GARO – Rei Suzumura and plot incoherence

Remember: if you have not seen the series, reading this text could frustrate you.

Once upon a time there was a Makai knight living in a big house. He was the heir of the name of Ginga, the Silver Knight, but he was not heir of the blood. The sad story of a lonely child finished well, because a Makai knight adopted and gave him a life, a home and a goal, name aside. He became a devil hunter like his adoptive father and, when he did not hunt, he enjoyed his company and that of a girl adopted like him. A girl who was his happiness and his balance; so sweet and delicate that he knew the joy to be his protector.

But a bitter day, girl and father stopped to exist and, with them, life, home, goal and name. Because he had not reached to protect them, he disinherited himself and there was nothing left: only rage. A rage that would nourish him in his search of the culprit, and adopted Zero as his new Makai name.

This is Rei's story, before going out in pursuit of the supposed murderer: the heir of the name of Garo, according to the suggestion by his madou pendant.

Uncaring to leave his territory to the horrors -which later will cost him a punition by the Western Watchdog, whose jurisdiction he was- Rei settles precariously at a sort of abandoned bar. From this operating basis he watches his enemy.

However, Rei can not be sure that Garo is the culprit of the deaths. His only evidence is the silhouette of an armor, similar to Garo’s but non equal, even though he will interpret it was, till he will see the one of the right responsible; and Silver, his madou pendant, tells him that the emblem of the sword is very similar to Garo’s.

This last affirmation is problematic, too. Firstly, in the killing scene, the emblem and the handle are covered by black bandages; but the blade is similar. Secondly, when the culprit appears again with his armor, we see the emblem: Kiva’s, the Black Knight, a cross, while Garo’s is an equilateral triangle.

The only clue that could lead in such a direction is not less doubtful. When Barago shows himself as a Makai Knight -chapters 23 and 24- his coat has some interesting resemblance to Kouga’s, in black instead of white. Maybe the loudest shot is that his emblem is an equilateral triangle made exactly as Kouga’s, but turned down. It is like a declaration that Barago and in Kouga are both sides of the same coin. But Barago did not go clothed like this when he killed Shizuka, but with his armor.

Another interesting thing: the murderer "waited" for Rei’s presence before killing the girl. As we can not do anything else than to accept Silver’s word, perhaps we will have to conclude that the culprit wanted to induce him to error deliberately, that is, to push him against Kouga. After viewing the plot evolution, we notice that this has some sense; as Koga will be subjected to a process to weaken him psychologically. Moreover Rei, by imposing -and being accepted- his presence by the Eastern Watchdogs, Barago will end up having another hunter to provey him with preys.

We see that Rei’s craving of revenge, helps to overcome adverse situations and to ignore any form of well-being to himself, but easily falls as prey of manipulations by the Eastern Watchdogs.


Chapters 18 and 19. After Kouga’s defection, the Eastern Watchdogs entrusted his work to Rei, tempting him with the coming back of Shizuka. Moreover, they assured him that Kouga was her killer, and this would make him merciless. He does not doubt to use and threaten the innocent Kaoru -in the worst moment to her- to coerce Kouga, and only the unexpected intervention by the Makai priestess Jabi could take him it away exactly when he was going to finish him off.

But these are not the only plot faults covering Rei’s performance. When finally he notices his error, he knows to need Kouga’s help to get his revenge. However, when they both are at it, we attend an unbelievable scene in chapter 24:

Rei and Kouga hurry up a building looking for Barago. Gurm intercepts and accuses both of them to kill Kodama, her son, even if the only responsible one was Kouga. Lesser credible: when Gurm has nailed Rei on the floor she lets Kouga to escape, with Rei’s connivance, who sacrifices his revenge -which has been the engine of his entiere performance in the series- so that Kouga gets his one and saves Kaoru.

With so much inconsequence it is not easy to analyze Rei and can not see a believable evolution of his personality or, at least, his attitude. You will understand that I am not satisfied at all about how this article has come out. Simply, I have been incapable of using the disposable data in a reasonable way. So I pray the readers that, if they have any contribution to do about, please, feel free to publish it in the comments. Thank you a lot!

Once again, it will be necessary to avoid the confussion in the details to stick the strict plot line, which can be summarized like this:

1. Due to personal causes, Rei goes out to search revenge against Kouga.
2. Rei discovers that he has mistaken his target and makes to get along with Kouga to establish a collaboration, because the opponent to beat is too much strong for him alone.
3. Rei yields his goals in front of Kouga’s.

His personality is more open and kind, perhaps as a result to be grown doing almost a normal life, surrounded of beloved people. He is ironic, some times sarcastic and, in combination with a great hardness –perhaps acquired by his preparation as a Makai Knight– can be a fearsome person and, sometimes, cruel.

Chapter 7. Rei has discovered that Kaoru is stained by the blood of a horror and, acording to the rules, has decided to kill her. He does not make it easy: he wants to scare her. Kouga’s arrival will avoid that fatal outcome.

Chapter 8. Later on, realising that the girl is invariably pursued by some horrors, he desists from his deadly purpose and devotes to pursue her to be able to bump into Kouga. Incidentaly, he does not avoid to bother her, maybe as a projection of his rage against his opponent. But Rei complains such a little consideration towards her by Kouga and -how we will see further on the series- his use of her as a bait.

Chapter 15. In chapter 14th her good wishes to put peace between him and Kouga end with an almost sexual aggression. However now, knowing that Kouga will not be able to penetrate to protect her from the horrors into an extraneous territory, Rei will replace him in this task -in spite of her- with more or less fortune. On finishing, when she thanks his help, he replies "... and I exist really, now and here" it seems to suggest he expects to get her interest. Pity, the manipulation by the Eastern Watchdogs shows his merciless self again.

Such ambiguity to Kaoru, is or not another plot fault? Consequently, her attitudes to him are too. It looks as if the character of Rei had been added hastily and unskillfuly.

How, after all his wicked actions, why Rei is admitted at Kouga’s house and in Kaoru’s presence is not very clear. It seems as if helping Kouga to exit from the Forest of Glen with the Barancas fruit -true, perhaps he would not reach it alone- wins some right for him, as he stays in the house at least until Kaoru recovers.

Chapter 22. Rei attends, with the tenants of the Saejima house, the explanation by Zaruba about the past facts it knows on Barago, and the whole conversation before and afterwards. So a great privilege, taking his antecedents into account.

Rei did a very soft apology in front of Kouga for having made him a target of his attacks. But this one has not forgotten anything of what he and Kaoru have suffered at his hands, and is willing to impose him a compensation: Rei must help him to save her, now that they already know she being a gate to Meshia. Thanks to the intervention of both madou jewels, Zaruba and Silver, the thing comes off in a voluntary collaboration.

However, because he wants revenge against the real murderer of his beloved ones, or because he accepts there are some superior things, or because he wants to make who now is his partner up of all times he acted against him and the woman he loves, since now Rei will be a trustworthy ally, and even will risk his own life to avoid that Kouga got lost in the darkness. Moreover, he will try hard on retrieving Kaoru –after she was possessed by Meshia– without attacking her and without defending himself, just like Kouga. Even though circumstances will put him aside from the fight against Kiva, he reached there in a critical moment... by flying (?!)

Many thanks for the screenshots, Radix.