RahXephon
| RahXephon | |
|---|---|
 This is RahXephon | |
| Director/Artist | Yutaka Izubuchi |
| Format | Anime (TV) |
| Made By | Victor Entertainment/BONES |
| Episode Length | 23 minutes |
| # of Episodes | 26 |
Contents
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi, Psychological, Mecha, Action
Sum it up in a Sentence
In the midst of battle, a teenage boy leaves his home and finds another world outside of Tokyo, which is locked in conflict with his former home.
Main Description
The city of Tokyo has been overthrown, taken over by Invaders who have devastated the rest of the planet. For 15 years, the remnants of the human race have fought a losing battle against the Mu and their Dolem, knowing that the key to victory lies within the domed walls of Tokyo Jupiter, where time flows in a different path and none of the mind-wiped citizens even know that the city has been conquered. But no one has been able to get into Tokyo. Until now.
If You Liked This, You Might Like...
- Crest of the Stars
- Eureka seveN
- Infinite Ryvius
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Yuusha Raideen
- Denno Coil (quite different genre, but a some shared creators and themes)
Personal Opinions
abraxas
At first I thought this was going to be just another mecha anime, but it really isn't. I found the subtle changes and the surrounding story very captivating and well executed. Not to mention that I think the animation and art direction in general is absolutley brilliant. Izubuchi, the director for this, said that he wanted to set a new standard for mecha anime with RahXephon and I think he succeeded quite a bit (even though he'd probably argue that newer animes only sort of lived up to his expectations). There is a huge variety of influences which really makes this anime one of a kind for me. The Dolems and RahXephon itself acting with and reacting to sound, the references to various older civilizations and cultures and mainly the setting in which this anime is placed have made me re-watch it at least a dozen times by now. I just find the idea of Tokyo being under this dome-shaped barrier and everyone inside thinking they're the only ones left alive on this planet rather intriguing and interesting. Definitely one of my favorite animes.
JimBobDole
A great bio-mecha series that doesn't get get bogged down in pretentiousness or classical music.
MoaM
The animation here is consistently good, the plot is vague enough for heated discussion we all love so dearly (not unbearable discussion, mind you) and I think there's some legitimate 'in-the-midst-of-battle hear-string-tugging' in the later episodes. My biggest problem with RahXephon is simply that it isn't as visceral as its influences. The monsters (Dolems) are designed to be looked at; they're awe-inspiring monoliths as much as they are tools of destruction. On the same note, the violence, despite some moments later on, never comes off as truly undesirable or even dangerous. People get hurt, yes, things fall apart, yes, and I'm not saying that the outskirts of this near-futuristic Tokyo (Tokyo itself is inaccessible) should've been portrayed as fractured in turmoil, rather, that the threat of personal injury (and in some sense) to our pretty-faced heroes allows me to spare some empathy. I feel there is very little impending danger in RahXephon. A silly complaint, I know. It just seems to me that a post-apocalyptic world shouldn't be as desirable as what's presented here.
But take note that I'm not arguing RahXephon isn't served well by all the criticisms I've spouted out. If 'awe-inspiring' slipped by you let me put it bluntly: the Dolems are refreshing. The aesthetics of RahXephon are a weird combination of seraphic pomp, musical cues and ancient/classical architecture. There's nothing to really compare them to (does 'jutting buildings which just happen to be shaped like humanoids' make any sense?) which is always good. I'll admit that impending doom with a bit of blood and guts can sometimes ill-serve a show's intent; the Amber-Locked cities/citizens keeps the series away from feeling down-trodden and pessimistic (a 'save the world' vibe where not everyone is dead). Even the Mu themselves, despite the obvious malevolence of being antagonists, remain sort-of passive...even noble. Maybe that's taking it a bit too far, maybe I went too far by even trying to defend a show I'm not 100% in love with...but I can tell you without question that the catharsis of each character's journey is more important than whatever plot-devices explode into fiery infernos while Main Character and Sidekick Joe scream battle cries.
Avoid if you like teenagers debating politics while firing laser beams at one another (eventually running out of ammo to engage in beam saber CQC).
Watch if you like 'feel-good' drama with a hint of pretty robots punching one another.
Links
- Official website by Media Factory (Japanese)
- Official website by A.D. Vision (North America)
