Anime: Chikyuu Bouei Kigyou Dai-Guard

Review originally written on December 19th 2023

Dai-Guard is essentially a series that comically combines the super robot type of mecha anime and the real robot type of mecha anime by handling elements of the former in the setting of the latter. It’s simultaneously a comical take on the classic formula and a tribute to some of the most iconic old school titles in the genre.

Visually you can tell the series is outdated, even by its time it isn’t very good. The artwork is kinda weak, the character designs are simple, the coloring has several issues to the point that one character has two different hair colours throughout the series, one seemingly done digitally while the other seems to be done by hand, why’s that? The special effects look cheap and old even for its time, and there is some crude CGI here and there as it was common back then. The motions are also not very good, but at least there is a lot of weight behind them, which is a nice touch, adds to the aesthetics, and fits within the setting and story presented. The backgrounds, especially the inside of the robots, are the best part of the show for the most part, except for the moments when CGI is used.

The audio department is very weak, easily the worst part of the whole series. The music? Generic, forgettable, simple, repetitive, just there most of the time, and that includes the opening, which at least fit the atmosphere of the action part of the show just fine. Both are meant to have that retro and classic feel that the show aims to mimic, and they succeed at that, but the results are still weak on their own. The ending is a cute song that fits the slice of life part of the anime with lyrics that both reflect those bits and are aimed directly to the audience. Not amazing in the least nor very memorable, but the best part of the soundtrack as far as I’m concerned. The voice acting is ok, every seiyuu did their work just fine, it’s just that the series and characters themselves didn’t allow any of them to shine in any particular way, as what was required of them was pretty standard and typical. Akiko Hiramatsu was the best out of the whole cast and showed her range once more, simply by playing the most emotional and explored character in the whole series. The sound effects are laughably weak even by 1999 standards, almost nothing has a fraction of the impact it should.

The plot is about a public relationships team from a security company using the giant robot titular of the show to fight against the token monsters of the series, classic monster of the week formula with a comical spin on it, not only because of the people piloting and repairing it, but also because of its approach itself to it. The mecha doesn’t really look cool, it wasn’t used for so long that it is rather obsolete and broken, it doesn’t have any cool super attacks, all of its said attacks are down to Earth and comical copies of iconic attacks from classic mecha titles, all of its upgrades are simple weapons, it constantly malfunctions, it has to be repaired or refueled in battle, the monsters it fights against have very simple and uninspired designs that range from a freaking giant baseball to a Mega-Man boss reject, minus the last two which came out of Evangelion or something, and in general the characters are reluctant to fight or care more about their daily lives and relationships, their salaries and vacations and the funding to do all the repairs the giant robot needs, than about the fights and the monsters themselves.

Not to say that the battles aren’t given the importance they deserve, despite the comical approach, the same outcomes and weapons used and the low level fights, every monster is different from the others despite having the same weakness, thus every fight requires a certain strategy and a certain field tactic, and it’s cool to watch Dai-Guard itself being affected by the different terrains on which the fights take place and having to adjust to them.

The plot structure follows the typical monster of the week formula, but several elements are added to it to add realism and flavor. Because of all the destruction and funding issues caused by the characters, they eventually have the military controlling what they do and even placing a tactical advisor for them, who of course has another mission behind that position, which eventually leads to the creation of another robot and the army becoming an antagonist of sorts on its own. There is also a member of the board of the company wanting to take over its presidential position and change the division of the main characters, themselves included, new pilots and a new tactical advisor trained by the army taking over the Dai-Guard at some point, political issues with another country and army, and of course evolving monsters, and the everyday things the characters have to deal with. All of that enriches an otherwise dried out formula, even with its own funny spin.

