grayrebornnhy said:Everything has its rise, and its eventual fall. Fall to where? That is the question which surrounds Texhnolyze, a beautiful, yet tragic depiction of two different human worlds.
The idea of a technocratic dystopia has been a fictional plot device used often many times, with some being impressive and some being less than that. Classic works like 1984 and Brave New World generated interests towards such works; in the other side of the world, Japan takes on a unique approach to such works, with anime like Ghost in the Shell and Evangelion taking the helm. Definitely, Texhnolyze is one of the unique approach to such a subgenre, if one would call it such.
Did Texhnolyze do it well? This really depends on perspective. I, for one, appreciated the context in which Texhnolyze uses. It never fails to always remind viewers about the significance of the hellish world Lux is, even when moments of rationale involving one of the protagonists: Oonishi, seemed to sway our general judgement of Lux; even when moments of the surface world is revealed - everything comes back to square one: Lux is purgatory. In no way am I downplaying the role of the surface world in this context too - that is a different hell, something which contradicts Lux's form of hell in Texhnolyze. And talking about Texhnolyze, the main motif which can change both worlds by serving as a bridge between them - but failed to do so. Even technology cannot beat fate - the destiny of all human beings in the world of Texhnolyze.
Another praise would go to Texhnolyze's technical execution style, which is undoubtedly flawless. Its dark touches of tone colour, intense imagery with gritty and inhumane action sequences throughout the entire anime only serve to amplify its slow pace. The pace is perfect. Viewers get to feel like Texhnolyze is unlike any other world, but gradually make you think otherwise; for those who have recapped about the start to shockingly realise that the entire world of Texhnolyze has been something so much wilder and ominous than expected.
The perspective of Texhnolyze definitely is its strongest aspect, and is one which will either make viewers deride it or laud it.
Anagnorisis said:Here's something that might be of interest:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdist_fiction
Indeed, existentialism is a recurring theme in Texhnolyze, the freedom of not just an individual's existence, but also the right for an individual to take away another individual's existence without questioning. Hope does not exist in Texhnolyze's dictionary, as it is done in a fashion to portray the inevitable doom of humankind in Texhnolyze, which they had deservedly brought forth upon themselves. This touches on another recurring theme in Texhnolyze, which is balance.
Common sense may tell us that in all we do, be it physically, mentally and even spiritually, balance is the way to promote sustenance in everything we do. Texhnolyze, however, questions the opposite, and allows us to think once and for all, the result when that very balance is destroyed. We get two juxtaposing worlds, separated only by a rail and a flight of stairs - both facing their inevitable doom albeit by different means.
The portrayal of the two worlds with contrasting effect is another charm of Texhnolyze which is done superbly. One where people tolerate to live, and another where people live to tolerate. Take that toleration away, and both worlds crumble. Lux crumbles in the classical fashion, in which death and insanity took humanity away from them. Some tried to forcefully 'evolve' by being fully Texhnolyzed, only to realise that they can never toss away their innate humanity - the desire to wage conflicts with others due to differences. Kano realised that in the end, and in a way accepted his own fate in a cynical fashion. Whereas for the surface world, in which people slowly disappear just like ice melting, crumbling in a gradual fashion where nobody doesn't even care any longer. One which collapses due to clashes in different meanings, another losing its precise meaning.
Texhnolyze is a masterpiece. Yet, a masterpiece does not equate to the fact that everyone will appreciate and understand it equally - for one, humans are made unequal. Still, this difference provides us a sort of 'balance', the 'dichotomic' balance which is non-existent in the world of Texhnolyze. 10/10