James Bond served Japanese-style. Not much character development of Golgo 13, just a suave assassin who enjoys the pleasures of women. Just look at his face during the coupling scenes and you see that his blood runs ice-cold. There is much humour, and many ridiculous killers, from Snake to Silver & Gold. The narrative telling the background story of Silver & Gold is priceless and worth the viewing of this film just for that scene. I am talking about the 2 guys dropped into the jungle without food or weapons for 30 days and they both killed a whole army of guys.
33 Reviews
Yes, it's good
ericstevenson24 August 2016
I admit that this movie does have a lot of flaws, but I think in the long run, the good outweighed the bad. It was interesting to watch if only because "Golgo 13" is the longest running manga by number of years. It was interesting just to find out about it. It's pretty easy to tell that this was modeled after James Bond. I think the worst part is how it does take awhile to really get good. When it does get good, it just keeps getting better and better! This is the first animated film to use CGI in some way. The helicopter at the end looks very bad. The opening sequence, however, does it a lot better, if only because it's not meant to be part of the story.
It's weird to see an animated movie of any kind that has swearing and nudity. Keep in the mind that it wasn't really until the 1980's that the Japanese started making feature length anime movies and this was one of the first to be based on a manga. Makes sense, seeing as how it's the longest running one. The villain in the film is probably the best part. He really is set up very well and you could even argue that he might have fewer vices than the actual hero of the story. It's a very gracefully done film, but due to its content is probably not for all tastes. Still nice. ***
It's weird to see an animated movie of any kind that has swearing and nudity. Keep in the mind that it wasn't really until the 1980's that the Japanese started making feature length anime movies and this was one of the first to be based on a manga. Makes sense, seeing as how it's the longest running one. The villain in the film is probably the best part. He really is set up very well and you could even argue that he might have fewer vices than the actual hero of the story. It's a very gracefully done film, but due to its content is probably not for all tastes. Still nice. ***
20 years on and still kicking ass
nickthegun20 February 2003
Duke Togo. Man on a mission. And the mission appears to be kill as many people as you can'.
This film is what James Bond would be if Eon had any balls. The Professional is a gun for hire. If he accepts a contract then he always hits his target. He takes all the best parts of Bond (being as hard as a coffin nail and bedding various beauties) and detaches all the cheesy dialogue.
Duke Togo is a cold blooded killer. We never feel for him, but we do root against the baddies. He never smiles, isn't ever nice, but lives by a marginal code of honour, which we sort of respect. Like I said, its hard to empathise with Duke Togo, but we do sort of understand him.
The story itself is pretty good and amazingly coherent for a title of this genre. It deals with deception, double crossing, revenge, hate and violence. We soon come to realise that Duke is a pawn in the middle of things. Albeit a pawn with the ability to shoot the head off a match.
Being an early 80's production, the animation isnt that impressive, although the realistic approach is very good and gives the film some authenticity. We also get to see some rudimentary CGI (which shows the ambition of the project), in the form a helicopter gunship.
All in all The Professional is a very entertaining watch. Girls, guns and a whole lot of maiming. It looks a shade dated now (20 years on), but still packs quite a punch.
This film is what James Bond would be if Eon had any balls. The Professional is a gun for hire. If he accepts a contract then he always hits his target. He takes all the best parts of Bond (being as hard as a coffin nail and bedding various beauties) and detaches all the cheesy dialogue.
Duke Togo is a cold blooded killer. We never feel for him, but we do root against the baddies. He never smiles, isn't ever nice, but lives by a marginal code of honour, which we sort of respect. Like I said, its hard to empathise with Duke Togo, but we do sort of understand him.
The story itself is pretty good and amazingly coherent for a title of this genre. It deals with deception, double crossing, revenge, hate and violence. We soon come to realise that Duke is a pawn in the middle of things. Albeit a pawn with the ability to shoot the head off a match.
Being an early 80's production, the animation isnt that impressive, although the realistic approach is very good and gives the film some authenticity. We also get to see some rudimentary CGI (which shows the ambition of the project), in the form a helicopter gunship.
All in all The Professional is a very entertaining watch. Girls, guns and a whole lot of maiming. It looks a shade dated now (20 years on), but still packs quite a punch.
A powerfully superb anime classic.
DragonFire9919 December 1999
THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is an archetypal animated crime drama. This is a relentlessly brutal film about one man's crusade to destroy the elusive figure who was solely responsible for the murder of his own kin. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is also an emotionally disturbing film which demonstrates the pain and distress of having to cope with the loss of a love one. It serves as a chilling reminder of how human beings can easily succumb to the power of suffering. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is a tautly made film dealing with the psychological mind, but most importantly of all, it is a thriller that leaves you on the edge-of-your-seat from the first frame to the finish.
Duke Togo (a.k.a. Golgo 13) is an assassin for hire. He does not care about his clients at all; he only cares about himself and his money. Devoid of emotion, Golgo's life is predominated by violence and sex. Golgo's latest mission is to terminate Mr. Robert Dawson, the son of a wealthy oil-business baron, Leonard Dawson. With just a single bullet, Golgo 13 has successfully accomplished this task. Meanwhile, Mr. Leonard Dawson, understandably aggravated with the death of his only son, has vowed to terminate this assassin once and for all. Leonard Dawson is usually use to `getting what he wants,' but this entrepreneur does not realize what a formidable foe Golgo 13 might be...
Desperate, Leonard Dawson has hired a number of professional mercenaries and agencies to assist him in tracking and eliminating his loose cannon. Along the way, Dawson has employed a ruthless, cold-blooded killer named `Snake' to personally make sure that Golgo 13 suffer a violent and painful demise...
However, Golgo 13 always manages to be ahead of the game. Whenever danger strikes, this elusive hitman always succeeds in escaping with his life. He is quick, agile, and intuitive, but consequently, he is a man with little sentiment...
Golgo 13 is constantly on the run from the menacing villains of every color. Will Golgo 13 be able to save his own skin...or will he truly meet his match with a professional adversary?
THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is certainly an adult-oriented tale. This is an extremely sickening film, with grotesque deaths being shown in explicit detail second by second. The color red tends to literally predominate the screen at times. Typical of the Japanese animation style is also the gratuitous use of frontal female nudity, especially since virtually every female in this movie removes her clothes at least once during the film's duration. Indeed, as shown by the abundance of sanguinary violence, soft-core sex scenes (Golgo's love-making scene with `Cindy' is particularly steamy.) and unclothed females, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is animation made strictly for mature audiences.
