Ergo Proxy

This won't be a review of characters, of art, of sound, or other bs that has been repeated in 12 reviews already. This is one for those wondering "Why the hell is this worth a 10?" "What's going on, what is so great here?!" or just.. "another 2c down the piggy's back" Oh and yeah, it's as SPOILER FREE as you can get.

I used to think, until the last few episodes, that they named dropped just for the sake of it but that's not true. What you need to understand is this: The series is humanity and its struggle metamorphosised. Probably the most important mention ... here is that of C.G. Jung. Keep in mind the following quote from him: "When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Just think of that in relation to the journey of Vincent. The characters even realize (well not really they, obviously) in the last episodes that the journey is one they can only complete alone because you aren't going anywhere except inside yourself. This exactly the ''journey to the underworld", which is just the repressed content, it's the unconcious. This is where you'll meet the shadow and "come out the other side" (give Tool - 46 & 2 a listen!) changed as a self-aware being.

The whole last 3-4 episodes are full of questions relevant to humanity as ever, whether it be the nature of reality, existence or the meaning of it all. You even have the glorious questioning of the status quo, parallels to past revolutions and the pointless struggle (of Real, in the last episode; but of humans in general) against the unchangeable path before her (them) - you always see it, whether it's in some anime where the main protagonist, usually ignorant of his "potential", tries to fight the big bad villain before he's ready just to be tossed aside and laughed at; or in real life where you have few people trying to fight against corruption, greed and cruelty, only to be found dead or intimidated into submission. It's the meaningless struggle I see people near me go through, they want to believe they can make a difference, they give it their all in spite of the simple fact that your efforts are useless. And what makes the series great isn't just the fact that it raises such issues (as well as many others) but that it manages to portray them so beautifully, so naturally... that's where you can see the gem shine because it has been polished and made into a gorgeous jewel.

Like Dostoevsky said, "Nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him." Likewise, nothing is easier than to say "I don't like this because I don't relate to the characters or don't like their makeup, and wah wah wah" and nothing harder than to try and understand it because that would require you to *gasp* read a book or something similarly dreadful. It would require you to acquire knowledge, to assimilate, analyze and synthesis it. It requires you to go outside of your comfort zone. And I'm sure it's much more easy to go watch some slice-of-life anime and go "kawaiiiiiiiii" than go the extra mile for this one.

This is the same thing as people reading mythology and thinking all the gods were just some sex and violence-crazy incestuous wackos when they don't even know the 101 of symbology. This is the blind man looking for the light; good luck pal, good luck! You'll get there one day, in another life, maybe as a cat.

These are by no means all the references present in the series, it's just the tip of it, the cherry on top. The series is still worth a view just for the splendid artwork but if you are the type of person that hears but doesn't listen then don't expect to get much more out of it.

If nothing else then at the very least you'll have your general culture level raised a notch by the explanations at the end of (almost) each episode.

Over and out.

Ergo Proxy


Many already said about its cyberpunk elements and such.

I will say that in regards of Science Fiction, plot development, execution and characterization, this anime is a True Masterpiece!

The very concept of why it all happened in the planet is a true concern some scientists have, about the methane hydrate layer and the possible consequences if it went volatile. Many power and fuel industries have already shown interest in extrating and using it to produce energy, as the tihng is really powerful...but one of its characteristics is its volaticity, and if by mistake a chain reaction was iniitated and the existing layer went into combustion...the ... life on the planet would be decimated. Take a look about what exist about the matter. It is intersting.

Well, thus it is based on solid science extrapolation. Then the story goes with really intellingent plot developments without loosing to pure psychological drama, as there is enough action woven in the series to satisfy any action lover without loosing the story to those action-oriented, boring plots.

It is intelligent and every episode lays another hit as to what is really happening...and in the end you finally discover everything, being presented to a really surprising truth, and a turn of events that is both pleasing and really surprising.

The nature of the Proxys is really explained, so the story is not left without a closure...but at the same time it ends in a cliffhanger, actually yelling that a sequel may be produced one day, though if that does not happen, the end is closure enough to the present story, leaving the rest for the imagination of the ones watching the series.

The whole concept was magistrally layered and the whole truth is only fully disclosed in the last episode, making the series grip you until the last minute, until the last, thrilling image, where in the last panel we have the realization that the end was possibly far from happening to that story.

About art, needless to say, it is beautiful and well done, imparting an air of dreamlike reality to the characters, which is true given the truth behind the planet and everything happening there.


Fantastic Science Fiction, artfully executed!

I just hope they really go for a sequel on this, as we surelly know after the last image we see that things were not resolved with the truth revealed, but it was just beginning, especially remembering what Vincent saw when he first left Rondeau...

Remember...there was a child there...son of an exiled...and that implied something crucial to the whole story and that was not there without a reason...

Masterpiece from beginning to the end

Ergo Proxy is a bit of a difficult show to review. There's many positive elements, and at the same time many negative elements. At times I loved the show, and other times I was bored with it.

The story tends to be the biggest reason for my mixed opinion. It starts off very strong, painting a very interesting picture of the world, the main cast, and their relation to each other. Yet, it also introduces some mysterious plot elements. Now, these mysterious elements didn't bother me the first time they were introduced. However, halfway through the series, most of the questions get answered. I was hoping ... that the clandestine nature of the plot would end there, but they kept introducing more vague questions, episode after episode, creating an overly complex plot that really wasn't necessary. All of these questions get wrapped up during the final three episodes, but they just seemed completely un-necessary in the first place. It seems like the show uses an overly complex plot as a crutch, to prop up a story that doesn't need to be. However, the show doesn't know how to properly use a crutch, and it takes that crutch and essentially beats the story over the head... ruining what would have otherwise been a perfectly fine tale.

Yet, between all of that, there's still some really nice storytelling to be had, and some really great character moments. Many of the characters were well developed and managed to grow over the course of the series as well. Pino is my personal favorite. Yet, despite that growth, they also seemed to end up at the same point as where they started. In fact, by the end, it seemed like the series was eating it's own tail in terms of it's characters.

Aside from all that, the art seemed good for the most part. There were certainly times where it looked better than others. All of the art stays pretty consistent in terms of style, of course... it's just the quality that fluctuates. At times it was breathtaking, and other times I thought it looked kind of middling and standard.

The audio mix is well done, creating a nice, futuristic atmosphere... while not feeling too crazy or overdone. The soundtrack is your pretty standard fare. It didn't stand out, but worked nicely to set the tone. I watched the English dub of the show, and thought most of the voice actors were great. The main cast, and much of the supporting cast did a great job of bringing life to these characters, making them feel like real people. I also thought it was a really nice touch that the voice actors for the androids all sounded appropriately robotic. The delivery on those lines all sounded like robots trying to evoke emotion, and while that doesn't sound like a compliment, the actors really sold it, and it worked incredibly well within the context of the story.

