Made in Abyss

Are you looking for a good, fun, light-hearted adventure? This has that.
Are you looking for a wonderful, sci-fi thriller? This has its thrilling moments.
Are you looking for wonderful chemistry between the characters? This presents that.
Do you want an anime with well-animated fight scenes? This gives us that.
Are you looking for an anime that has a wonderful staff backing it up, always checking to make sure they bring out the anime’s fullest potential, based from its manga source, faithfully adapting it? They both have, and do that.

Made in Abyss is an anime that can abide to almost anyone’s taste in anime. I personally believe that Made ... in Abyss is an anime and manga that will ring throughout time as one of the best classics to come out in recent years.

Why? I’ll tell you.

As said before, Made in Abyss has a staff of people running it that always checks to make sure that every episode is doing great, always trying their hardest into their works. A wonderful story, great character chemistry, a harmonious soundtrack, effects, and voice actors, and beautiful, fluid animation. All of that came onto the screen because of such a wonderful staff (except story, for the most part. Credit to the author, Akihito Tsukushi!). Everything about the series was able to grab me and pulled me in like a roped hostage on a train or bank scandal. While that may sound rough, what is truly meant is that, just from the first episode, I could tell that Made in Abyss was going to be great.

In the first episode, it panels off immediately into a beautiful waterfall within the first layer of the Abyss and then into an abundance of flowers, trying to make you feel as if you’re standing right next to the lead in their journey into the abyss. The staff did that to have world build for the viewers, but it was a lot more than that. With the waterfall and pacing through the first episode, the waterfall and what happens after foreshadows what is to come later in the story. EVERYTHING that happens in the first episode is foreshadowing the story within the Abyss. But let me get back to what happens shortly after the waterfall and flower clip. We are introduced to the lighthearted driver of the story and her friend, Riko and Nat. They walk down a path where they see a gondola, foreshadowing that Riko will be going down into the abyss. Then she goes on an excavation to find relics, only to find a dead body in prayer.

And then.. The craziest part of the episode that foreshadows the darkness of the story.
A child, an inch away from death, from being eaten by the monster with the most peculiar characteristics that will have importance in the show. The monster can be compared to that of a Manta Ray, a slug and a snake.

Of course, because Riko is the main character, she cannot just standby and watch it all happen. So, she tries to attract the monster away from the child by blowing her whistle, and she runs away as hard as she can, and she gets hurt. Just when it seems everything is hopeless, A robotic child, or maybe I should say a knight in shining armor, saves Riko with a blast of light, and is found unconscious shortly after. Riko can’t just leave him, being the main character. So, she brings him. That robot’s name is Reg.

Thus, starts the wonderful character chemistry between the characters.

With the first episode, whenever the characters interact with each other, it always brings great joy for how well they work together. It might be that the leads are kids (no, not lolis, they range from ages 10-12, and Kiwi is, like, 4), but because they are kids, it makes me feel as if I, myself, am a kid again. Just watching them do what they do across the screen, pulls my heart even more into the story. It truly feels as though I’m standing next to them during their interactions. Due to the leads being kids, they give off the light-hearted sense of adventure. Living joyously, actively, and having fun. This is just between Nat, Riko, Reg, and Sigy. Don’t even get me started on the interactions with Lyza, Ouzen and Nanachi. Their interactions are some of the biggest reasons why this anime is great, along with the fight scenes. Lyza being the narrator, Ouzen being the badass grandmother, and Nanachi (My favorite!) breaking your average anime tropes. If you want to know how great they are, just watch the anime. After the encounter with Ouzen, the story shows that, not even the main characters have plot armor. The definition of humanity treads onto many uncomfortable grounds for its viewers to display dark desires from within.

Another great attachment to the anime is the sound.

The soundtrack is beautiful. In an instant, from hearing the insert song from the first episode, I pre-ordered the soundtrack. The soundtrack sounds as if it came straight out of a game, and really has an adventurous beat to it. Thank you, Kevin Penkin. However, if I were to compare the soundtrack to the sound effects, the sound effects are some of the best sounds I have heard out of anime, especially when Reg shoots his arms or laser. What I can describe those sound effect as, is organic. With the voice actors, the kids sound like kids, and the old adults sound like old adults. But, when the intensity rises, comedically and dramatically, or narration within the anime, say, the fight scenes and Maaya Sakamoto (Her narration is wonderful to hear), the voice acting is great. It rounds about the sense of adventure, just like everything else the anime provides. With the voice acting, one can tell that there is passion going on behind the scenes.

One more thing to talk about that the anime provides is the animation.

I have not seen many anime with such fluid flowing animation besides those of Ghibli films. Speaking of which, the background animator of Made in Abyss comes from the Ghibli films! Will that motivate you to watch and finish Made in Abyss? ...No? Okay, then I’ll provide more than that to motivate you. Time frame 19:57 to 20:10 in the first episode. That should be enough to talk about the animation, because animation like that is all the anime will provide, making eye candy for the viewer. From the grainy wood, to the cavities on rock walls, and the sun coming over the horizon are wonderful details added by the animators.

Overall/TL;DR | Enjoyment: 10/10.

Made in Abyss is quite original in handling the fantasy setting, and I have to say that I’m glad something like Made in Abyss was able to come by. How the author was able to build a culture around an enormous crater is quite plausible. Made in Abyss provides variety and satisfaction, and it even provides the knowledge of the author, such as medical assistance and ecological terminology. Made in Abyss is an anime I can universally recommend. A great story that compels the viewer to finish from the start, active and lively characters that can be described even more as such through their interactions, the wonderful music from the soundtrack, sound effects, voice actors, and the Ghibli-comparable animation. I utterly, truly, from the bottom of the abyss within my heart, recommend this anime to anyone who seeks a great story. Made in Abyss provides just that.

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Sincerely, a great fan.

Made in Abyss isn't at all what it appears to be. Though it may seem little more than an adventurous children's anime, chibi art and all, it gradually reveals itself as something much darker, as Riko's and Reg's hopeless ascent continues, stumbles along, no happy ending in sight, death— and worse— awaiting them for each step they fall.

Many anime give off the facade of maturity: gratuitous gore, sadistic and loony villains, self-serving themes ripped from entry-level philosophers such as Nietzsche - features that make a story palatable to rebellious teenagers, rather than the adults they so desperately wish to be.

But Made in Abyss doesn't fall ... into these trappings. It contains graphic, violent scenes, occasionally even outright disturbing, but never is there a moment where it feels unnecessary. It is a story of adventure, of survival, and of finding life within death.

Made in Abyss has one of the most interesting settings in anime. A city built around a giant pit, gaping downwards for tens of thousands of metres, its nature unknown, treasure and terrifying beasts awaiting any who wish to test their luck. What's at the very bottom of the pit? How deep can one truly go before death is an inevitability? In many ways, the pit is reminiscent of Hell: for each layer they reach, they encounter something more ghastly than the last, the stench of death progressively growing stronger. But Riko and Reg press onward, determined to find Riko's mother, no matter if they succumb to the dangers and find themselves a permanent resident of the abyss.

While there exists ample world-building, the story instead puts the focus on the duo rather than the world at large, preferring instead to carefully reveal the details of the world through their eyes and ears, evolving the viewer from mere spectator to active participant. You don't know much about the pit's third and fourth layers until they reach that part themselves, and the fifth and beyond remain a complete mystery because nobody has ever actually survived to tell the tale. It's an elegant way to keep the viewer interested: I don't want to be told what to expect - I want to see for myself what monsters and contamination and other awfulness await the further they fall, and so I find myself with the next episode playing as soon as the credits hit roll.

It can be difficult for some (myself included) to empathise with child characters in anime, but Made in Abyss does an excellent job of making the viewer concerned about and emotionally invested in the survival of Riko and Reg. Their friendship with one another is deeply heart-warming, as they have, much like real children, no ulterior motives, and genuinely enjoy their time together. They rely on one another, their abilities complimenting the other's: intellect and cooking in Riko's case, and combat and acrobatics in Reg's. There is no journey without the other— it is either two or it is zero. And so it is difficult not to have a visceral emotional response when one of the two is desperately, miserably trying to save the other's life.

Some caution should be taken when watching Made in Abyss, as it is by no means a happy adventure. With every episode, there is fear that one of them may die, that they may be betrayed, that they may become permanently disfigured or forced to kill or commit some other horrid act. This is seldom a concern for most anime, as the protagonists will always survive and reach some sort of happy ending to their story. But not Made in Abyss. It makes very clear that bad things are inevitable, which, given the setting, is perhaps only appropriate. Corpses, vomit, grossly deformed wounds, blood bleeding from and seeping into the eyeballs— Made in Abyss is by no means something that should ever be viewed by children, and even adults would do well to prepare themselves if they are not accustomed to these sorts of horrors. The abyss is not a wonderful land of treasure, but an awful place where awful things happen.