The pacing is good in the initial episodes, as you are shown the concept, premise, main characters, the personal drama of the main ones, the army and board members slowly taking over, new members that are troublesome, changes in the mecha that make things more difficult, the discovery of what the heterodyne (the monsters) are and their natural formation, and there is a bit of character development especially for Shirota the first military advisor, who learns how to talk with common people and do needed things on the fly in the battlefield, as well as for Akagi, the hot-headed, idealistic and impulsive main character who wants to be some kind of hero of justice because of the mecha anime he watched as a kid. The relationships between these two couldn’t be worse in the beginning, yet they are together so much time they come to find a common ground and noticing what the other has that they themselves lack, thus improving the cooperation during the battles against the heterodyne. The series also bothers to show how the common people are affected by the fights, albeit with a lighthearted approach, nothing really tragic in it. So, it does everything that Bullbuster, which finishes tomorrow, does, but better, and with a much better pacing (Dai-Guard does in, let’s say 4 or 5 out of 26 episodes, what Bullbuster does in 10 out of 12).

The middle episodes (let’s say 6 to 18) are the weakest, not so much of the everyday lives of the characters is shown, thus there is no character fleshing, and the fights are weak and silly, to the point of even contradicting the information that was initially provided and having the cast acting out of character at times. There are some good bits in it, like the second robot being made and the army and second advisor becoming a problem, as well as a good message (the public relations division help out people even when they don’t use the robot, giving a new meaning to the catchphrase of the teasers of the next episodes), but in general the plot points presented during this portion of the anime are somewhat poorly handled and not even last long enough.

The army and the board member take over, but everyone is incompetent or an asshole, which goes against the cooperation and common ground presented earlier with Akagi and Shirota, there is a heterodyne that contradicts the earlier information, even if it refreshes the formula for one episode, on which the characters act out of character, a second robot appears but disappears soon after for the damage it receives, when Dai-Guard has taken worse time and time again, there is a really unneeded recap episode (aired first week of the year 2000), the division is dissolved but reformed soon afterwards, and you star questioning yourself why aren’t more pilots being trained and how can it be that there is just one scientist in the whole show. Yes, those things are like that on classic mecha as well, but Dai-Guard was supposed to be a comical and down to Earth spin on it, things should be different in this series.

The final episodes (19 onwards) have some issues, such as the political conflict being resolved easily in just two episodes, a so-so emotional montage, some characters acting differently than they did during the rest of the show, and the directing of episode 20 being way too experimental to the point of being weird, but in general the last bunch, especially after episode 20, are the best portion of the anime, with more character immersion and even a bit of development (especially for Ibuki, the main girl of the show), heterodyne that actually feel like a threat and that you can take seriously, the second robot reappearing with a proper explanation, the feeling and message of cooperation between the civilians and the military for the sake of the country being recovered, a more serious approach to the destruction caused and how the common people is affected, actual evacuations being made, the best directing of the whole series during episodes 21 and 22, and one hell of a final showdown in the last three episodes.

Of course, at this point you ask yourself why they didn’t evacuate on earlier episodes during other attacks, and there definitely was need for some actual deaths at some point, while the ending is not conclusive because there is no actual end for the heterodyne (they are a force of nature), but for the type of lighthearted action show that Dai-Guard is, the final third of the anime is pretty well done.

As for characters, I already talked about Akagi and Shirota, Ibuki is the most and best explored one in the whole show, from her backstory and personal drama, her family wanting her to stop piloting because of it being dangerous, the different pressure she has to face for being a woman, how she slowly becomes a bit more like Akagi, and of course two episodes dedicated to her psyche, repressed memories and development near the end of the show. The third main character is Aoyama but he isn’t explored as much besides his personal drama and slowly taking his job more seriously. The interactions between these three and the side characters are otherwise strong, bouncing off each other during the humorous parts, which I wished more anime had and knew how to make. Development and catharsis are otherwise simple and a bit inconsistent, but fine for this type of show.

As a whole I found Dai-Guard to be both a cool comedy in the likes of Patlabor on its earlier episodes and a cool tribute to classic mecha thanks to its main character and the final third of the show, and a series that’s worth the watch at least once, but it could have been far better if the middle episodes were better handled or some of them skipped entirely.

Similar stuff

Patlabor-Real robot mecha and slice of life comedy franchise (except for the movies that turned into crime thrillers and are far more serious).

Martian Successor Nadesico and Gekiganger 3-Parody and tribute of old school super robot type of mecha titles.