It would be unfair to dismiss THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 just because of its excessive violence and nudity. Unlike most films of this caliber, what is admiring about this movie is that though it is full of sex and violence, it does not let those two qualities overshadow the film's technical and also rather profound attributes. First, the technical accomplishments in this movie are plentiful. The camerawork and editing are stylishly done. They often shift from the use of freeze frames to slow motion sequences to split screen features. The animation too, is marvelous; the use of different colors and lighting effects are utilized to the first degree in order to symbolize a certain character's behavior such as pleasure or anger. As well, the computer generated action scenes near the end are themselves a masterfully created piece of work. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 contains some of the best artwork and details of a modern animated feature.
THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is also a trenchant character study. This movie shows the mental anguish and vulnerability in the human soul, as demonstrated by the erratic behavior Leonard Dawson displays. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 spares no punches as it illustrates that human misery does not only affect the individual himself; it could also affect his loved ones just as sharply. This motion picture shows as well how an obsession with revenge will leave a person devastated even more deeply. It is a very sad movie indeed, but this movie dares you to actually show sorrow for many of the characters involved in the predicament...
What makes THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 even more remarkable is the film's diversely outrageous cast of characters. They range from the sick and bizarre lunatic, `Snake,' to the deformed twins `Gold' and `Silver,' and then, to the sexy, lascivious lady, `Cindy.' The breakthrough character sketches in this movie (plus the state-of-the-art animation) make the viewer believe that instead of watching a lame cartoon, he/she is experiencing an actual feature presentation. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is truly `number one...with a bullet.'
Overall, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is a unique experience. Unlike most superficial, one-dimensional cartoon presentations, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is a realistic (albeit still an animated feature) film that is rather plaintive, bleak, and depressing. At the same time though, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 will leave you breathless as the amazing action and gritty visuals will keep you addicted for more excitement. The animation especially, is notably conceived. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is a destined cult hit in the making. Though this is an animated film, the spellbinding plot, assured direction, plus the three dimensional characters and strong themes help give this motion picture a potently authentic quality. There are more than enough plot twists to keep you enthralled even after the denouncement. Plus, a powerful subtext (amongst many) about how the letting of one's emotions cloud his/her thoughts can easily cripple one's life forever will keep the viewer suitably mesmerized. This is a film that will leave you contemplating about how delicate the human soul really is...
If you are looking for a near perfect thriller, then search no further.
RATING: ***1/2 out of ****.
Duke Togo (a.k.a. Golgo 13) is an assassin for hire. He does not care about his clients at all; he only cares about himself and his money. Devoid of emotion, Golgo's life is predominated by violence and sex. Golgo's latest mission is to terminate Mr. Robert Dawson, the son of a wealthy oil-business baron, Leonard Dawson. With just a single bullet, Golgo 13 has successfully accomplished this task. Meanwhile, Mr. Leonard Dawson, understandably aggravated with the death of his only son, has vowed to terminate this assassin once and for all. Leonard Dawson is usually use to `getting what he wants,' but this entrepreneur does not realize what a formidable foe Golgo 13 might be...
Desperate, Leonard Dawson has hired a number of professional mercenaries and agencies to assist him in tracking and eliminating his loose cannon. Along the way, Dawson has employed a ruthless, cold-blooded killer named `Snake' to personally make sure that Golgo 13 suffer a violent and painful demise...
However, Golgo 13 always manages to be ahead of the game. Whenever danger strikes, this elusive hitman always succeeds in escaping with his life. He is quick, agile, and intuitive, but consequently, he is a man with little sentiment...
Golgo 13 is constantly on the run from the menacing villains of every color. Will Golgo 13 be able to save his own skin...or will he truly meet his match with a professional adversary?
THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is certainly an adult-oriented tale. This is an extremely sickening film, with grotesque deaths being shown in explicit detail second by second. The color red tends to literally predominate the screen at times. Typical of the Japanese animation style is also the gratuitous use of frontal female nudity, especially since virtually every female in this movie removes her clothes at least once during the film's duration. Indeed, as shown by the abundance of sanguinary violence, soft-core sex scenes (Golgo's love-making scene with `Cindy' is particularly steamy.) and unclothed females, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is animation made strictly for mature audiences.
It would be unfair to dismiss THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 just because of its excessive violence and nudity. Unlike most films of this caliber, what is admiring about this movie is that though it is full of sex and violence, it does not let those two qualities overshadow the film's technical and also rather profound attributes. First, the technical accomplishments in this movie are plentiful. The camerawork and editing are stylishly done. They often shift from the use of freeze frames to slow motion sequences to split screen features. The animation too, is marvelous; the use of different colors and lighting effects are utilized to the first degree in order to symbolize a certain character's behavior such as pleasure or anger. As well, the computer generated action scenes near the end are themselves a masterfully created piece of work. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 contains some of the best artwork and details of a modern animated feature.
THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is also a trenchant character study. This movie shows the mental anguish and vulnerability in the human soul, as demonstrated by the erratic behavior Leonard Dawson displays. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 spares no punches as it illustrates that human misery does not only affect the individual himself; it could also affect his loved ones just as sharply. This motion picture shows as well how an obsession with revenge will leave a person devastated even more deeply. It is a very sad movie indeed, but this movie dares you to actually show sorrow for many of the characters involved in the predicament...
What makes THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 even more remarkable is the film's diversely outrageous cast of characters. They range from the sick and bizarre lunatic, `Snake,' to the deformed twins `Gold' and `Silver,' and then, to the sexy, lascivious lady, `Cindy.' The breakthrough character sketches in this movie (plus the state-of-the-art animation) make the viewer believe that instead of watching a lame cartoon, he/she is experiencing an actual feature presentation. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is truly `number one...with a bullet.'
Overall, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is a unique experience. Unlike most superficial, one-dimensional cartoon presentations, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is a realistic (albeit still an animated feature) film that is rather plaintive, bleak, and depressing. At the same time though, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 will leave you breathless as the amazing action and gritty visuals will keep you addicted for more excitement. The animation especially, is notably conceived. THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 is a destined cult hit in the making. Though this is an animated film, the spellbinding plot, assured direction, plus the three dimensional characters and strong themes help give this motion picture a potently authentic quality. There are more than enough plot twists to keep you enthralled even after the denouncement. Plus, a powerful subtext (amongst many) about how the letting of one's emotions cloud his/her thoughts can easily cripple one's life forever will keep the viewer suitably mesmerized. This is a film that will leave you contemplating about how delicate the human soul really is...
If you are looking for a near perfect thriller, then search no further.
RATING: ***1/2 out of ****.
Feels Italian, made by Japanese
siderite6 November 2012
The story here is of a hard paid assassin, called for no good reason either Golgo 13 or Duke Togo, who earns the wrath of very important people who then try to kill him. The atmosphere of the film is dark and hopeless, the main character ruthless and seemingly indomitable. One hour and a half later, you still know nothing about Golgo and no one has killed him yet.
