Kurogane Communication

When i first saw the Rating for this anime i was hesitant to watch it but after seeing it i was glad i did, first off the story of this series is very interesting. It sort of reminds me of Blue Gender crossed with Ergo Proxy, not quite the same but similar in the whole end of the world aspects and robots. This story left me with a heartwarming feeling that I don't get from most shows. There are some things it could have improved on, first off is the duration its a little short at being about 12 mins per episode not including credits, ... although it is a little short they dont seem to rush the story, However i do feel they could have gone a bit more in depth. It was made in the late 90's so the art and sound is a little outdated but that cant be helped I would definitely recommend watching this series it's very sweet and some parts leave you with watery eyes, this could have been a masterpiece if it only improved on a few small things but its definitely worth watching.

This was quite the enjoyable title for me. While sentient robots and post-apocalyptic settings are nothing new to be seen in anime, Kurogane Communication puts a somewhat positive spin on the mix in its focus on Haruka and her robotic companions. Many of the characters seen throughout the series, both human and robot, get a great amount of fleshing out allowing you to connect with their characters and understand both the strengths and flaws of their characters, whether it be Haruka experiencing flashbacks about her past or robots like Spike comprehending whether they are "alive" if they are programmed as so. The plot buildup was ... also quite engaging as Haruka and her group deal with the challenges of surviving on an Earth in ruins while trying to remain as optimistic as possible in retaining some sense of normalcy. Circumstances such as water shortages, enemy robots, a tsunami and tracking down signs of more human life are experienced by the group as they survive on the ravaged planet. This is quite impressive for a series where its episodes normally clock in at about ten minutes a piece.

There isn't really much I have to nitpick about concerning issues with the show. The visuals looked above average in quality as there was a good amount of detail shown in character designs and scenery with subdued shades of color that are effective at conveying the down-to-earth yet serious mood that the series gives off. However animation is rather subpar at points, particularly in action scenes as shortcuts in the animation were apparent to me. In addition, I can't help but but nag at some characters being underdeveloped such as Trigger and Cleric.

But minor nitpicks aside, Kurogane Communication is a worthwhile and under-appreciated series putting a more positive spin on the everyday activity and situations faced by Haruka and her companions in this post-apocalyptic title, while retaining a sense of seriousness in depicting the challenges faced by the group given their predicament.

A curious series and, sadly, a little known one. The uncommon format of 15-minutes-per-episode might sound as a potential barrier to it, but surprisingly it wasn't the case. In fact, the creators were highly efficient in the use of the time and this allowed a great narrative flow. You have enough time to spend watching the characters, which are definetely the series' main asset because of this. Every single of them is really memorable, be it because they have their own personalities and particular traits, or because they have a more deep background which is explored throughout the episodes. The exploration of their conflicts also ... contributes for them to develop really organic, and also charming interactions, leading this to the creation of great drama. The series conveys a melancholic feeling but at the same time an optimistic message, that despite dificulties like loneliness you can still find companions and happiness, if you accept them. The series never makes their characters to play as victims of their circumstances but instead it shows the viewer how they overcome their situations. Also, a great detail is that even the antagonist has his own (and perhaps) subconscious, personal conflict. You never justify his actions but you understand why he does what he does and this is synergistic with a theme of the story, which is: will against programming.

The second most important asset of this anime is without a doubt the music. Every track (even though there aren't that many of these) is really strong and well used, making even more emphasis on the feelings that each scene wants to convey and creating a heartouching atmosphere, or a really tense one depending on circumstances. The animation is almost as well conceived, in the range from pretty decent illustration and character design to amazing fluency on movements and action when the moment requires it.

There're inconvenients, though. The first "defect" is wasting the potential that the story itself provides. The setting is just perfect for explorating more existential and deep issues about artificial inteligence, but no questioning nor morals on IA is ever put on the table as other works (contemporaries to Kurogane Communication) have done. I mentioned the contraposition of will to programming but in a practical sense it is touched really superficially. The other "defect" (yes. also with quotation marks) is that some key points of the story's background are left almost adrift; hard to explain without spoiling, but I could say that a lack of information in the environment forces the viewer to assume what these points are like, based on external stuff. I mean, the conclusion of this happens to be of common sense IF you've watched other stuff about humans and machines. Like Kurogane lacks of independence on this matter of the storytelling. At least I personally consider it as an unproper manner to understand the story, when the producers could've dropped at least some subtle pieces of info, for the series itself to make one elucidate, with more certainty, the events that led the world to be like it's shown. Would've been even better if the topic was also more original. Oh, and finally, some robots have a couple of traits that are too humane for themselves; I don't think that putting IA and humans at an equal emotional level is bad, but there's a line beyond which having some specific humane behaviours makes little sense for a machine (like literally crying, for example).

Anyhow, the previous paragraph is not really to point out conceptual flaws but to describe how this anime could've been more original and better. YET, it's surely good. A truly enjoyable and memorable experience, you shouldn't miss it. 7/10.