Ranked #3219

Extra

Extra is a cyberpunk animated music video made for and titled after a Ken Ishii song.

There is not much that can be said about the storyline. This is a video you have to experience, rather than try to glean a real plot from. It is mostly directionless, and the camera sifts through a slummy, futuristic megalopolis giving us a taste of all the brutality the heartless, cold city has to offer. And violent, this is. From the first scene alone, you can tell you're in for a vicious ride. There are a few interesting plot twists within the several stories that are interwoven into the entire anime. Most of what is shown is done for shock appeal.

Extra looks amazing. From the detailed animation to the eclectic art style, everything looked great. Even the random live-action scenes were incorporated well into the anime. There was some great camera work and point-of-view angles, so the art direction was tops as well.

Ken Ishii's music goes well with what is shown. Or you can say what is shown goes well with Ken Ishii's music. Either way, this anime has a great sound. The score is spectral, low-pitched, chilling, and very intense techno that really brings out the cyberpunk elements of the video.

Unfortunately, not much praise can go to the characters. There isn't a protagonist, or perhaps there is one--you can never really tell. It jumps from some punks with guns, to an android with a baby, to a man on a toilet, and then to a man on a flying motorbike...and on and on with random people whose stories, background and personalities are never told, given or developed.

However, I cannot fault Extra for being a good music video. The visuals suit the audio, and the animation was excellent. The premise was a little out there and the characters are not developed or explained in any way, but mechanics of the anime were great and picks up the slack.

I would say this is very much worth a watch, especially if you like techno or odd, violent anime. Plus, it is pretty short, so if you don't like it, you don't have to sit through it very long. read more