That said, if you LOVE in-depth character studies and are willing to slog through a lot of superfluous and confusing plot complications, then Infinite Ryvius might be for you. But please know this going into it: no matter how many episodes you watch, you will never understand why these kids are abandoned in space, who, or even how many, factions are after them, what the Geduld phenomenon is (apart from a plot complication), what the life forms within it are, what the Sphix is or how they relate to each other. And that lovely lady in pink? Your guess is as good as mine.
IR's biggest weaknesses are as follows: boring execution, inexplicable delays and poorly explained character motivations.
BOREDOM FACTOR
Imagine if before every space battle in Star Wars, Luke and Han had to spend hours typing up computer programs (known as solids), running thousands of simulations and remaining behind in safety as robotic "Garders" went out to do the pre-programmed fighting for them. Pretty boring, right? Probably 20% of all screen time in IR is taken up by kids behind keyboards typing. This is all they do during the slow moving battles, just type and yell at each other, as if the technology to pull a single trigger to fire a shot has not yet been developed. This is done in an attempt to make space battles more realistic but instead they become insufferably boring.
This is a real tragedy because it undermines the otherwise creative action sequences. When the Ryvius ship does battle with other space crafts, the gravitational weapons and tactics used are quite unique. Imagine an enemy firing thousands of magnetic mines at your spaceship making it impossible to shoot down each one. But with a gravitational weapon you can warp space ahead of the ship to create a gravitational well where all the mines fall harmlessly into a singularity. In another episode, an enemy traps the Ryvius in a gravitational field and attempts to crush it into oblivion. The method of escape devised by the crew would have been exciting were it not for all the typing and real-time computer programming involved. (I'm getting bored just writing that.)
ENDLESS DELAYS & CONFUSION
Nothing builds suspense better than a slow reveal - where the mystery unravels like a blooming flower. But when this is done poorly it can be quite insufferable and undermine confidence in the storytelling. This is most evident with Neya, the mysterious girl in pink known as the Sphix, who wanders the ship repeating sentence fragments uttered by the crew. People see her walk through walls, then show no further curiosity as to who she is. I'm up to Episode 23 so far and she is still barely acknowledged despite her great and magical importance. The purpose for this is because the creators of the show are not yet ready to tell the audience her secret - but they have long since worn out their welcome. I still do not know her purpose and with only 3 episodes left, I don't care anymore. [I finished the show and her existence is NEVER explained nor did she play a significant role in the outcome.]
For all 26 episodes, the Ryvius is never able to successfully send a single message or distress call to a colony, moon or planet - EVER - despite countless attempts. Turning mundane issues like communication into an unexplained impossibility is a plot device designed to force the kids to stay on the ship, but to use such an elementary problem to keep the story going is lazy, boring and repetitive. Were the kids on the Ryvius able to send out a single radio transmission, much of the conflict in the show would cease to exist. Again, I am on Episode 23 and I still do not know who the various factions are and why they are trying to stop or capture the Ryvius. What makes this even worse is that the kids on the ship would be more than willing to give it up in exchange for getting to return home - making the conflict of the show manufactured and based on misunderstanding - not a real threat.
If you have seen a preview or trailer from the show, it appears as if it takes place in some strange star system with a bizarre gaseous nebula stretching endlessly. We are actually in our own solar system and the gaseous nebula is known as the Geduld phenomenon. This is a deeply confusing concept that is never fully explained. If I understand it correctly, a strange neutrino burst from the sun caused this thick layer of miasma that spans the entire solar system. Within it are strange new life forms which, unbeknownst to most, have been harnessed into a special class of ships called Vaia, of which the Ryvius is one. Apparently, these life forms manifest physically as the soul of the ship, called a Sphix. Huh? On top of that, despite being a gas, the Geduld is a place of unimaginable gravitational pressure that can destroy a ship. This is a very complex, confusing set up with little rewarding payoff. Solar phenomena do not create life forms. Gaseous nebulae do not create astonishing gravity. And if the Geduld is a disk of dangerous gas, then why not just fly above it instead of forever dwelling within it?
