Customer Reviews

Texhnolyze - Inhumane & Beautiful (Vol. 1)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"LUCKUSS, the city of despair and violence..."

This is definitley a unique anime, the story is complex, the characters are clouded and the dialog is minimal. Basically it takes place some kind of city thats beneath the surface of earth. This underground city is being run by gangs and there is a technology that can replace lost limbs when cut off... which seems to happen alot down here.

Episode 1: the first episode is rather confusing... there is barely any speaking and you're forced to understand the story through silent happenings and flash backs. We are introduced to the main character who doesn't speak once but seems to be a professional fighter.

Episode 2: the still unnamed main character gets a arm and leg cut off by a gang that he seems to be running away from. there is quite a bit more talking in this episode, and it basically shows us his journey through the city without his right arm and left leg.

Episode 3: a woman finds the still un named man missing limbs and takes him to a facility.. there he gets texhnolyze limbs created for him.. but will he allow them to be put on?

Episode 4: finally.. the mysterious man gets his texhnolyzed limbs... and what does he do with them? he tried to destroy them. He isnt happy about it and he goes wandering through town.. the end for now

The packaging art is nicely done and is the reason i bought the anime to tell you the truth (cool artwork). the back of the case uses a unique description by showing us some short profiles of the main characters in this volume. episodes in this anime are referred to as "Rogues".

All in all this anime seems to have surprised me.. after viewing the first episode i felt that this anime was definitley not for me.. but after finishing the other 3 episodes i started to grow interested in the plot and i now plan on purchasing the next volume in june. on a side note i really enjoy the opening and ending songs.. the opening is performed by juno reactor so you better believe its some kick ass techno, and the ending is a group/performer that i am unfamilar with but he does a good depressing acoustic song.

Texhnolyze is not only one of the most unique anime series ever produced, but frankly, I would not feel I was going ut on a limb by saying it is simply one of the mosty unique, and moving pieces of motion picture ever done, particularly so if this is limited to the animated medium.

This is a very dark, melancholy series, and is very challenging for the viewer at points. I just completed it for my second time through, and only now do I fully appreciate the depth and feeling this series has to offer.

Texhnolyze is science fiction, a story about a humanity divided between the worlds of dark and light, at the twilight of our time as a species. But instead of dwelling on the science fiction and technological aspects of the story, it instead focuses on the human stories that are at the core of the series. The characters all evolve, and provoke the viewer's sympathies. It is nearly impossible to label individual characters as "good" or "bad" here, rather, we get to experience the cast of players discovering themselves, and learning about the world they inhabit.

I cannot recommend this series enough. If you are a fan of Lain, Boogiepop Phantom, and other dark, heady anme series and films, don't even hesitate to pick this series up immediately, as it will be one of the favorites of your collection (especially upon repeated viewings, which it absolutely demands). And I think anyone who appreciates true, 21st-century art in its purest form will take something from Texhnolyze, as it is simply deeply moving and provocative, as well as totally gorgeous in its presentation, music and sound design, acting and writing. Five stars, and I would give it six if I could. One of the best.

Texhnolyze... surreal, dark, mysterious, unpredictable, interesting, intelligent, highly complex...

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/

Texhnolyze is really really weird at first, especially since most of the first episode is in complete silence. Silence is ok but when even the visual leads you nowhere it starts to get at your nerves. The animation is excellent but the story is lacking a bit. The good thing with this is that the first and second episode are the ones that would make you turn it off but the remaining ones get you interested. If you can't wait this out then I can't blame you the beginning is boring as hell but it's almost worth the wait when you get deeper into the story.

Since I'm a writer, as well as a fan of SF and anime, I thought I'd like Texhnolyze. I really like it-- but it's NOT easy to understand it. Others have detailed the plot, so I won't try; but I will give impressions on some things that struck me right away from the first volume.

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.

Texhnolyze has an intriguing plot centered on a power struggle between two organizations in a run-downed underworld. The music, characters, and nice animation do a great job giving the show a dark, depressing atmosphere. The show appears to have a lot of potential.

So why did I take away three stars? I have my reasons. First of all, the first four episodes felt very long for me. Lots of unnecessary imagery is put into the four episodes making them drag on and on only moving the plot along by an inch. I felt these first four shows could have easily been combined into two or even one if these filler scenes were chopped out.

The second problem I had with these episodes is the show jumps around different people's view points very often. It creates unneccesary confusion in the story and I'm not a fan of watching DVDs over again because I was confused with the plot. I was able to get the gist of what was happening, but it took some heavy thinking.

I find the idea of this show very interesting, but it goes at too slow for me. Hopefully the next DVDs will run at a faster pace and be able to tie the lose ends in the plot. But since all of the episodes in Vol. 1 are full of imagery, I think the rest of the volumes will follow the same pattern. I would rent this DVD before you buy it.

For those who were thoroughly enraptured with the Lain series, this new one will probably keep them just as interested because of the many similarities they have (or appear to - I've seen only the first 4 episodes so far).

The setting for this new series is a dark, rather run-down city called Lukuss, where people generally try to remove the limbs of their opponents to survive. The title "Texhnolyze" refers to the technology used to create new limbs for those who have lost them.

The first episode is a strange one indeed: there's no talking at all for almost the first half, and I was generally confused through most of it. In fact, I was confused through most of the episodes...but after letting them sink in after my initial viewing, they began to connect and make sense.