There are still some minor issues with the story, however. Most prominent is the fact that there is as of yet no actual ending, something I did not realise until the final episode when I looked at the source material and found out that, oh, the manga was still ongoing. This ceases to be a problem in the event of future seasons and adaptations, but will there be any? Will this be where the anime ends, in the middle of their journey? "Hey, this is the end of the anime, so go and read the manga" is not quite what you want to hear when you are emotionally invested in an anime. But, I suppose, a faithful, if potentially incomplete adaptation is still preferable to the dreadful anime-only endings that plague many unfortunate adaptations. The story is too grand in scale, too personal for it to end after only thirteen episodes.

The story could have also done without the more sexual situations— the references to penises, and one ungraceful moment where Reg returns from trying to save someone's life, only to blush and freak out immediately after when he sees Riko being undressed. With how serious the mood was at that point in the story, it effectively killed all the tension that had been building for the entire episode. That's not to imply this scene existed to create sexual arousal in the audience— Made in Abyss has more integrity than that— as she was being undressed solely for health reasons, but certainly it was not a scene that felt in any way necessary. There's a time and place in the story for comedic relief, and that was not the time.

Made in Abyss is fairly impressive in terms of its sound and artwork. The background music starts adventurous and gradually becomes more ominous as the story progresses, even if the ending theme remains almost hilariously light-hearted and incongruently so— its lyrics being more appropriate to Barney & Friends than a graphic life-or-death struggle. While the artstyle may not be to everyone's taste, it at least remains detailed and consistent throughout the series (the map after the ending sequence being a nice addition), although there are perhaps two or three odd moments during the action sequences where the animation will suddenly become sketchy, for reasons that are mystery to me.

In one of the weakest seasons for anime, where interesting series may well be nonexistent, Made in the Abyss is a genuine surprise. While I might reserve claims such as it being the best anime of the year (Sangatsu no Lion takes that one for me), it is a truly special anime, one which had me worried and invested in the characters' fate in a way that very few anime ever have.

I want to see a future where Riko and Reg return to a happy life on the surface. But, much like them, I am determined to see their journey to its end, no matter the result.

I want to be honest. I was evading this anime and manga. My first impression was the picture of Riko, Regu, and Nanachi, I thought: An anime about children, with some strange plot, fanservice and maybe a big bunny. I was not expecting anything from this anime. I was preparing to skip and to "bury" it in a review, but now I can eat my own words. This anime is a jewel. The adaptation is incredible. It has a good narrative with an impressive artistic design, combined with the most beautiful soundtrack of the year and an acceptable character development.

Story: 8

An anime with a good ... story. It has everything, mystery, emotion, sadness, love, action, tears and much more. The story could be straightforward and conceptually very simple, several details are added as the story progresses. The show highlights concepts such as friendship, trust, why the abyss became important to the locals and the curse that surrounds it without being too complicated for the viewer to understand. Also, we can observe the constant need to find the truth and the need to resolve the abyss' mysteries. Besides, the story blended very well with the art and soundtrack to produce a beautiful animation.

The abyss is an incredibly creative world. For me, it has its own set of laws where all the characters converge. The story never contradicts the abyss but uses it to propel the mysteries and characters. The plot is very attractive, and the details are revealed at the right pace to keep you hooked to the end. Also, some details are never shared, we can try to guess about them.

Lowering the abyss is a dangerous task. However, it is gratifying to see the consistency between hazards and depth. Perhaps the only negative point I have is that the story is not going to be finished as the manga is still going on. In addition, it was only adapted to chapter 26 of the manga. I'm sure we'll have to wait a while for an ending.

Characters: 8

The main characters are Riko and Regu. I consider Nanachi and Ouzen as secondary characters but those two added important details to the story.

Riko radiates great enthusiasm. She wants to explore and to understand the abyss. Besides, she is anxious to go deeper because she wants to see her mom. She suffers, cries, worries, but always tries to be active no matter how weak she is. She is brilliant, but her body is not that strong. She trusts Regu unconditionally.

Regu. Is it a machine? Is it a hybrid? This character has a mystery that maybe will not be explained. He is powerful but lacks thoughtful analysis. For that reason, he is the best partner for Riko because she is the rational one and they trust each other.

Ouzen (Ozen): She is a human being but could be a monster. She does not care if you're weak or strong. She will show you the reality and if necessary will put you in your place.

Nanachi is more a survivor of the abyss curse. She (I'm assuming she's a girl) is very intelligent and has suffered a lot. However, there may be an error in her age. She might look young as Riko, but is she so young? I think she's older than Riko and Regu.

The characters look good together because their traits are very different. The show portrayed them very well. However, I would consider the characters as the weakest link in the series. Do not get me wrong, they are good, but they were not explored enough to explain some parts of the story. At times I felt that we just touched the surface of these characters. There are some background questions, and I'm sure we will get the answers in the future.


Art: 9

The best of the season. They pay attention to details. For example, in episode one at the end, we can see the talent of this group when they combined the shadows and the lighting at dawn and created a perfect movement. The precise colors and design created an impressive effect that for the spectator's eyes could be one of the best of the year. That quality remained throughout the series. In addition, the choice of colors and a smart move adjusted within the scenes helps you to focus on what matters, not forgetting or letting go of the details if you choose to focus on other parts of the scene.

The action sequences have an excellent design and do not lose quality. They also combine very well with the sound mixing.


Sound: 10

With one word I want to praise this "exceptional" sound.

The OST has several scores that help the storytelling. For example, a mixed composition such as "Underground River" (Ep1, Disc1), "Hanazeve Caradhina" (Ep1), "Swings and Roundabouts" combined with an intelligent sequence, an impressive story and a witty artistic direction created the perfect environment to catch any viewer and make them anxious for more. We can find another example in the score "The first layer." This score helps to add to the plot the feeling of the unknown and the expectation for the future.

The music runs in the best time possible. It creates excitement, drama, conveys feelings to viewers and makes the plot and characters shine.

The songs Deep in Abyss (OP) and Tabi no Hidarite, Saihate no Migite (ED) are the perfect complement to this anime. These songs are very catchy and have a great rhythm.

Finally the VO. I'm not used to talking about it, but in this case, the voices helped to portray the characters. For example, Ouzen's voice. That voice adds excitement to the scenes and creates a great twisted mystery to the character.

Enjoyment: 9/10

I really liked this anime. It does not matter if the characters were not explored in detail, no matter the lack of answers about some characters or if the story did not end. The show brings a lot of excitement to any viewer. The story is solid, well structured and consistent almost all the time. The pace is good and the details never hurried. Another good point is that they followed the manga so none could complain. The art and sound led the narration out of the chart.

Overall: 9/10

I was tempted to give a 10 to this anime, but the questions about the characters and the unfinished story lowered the score. Unfortunately for us, we do not know if we will get a continuation of the anime in the future, but it does not matter. I recommend this anime, the art, the adaptation are exceptional with a unique soundtrack. It was the best of the season so skipping it will be a mistake. In the end, I became a fan of this story and I don't regret it.

PS: Yes! Another messy review by Pipe and I didn't proofread again, sorry.

It's been a long time since I saw an anime which manages to immediately get you captivated as much as Made in Abyss did. At first glance it might look like a kids' show of sorts, but you really couldn't be much further from the truth. This is a pretty dark anime past a certain point, but even before that it's still fantastic.

Made in Abyss is a perfect example of an adventure anime done right. When I first started watching it, it reminded me of the feeling you get when you jump into some beautiful-looking open-world RPG for the first time, as the world of ... Made in Abyss simply looks stunning. The environments are breathtaking by themselves, but the nature of the giant hole into the underworld known as the Abyss is also so fascinating to think about. Just what could lie down there? How could such a thing possibly even exist? It teases your imagination with its unique flora and fauna, and there are so many mysteries to unravel about both the Abyss itself but also the main characters' personal intrigues which are related to it. It's like a legendary dungeon which is just begging to be explored to see what new fascination lies just around the corner.

