This is a cute little show that, regrettably, will probably get passed over by a lot of people who genuinely would have enjoyed it due to the animation style. I get it, most shows that are fully 3D CG like this are of questionable quality (though most of those are actually mixing 2D and 3D, which is the actual problem, though that's neither here nor there). But, honestly guys? The animation here is quite good. Admittedly animation quality isn't what I look for out of shows so maybe it really isn't all that great if it's your number 1 concern, but if your big problem is that you think the animation will make your eyes bleed, that's not going to happen here. The still images in particular look fantastic, being genuinely pretty while still reinforcing the otherworldly, alien feel the setting calls for.
The show's main strength is its excellent (so far) world building. Information is presented to you piecemeal, allowing for a gentle, natural understanding of the world to be developed within the viewer, while still presenting just enough information to understanding elements of the world relevant to the plot. The show is very good at show don't tell; what dialogue directly explaining the world exists makes sense for the situations such exposition comes up in. The plot itself is not unusual, but that's only because of the unmistakable similarities to Made in Abyss. I wouldn't call it a rip-off, though obviously a lot of inspiration was taken from it. Unlike Made in Abyss, the focus is not on exploring the giant thing they're descending (they get down it quickly), but on the state of the world on the actual ground. At the time of writing this focus has only just been made apparent so it's hard to really rate it. Most of these early episodes have been very character-focused, and in that regard our two leads are both likeable and enjoyable to be around.
To balance out this thus far positive review, I'd like to emphasize that so far the plot has been quite generic. It's a standard rescue the princess story, no more no less. Hardly something that'll set the world on fire. If you're not someone who can just vibe with some decently-written characters who are pretty cute together in a compelling world you're probably not going to like this. Let me also emphasize that Made in Abyss was definitely better in every way even at this early stage, so set your expectations accordingly, though that also doesn't diminish what this show does well. Made in Abyss lite isn't exactly an insult, it's honestly a fine way to explain what this show is.
This show is for people who want to drink in its otherworldly atmosphere or for weirdos like me who just enjoy good storytelling techniques regardless of the qualities of the story it's attached to. The worst I can see this ending up as is a forgettable, generic adventure story with some cool visuals to remember it by. And honestly, compared to the mountain of unwatchable garbage that usually pollutes the bottom of the MAL charts, that ain't a bad thing to be. If you're even a little bit intrigued by what I covered in this review, I'd honestly recommend trying this one out and seeing where it goes. It may be someplace wonderful. I'd certainly love to see it. Once the show wraps I'll be sure to update this.