Overall, Ergo Proxy is a series that I enjoyed, but had a few elements that really brought it down. If the story was less convoluted, and the art was tightened up in spots, I may have given this series a higher score. Hell, some of the episodes even feel like they deserve a higher score, divorced from the rest of the series' over-arching plot. Yet, as a whole, Ergo Proxy comes off as a mixed bag, and in that sense it's disappointing. However, I still recommend fans of the genre to check it out, if only for the handful of moments where it really shines and becomes something special.

The thing that drew me to anime in the first place besides style , it was that writers weren't afraid to raise big questions and make the answers interpretable so that the viewer could have a say.It was the philosophic and psychological elements that made me realize that this medium was to be taken seriously.Ergo proxy is a show that celebrates al those elements, and it does it in style.

Story-9/10
If i could sum up the story of Ergo Proxy in one word it would be EPIC.The show starts as a generic cyber-punk anime only to evolve into more of a dark fantasy set in a ... distopian and apocalyptic world. The story is more about perception of ones self, and the journey of understanding ones self. Now the story is very character driven and one can argue that as far as plot progress goes mostly 90% of episodes are fillers. The show because of this becomes very complex as viewers sometimes cant tell whats real and whats happening in the characters heads . But i personally enjoyed this but someone else might not.the story manages to explain every hole and does have a somewhat satisfying conclusion and a highly climatic one.

Art-8/10
The backrounds for the show are very beautiful and detailed , also the characters desing are good. The proxy desings are amazing and the last episode has some of the most beautiful images in the anime world. But characters looks and movements were inconsistent and sometimes they looked plain auwful. And I didn't think that it was due to budget cuts or anything but due to laziness , cause ergo proxy looked beautiful when it had to.

Sound-9/10
The soundtract for the show is amazing. The oppening is one of the best I have ever heard and the ending is paranoid android by radiohead, you can't go wrong with that. The soundtrack consists mostly of suthing and beautiful music that fit the show perfectly.The dub is one of the best around and it just sounds right, it was really amazing.

Characters-9/10
Ergo Proxy has some of the most emotionally and mentally broken characters I have ever seen. Wether it is a spoiled detective, a man who seeks answers for his past, robots who acknowledge themselfs and a lot of others. Now i don't want to go to them specifically cause to explain the correctly i would have to spoil a lot and there is nothing in this world i hate mote than spoilers. But i have to say that Pino is one of the cutest and most likeable characters in anime . She ROCKS.

Enjoyment-9/10
As much as the show had some minor flaws i really did enjoy this show from start to finish for the most part. Some information is dumped sometimes which i didn't like. The ending is sometimes confusing but is really legendary. The show has substance and is highly intellectual and I really do recommend this show to anyone who is looking for something mind bending.

So overall i give this show an
9 out of 10.
( I hope you liked this review, i am hoping for some feed back because this is my first review)

I decided to rewatch Ergo Proxy, seeing as I just didn't remember anything about it from the last time I watched, aside that it was a massive mindfuck and a very entertaining series. The rewatch really did remind me again why I thought so. It really doesn't do anything half assed.

From the very start, the style of the series strikes true for the dystopian society of a post apocalyptic future it shows, both with the stunning art that is combined with excellent animation, and chilling music. There's just something strangely alluring about the contrast of light and dark present everywhere in the art, even as ... it never shows a hint of simplicity. And of course, I personally absolutely love the design of Re-l (which is showed by my avatar, as usual), one of the main characters.

As contrast to the explosive start, the series progressed at a very calm pace at many points, and even seemingly went off the rails at times. On one hand, I feel the pacing is perhaps the biggest weakness of the entire show, but on the other hand I never felt bored for a long amount of time. In fact, it was very much welcome when I had a moment to calm down, because even at its slower points the series kept me very tense most of the time. The feeling of a completely uncertain world was very impressively depicted by the story, and I was afraid to feel affection towards any single character in the show with the knowledge that the world really didn't care much about what happened to them.

At the same time, I appreciated every single character in the show for what they provided. Perhaps it managed to go even deeper than that. Despite the chaotic setting, the story itself was in truth quite straightforward and meticulously constructed. The pre-planned purpose of every character in the story was not just a matter of their parts in the story, but also dealt with as a theme throughout the series. In fact, the series showed wonderful self awareness in dealing with this, rather than the usual the curious contradiction of praising human free will while ignoring the fact that every expression of the was in truth constructed by the creator of the story.

Such self awareness and introspection from the view point of the creator of the story was present throughout the series, in many different ways. This lead to another aspect of the show that could be considered a weakness. Aside the pacing being strange, the story also wasn't presented in as straightforward fashion as it seemingly travelled. At times there was seemingly huge differences between where the last episode left off and where the new one started, in a couple of cases completely jarring. The couple of the more extreme cases I do believe were poorly handled, but the way the series was structured in itself wasn't necessarily bad. In most cases, every episode dealt with a different theme, most of which were both very philosophical and deeply psychological, and they did so very well. What was really jarring was that the writer seemingly saw it purposeful to interject the view points of both themselves and the watchers directly into the story. While I understand the purpose of this, especially in such an experimental show, I do think it wasn't worth it in every case.

Speaking of philosophical and psychological... I think this is a prime example of what a lot of people would call pretentious. I personally disagree on that. When I originally watched the series years ago, neither my brain nor my understanding of philosophy were nearly enough developed to really grasp most of it, but even then I don't think I ever dismissed it as just being nonsense. I'm glad about that, because on this rewatch I feel like I was actually able to keep up very well, even through the less elegant twists of the story. There each case there was some real thought put into it, but the really impressive part was that all of these ideas were able to be delivered without the attempt to insert conclusions into them. One of the key things in succesfully writing something like this is the ability to keep in mind one's own fallibility, which I think was achieved in this case.

In the end the story and the characters managed to enthrall me quite well. Even as it dealt with complex themes, the story managed to keep a certain necessary simplicity to it. For the most part, actual unnecessary elements were eliminated, thus keeping the story well on its track until the very end. Where it sadly stumbled a little bit, as often is. The conclusion was satisfactory in a manner, so I feel there is no need to harp on it too much, but it didn't reach quite the potential such a show had. Perhaps it was because there was actually in the end a certain unnecessary element, brought into it in an attempt to reach the excellence the ending deserved, but departing from the solid progression of the story in a harmful way. It's also entirely possible that there really actually just wasn't enough to the story in its simplicity, though I personally do find that complications added for the sake of it aren't necessary for a grand conclusion.