The story follows the peculiar robot boy Regu and his human friend Riko as they embark on a perilous journey into the depths of the Abyss in search of Riko's long lost mother. During their travels they have to learn first-hand about all the different types of hazards that lie within the Abyss, and what kind of strange creatures inhabit it. The main characters are both children and as a result still quite immature in nature, yet they're still filled with unwavering determination and courage to push onwards. Riko is ultimately quite helpless and incapable of defending herself or traversing difficult terrain, so Regu helps her out with his multi-purpose robotic arms to get the job done instead. But above all, they both feel very believable. Riko is very humane in nature and quite quickly becomes someone you want to cheer for, and even Regu is surprisingly genuine despite being an amnesiac robot of unknown origins. There are also a handful of side characters making appearances of different sorts throughout the show, but while most of their roles are relatively brief, they all feel like they serve a purpose.

It's not just a well-written and exciting adventure anime though, but past a certain point the story also becomes very serious. In an almost Madoka-like twist of fate, it's like the author suddenly snapped his fingers and decided to take the series to the next level, which resulted in one of the most gruesome anime episodes I've seen in a long time. It was legitimately hard to watch (you'll know it when you see it). However, this only serves to further add to the feeling of peril and caution when trying to proceed further down into the Abyss, because the viewers are shown first-hand that this place is not to be underestimated. The show may have childlike characters and beautiful environments, but death might just lurk around any nearby corner nonetheless.

Made in Abyss is one of those anime which may be fairly straightforward in nature, but is still just so interesting in so many different ways that it's hard to stop watching. You never know what you're going to find next in this fantasy-like place, and the danger and intensity of the Abyss is showcased so well in order to get the appropriate atmosphere across to the viewers. It's beautiful yet deadly at the same time. It may have merely been a potential dark horse when the season started, but by the end of it there's no question which horse won the race any longer.

This anime is getting more and more epic. The animation is really cool, not to mention the sound effects...I hope they reach the bottom of the abyss soon and hopefully, they'd be able to return to the surface and become White Whistles


I only have seen 10 episodes and omg this got intense real fast :S, I'm only halfway and I didn't expect it would be so intense O.o

I regret not picking this up because of the cover art . I'll binge this once it finishes.They have to make a game for this


BEST ANIME THIS SEASON BY FAR any one else think so?

Open up an endless world of possible settings. A Giant hole in the middle of civilization, in which lies a gigantic hole dangerous to mankind. What could it be? How does it work? What lies within it?

Made in Abyss is one of my personal favourites of Summer 2016 due to its amazing setting, atmosphere, and world building with amazing execution along with an amazing narrative. It shows us the dangerous and more grim side of things while making it completely thought provoking.

We start off this adventure with Riko, a girl with curiosity and the need to adventure the depths of the Abyss thoroughly. With ... no signs of fear, she heads on strong until her partner Nat gets into trouble with a creature. She does save him and with this, she meets a robotic boy named Reg. His origins at the time were mysterious and unknown to Riko. Thus their adventure as boy and girl, in search for a purpose begins.

Why do they feel the need to enter the Abyss? Why risk it all and go into a deadly place? For the search of Riko’s Mom and her whereabouts. Her curiosity and duty like feeling called her into the Abyss and Riko wanted to find the answer to it all. While they adventure and stray from what was called their home, they delve deep into deaths row. While they do this, their personality matures while they grow significantly as characters. Proceeding with caution and making the right decisions is all that matter. Because one little mistake and it may be then over for our adventurers.

Something I can appreciate about Made in Abyss is its use of colours and looking at the atmosphere within its full beauty telling us that great Storytelling isn't all they can do. While they're at it, why not insert a beautiful song while we look at some beautiful scenery? Setting the tone like that in the first episode and I knew that this series would be great.

I have read the manga before hand and seeing it brought out to life is much more satisfying. The way the voice acting is brought out, to how the creatures look, to the soundtrack. I might be praising the music too much, but I think it deserve just that much praise.

The objective here mainly is Riko and Reg in search for Riko’s mother and descending further into the Abyss, with more risks to come. The system of the Abyss is explained and how it works. Riko and Reg knows that this will be a very difficult trip. But they head in otherwise. Despite them being a lower rank (red whistle), they show bravery and proceeds.

Let me just say this to those who might not have a clue, but I suggest heading into this anime cautiously. It is by no means a kids show, so don't be fooled by the childlike artstyle. You'll find it more enjoyable and it might give you a more interesting experience.

What makes this anime for me is the atmosphere and the feeling once they go deeper and deeper. It seems ok at first, but as it progresses, the atmosphere becomes more dark and fearful along with an uncomfortable feeling. It's weird how Riko, who is only a little girl, dives into this deathly hole with little to no hesitation. Her drive is that insane. Which I find very odd in some ways. It's just not normal for a little girl to conceive all the consequences and dangers that lies ahead and just disregard those things in a sense and be on her merry way. Interesting how she's like that.

The art style and character design is not something you usually see, which gives Made in Abyss a more unique touch to it. The design will not appeal to everyone I'm sure, but I for one really appreciate how each character looks. With the Chibi looking artstyle to the very beautiful looking layers in the Abyss, the unique story, the execution, working together with the beautiful Soundtrack, Art, and animation, this anime is like ear gasms plus eye gasms. It’s very satisfactory.

As the anime progresses, so does Reg and Riko. They learn to trust each other better (although Riko looked like she liked Reg from the start with her happy go lucky attitude). They learn that the Abyss is no small thing and that they must learn that no help will come for them in times that they are in danger.

If there’s anything to complain about, it may be the fact that the narrative aspect of the show seems a bit slow. I found the character development to be ok, but overall this anime is my favourite of Summer 2017. I loved the death vibes as they went deeper.

The anime is mostly based around Reg and Riko and their adventure within the abyss. This is how you world build, this is how you make an adventure series, this is how you add violent scenes, this is how you create suspense, this is how to make someone truly cringe, this is how you execute storytelling correctly.

Made in Abyss does it all, with minor errors or flaws, it proves that little children going on a nice adventure isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

[CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS]

The world of Made in Abyss is a fascinating one. It is filled with strange creatures and relics of a time long forgotten. Most fascinating though, is the Abyss. At the centre of the town of Oosu, there lies a pit which stretches far into the Earth. No one knows how far or has ever made it down to the bottom. In the Abyss, there are a multitude of relics that can be found and sold to foreign countries. The brave people who go into the pit are called Cave Raiders and they form the backbone of the economy in Oosu, the buying ... and selling of these precious relics. But it is dangerous work, and many die while in the Abyss. This story is about a girl named Riko and her friend, Reg who traverse the Abyss, hoping to find Riko’s mother and to seek answers about Reg’s past. Made in Abyss produced by studio Kinema Citrus has captivated the curiosity of its viewers through an excellent use of worldbuilding, great characters, and stellar art and sound direction.

Made in Abyss is a prime example of how to do worldbuilding right. The first episode starts off with some excellent shots of the Abyss. We see a waterfall and lush green vegetation as we are introduced to our protagonist Riko. To put it bluntly, the world of Made in Abyss looks gorgeous. To top it off, there is expansive worldbuilding that fleshes out the setting of the story. The first four episodes are chock full of worldbuilding but it is never boring. We are not told everything, but get to witness certain events take place and learn more about the world through it. A great example of this is the classroom in the orphanage. Riko’s mother is down in the Abyss and since her father is dead, she is placed in an orphanage. There, the children learn the skills necessary to become cave raiders. In the classroom where the children learn, there is great amounts of verticality. Their desks are attached high up onto a wall; they need to climb just to get to their seats. It’s with moments such as this that it becomes clear that there has been great care put into the world of Made in Abyss. This effort put in really shows and it helps to really immerse the viewer into the story.

The two main character that we have met so far in Made in Abyss are Riko and Reg or Regu. Riko is a bright bubbly person and loves just about cave raiding. She wishes to reach heights of fame comparable to that of Lyza, her mother and become a white whistler, the highest rank of all cave raiders. She is very inquisitive and her energetic nature is positively infectious. It was a nice touch to see how immature she is when thinking about the dangers of the Abyss. Reg is a robot who met Riko when he saved her from a beast in the Abyss. He had no idea how he got there but Riko had a hunch that he was from the bottom of the Abyss. He is quite shy and lacks confidence. He has recollection of where he came from and follows Riko into the Abyss to hopefully get answers as to who he is and where he came from. The great thing about these characters is that they react according to their character traits, but are not so far removed from reality that they act like a stereotype or a trope. Currently, they are developing into mature into multifaceted characters, and I hope it stays that way rather than regressing into simple caricatures.

The sound design and the artwork for this show is stunning. As I mentioned before, the background art is amazing. Props need to be given to Osamu Masuyama, who has also worked on beautiful pieces such as Your Name and Spirited Away. The sound design for this show was also amazing. It would be better if you just listened to it instead of me talking about it.

