Golgo 13: The Professional

Golgo 13: The Professional
Japanese theatrical poster
Japanese	ゴルゴ13
Hepburn	Gorugo Sātīn
Directed by	Osamu Dezaki
Screenplay by	Shūkei Nagasaka
Based on	Golgo 13 by Takao Saito
Produced by	Nobuo Inada
Starring	Tetsuro Sagawa Gorô Naya Toshiko Fujita Kōsei Tomita Kiyoshi Kobayashi Reiko Mutō
Cinematography	Hirokata Takahashi
Edited by	Mitsuo Tsurubuchi
Music by	Toshiyuki Kimori
Production companies	Tokyo Movie Shinsha Filmlink International
Distributed by	Toho-Towa
Release date	May 28, 1983 (1983-05-28)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Golgo 13: The Professional, known as simply Golgo 13 (ゴルゴ13) in Japan, is a 1983 Japanese animated action film based on the manga series Golgo 13 by Takao Saito.^[1] The film was directed by Osamu Dezaki, produced by Nobuo Inada and was written from a screenplay by Shukei Nagasaka. The film features the voice acting of Tetsurō Sagawa, Gorō Naya, Toshiko Fujita, Kōsei Tomita, Kiyoshi Kobayashi and Reiko Mutō. The film was released by Toho-Towa on May 28, 1983.

It is the first animated film based on the manga, and the third overall Golgo 13 film after two previous live-action films (the second film starring Sonny Chiba as Golgo 13). Golgo 13: The Professional is also the first animated film to incorporate CGI animation, created by Koichi Omura and Satomi Mikuriya at Toyo Links Co., Ltd. The most notable example of this is during the helicopter attack on Dawson Tower.

Plot[]

Professional contract killer Duke Togo—codenamed "Golgo 13"—is hired to assassinate Robert Dawson, the son of oil baron Leonard Dawson and the heir of Dawson Enterprises, and succeeds. Later, after accomplishing a hit on a powerful crime boss in Sicily named Dr. Z, Golgo is suddenly attacked by the U.S. Military and CIA, His local contact, a clockmaker, is also murdered by a genetically-enhanced supersoldier named Snake. Aided by the Pentagon, the FBI, and the CIA, Dawson has become determined to kill Golgo and avenge his son's death.

A military force, led by Lieutenant Bob Bragan, attempts to ambush Golgo while he is in the middle of an assignment from a wealthy Holocaust survivor in San Francisco, California to assassinate an ex-Nazi official. The plan fails, and Bragan's entire force is wiped out. However, a dying Bragan manages to wound Golgo. Meanwhile, Rita, the mechanic that supplied Golgo with his getaway car, is murdered by Snake.

Having been consumed by revenge, Dawson begins to allow the rest of his family to be harmed. For Snake's cooperation, he allows him to rape Laura, Robert's widow, and sends his granddaughter, Emily, and butler, Albert, to an airport to murder Golgo with a firearm concealed in a doll. The shot misses, and Albert reaches for his handgun. Golgo shoots Albert in the chest, a crowd gathers, and Golgo walks away nonchalantly.

Dawson, in a meeting with the FBI, the CIA and the Pentagon, demands the release of Gold and Silver, two notorious murderers who were part of a covert government operation to test the survival rate of mercenaries in the jungles of South America. When the group refuses his request because Gold and Silver are on death row, Dawson threatens to halt all operations that his company controls, which include oil refineries and banks. The group agrees to his demands in fear that the economy of the country will collapse. When Laura demands to know why Dawson has refused to seek vengeance on whoever ordered the hit on Robert, he refuses to answer.

Pablo, an informant for Golgo, informs him that Dawson ordered the hit on him and that he's currently in Dawson's tower awaiting his advance. Pablo goes on to inform Golgo that his wife and children are being kept at ransom in the tower. Pablo attempts to shoot Golgo, but is killed by Golgo first.

Golgo arrives at Dawson Tower in New York City, and begins his ascent to the top floor on foot. He first plays a game of cat and mouse with a fleet of helicopter gunships sent to kill him. While on the move, Golgo is attacked by Snake, and a brutal fight occurs between the two in an elevator. A Bell AH-1 attack helicopter shoots the elevator, killing Snake while Golgo hides by the edge unseen by the helicopter. Gold and Silver are then sent to ambush Golgo. During the attack, Golgo counters both of them; bludgeoning Gold on the head repeatedly with the butt of his revolver and shooting him. Silver, blinded by rage at his partner's death, runs towards Golgo, who quickly stuffs a grenade in Silver's mouth, killing him. Golgo then proceeds towards Dawson.

Admitting failure, Dawson orders all action against Golgo to end. Golgo finally encounters Dawson at the top of his building. Following a brief monologue, Dawson attempts suicide by leaping out of the window. As he falls, Dawson remembers Robert's suicide note, which reveals that, despite receiving much care from his father throughout his lifetime, Robert was overcome with grief over the possibility that he would never fulfil his father's ambitions; unable to commit suicide, he requested Golgo to kill him. Before Dawson hits the ground, Golgo shoots him in the head. Dawson falls headfirst, crushing his skull and any evidence that he was shot. His death is ruled as accidental by the authorities.

Afterwards, Golgo encounters Laura, who has since become a prostitute. Upon recognizing him she reaches for a pistol and aims it at Golgo, he then turns his back to her and walks away, Laura then proceeds to shoot him as the shot rings out, Golgo walks into the night as the credits roll.

Cast[]

Production[]

Golgo 13: The Professional incorporated CGI animation, which was in its infancy at the time. This is most notable in a scene where army helicopters circle around Dawson Tower and attack Golgo as he climbs toward Dawson's office on the top floor. The CGI scene was created by Koichi Omura (大村皓一 Ōmura Kōichi) and Satomi Mikuriya (御厨 さと美 Mikuriya Satomi) at Toyo Links Co., Ltd. (トーヨーリンクス Tōyō Rinkusu).

Popular culture[]

Quentin Tarantino paid homage to the Golgo 13 anime in the animated sequence of Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003).^[3]

References[]

External links[]

• Golgo 13: The Professional at IMDb
• Golgo 13: The Professional (film) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia