J.C. Reviews: Gabriel and the Guardians Show Real Potential as a Christian Anime
by James Coulter
Angel Studios has proven to be one of the most surprising indie media companies to break into the mainstream. This Utah-based company achieved public acclaim through The Chosen, a live-action television chronicling the life of Jesus Christ. It has also dipped its toes into animation, producing animated shows including The Tuttle Twins, The Wingfeather Saga, and its latest project, the anime-inspired Gabriel and the Guardians.
Created by Jason Moody, Gabriel and the Guardians is an animated series that aspires to be an action-adventure fantasy inspired by equal parts Biblical mythology and Japanese anime—and with a staff of animators from throughout the animation industry working on it, the show certainly captures the look and feel of anime.
Gabriel and the Guardians recently released its pilot episode on the Angel Studios app, and the remainder of the series is currently in production. But will this anime-inspired show ascend to the same power level as shows like Dragonball Z or One Piece? Or will it be fated to fall from its lofty heights like the mythical Icarus?
Gabriel and the Guardians is set within the mythical realm of Ara, a world that once basked in light before falling into darkness and chaos. When an ancient artifact, the Celestial Seed, is stolen from the heavenly realm of Parahdem, a celestial guardian named Gabriel must descend to Ara to retrieve it. There, he is joined by an adventurer named Nok and a princess named Namay’ah. Can the trio work together to save the ancient artifact before it can fall into evil hands and potentially undo all of creation?
I’ve been following the production of this series for quite some time. As both a believer and an anime fan, the prospect of a Christian-inspired anime certainly sounds intriguing. And with it being an American production inspired by Japanese anime, the show certainly looks and feels like other American anime-inspired shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, of which I’m a huge fan.
So far, only a pilot episode has been released. And while the episode is far from perfect, it certainly has the potential to be a real diamond in the rough.
The show has employed many animators who have worked on other hit animated shows including X-Men ’97, Invincible, and Castlevania—and it really shows! Undoubtedly, the best part about the show is its animation, with a vivid art style and fast-paced action scenes that truly live up to its anime influence.
Moreover, the fantastical fantasy setting is likewise, well, fantastic, with landscapes that truly look and feel otherworldly. I especially love the scenes in the heaven-inspired celestial realm of Parahdem with its floating gardens and larger-than-life colorful flora.
However, it appears the animation is mostly what the show has going for it. Because while the pilot episode was certainly intriguing, it was far from perfect. But before I touch upon my own criticisms, I want to dispel other criticisms that have been made against the show.
First, while the show is inspired by the Bible, most notably the first few chapters of Genesis, many believers have criticized it for drawing from apocryphal extra-Biblical sources like the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Enoch. Personally, I have no problem with this. It’s quite evident the show is inspired by the Bible and not an adaptation of it, so taking some creative liberties is fine for this purely fictional fantasy setting.
Another common criticism has been the show’s use of magic, something which many believers considered forbidden by the Bible. Again, personally, as someone who can tell the obvious difference between fantasy-style magic and real-life witchcraft and occult practices, I don’t have a problem with this, and thus I don’t consider it a legit criticism.
However, that doesn’t mean this pilot is without criticism, and I have a few. For one, the series’ backstory is told through a rather bland block of text at the beginning of the episode. In contrast, many popular shows like Avatar: The Last Avatar have very vivid and memorable opening sequences that recount the show’s premise at the start of every episode.
Granted the show may have a proper prologue once it officially releases, but still, there’s no reason for the backstory to be conveyed so lazily. In fact, many teasers for the show have told the backstory through more vivid animatics. So, honestly, there’s no excuse to have cut corners here.
As for the characters, while the main character of Gabriel is introduced and developed quite well, the other two characters,Nok and Namay’ah, aren’t as much. While we clearly understand Gabriel to be a plucky underdog who has the potential to achieve great things, the most we know about the other two is that Nok is a cleric (whatever that means in the context of the show, as it’s not explained) and Namay’ah is a princess.
Understandably, some elements of the story and setting would be left ambiguous to draw intrigue for the show. However, in contrast, many other pilots for indie animated projects like Hazbin Hotel and Lackadaisy manage to flesh out their stories’ plot and premise in a way the audience can fully understand, while this pilot doesn’t explain much of anything at all. In the end, it comes across more as an elaborate tech demo that emphasizes style over substance.
If I come across as harsh, it’s only because I’m rooting for this show to succeed. It has real potential to be the next big animated series, and while the pilot has a few rough edges, given enough time before the series’ release, those edges can easily be sanded off to reveal a real hidden gem.