Overall, Made in Abyss is a story about a two friends as they adventure into the depths of the Abyss that is held up mainly by its worldbuilidng, art and sound, but also has characters that are great due to their well-roundness and their ability to entertain the viewer.

Overall: 9 (Great)

I’ve always had a fascination for fictional stories about fantasy adventures that adds a bit of survival horror to the mix. The type that stick to my memories the most are those that follows a journey to the unknown. As such, Made in Abyss came as no exception when I discovered this adaptation. It’s a show bringing in mystique that captivated me from start to finish. An anime like Made in Abyss takes on an approach with dynamic emotions to heart and it’s really an anime that people shouldn’t miss out.

Reading the synopsis itself can feel a bit intimidated. As a manga reader, I was ... intimidated at first when I realized what the series had to offer. The idea of a young girl journeying to the Abyss, a place with the darkest secrets and dangerous creatures really draws potential. What really bought my attention to heart for this show is how emotional the journey turned out to be. Make no mistake. Made in Abyss is more than just surviving in some unknown world.

My first impression of this show is its colorful character cast. We have Riko, a 12-year old young girl who often seems to bring trouble wherever she goes. Joining her in this adventure story is a young robot boy named Reg. These two brings together a journey with various emotions. To me, it’s this pair that carries the journey as they take on unforeseen challenges. Individually, the two aren’t too alike. In fact, Reg isn’t even human but he does express a lot of human behavior. The first few episodes makes it clear that Reg cares about Riko a lot as a friend. Similarly, Riko is fascinated by Reg because of his nature and she also values him greatly. What really makes this show stand out is their character chemistry. Between the pair, Riko is the brain while Reg is the brawn. This is easily evidenced with Riko’s knowledge with the creatures they encounter. On the other hand, Reg is physically tough and is able to perform difficult feats that Riko cannot. However, Reg is mentally weak and thus need Riko’s support to survive. Together, this pair really sells the emotional drama of this show.

Outside of this duo, we also meet their friends such as Nat, Shiggy, and Jiruo. The show only features them in the first few episodes as the main journey is undertaken by Riko and Reg. Nonetheless, their roles are also noticeable with Jiruo being the leader, Shiggy helping Reg, and Nat’s character chemistry with Riko. As the journey ventures on, we discover characters that are not so human-like and in fact possess otherworldly traits. Characters such as Nanachi and Ozen are featured in this season for their valuable roles. It’s important to realize that without them, Riko and Reg’s lives may have perished very early on. Ozen’s character also extends to relation with Riko’s mother during their past. The series cleverly convey their background stories that can be very appealing and also important. Speaking of Riko’s mother, she is her inspiration. Throughout the show, it’s made clear that Riko has an ambition to become just like or perhaps even surpass her. The background story regarding Mitty and Nanachi can also create various feelings for viewers as they realize the darker side of this anime.

While this anime stands out as a fantasy/sci-fi adventure, there’s also many mystery elements that shouldn’t be overlooked. The mystery of the Abyss itself is one of the biggest factors as it creates a fear of uncertainty. If you’re an anime only viewer, then you’re in for a ride. For Riko and Reg, they face dangers that tests their physical and mental abilities. The “Curse of the Abyss” is also a recurring ideal that is revisited between some episodes. No one is really sure exactly what it is but the show makes it clear that it’s something malevolent. Other mystery elements to take notice of includes the origins of the Abyss, Ozen’s motives, the White Whistles, and among others. The exposition of this anime is also very consistent and doesn’t rely on boring narratives to do the work. Technical terms are also made easy to understand. To be honest, watching this anime always invited me to think and anticipate what may happen next. I have read the manga but it still makes me wonder how this anime will handle the adaptation. After completing the show, I have to admit that it does it brilliantly. Despite being an incomplete adaptation and inserting in some original content, its selling factors hits their mark.

The Abyss itself is also filled with colorful world fiction. An anime like this really sets the bar for world building as each layer reveals its unknowns. The creatures our adventurers encounter are also unique and arouse various feelings. I can’t remember how many times I felt a chill down my spine whenever Riko or Reg stands in the face of danger. The emotional drama between the pair also feels very realistic. If you’re familiar with any survival horror media (books, tv shows, movies), then you’ll be surprised at how well this anime delivers its emotions.

Studio Citrus may not be a powerhouse name but they definitely deserve the praise for crafting such an interesting world. It has the right fantasy elements with its eldritch creatures, the eye-catchy backgrounds, uncharacteristic architectures, and creative horror. Indeed, a show like this has violence so expect some body horror and graphic scenes. Character expressions has a good deal of psychology that really brings out its survival horror content. For the character designs, it shouldn’t take long for viewers to get used to them. I actually find it unique as its main character cast is mostly children. They represent youth and potential as Riko and Reg embarks on their journey. The creatures in the Abyss possesses otherworldly traits that make stand out. These ranges from monster birds, deadly insects, giant porcupine-like beasts, and horrific snakes. In addition, this anime has ancient artifacts that each has their own unique traits. Visually, Made in Abyss is really a special show that is appealing to the eye.

Soundtrack is also impressive if we take a closer look at the voice mannerisms. Riko and Reg’s VA both deserves praise for their ability to step into the shoes of these kids. However, the most noticeable character in this anime would be Ouzen. I have to confess that Sayaka Ohara did a phenomenal job with her role. Thanks to her talent, Ouzen’s voice sounds haunting that always brings an eerie feeling whenever she appears. The words she speaks, the way she moves, and her personality is easily made possible with such a talented voice actress. The theme songs of the show holds a distinction of its fantasy themes. OST is eerie that helps this show stand out for its darker elements.

Made in Abyss is a solid example of how a fantasy-adventure/survival horror should be made. It has a small yet memorable cast of characters, an exceptional death world with its fictional elements, and emotional drama that is endearing to watch. The show doesn’t tell its story with narratives that may put you to sleep. Instead, it delivers its journey with the sharp instinct and stylish storytelling. This is an anime that isn’t easily recommendable to anyone. The pacing can take some patience to get by and it has a character cast that may not be so likeable. Still, give this anime a try. There’s an old saying that goes “success is a journey, not a destination”. For this show, I couldn’t agree more.

They actually tried.

I always come back every season with a ting of hope in my heart. “Maybe this time a studio with some talented people WHO CARE about their work will make a show that will be worth watching.” A lot of seasons have come and gone. I would be lying if I said there hasn’t been any good shows for a long time. Many great animes have released over the last few years, yet I was yearning for something that wasn’t just a show with a great plot twist, or even a show that wrote believable and memorable characters.

I wanted an anime that stole ... my heart.

Made in Abyss was a series I never even heard of before Summer 2017. In fact, I didn’t even know of its existence till half-way through the Summer season. When I first saw the picture for the show here on MAL, I was unimpressed. The art came across as childish and goofy. The rating, on the other hand, was extremely high for a show I dismissed as “childish,” at first glance. Thank you MAL faithful, if it wasn’t for the oddly high score, I would have passed on this show.

Now, you aren’t sitting there reading this review to hear how I had the wonderful accident of crossing paths with this anime. You want to know why you should watch it. After all, you are probably wondering how this show got to the top 50 highest ranked shows on MAL. I’ll tell you how:

They tried.

Firstly, the characters are the heart of this great anime. I can go on about describing how they look one-dimensional and at first you may be confused as to how these little children can even begin to be involved in a fantastical original story, but I won’t. You see, Made in Abyss isn’t a show to be described. It is a show to be experienced. The art, the music, and the characters are done in such a way that if you took a step back and analyzed it all, you would see the love and care the original manga author and the anime creators had for them. They aren’t just here to entertain the audience, they are here to take the audience on a journey with them.

The journey is full of trials and triumphs, heartache and despair, yet they aren’t shoved down your throat. It all unfolds naturally before the audience’s eyes. The originality drips from this anime like sweet and soothing nectar for my soul. My heart could only take so many “video game worlds” and “moe overload” animes. Finally, a fantasy adventure that doesn’t tell me how to think or what to feel. The only small complaint I can conjure for this master-level display of originality and heart is that the plot doesn’t start to unravel until the tail end of the series (see what I did there fellow Nanachi fans?), yet the world and characters more than make up for this small shortcoming.

Again, I could write an in-depth analysis on why the opening episodes are brilliant, how the music accompanies the atmospheric art and sets the tone for certain scenes, how the characters are naturally fleshed out, how the actual world the characters live in feels like a character itself, or how the story progresses at just the right pace. But I won’t. Listen, I may not know what you look for in an anime, but I can tell you why I love anime, and I why I continue to watch it even when more than half of the shows that come out every season are literal garbage. I want to find that one anime that can steal my heart. Even if it may be for one season. I want it to take me for a ride I won’t forget. Fate/Zero, Eureka Seven, Code Geass, Fullmetal Alchemist – they are all great animes, don’t get me wrong. However, they didn’t steal my heart.

