Nov 9, 2008
So, the first thing that comes to my mind when asked to describe Ergo Proxy: ABSOLUTE MIND F*CK. But don't let that scare you away from this wonderful and though-provoking series--this is an anime definitely worth checking out for the more mature audiences out there.
I guess the genre I'd put Ergo under would be scifi psychological thriller (oops, that's more like three genres, isn't it? -.-;). It's definitely a treat for those who want a break from the mainstream, with outstanding original story and character development that seems to be rarely seen in most popular series. Ergo certainly takes the normal robot-living-beside-human-turned-crisis to a whole
...
new level and turns it on its head with a unique plot full of more than enough plot twists.
However, it is the plot that should make you wary of what you're getting yourself into when you decide to sit down with this series; it certainly is a lot to grasp, and more often than not you find your head swimming not only with questions at the end of an episode, but also with a general "WTF?!" kind of feeling. To be honest, I was still feeling something to that effect even after the series concluded. Many episodes have a fragmented, lost tone to them, which fits the mood of the series but still gets tiring towards the end--and in the end, while most answers are given, there are still more than enough left for you yourself to discern.
The story and the characters of the series are amazing, though, and make up for the at times wayward plot. Taking much-done ideas--in this case, robots with a conscious, a post-apocalyptic world, a disillusioned, totalitarian civilization--and making them bad ass and fantastically fresh is no ordinary feat. Yet, the creators of Ergo Proxy seemed to have done it with ease. The story, revolving around the human psyche, the sin of god-like creatures, and purpose of life itself, delves deep and keeps you on the edge of your seat, wanting to know and learn more the further into the series you get. The characters themselves all have their own charm about them, and only add to the story with the intense character development that hits each and every one of the characters seriously introduced. It would take a whole other review to go into the topic of and praise the characters and character development used in Ergo.
And of course, the art and music in this series are just as good as everything else--wouldn't want to distract from the already overwhelming plot, right? ;) Anyways, the fight scenes between the Proxies are amazing, as well as Vincent's transformations themselves, along with the battle scenes. While not for the extremely weak of heart, they are certainly not anything like Elfen Lied are something, so no worries. The opening and ending themes of the series are also noteworthy, and two of my favorites out of all the other anime opening and endings out there--the music used is haunting, yet befitting. And I could sing along because they're in English. :)
Another thing worthy of mention is the extensive Greek philosophy references, among other philosophical references, used throughout the series. I didn't feel all to guilty about devoted hours to watching this series, because I got some edumacation out of it too.
All-in-all, I give Ergo Proxy two thumbs WAAAY up. Definitely on my favorite anime list now if it's not at the top, and I can't BELIEVE I hadn't watched it sooner...
:D
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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