Rarely do you see a show that attempts to cover a huge part of history and reality itself within this art style. And when they usually try, most of the time it ends failing in certain aspects because of the lack of connection between particular things in set show, or the lack of information and effort put into set show. I have given a rating of 10 for 6 shows that are made on another level compared to anything else I have experienced in any kind of media. And if you go and see my list, I am sure that each and every one of them deserve it, regardless of what they were portraying. But never in my life did I think that I would find a show that can successfully adapt every aspect of those amazing shows. Never did I think that a show can portray so much in such a breathtaking manner as Ergo Proxy did.
Story - 10/10
The story of this show is written in a mysterious manner that takes you on a journey of discovery from the first to the last episode. Every episode is written so that it has a metaphor to some aspect of human history of philosophy, psychology, literature, art and/or science. Every second of the plot is twisting into an unknown future where you question everything that comes to the thinking mind. It challenges the viewer to try to comprehend it's seemingly unending and confusing storytelling within storytelling. It is written to the upmost level of excellency that not everyone can comprehend. Watching as the story progresses I found myself more and more driven inside of my mind, trying (and thankfully succeeding most of the time) to understand and cherish its brilliance. Set in a melancholic, dystopian earth, it manages to portray the past, present and future in a truly awe-inspiring, dark, psychological, demented relationship of humankind and the ideas and realities behind divine deities.
Art - 10/10
The dark, misty and sad tone of the world depicted is nigh irreplaceable. Every location has it's own unique way of expressing what the story is trying to tell. Every dome uniquely crafted to represent different parts of the world. Every molecule shivering in the shadows, casting the dark glare of despair upon everything. And as far as the character's designs go, well, they are not only memorable and beautifully drawn, they all manage to pull of the exact look they need to have for the role they play. Especially Ergo Proxy and Re-l Mayer.
Sound - 10/10
The music director on the board is Ueda Yasuyuki, and as he has proven himself previously, he managed to create one of the best possible playlists that continually provide the show with it's necessary tone and fuels the characters forward. The ending theme is yet another fantastic song by Radiohead - Paranoid Android, reminding you of the character's behaviour in the show every time you hear it. And then there is the opening theme, with the song Kiri by Monoral. And I can only describe it as the single most breathtaking, dark, desperate, melancholic, artistically challenging, mind-blowing, goosebumps-giving, nostalgic and beautiful opening I have ever heard and experienced...
Character - 10/10
I can't say much about the characters of the show without spoiling any of them, but I will try my best. Each character (whether main or not) has a singular purpose that he/she/it will fulfill. They all represent different forms of human emotions, though collections, behaviour, relationships and most important of all - forever questioning intelligent beings capable of creating the most bizarre, provoking and rule-bending stories that seem ceaseless throughout time and space. Although it might seem that their build up is slow from the start, every moment they exist is of great significance. They way they unravel different truths throughout the story shapes them in ways that are simply put human, making the evaluations and principles of humans which are regarded as universally valid, not applicable, or at least questioned with doubt. Also the conversations and interactions led between characters are sure to make you feel the millennia of human evolution.
Enjoyment - 10/10
They way that all of the previous elements interact with each other gives a sensation while watching that is yet to be rivaled from anything that I have ever experienced. The pacing of the show is excellent, the character development is astonishing, the animation and music are gonna make you remember them for as long as you live.
Overall, all I can say is that this show is even beyond the "not-everyday,not for everyone" anime that I know of. It was an experience that will not be replaced by anything, at least for me. The entangled story will meet it's final form at the end, and it will surely leave you speechless, enjoying the silence after the Ultimo.