In conclusion, I think this anime is possibly one of the best things ever. It's also entirely possible that I'm just a pretentious prick that enjoyed it simply because I felt I understood something complicated that perhaps wasn't fully there in the first place.

Well this is the series that I connected with most out of all the anime I've ever seen. I didn't know what to expect from this series going in, but the art really captured my attention from the very start. This is good because like most great animes, you pretty much don't have any idea what is going on or what to expect after the end of the first episode. You are shown just enough that curiosity takes you to the next episode and every episode after that. Oddly enough, even after watching this entire anime I was still kind of ... confused as far as the story went but I had so many great memories of the journey that I was prompted to share the experience again with friends. Upon watching everything for a second time, I found the story much easier to follow and I could easily answer questions for the people I was watching it with that would get lost in the same plot points I did the first time through. Needing to see the anime twice to take everything in is the only reason I didn't give the story a 10, but at the same time I'm grateful because I enjoyed the experience so much more the second time through. Also I would like to point out this series has my favorite Intro song ever. It's title Kiri by Monoral. I absolutely had to import this CD from Japan the moment I could.

I totally hated the end...
This anime is stuck in my head because of its complex narrative, philosophical and existential themes, and a blend of cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic elements (my favorite atmosphere).
I adore how it is intricate and can be challenging to predict, makes it so catchy to the viewers and it made me enjoy it the doble.
I have to highlight how much i love the art style and the animation... Is dark, atmospheric, and well-suited to its cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic setting.
The symbolism on all the elements and the well-thought details makes it hard to not try to comprehend and appreciate it part by ... part.
The character designs geeeeez>>>> and the environments it all contributes to the overall mood and tone of the series.
I love how every character has its own development and close up, it might be a bit overwhelming, but totally worth it.
Sadly, due to its complexity and the abstract nature of some of its themes, it may not be as enjoyable for those seeking more straightforward and lighthearted narratives.
I somehow expected a different end but i guess thats the magic of this serie <3
Might re-watch it soon!

Captivating, engaging, thought provoking, intelligent, and moving; everything that anime should be. If &quot;11&quot; were a rating option I would not hesitate to award Ergo Proxy with such a score. If Ergo Proxy confuses you, don't blame the series, but rather your intellectual short comings.

Normally I wouldn't write a review about something as such, however never have I been moved by a anime cartoon such as Ergo Proxy. So with that said, here is my first ever review of something.

Story (10) - The storyline is captivating from the very start of this anime, it does really draw you in and make you wonder how and why everything is the way it is. That alone is a very broad description, I wish not to spoil it for any or hopeful watchers.

Art (10) - The artwork regarding all of the different techniques used for this is a feat IMO, ... an absolute work of brillance to get all these different styles to fit into one anime, resulting in the beautiful breathtaking alustriousness that is Ergo Proxy.

Character (10) - Impressive. And that's being modest. Not spoiling anything, each character serves a purpose and it's made clear before the ending to clear up any confusion the watcher may have during the episodes. The dynamic ways the main characters play off each other are simply perfect, like a match made by fate.

Enjoyment (10) - Not having watched much anime cartoons as of yet, besides that of the faire on Adult Swim, I would have to say this is the best of the best to what I've experienced so far.

Overall (10) - If you are into the darker more serious types of anime cartoons, even when the child-ish type of character isn't annoying this is for you. Perfection in all aspects. Yes even, Q-Q-Q.... be it odd, was still something that made the series all the more richer. This series left me wondering if anything as good, "see above ratings" was available, and I am sure there is. It also left me wanting more of Re-L, Vincent Law & Pino.

Ergo Proxy is one of those anime you will either get sucked into and wanting more or just get bored and drop after a couple of episodes.

Story~

EP takes place in a post apocalyptic future where humans and autoreives (robots) co-exist. In the safe orderly domed city of Romdo, lives the main protagonist, Re-L Mayer. She works for the Intelligence Bureau as an investigator with her entourage-type autoreiv, Iggy. There's a virus called the Cogito Virus that's been effecting autoreivs that once infected, an autoreiv gets a "soul" and usually rebels it's master in an attempt to assert it's free will. Re-L's life takes a huge ... turn when she gets involved in solving the mystery of the monster known as "Proxy". Unable to let her curiosity go, she sets off on a journey with an immigrant named Vincent Law, (who is the key) and the little girl companion-type autoreiv, Pino to find answers. The story doesn't rely heavily on action and flashy badass fight scenes(although there's just the right amount of action, and when it does happen, it has your attention!) but instead wants you to use your brain and interpret things in different ways. This is probably why some people either love how it makes them think and want to solve the mysteries, or they may find it boring and uninteresting.

Art~

The art is very dark and gloomy and goes well with a post apocalyptic theme. The anime uses both 2D and CGI animation that works well to get the full effect of the world, without it being distracting. The characters are all unique and have a certain charm to them, and are more on the "realistic" side (besides Pino). Albeit the characters themselves can be inconsistent at times, e.g. Re-L's eye brows or face can look thick or it just looks sloppy. The art is very beautiful overall, and mature. You won't see chibis or over exaggerated facial expressions.

Characters~

Every character has a different and interesting backstory to them. They all have their goals and motives and It's hard to dislike any of the characters, even if they're the "bad guy".
Re-L Mayer is a serious edgy 19 year old woman who doesn't like playing around and is seen as stuck up and mean. Her appearance is very unique and refreshing from the usual big breasted, high-pitched voice, overly sexualized "badass" trope. She's strong and very beautiful and can take care of herself.
Iggy is Re-L's loyal entourage and does basically everything for Re-L.
Vincent Law is an immigrant who works for the autoreiv disposal unit. He lacks self confidence and seems very timid at frist. It isn't until he (literally) opens his eyes that he becomes stronger and determined. He also claims to be in love with Re-L.
Pino is a high end companion-type autoreiv who looks and acts like a real little girl. She's very smart and knows things that even Vincent can't figure out! She also insists on wearing a ridiculous (but so cute!) pink bunny outfit.
Daedalus Yumeno is Re-L's doctor and sort of protector of the captive proxy, Monad. He has a weird obsession with Re-L and will even risk his job for her.
Raul Creed is the cheif of security bureau who is also the father of Pino. He can seem somewhat cold and vindictive, but you can't help but feel sorry for him in later episodes.


Sound~

As for the music, The opening is in English and is an alternative rock song called "Kiri" by Monoral. The ending is "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead. In the show is full of ambiance and serious tones that keep you engaged in what's going on. It's a nice change from high pitched fast and colorful openings/endings. As for the voices, the English dub is very fitting due to their Western names, Western appearance, and Western theme of the show. I have yet to watch it in Japanese, I just can't bring myself to watch it in their original voices because to me it just looks odd (specifically Daedalus).