In a way it reminds me of 70's movies Italian movies or maybe French Alain Delon. It does unfold in Europe and, beside Golgo himself and maybe Snake, all characters are European or American. The final fight against weird and powerful assassins is clearly Japanese though.
Bottom line: nice anime, but kind of pointless. It is impossible to sympathize with the main character and, in the end, you don't care if he lives or dies. That's the main drawback of a film that, otherwise, is pretty good.
In a way it reminds me of 70's movies Italian movies or maybe French Alain Delon. It does unfold in Europe and, beside Golgo himself and maybe Snake, all characters are European or American. The final fight against weird and powerful assassins is clearly Japanese though.
Bottom line: nice anime, but kind of pointless. It is impossible to sympathize with the main character and, in the end, you don't care if he lives or dies. That's the main drawback of a film that, otherwise, is pretty good.
If ever there were a film that should have spawned a franchise...
GrandpaBunche2 January 2008
This anime adaptation of Takao Saito's long-running manga classic is one of my all-time favorite action movies, animated or otherwise, and I'm at a loss to explain why so many dyed-in-the-wool anime junkies despise it (cruise the internet and you'll see what I mean).
Duke Togo is the world's greatest assassin-for-hire, better known as "Golgo 13," and if you're on his list you might as well dig the hole because there is no way, repeat, NO WAY you will elude him. Once he's hired, it's your ass. Togo's adventures take him across the globe, and his skills with weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, and damned near anything else a human being could master are constantly put to hair-raising tests. Though lacking in actual meta-human superpowers, Togo could nonetheless be considered a superman, so with that in mind it's seldom in doubt that he'll come out on top in any given situation, so the suspense lies in seeing just how the hell he's going to pull off the often impossible assignments he chooses to accept. All of this information is old news to readers of the venerable manga series, but it's given the most cursory noting in the feature, seen briefly in a C.I.A. transcript at the film's beginning, but it's vital to suspending one's disbelief and once past that we're immediately thrust into Togo's violent world.
Gazillionaire industrialist Leonard Dawson throws a birthday party for his son, Leonard Jr., aboard his private cruise ship, a lavish ceremony in which he names his son heir and successor to his empire, but Dawson's elation is shattered when his son is surgically shot through the forehead with but a single bullet, killing him instantly. The assassin: Duke Togo. The senior Dawson, now nearly insane with grief, launches an all-out war against Golgo 13, employing the most vicious and lethal professionals that his bottomless coffers can procure, including horrific ex-military sociopaths, crooked intelligence officials, and an unspeakably terrifying monster of a man who rightly goes by the moniker "Snake," all while Togo hops the globe carrying out other "jobs." Togo must stay one step ahead of his assailants, each as hard as he is, and figure out how to survive one Christ Almighty perfect storm of graphic violence. And there also lurks the mystery that spurs the plot: exactly who wanted the junior Dawson murdered, and why?
Loaded with more action than most films have any right to possess, Golgo 13 is a breathless kick in the ass that fans of old school James Bond and other such espionage will simply eat up. I first saw it on an untranslated VHS tape in 1986 and I've been a staunch supporter ever since, sharing it with as many people as I can convince to give it a chance despite its reputation as a bomb. I think it may come off a tame when compared to the later excesses in Japanese animation, such as post-apocalyptic slug-fest filled with showering viscera, city- leveling psychic children and titanic robots, female ninjas with poisonous naughty bits, and the ever-popular spectacle of sailor-suited schoolgirls having their every orifice explored by the tentacles and other bits of demonic rapists just before they explode in a torrent of offal and demonic DNA, but Golgo 13 has all of them beat for sheer quality entertainment that even your parents might dig.
Duke Togo is the world's greatest assassin-for-hire, better known as "Golgo 13," and if you're on his list you might as well dig the hole because there is no way, repeat, NO WAY you will elude him. Once he's hired, it's your ass. Togo's adventures take him across the globe, and his skills with weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, and damned near anything else a human being could master are constantly put to hair-raising tests. Though lacking in actual meta-human superpowers, Togo could nonetheless be considered a superman, so with that in mind it's seldom in doubt that he'll come out on top in any given situation, so the suspense lies in seeing just how the hell he's going to pull off the often impossible assignments he chooses to accept. All of this information is old news to readers of the venerable manga series, but it's given the most cursory noting in the feature, seen briefly in a C.I.A. transcript at the film's beginning, but it's vital to suspending one's disbelief and once past that we're immediately thrust into Togo's violent world.
Gazillionaire industrialist Leonard Dawson throws a birthday party for his son, Leonard Jr., aboard his private cruise ship, a lavish ceremony in which he names his son heir and successor to his empire, but Dawson's elation is shattered when his son is surgically shot through the forehead with but a single bullet, killing him instantly. The assassin: Duke Togo. The senior Dawson, now nearly insane with grief, launches an all-out war against Golgo 13, employing the most vicious and lethal professionals that his bottomless coffers can procure, including horrific ex-military sociopaths, crooked intelligence officials, and an unspeakably terrifying monster of a man who rightly goes by the moniker "Snake," all while Togo hops the globe carrying out other "jobs." Togo must stay one step ahead of his assailants, each as hard as he is, and figure out how to survive one Christ Almighty perfect storm of graphic violence. And there also lurks the mystery that spurs the plot: exactly who wanted the junior Dawson murdered, and why?
Loaded with more action than most films have any right to possess, Golgo 13 is a breathless kick in the ass that fans of old school James Bond and other such espionage will simply eat up. I first saw it on an untranslated VHS tape in 1986 and I've been a staunch supporter ever since, sharing it with as many people as I can convince to give it a chance despite its reputation as a bomb. I think it may come off a tame when compared to the later excesses in Japanese animation, such as post-apocalyptic slug-fest filled with showering viscera, city- leveling psychic children and titanic robots, female ninjas with poisonous naughty bits, and the ever-popular spectacle of sailor-suited schoolgirls having their every orifice explored by the tentacles and other bits of demonic rapists just before they explode in a torrent of offal and demonic DNA, but Golgo 13 has all of them beat for sheer quality entertainment that even your parents might dig.
Before "The Professional" (1994) and the "Hitman" video game series...
dee.reid25 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
...There was "Golgo 13: The Professional."
