Dennou Coil starts in a pretty unforgivable manner. You are thrown into a world of near future where people can access virtual reality via special glasses. This VR is connected to everyday life and exists as another layer of reality. There are virtual pets, lasers, big funny looking antiviruses called Satchii and much more. And there is something else. Something perhaps more sinister hiding inside this space.
The story slowly builds up. Stakes become higher, and as the mysteries begin to get solved you are left with your jaw on the floor. I have no idea how creators of this anime accomplished task of having incredibly smart and somewhat complex script, which encompasses themes of loss, grief, obsession, humanity, reality, love and hate while still being a kids show.
The characters are relatable, funny and quirky. Each of them has their flaws and each of them has their goals. No character exists only to move plot forward or be a cliché role player.
Production is great. Even though the series slightly suffers from bland colour pallet it is intentional and meaningful. The animation itself is very soft. The way some characters act and move reminded me of works of Hayao Miyazaki. My only problem with the production are the character designs (especially their noses, they kinda look like monkeys) but that’s purely subjective and won’t really affect the overall score.
The music is noticeable in a good way. Playful tones during comedy scenes mix well with violins during serious scenes, creating good contrast. Some anime tend to overblow the playfulness or seriousness but Dennou Coil creates a good mix.
Voice acting is good. One of the characters sounds older than she should but I understand why it is the case so I can overlook it.
As for enjoyment I had a blast. The main storyline is excellently structured. Few of the episodes from the middle of series could be considered as “filler” since they don’t really add much to the main plot line but these episodes in on itself are very well written and serve as simple exploration of deep themes . Once again I must praise the way writers handled such things in understandable and meaningful manner. There is one half recap episode but I think I can forgive the show for that one.
Overall this is an excellent anime that works for kids and adults alike. The story is simple enough that a child could understand it but complex enough that an adult would be interested. It teaches valuable lessons, is funny, smart, scary at times, and overall enjoyable. According to rumors, it also has best dog in anime.