Overall Enjoyment~

I can't help but make this anime my number one all time favorite. This is really the only anime I can score a perfect ten in all categories, because I really can't find anything wrong with it. So it has some sloppy animation at times, but even the fillers are entertaining! A part of me wishes it had a second season, but I also want it to be nice and preserved for all of time. This is an anime that can be serious, funny, and very sad. Not many anime can make me feel all of these emotions!

Conclusion~

If you like post apocalyptic scifi philosophical dark anime with really good music and have patience, I highly recommend you watch Ergo Proxy from beginning to end. It also has a very high re watch value and I even recommend you watch it several times to really absorb all the little things it has to offer!

First of all, I want to state my bias for strong female heroines and dystopic sci-fi settings.

--- Story - 8/10 ---
The story starts out rather strong in episode one, though one of the main characters is sidelined till the end and so much attention is paid to the autoraves (androids) that it seems at first glance like an action-against-androids anime, a la Ghost in the Shell. Just wanna tell you, it's not. The ubiquitousness of the autoraves just serves to show you how dependent the people are on the technology they don't really understand in Romdeau.

While the plot keeps a lot from you, it does ... give you a lot of information. The pacing of the first dozen or so episodes loads information on you, then quickly jumps into the action. Then there are 5-ish slow episodes, in which nothing happens except fleshing out the world and characters. This is where the character development happens, and a lot of people think it's boring. Even though I don't like slice-of-life anime, and these episodes vaguely resembles that, I didn't find it boring. Vince, Re-l and Pino are dynamic characters who carry the show. I have to say, though, there were two episodes that it was really a chore to sit through (15 and 19). Then in the last few episodes, the plot quickly wraps itself up, and gives you vague hints as to what happens at the end.

For lack of clarity as to what happened in the last episode (I found out some things happened that I didn't even notice while browsing forums), and the sporadic pacing, I took two points off the story section. I found the end very satisfying and true to the feel of the rest of the anime though, and the mystery of the Proxies are very sufficiently explained.


--- Art - 10/10 ---
I found the art and character designs to be a huge strong point for Ergo Proxy. With Re-l's trademark eyeshadow and weird horn things that she puts in her hair, and Vince's strange red jumpsuit very weird at first, but attractive and visually interesting nonetheless. You get used to it. The backgrounds and futuristic machinery and gadgetry are well-designed and animated, and the action scenes are quick but are directed so that it flows easily. The backgrounds are painted gorgeously, and there are very few moments in the anime where I actually think, "Wow, Vincent doesn't look good from this angle" or so on. There is a part where a character is pushing aside some moss, and the painted graphic suddenly turns to just a green glob, then back into painted again. It's pretty weird.

For the opening, they do a weird newspaper-lettering over grainy, sporadically shaky projector-esque noir-y visuals. I can't say that it really appealed to me, but it didn't dispel me, either. The ending is similarly artsy and experimental. It works with the setting, but again, didn't really take to it.

All that said, the art is consistently excellent, and whenever a far shot would be taken of Romdeau or other scenery, it was striking.


--- Sound - 10/10 ---
The sound effects are crisp, the voice acting is good enough that I didn't notice anything about it (a high recommendation, really), and the opening theme song is so catchy that I would watch it through the entire time. The second song is from Radiohead, and if you've even dabbled in alternative rock, you've heard some of their stuff. It was a pretty old song for me, and while I liked it, I usually skipped it.


--- Character - 9/10 ---
Re-l is a sort of typical stoic, arrogant character, but she often shows little cracks in her facade. She seems to be very mature, as when I found out from a profile in episode 7 that she's 19, I was pretty shocked. I thought her in her late twenties.

Vince is a sheepish guy who's really quick to say sorry, but at weird times he comes across as being kind of crazy. In a yakuza way.

Pino is the token cute loli character who provides comic relief and the "oh, how cute" part of the show. It's not overbearing, so the dark, oppressive feel is maintained, but she pushes Vince around to get stuff done, which is adorable.

All in all, nothing groundbreaking, but solid characters.


--- Enjoyment - 10/10 ---
I really liked this anime. It was practically a recipe for what I like in anime: kickass female heroine set in a sci-fi dystopia, with psychological wtf moments as well as the occasional heartwarming. It had a hint of romance, just enough so that the shipping fangirl in me was satisfied. There was a lot of action, a lot of world-exploring, a lot of mysterious moments, and it starts and ends with a bang. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of the sci-fi, psychological, and surreal genres, and for people looking for something that emulates other anime but still manages to be unique.

Brilliant dystopian anime that is not made to please. Because a dystopia shouldn't be. The only 10/10/10/10/10/10 i will probably ever give.

Well this is, in my opinion, the best anime I have ever seen because it is like no anime I have ever seen. It is not made to please you or present you a simple story with likeable characters. It is made to make you think, to confuse you and you probably won't get it's meaning if you don't sink your teeth deep inside every single scene to suck out every little drop of imagery and hidden message. This anime is a masterpiece ... on it's own.

It's major strength that makes it shine above any other anime is that it's concept is so daring. No other anime dares to walk away so far from the mainstream even though you can clearly see that it's production wasn't cheap at all. No funny moments, no likeable characters, no "feel good moments" no easy plot, only a few actual cliffhangers.
Being probably the most polarizing work among AAA titles, this one will not present you a story that is easy to digest. It will shove a bunch of stones in your stomach just to see if you can carry their weight.
In fact most parts of the story are happening in the protagonist's mind. And it as a whole is a metaphore. You can't review on Ergo Proxy without starting to interpret it.

Story 10/10
So let's say this anime is about finding one's own identity in a system where everyone is supposed to be the same. Our character needs to clear his mind from the brainwashing he experienced. The system and it's ways of surpressing the individuality of people makes it hard for our main character to understand what he himself truly is: powerful. He needs to destroy society to heal mankind and the earth from it's wounds.

The earth is completely destroyed. The air outside is toxic and people only live in protected areas, artificial cities where everyone is put in line and is supposed to behave just like the system wants him to.
Most work is done by androids. People who want to migrate to the city have to prove their worth and their will to abandon their own self to fit into society. And then suddenly a mysterious creature starts murdering people.

The themes of Ergo Proxy certainly are not easy and this is not an anime to watch just to kill a little time and be done with it. Most scenes are only dreams and metaphors and sometimes you won't be able to tell what the "reality" is. Have fun... or not.

