Anime Fix

Ergo Proxy : 9.1/10

TV Series; 23 episodes
Feb 5/2006 – Aug 12/2006

Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Psychological

Original Author: Dai Sato
Production Studio: Manglobe Inc.
Director: Shukou Murase
Music Composition: Yoshihiro Ike

Plot
The dome city of Romdo is home to citizens, immigrants, and AutoReivs, androids built as companions to humans. Many immigrants are seeking citizenship status, following the war with Mosque, a bloody battle, the reasons for which are known only to the Administration Bureau. One such immigrant, Vincent Law works within the Investigations Bureau. Vincent has become infatuated with one of his superiors, Re-l Mayer. Re-l believes Vincent to be an ordinary and mundane person, a perfect candidate for becoming a citizen. As Re-l hunts and exterminates a variety of AutoReivs that have become infected with the Cogito virus, a flaw that adds human emotions to these androids, she mysteriously happens upon a monster-like being known as Proxy. The resulting cover-up by the Security Bureau serves only to cement Re-l’s determination to learn more about this monster, and its relationship to Vincent.

Conclusion
Ergo Proxy captures extremes in a variety of ways, just as the series characters, plot, and scenery are both over-stimulating and overly mundane, so would be the opinions of viewers of this series. Even though there will be viewers lost by some technical jargon or the more calculating pace of its action, Ergo Proxy breathes life into a strong plot concept, incredible characters, and awesome philosophical concepts that are presented in the most efficient, thought provoking, and least condescending method I have ever witnessed. This series is fully deserving of a cult following, it is both artistic and brilliant, and deserves a number of accolades as it succeeds in a strong majority of all it attempts to instill within the viewer.

Characters

Re-l Mayer acted by Rie Saitou
An Investigations Bureau agent and granddaughter of the reigning regent of Romdo, she has grown unsettled, and feels her life growing stagnant. While investigating along side her entourage AutoReiv, Iggy, she becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of Proxy and its connection with Vincent Law; sacrificing her life in Romdo, and all she knows in order to find the answers she seeks. Saitou brings an impressive hubris and confidence to the character, her lack of emotional range, surprisingly, proves to be a positive trait, as it serves to establish a strong and interesting persona.

Vincent Law acted by Kouji Yusa
In Romdo, he acts out the life of an immigrant seeking citizenship. His encounter with Proxy makes him a marked man by the Security Bureau. He soon flees the Romdo dome, and ventures into the wasteland outside; as he begins his exploration of his troubled past, and seeks to regain his lost memories. Yusa presents a uniquely frail and confused character. He must transform his character from a capricious and content man lacking an identity, through self-deprecating and emotional attempts at creating an identity, and into a character filled with power and ambition. His ignorance and frustrations set a slow, pensive tempo for the storyline.

Pino acted by Akiko Yajima
This companion type AutoReiv, following the death of her mother, and being abandoned by her father, follows Vincent as he escapes from Romdo. Due to her infection by the Cogito virus, she continuously expresses her curiosity as she learns more and more about what it is to be human, and the emotions attached. Yajima adds life to the script. Her performance and tone provide for scenes with deep, thoughtful connotations, and do so with tremendous emotional impact from more simple portions of the script.

Genre
Ergo Proxy opens an interesting and broad futuristic vision. Its scope and detail are reminiscent of works by Phillip K. Dick. In many ways, this series blends the beautifully meticulous imaginings of its creators with some simpler present day structures and constructs. Elements of mystery and suspense within this series are drawn out, but presented with magnificent visual and literary explanation. This series finds its most comfortable niche as an adventure, yet manages to redefine the genre in a variety of methods. Pino, in her silent exploration becomes the catalyst for plot advancement. Unlike a traditional adventure, it is not a simple happy resolution to each scenario, as Vincent moves from place to place he drags a violent wake of destruction in tow. Ergo Proxy presents the monotonous and dreary hardships of travel as well as, if not better than, any story I’ve ever witnessed.

Themes
Similar to many stories of self discovery, this series is wrought with different themes. The spreading Cogito infection, and Romdo’s vigorous attempts to root it out, signifies humanity as a contagion, a disease causing malfunction to ordered beings. Irony presented in Re-l, a human, continually trying to put a stop to the epidemic, as all humans are as the story approaches its conclusion. This concept of creation/annihilation contrast is made into a microcosmic chain by the story writers, as creator passes down judgment upon their flawed creations, from Deity to Proxy, Proxy to Human, and Human to AutoReiv. Government structure within Romdo is a unique amalgamation, blending Theocracy, Oligarchy, Communism, and Bureaucracy, the sole purpose, maintaining the status-quo. The character of Proxy represents one of the more stunning themes. The creator of humanity, distraught by his fate as a destroyer, selectively forgets his purpose, choosing to live and love as a human. This messiah archetype, often difficult to present, within Ergo Proxy becomes chastised, lost, and also happy, making for one of the most interesting protagonists I’m yet to encounter.

Style
Character designs in the series are far from elegant, but their dark and drab coloring serves to convey the appropriate mood. The most stunning aspects of this series, which is truly saying something, lies in its often breathtaking backgrounds and flawless attention to detail. Few stories even attempt, let alone fill themselves with the unbelievable variety of conceptual constructs littered throughout Ergo Proxy. From AutoReivs to Dome structures, city layouts to computer systems, laboratories to airships, the wealth of creative concepts in this series draws comparisons to visionaries like Jules Verne or Stanley Kubrick. The music sounds good, some questionable mixing and redundant electronic rhythms are small slights, but sound effects are often impressive, and the opening and ending themes both leave the viewer waiting for, or wanting more.

Opening Theme

“Kiri” by MONORAL
Ending Theme

“PARANOID ANDROID” by RADIOHEAD