Anime Profile: The Professional: Golgo 13

There is one name whose mention strikes fear in anyone's heart. His name is synonymous with quick, efficient death: the world's most lethal assassin, Golgo 13.

However, this time around, the hitman has become the hit when he takes out the son of a wealthy oil tycoon. Leonard Dawson is now sparing no expense and taking no chances. He wants Golgo 13 dead...at any price!

Created by Takao Saito, the world of Golgo 13 is a world of international intrigue where his bullets punctuate the atmosphere. Though not the first time Golgo 13 had appeared on film (there was a live-action feature titled Assignment Kowloon made some time prior), The Professional is his first appearance in anime, faithfully reproducing all the aspects that have made Saito's manga popular. Golgo 13's effectiveness, ethics, and ways with women (which could rival that of James Bond) are brought to life in vivid (and sometimes lurid) animation.

NOTE: Originally released in the US by Streamline Pictures, the rights have been acquired from the defunct company by Urban Vision, who has since re-released it.

Before I even knew what Japanese animation was, I knew of Golgo 13... not the anime, and not the manga, but the 1988 Nintendo game, Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode for the original Nintendo home console, the Nintendo Entertainment System. Ah, memories. And now, seventeen years later, I've finally watched The Professional: Golgo 13... and I thought the game was mature! This has more violence that Fist of the North Star, and more sex than... well, no, hentai titles do have more sex... but still, this guy gets laid more than James Bond! At what's even worse is that he acts like he doesn't eve care. I mean, come on dude! Seriously, loosen up! Show the women some emotion here! But I digress.

Okay, now when you're watching the opening credits, you have to keep in mind that this was made in 1983. Why? Because they use the latest in 1983 3-D technology! Wow. It kind looks like what the 3-D animators use today... when they're creating a mock-up of what they'll eventually be creating. Seriously, junior-high students can now make better 3-D just fooling around in their spare time after school. Then this awesome 1983 3-D animation also actually shows up in the film itself, towards the end. And just... wow. Seems like it would have been easier, cheaper, and better looking just to draw the scene by hand. But hey, back then it was awesome! But I digress... again.

Alright, alright, on with the story! We first meet Duke Togo, codenamed Golgo 13, on a job. His job? Assassin! He pulls the trigger, and next thing you know his target happens to have an extra hole in the head. Then we jump right into his next job. Again, it's the same deal. Target sighted, trigger pulled, bullet enters head. And wouldn't you know it, but it all takes during a ceremony, right in front of the guy's wife, daughter, and most important of all, his father. It was Leonard "Petroleum King" Dawson's 62nd birthday, and just as he was about to hand the Dawson Corporation over to his son, Robert Frederick Dawson, Golgo's bullet it's mark. What timing! Now Leonard's on a non-stop mission of revenge to take out the man who killed his son!

Of course, Mr. Togo still has jobs to do! He can't stop just because some rich and powerful guy has enlisted every resource at his disposal to kill the assassin. And by every resource, I'm talking FBI, CIA, US Military, and any other hand willing to pull a trigger. But there's not time for Mr. Togo to think about all that, he has to get on to finding and killing Dr. Z, head of a Mafia that killed some guy's entire family. And since nobody seems to know who this guy is or what he looks like, that's gonna be difficult. The best lead he has to go on is Cindy, Dr. Z's only daughter, who lives in a castle-like mansion with the tightest security available. And not to ruin it or anything, but yeah, Golgo sleeps with the girl, takes out his target, and moves on to his next job.

Golgo continues with his jobs, but Dawson's constant attacks begin to take out every ally Golgo has. Finally our little assassin has to give in and go after Dawson to finish it once and for all. I know, it sucks to take a job that doesn't pay, but sometimes you just gotta do it. Of course, Dawson's obsession with the man that killed his son just begs the question, why isn't he going after the person that hired the assassin? For the assassin it was just another job, but for the person who hired him it was personal. Anyway, with creepy villains galore all trying to take down our persistent hitman, this battle is going to get worse before it gets better. But if you can make it to the end, then all will be revealed.