World-renowned professional assassin Duke Togo - code-named "Golgo 13" - has just eliminated his latest target, Robert Dawson, the 29-year-old heir to Dawson Enterprises and the son of billionaire oil industrialist Leonard Dawson. The elder Dawson swears bloody vengeance against Golgo 13 for killing his only son, using all manner of underworld hit-men, government- and military-trained professional mercenaries and genetically altered superhuman freaks to take out Golgo 13, who carries on with other unrelated assignments that take him from California, to Italy, to Brazil, and finally back to the United States.
Golgo 13 is a ruthless and amoral professional assassin - one who is 100%, lethally committed to his chosen line of work. He is so devoid of humanity and emotion, that much of the film's emotional drama evolves from other character's reactions to him and his activities, which lends the picture a rare degree of unpretentiousness and amorality. Yet, you still root for the guy for some reason, even though he seems completely unrelatable. And YET - yet! - he is also identifiably human: he gets wounded several times during the course of his frequent and bloody battles, and still keeps on to his next job.
"Golgo 13: The Professional," first released in Japan in 1983, was the first Anime' (Japanese animation) film to be adapted from the long-running Manga (Japanese comic book) series that was first created in 1968 by Japanese author Takao Saito; two other live-action films based on the Manga had been released previously in Japan - one featuring the late martial arts superstar Sonny Chiba. The film was directed by Osamu Dezaki and it's a remarkable achievement in several respects.
First of all, "Golgo 13: The Professional" is as "realistic" an Anime' film as this sort of production is likely to get - "realistic" in the sense that the action and drama feels real and fluid within the context of an animated motion picture. In an irony, while many Western films made in the late 1990s and early 2000s would imitate the frenetic visual style and pacing of Anime', "Golgo 13: The Professional" mimics the tone and style of Western action films and spy-thrillers, with a film-noir visual touch (including "split screens, sketchy freeze-frames, and psychedelic visuals," according to a review from Allmovie) and a jazz-infused film score by Toshiyuki Omori (which is reminiscent of Lalo Schifrin's work on the American TV series "Mission: Impossible" and other action films from the 1970s).
The film's action scenes are fast and violent. And did I mention that there was a lot of violence in this movie? As well as frequent and explicit sex scenes & nudity (and a sequence of a brutal and repeated rape)? "Golgo 13: The Professional" is definitely animation for adults - animation for adults that has since become quite common on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, but not so much so in 1983. And it needs to be repeated, that such scenes of explicit bloodshed and graphic sexuality were also something that the film picked up from Western film productions made in the '70s and early '80s.
Lastly, while "Golgo 13: The Professional" may not always get the recognition it deserves in this aspect, this film does have some strong historical significance: it was the first animated film - Japanese or otherwise - to incorporate computer-generated imagery (CGI) with traditional hand-drawn cel animation. The sequence in question comes at the film's heavily-touted pre-"Die Hard" climax set at the Dawson Enterprises high-rise in San Francisco and involves Golgo 13 ascending the building while being assaulted from the outside by the military helicopters that were sent to dispatch him. Despite this ground-breaking special effects sequence, the CGI visuals don't match up very well with the hand-drawn animation - the only real flaw here, though I guess the technology just didn't exist at the time to blend CGI and hand-drawn animation more seamlessly.
I first saw "Golgo 13: The Professional" on VHS right after I graduated high school back in 2004, and I also remember that it was one of the first truly adult Japanese Anime' films I ever saw - since upon a viewing today I was reminded of the extremely bloody violence and sex scenes, though I don't remember the film's story being so complex and having a number of different plot twists and turns over the course of its rapid-fire 94-minute running time.
"Golgo 13: The Professional" is a film worthy of any Anime' film fan's library and comes highly recommended. (And I also finally saw where Quentin Tarantino lifted a famous scene from this film and re-created it into the Anime' sequence in "Kill Bill." You will know which scene I'm talking about when you see it.)
7/10.
World-renowned professional assassin Duke Togo - code-named "Golgo 13" - has just eliminated his latest target, Robert Dawson, the 29-year-old heir to Dawson Enterprises and the son of billionaire oil industrialist Leonard Dawson. The elder Dawson swears bloody vengeance against Golgo 13 for killing his only son, using all manner of underworld hit-men, government- and military-trained professional mercenaries and genetically altered superhuman freaks to take out Golgo 13, who carries on with other unrelated assignments that take him from California, to Italy, to Brazil, and finally back to the United States.
Golgo 13 is a ruthless and amoral professional assassin - one who is 100%, lethally committed to his chosen line of work. He is so devoid of humanity and emotion, that much of the film's emotional drama evolves from other character's reactions to him and his activities, which lends the picture a rare degree of unpretentiousness and amorality. Yet, you still root for the guy for some reason, even though he seems completely unrelatable. And YET - yet! - he is also identifiably human: he gets wounded several times during the course of his frequent and bloody battles, and still keeps on to his next job.
"Golgo 13: The Professional," first released in Japan in 1983, was the first Anime' (Japanese animation) film to be adapted from the long-running Manga (Japanese comic book) series that was first created in 1968 by Japanese author Takao Saito; two other live-action films based on the Manga had been released previously in Japan - one featuring the late martial arts superstar Sonny Chiba. The film was directed by Osamu Dezaki and it's a remarkable achievement in several respects.
First of all, "Golgo 13: The Professional" is as "realistic" an Anime' film as this sort of production is likely to get - "realistic" in the sense that the action and drama feels real and fluid within the context of an animated motion picture. In an irony, while many Western films made in the late 1990s and early 2000s would imitate the frenetic visual style and pacing of Anime', "Golgo 13: The Professional" mimics the tone and style of Western action films and spy-thrillers, with a film-noir visual touch (including "split screens, sketchy freeze-frames, and psychedelic visuals," according to a review from Allmovie) and a jazz-infused film score by Toshiyuki Omori (which is reminiscent of Lalo Schifrin's work on the American TV series "Mission: Impossible" and other action films from the 1970s).
The film's action scenes are fast and violent. And did I mention that there was a lot of violence in this movie? As well as frequent and explicit sex scenes & nudity (and a sequence of a brutal and repeated rape)? "Golgo 13: The Professional" is definitely animation for adults - animation for adults that has since become quite common on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, but not so much so in 1983. And it needs to be repeated, that such scenes of explicit bloodshed and graphic sexuality were also something that the film picked up from Western film productions made in the '70s and early '80s.
Lastly, while "Golgo 13: The Professional" may not always get the recognition it deserves in this aspect, this film does have some strong historical significance: it was the first animated film - Japanese or otherwise - to incorporate computer-generated imagery (CGI) with traditional hand-drawn cel animation. The sequence in question comes at the film's heavily-touted pre-"Die Hard" climax set at the Dawson Enterprises high-rise in San Francisco and involves Golgo 13 ascending the building while being assaulted from the outside by the military helicopters that were sent to dispatch him. Despite this ground-breaking special effects sequence, the CGI visuals don't match up very well with the hand-drawn animation - the only real flaw here, though I guess the technology just didn't exist at the time to blend CGI and hand-drawn animation more seamlessly.
