Review of Texhnolyze

This is one of those animes that a person will dismiss after a couple of episodes or it will stick with them for a very long time. For me, its the latter. Since the synopsis of the series is already provided, I'll head straight for my thoughts on this masterpiece. Texhnolyze is not for everyone, I repeat Texhnolyze is NOT for everyone. It showcases dark subject matters such as incest, prostitution, and molestation. This is the first anime series I've seen that I would consider adult rated. Though several scenes made me cringe in discomfort, I was also in awe at how well executed those sceneswere. It immersed me even more in the dark atmosphere of the series.

Story: The story is original and provides a slow pace that gives the viewer an eerie vibe. It successfully leaves the viewer with an impending sense of doom and gloom. It's a very dark story that provides not a single bit of happiness. This is something that is made clear within the first couple episodes. So the series does not mislead you into thinking there is a happy ending because newsflash there is no happy ending for anyone who lives in the city of Lux. Another thing to point out is that much like Ergo Proxy, this series is extremely confusing. Confusing to the point where it might leave the viewer disoriented which I believe was a huge benefit to the series. The disorientation made you relate to the main character who didn't know what was going on half of the series.

The characters: Ichise is a commendable and unique main character. He doesn't speak much yet his actions are more than enough for us to understand him. He was a huge plus point for me while watching this anime. He was so unlike any character of any anime I have ever seen. Flawed and savage yet at times calm and mysterious. Besides him the only other character I really liked or was intrigued by was Oonishi.

Art/Sound: The art is similar to Serial Experiments Lain. The dark tones and random flashes of light were intriguing and didn't hinder my enjoyment of the show. The sound was excellent and succeeded in shrouding us in mystery, sadness, and intrigue. The opening and ending themes were good but the ending song for the last episode (the last 5 minutes of the series) blew my mind away. It was haunting and sad, the perfect personification of the series.

This series has one of the most beautifully tragic endings in the history of anime. I won't spoil anything but I will say that the ending was very well executed and will require to have a tissue box.

Though I have done nothing but praise the series, I will say that this is not an anime I will be re-watching anytime soon. It haunted me long after i finished it and left me in a somber mood. Its an anime that I will re-watch only when I want to show others.

I recommend this for anyone who enjoys a dark, captivating and ultimately sad story. Despite its not so happy atmosphere, I feel that this is an anime that deserves more recognition if not for the story than for the characters.