Texhnolyze: V.1 Inhumane and Beautiful (ep.1-4)

For what it is trying to accomplish, Texhnolyze is an esquisitely executed masterpiece.

Texhnolyze is a show that is designed to show the darker side of humanity, and the lack of humanity some people have.

An example of this is the color choices: the washed out scenes exemplifying the sterility of the upper classes who become more and more machinelike as they physically trade in body parts for replacments, and emotionally reduce those around them to mere creatures whom should be honored to be played with; the dingy browns of the masses, who plod along so absorbed in their own sorrows that they probably not even lift a finger to help a dying man walking down the street; the dark shadows of night where the predators lurk; red blood that flows freely.

This is not for those who like clear cut, linear shows. The plot is murky (at this point anyway), the pace is slow, and the characters are unlikeable (although one has potential). Not all action is shown directly. Some people don't like this but I personally found that knowing what was happening while not actually seeing it was much worse. I'd much rather see the gore up front then let my imagination loose.

I think that the best summary of Texhnolyze is that it is a beautiful piece of ugliness.

I guess if I could sum it all up in one word, it would have to be masterpiece!

I watch alot of Anime and from the selection of titles that I have seen, that have been released this year, Texhnolyze is indeed a rare treat! Fans of Lain, Evangelion, Boogiepop Phantom, Ghost in The Shell, Akira, Haibane Renmei, The Soultaker and Witch Hunter Robin will very likely enjoy this engaging series as it is a highly complex puzzle to be solved, revealing itself in bits and pieces at a time. The pacing of the story is slow in this first volume but it is one of its strengths as the focus is brought down on realistic character development and gives a chance for the viewer to familiarize themselves with the surreal environment. However, things start to take off in the second volume as more answers are revealed about the main players in this story as well as the beginnings of the roles that they will play.

Texhnolyze is not an easy story to understand, and for this reason it would probably be best for the average viewer to watch one episode and then take a little time to reflect upon it before continuing on to the next chapter. For those persons that are just getting in to Anime, I very highly recommend this series if you found the original Matrix or Twelve Monkeys rewarding.

To stay true to the series, it was my intention not to reveal too much of anything about this story or it's characters but for those of you who are interested in going a little deeper...

http://www.texhnolyzedvd.com/

First, it's a very quiet story. No dialogue of any kind for more than ten minutes, then it's mostly one-sided (talking on the phone, to others who don't talk back, etc). Most of the setup is done in dystopic, frequently violent images, couples with disturbing sounds. For the first three episodes (out of four), this lack of spoken narrative is the standard. The slower pacing of each episode is a definite benefit, giving the viewer more time to "look around" in Texhnolyze's world.

Second, the use of clean lines and frequently washed-down colors adds to the bleak atmosphere of the episodes. The dream sequence in "Rogue 1:Stranger" is awash in white haze, with very little clear detail. (It is interesting to note that, given the plot of this series, white is the traditional color of death and mourning in Eastern cultures).

Next, the concept of a character whose clairvoyance is limited to only one of several possible futures is interesting, because psychics are not usually portrayed in such a limited way. Ran, the young girl in the (cat? fox?) mask is more realistic and sympathetic because of her power's limits.

Finally, the concept of a "Mob"-like corporation that provides its operatives with superhuman abilities for its own ends bears a certain resemblance to The X-Files, Star Trek's Section 31, and some episodes of The Outer Limits, so that will appeal to fans of general SF.

All in all, Texhnolyze has a strong beginning in this disc, but the violence and density of the plot make it unsuitable for younger viewers.