I first saw "Golgo 13: The Professional" on VHS right after I graduated high school back in 2004, and I also remember that it was one of the first truly adult Japanese Anime' films I ever saw - since upon a viewing today I was reminded of the extremely bloody violence and sex scenes, though I don't remember the film's story being so complex and having a number of different plot twists and turns over the course of its rapid-fire 94-minute running time.
"Golgo 13: The Professional" is a film worthy of any Anime' film fan's library and comes highly recommended. (And I also finally saw where Quentin Tarantino lifted a famous scene from this film and re-created it into the Anime' sequence in "Kill Bill." You will know which scene I'm talking about when you see it.)
7/10.
All Attitude, No Feeling
Perception_de_Ambiguity20 May 2010
The plot is a good backdrop for the style and the action, but it's irrelevant to the quality of the film.
'Golgo 13' loves showing things indirectly, be it by looking at things through a mirror, by looking through an obstacle like a fence, by showing the effect of an action symbolically, or (beware the twist) by only showing the effect to imply the action, OR simply by obscuring the view with bright light, smoke, flames, spurting blood,...
It even more loves looking at single elements individually. They say about Leone's and Tarantino's movies that even the smallest character is the star of the movie for the moment he is in that widescreen frame. In 'Golgo 13' every inanimate object, animal or body part can be the movie's star for a moment. A finger cocking a gun becomes an act of god.
The style is over the top from beginning to end, less by means of multiplication of the glorified things and actions but more by means of subtraction of unnecessary elements. We know people need a floor to walk on, we don't need to see the floor at any given moment. We also know where a character is at once we have seen a wide shot, we can see the character in blank space or any other background that reflects his thoughts or emotions and we still remember what the factual surroundings are.
Although many of those approaches are typical of Japanese animated films not many are as convicted in following them or as inventive in their execution.
The visual power of the movie doesn't come from the individual images, the key of its power lies in the motion.
There isn't a sequence without movement and should there be such a rare moment then it isn't there to last for more than a second. It's like hungry vultures circling around dead meat for hours and hours with deadly patience. The cadaver can't run away but it very well can be snatched away by competitive scavengers. - 'Golgo 13' reeks of death. Everyone will die, it's just a question of when. Nihilism means seeing everyone dead already. To the characters in 'Golgo 13' taking a life is equalized by the notion of creating something new, the notion of giving birth to death. In this world without meaning the assassin Golgo 13 has the edge because he counts himself into the equation. He won't think twice before risking his life, he looks death in the face like he would look in the face of his mother. To be is not to be. By the end the whole world seems to come crashing down and no character cares to go on living anymore. The movie is all attitude, no feeling, and it's so consequent at this that it becomes a statement.
'Golgo 13' loves showing things indirectly, be it by looking at things through a mirror, by looking through an obstacle like a fence, by showing the effect of an action symbolically, or (beware the twist) by only showing the effect to imply the action, OR simply by obscuring the view with bright light, smoke, flames, spurting blood,...
It even more loves looking at single elements individually. They say about Leone's and Tarantino's movies that even the smallest character is the star of the movie for the moment he is in that widescreen frame. In 'Golgo 13' every inanimate object, animal or body part can be the movie's star for a moment. A finger cocking a gun becomes an act of god.
The style is over the top from beginning to end, less by means of multiplication of the glorified things and actions but more by means of subtraction of unnecessary elements. We know people need a floor to walk on, we don't need to see the floor at any given moment. We also know where a character is at once we have seen a wide shot, we can see the character in blank space or any other background that reflects his thoughts or emotions and we still remember what the factual surroundings are.
Although many of those approaches are typical of Japanese animated films not many are as convicted in following them or as inventive in their execution.
The visual power of the movie doesn't come from the individual images, the key of its power lies in the motion.
There isn't a sequence without movement and should there be such a rare moment then it isn't there to last for more than a second. It's like hungry vultures circling around dead meat for hours and hours with deadly patience. The cadaver can't run away but it very well can be snatched away by competitive scavengers. - 'Golgo 13' reeks of death. Everyone will die, it's just a question of when. Nihilism means seeing everyone dead already. To the characters in 'Golgo 13' taking a life is equalized by the notion of creating something new, the notion of giving birth to death. In this world without meaning the assassin Golgo 13 has the edge because he counts himself into the equation. He won't think twice before risking his life, he looks death in the face like he would look in the face of his mother. To be is not to be. By the end the whole world seems to come crashing down and no character cares to go on living anymore. The movie is all attitude, no feeling, and it's so consequent at this that it becomes a statement.
Very bleak and nihilistic
wolpertinger-9387726 November 2022
I will give this anime movie credit for several things, it has excellent animation, the art is very stylish, the fight scenes are satisfying to watch, and the music is so awesome I just can't get enough of it. It's a very well directed film.
The only problem, however, is that it is also a very cynical, grim and depressing film. Golgo 13 himself is a cold-hearted, borderline sociopath with very few, if any, humanizing qualities (he does have moments where he warns one of his female friends to get out of the city immediately and pays respect to a deceased friend, but even then that's not really enough) and the whole plot is about the film's main antagonist, Leonard Dawson, seeking revenge on Golgo 13 for assassinating his son, and while at first Leonard sounds more sympathetic than Golgo 13, he does a lot of terrible things in order to achieve his goal, to the point where it is difficult to root for him either. The characters that are sympathetic are doomed to gruesome deaths, so in the end, it's really difficult to get invested in a story where there is no one to root for or sympathize with.
I only recommend watching this anime once. Personally, Space Adventure Cobra, which Osamu Dezaki also directed, is a better pick, since that series at-least has a likable protagonist and entertaining plots in each episode, as opposed to the bleak nihilism that this movie suffers from.
The only problem, however, is that it is also a very cynical, grim and depressing film. Golgo 13 himself is a cold-hearted, borderline sociopath with very few, if any, humanizing qualities (he does have moments where he warns one of his female friends to get out of the city immediately and pays respect to a deceased friend, but even then that's not really enough) and the whole plot is about the film's main antagonist, Leonard Dawson, seeking revenge on Golgo 13 for assassinating his son, and while at first Leonard sounds more sympathetic than Golgo 13, he does a lot of terrible things in order to achieve his goal, to the point where it is difficult to root for him either. The characters that are sympathetic are doomed to gruesome deaths, so in the end, it's really difficult to get invested in a story where there is no one to root for or sympathize with.