Kenzen Robo Daimidaler-Lewd super robot mecha parody.

Gravion-Lewd and goofy super robot tribute mecha title.

Bullbuster-Very similar but inferior 2023 title

Dai-Guard is very weak for a mecha. It’s fragile, slow, and uses all the classic attacks in a very sloppy way. For example, it does have a rocket punch. It rips off its hand and throws it at its target that is. And it does have a drill weapon. One that it has a hard time keeping in its hands, with a high probability of dropping it because it shakes a lot. Heck, it can’t even walk on a mountain slope without falling down. It also needs to combine from different parts in the beginning of each battle. Not with transforming airships but like a big plastic toy, with the aid of several cranes and many workers who use bolts. It doesn’t even have proper air-conditioning and the pilots are sweating while a tiny fan is working right next to them. All that make Dai-Guard by far the weakest super robot I have ever seen in my life.

And this is why it is so great. You actually see it getting constantly damaged, constantly malfunctioned and constantly in need of refuelling, all within a few minutes of battle. The procedure of coping with each problem is what makes each encounter with a monster a joy to stare at. It gets tiresome if the lead robot is all-powerful and never damaged, like in classic mecha. But here, it is actually a marvel to see how they need to deal with each challenge, as trivial as it may appear to be. In that sense, Dai-Guard beats your average super indestructible robot with one hand behind its back.

This anime is a very down to Earth mecha show that makes fun of super robots. It is all one big “What if super robots could be created, would they really be like that?” It even goes to show other aspects, such as a company which needs to constantly pay for its maintenance. Which is ran by a bunch of bureaucratic capitalists who care more about profits and public image, rather than saving the world from monsters. Who in turn are in cooperation with the military, a bunch of stuck-up slaves to loyalty and orders. Who don’t take initiative without authorization, even when the proper thing to do is right before their eyes. All that creates a setting which feels far more realistic and comical at the same time, as even a super robot needs to wait for paperwork to be completed before it gets green light for battle. Heck, even the three pilots of the robot are nothing but low-paid office workers, who are forced to do all sorts of dull shores, like clipping paperwork and stamping letters when there is no world threat out there. It is plain hilarious.

Anyone who wants to enjoy it fully should be aware that Dai-Guard is more comedy than action or drama. A tribute and a satire to all mecha that came before it, often mimicking tropes and situations for laughs. There is a battle going on in every episode, yet the actual confrontations are, as I said, the micro-managing procedure before the battle. As for the antagonists, the monsters, no matter how powerful or intimidating they appear to be, are also dealt with easily after their weak spot is located (which conveniently is always a few minutes before the episode is over). That makes them very weak despite being immune to all conventional weapons. Heck, they don’t even have personality or an ulterior motive other than destroying cities and being attracted to energy sources.

The story is fairly light and episodic, following the typical monster-of-the-week format. Outcomes never go further than characters opening up to one another, ephemeral disputes getting resolved among the military ranks, and of course the main robot getting extra weaponry. The occasional techno-babbling about politics and profits and army plots is just fluff or part of the main joke.

The heroes are not ideal or perfect; each has their own ups and downs, their own problems at home and a messy personal life. It is really interesting to see how they deal with issues that seem petty before protecting the world, yet they still feel very important in their personal lives. It makes them far more likable this way. They are following the archetypical cast of most classical shows and yet are given far more personality and backdrop by being… imperfect. In other words, the entire show is good for being full of minor problems the heroes need to constantly take care of. Not just defeating monsters; that is actually the most direct and easy one. They also need to keep the public opinion positive for all the destruction they cause while fighting, or else their company will not fund them further and the military will take over. And if you so much wonder why that is such a bad thing to do, well, you actually see that scenario as well. And it is baaaad. In fact, the entire show is in favour of doing what you feel is right and not following procedures. The heroes are thus the usual bunch of over-idealistic youths that do what they feel is right and constantly save the world (and their pay checks) by stopping a crisis before the destruction that a monster causes gets bigger than the one they cause. It’s another charm of the show.

