Review of Texhnolyze
If there was one word to describe this anime, that word would be "brutal". From the very first scene to the last, Texhnolyze constantly punishes it's characters and the world that it has created. This may make it sound like an unnecessarily harsh anime, it's quite the opposite. Texhnolyze is about the protagonist's growth and search for happiness in the darkest times. Texhnolyze is set in a believable future where the world has been corrupted by a convoluted political system where the privileged have replaced limbs with prosthetics that can surpass regular human function. This sounds like the usual cyberpunk anime and while it does carrysimilarities with Ergo Proxy (Ergo Proxy was released a few years later), this is a very unique take on how humankind attempts to continue as a species.
The pacing for Texhnolyze begins incredibly slowly with the first episode having almost no dialogue at all. However don't let that dissuade you. Texhnolyze has an ability to tell it's story without being pretentious, nor does it insult your intelligence by making things obvious. The story builds each episode, adding layer upon layer until suddenly the anime is pure chaos.
The art and sound for Texhnolyze is superb. Every song used throughout the series sets the tone of the scene, usually giving a feeling of dread, emptiness or suffering. In fact, I enjoy the soundtrack so much that I now own it. The art is also done well. Each character is unique, the action is animated well while not being over the top to detract from the main storyline and the different settings are easy to tell apart. The soundtrack and art style are used well together to emphasize the themes involved in every scene.
The characters themselves are done well. Each character is important to the plot, explored in depth and memorable. There are no clear good guys or bad guys, instead Texhnolyze leaves the audience to try to make sense of the characters by themselves. The protagonist however can be a bit frustrating for some as he rarely ever speaks. Personally I did not have a problem with him though.
Texhnolyze is one of my favourite animes. However it is not for everyone. The action is not spectacular, the characters are not straightforward and the themes of the show are mostly quite depressing. Instead of aiming to tell an entertaining story, Texhnolyze tries to be thought provoking, leaving the viewer to ask questions such as "what makes living important?" and "can humans find happiness even if the future is bleak?". For anyone who does enjoy something complex, thought provoking and is prepared to put their mind to work while watching an anime, then Texhnolyze is perfect for you. But if you are looking to relax, avoid this series.