I only recommend watching this anime once. Personally, Space Adventure Cobra, which Osamu Dezaki also directed, is a better pick, since that series at-least has a likable protagonist and entertaining plots in each episode, as opposed to the bleak nihilism that this movie suffers from.
Way overrated (and I mean WAY)
thegreatwhy-312-87912228 January 2016
Having never read the original series, I'll have to go with what's in the movie. Golgo 13 is slow, pretentious and predictable to the point of boredom. Every single character is an off-the-mark stereotype and every single situation is a worn-out trope you've seen in either a 007 or Dirty Harry movie, making the movie a simple collage of scenes you might have liked from other movies (kinda like the recent "Jupiter Ascending"). Throughout the movie, events keep happening "just because", without any regard to personality or logic, and that emphasize even more the "patchwork" aspect of the movie. The movie's only redeeming quality is the visual impact, but the slow pans and masterful lighting effects are overplayed to the point of exhaustion, and do nothing to improve the movie's terrible pacing (though it gets somewhat better). Sometimes in manga the main character is intentionally made shallow and only marginally interesting, to bring out the secondary characters and help the writer focus on their own story (see Hokuto No Ken), however the device here fails miserably, because every single character is just as shallow, often possessing a single character trait. All in all, one of the worst anime I've ever seen: this movie has nothing to offer you.
He shoots! He scores!
solitaire_7715 June 2001
The baddest professional asassain I've ever seen! Good anime flick. The main character, golgo 13 is a character so stoic, so stonefaced, that he hardly cracks even a hint of emotion even when in the act of having hot sex. There's a good deal of that in the movie, and it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the plot, but that's the standard bug about most anime movies I've seen. Oh well, the kiddos should get a good thrill out of it anyway. The action is intense! This guy is an amazing shot, with either his modified M 16 or his revolver. My favorite scene is when he goes head to head with Snake (a repulsive, toothless villain who uses bladed yo-yos to kill his victims. I'm not making this up,) in an elevator. The final brawl he had with the twin killers Silver and Gold was cool too, but given how much they hyped up the two characters beforehand, I frankly expected them to put up more of a fight. Anyway, it's a great anime flick.
. . . "Meh" . . . (Revised)
Mr-Fusion24 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
In the interest of full disclosure, anime's not really my thing. So I was drawn to this movie by the apparent Internet celebrity of the titular character Duke Togo (classified as Golgo 13). Which is curious, because the title character looks eerily like game show host Richard Dawson, and doesn't say much. So how he's irresistible to women in the movie is beyond me. But he's also the star of a line of comics, and not to mention a TV series.
This particular movie finds our resident badass in the crosshairs of an oil tycoon (named ... wait for it ... Richard Dawson[!]). Dawson ain't too happy when Duke puts a bullet in his son's head, and decides to use all of his resources (FBI, CIA, etc.) to get even. Said revenge campaign involves various freaks of nature, men in suits yelling into phones, and lots of signature shots of Duke shooting stuff. Also, Duke walks away from every gunfight.
Which is part of the reason this film didn't blow my skirt up. I didn't believe for a second that the main character would come to harm (let alone death). And the violence unfurls in such a dramatic slow motion that it cuts any tension or suspense with a Rambo survival knife. And you would think that a movie that features so many topless ladies would be a fool-proof source of titillation. Not so. Every woman has that plastic look of a stripper (such is the downside to anime ladies). Then there's that score, which was obviously supposed to be "noir sax", but just sounds like some malicious brand of Adult Contemporary.
Not for me.
5/10
-----
03/09/16 Revision
This is why I'm such a proponent for rewatches. Perspective change is always a good thing. What I missed about "Golgo 13" the first time around is, well, the point. The whole thing boils down to style, and the movie's simmering with it. The angles, the camera movements, blood flow, inventive kills, hot women . . . all of this goes into a potent stew of luridity. You don't come to this for the messy narrative - you do so for Duke Togo's lethal turtleneck badassery (dude shoots through a building, for god's sake). Speaking of which, he doesn't look anything like Richard Dawson (I dunno what the hell I was thinking). He reminds me of Ken Takakura (he was in "The Yakuza").
It's not a movie I can watch on a regular basis, but there's no mistaking the movie's got style.
6/10
This particular movie finds our resident badass in the crosshairs of an oil tycoon (named ... wait for it ... Richard Dawson[!]). Dawson ain't too happy when Duke puts a bullet in his son's head, and decides to use all of his resources (FBI, CIA, etc.) to get even. Said revenge campaign involves various freaks of nature, men in suits yelling into phones, and lots of signature shots of Duke shooting stuff. Also, Duke walks away from every gunfight.
Which is part of the reason this film didn't blow my skirt up. I didn't believe for a second that the main character would come to harm (let alone death). And the violence unfurls in such a dramatic slow motion that it cuts any tension or suspense with a Rambo survival knife. And you would think that a movie that features so many topless ladies would be a fool-proof source of titillation. Not so. Every woman has that plastic look of a stripper (such is the downside to anime ladies). Then there's that score, which was obviously supposed to be "noir sax", but just sounds like some malicious brand of Adult Contemporary.
Not for me.
5/10
-----
03/09/16 Revision
This is why I'm such a proponent for rewatches. Perspective change is always a good thing. What I missed about "Golgo 13" the first time around is, well, the point. The whole thing boils down to style, and the movie's simmering with it. The angles, the camera movements, blood flow, inventive kills, hot women . . . all of this goes into a potent stew of luridity. You don't come to this for the messy narrative - you do so for Duke Togo's lethal turtleneck badassery (dude shoots through a building, for god's sake). Speaking of which, he doesn't look anything like Richard Dawson (I dunno what the hell I was thinking). He reminds me of Ken Takakura (he was in "The Yakuza").
It's not a movie I can watch on a regular basis, but there's no mistaking the movie's got style.
6/10
Japanese anime classic
Terry-325 May 1999
I don't think hitman stories are overused. "Golgo 13" is the reason why I think this now. This movie was cool. It's interesting how people can make an animated movie, and treat it like a movie with real actors. Cartoons were never supposed to be like this. I was impressed. The action scenes were thrilling, it had great characters, and it was well acted too. The drama was actually strong in this movie. We focus on the father of this one person Golgo 13 killed, (It's not the whole movie. We focus on Golgo 13 too.) and it's strong. We see how bent on revenge he is, and it shows that your not just watching this for violence. If you like Japanese anime, then you'll like this one.