Art (10/10)
Ergo Proxy looks terrific. It has it's own style that can't be compared to anything i've seen so far. The characters look more human, each emotion is conveyed by their facial expression. But it's unique style is also meant to polarize. Nearly every image creates a cold, hopeless, dark and uneasy atmosphere.
I loved that weird aesthetic to it.

Sound (10/10)
The sound is minimalistic and absolutely on point. It helps the art to create that grim and dark atmosphere. The sound of a little android girl playing melodica in a ghosttown in a dark wasteland with only the wind blowing dust through the alleys. That's how you tell a story with a few images and few sounds.High quality production in every way.
The voice-talents are outstanding. Especially Re-l sounds icecold at the beginning and then her voice changes in tone according to her development.
Another point to mention: the soundtrack. Oh my god they put a Radiohead song in the credits. And it even sounds like it was written for the show (even though Paranoid Android was released years before Ergo Proxy was). Radiohead only gave their approval after watching the show (and they obviously liked it). I loved it as much as I loved the Opening theme by Monoral. It's weird though to hear some perfect english when listening to an anime opening and ending.

Character (10/10)
While Vincent is somewhat likeable because he is the typical loser at the beginning of the show, Re-l isn't likeable at all. She is a dick, cold and heartless with no visible emotion and therefore perfect for this anime.
The only thing that makes her appealing at the beginning is her curiosity and intelligence.
But Ergo Proxy is all about character development so there is much to see here in the course of events.

Enjoyment (10/10)
If you like sophisticated stuff like me, this one is a must see. It will make you think and reflect about freedom, identity, the system you live in, right and wrong, the future, emotions, life.
I recommend to watch all the episodes without pausing for too long to completely comprehend what is going on. Even if you do you should probably watch the anime twice or more in your lifetime to get everything.

Either you love or hate this anime but that's what art is about. What this anime clearly does is making you feel. It makes you feel terrible in a way you can enjoy. Have fun.

I wish we were allowed to place gifs in these reviews because it would be filled with gifs of people's surprised or otherwise 'WTF-just-happened" faces from How You Met Your Mother, The Office and Two and a Half Men.

A mind fuckery at it's finest. The first moment this show started on the first episode I knew I would be in for a hell of a ride. Although I do have to give a bit of credit to ZephSilver for suggesting this anime on account of us both being huge fans of Monster and anything mind blowing. I was curious to see what Ergo Proxy ... would make me feel.

Story:

My high hopes for this was immortal throughout this entire show. After the first episode I was hooked on a rod. The suspense and thrilling rush it gave me, made my nights almost sleepless. The dark, looming atmosphere gave the show it's own unique quality and pulled in the psychological theme and horrific genre into play. Although a few episodes threw up fillers, it didn't leave my vision for this show to be on of the best. These 'fillers' did tie into the plot more than I thought, and even brought in a bit of comedic relief we all love once and a while. The setting was toxic to the point where the geographer in me came out, wondering if our world would ever turn into this. It may not be a perfect 10, but in my eyes, this anime was too beautiful and inspiring not to give the story a 100%.

Art:

Dark and otherwise eerie, the animators didn't hold back to make this gothic anime one of the best. The background style doesn't do justice to mix in with the plot to make the anime even more mind-blowing. The soft, dark tones of the scenes with a hint of a steam-punk sub-genre style really was a cherry on the top. The character designs were absolutely beautiful. Never have I seen such gorgeous styles. Why anime can't be more like this, I will never know.

Sound:

Not only does MONORAL's Kiri set up the anime with an ENGLISH SONG from an ENGLISH BAND, but it creates the uniqueness to the whole thing. I don't think I've ever seen an anime ending and starting with an English song. In fact I was very surprised when I heard Radiohead at the end. Man, was that ever a great thing to hear. But these two songs just set up everything. It gave the watcher an exciting and anxious rush at the beginning and chilling feeling at the end. I never skipped them and fell in love with them both. The voice acting rolls (and yes I watched in dubbed) were prefect! Not only did my favourite VA play the roll of one of my favourite characters, but the other voice were just a barrel in the hole. Absolutely beautiful sounds.

Enjoyment/Overall:

At the end of this show I was sitting on the ground contemplating life for around...an hour or so. If I wasn't rescued by my friend, I would've sat there longer wondering why they didn't make more of this! I can easily say I went through a heavy withdrawal and had to be resolved by a bottle of wine and a medium pepperoni pizza, watching My Sister's Keeper with Cameron Diaz. I needed to cry. As much as I was content with the ending of the anime, the sense of loss was clearly visible. I love shows like these that play with your mind so much that make you bang it against your wall wondering what the difference is between imaginary and reality. This was incredible and I would watch it over and over again.

I give this anime a brilliant 100% on the Proxy scale.

~ STORY ~
The storyline of Ergo Proxy is pretty complex, and filled with mysteries that hook you and make you feel like watching it to the end so that all questions can be answered. Somehow I found that there is a parallel between the setting of Ergo Proxy and the Matrix. Both evolves around a world that seems to be a utopia but actually is controlled by something else. Both questions their worlds and talks about the existence of an "outside" world. Just like the Matrix, Ergo Proxy explores a lot on existence, and the meaning of ... it, and that set people thinking as well.

~ ART ~
Even though the series do not have many bright colours (most of the time it will be grey), the graphics are beautifully drawn and presented. Of course, considering that this series is filled with mysteries, I would think that the choice of colours are rather good, as it suits the overall atmosphere of the series. The way the characters are designed are compelling as well. The autoraves are depicted in a manner that I have never seen before (I mean, they look different from other AI in other series or movies, correct me if I am wrong). One thing I like most is the depiction of Romudo. This city looks totally awesome, and is really a utopia kind of state. Of course, the contrast between Romudo and the "Outside" world is huge as well, and the manner both places are portrayed matches the storyline.

~ SOUND ~
The opening and ending songs of Ergo Proxy suits the series a lot, especially the lyrics. The lyrics are mostly depicting a troubled mind, with words like "come and saaaave meeee". This exactly describes Vincent Law, and his state of mind. Voices of characters are good as well, as the tone used are mostly what we use in daily life (a bit darker, though) and it makes the series even more realistic. Ergo Proxy does not have much background music, mostly it's just wind howling away or machine making noise when the characters are talking. However, the natural background noise makes the series seem more eerie and mystified, and is certainly better than unnecessary background music. Overall, the sound suits the genre of Ergo Proxy.

~ CHARACTER ~
The characters of Ergo Proxy are very realistic. Each of the characters are very unique individuals, they have their own strengths and weaknesses, and what each of them are thinking is not easy to understand, and even if you understand, you won't be able to understand fully just like the real world. This makes the story even more engrossing as you will then try hard to figure out the characters.

