Picture Book

Picture Book (絵本) 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): Hiroki Konishi (小西大樹)
 * Kaoru Mitsuki (御月カオル): Mika Hijii (肘井美佳)
 * Kaoru Mitsuki (child): Kanami Katchi (甲地夏波)
 * Gonza Kurahashi (倉橋ゴンザ): Yukijiro Hotaru (螢雪次朗)
 * Karune Ryuzaki (龍崎駈音): Masaki Kyomoto (京本政樹)

Guest cast

 * Daisuke Taniyama (谷山太輔): Toru Minegishi (峰岸徹)
 * Mayu Tsukimoto (月本真由): Mika Kojima (小島ミカ)
 * The woman painting (絵画の女): Emi Kitagawa (北川絵美)

Voice actors

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

Suit actors

 * Golden Knight Garo (黄金騎士・牙狼): Masaki Onishi (大西雅樹)
 * Angrey (アングレイ): Akira Ohashi (大橋明)

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