Visually interesting enough to distract from the awful writing
DanTheMan2150AD26 July 2023
Before viewing the two live-action adaptations, this was the Golgo 13 I was most familiar with but even then, sitting down to rewatch The Professional after all these years certainly brought back some memories as before today I wouldn't have been able to tell you what on earth the plot of this movie was because I couldn't for the life of me remember. However, saying that there is one thing that has stuck with me over the years and that is the movie's incredible opening credits, easily one of my favourites ever combining the use of everything from stop motion to the first ever use of CGI in an animated movie.
Unfortunately, the movie gets bogged down in an increasingly baffling plot that will have you scratching your head at points trying to fathom everyone and anyone's motivations, the writing isn't great and leaves you not caring for the characters for the majority of the runtime but the film is so visually abstract that you can forgive it with great use of split screens, freeze frames and occasional lapses in colour, even if there's the occasional stiffness in its characters. Early 80s animes certainly have a beautifully distinct vibe to them, a sultry soundtrack, overly harsh shading and eye-popping use of hypnotic colour lend Osamu Dezaki's film a look that remains ageless even today.
Unfortunately, the movie gets bogged down in an increasingly baffling plot that will have you scratching your head at points trying to fathom everyone and anyone's motivations, the writing isn't great and leaves you not caring for the characters for the majority of the runtime but the film is so visually abstract that you can forgive it with great use of split screens, freeze frames and occasional lapses in colour, even if there's the occasional stiffness in its characters. Early 80s animes certainly have a beautifully distinct vibe to them, a sultry soundtrack, overly harsh shading and eye-popping use of hypnotic colour lend Osamu Dezaki's film a look that remains ageless even today.
...
BandSAboutMovies28 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"..."
Man, if you were a kid in the 80s, you were lucky if you had Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode for the NES, a game that somehow had sniper rifle murder, conspiracy, bioterrorism and a sex scene that gives you back your energy. How did we get this game?
After two live action attempts* at telling the story of Dick Togo, the world's greatest killer, Golgo 13: The Professional was made. It isn't just an animated film. It's also one of the first animated films to incorporate CGI animation.
After killing Robert Dawson, the son of oil baron Leonard Dawson and the heir of Dawson Enterprises, as well as liquidating a mob boss named Dr. Z, Golgo 13 finds himself hunted by the Pentagon, the FBI and the CIA, as well as Snake, their genetically-enhanced supersoldier named Snake. It seems like he's finally killed the wrong target, one who has a father who wants him dead.
Dawson is willing to put everyone in his family into the line of fire to kill Golgo 13. He gives Robert's wife to Snake to use and abuse, while sending his granddaughter Emily and butler Albert to assassinate the killing machine. They fail. He just walks away.
So why isn't Dawson going after the people who ordered the hit? Is he rich enough to shut down America? And will the government release the terrifying criminals Gold and Silver to kill Golgo 13?
If you've never experienced Golgo 13 before, you may wonder, how can a man just keep getting shot, stabbed and beaten over and over again, yet have women throw themselves at him, and he never changes his expression? If you get it, you get it, I guess.
* 1973's Golgo 13 and 1977's Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon. There's also a sequel to this animated movie, 1987's Golgo 13: Queen Bee.
Man, if you were a kid in the 80s, you were lucky if you had Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode for the NES, a game that somehow had sniper rifle murder, conspiracy, bioterrorism and a sex scene that gives you back your energy. How did we get this game?
After two live action attempts* at telling the story of Dick Togo, the world's greatest killer, Golgo 13: The Professional was made. It isn't just an animated film. It's also one of the first animated films to incorporate CGI animation.
After killing Robert Dawson, the son of oil baron Leonard Dawson and the heir of Dawson Enterprises, as well as liquidating a mob boss named Dr. Z, Golgo 13 finds himself hunted by the Pentagon, the FBI and the CIA, as well as Snake, their genetically-enhanced supersoldier named Snake. It seems like he's finally killed the wrong target, one who has a father who wants him dead.
Dawson is willing to put everyone in his family into the line of fire to kill Golgo 13. He gives Robert's wife to Snake to use and abuse, while sending his granddaughter Emily and butler Albert to assassinate the killing machine. They fail. He just walks away.
So why isn't Dawson going after the people who ordered the hit? Is he rich enough to shut down America? And will the government release the terrifying criminals Gold and Silver to kill Golgo 13?
If you've never experienced Golgo 13 before, you may wonder, how can a man just keep getting shot, stabbed and beaten over and over again, yet have women throw themselves at him, and he never changes his expression? If you get it, you get it, I guess.
* 1973's Golgo 13 and 1977's Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon. There's also a sequel to this animated movie, 1987's Golgo 13: Queen Bee.
A highly underrated anime classic!
TalesfromTheCryptfan5 December 2009
Oil industrialist Leonard Dawson had a 60th birthday on a cruise ship and his son Robert was making his day happy until a single bullet kills his boy. The man who killed him is Golgo 13 who is a mysterious hit-man who loves the ladies as he scores with them and goes out for some killing as being his choice of sport. Dawson vows revenge as he hires assassins and the FBI to go after Golgo 13 but can the unstoppable assassin live through all this ordeal?
Very underrated cult Japanese animated action thriller based on the popular Japanese comics is a sensational one. This one isn't for the kids due to graphic bloody violence, scenes of sex with nudity and language but the film is very well animated and stylish. Sure the CGI in the climax is kind of laughable by today even though back then it was a little cheap and the storyline is very compelling as well as the old school type of animation here. The score is very good here that ranges from jazzy to more heartfelt even during the dramatic powerful climax.
If your looking for an underrated Japanese animated diamond in the rough, check this one out.
Very underrated cult Japanese animated action thriller based on the popular Japanese comics is a sensational one. This one isn't for the kids due to graphic bloody violence, scenes of sex with nudity and language but the film is very well animated and stylish. Sure the CGI in the climax is kind of laughable by today even though back then it was a little cheap and the storyline is very compelling as well as the old school type of animation here. The score is very good here that ranges from jazzy to more heartfelt even during the dramatic powerful climax.
If your looking for an underrated Japanese animated diamond in the rough, check this one out.