Overall Ergo Proxy is a perfect case of a series living up to its potential. The stories and concepts in each episode are clearly and dramatically ( in a good way ) executed, leaving no impression of schizophrenia or lack of focus. It is like watching an intricate play, in the beginning, you are somewhat lost but you feel as if your'e supposed to be lost at first, and find your way in the journey leading up to the tale's conclusion.

Ok I've been thinking if i should write reviews about the anime i've seen so far and ergo proxy was the last drop - this is my first review on a GREAT anime.

It all started when my friend suggested that i watch it...and 8 months ago i got it with some other stuff but i didn't find the time to watch it (and watched a lot of other stuff). I must say that i honestly regret not watching this series immediately and leaving it for a whole 8 months.

The story starts out following a girl living in a futuristic city with robotic help (AutoReivs) and ... some other postapocalyptic features such as humanity nearly wiped out and the remnants living in a domed city. The 1st episode brings you into a world of intrigue and mystery concerning a strange city which seems to be a paradise of sort...but the paradise doesn't last with a strange beast loose and a virus roaming about. Though the beginning wasn't as brilliant as the rest, and maybe even boring to some we judge the story as both the exposition and the plot progression.
[story: 7]

The art was near perfect with each character having individual traits and being pretty well-drawn, near the end of the series i started noticing some mistakes in the animation itself - so the score isn't perfect.
[art: 8]

What actually moves this series away from the majority of what we have had in the past years is the sound. Instead of j-rock\j-pop we have some different rock both in the opening and in the ending. Apart from those, we have a good score, which also seems to be very fitting to the series.
[sound: 8]

As to not give any spoilers it will be hard to give a detailed review on the characters, but i can say that apart from the characters being very individual - they all seem to have a very special role in the meaning that the series gives out. Not only is every character unique, but they also have the traits that are required to give the series the deep thoughtful feeling it gives.
[characters: 9]

I really enjoyed watching this series not only because of the rare but noticeable and bright action scenes but also for the philosophical part that is given closer to the end - concerning the meaning of life and other aspects related to humans themselves.
[enjoyment: 9]

Overall: i recommend this series to those who look for something with good action scenes AND some meaning to all the actions that take place. The ending added even more to the enjoyment - it was worth it.
[overall: 9]

Oh Ergo Proxy, how to begin? First off I think I should say this is opinion based (mine) so of course this is subject to different interpretations.

1. Story: the story is complicated, but not in a horrible mind boggling way (sometimes). Oh yes you will be confused at parts as you try to piece the entire series together to get the full picture, but at the end it made me want to re-watch since I knew more of the world this takes place in and how the characters are apart of it. There are episodes in this series where I swear the writers where ... trying to get a philosophy edge really in there. The philosophy to be fair does take a look at characters issues they are dealing with, but it doesn't fully connect to the rest of the story. I can understand this not being everyone's cup of tea, but if you don't mind a slight detour into a philosophy class you probably won't have too many complaints about this story.

2. Art: The artwork is beautiful I must admit. The clean desolate future that gives great atmosphere to the story is a wonderful touch. The character designs fit in the backgrounds, once in awhile I'll see an anime where the backgrounds and characters look like they don't match up well, not the case here. And I will give props to the females design, hey sometimes its nice not to see a female character with boob concentration. This makes the girls all the more lovely to me.

3. Sound: I thought it was nicely done, it doesn't override the story or distract you from it. It matches so good I had to re-watch some scenes to see if there really was any sound at all. There are only two scenes I thought annoying and they had to do with an instrument a character was playing (we'll get to that in a moment.)

4. Characters: They do have depth, and there are reasons shown for most of them why the are the way they are if you sit and think about it. The only character I disliked is Pino, I think she was mostly there to be cute and I can't stand that sometimes. Hint *she played the instrument that annoyed me. -_-'

Overall: I do wish they had kept the darker tone of the begining of the anime, it seemed to start out as more of a horror sci fi and ended up as just sci fi. I still liked it but I see a lot of potential in the first episode for a scarier tone that unfortunately went away. I still enjoyed it though, it had interesting characters, a quest that did make sense, and a culture within it I do find interesting to discuss. So if your in the mood for a more serious anime with action and mystery and a touch of philosophy give it a try, just don't base the atmosphere of the whole series by the first episode.

Ergo Proxy is a one of a kind anime. It's dark and psychological and that's what I like about it. After I watched the first episode, I had so many questions and I had to keep watching to figure things out.

However, if you ask me, Ergo Proxy isn't an anime for everyone. I believe if you believe something, you have to be strong in your beliefs before you watch it. It does test some boundaries. And I recommend re-watching it once you finish it. If you're not very intuitive (especially if you just wanted to get through it), watch it again and see what you ... might have missed!

I probably don't have a bunch to add that hasn't already been said of this series, but I still would like to give my opinion. Ergo Proxy is easily one of my top 10 favorite anime. I went into it thinking it was going to be another really hard to understand and ambiguous series like Serial Experiments Lain (which was excellent, don't get me wrong). This series is rather deep, dark and mysterious like Lain, and there are some things that are not too easy to comprehend. Still it is still very entertaining and thought-provoking. It's much easier to understand than Lain, too. Anyway, enough ... comparing.

Story: 8
It's pretty hard to give a synopsis of the story in a few sentences, but basically (no spoilers), it is about Re-L Mayer, granddaughter of the Regent Donov Mayer (who is in charge of the domed city of Romdeau that they live in) who is searching for a man named Vincent Law who has a connection to a mysterious entity known as Ergo Proxy. The series takes place in a futuristic world, which almost looks post-apocalyptic. Everything is rather bleak. However, in this story, which is full of action/adventure, drama, science fiction, and [most of all] mystery/suspense, there are also some moments of comedy and romance mixed in, although the romance isn't the main part. So if you're not into lovey dovey scenes, then don't worry.

The story is very well developed and fascinating, and also shrouded in enigma, which pulled me in. Each episode presents sub-mysteries on top of the main one, said main one being what Vincent's connection to Ergo Proxy may be. I won't give anything about that away. In any case, the story has many twists and many jarring turns, which may confuse you at the beginning but will be explained later. Sometimes the abrupt shifts in the story disconcerted me, and I had to review parts of the episode some times before understanding what was happening. It all has a purpose though. A deeper meaning.

Also, the ending of this anime was amazing, but that's me.

Art: 8
The art is very good. I love the character designs and the art style. It's very fitting for this anime series considering its mysterious and sometimes creepy themes. The art is much more realistic here than in other anime, which gives the series a more serious and mature appearance. The character designs all suit the respective characters' personalities, too. The animation is very good also, but at times it can be a bit off. Also some of the character designs seem a bit different in certain scenes (a tad bit off-model). But these mentioned problems aren't too bad. They don't really take away from the series at all.