The production values are average. The characters look lively and the backgrounds are usually detailed but there is an awful amount of frozen panels and stiff characters in it too. Plus, there are many scenes where the characters are drawn disfigured or with a very thick outline. The animators were tight with the budget, a common trait of studio Xebec. It is the details you should be focusing on and not the overall animation.

Down to it, the show is great for its great character interactions and bad for its simplistic plot and short battles, which in effect drags down the chances of rewatching it. It otherwise gets a pass from me if your expectations are not too high.

I’ve got to admit I was more than a bit shocked that there wasn’t a Dai-Guard review. It may not be the best mecha series ever, but it has some qualities that separate it from the genre as a whole. While it is a monster of the day show, the plot centers around the struggles of the second PR divisions struggle against the bureaucracy (in 21st Security Corporation) in a somewhat refreshing manner. It’s great seeing Akagi et al take on the board members and their plotting to get what needs to be done, done. In some ways though it can become pretty dull.

In particular the struggle with the military is a bit contrived. Akagi always seems to come through and save the day after the military schemes to take over as the defenders of Japan. While it’s nice to see the main character win, the elephant in the corner is always there: What qualifications besides his Burning Spirit does Akagi have for piloting the Dai Guard? Why the heck is he the only one that can pilot it effectively? For a series that attempts to inject some reality into an otherwise nonsensical concept, this stuck out like a sore thumb. Unfortunately this isn’t addressed adequately, and the attempt at doing so was too little, too late.

Being that the focus of the series is Dai-Guard’s battles with the Heterodynes, the characters get very little development. The few times they do, it’s executed poorly and has very little impact on the plot. While some characters might hit slumps and be forced to do a little introspection, they always end up piloting Dai-Guard again to save the day As such it can be pretty hard to care about why one character has run off to cry in their room or the like. Furthermore, the writers tried to pair off characters and as per usual didn’t follow through. That sort of thing is pretty common place in anime, but maintaining the sort of on/off relationships between characters really doesn’t help the plot and is going to be unsatisfying for anyone that gets remotely attached to the characters.

Given that the characters aren’t entirely captivating, the animation really needed a kick in the pants, but it’s actually only just about serviceable. This isn’t all that big of a problem though as well… It’s giant robot show. Even if it’s pretty poorly done early ‘90s animation with character designs typical of the era, it’s just not something that impacts the viewing experience much.

The music … is horrible. In a good way. The background music is utterly forgettable. Which is ironic considering the opening theme ("Rojiura no Uchuu Shounen (Back Alley Space Boy)" by The Cobratwisters) is a song that will be stuck in your head for a month after seeing it once. Even "Hashire Hashire (Run, Run)" by Kyoko Endou is going to stick. Seriously, if you don’t find yourself humming , “Ba Baa Ba Baa Ba Ba Bara Ba Baa Ba Bara Bara ra” or “Hashireee! Hashireee! Hashireeee!” at least once, you’re in the minority.

The voice acting is fitting for the series, Akagi’s seiyuu is great at going on Burning Spirit rants, Ibuki’s seiyuu does a respectable job of being depressed, and Aoyoma’s even does a good job of being pretty apathetic to his duty the save the world. There is really only one glaring problem with the cast: Marina Ono is profoundly irritating as Chiaki.

I’ll have to admit that I ignored the dub. I tried, I really did, but there just didn’t seem to be any reason to watch another flat ‘90s dub with voice actors giving their characters the emotional range of a paper clip.

I know I was pretty critical of the series, but while it’s a flawed series, it offers a refreshing attempt at re-doing the giant robot versus monster series. It might not be amazing every episode, but you have to give it some credit for introducing paperwork as a plot device. I also happen to love this kind of thing, The Guyver is in my top ten, and I love it (Dai-Guard) for being one of the few series that is even similar to Patlabor.

Because of that, as an overall rating for the series I’m probably a bit too generous. As a whole many of its flaws are mitigated as it just manages to be plain, good, old fashion , monster bashing fun. If that’s not your thing, you’ll probably be irritated by how generic and irritating some of the plot devices can be. But really, it’s a series everyone should give a try just for being a Mecha anime about office workers.