Made in Abyss is one of my personal favourites of Summer 2016 due to its amazing setting, atmosphere, and world building with amazing execution along with an amazing narrative. It shows us the dangerous and more grim side of things while making it completely thought provoking.
We start off this adventure with Riko, a girl with curiosity and the need to adventure the depths of the Abyss thoroughly. With no signs of fear, she heads on strong until her partner Nat gets into trouble with a creature. She does save him and with this, she meets a robotic boy named Reg. His origins at the time were mysterious and unknown to Riko. Thus their adventure as boy and girl, in search for a purpose begins.
Why do they feel the need to enter the Abyss? Why risk it all and go into a deadly place? For the search of Riko’s Mom and her whereabouts. Her curiosity and duty like feeling called her into the Abyss and Riko wanted to find the answer to it all. While they adventure and stray from what was called their home, they delve deep into deaths row. While they do this, their personality matures while they grow significantly as characters. Proceeding with caution and making the right decisions is all that matter. Because one little mistake and it may be then over for our adventurers.
Something I can appreciate about Made in Abyss is its use of colours and looking at the atmosphere within its full beauty telling us that great Storytelling isn't all they can do. While they're at it, why not insert a beautiful song while we look at some beautiful scenery? Setting the tone like that in the first episode and I knew that this series would be great.
I have read the manga before hand and seeing it brought out to life is much more satisfying. The way the voice acting is brought out, to how the creatures look, to the soundtrack. I might be praising the music too much, but I think it deserve just that much praise.
The objective here mainly is Riko and Reg in search for Riko’s mother and descending further into the Abyss, with more risks to come. The system of the Abyss is explained and how it works. Riko and Reg knows that this will be a very difficult trip. But they head in otherwise. Despite them being a lower rank (red whistle), they show bravery and proceeds.
Let me just say this to those who might not have a clue, but I suggest heading into this anime cautiously. It is by no means a kids show, so don't be fooled by the childlike artstyle. You'll find it more enjoyable and it might give you a more interesting experience.
What makes this anime for me is the atmosphere and the feeling once they go deeper and deeper. It seems ok at first, but as it progresses, the atmosphere becomes more dark and fearful along with an uncomfortable feeling. It's weird how Riko, who is only a little girl, dives into this deathly hole with little to no hesitation. Her drive is that insane. Which I find very odd in some ways. It's just not normal for a little girl to conceive all the consequences and dangers that lies ahead and just disregard those things in a sense and be on her merry way. Interesting how she's like that.
The art style and character design is not something you usually see, which gives Made in Abyss a more unique touch to it. The design will not appeal to everyone I'm sure, but I for one really appreciate how each character looks. With the Chibi looking artstyle to the very beautiful looking layers in the Abyss, the unique story, the execution, working together with the beautiful Soundtrack, Art, and animation, this anime is like ear gasms plus eye gasms. It’s very satisfactory.
As the anime progresses, so does Reg and Riko. They learn to trust each other better (although Riko looked like she liked Reg from the start with her happy go lucky attitude). They learn that the Abyss is no small thing and that they must learn that no help will come for them in times that they are in danger.
If there’s anything to complain about, it may be the fact that the narrative aspect of the show seems a bit slow. I found the character development to be ok, but overall this anime is my favourite of Summer 2017. I loved the death vibes as they went deeper.
The anime is mostly based around Reg and Riko and their adventure within the abyss. This is how you world build, this is how you make an adventure series, this is how you add violent scenes, this is how you create suspense, this is how to make someone truly cringe, this is how you execute storytelling correctly.
Made in Abyss does it all, with minor errors or flaws, it proves that little children going on a nice adventure isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
