Gate Keepers - (Vol.7) (Signature Series)

This horrible show winds down as we get more of Reiji's continual growth as a Char Clone as he takes over a televised political debate to start talking about maggots! Yeah seriously, no one has figured out he is evil yet? Only Megumi did? Shun's still oblivious to this and he has formed a cultish political club on the grounds of the high school over AEGIS headquarters! Seriously? Shun you haven't figured out Reiji Kageyama is dangerous yet? OK, I guess it makes sense since you can't even figure out how twisted Megumi is and yes she joins forces with Reiji out of utter psychotic hatred of Ruriko.With our bad guys amassing power and laying the groundwork for the finale, we take an episode break to celebrate the New Years with Shun's family and Yukino the strange girl who speaks in mostly mumbling Haiku poetry. What kind of weird filler episode is this? It seriously is nice I guess to try to get some character out of these lousy characters but it doesn't really work, and there's some more lame romance pining for Shun again.Finally, Kakai Shogun and Count Akuma return to the fold again since I've missed a bad guy who shouts "HEIL VADER!" every time he attacks people. The Invaders kidnap Ruriko's dad and ultimately her after Megumi finally turns traitor on everything in the AEGIS and the Gatekeepers because yeah, we knew she was a psycho from the beginning. Why did the commander even give her freaking clearance to the group if she wasn't mentally sound or trustworthy? Oh wait he didn't check for Reiko either, and she has the mentality of a 5 year old basically who wants to be some witch! Seriously maybe psyche and character evaluations are needed to be passed before you become a member of the Gatekeepers team.The volume ends on a down note as the team realizes Ruriko and Megumi are missing and no one again suspects that Megumi might not be the least bit well evil also, or Reiji. I mean the commander has his suspicions about Reiji but he doesn't do anything really about it. Why are so many people on this show so dumb?The only solace is this show has 3 more episodes before it is over after this. Enjoy Johnny Yong Bosch talking about maggots at length in the dub as Reiji, he's the only English dubber giving his all here. I guess this was all a warm up act for Code Geass for him.

All I can say, is that my grandson was delighted and that is probably the best review I can give. It was not a purchase for myself.

In this latest installment of the Gate Keepers saga, the evil Keeper of the Black Gate, known to A.E.G.I.S. only as The Shadow, comes to the fore as leader of the Invaders. Of course, viewers have known all along that this is the deceptively urbane and intellectual student leader Reiji Kageyama, whose motives remain as murky as ever. Also naturally for a series such as this, our Heroes are all as thick-headed in this regard as Bancho normally is about everything. That is, until Reji deliberately lets Megumi in on his secret in an attempt to lure her to "his" side so, as he tells her, he can gain the power only she possesses. This sets the cast up for the final battle in the next disc, with Megumi obviously the pawn who will decide things. But before any of that happens, we take a side trip home with most of the gang to Shun's house for the New Year's holiday!What ensues is by far my favorite episode of the series, primarilly because accidentially involved in the festivities is Yukino Houjou making one of her rare appearances outside the self-inflicted isolation in her icy domain! For some reason known only to her she appears in the almost-empty school just as Shun's little sister Saemi comes looking for him to bring him home for the holiday. The commander relents and allows them to take a break, but since most of their families have already made other plans everyone invites themselves to Shun's. The curious Yukino allows herself to be swept up in this very novel experience, especially as she finds herself accepted without question by everyone, but especially Saemi, with whom she forms an unexpected bond. A priceless scene, included no doubt because it's SO sparing of animation, involves Shun relaxing by himself in a public bath, where only the rising steam is moving, listening to the antics of all the girls as they make a fuss over Yukino on their side. Likewise endearing are Yukino's almost blank reactions to the unfamilliar surroundings and goings-on, including her first experience of a flashlight!This volume of Gate Keepers moves the story forward to its inevetable conflict in the next-and-final disc!