourself, perchance?
I think that even if you don’t know japanese it is fun to hear the japanese voices over the reading of the subtitles. Also if you don’t know how to pronounce a name (such as Jerome) Since names are the same in all languages it helps you to pronounce them correctly.
Heh, yeah. That’s something I also discovered while watching the raws, although it can be annoying at times when you have to spell them. 😛
hey,i agrre with evry thing that means ginga densetsu weed is good there is nothing bad with it at all but one thing madfe me sad 🙁 there are on ly 26 eppys 🙁
I agree. Such a strong series. It has a few bad points, but that is no reason for it to be ignored.
cool show,it was really sad that robert,rocca and hoiler died…what horroble deaths it made me cry!!! :””””(
I loved this anmie
You might want to try this series’ predecessor, Ginga Nagareboshi Gin, which is about Weed’s father building his own army of dogs against the evil bears.
I tried Weed but it just didn’t deliver like the good old Gin (pretty much every kid here in Finland saw GNG when they were five and everyone loved it because it featured bucketloads of blood) so I dropped it. It’s so new and shiny I can’t even forgive the campy dogs being hugely campy.
i love GDW it is the best thing i have ever seen!!!!!!!!!1
Will there be a series after Ginga Densetsu Weed?
i only know about this show through youtube being played with the music,animal i have become by three days grace,i was looking up music videos with that song and discovered gdw,i looked more into it.i wish i knew about it four years ago in 2005,to bad.music videos and old reviews work!
it looks really cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!XP
oh,i forgot,weed is…..well….HOTTTTT!!!!!…well,he is,for a dog.HEHEH.
This anime had a huge impact on me. Even tough it’s onlyour in Japanese I get better details out of it. On the good guys deaths I almost start crying because of how strong this is. I haven’t seen a bether anime than this in my opinion. I wached this first then the original and back to this where I know all the names and soon I’m yet to cry. Biggest reason is is because I get easily addicted to these things. I downloaded everyone on my computer both series and probably will watch it through a bunch and still not get bored of it. I only see this with great aspects, nothing that was horrible. I really love the way how it shows the point of the other dogs joining in from Weed’s persuading. The way how he puts things into others minds remind me of Naruto in a sense. Overall I have to say this is the best