Made in Abyss stole my heart.

What lies deep within the abyss.

A pit where the further you go down the more dangerous it is to return. It's a good series with a interesting idea, the kind of thing I would love to do myself.

Story: Orphans that grow up heading into the abyss, one day one of them meets a strange thing within it, and soon starts a journey to discover the truth of the abyss, It's the kind of thing I love. I always find dungeon and exploring and monsters enjoyable.

Art: it's amazing some of the best I think, really nice feel to ... it all.

Characters: each one has their own personalities especially the main couple, and the side chars too, I realy hope the quality of this keeps up.

Enjoyment and overall: A great start so far, to a great series, hopefully this one won't let down, but it's high on my list of shows I wait each week to watch more of.

Lost destiny, power at a price, the tolls of exploration. That is what goes on to drive them, to lead destiny forward to a world behind comprehension. That is.... the Abyss.

It's certainly an interesting place to be sure. Those who return from it rarely bring back all its secrets, but receive worship regardless as more and more people are conditioned to go in and do work for their society. In that setting, this show is most definitely a journey, one where two young kids, drawn by their pasts beyond their understanding, discover a world where everything is dangerous and cooperation is a necessity.

Made in ... Abyss is quite the interesting show. Being the critical standout in a generally disappointing anime season, it proved that having ambition and being willing to take risks to not sugarcoat content is very much appreciated, where something with a simple synopsis as "kids go into hole" can be so captivating, atmospheric, perilous, heart wrenching, mysterious, and even sweet.

Our story begins with our young protagonist Riko. Being an explorer in training, one day when in the titular Abyss, she is nearly eaten by a giant worm monster that wouldn't be out of place in Monster Hunter. Thankfully she is saved by a mysterious robot, seemingly unusual from anything she'd seen in the pit. The robot takes on the name Reg, and with both it being curious about its origin and Riko wanting to wonder what happened to her mother after a Call to Adventure, they set off into the giant pit, possibly to never return, but not before the show takes the time to worldbuild first and create a very distinct atmosphere for itself.

Worldbuilding, you see, is one of the show's greatest strengths, and one of the elements about it that stands out best, often in ways that are shown more than said. Upfront, it offers the pure exhilaration of exploring a rich fantasy world. Its compelling premise compacts the heart of adventure into two contrasting forces: fragile, ever-optimistic humans and the yawning, endless abyss.

The show's direction is wonderful at establishing scope, as when in the early layers of the Abyss, shaping shots to have an upward pan do wonders to illustrate the great vertical descent there is compared to the surface, and even in the orphanage where Riko is staying, nifty details like the elevation of desk chairs and the way White Whistles are practically revered as messiahs regardless of moral implications of their actions help give a sense of identity to the world. This is to say nothing of the different layers, uniquely designed monsters, and locations we see Riko and Reg head towards, characterized beautifully and designed with a special tone, while still conforming to the general rules of the world and the expectations initially set up. It makes the Abyss feel like a fully functional setting, even if there's still FAR more to see overtime to make it compete with say, the dystopia in Shinsekai Yori.

This is helped a lot by the production values. Kinema Citrus (Black Bullet, Barakamon) did a great job with this one. The landscapes are luscious, the character designs are nicely unique from the standard mold, the character animation is consistently smooth, and they really nail all the different details of the world visually. The soundtrack is even better, in fact it's phenomenal. Done by Kevin Penkin, an Australian composer who worked a lot with Square Enix, the soundtrack has a grand and wonderful feel to it. The beautiful atmospheric scenes are made even better with the excellent music choices, the tense scenes are truly tense, and even the quiet scenes can have very nice and memorable little melodies, it’s a win all around with great insert songs, starting from Episode 1 before the title is even revealed. I even give the sound design some points that come together with the character animation. Whenever Reg moves around with his metal armor pieces, you hear the little “chink” sounds as the parts move around in diverse ways. It’s a small element but goes to show a greater appreciation of little things, which is very nice if you want to give your show plenty of charm.

As far as the story outline goes, it feels like a "Castle in the Sky meets Cave Story scenario". The show's atmosphere seemingly prepares it for an adventurous tone through a variety of colorful set pieces, the two protagonists have a youthful energy that never felt dishonest with co-dependence on each other, and the way the fantasy elements are integrated are very much classic myth, rather than falling into the ever popular Isekai MMO worlds known in anime nowadays. It lets things sink in, and like the director's previous effort in Monster, many moments are presented free of dialogue to let the tone play out with a wonderful musical score, accurately representing the source material's panels and accentuating the thrills and plot twists, whether meant to be exhilarating or disturbing. Which brings me to the Cave Story elements, aside from the similar plot point of an amnesiac robot in a massive below ground system, Riko and Reg getting through situations can be VERY difficult, and what lies beyond the initial curiosity of adventure at times reaches very cruel and heart wrenching levels. They also both have a cute bunny involved in lab experiments. The horror elements of the story come through this way, a natural consequences of two kids being prepared for the outside world and how often they appear at death's door, with Episode 9 being one of the best examples on how hard it can be to adapt for everything the Abyss throws at them.

To the show's credit, these elements rarely come off as edgy, but rather, the tone is set right from the first episode to accommodate both the adventurous and underlying dread elements that it rarely breaks, and the idea of suffering a pain while trying to go back up the pit is well established and used to its potential, however heartbreaking it might be. Except for a slow gap midway through in which three episodes are spent in one location, the plot has a steady momentum as we follow Riko and Reg on their journey. It's amazing how a show description as simple as "kids go into giant hole to discover themselves" can have so much backing it up.

The characters themselves are simple in construction, but compelling enough to buy into their journey. The show mainly follows two characters, Riko and Reg, along with a handful of others they meet along the way including the super bro Habolg, the VERY tough love figure Ozen, and one other character introduced very late who was very entertaining in sardonic trolling as well as how the show concluded with her prominence.

Riko on paper is a very simple character, an energetic girl who wants to find her mother with a positive outlook ahead of her regardless of danger. Despite this, I admired her character for two reasons, both for her optimistic attitude and her basically having a pinch of "murder hole street smarts". Certain elements of being a cave raider, even if a rookie, go a long way to show how resourceful she can be, and when going with Reg on this journey, she has more forewarning of protocols, mapping and certain creatures, enough to make it seem like she has proper experience for her journey, but not SO much that it makes it seem like she can maneuver around everything. Without Reg, she'd be disadvantaged, but not entirely nonfunctional. She was a sweet character I enjoyed seeing be enthused and hoped for her quest to succeed.

Reg, the robot, is a bit different. Coming from the pit itself without a memory, he's understanding the generalities of human interaction through being with Riko, and in a few cases, he's the one to take charge, having some nifty tools at his disposal but in certain cases at a heavy cost that could be devastating at the worst of times. Easy comparisons are drawn between Riko’s intelligence and societal upbringing but generally poor constitution, and Reg’s physical strength but lack of awareness or mental fortitude.
As a newcomer to the societal mores, rules, and general knowledge of the Abyss, Reg also acts as an audience insert, but not in a power fantasy way, more in the sense that he’s drawing lines between who knows what. Although Riko knows far less about the Abyss than her mother or her initial Leader, she knows a lot more than Reg, and this becomes invaluable throughout their journey.

In this way, their roles are sometimes reversed. Rather than Reg being sent as a gift to Riko for her journey, Riko is a gift to Reg on his journey because she provides him with necessary knowledge and training that he does not have. Together they create an interesting and compelling dynamic, with an additional sidenote that the way Riko was raised, she's conditioned to deal with many horrible things while Reg is not, making the innocuous robot's path to humanity ironically clearer. It's their journey, them having just enough to make it through and cover for each other, but still having to endure their way through many easily life-threatening situations that make Made in Abyss so damn compelling.

That’s not to say the show was always perfect. The low point was Episodes 6-8, and being stuck in one general location on one specific thing ground the journey to a screeching halt, and having a certain character make expressions that were…a bit extreme, even by this show. The character herself was very well executed in context, but it made things a bit more drawn out than needed.
There are quite a few...............awkward jokes, mostly innocent enough to let slip by but still noticeably weird focusing around the kids in odd, curious ways. Another thing would be the small supporting cast, but to the show’s credit, it knows when it needs to leave things to the main characters while still giving the sides some expression.
Finally, there’s the unfortunate general lack of a conclusion common with many adaptation shows given short lengths, but with the content we were given, it more than carried its weight. Plus, unlike other shows that shamelessly cock tease us with a cliffhanger, we get a legitimately beautiful montage scene to close off this portion of adventure. When it shined, it REALLY shined. The final double length episode especially is an amazing showing of this element, combining strong character climax with just enough inspiration to not feel cheesy.