Good flick, but with flaws.
jimvandemoter-5023627 December 2019
There are a number of major flaws, first, in the parts in San Fransisco cars are shown driving on the wrong side of the road. There are others but the major problem starts at about 1:17:00 with very early CGI. This sequence would've been much better if they stuck with the same style of cell animation used in the rest of the film. That said I really do like it. It's a true anime classic.
the true professional
phanthinga25 January 2017
I have to say this The Professional: Golgo 13 blew my mind away.After watching this movie i can't think of an anime that this much badass and this much awesome.The main character Duke Togo also known as Golgo 13 is a professional hit-man for hired that is so good as his job that everybody call him the man that make the impossible possible.In this movie he find himself is a target of a manhunt by the FBI,CIA and numerous of highly trained assassin after a usual mission.Now he have to prove himself is the best of the best in the business to find the main behind all this and kill him before thing get a little messy.Duke is pretty much the James Bond of both the manga and anime world when he kick ass in the left,get the girls in the right and always maintain his cold head and emotionless through out the movie.The anime it self is very good with hand drawing animation and sometime beautiful scene capture from the manga,the fight scene is probably one of the best fight scene i ever see in anime for a long time.It also have the grittiness and rawness of real world often rare to find in an anime nowadays
Hit-man noir with hardboiled style
sixtwentysix28 October 2004
One of the earliest Japanese animation films I can remember seeing, this film was a perfect introduction to me in how great a textured and visually appealing an anime story could be. Shot like a noir detective film with all the action and speed of a spy thriller, this film set a new benchmark for the sniper/hit-man genre.
Duke Togo, while devoid of most emotion, captivates as a steely and ruthless assassin bent on survival as well as completion of his tasks. The stylish and dark film has conspiracies, presidential assassinations, serial killers, sex, guns, explosions and insane escape scenes.
The story is straight forward; someone has paid Golgo 13 to assassinate the son of a wealthy business man and oil magnate. Revenge is to be taken on Golgo 13 at all costs, involving crooked cops, serial killers, generals, CIA, FBI, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Special Forces. Basically, Leonard Dawson is taking his son's death a bit hard and feels just a little raw toward Duke.
The American translation is passable with pretty good over all emotional tone and great music setting for mood. One of my favorite anime and overall examples of noir style in graphic arts of the 80s if you can ignore that very dated helicopter scene that makes everyone so angry... Personally I didn't think it was bad, just out of place in a film with a perfect fever pitch already. Great ending, great film overall. Well worth a look for anyone who enjoys spy films, hit men or noir.
Duke Togo, while devoid of most emotion, captivates as a steely and ruthless assassin bent on survival as well as completion of his tasks. The stylish and dark film has conspiracies, presidential assassinations, serial killers, sex, guns, explosions and insane escape scenes.
The story is straight forward; someone has paid Golgo 13 to assassinate the son of a wealthy business man and oil magnate. Revenge is to be taken on Golgo 13 at all costs, involving crooked cops, serial killers, generals, CIA, FBI, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Special Forces. Basically, Leonard Dawson is taking his son's death a bit hard and feels just a little raw toward Duke.
The American translation is passable with pretty good over all emotional tone and great music setting for mood. One of my favorite anime and overall examples of noir style in graphic arts of the 80s if you can ignore that very dated helicopter scene that makes everyone so angry... Personally I didn't think it was bad, just out of place in a film with a perfect fever pitch already. Great ending, great film overall. Well worth a look for anyone who enjoys spy films, hit men or noir.
This cartoon will blow you away!
action-627 March 2000
The Professional Golgo 13 is a manga-film about an assassin called Golgo 13. Golgo 13 is the world`s greatest assassin, he has never broken a contract, but one day he kills Robert Dawson, the son of an oil-billionaire(Leonard Dawson). Suddenly, Golgo 13 is hunted by FBI, CIA and the U.S.Army. The action found in are explosiv as he¤%, and very bloody. This manga is better than many of the hollywood-produced action-films, this is original and with a superb story. The ending is also very unexpected and innovative. A movie you must see! 10/10
Impressive
DBLurker20 September 2015
As a big fan of movies featuring hired assassins, I have had Golgo 13 on my watchlist for years now.
Now that I have seen it, I can't believe how good it is.
The action is very well done, the animation is (for that time) nice.. except for one weird 3D scene that surprised me (and as a game designer, I was laughing at the low poly models in the CGI) and even though the story is simple cliché-fest, it's still very well presented.
This isn't really a spoiler, but I think my favorite part is how the big-bad treats his son's wife and daughter. Those scenes really showed how low that guy was willing to go just to have his revenge. The surprise twist in the end also was very well done. In-fact, I would say this movie should be watched especially cause of those scenes.
Very well done. Must watch movie.
Now that I have seen it, I can't believe how good it is.
The action is very well done, the animation is (for that time) nice.. except for one weird 3D scene that surprised me (and as a game designer, I was laughing at the low poly models in the CGI) and even though the story is simple cliché-fest, it's still very well presented.
This isn't really a spoiler, but I think my favorite part is how the big-bad treats his son's wife and daughter. Those scenes really showed how low that guy was willing to go just to have his revenge. The surprise twist in the end also was very well done. In-fact, I would say this movie should be watched especially cause of those scenes.
Very well done. Must watch movie.
Totally and Completely Badass
Scars_Remain4 March 2008
It should be known before I start that I'm not a fan of anime at all whatsoever. It usually bores me or is way too bizarre for my taste. That wasn't the case with The Professional. I loved this film so much and I'm very glad that I saw it. I was entertained the whole way through. It truly is a blast.
The blood is this one is absolutely awesome! I also loved Golgo's character and the story moved pretty well also. It's not a movie you're gonna wanna show to the kids but if you love gory action flicks, you'll definitely want to check it out. And please, please don't let the fact that it's an anime discourage you from seeing it, it's the best anime I've ever seen!
The blood is this one is absolutely awesome! I also loved Golgo's character and the story moved pretty well also. It's not a movie you're gonna wanna show to the kids but if you love gory action flicks, you'll definitely want to check it out. And please, please don't let the fact that it's an anime discourage you from seeing it, it's the best anime I've ever seen!
Time To Go Undercover
doctrnoles19 April 2001
The Professional was an incredibly awesome action film, packed with guys getting gunned down, and lots of chicks in black bikinis. The story in The Professional was much much better than in a lot of those James Bond films. Those animators are good with those pencils; their technique! Wow! Apparently, this movie was one of the first to use computer animation, but it was pretty much squat compared to what they can do now. Still, this movie will persuade you to want to be a spy, because this job has all the extras! Don't worry, all you animal lovers, because no real animals were hurt during the making of this film. It's just a film. For a good time, watch The Professional. It is, like, so cool. Rating: 10/10 ( Anyone else think this movie's disturbing? Just say Golgo if you do.)
This movie would give Hanna Barbara a heart attack!
BigRon15 June 1999
This was one of the first anime movies I had ever seen. It is still also one of the best. There are aspects of other anime movies that bug me, but Golgo 13: The Professional doesn't have any of those problems. This movie is non stop action. The characters are very real and very complex. The plot is very well written and the ending will completely surprise you. This movie makes you completely forget you're watching a cartoon. One complaint: The music sounded like something out of Scooby Doo.
See also
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