What's most disappointing about this series is that it had the potential to be the next mecha icon along with landmarks like Gundam and Gurren Lagann. The art and animation mixed with the jazzy, catchy soundtrack offer hours of splendor to drink in, and the mech designs are some of the most distinct and visually pleasing I've ever seen--particularly the series' unofficial face Big Tony. But all of that gorgeous attention to detail is constantly interrupted by the series' grating main protagonist, Memempu, and a slew of plot points that zip around all over the place if it will create some kind of conflict. Character motivations and attitudes will shift to absurd degrees even to the point of getting deadly, but then the character that character was after somehow manages to survive such a horrible injury and they both forgive each other like there was never any bad blood just because the target admitted that he had been in the wrong.
Then there's the problem of the dynamic between Memempu and her father, Gugumber. There's a quote by Jesse Ventura that says, "I'd rather my kids have an average intelligence and common sense instead of being geniuses who have no common sense." Memempu is the embodiment of that phrase. For as knowledgeable as she is about physics and the like, she may be one of the stupidest anime protagonists ever written. Her father is supposed to be the logical foil to her. He's a drunk and a bit of a failure when it comes to his own life, but he's got the common sense where it counts to care for his daughter and get everyone through the Labyrinth safely.
Too bad he's constantly lambasted by every other character for his shortcomings even when he is so obviously in the right, while Memempu is simultaneously praised for being so smart and driven despite her actions sometimes landing them all in hot water. The last few episodes are actually surprisingly good, at least, with a profound message in episode 11 and actual character development for Memempu, which naturally leads to a huge climax and revelation in episode 12 and the true depth of Memempu's and Gugumber's familial love shown in earnest.
I'm not going to lie that I'm actually interested in seeing a second season, because there are hints that things could get better provided the author of the novel recognizes his own narrative shortcomings later on, not to mention this underground dystopia is one of the most fascinating anime worlds I've ever seen. But unless that necessity becomes so, this has just been another crapped-out light novel adaptation from a steadily stagnating industry that is more concerned with making money off of the current disposable season of anime rather than making a modern classic that will be remembered decades from now--no matter how sexy Zackletu's abs and legs are.