Conclusion
Made in Abyss is a true gem, a shining pillar in a mostly bleak and disappointing season. Is it perfect? Of course not, but the amazing atmosphere, unique worldbuilding, solid tone accompanying horror and dread, and likable, compelling cast of characters make this a great series for what we have. I’d recommend this to anyone hoping for a fairly ambitious title or for fans of wondrous media.

You can't say shows featuring a combination of lolis, furries and traps are all shit anymore because of this amazing adaptation of an exceptional manga. Bummer, innit?

We get to follow a story of a small girl going on a suicide mission trying to reach her mommy stuck in a deep part of a glorified manhole, which is possible only because she conveniently finds an overpowered chibi cyborg on one of her practice strolls. This guy also happens to represent the average male MAL user as he gets a boner every time he cuddles a loli, including furry lolies with unknown type of genitals. Nice. ... You can find the full description of the cyborg at the end of the review.

Well, I mentioned a glorified manhole, didn't I. It is called "the Abyss", as the title suggests. It is as gorgeous as it is dangerous, the feeling of suspense and the visuals are both marvelous. As there is little known about deeper parts of the pit, the shroud of mystery thickens with every meter of our descent. No worries about backtracking, a convenient decompression syndrome called "the curse of the glorified manhole" makes sure our little girl is positively suicidal, because, go figure, jumping too high in this manhole may turn you into a blobfish (true story).

On a serious note, lets talk about the good stuff:
Environments are glorious. The complexity of the layers is something very rarely seen in the medium. Chibi character design creates chilling contrast between the innocence of the children and the darkness of the abyss. It works very well, especially in later episodes.
Visuals are spectacular overall, I very rarely, if ever, see landscapes/background so datailed and vivid. Huge bow before the man in the lead of the design.

The soundtrack album to this series is one of the best I have ever heard. Peaceful ambience emphasizes the mystery of the abyss, while the well executed build up in some of the more aggressive tracks accompanies our little friends during their struggles. Every environment has it's theme, also, which gives more substance to the world. Sound utilization in the final episode is a masterwork.

Japanese voice actors do a great job during the intense scenes. Nanachi sounds adorable.

Strongest points of the source material are definitely the coldness of the abyss, world design, dependence between the main characters and the consciousness that "there is no going back". Dark twists accompanying the story development are the main reason of success of the series.
This is the type of show that gives out the impression of cuteness and peacefulness at first, hints at something thrilling about the setting in the beginning, keeps the suspense troughout the entirety of the series and absolutely blows your mind with the climax. Time spent watching this show is a time spent well.

Story: 6/10
Art: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Character: 8/10
Enjoyment: 10/10

___________________
CHAMPION SPOTLIGHT
Reg, the Treasure of the Deep.
Our new champion, Reg, is a jungler. His passive, "artificial body", grants him immunity to auto-attacks and many skillshots. His Q skill, "graple", allows him to grab an object in his field of view and transport him and nearby allies to a target location. His W "restrain" wraps a pair of ropes around his target, immobilizing it, but rendering him unable to use his Q. His E, "empowered perception", grants him vision on nearby enemies. His ultimate is called "incinerator". After channeling energy into his palm, he fires a ray of hot plasma in a straight line, destroying everything in the way. Using "incinerator" forces Reg to sleep after ten minutes. This skill has a 2 hour cooldown. These game mechanics allow us to skip to the fun part of the story pretty quickly.
It is important to note that Reg reaches his full potential in a team full of underage female champions.

On a first sight Made in Abyss does not sound too bad. A girl named Riko is about to be killed by a giant beast when an amnesiac robot pops up and saves her. One thing leads to another and soon she is thrown into the mysterious hell pit. The setup is very interesting and very well done. The stakes and goals are immediately established, make sense, and make you want to know more. I got amazed by how well we were introduced to the main plot, and how good was writing in those episodes. Everything looked so fresh and different from any fantasy show ... in recent years, and I loved how the first episode made me almost tear up over the beauty of this world.

Unfortunately, there's not much of a story in Made in Abyss. Synopsis pretty much describes 80% of the entire plot. The premise established in the first episode is good, and the last episode would be really good, in my opinion, but nothing in between really leads up to, or makes you care enough about the characters or their circumstances, for the ending to hit as hard as it could have. For the most part, characters are going down, episode after episode, facing from little to no obstacles on their way. There is no room for Made in Abyss to actually breathe and explore its own setting, even though there's potential for a deeper and more meaningful story as it was shown in flashbacks of Ozen or Nanachi, but so far that's nowhere to be seen. Don't let the seinen label fool you, adult rating is justified by two gore scenes near the end, but in its very core this is an adventure shounen with linear and simplistic plot and quite uncompelling characters.

The anime has a serious problem deciding whether it wants to be a realistic or a cartoony one. For an episode, Riko ping-pongs between cavern’s walls with Looney Toons physics and no damage comes to her. In the very next episode, a minor injury leads to a botched surgery with lots of grotesque details. The line between realistic and fantasy is constantly erased and redrawn depending on what the plot needs at the moment. Everyone and their mothers are talking about dangers of the Abyss and how it’s impossible to survive here. Then, we have a clueless robot and Darwin Awards nominee of heroine doing every mistake possible and getting away scot free until the very end. There's a childishness to the anime that doesn't quite fit with the major themes of the plot, and in many ways it feels more like bait and switch.

Now look, I'm usually not that judgmental of the main character as long as they're not completely terrible, but Riko is so actively, offensively, overwhelmingly horrible that it boggles the mind. Even as a child she's an absolute failure, shallow and annoying. I didn’t expect from a girl a caricature over the top intelligence of The Promised Neverland protagonists, but she is lacking basic cognitive skills. Her stupidity effectively turns 1/3 of the show into a waste because everything that Ozen tried to teach her was forgotten once main characters crossed the layers. What does she think? Honestly, I'm not sure she does at all, it's rare we get any insight to her thoughts while others get plenty of focus. Personally to me she as a character just didn't have any growth. By the end of the anime, Riko finally faces consequences of her dumb decisions, but she ends up learning nothing from it.

There isn’t a lot to say about her companion. Reg exists as little more than a personification of the viewer, similar in many ways to isekai protagonists, and lacking in any meaningful characterisation besides his natural instinct to protect Riko. I’m interested in his origin, but as a character he is just an excuse to spoon feed the viewer more exposition.

The side characters didn't really stand out, either, though they are slightly better than the leading duo. There is some backstory and development to Ozen and Nanachi, while some characters are barely fleshed out at all like kids from Orth, and are only there to serve a very specific purpose in the plot. This was obviously a bit unfortunate, since I feel like there was certainly time for more time to be spent with the characters, and yet we’re left with this. It is at the point where you can’t feel or naturally sympathize with the characters; in fact Made in Abyss tried to make you feel bad for characters solely because they are small children.

For some people, this works, and throwing a pretty loli through a tornado of awfulness is enough to instil sympathy. That's great, and I don't hold a grudge against these people. If anything, I am jealous of how easily they can feel emotion. What actually bothers me is how effortless this method of storytelling truly is, and the audacity Made in Abyss has to pretend it is something deep (no pun intended).

After the last episodes, I have passed the final grade from 9 to 7. The tease for which we have been submitted by the authors, an awesome art and music deserve a whole 10, but the story and characters are nothing special. It’s very clear more effort was put on style and shock value rather than substance. There are several instances of legitimately investing and interesting storytelling in this anime, but it’s too few and far between to be worthy of any real praise. Not to mention that it is constantly interrupted by inopportune comedy during or immediately following a dramatic moment. Made in Abyss definitely had potential, but just wasn't executed well.

“If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.”

Perhaps Nietzsche had something to say about this show as the longer I watches it, the more I’m consumed by its captivating landscapes and eldritch horror found within its depth.

[Contains Minor Spoilers]

Located on the island of Ōsu where its single defining feature is an one kilometer wide hole, that is speculated to be over twenty kilometers deep, Made in Abyss follows the pair of Riko and Reg as they progress on their one-way journey to the very bottom. The biggest strength is its immersion that Made in Abyss submerges its viewers with ... by crafting an entire society that has every facet of it revolve around the mythos of the Abyss. Everything from the hierarchy of the cave raiders, the harsh reality of the orphans left behind, and the general nihilistic attitude towards the Abyss is expertly encapsulated by visual cues like the color of the whistles awarded to each cave raider, the town’s architecture or the rituals that are reverently performed in respect to the giant hole in the ground.

