Review of Casshern Sins

Casshern Sins is yet another anime that I would place in the genre of philosophical. What do I mean by that? Well, it's a show that is incredibly slow. It's full of questions, some answers, and metaphors that deal with what it means to be human. The story here isn't all too unique, but it doesn't have to be. We pretty spend the entire series following Casshern on his quest to find out about his past. During his journey, he meet several characters. Some of them are friendly and others are not too nice. There are a few fight scenes here and there, yet, notenough to warrant calling this an action anime. I would argue that Casshern Sins is almost as slow as Texhnolyze. Not quite as slow, but very close. Most of Casshern Sins is a lot of talking. Some may find this quite boring, but I was always fascinated by the characters Casshern met and what they had to say.

The world of Casshern Sins is dark. Because of this, there aren't a lot of bright colors. The world is as gloomy as the themes of the series. Most of the series takes place on barren landscapes - similar to what you might think of when you watch Dragonball Z, but with a higher budget. It's beautiful to look at. I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's gothic. I'd probably be more on board with post apocalyptic. Characters have a fairy-tale look to them. Some of them have big anime eyes and others seem more robotic due to the current events in the show.

The OP and ED are nothing to write home about. They aren't bad or good. I barely remember them and I've seen the series, in full, two times. With that said, the soundtrack used in each episode is really good. Sadder pieces are played for parts that get dark. Action pieces are used for battles and work well.

Casshern is a very flawed character. The more he learns about his past, the more it haunts him as we get closer and closer to the finale. He's someone who seems to want friends, but never goes out of his way to get such things from the various people he meets. At times, Casshern can be determined and egotistical, but he can also be thoughtful and warm. I wish I could talk about a number of other characters, but I feel that would enter spoiler territory, so I won't. All I'll say is this - everyone that Casshern meets is unique and interesting in their own way. There wasn't one character who I thought was a waste, despite how many appear in the series.

This is very slow series. If you can handle a show that is full of philosophy, and has very few action scenes, you'll probably get something out of Casshern Sins. If not, it'd probably be best to skip the entire series. After the first episode, you'll know if Casshern Sins is right for you. It's definitely not for everyone, but those who enjoy it will be fulfilled with a wealth of interesting questions about life, death, and the human condition.