We see, we feel, we relate...

Written by Kwijibow on May 28, 2011 at 1:45 AM

This is another wonderful anime from Gonzo (maker of Gantz), with a non-linear, fast moving story for people who love to think along with the action. Other reveiwers have suggested it is a story written for adults only, and perhaps this is true, but I believe that young adults from 12 to 18 will have no problem at all identifying with and understanding the very real-world topics and issues the story and characters present. There are racy scenes, and some episodes are ones I would be uncomfortable sitting through with my daughters until they are a lot older. But this is not a hentai, and the scenes were drawn to portray the sickness of the scenerio and the people in them -- in other words, to forcefully ram home a point. The characters are well developed, strong and unique in their own way - people with strengths and fears, weaknesses and blind spots.
The anime uses the time-honoured device of magic/super powers to move through the story in a really unique way. The entertainment factor stays high, as the veiwer is presented with real-world issues like political graft and corruption, child slavery, abuse drugs and the sex trade, sociopathy and psychopathy, organized crime and extreme poverty, child soldiers and the super wealthy corporate citizen. The viewer gets to see the bad guys blown to smithereens, and the thinkers se that it comes with personal cost to the hero. The power brokers in control of this world morph into monsters drawn according to their desires or "wishes" granted by the Goddess. The hero and the chief villain are shown, as the story unfolds to be so alike that before the end, only a few choices and a different point of view is all that seems to separate them. One man searches for and saves a girl by setting her free and fighting with all he has so she can live free;the other man searches for a girl as well, and sets her free in the way he thought was best, then fights with all he has to bring justice to those he sees are to blame with a terrible vengeance. The ending is a spectacular portrayal of revenge, compassion, sadness ... and hope, despite the uncertainty of what the future will bring. I give this anime 5 stars, and intend to watch it over and over again.