CHARACTERS
The only parts of the show done well are the interactions between the characters and factions on board the ship (with the sad exception of the main characters - brothers KOUJI and YUKI). Early on, the adults and supervisors are killed leaving only 500 kids on board. The most well trained youth are the ZWEI BRIDGE CREW who do their best to save the ship. However, there is a crew of hooligans led by AIRS BLUE who gets his hands on a gun and inserts himself at the top of the hierarchy. This leads to some interesting dynamics between those who are most equipped and trained to lead (the Zewi) and those who covet authority and control (Blue's Gang). As their power dynamics shift, the effects ripple down through the ship's passengers. This is where the meat of the character drama resides. Some kids prefer less freedom in exchange for more security while others resent being told what to do for any reason and just want to lounge around to await rescue. Over time, "social classes" emerge, with those who are the most productive being rewarded the most ration points. As the differences between factions increase, we see resentment between the classes that start to form. Bridge Crew get unlimited ration points while everyone else has to work for their food.
There is a fascinating exploration of gender dynamics in the story, especially among women/girls. Some may erroneously consider it sexist but when the laws of the jungle descend on a group of people, the artificial gender constructs we foster and tolerate give way to reality. Many of the female characters are strong like Juli, a Zwei Member, who has a stint as captain, as well as Aoi and Cullen who do their jobs diligently. These girls are respected by their peers and earn their keep with their intelligence and maturity. But many of the girls, including those in Blue's Gang rely solely on their sexuality and feminine wiles to get their way, trading up from one gullible boy to the next all in the hopes of attaining the greatest power and influence they can. When the Blue Gang falls out of favor after being revealed to be opportunistic traitors, they are thrown in prison and there are implications the girls are sexually assaulted in their cells.
The most vivid example of this gender dynamic is between the most attractive Blue Gang member, Criff, and the meekest beta-male from the Zwei Bridge Crew, "Charlie" Turtleland III. Charlie is picked on, beaten and humiliated by Blue and his male friends, immediately followed by sarcastic sexual attention from Criff, making him the most malleable and gullible boy aboard the ship. After Criff gets everything she wants out of Charlie she dumps him, leaving him heartbroken. But when the Blue Gang is overthrown and imprisoned, placing Criff at risk, Charlie returns to defend her. When she is finally released from the brig, Criff decides to stay with Charlie because he is the only one who ever stood by her. Although this is an unhealthy, manipulative, co-dependent relationship that may turn the stomachs of many viewers, it is as real as it gets and very well executed. Later on, Criff finally comes into her own (briefly) when her nursing skills are put to use saving an injured Kouji.
The dynamic of girls getting what they want via sexual manipulation contrasts with boys who use force and violence to get what they want. After a few months in space, it is no longer safe for girls to walk the halls alone. Gangs of boys harass girls and weaker boys, desperately trying to get more food, prestige and luxuries. It gets so bad that martial law is declared and one of the more manipulative characters separates the kids by ability, keeping less useful passengers locked away behind bulkheads.
Sadly, the most unsatisfying and confusing character interactions are between the three main characters, brothers Kouji and Yuki as well as best friend Ikumi. The rivalry between the two brothers never truly makes sense. When it is revealed halfway through the show that they both care for the same girl, Aoi, I was shocked. There is no indication either brother truly loves her and their fights have nothing to do with her. The two fight over anything, everything and at the drop of a hat. Kouji is most often portrayed as having a "wait-and-see" - "get-all-opinions-first-then-reach-a-consensus" type of personality while Yuki is more of a take-charge, "act-first-think-later" kind of guy. Although these are very different personalities that might inevitably clash, the fights don't seem to be about this. They just start yelling at each other the moment they're in the same room.
With regards to Ikumi, he starts off as Kouji's best friend but the relationship goes off the rails later on. Ikumi ends up shooting Kouji and installing himself as supreme leader of the ship (all while brother Yuki watches on). Ikumi vows to punish even the slightest infraction, threatening to destroy any part of the ship where lawless behavior occurs, regardless of how slight. Even more disturbing, his motivations are later explained as overcompensation to make up for "losing his sister". I put that in quotes because Ikumi did nothing that ended up costing her life...Ikumi was sexually attracted to his own sister, forcing her to leave him. So Ikumi projects this loss onto one manipulative girl on the ship and does anything and everything to keep her safe, including killing, incarcerating and abandoning people he deems unfit.
Episode 26 ends up being a coda episode that takes place six months later. With the kids finally rescued, the government realizes that the ship is dormant without the kids on board and needs them back on board. Most of the main characters (inexplicably) agree to another tour of duty and they ship out as if nothing had happened. Apparently a clumsy way to ask for a Second Season that was never made.