The focus of the story (at least for now) seems to be this prize fighter named Ichise, who has one arm and one leg violently removed by Onishi and his henchmen when Ichise basically steps out of line (the first episode basically describes how and why, though not clearly). Onishi seems to be the leader in control of the city of Lukuss, though he is constantly attacked by "freedom fighters" who are against Texhnolyze (the details on this are not fully explained as of yet either).

Ichise seems to be closely involved with Texhnolyze and its development, although details are also sketchy. This and other things will most likely be explained in later episodes. In any case, by the end of the 4th episode, he has two Texhnolyzed limbs to replace his missing ones.

Without going into any more details, other interesting characters are Ran, a little girl (a reminiscence of the girl from Lain?)who can see bits of the future, her grandfather "the Sage" (he has something to do with Onishi, but that's vague too for now), and a really mysterious character called Yoshii, who comes from the "surface-world" outside of Lukuss. The ties between all these characters are already becoming evident, and it really will be interesting to see where this series will go.

As for look and feel, it's a lot like Lain (the ever-present glowing train tracks always reminds me of the humming power lines in Lain)...although I find myself even more disturbed by these 4 episodes than all of Lain already. And the sci-fi aspect is even more prominent here than in Lain.

Even if you're not a fan of Lain, you can't deny that it was a very unique and interesting series that should be sampled at least once. The same, I think, should go for Texhnolyze. It may very well annoy the hell out of those looking for a direct and clear plotline...like Lain, it is definitely not designed for the impatient viewer. But like Lain, I think it will be a rewarding experience for those who definitely believe that nothing is what it seems.

For those interested, there's a holographic cover card that comes with the first disc...probably a special edition addition.

For lovers of Lain and Boogiepop this is the new flagship. I've seen the original broadcast from start to finish and I have to say it's a real masterpiece. Whilst the early portions of the show are slow and (very deliberately) painful, as the producer admits and regrets on the R1 DVD interview, the episodes are still quite excellent, and things seriously pick up when you stick with it. There are hints that you're in for a real treat around about the fifth episode (read: beginning of what will be R1 DVD Vol2) and from about the seventh episode (read: beginning of what will be R1 DVD Vol.3) things start to heat up in a serious way. Ultimately, the ending is stunning, satisfying, totally unexpected, and steers clear of the muddled vagueness so common to the genre.

Hop on board if you're a fan of experimental anime. But do be warned that the R1 subs are a little awkward and the dub script utterly abominable. Don't let this turn you away from a work of genius, though. If you think this show is stock or predictable, you're falling into the trap. That's what they want you to think, then they turn it all upside down! Stay tuned for an awesome and shocking show, people.

I had this review between 3 and 4 stars, but since the animation style is overwhelmingly breathtaking in terms of its ability to establish and sustain an apocalyptic mood without actually saying so, why not 4? There's no plot (at first), but that actually works to your favor IF you watch it at night, with the lights out. I'm serious! It is a dark, dark tale, in terms of its look and its psychological feel. I think the creators intended audiences to watch Texh at night. By day, it's confusing and boring, staggering along like an obese drunk; by night it's a hypnotic masterpiece that will haunt your dreams and leave you sweaty. Other animes have similar aura's when watched at certain times of the day, at least for me. "Now and Then, Here and There," "Ghost in the Shell (the movies)"Berserk," "Blue Gender"--these are strictly nighttime shows. Viewing them at any other time seems to ruin their desired effects. On the other hand, animes like "Trigun," "Record of Lodoss War," and "Last Exile" seem to work better in the day. And strangely enough, I can only watch DBZ in the morning! If you buy Texh, do yourself a favor and try it at night before returning it. You may just change your mind.

Texhnolyze is, so far, an outstandingly original anime. I have only seen Volume 1, but I just can't get the plot out of my head. There are five main characters in all of this first volume. That means that you really shouldn't have that much of a problem keeping track of these people. Also helpful to those of us who don't speak Japanese, the names are simple, short names. These are all names you can pronounce by the end of the fourth episode.
For the first half of the first episode, there is no "dialogue." You only hear the characters grunt, sigh, and occaisionally scream. At first, this seems confusing, but later you'll realise that dialogue really wasn't neccessary. At the end, you see what appears to be the main character, named Ichise get his right arm and left leg cut off. At this point, we still don't know his name. Also introduced in the story is Ran, a girl who can see the future, and Yoshii, a stranger from the surface. With his arrival, you learn that Lukuss, the city in which this story takes, is miles below the Earth's surface.
Over the next few episodes, two other characters are introduced. These are Onishi, a high ranking member of the Organo. The Organo isn't really explained outright,although the implications have me thinking it's a crime syndicate. You are finally led to Doc, an expert on the process of texhnolyzation. She finds Ichise and gives him a new arm and leg.
The presentation is somewhat uneven, which is why I give it only 4 stars. Sometimes, it is very surreal and dream-like, and at other times, it is very harsh and realistic. While this isn't really that bad, it does disrupt the flow of the story a bit. And by the way, the story moves very slowly in the first three episodes, and picks up for a dramatic cliffhanger at number four.
All things considered, this is one of the best new animes I have seen in a while. However, don't buy this if you aren't willing to put insome time and thought into it.