Review - Ergo Proxy 01:Awakening
Reviewed by Richard Brownell on 8.22.2007.
Score: 9/10
A common theme in anime is that of a post-apocalyptic world. Typically these aren't desolate wastelands, but rather the rebuilt societies that come following a major event. But perhaps not so common is the world, post-apocalyptic or not, that views itself as a utopia, pretending that all is well in the world. This is the world of Ergo Proxy, one similar to those in sci-fi stories like Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick). In fact, Ergo Proxy shares more than just the overall societal environment with Blade Runner, but it does so in a good way that feels much more like a tribute than a ripoff.
Ergo Proxy is set in Romdo, a futuristic domed city controlled almost entirely by the government. If you want to have kids, you need to be certified. You have to work hard on your way to becoming a full citizen if you are an immigrant. The people who live in Romdo claim it to be a utopia. But as anybody who has seen the purple and black cover of this volume can guess, things probably aren't all bright and happy in Romdo. Romdo is dreary, very cold and lifeless. It's a reflection of the society that lives within it. The things that appear to have the most life are the robots, called autoreivs, that serve the humans.
In the beginning we follow the story of Re-l Mayer, an investigator in the Intelligence Bureau who could use some tips on the appropriate amount of eye shadow to use. Together with her autoreiv Iggy, she is called to solve murder cases involving potentially violent autoreivs. It seems there is a virus that is infecting them and giving them free thought. And in one case, she receives a message that an awakening is coming. She comes dangerously close to a mysterious creature called a proxy, and some other being comes between them to save her. Whether one of them is infecting the autoreivs or if it's something else completely, nobody knows. But when she looks into the proxy, she is completely blocked out from finding any information on it.
Vincent Law is an immigrant. It's not entirely clear where immigrants come from, but they have to go through a lot of grunt work before they can become a full-fledged citizen, and that last part is what Vincent wants dearly. He's in charge of repairing malfunctioning autoreivs. So it's no surprise that his path crosses with that of Re-l, though purely in a professional way. At first, he doesn't have any value to her case. That is, until he begins to discover where it is that infected autoreivs are going. And when the proxy gets him into a bit of trouble, he finds that perhaps where they go is where he needs to be headed as well.
Volume 1 of Ergo Proxy treats us to a strong start to a sci-fi anime show unlike many that we've seen. It feels like an animated Blade Runner with the production quality of a show like Samurai Champloo, which it shares creative staff with.
The animation is incredibly smooth and detailed, and it's in beautiful widescreen. What really makes the world work is the lighting. From the mysterious government rooms to the dimly lit alleys to abandoned buildings, everything is detailed and lit in a way that makes it feel real. Still, the lighting never makes anything feel too happy or vibrant, in order to keep that cold environment going.
The sound effects complete your immersive experience. The robots, computers, and even certain parts of the world are all given quality sound effects that in some cases make the world feel alive, and in others, make it feel creepy and dangerous.
Ergo Proxy is my kind of show. It's got an interesting setting. The action is well animated. The characters are compelling. The plot leaves me with many questions, always wanting to know more. But most importantly, even though it is inspired by or similar to stories in anime and other mediums that have come before it, it feels fresh during every minute.
Special Features
· Geneon Previews
