"If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." - Some anime bad guy, probably.
Well, I've gazed into this abyss long enough. I might get more enjoyment or value from staring at a literal black pit than watching another episode of this plodding, interminable slog of a manga adaptation.
Made In Abyss is enticing enough at the start. The art style, which reminds me of something like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or Studio Ghibli's projects, is right up my alley. While I could take or leave the OP, the ED is catchy as hell (especially when those claps hit, my God). The
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story's setting is probably its greatest strength, and I was interested in learning more about the Abyss, its inhabitants, and the mysteries it holds after the first episode. Even the characters were initially decent enough for me to want to see more of them. Hell, the second episode is basically a bunch of adults telling the MC in quick succession "Your mom's fucking dead, kiddo." How could I resist? What could go wrong?
The answer: The pacing. The painfully slow, drawn out, mind-numbing, meandering, excitement-killing pacing. That's what could go wrong.
I think the first warning sign was how it took three entire episodes to actually get into the abyss. Now, I'm not saying everything has to be all action, all the time, and there's always value in a good build up, but that felt like wasted time when so much of those episodes were spent on (seemingly) superfluous characters. You want to establish the setting along with Riko and Regu's motivations, sure, but it felt like belaboring the point to the point of tedium.
But while that at least served a narrative purpose, the following episodes utterly crash and burn. For a show that tries to tell us there's some sort of urgency, the pacing sure as hell doesn't reflect that. Worse, the beginning of every episode is taken up by an unnecessary, minutes long recap (a debilitating case of One Piece Syndrome). Then, to add insult to injury, it starts relying on cheap cliffhangers and cliche shonen bullshit as if desperate to convince you that, yes, things are actually happening and this is worth your time.
"Oh, we killed 15 minutes faffing about Ozen's house? Well, now she's acting weird. Spooky, right? Bam. Cliffhanger."
"Here's a protracted scene of Ozen just beating the shit out of Regu and nearly shooting Riko with an incineration cannon at point blank range. How do our heroes get out of this? Ha, they don't, she was just testing them! That doesn't feel like a cheap cop-out at all, does it?"
If Riko and Regu were dimensional enough, maybe they could carry the story, but they feel pretty flimsy as characters. I don't dislike them, but I'm not compelled to keep tuning in to see what happens to them next. A lot of people hype the show by mentioning how dark the manga supposedly gets, but if I'm not invested in the characters, then what does it matter to me if fucked up shit happens to them later down the line?
Look, I don't necessarily mind a show that's slow paced if it feels deliberate and purposeful. The Sopranos is 86 episodes of Tony Soprano going to therapy, dealing with his family, and eating gabagool, and that's perhaps the greatest television program of all time; its length serves the story because it is a complex and meditative character study. Similarly, you don't need action or fights for an episode to leave an impact. NGE Episode 15 is probably my favorite of the whole series, and that one features no angels or mech battles, and is instead "just" about Misato going to a wedding.
So understand that when I say nothing fucking happens in this show, I'm not asking for mindless action and instant gratification. However, I need something of substance - character, plot, a worthwhile mystery - and I'm not getting any of that.
Now, I've got nothing to say about the source material, because I've heard great things about the manga. I hope that this is just a lackluster adaptation that's failed to translate what makes the manga work into the anime format. However, I'm not going to continue watching a bad adaptation just because the original is supposed to be good. I'll just get around to reading the manga instead.
This show isn't the worst thing ever. It's pretty, and it's got a pretty good hook, but it's totally insubstantial and not worth your time. Instead of 13 episodes of Made in Abyss, you could watch any number of more worthwhile shows instead. Believe me when I say you'd have more fun playing cave explorer.
And by "cave explorer" I mean getting a finger up the butt.
Alternative Titles
Japanese: メイドインアビス
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
13
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Jul 7, 2017 to Sep 29, 2017
Premiered:
Summer 2017
Broadcast:
Fridays at 21:30 (JST)
Producers:
AT-X, Takeshobo, Sony Music Communications, Kadokawa Media House, Cygames, Kanetsu Investment, Kadokawa, Global Solutions, IRMA LA DOUCE
Licensors:
Sentai Filmworks
Studios:
Kinema Citrus
Source:
Web manga
Theme:
Gore
Duration:
25 min. per ep.
Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
Statistics
Ranked:
#712
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#93
Members:
1,379,330
Favorites:
44,170
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 43 / 495
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Your Feelings Categories Aug 22, 2017
"If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." - Some anime bad guy, probably.
Well, I've gazed into this abyss long enough. I might get more enjoyment or value from staring at a literal black pit than watching another episode of this plodding, interminable slog of a manga adaptation. Made In Abyss is enticing enough at the start. The art style, which reminds me of something like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or Studio Ghibli's projects, is right up my alley. While I could take or leave the OP, the ED is catchy as hell (especially when those claps hit, my God). The ... Aug 25, 2017
Made in Abyss. So many people said so many good things about it around the web, as well as having tons of positive reviews.
