Picture Book

**Picture Book** (絵本, *Ehon*?) is the first episode of *Garo*, as well as the first episode of the series overall. It introduces Kouga, Kaoru, Gonza, Zaruba and Counselor Ryuzaki.

## Synopsis

A Horror named Angrey appears to the human world and starts devouring people. But a Makai Knight named Kouga Saezima who holds the title of "Golden Knight Garo" is ordered to find him and cut him down.

## Plot

The episode opens with Zaruba telling the viewers that the story is about a Makai Knight who cuts down monsters known as Horrors. In a gallery museum, the gallery owner named Daisuke Taniyama finds a picture with a woman nude portrait and suddenly the portrait exhilarates and eats Taniyama and possesses him. Meanwhile, a Makai Knight named Kouga Saezima is training. A girl named Kaoru Mitsuki, while sleeping remembers when she was a child and was reading her favorite picture book with a golden knight that cuts down monsters.

Suddenly, before her those monsters appear and the Golden Knight appears and saves young Kaoru. Kaoru wakes up and goes to the art museum and Taniyama, while possessed, tries to eat her but Kaoru has a bad feeling and gets away. Kaoru later goes to her counselor, Karune Ryuzaki and talks him about her continuously dream of the Golden Knight and the Horrors. Angrey finds a young beautiful girl and devours her. Meanwhile, Kouga's butler, Gonza Kurahashi, gives him an order from the Watchdogs to target and cut down the Horror Angrey. Kouga finds Angrey along with Kaoru.

Kouga tells Kaoru he would like to buy a painting of her. Kouga checks Taniyama with his Madou Lighter to see if he is a Horror. He chases Angrey and comes face to face with Angrey's servants but defeats them easily. Kouga fights with Angrey and transforms into Golden Knight Garo. Kaoru is impressed as he sees that Garo is the golden knight in her picture book. Garo defeats Angrey but Kaoru is stained by Angrey's cursed blood. Garo is ready to cut Kaoru down as the rule says that those showered to a Horror blood must die. Kaoru collapses. Kouga decides to let her live as his hunting of Horrors would be easier from now on. Kouga tells Kaoru he won't kill her and buys her painting and leaves. This is the beginning of a new knight's legend.

## Cast

* Kouga Saezima (冴島鋼牙, *Saejima Kōga*?): Hiroki Konishi (小西大樹, *Konishi Hiroki*?)
* Kaoru Mitsuki (御月カオル, *Mitsuki Kaoru*?): Mika Hijii (肘井美佳, *Hijii Mika*?)
	+ Kaoru Mitsuki (child): Kanami Katchi (甲地夏波, *Katchi Kanami*?)
* Gonza Kurahashi (倉橋ゴンザ, *Kurahashi Gonza*?): Yukijiro Hotaru (螢雪次朗, *Hotaru Yukijirō*?)
* Karune Ryuzaki (龍崎駈音, *Ryūzaki Karune*?): Masaki Kyomoto (京本政樹, *Kyōmoto Masaki*?)

### Guest cast

* Daisuke Taniyama (谷山太輔, *Taniyama Daisuke*?): Toru Minegishi (峰岸徹, *Minegishi Tōru*?)
* Mayu Tsukimoto (月本真由, *Tsukimoto Mayu*?): Mika Kojima (小島ミカ, *Kojima Mika*?)
* The woman painting (絵画の女, *Kaigan no onna*?): Emi Kitagawa (北川絵美, *Kitagawa Emi*?)

### Voice actors

* Madou Ring Zaruba (魔導輪ザルバ, *Madōrin Zaruba*?): Hironobu Kageyama (影山ヒロノブ, *Kageyama Hironobu*?)

### Suit actors

* Golden Knight Garo (黄金騎士・牙狼, *Ōgon Kishi Garo*?): Masaki Onishi (大西雅樹, *Ōnishi Masaki*?)
* Angrey (アングレイ, *Angurei*?): Akira Ohashi (大橋明, *Ōhashi Akira*?)

## Notes

* The scene where Kouga equips his armor and walks toward Angrey is paid homage to in the first episode of *Makai no Hana*, when Kouga's son, Raiga, dons the armor.

## DVD releases

*Garo* Volume 1 features episodes 1-4: *Picture Book*, *Yin Self*, *Clock* and *Dinner*.