Whereas other fantasy shows, that feature a singular towering dungeon, has its characters ascending and conquering its levels, Made in Abyss goes the opposite direction with its descent into the unknown, the unrelinquishing power of the Abyss to dominate all those who enter into its domain. In addition to the nightmarish creatures found below is the presence of a curse that exponentially worsen when a diver attempts to go back to the surface which depends on how deep they are. In effect, if one wants to reach the bottom of the Abyss, they can never return to the town of Osu. This isn’t a cheap gimmick for it pushes our characters past the point of no return and pays off in spades in some truly heart-wrenching moments later down the road. While the main plot-line of two characters going to lowest layer may seem simple but the way that is meshed together with interesting characters, danger and the prevailing ambience of mystery is what make this show so special.

Moving away from contemporary anime character designs, Made in Abyss characters have a very cute style of rounded faces wouldn’t be out of place on a children morning show. Given the utter ruthlessness of the Abyss, it presents an odd juxtaposition to have these two polar opposite meld together and only adds to the distinct vibe of the show. Reg, being a robot originating from the Abyss, remains an enigma due to his memory loss but still acts like like a child due to his programming while Riko is relentless on fulfilling her desire to go to the bottom of the Abyss. Individually, they are not the most compelling characters but it is their inseparable bond that is the real draw and it only grows stronger, the deeper they go. For while Reg is powerful with his integrated firepower and grappling hands, the knowledge and drive that Riko brings to the table forms a symbiosis relationship that neither is going to reach the bottom without one another. While Riko does have the maturity of a twelve-year-old girl at the end of the day, she is quite believable when view within the context of a society that trains its children to excavate for ancient artifacts kilometers below the surface in a hostile environment full of carnivorous monsters. I don’t want to spoil the rest of the cast but they range from childhood love to suffering personified to being unsettling and menacing in their pursuit of experimental research.

Animated by Kinema Citrus, known their work on Black Bullet, Barakamon and Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, this is probably the studio’s best visual work to date. The real star is the how the Abyss is shown in both its vibrant and foreboding nature that shares many parallels to the many critically acclaimed works by Studio Ghibli. It comes as no surprise that the show’s art director of Osamu Masuyama is actually a former background artist from Studio Ghibli. Under his direction, there is a real sense of verticality and expansiveness that stretches to the void. Furthermore, complementing the gorgeous background art is the soundtrack composed by Australian-born Kevin Penkin where he uses an orchestral ensemble supplemented by electronic effects to give the abyss its sound. However, as good as his standard tracks are, the insert songs seems to be the popular with the audience with its hip-hop influence and haunting vocals.

If I had one complaint about Made in Abyss, it would be that the show doesn’t offer significant challenges to its two main characters until the last third of its run-time. All the elements are there in the background with nature of the curse, the ferocity of the creatures that inhabit the abyss and the adversarial geography of its individual layers but they are fully realized towards the conclusion. The fault doesn’t lie with how the anime was produced but rather the plot progression found within source material of the manga. I have a feeling that the production staff was very well aware of this issue and did everything its could within the constraints of a one-cour show with a slightly above-average run-time of thirteen episodes along with a double-length finale. In the end, they did an admirable job of pacing out the plot without rushing its story or creating an original shoddy conclusion.

It is so refreshing to have a fantasy adventure that stands alone on the merits of its world building, atmosphere and journey without dipping into the more unsavory aspects found within other shows of its genre. For a show to leave its audience only wanting to venture deeper into Abyss’s hauntingly beautiful and terrifying mysteries is indeed a very commendable accomplishment.

Absolutly Magnificent! This is my first Anime which I could easily give it a solid 10/10. The Soundtrack is absolutly AMAZING! (Fun Fact: The Soundtrack was directed by Kevin Penkin who is an Australian, yup a non-Japanese soundtrack producer) The Plot gets you hooked IMMEDIATELY! And the Characters are all Wonderful! Another thing about this Anime adaptation is that it follows the Manga PERFECTLY! Its just so damn wonderful. This really is a Must-Watch Anime. It was rated the best anime of 2017 but I believe it still deserves way more praise than what it actually has. (This was my first anime review) <3

My personal experience:

So, it's been a while since I last watched an anime. I'm too busy and stuff, so I wanted something fast, relaxing and new. I searched about anime that came out this year, 2017 and I found "Made In Abyss". I loved the art and the design in general from the first view. I knew nothing about the story, I just thought it would be an adventure with kids.. but it's more than just that! I was surprised by how amazing the story is, how dark and evil this anime could get. I must admit I got emotional many many times while watching ... it. It's not just the unique story, the cute characters who have their own story, the art... it's also the music! It's been ages since I LOVED an anime OST so much! Everything is so well produced... I ended up finishing it in 2 days... It was one of the most enoyable anime I've ever watched. I recommend it!

P.S.; I even finished the manga! Which is amazing, if you ask me. Can't wait for the new season in 2019.

Made In Abyss is one of those anime that will completely immerse you from the start with its superb world-building and gripping storytelling. It will keep you hooked until the very end as you take a journey into the unknown and discover the world the anime has to offer.

The story starts off in the city of Orth, situated at the top of a large bottomless chasm known as the Abyss. Cave raiders from Orth enter the Abyss regularly in search of treasures known as relics. Enter Riko, a passionate little girl living at the local orphanage with a keen desire to explore the Abyss and ... become a great cave raider just like her mother. One day while exploring the upper levels of the Abyss she stumbles upon a fainted robot who resembles a child. Introduced as Reg, he has no recollection of who he is and how he got here. After receiving information about her mother, and wanting to discover who he is, both Riko & Reg decide to embark on a journey to the bottom of the Abyss.

The world of the Abyss is awe-inspiring, bursting with imagination and creativity with stunning environments and mystical creatures. Half the treat of this series is exploring this beautiful environment which resembles that from Ghibli films. However don’t be fooled into think that this series is just going to be a happy-go-lucky walk in the park adventure, far from it actually. The Abyss is a dangerous environment where literally everything wants to (and will) kill you. The Abyss is made up of different layers with increasing amounts of danger the deeper you travel down as the monsters become stronger and stronger. Getting back up ain’t no easy feat either as the whole Abyss is covered by a curse with its effects worsening the deeper you are. Ascending even a couple of metres can cause vomiting, nausea, external bleeding, and in the worst case scenario, the loss of your humanity or death. Our poor protagonists have literally embarked on a suicide mission!

As a result this anime won't hesitate at being violent and gory when it needs to be. If you don’t like seeing little kids getting hurt then be warned; this anime is NOT for you. The Abyss is a place of despair where happy endings aren’t guaranteed. The green environments and cute character designs give off a false impression that this is a kids show; IT ISN’T! It’s a show designed for more mature audiences with lewd and disgusting moments. And that’s just the start as according to the manga-reader overlords, the non-adapted material later on is even more messed up.

However I urge you to stick around because the story is FANTASTIC! It’s completely unpredictable with a lot of plot-twists, suspenseful moments and cliffhangers that will leave you quickly wanting more. It’ll charge your emotions through moments of torment and despair, but also make you smile and laugh during its light hearted moments. A common complaint while the show was airing was that each episode only felt 5 minutes long as we all became so immersed in the story, then plummeted into despair when the episode ended and had to wait a week for the next one. Time flies when you’re having fun doesn’t it?

The characters are another highlight as all the main and supporting characters are well developed. Love or hate them, each character has unique personalities with their own set of traits and flaws. In particular I loved the dynamic relationship between Riko & Reg; they not only become great friends but also work well together; compensating for each-others weaknesses. Reg’s combat abilities prove invaluable but he’s rather naive, and indecisive in the heat of the moment. He therefore relies on the intellect of Riko who despite her optimistic and childish nature, is quite knowledgeable about the Abyss. Both Riko & Reg would both be lost without each other. I really came to like these characters and felt bad for them during their times of hardship. The mysterious Ouzen and the lovable sarcastic fuzzball Nanachi are great too!

During production Kinema Citrus spared no expense; Made in Abyss is a visual treat with stunning environments, cute character designs and (mostly) fluid animation. The god-like soundtrack is on another level entirely! It not just complements the anime, it literally sets the mood! It’s primarily soft ambience that makes use of piano, violin and percussion. It adds to the awe-inspiring environments and creates all those suspenseful moments. It has to be one of the best anime soundtracks that I’ve heard in recent memory!

Overall Made in Abyss is a must watch! It has a real sense of adventure with a great unpredictable story and well developed characters. It’s an anime that I’ll never forget and has earned a special place on my favourites list.

