Copyright © Xebec * Victor Entertainment * Sotsu Agency * TV Tokyo

Describing DAI-GUARD is like describing the pop 'n' rock band Huey Lewis & The News. What the show may lack in sophistication is more than made up for by its sheer energy, enthusiasm and down-to-earth goodness. Fast-paced and heart-warming, there is never a dull moment in this series.
Before the story proper, the viewer is given a glimpse of what happened twelve years ago, during the first heterodyne strike. Appearing from another dimension via an energy anomaly in the atmosphere, the silent but deadly enemy lays waste to Tokyo. Conventional weapons are all but ineffective; backed into a corner, the battered military drops an over-explosion mine on their foe, wiping out a large portion of the city in the process.
After the atrocities of the first conflict, the mighty Dai-Guard is built to counter future heterodyne threats. But after many years of peace, the giant robot is deemed useless by the military, and is transferred to the civilian 21st Security Corporation. As the story begins, the employees of Publicity Section 2 are hawking their security products at a convention, while the brightly-painted Dai-Guard is relegated to the role of a kiddie attraction that even the kids won't take seriously.
And then, the new crisis erupts. Once again, the military's best efforts prove futile, and with no combat experience, the staff of Publicity Section 2 is ordered to collect the Dai-Guard and evacuate. At this point, hot-headed Akagi Shinnosuke takes matters into his own hands; dragging two of his coworkers into the cockpit (it takes three people to pilot the Dai-Guard), Akagi enters the fray to help the attendees evacuate. Two titans clash, and the hapless office employees wage a desperate struggle: armor plates buckle, actuators burn out. But the trio of coworkers win by the skin of their teeth, earning newfound respect from the adoring public.
The Dai-Guard is far from the invincible hero featured in most other shows—after being mothballed for close to a decade, it is wrought with hardware malfunctions and a limited arsenal, and it starts out ill-equipped to counter the alien threat. In what is an otherwise formulaic genre, this situation actually provides the necessary twist, often with comic results. Akagi's idea of a rocket punch involves ripping off the robot's left forearm and throwing it with the right! Despite these limitations, it is the wits and determination of the pilots that helps the Dai-Guard save the day.
But the true heart of this show is in its die-hard cast of characters. Clichéd but likeable, the bright and cheery demeanor of the folks in Publicity Section 2 is a welcome change for viewers sick of one cynical and bitter mecha pilot too many. It's refreshing to see characters who are motivated by their desire to help other people, not by ego. When a heterodyne attacks by disintegrating solid objects that come across its path, the newly appointed military advisor tells our pilots to stay put. Defying orders, Akagi and company sally forth anyway—not to defeat the enemy, but to buy some time while others rescue a man and his child trapped in the rubble. The essence of this show is best summed up in Akagi's exclamation: "Our job isn't to defeat the enemy, it's to save people!" This sentiment is shared by co-pilot Ibuki. Her own father was killed during the first heterodyne strike, and most wouldn't blame her for having a score to settle. But Ibuki's goal isn't to defeat the enemy. It is to ensure that no one else has to suffer her kind of loss.
While our heroes have their hearts in the right place, the fact that they are trying to save lives is a point lost on their company execs or the military; both regard the Dai-Guard pilots as a nuisance and trouble-makers. Conspiracies abound, as factions in the corporation and the military scheme to use the situation to their political advantage. Over the course of the series, the staff of Publicity Section 2 will be spied upon, conspired against, robbed of their weapon, kicked off the Dai-Guard team and scattered to the four winds. But like the crew in PATLABOR, the staff of Publicity Section 2 is resilient and unstoppable, fighting on for what they know to be right. Even their resident military advisor Shirota is won over by our heroes' efforts, and he goes from being a thorn in their side to their strongest supporter and ally.
Produced by Xebec, the show is animated entirely on computers, and the first episode is a showcase of what computers can do for animation, full of vibrant shading, deluxe motion blurs and subtle lighting effects. But, as with most TV shows, the series operates on a tighter budget with subsequent episodes, and one can even make out the slight aliasing (jaggies) of the lines on occasions. Thankfully, the production values remain fairly good and consistent throughout the show. And while the soundtrack is typical fare for a giant robot show and nothing to write home about, the short piano pieces that lend a sense of drama or mystery are a nice touch.
For sheer feel-good attitude and good clean fun, DAI-GUARD is hard to beat. Despite the "unrealistic" nature associated with a brightly-colored giant robot, the strong cast of characters and heartwarming story easily makes DAI-GUARD one of the most worthwhile shows of this season, mecha-oriented or otherwise. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll cheer our heroes on. And as Akagi says: "Saving people sure feels good, doesn't it?"

Victor
DVD/VHS, 50 min
VHS: VIVF-10238 / DVD: VIBF-9
¥6080 (for both DVD and VHS)
Currently being broadcast on TV Tokyo (Tues 6:30PM)
Available now in Japan
Where to buy