Okabe is probably the most endearing megalomaniac you'll ever seen! This series follows his group of friends as they make a machine that can send text messages to the past, using a microwave and whatnots.
The story takes a deadly turn as they realize how much power their gadget holds.
CHARACTERS
I'm not gonna lie, I almost dropped this anime because of the characters. To make it simple, the only girl in this series who isn't in love with the main character is the landlord's 7-years-old daughter. I have a very short temper for stereotypical portrayal of women in anime, and this female cast is probably the worst kind of submissive/naive/insecure/kawaii/you-name-it.
That being said, I found out that Steins;Gate is an adaptation from a dating sim game. Which explained everything.
The girl characters are all filling a stereotype. You have the "cute" childhood friend who speaks of herself in the third person and isn't smart enough to understand what's going on, but will cheer for her buddy anyway.
You have the very shy temple girl, who is actually a guy. The opportunity to write a decent transexual character was lost to make him a comic relief of some sort.
Next is the shut-in who somehow spends her whole time outside. As a result, she uses her cellphone to text other characters instead of speaking with them.
The local maids cafe's star, who ends all of her sentences with 'nyan'.
There is also the clerk who works at the electronic store just below the gang's appartment. She is optimistic and easygoing, but has a dark past of some sort...
And the genious scientist who wrote a paper on time travel, but is a severe tsundere who cannot seem to deal with her emotions.
As for boys, Okabe, the main character, is of course handsome and insane. He is conviced a mysterious 'Organization' is out there to steal his inventions and make his plans fail. His accolyt, Daru, is an oversized hacker otaku with a perversed mind. Because of course, nobody can be given a shot at attracting girls except for the (player's) character!
But I watched the anime even though I had doubts, and I'm glad I did.
STORY
The first half of the story is very slice-of-lifey. It has a slow pace and hints just enough mystery here and there to let you know that something bigger is scheming. It can be long to watch, especially as the characters aren't the most interesting bunch to follow, but there is a genuine feeling of serenity and happiness throughout the show.
The second half revolves around time-travelling. It is well-paced and really makes up for the slow start of the series. The theories it presents are interesting, but the resolution to most of the problems Okabe encounter feel way to easy and lighthearted. It's as if the characters take decisions because it will resolve things faster, and not because they want to do it that way. It feels a little cheap at time. Not to mention cheesy.
Overall, Steins;Gate is still enjoyable. It has cute moments and an interesting concept, as well as a solid main character. But seeing the potential it has, handled better, this could have been a kick-ass show, instead of the okay anime it is.