Sound: 9
The music is very good. This series has a wonderful soundtrack, mainly composed of ambient music and some rock, too, such as the opening theme, Kiri, by MONORAL and the ending theme, Paranoid Android by Radiohead. The bgms suit the scenes they are in perfectly. The voice-acting is very good, too, both sub and dub. No complaints.

Character: 10
The characters are the best part of this series. Every character is developed, and the main characters are the most interesting ones. They are very layered and all have interesting stories to share. The supporting characters are also very well developed and intriguing. Even the antagonists are given their own backstories and are expanded on to the point where you can actually sympathize with them in some episodes. Re-L and Vincent are, without a doubt, the best and most engrossing characters in this show. They are very dynamic. The Proxies are also very cool and fascinating.

Enjoyment: 9
I enjoyed this anime a great deal. It is slow-paced at times, and other times, extremely fast-paced. But it is still very enjoyable. Each episode went by quicker than I thought for me.

Overall: 9
This is a wonderful and smart series that deserves all the praise it receives. I'm not guaranteeing you will love this anime; I'm just giving my view on it. However, if you are into sci-fi, mystery, psychological thrillers, and some action, (with a deep and intelligent plot to boot) then this series should be given a try. I know I enjoyed it, and I wasn't even too certain of what I was getting into when I went into the first episode. But it was worthwhile in the end.

After hearing many, many good reviews on Ergo Proxy, I finally broke down and watched it, to find myself plastered the the screen with each episode. This is one anime no one should pass up.

Story - 10
I figured I'd start with the most important topic, the story. I found this story quite hard to follow, and no doubt in my mind, you will too.
With filling in almost every gap in the story line (I found a few parts unexplained, but they weren't important to the plot), the plot is laid out to you slowly. Not slow to where it is boring, but the kind of ... slow where you will be confused on the situations going on, until they finally reveal it... And sometimes reveal it several, several, episodes later.
This is a constant thing through out the series. Down to the very last minutes of the series you will still be asking "What is going on here?!?"
The plot line I have found very unique, not to say there isn't another like it, but this one is most likely the best. To sum it up, to me, I find the plot basically to be a "Self Identity Adventure", a theme that sounds boring, but Ergo Proxy pulls it off well.

Art - 10
The art is fantastic, so much detail and effort is put into the environments. They did a wonderful job with that. Characters themselves are drawn really well also. No complaints over any of it. This anime also takes it one step further and adds in 3D animation, which they pull off and use quite efficiently. My only complaint, is that I found the series dark. I had to mess with brightness settings on the screen to be able to see it. Most likely my monitor, so take this as a heads up that you may have to adjust your settings.

Sound - 9
All the sounds were great, none of those "Generic" sounds were used in the series. Great quality sound effects.
The music is amazing. I did find the ending theme a little "Eh" it me. It did not phase me much. Perhaps its just me.
The soundtrack is really good, I found it, for the most part, enjoyable.
For voice acting, I watched the "Dubs". The voice acting in the dubs were great. No issues with them. Then again, I rarely have issues with voice actors. Everyone fits the character perfectly, and the voices used in the Autoraivs were really well made. I was impressed.

Characters - 10
The characters in the series are really thought out well. The background history on all the characters are phenomenal. They too, tie in the with the story, and will leave you asking questions. Every characters back history is covered with no questions left.
The characters known as "Autoraivs" in the series are human like androids. With the voice acting and overall quality of how they delivered them out was excellent. Every character in the series was very believable. The overall performance from the characters are some of the best character designs I have seen.

I really enjoyed this series. It's one that made me wanna watch it a second time, several days after finishing it the first time.
This anime made its way to my favorite anime list in a blink of an eye.
If you are into "Cyber punk", Dark plots, or Mystery and suspense. Watch this. Even if you aren't into them, watch this. You WON'T regret it.

Overview:
Ever since "Akira" first hit the cinemas in 1988, the cyberpunk genre has had a large influence on global popular culture, with many different stories both in and outside of Japan drawing inspiration from or being explicit examples of the genre. One of the lesser-known examples is "Ergo Proxy", a 2006 original anime directed by Shuko Murase, the same person behind the even more obscure "Witch Hunter Robin". Of course, lesser-known shows are often such for a reason, and while it does provide the viewer with an interesting watch, "Ergo Proxy" ultimately fails to live up to the high bar set by its peers.

Story & ... World (7.5/10):
Thousands of years after the world was rendered inhospitable for normal human via an ecological disaster, humanity have managed to survive by taking up residence in various dome cities. One such city is Romdeau, where humans and special androids called AutoReivs co-exist peacefully. Of course, not everything is as it seems in this "boring paradise", with Re-L Mayer, the daughter of Romdeau's government leader, sent to investigate a series of murders called by AutoReivs infected by the Cogito virus, which causes them to become self-aware, and gets caught up in a conspiracy involving highly powerful humanoids known as Proxies. Connected to these Proxies in some way is Vincent Law, a mysterious immigrant who has no memory of who he is or where he came from. As fate would have it, it's long before Vincent and Re-L's paths end up crossing, and the two of them, along with the AutoReiv Pino, team up to uncover Vincent's mysterious past and the truth behind Proxies and how the world they live in came to be.

Does this premise sound confusing and a lot to keep track of? Well, you're just going to have to get used to it, because it really doesn't get any easier to understand as time goes on, with episodes frequently posing just as many questions as they answer, and the show often throwing out various jargon with minimal explanation to what these words actually mean. The philosophical narrations regularly done by Vincent and Re-L are also peppered with jargon, and even towards the end of the series I couldn't figure out for the life of me what the meaning behind much of what they said was, or if there was even any meaning behind it at all. It can also be pretty hard to care the conflict about the first few episodes, given that it's between various killer robots and a fascist government that controls every part of the city, though thankfully things do get a bit more hopeful from then on, though it isn't until episode 8 that things start to really get interesting.

On the other hand, the various themes presented in the show were enough to keep me intrigued. For one, it takes the concept of robots developing sentience and deconstructs it via the Cogito virus (named such after the first principle of Rene Descartes' philosophy, roughly translated as "I think, therefore I am"). While there are exceptions like Pino, both AutoReivs that develop sentience ultimately come to regret it, and end up going insane, which is the result behind the murders that drive the first few episodes and is the driving arc of a certain supporting character that I will not name to avoid spoilers. Furthermore, the pacing picks up greatly once we learn the basics behind who Vincent is, and we gradually learn more and more about the show's post-apocalyptic setting as he explores it (having escaped Romdeau after the first few episodes) while simultaneously seeing what's going on back in Romdeau. Ultimately, however, I still had a couple of questions left even towards the end, though the climax was ultimately enough to keep me satisfied.