Let me start off by saying that Made in Abyss is a series that deserves to be bestowed with the title of a Masterpiece of an anime series. This may sound like I'm placing the series on a pedestal, and you could say that personal bias has influenced by decision to rate MIA a full 10/10 for all the components, but please allow me to try my best to break down and pinpoint just exactly why it has earned such a place in my heart.

Beginning with the first episode, which took me by serious surprise when I was left in absolute awe by the ... mystical vibes exuded by the astounding visuals and the beautiful soundtrack. MIA has one of the best first episodes I have ever seen thus far because unlike other shows where they bombard the audience with a complex plot in a desperate attempt to bait them into watching the rest of the show, MIA does that exact opposite. Instead, we tag along with our protagonist, Riko, and her adventures down into the abyss. Some things occur, and right off the bat, episode one was sufficient to leave me tense at the edge of my seat, yet the premise is simple and digestible enough for me to follow along. And at the end, we are treated with a stunning picturesque overview of the abyss, and that alone was enough to leave me desiring to be transported into their world and explore the abyss along with Riko. They had successfully pulled off their intended effect – to reproduce that sort of charm and mystery of the abyss, something that is so dangerous, slightly sinister, yet people, both the characters in MIA, along with the audience, are drawn to it.

Moving on to the crux of MIA, the plot. The first few episodes mask the true sinister reality of the show and I was tricked into thinking this would be a cute adventure series with Riko and friends, but boy does that completely change in the next few episodes to come. Now don’t get me wrong, being ‘dark’ or ‘deep’ doesn’t necessarily equate to a good compelling story, as plenty of shows that seek to achieve such an effect often go beyond their capacity and all that remains is simply a cringefest of wasted potential. Yet, MIA absolutely nails in its execution. Even in earlier parts where there was a lighter more upbeat tone, the story never got stale and it was just downright entertaining to witness the happenings and adventures of Riko and those around her. And now that I think about it, it wasn’t really the plot itself that was unique or fantastic, rather, it's the perfect pacing and storytelling the series chose to adopt that really sold the show to me. I would go so far as to say that MIA is somewhat like a deconstruction of adventure genres and how behind the excitement and thrill of going on a journey of never return, lies the harsh brutal reality, something that even 12 years olds are not immune to, and are in fact more prone to its effects due to their fragility.

I could not have asked for a better two main characters, Riko and Reg. One is an enthusiastic fearless adventurer and the other a shy yet fiercely protective friend. This iconic pair are extremely well written characters that spoke out to me on a profound level, weaving my emotional attachment towards them, and thus cue the tears and heartache when misfortune befell them. The complement and supplement each other in so many ways that it is just really darn endearing to see them interact. And due to spoiler reasons, I shall not delve deep into the third main character that only appears in the later episodes, but she, too, is absolutely precious and I honestly cherish the chemistry and relationships that they foster over the span of the series. Even side characters, including the most minor ones, and even ones that don’t even appear apart from through flashbacks and recollections, are memorable and they have that sense of quirkiness and originality that is in its own way a breath of fresh air after so many reused anime troupes that we have seen time and time again.

Every single Friday for 13 weeks, this show was something that I really looked forward to. It was a spectacular journey and one that I am so happy I decided to start. It is absolutely magical and a feast for my eyes as with such a unique art style accompanied with the most detailed backgrounds. Every piece of music matched the scene so well and it was truly a beautiful symphony of sounds, visuals and storytelling. Thank you for reading my review of this Masterpiece and I hope that you will embark on the same journey as me and finish it with the same feelings as I did. :)

How long has it been since I've encountered a work of art like this? After months away from anime I truly thought I had grown up, lost interest in the themes that eastern cartoons offer. Yet ironically, the show that revitalised my love for anime, was a show about various children, and it was just... INCREDIBLE!!! I want this feeling to last forever, staying up all night rewatching my favourite episodes, my heart beating out of time as I fall asleep listening to the beautiful soundtrack. This show truly wells up every emotion I can comprehend; Be it distress, solace, love, you name it! This ... series, so delicately put together, invokes it all, and I'm gonna tell you why! (You're welcome in advance)

Let's kick it off with some context: Our journey begins in the city of Orth, which surrounds a certain curious hole in the ground named the Abyss. The Abyss is an unexplained phenomenon filled to the brim with precious artifacts and history from previous generations. This provides reason for plenty of adventurers to explore it's depths, be it a sense of adventure, or means to make some cash. However exploring this pit spells more dangers than you might expect. If you manage to fend off the wide array of creatures that roam it's walls, you must deal with "the curse of the Abyss": Basically, as you move further into the Abyss, rising back out causes burdens on the body, ranging from minor headaches to more concerning issues such as bleeding from all orifices. Our main character is an enthusiastic little loli, who is for some reason absolutely desperate to explore each centimetre of the Abyss, despite the various risks and consequences.

Right! Now let's talk about what makes this show so great. I'm sure I don't need to touch upon the premise (I can tell you're already brimming on the edge of your seat with curiosity), but I'll expand on the themes, story quality and pacing. Allow me to tell you right away, Masayuki did not fuck around here. The script is wonderfully laid out, almost never wasting time. Every scene seems to have a proper meaningful purpose that felt necessary for the story to progress. One thing that surprised a lot of people (myself included) is how dark and brutal this show can be from the very first episode. I've seen plenty of people admit to their preconceptions concerning cute little prepubescent characters going on a carefree adventure. Hell, I only picked up this show because Nanachi looked adorable and I wanted to see her in action (I know, I'm terrible). However, as I'm implying, this series offers much, much, more. It expertly builds tension and constantly forces you to expect the worst. When things turn out well, the level of relief you experience is something I can't quite put into words.

Enough of that, lets move on to the characters, the heart of the production! I'd like to begin by mentioning how wonderful the character designs are. I'm certainly biased by my opinion, but the simple aesthetic really mixed well with me, I love how interesting and unique the characters are to look at; I love Nanachi's fluffy paws, I love the little satchels strapped to Maruruk's head, I love the way Reg actually questioned Ozen's weird skunk hairstyle, and I love the fact that Riko looks so simple despite her bottomless potential. They were all an absolute pleasure to look at. Moving on from appearances though, it needs to be said that the main cast is very young (generally around twelve years old). Many people find it hard to empathise with childish personalities, however, I for one found it to be delightful. I enjoyed the sense of innocence; The lack of shame when it came to nudity, and the simplistic pure bonds that the characters established with each other. It was refreshing in a way, and the age of the characters was not something that bothered me whatsoever.

When it comes to artwork, animation, and sound direction, this production really strives to impress. I wasn't exaggerating earlier when I said I listen to the OST as I fall asleep, each track is expressive in a meaningful way and fits a scene nice and snug. I particularly enjoyed the carefree piano track and 'Hanezeve Caradhina' which boasts beautiful vocals and a tempo that never failed to get me excited. If you're not planning to watch the series, please, please go listen to that track, it is moving beyond words. Besides music, the Series also has an arsenal of really nice, satisfying, and most of all, realistic sounds that really help you to get immersed in the obscure and marvellous world. This falls hand in hand with beautiful animation and scenery, which consistently had me mesmerised with awe. You know those moments where you think "damn, I wish that place was real", you'll probably get that a lot if you're anything like me.

I suppose my biggest disappointment with this series is that it flew by so fast. While the ending was more than satisfying, it has simply been so long since I last became so heavily invested in a cast of characters and the world that they live in. It's truly a shame that I won't get to see their further adventures any time soon (although I will definitely be picking up the manga). I hope with all my heart that this series manages to pull off the second season that it deserves, but till then, I will be keeping this first season close to my heart, for a long time.

Cheers for reading (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) Happy cave raiding!

The only word to describe this anime is perfection.

The perfect blend of gorgeous scenery and morbid themes come together to create a rich world teeming with untold stories and stories that are told are done so without heavy exposition but rather with heavy visuals. The middle of the anime is a bit slow but is necessary to ensure that bigger story problems don't appear in the future and the beginning gets viewers so emotionally invested that it is acceptable.

The two main characters are shown to be extremely inexperienced but are actually surprisingly resourceful and there are very few times where they survive simply because of ... plot armour.

The art style perfectly captures the childlike innocence of the main characters and every shot is purposefully made to convey something and creates amazingly breathtaking scenes amid all the terror.

The music is also masterfully done to accompany the whole story, they make the awe inspiring scenes more awe inspiring, the horrific scenes more horrific and the sad scenes more depressing.

All these components create an anime that had me hooked from the beginning, mortified at the atrocities and wanting for more by the end.