English Dub Review: The Silver Guardian “Suigin Meets Riku Rei!”

Does the new series on Funimation deserve a silver?

The Silver Guardian follows a group of high school students. Rei Riku, daughter of a tech mogul, is a high school student. At the onset of the episode, the pink haired Rei delivers an internal monologue, presumably from her diary: “Lights out at 10 PM. Once again, everyone in the dorm had a normal day. Just another quiet night, another day in this life of no changes. And yet…”

Yes, and yet. Season 1 episode 1, “Suigin Meets Riku Rei” surprised me with its direction. The story opens with a group of girls talking in a dorm room about their school being built upon graves. However, shortly thereafter the story deviates. It’s something of a red herring. Riku speaks of Suigin as a fighter protecting humanity in a world far off.

Riku narrates Suigin’s battle against hordes of demonic foes as he strives to protect a mausoleum. This sequence reminded me of Berserk. From the color palate of dark and bright Technicolor, to the epic music, and waves of menacing creatures, there’s certainly a gothic vibe.

But “Suigin Meets Riku Rei” features a non-linear narrative. After this brief set up, there’s a flashback to Suigin playing a video game at a pool. This explains how Rei and Suigin first met. Although it’s brief and there’s a suggestion the series will continue this format.

I enjoyed how The Silver Guardian used visual cues and voice over to relay its story. Rather than showing Rei writing in her diary, there’s a quick pan over the diary followed by her internal dialogue. Plus, Rei glances briefly at her phone with a cracked screen before speaking of Suigin in a far off land.

The lighthearted opening rapidly changed to a thematically darker story but bounced back to a cheery mood. It’s a well-balanced show in its temperament. It’s not as unrelenting as the aforementioned Berserk, or bleak like Serial Experiments Lain. Rather, there’s a pleasant mix of emotions.

Although I appreciated the non-linear narrative, it’s not quite as clear as a Quentin Tarantino or Coen Brothers production. However, I presume this is a matter of a short (13 minute) runtime. Whereas most anime benefits from a still scant 20-3o minute episode format, 13 is fairly skimpy. This really limits story progression. A few times the narrative felt disjointed. I blame its runtime, not writing.

At times, the music was a bit overpowering. The majority of the time, it’s a solid score. While initially the soundtrack during fight scenes resonated with a gothic baritone, it delved into techno and later a metal backdrop that just didn’t seem appropriate. It’s not nearly as grating as the glorified elevator music that so prominently populated Hand Shakers thankfully. Mostly it’s well done, but occasionally the soundtrack feels forced.

Ultimately, The Silver Guardian overcomes the slight lack of cohesion with its taut writing and suggestive plot. I’m excited to learn more about who, or what, Suigin is fighting. Additionally, I’m keen to discover Riku and Suigin’s relationship. Lush visuals, fantastic storytelling, and loads of mystery make “Suigin Meets Riku Rei!” a solid first episode in The Silver Guardian.