I would assume I'm the minority here. Made in Abyss is a show which follows two main characters- A girl called "Riko" and some kind of a mysterious robot called "Reg". They got "summoned" to the bottom of the Abyss by Riko's mother (which is probably the best cave raider out there). Now, We have some great "world building"... kind of. We see interesting layers of the Abyss, and interesting monsters and such, but one thing annoys me the most: Riko is a kid, she ... Oct 1, 2017
I am only writing this review in light of the fact that other reviewers are giving the show 9 or 10 across the board.
Made in Abyss has some good things going for it, which I will mention at the end of this review, but it also has some very serious problems. The problems: The pace of the story is erratic and generally sluggish, the characters do not behave in sensible ways, characters are developed for an episode or two and then abandoned, the logic of the world is essentially arbitrary, and the story brings up concept after concept in an intriguing manner, but never bothers to ... Sep 5, 2019
I think this series is incredibly overlooked and very overhyped at the same time.
Sounds weird, right? Made in Abyss is prime example of poorly executed great idea. This show had everything to become a modern classic, but wasted it on bland characters, poorly paced dull story and blatant fetishism. Worldbuilding Made in Abyss sets up one the most interesting fictional world to explore, but barely does anything with said world. Since episode 1 you'll be showered by paragraphs of exposition and ramblings about great adventures, but the Abyss itself is very shallow. It does look pretty, all thanks to amazing background art, but it's empty as desert. 3-4 ... Sep 29, 2017
Anyone who says they had an easy time giving this show a rating is either lying or didn't watch it close enough, Made in Abyss has some of the best moments in recent anime, but it's also got a lot of really big flaws, and sorting through all of them to find out my cumulative thoughts on the show was a legitimately difficult task.
Let's start with the good things though, and the first one is the entire first 3 episodes. They are everything you could want from the introduction to an adventure anime, the monster attack is thrilling, the setting is fascinating, the characters are ... Nov 1, 2023
If my experience with this anime had to be summarized by one word, it would be: disappointment.
The series starts off with a rock solid premise: the Abyss, a giant hole through the earth filled with valuable artifacts, uninimaginable creatures and realities beyond human comprehension. A city was built around this mysterious void on the surface and Divers are adventuring towards what seems to be the center of the earth, with their journey becoming increasingly difficult the deeper they go. A story about a giant abyss very reminiscent of Dante's journey through the nine circles of Hell, with a side of archaeology and a good amount ... Aug 29, 2018
Made in Abyss is an anime from last year brought to us by Kinema Citrus (because poor literacy makes for good studio names). Now, I only know this studio because they worked with White Fox on the second series of Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka. I've also heard of this anime because MAL is enamoured with it and my highly intelligent sister hates it. But she also didn't care for Akuma no Riddle or Angel Beats so I may well disagree with her on this too. Of course her big complaint was that it went into super twelve year old edgelord writing during the last part of
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Oct 6, 2017
I'm trying to not to give this an undeservedly low score just to contrast the praise this anime has received. I'll stick mostly to criticisms since everyone else has focused on the merits of this anime.
Firstly, the premise of Made of Abyss is quite an interesting one which lends itself well to developing plot and characters. The idea of a global economy based on useless trinkets from the abyss is the first insult to the viewer's intelligence, but it's such a minor part that it can be ignored. What cannot be ignored is the completely unbelievable characters. Let's start with the 12 year old girl who wants ... Jan 20, 2018
Who lets these naive children go for what they think is a fun adventure in the most dangerous place possible? I just can't get past that part and it was too hard for me to suspend my disbelief constantly as required to go along with this plot. Multiple adults could and should have stopped them because, you know, they are 12 and still view the world through disney lenses. Riko is a moron. She makes dumb decision after dumb decision constantly putting her defenseless-self in danger. She'll smell something or see a pretty color and go charging off straight at it without a care in
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Apr 8, 2018
The following review contains a few spoilers.
