Review of Ergo Proxy: Vol. 4 - Wrong Way Home

Introduction

It`s volume 4 time for `Ergo Proxy`, one of the best anime shows currently on release. The half-way point of a 26-episode anime is normally the point where producers allow their shows to slow down a little, having already established a world, plot and characters, and having plenty of room for manoeuvre prior to the inevitable climax. `Ergo Proxy` is no different in this respect, but the manner in which it has decided to take a breather may come as a bit of a shock, and dare I say it, disappointment to some eager viewers zealously waiting on their next fix. I`m still trying very hard not to cover any major story points, as it is an anime that has story at the top of its priorities list, and it generally does it rather well.

Episodes:

13. Wrong Way Home
14. Ophelia
15. Who Wants To Be In Jeopardy?
16. Busy Doing Nothing

Video

Even the most diligent scrutiniser will have a hard time picking up any major flaws here. A few of the common kinks that accompany animation transfers - it`s a little soft from its NTSC origins and there`s the odd minor artefact - will be apparent, but it`s yet another stellar transfer from MVM. The anamorphic 1.78:1 visuals are sexy and stylish, and the character and art design manages to keep a semi-realistic aspect, toning down the obvious signs of its Asian origins, yet still makes itself identifiable as being of Japanese origin through copious aesthetic zeal and stylisation throughout. It`s surprising the amount of detail that you can pick out in some scenes, while the contrast remains high throughout and the conceptual, moody and bleak colouring gives it an engrossing edge over shows that really don`t draw you into their distinguished world in the same way.

Audio

A cracking selection of audio tracks. Clearly realising stereo is for wussies and luddites, there`s no Dolby Digital 2.0 at all on the disc, instead 3 flavours of 5.1 digital surround (all together now - wooooo!). The original Japanese track is present in Dolby Digital 5.1 form with English subtitles, while the accomplished English dub (nothing less than great scripting and voicing would do on a show like this, and thankfully we get it) comes in two welcome varieties - Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1. As usual, DTS only sounds better (read: slightly louder) because we`ve had it drummed into us that DTS is the superior of the two compression formats. Those without DTS-compatible equipment will still find a thumping 5.1 in the double-D, one which while not particularly soundstage-mobile, does sound full, bassy and really does justice to both the electronica-tinged score and spot effects.

Features

Just a couple of spots for `Berserk` and `Speed Grapher`.

Conclusion

What a peculiar volume. Peculiar good or peculiar bad is probably more subjective than anything, so you may have to decide on that one for yourself. But either way, volume 4 of `Ergo Proxy` is an odd duck that, for the most part, strays away from the theme and tone of previous volumes and delivers something altogether more... peculiar. There`s more comedy, more ambiguity and more high-concept episodes. In fact, it could be argued that episodes 14-16 are all concept in some form or another. For such a cerebral anime, it`s actually quite jarring to have three on the trot, with only the first episode on the disc being a continuation of the story as it has progressed up until now.

The first episode, `Wrong Way Home`, from which the volume takes its name, explores the bond between an entourage and its master, namely through the relationship between Iggy and Re-l, and Re-l`s rather vicious attitude towards the delightful Pino, the Cogito-infected companion AutoReiv who travels with Vincent. It continues from where volume 3 left off, with some startling revelations about Iggy, and has a sublimely deft touch, where a throwaway comment easily missed adds real depth to the episode. It`s then followed up by the mind-bending episode `Ophelia`, which takes the undercurrent of ambiguity explored by the show to another level, which, while slick and thoughtful, doesn`t make a lick of sense and acts as a stand alone episode that has little-to-no bearing on the progress of the plot at large, and hopefully should prove to be the exception and not the rule for further episodes.

`Who Wants To Be In Jeopardy?` is the real kicker on the volume, almost a `joke` episode, possibly a dream or a delusion conjured up by one of the main characters (something that`s never explained or alluded to later on), but one which uses its concept of Vincent taking part in a mental TV quiz show to drop a little exposition that, in hindsight, seems like a cheap and highly unimaginative way to elaborate on the sprawling backstory that permeates the world of `Ergo Proxy`. The volume closes with `Busy Doing Nothing`, one which while still out of kilter with the tone of the show, proves to be the most humorous episode yet, as Vincent, Re-l and Pino are stranded by a lack of wind to sail their ship, and Re-l starts to examine in minute detail the behaviour of her strange companions.

Volume 4 is not as hot a volume as we`ve seen in months previous, mainly down to - as much as it saddens me to say it - trying something different. Perhaps several `different` episodes on the trot is a touch too much. Still, it does little to dampen my enthusiasm for the show. I won`t deny there are times when I wish it was a little less tight-fisted, particularly when it comes to the backstory. Often the scripts simply seem to ignore these important elements, perhaps in an attempt to savour its sense of purpose as a thinking man`s anime, but a little generosity with the bigger picture wouldn`t come close to dumbing down what is still a quintessential anime.