Review of Texhnolyze

I have been watching Anime for many years and I can safely say that Texhnolyze is one of the most unique series that I have ever seen while simultaneously also being one of the most depressing shows I've ever seen. Texhnolyze is a dark show and while many other shows have been labeled dark I believe this show is one of the few that actually deserves this label. Texhnolyze is not just dark because of its story or plot elements like many other shows, Texhnoloyze is dark because it simply contains no light to the bleakness. The first part of this is the mood ofthe series. Other shows that are dark or depressing often have points that contain little bits of happiness, redemption, or at the veery least little dashes of humor here and there. Texhnoloyze contains no moments that can be described with the words stated above. While many can complain that this might make the show seem like one big depressing piece of filth I believe its darkness is one of its biggest strengths. The bleakness of it all almost makes the series beautiful in a twisted sort of way. It never compromises itself to appeal to a wider audience and if nothing else one can at least respect that the show was never dumbed down. The pacing in the show is slow and while this may be a complaint to some I feel it is completely necessary. Throughout this whole series there is this a looming sense of gloom and doom and that "this is not going to end well" and the slowness at which the plot progresses helps exemplify this.
Now while I won't risk spoiling any of the plot I will describe the setting in which Texhnolyze takes place. The majority of the plot takes place in the underground city of Lux, which is actually brighter than some may imagine a underground city to look like. Now in this city it is very common for people to get robotic limbs and body parts to replace their old ones. Some use these for violence and love them while others, such as the main character, view them as almost a curse. Now the city of Lux is a home to a number of gangs that end up brutally fighting with each other over the course of the series. While Lux seems to be in order at the beginning of the series there is always a sense that the city is going to be destroyed soon weather it be by major characters or a more mysterious force. The city is very ugly ad not a place you would want to visit and it certainly is a horrid place to live.
All the characters in the story are flawed with many being self-destructive, it is not a very upbeat series as I have said before. Now why am I giving Texhnolyze a 10? Because it is beautiful, despite the fact that I was never happy with the setting or characters in the show I was able to shed a tear when it ended and it was at that point thatI realized that the show had affected me. Its definitely not a enjoyable piece of entertainment but as a piece of demented art about the dark side of humanity and the destructive nature of man it nears perfection. On the technical side animation, looks, and music fit together extremely well. Texhnolyze is certainly a series that many won't like or will not be able to finish but it should at least be given a glance if for no other reason than for its uniqueness. As a final note I would like to say that if anyone tries this series and is turned off by the slow pace that they stick with it for at least the half way point Even I thought it was kind of boring when I first watched it but I stuck with it and now it is one of my favorite animes. Texhnolyze is a unique anime that is hard to explain but if you are into dark stories, cyberpunk, or just sci-fi in general and have a little patience Texhnolyze is at least worth one viewing. As an added note the series can be violent and graphic at points but when it does it is always for a purpose and never felt unneeded to me.