The entire progression of the anime, rather than the development of a story, is the slow revelation of the nature of the world the characters live in. There are battles, there are mysteries, there are conflicts, but all of these, rather than focal points, are vehicles through which the characters discover more about the history that led them to where they are now. And yet despite this, the obstacles really do matter, and when peoples' lives are on the line, you truly do feel the fear and anticipation involved.
The designs are utterly breathtaking when you take the time to appreciate them. From the characters' clothes to the creatures and monsters, you realize that, to make this anime, the designers completely threw real world designs out the window, and created things from the ground up. The innovation and creativity they showed, just with the protagonists' clothes, is wonderful.
The characters themselves are very real, even despite the surreal world they happen to live in. Their interactions are interesting, and their journey is engaging. The only part of their interactions one might not enjoy is their very sexually free views. As such, we see some yaoi and yuri that some viewers may not be comfortable with.
The magic, while a central aspect of the world, is not the focus of the story, just another facet. The fine details of it are difficult to pin down, and it maintains a sense of mystery even at the end. The characters appear to have near limitless power, and yet manage to fit into a world without seeming overpowered thanks to the lack of focus on this aspect.
I thoroughly enjoyed this anime, and highly recommend it to viewers over the age of 18, as the subtleties of the show may be lost of younger viewers. If you love shounen manga, and can't enjoy an anime without battles, then this one isn't for you, but to everyone else I say watch it! You will thank me!