I would like as many people that love this anime to read this review as possible, because this is not a favourable review, at all. Crazily enough, this review has nothing to do with the sexualisation of children, considering that seems to be the main gripe I find when trying to find other reviews that share my views on the show. Personally, I think it is ignorant to dismiss a show just because it might show a naked kid or something along those lines. The following review will be based on my initial reactions that I typed to my friend ... Jan 22, 2021
13 episodes -------- 5/10
Quick Impression: The annoying Japanese style of writing loli/moe characters that scream and cuddle each other every two seconds is boring and almost deserves to be thrown away instantly. However, the phenomenal art and world-building make us want to watch a little more. But, by Newton, I almost dropped this anime. Riko (main caracther) is that spoiled child who has lost the notion of ridicule and the real, putting those who love her in unnecessary danger through sheer selfishness. Furthermore, the anime carries an interesting and rich world with shallow characters (Regu?) and little interesting conflicts between them. The good: - Good animation - Good fluidity ... Aug 17, 2018
>> SPOILER WARNING <<
Made in Abyss was an interesting ride. Despite liking the story, I couldn't fully enjoy this show for two reasons: 1) The first 6 episodes were so slow. I understand, they maybe want to build the world and the characters before starting an adventure but the long dialogues in these episodes felt mostly inconsequential. Not to mention we didn't really see many of the characters developed here in the later episodes. Now in a long series, this may not be a large issue but Made in Abyss consists of only 13 episodes so that's half the series right there. Now granted, a ... Sep 23, 2017
It's all my stupid opinion no more and there are no spoilers. Well... Imperfectly perfect, these words describe "Made in Abyss". I can surely recommend to watch, anyway it's better than last titles.
Advantages: 1) Indirect and interesting plot. Story 7/10 There are a little moments, which I know exactly, what gonna happened next, but the biggest part of plot, that I couldn't predict and it a big point to "Made in Abyss". 2) Art 8/10 I think, a such drawing style perfectly suited to composition of anime, If don't count a "cruel moments" 3) Characters 5/10 Riko and Rego. About Riko, on the one hand, she is a ... Dec 17, 2017
Story:
The disappearance of Lyza, Riko's mother, what starts the real story, feels poor and an excuse for a mystery, as it's simply vague. We already expected the Abyss to hide something important at the bottom and knew that Riko "wanted" to go there, it'd be more original if she had just gone with flow, especially after Reg came up. Even for her, "searching for my mother" seems to be a convenient reason for rushing into the Abyss, since she's not once shown anxious about Lyza's situation after getting in there. Either she is in complete denial or is a shallow character. Prior to Nanachi's appearance, near ... Feb 19, 2024
"Made in Abyss" follows Riko, a young girl aspiring to be a cave raider like her missing mother, as she teams up with Reg, a humanoid robot, to explore the enigmatic depths of the Abyss in search of answers. Their journey is fraught with peril, revealing the mysteries and dangers lurking within the Abyss as they strive to uncover its secrets.
Before starting to debunk this series into more detailed sanctions – for me personally this was a traumatic anime and not because of the gore and the violence but rather because this violence was depicted on a too small of a children, being drawn even ... Oct 1, 2017
Small child and astro boy go spelunking in a hazardous chasm of death While making casual pre pubescent advances on their sexuality while playing fiddle sticks with a cute bunny rabbit ramlethal from guilty gear.
Made in abyss is what every avid anime fan that wanted a break from the seasonal monotony wanted and more. The the art style immediately catches your eye with it's hand painted vibrant backgrounds with hardly any CG-i, which makes for a very refreshing viewing experience. The best thing for me ... Apr 24, 2020
I should clarify that this is a low 5. Normally, a 5 from me is reserved for when a show made me feel nothing at all, but I do also use it for when a show makes me feel completely torn between deciding if I like it even a bit more than I dislike it or vice versa. This is a particularly hard version of that because I did definitely dislike it more than I liked it, but it had so much goddamn potential and some ideas were so well-executed that it feels wrong to give it the 4 that it otherwise deserves.
Obviously, the backgrounds ... May 27, 2019
I don't really know how to describe this other than "just fine" to "moderately good".
This might just be my personal opinion but this series has a lot of difficulty in executing its themes and as a result, a good majority of the characters lack depth. The two main characters are two children and they often behave like ones which is to be expected of them although it's usually to the hindrance of the quality to their characters and frequently reminds you of their lack of personality or even depth. On the other hand, at almost every opportunity there is for one of the adult characters to have ... Feb 20, 2020
Made In Abyss: The Longest and Most Annoying Bodyguard Quest in the History of Anime
I'm a bit conflicted after finishing this anime. On the one hand, there are a good many positive things about it, such as the art and the lore behind the world. On the other, there is one huge blemish that greets you in almost every single episode: the main heroine, Riko. Riko is stupid, stubborn, weak, rash, impatient, almost useless, self-destructive, and utterly dependent on other people for her mere survival. And yet, she is trust up front and center and demands your attention and investment. She is ... Aug 28, 2019
I wanted to enjoy this one more than I actually did.
One of my friends got really into this anime after finding it online, so she tried to get all of us to give it a shot. So I did, and the result was avverage. STORY The story of Made In Abyss often feels all over the place. The first three episodes are rather standard looks into the world above, and they’re alright for what they are. 4 and 5 felt very repetitive, pretty much viewing the tutorial-like section. That part wasn’t very interesting to me at all, because essentially it was just Riko and Reg, who were ... |