A Japanese Soldier finds mythical beauties in another world. Gate is a series that entered the Anime scene back in the year 2015. While it never managed to reach the same levels of popularity as No Game No Life, Overlord, and other such anime, it is still a major sensation that fans of this sub-genre would most definitely enjoy. There’s a wonderful medieval fantasy world. This includes a bunch of beautiful and endearing girls from different mythical races. We also get a dense yet responsible protagonist, and Military Action sequences that don’t suck. In this article, we’ll talk about all of that, and also whether or not you should check out Gate.
What’s Going On Guys?
Spoiler Alert… The Answer is Yes!
Yes, I recommend watching Gate. Not only does it make full use of the usual Isekai tropes, but it is also quite proficient in explaining the details and reasoning behind certain antics that usually get glossed over in other Isekai Anime. I’d say, if you usually enjoy watching Isekai Anime, you are genuinely missing out if you haven’t watched this one.
Starting off with the premise, there is a 33-year-old hardcore Otaku who also happens to be a functional member of society. His name is Youji Itami, and he’s a member of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. One day, while he is not on duty, he heads out to attend a doujin convention taking place in Ginza. This area is among Tokyo’s most famous entertainment districts. He’s quite excited to attend the convention. So much so that he isn’t even watching his steps and ends up hitting a pole. This gives him a momentary concussion during which he daydreams about an Elf, a Sorcerer, and a Gothic Lolita. Little did he know that this fairy tale he had just envisioned would soon be his new reality. As our protagonist is ready to attend the convention, there is a mysterious Gate that has emerged out of nowhere in the hustling streets of Ginza.
War of the Worlds
Everyone wonders if it’s for a movie prop or something, but within a matter of a few instances, a weird flying creature comes out of the Gate. And it’s not just one. There are many. An entire army of weird creatures led by the ancient Roman Empire just suddenly blitzes out of the Gate and turns the District into a ruthless War Zone. I’m just kidding. It isn’t the Romans. Though they do wear similar armor.
Anyways, just when Itami was going to have a good time indulging in his Otaku hobbies, this disaster took place. He runs like a Mad man. At this rate, the Doujin Convention would be canceled. First, he apprehends one of them. And then right in front of civilians, he uses their sword to kill this Soldier. That’s right folks, it was a literal bloodbath. Although Itami had killed one of the invaders, ordinary civilians were also dying left and right. He takes charge, gives appropriate guidance to the Police, and quickly tries to evacuate the civilians out of the disaster. Soon enough, the invaders return to where they came from.
the Ginza incident.
The emergence of a mystical Gate was already electrifying, but the countless lives that were lost because of the invaders makes the matter even more immediate. This is why the Prime Minister declares that Japanese Special Defense forces will soon be sent to the other side of the Gate. The intention is to explore what exists beyond the Gate and to also demand recompense for the unprovoked invasion of Ginza.
Youji Itami is going to be a major player in all of this for two very good reasons. First, because he is the Protagonist and then also because his contribution during the Ginza incident earned him a lot of praise. He was promoted to First Lieutenant and was dubbed a National Hero. The next few months are spent in the preparations, and then finally, three months after the incident. The Japanese Special Defense Forces enter the Gate with a fully equipped Army deployed in tanks and military Jeeps. That’s just how serious it was.
The Way of the Otaku
Though just before they come out of the other side… Another Soldier who is familiar with the Way of the Otaku asks Itami if there would be any cat girls on the other side.
Itami confidently replies, “Why wouldn’t there be? Though once again, little did they know there would be much more than just Cat girls. Soon enough they come out to the other side of the Gate… And just like that, the story of this Another World connected to the World through the Gate… begins! This is the premise.
One thing I find interesting about Gate is how it isn’t just the Protagonist who gets to go to this Other World. Rather, it’s an entire Army numbering in the thousands. War is one of the primary themes, but the characters, especially the quirky yet mythical girls they come across are what really carry this anime. We have a blonde Elf named Tuka who looks 18 but is actually 165 years old. There is a 15-year-old Human being of this World who harbors almost genius intellect and is also quite skilled in the art of magic, her name is Leilei. Then there is Gothic Lolita named Rory Mercury and she’s the quirkiest of the bunch. An interesting fact about her is her age, she is actually 961 years old, but she stopped aging after turning 13. The reason is that she was chosen to be a demi-goddess.
The Charm of an Isekai Protaganist
These are the three girls who Itami suddenly envisions after hitting the pole back in Ginza. There are a few others as well such as the Dark elf who suddenly develops an unhealthy obsession with becoming Itami’s slave, or the Princess of this Other World who also eventually develops strong feelings for our Protagonist.
See, guys?
It doesn’t matter how much charisma you have; you just can’t beat the Charm of an Isekai protagonist. Now, of course, the character writing of this anime isn’t limited to just introducing these quirky girls. The soldiers, the antagonists, kings, and whatnot, also don’t receive the “NPC” treatment.
It genuinely feels like what it is, a War of supremacy between the Japanese Army and the Empire of this Other World. The comedy is done in a manner that does not interfere with the seriousness of the issue. Countless lives are lost at every turn. There are political issues, major diplomatic issues, and sexual tension between Itami and the girls. Not to mention, the fanservice. I would say, the fanservice is done well in the sense that it is neither blown out of proportion nor is it jarring to see.
For example, the Blonde Elf has a habit of sleeping naked. The demi-goddess Rory Mercury gets actual arousal when people are ruthlessly killed around her. Talk about deep psychopathic sadism. Though as I said before, even such weird things are properly explained in the Anime. As long as you don’t nitpick, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how the Plot and the characters handle themselves going forward.
Praise and Critique
Even if you aren’t immediately hooked from the very first episode, there’s still a high chance that this Anime may grow on you. The pacing is steadfast, and there’s not a lot of fluff or filler, though there is indeed quite some fanservice. It doesn’t interfere with the progression of the plot. In fact, sometimes, it’s part of it. Without spoiling anything, I’d say that the conflicts are properly resolved. Unlike most of the half-assed manner in which conflicts are usually handled in Isekai Anime. Even the Japanese themselves rebuke their own army for a certain turn of events.
There is a lot of unnecessary killing of characters that could’ve been handled more proficiently. Such as the Protagonist’s reaction to the deaths of a great number of innocent locals. These were caused by the consequences of his own actions, but that mostly comes down to how you, as a viewer, perceive Wars. In terms of lore, world-building, or even the backstories of prominent characters, the Anime makes full use of its 24 episodes.
Final Thoughts
The character designs can be a little bit basic for the male characters, but it more than makes up for it with the female characters, to the point that even a random Purple-Haired Cat girl has had a fair amount of effort put into her character design. The Art and Animation, especially the action sequences also stand out.
The military action goes without saying since the author himself used to be a member of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. This is why the action and how the equipment is used feels organic. From military tactics, and digging holes, to cleaning the weapons, there’s great attention to detail.
All in all, “Gate” nails the Isekai anime troops while still maintaining its own uniqueness. Well then, there you have it folks, these were a few of my thoughts on why you should watch Gate.
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