Caligula
カリギュラ
“High schooler questions reality after hearing idol μ's voice, discovering he may be trapped in an artificial world.”
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Synopsis
High schooler questions reality after hearing idol μ's voice, discovering he may be trapped in an artificial world.
What is happiness? High school student Ritsu Shikishima, a psychology enthusiast, often ponders such questions while enjoying peaceful days with his friends. However, his world begins to shift when he hears a strange voice obscured by static—a voice belonging to μ, a beloved pop idol whose music seems to hold an unusual influence over reality. As unsettling changes start affecting those around him, Ritsu comes to suspect that the world he knows may not be as real as it appears. Now faced with the possibility that he and others might be trapped in an artificial realm, he must seek out others who share his growing awareness. Together, they'll need to harness their emotions as weapons and uncover the truth behind their circumstances if they hope to find a way back to reality.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
What is happiness? Ever the fan of psychology, questions such as this are ones that high school student Ritsu Shikishima likes to ponder as he spends his peaceful days with his friends. His perfect world, however, begins to unravel when he hears a strange voice obscured by static, pleading for help. This voice belongs to μ, a beloved pop idol, whose singing begins to have an adverse effect on the world. Before Ritsu's very eyes, the faces of his friends and family become distorted by glitches as the sound of μ's voice transforms them into Digiheads: berserk monsters bent on the extermination of all those who begin to awaken to the true nature of their existence. Realizing that he is trapped in a virtual world created by μ called Mobius, Ritsu must now gather everyone else who has managed to realize the truth before they are all eliminated. Together, they will use their newfound powers and weapons granted by their emotions—known as the Catharsis Effect—to fight off the mysterious group known as The Ostinato Musicians as they struggle to escape.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 30 sampled reviews
6.1/10
Score distribution
Agreement
SplitPolarized
σ 1.84 · split reception
The polarity gap
4.3 ptsRecommenders 7.7 · others 3.4
Score over time
2.07Verbosity
Snap verdicts · shortest highly-rated reviews
- 8/10 “The story is incredibly enjoyable and the characters are understandable and likable, delivering an emotional and fun unique ride. However, the action scenes often disrupt the narrative and feel...”
- 7/10 “This anime delivered an intense emotional rollercoaster that made me experience confusion, fear, amusement, pain, and grief alongside the characters while prompting deep reflection on life and...”
- 7/10 “The story and astounding OST stand as the anime's greatest strengths, complemented by compelling character designs and fascinating psychological themes that personally resonate. However, the plot...”
Watch order & related
A self-contained story.
No sequels, spin-offs or alternate tellings — Caligula begins and ends here.
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Reel · 01 Cat. №BS-13489
- Format
- 12 × 23′
- eps × min
- Total runtime
- 4h 36m
- all episodes
- Aired
- Apr 2018 – Jun 2018
- Spring 2018
- Source
- Tv
- media type
- Rated
- PG
- 13 - Teens 13 or older
- Ref.
- BS-13489
- catalog