Art & Animation (8.5/10):
You have to give Manglobe credit (or would have to if they were still around); "Ergo Proxy" looks really nice. The series boasts highly intricate visuals in a distinct art style that looks cel-shaded and even CGI at times, yet is unmistakably hand-drawn, with memorable character designs and very detailed and well-drawn environments. While it's far from the best-looking anime I've ever seen, there isn't really any anime that looks like it, and the animations are consistently smooth also. All in all, this is definitely one of the high points of the anime.

Sound & Dialogue (8.5/10):
No cyberpunk noir thriller would be worth watching without some atmospheric music, and thankfully "Ergo Proxy" has that in spades. Among the tracks that play during the episodes themselves, "New pulse", "Raging pulse" and "Wasteland nostalgia" are definitely some of the best. The opening theme, "Kiri", is good enough that I listened to it at the start of every episode (though it doesn't play until the third episode for some reason) and the ending theme, "Paranoid Android" by the English rock band Radiohead, is probably my favourite track in the whole series. As for the voice acting, it's good but I've heard better. Liam O'Brien, Megan Hollingshead and Rachel Hirschfeld all do fine jobs as Vincent, Re-L and Pino respectively, and the dub has a pretty solid cast which includes Yuri Lowenthal, Patrick Seitz and Travis Willingham. Even so, there isn't any performance that stood out as particularly great for me, though there weren't really any bad ones either.

Characters (7.5/10):
As I already mentioned, Vincent starts off the series with no memory of who he is or where he came from. And while the story of an amnesiac trying to regain his memory is likely one you've seen unfold many times before, it's one that nevertheless works. Initially, Vincent comes off as a total wimp who can't fight to save his life, judging by the fact that he was only able to escape from the authorities of Romdeau (who are after him due to being an immigrant) with the help of Pino, who despite being an android, is still very much a little girl in terms of appearance and personality. He even makes some really low choices just to save his own skin, resulting in the needless deaths of quite a few people, even they aren't directly his fault. As time goes on, however, he proves himself to be surprisingly capable and manages to save the people around him just as often as they save him. Once he starts to get his memories back, he becomes far more capable, which is even reflected by his entire face getting a big makeover, going from smooth and meek-looking to more wild and badass. As a whole, Vincent easily racks up the most awesome moments out of any character in the series, which is quite a feat from a guy who initially seemed like he was going to be an adult version of Shinji Ikari. Unfortunately, it's hard for me to say anything genuine about him since even his true identity is a huge spoiler. All I really can say is that he proves to be a completely different character from what you were initially expecting, and I mean that in very much a good way.

While Vincent is certainly my favourite character overall, Re-L would definitely be my second. In fact, the first four episodes follow her more than they do Vincent, and even after it's made clear that Vincent is the real protagonist, she still does a good chunk of the narration. Initially, she's a very cold person to pretty much everyone she interacts with, being focused entirely on her work as an intelligence agent. When she's on the job, she's always accompanied by her AutoReiv assistant Iggy, though she doesn't think highly of him due to him being a spy for her grandfather. In fact, she's shown to have a pretty low opinion of AutoReivs in general, though that's sadly justified given the cynical approach the show takes to androids gaining sentience and the fact that it's her job to hunt down AutoReivs on a rampage. Even beyond that, however, she even acts coldly to Vincent at first, who despite some questionable decisions early on is a genuinely nice guy to almost everyone he meets. But while she is pretty hard to like in the beginning, she slowly but surely defrosts as time goes on, not only becoming kinder to Vincent and Pino, but showing a surprisingly playful side as well, which is the last thing you would expect from her given her usual stone-cold demeanour. In addition, while she doesn't get as many chances to shine as Vincent, she's still very competent in her own right. Hell, she can even hold her own against Proxies, which in terms of power are basically this world's equivalent of Terminators.

Finally as far as the main cast goes, we have Pino, an AutoReiv who gets infected by the Cogito virus early on. Unlike most AutoReivs, however, Pino doesn't go insane as a result of the virus, instead developing a very innocent, cheerful and sweet personality much like what you would expect from a child, which is appropriate given that she looks like one. For quite a while, she's Vincent's only companion when he's on the search for his lost memories, and she proves herself to be very loyal to him. Considering "Ergo Proxy" can get very grim quite often, having an innocent character like Pino certainly helps to ease the tension, and unlike a lot of other child characters, she's rarely, if ever, annoying. Unfortunately, while she is technically part of the main trio, she doesn't get nearly as much focus or development as Vincent or Re-L. In fact, it's telling that the episode in which she has the most focus is also the one that has arguably the least to do with the overall plot, though that's not to say it's a bad episode by any means.

Other than the three leads, "Ergo Proxy" also features an interesting and varied cast of supporting characters. These include the aforementioned Iggy, scientist and physician Daedalus Yumeno (whose name is only one of several references this show has to the story of Icarus), security agent Raul Creed and his AutoReiv assistant Kristeva, among others. With the exception of Pino and maybe Vincent, nearly every character is some shade of grey (including the majority of the one-shot characters), all of them doing morally questionable things yet fundamentally having the best of intentions at heart, and you can understand why they take the actions they do. Admittedly, this means you're not given that many people to truly root for, since the vast majority end up opposing the protagonists for whatever reason and characters often end up dying both unexpectedly and tragically. Overall, the cast is by no means huge, but the characters do a fine job at getting you enticed in the narrative.

Enjoyment (7/10):
It's certainly no exaggeration to say that "Ergo Proxy"'s set-up ends up going on for a LOT longer than it needed to, with the story moving at a glacial pace for the first seven episodes (that is to say, roughly the first third of the overall story), which probably goes a long way to explain why many people fail to get into it. Even then, the series as a whole is generally very dark, especially in the beginning, and pretty light on action in places. Ultimately, while the series does carry a degree of hope that thing will turn out alright, it still never quite loses the bleakness, and it's ultimately left ambiguous as to just how happy the ending is meant to be viewed as.

Overall:
"Ergo Proxy" is definitely not a series for everyone, with its really slow-paced beginning, highly confusing narrative and really bleak tone, as well as all the philosophical talk that very few people will likely be able to make sense of. Even so, this is a series that's certainly worth watching if you're a cyberpunk fan with a lot of patience, with a unique art style, fantastic music and interesting, well-developed characters.

Score:
7.5+8.5+8.5+7.5+7=39/50=7.8/10