Ergo Proxy

Think of Ergo Proxy as Evangelion without the teen angst.

Ergo Proxy is a rich blend of well-realized characters, excellent animation, and dark surroundings. Not for the faint of heart or someone looking for a brief diversion, Ergo Proxy is anime for grownups. Occasionally, for pretentious grownups.


The artwork is simply beautiful. Character forms are realistic and exceptionally well-drawn. The musical scoring adds to the show and doesn’t distract, while the opening and ending songs hit the mark. The story is slow at points, but that’s simply the pacing – not a lack of effort or content. The show builds on several fronts; there is no single simple narrative. The characters are engaging, and Pino is simply delightful; she is developed brilliantly. All of the characters evolve as the story progresses, slowly and naturally: at the end you see, unsurprised, the “new” character as a natural progression of the “old” character. At the same time, the story changes and varies, without losing sight of the ultimate goal.

On the thinking side, the show dives into competing philosophies of man’s essential drives, the meaning of humanity and where the lines becomes blurry, and the nature of thought. It’s heavy stuff and periodically slow going. The anime wants you to think, and will reach over, grab you by the collar, and shake you a bit to get you to do so.

Watch it.

Tags: Seinen, adventure, drama, science fiction, post-apocalyptic

Rating:

Title:	Ergo Proxy
Episodes:	23 x 24 minutes
Published:	2006
Studio:	manglobe Inc.
Buy It:	Amazon.com
Details:	AnimeNFO entry
	Anime News Network entry